Bireme Greek Warship 480 B.C. by John E. - Auvergne - Amati - Scale 1:35

[Auvergne]

Hello Folks. I am hoping to be in the proper place for this kit build. Don't wish to be booted out. This is my first kit after 40 years of work, work, work. Now it's time to enjoy my passion. Please be delicate, I'm not an ol' salt just yet. I know, not a pretty photo or my layout but I'll get the hang of this. Thanks all!!

[Anja]

Hello John,

 

Yes, you certainly are in the proper place for this kit and off to a good start.

Thanks for starting a log and have us enjoy this build with you.

 

The photo might not be 'pretty' as you say, but your Bireme certainly will be.

I'm looking forward to your progress.

 

Good luck and happy modeling with your Bireme.

 

Anja

[Adrieke]

i l be following closely too

[mtaylor]

Now that's a novel use for a laptop...    Looking good.

[Auvergne]

Greek Bireme 3

 

Yesterday was a very productive day on this Greek Bireme Warship. I succeeded at some of the interior decking though have yet to complete. I should have executed this portion prior to the topside decking but have had no real significant problems.

 

The carpentry on the topside was relatively easily accomplished. Once dry, I simply cut away any excess lumber with surgical curved scissors which work beautifully then filed even with a small file, though an X-Acto knife did just as well.

 

Completed the decking (or covering), on the oar shams and am ready today to continue boxing in the shams (topside & below), as well as my wales.

 

I have yet to complete the interior decking and bottom side of the hull but anticipate a good day today!

 

Hope everyone enjoys and have a great day of model shipbuilding.

 

John E

 

I am however having difficulty resizing these photos. I'll have to repost later the good shots I had after resizing, again.

[Auvergne]

Here following is the better photo of my progress.

[Auvergne]

Good morning friends,

 

I wanted to give you an update on my Bireme Greek Warship. It is coming along good (I am thinking), but as we all know it is not complete until the painting is complete. That is why I am making this post at this time.

 

Even though she is not complete and I have much work still yet to do I decided to paint her upper deck. I have decided to make her my own paint design. This is the only difference I will make and try to keep her anatomically correct in her historical value. (Though I have not done much research with the exception of what I have learned from Arthur and others.

 

I hope this meets with everyone and your satisfaction.

 

Have a happy day of modeling.

 

John E

[ianmajor]

John,

 

This is going to make a lovely model. I am impressed with the progress that you are making.

 

By the way, if you want your photos to appear within the text rather than as thumbnails at the end - after uploading the photo file, place the cursor in the text box where you want the photo to be, then just below the tiny thumbnail of your newly uploaded file you will find "Add to Post | Delete". Hit the add to post and something like "attachment=12345:test 01.JPG" will appear in your text with square braces around it. Then if you preview or post your update the photo will appear in that part of the text.

 

Hope this was useful.

Edited October 23, 2013 by ianmajor

[mij]

Hi John

 

This looks like an interesting bulid, I`ll be following your progress.

 

mij

[tarbrush]

Hi John,

your bireme is looking good!  I am looking forward to following your build!

[Auvergne]

Hi guys and gals. I wanted to show my progress on this Bireme Greek Warship the past few days.

 

First, I had to do some painting on the topside merely to show a progressive schedule I hold myself accountable for. I need to see a progressive advancement to feel as if I am actually accomplishing something. Not sure why, but that’s how I work.

 

Secondly, I have caught some mistakes; i.e. using too much glue (so instead of the glue applicator I now use a paintbrush), slow but it looks better; I don’t know how I did this but my calculations for the bow was like way off. Don’t know what I was thinking…

 

So for the bow I have had to cut away some planking and replace @ the CL of the bulkhead, where now I do not have 1 continuous piece of planking all the way through the hull from stem to stern in some areas as shown in the pictures.

 

I am learning though. Actually, I have discovered with a mixture of water & wood filler at very thin doses works well on the inside of the hull as a filling agent to cover minor and small defects. Not sure if that is actually legal or not but I did not want this baby to go to the scrap pile just yet.

 

I then sand the hull down with 400# sand paper (again, hope that’s OK), then with a #0000 steel wool to give it a flat shine and reduce any grit caused by the wood filling agent I created.

 

Once complete with the hull’s bow I will do minor aesthetics throughout the hull and then…tackle the beast, the stern, or prow…wish me luck…

 

BTW, the instructions on this thing are quite minimal…a good kit for the most part, but one must know some woodworking skills as well as a small bit of Marine Engineering, but truly, nothing major. I just like to sound as if I know what I am talking about…(DOH?!).

 

See ya’ll next time! Have a great night! I am learning folks.

 

John E (Auvergne).

[Auvergne]

Seems like all I am doing is making too many mistakes folks....is there any rule that says we can make this what we want it to be besides what its supposed to be....anyway, I'll post some pics after putting them on my HD ....thanks for following all.

 

I thought i would add something to this since she is not turning out too well...Mmmmm, just don't know. Constructed a detailed railing around the upper deck (only have one side complete, but not painted), wondered if there were any thoughts...since I am having trouble figuring the bow out.

 

I think I goofed some where....

 

John

Edited October 30, 2013 by Auvergne

[mtaylor]

John,

 

Rule of thumb... you're the Captain, build it any way you want.  There is no "wrong" way...

 

Looking good.

[Auvergne]

Hey Mark, you made my day, brother...thanks so much, friend!!!

 

Have a great evening!!

[ianmajor]

Hello John,

 

Just catching up on your log after my week away.

 

She is looking very nice.

 

Re making mistakes - we all do that - I major in them - well I ought to, I have the right name for that!      The main thing is to not lose heart and to work out ways to correct the mistakes. 

 

I see you have looked at Arthur's (AEW) bireme. It might be worth dropping him a note if you are stuck on anything. I am sure he would give advice.

 

Keep up the good work.

[mtaylor]

Hi John,

 

I should have mentioned this earlier... what's legal?  Whatever you want.  And the glue and sawdust is used by most everyone for filler.   What Ian suggested about contacting Arthur (AEW - screenname).  Very few of us have built this ship and I'm not one of them....

[Auvergne]

Ian, I thank you sir! My Bireme is a little rough around the edges as they say but well worth the time I am putting into her. I am learning to improvise and correct as I go along. I think I have almost got the bow figured out especially with all the twists and turns of the planking on the stern, she is looking to say the least, fair. But as you say with hard work and a whole lot of heart felt enthusiasm, my first build may come to fruition as time sails on by.

 

I am hoping to make a scratch build of an easier vessel such that I believe Chuck will hopefully have soon of Syren Model Co. Can't remember the name but I was loking at her this early morning and as soon as the plans are made available I am going to give her a try.

 

I thanks everyone for their encouragement, advice,and well wishes.

 

Have a great day, Ian!

[Auvergne]

Mark,you as well sir are a source of encouragement and I thank you for your very valued advice. It is such a good forum and I enjoy the contacts and friendships which are evolving around a subject matter we all embrace and love.

 

I am working on a secondary project of "Connie" as well. She is not in 3D format as a model, but, rather I am drafting her from different sources onto a piece of 3/4" x 30" x 48" Baltic Birchwood. I will either do some Pyrography (wood-burning), and Airbrush on her as well as add some reaalism to her with the Copper Plates to scale.

 

I was thinking about building her up from the panel and create a kind of half hull mounted on this panel...that will be so much work, but, as an artist and draftsman, I may just paint her with my new Airbrush.

 

Question: Would it be alright for the moderators to post this project on this forum? Sure would love to show my progress on this one, even though she is not officially a model....

 

Thanks Mark, for all your help.

 

John E

[augie]

Sorry if I'm late to the party.  It's nice to see a bireme under construction.......interesting vessels that I know little about.

 

Welcome aboard MSW by the way.  No better place to move up the learning curve quickly with the great bunch of knowledgeable folks on here (not to mention the tutorials).  It takes courage to put your first build on here for all to see.  But it is absolutely the best way to channel your enthusiasm and to stick with it.  Trust me

 

Looking forward to your continues progress!

[mtaylor]

John,

 

One of our credos is "nautical related"... we even have cross-stitch here.  Feel free to post your Connie in General Discussion for now, and if we find a better place, we'll move it.   If it's intended to be a half-hull, then post it in Scratch Builds.

[Auvergne]

I must thank all for waiting to see more of my build. I did not go with a traditional hull after all. Somewhere, and I am not sure where, I saw a ship with a polished clay (perhaps Cold Porcelain), as her hull only, included with all the wood topside and rigging, fittings, blocks, etc. of a normal model ship.

 

So I decided after I completed planking a good solid hull, my bow on this Greek Bireme was giving me a lot of trouble, as well as the stern. So I am fashioning her from a light coat of Paper Clay which dries as a kind of white wood if you will, fully carveable, sandable, and able to file if necessary.

 

Upon completion, she should have a smooth finish of paint with my airbrush and a coat or two of a polished satin polyurethane.

 

Honestly, I did not think all the twists and turns of the bow and stern would be so difficult for me so this was a good alternative I think.

 

I would like to hear what everyone following has to say.

 

And furthermore, I shall never give up this ship!

 

I forgot to resize my photos so I am off to do that and will post here shortly.

 

John E (Auvergne)

[ianmajor]

John,

 

I look forward to the photos.

 

I have no personal experience of building a bireme but my assessment is that it is a ship that looks easier to build than it actually is. Keep up the good work.

[Auvergne]

Mike, Ian, & Augie,

 

Thanks gentlemen for all the very valued encouragement. Proceeding onward!

 

John

[Auvergne]

I am having difficulty loading photos. I have re-sized several times. HELP!

[ianmajor]

Hum. What is different? You were successfully adding photos at the start of the log. There is a 2Mb limit on each post - though reasonable photos only need to be up to a few hundred Kb. How many Kb are your photos after resizing?

[Auvergne]

Let me try Ian....Thank you Ian!!! Grateful for your assistance, sir.

 

John

[Auvergne]

As you all may have seen, I have had more than my share of difficulty with this Bireme. Simply put, I could not figure out the planking and with no experience at planking the hull, I decided to use the paper clay to complete the hull. She is planked by the way, all the way through except for the stern up to a certain point. I could not get in all the twists and turns. I did however for future builds purchase a wood steam bender and an electric heating iron and my tool inventory is growing rapidly.

 

I began painting the hull yesterday...one coat, with my airbrush and for a first try at everything makes for quite a demonstration model as well as a fair display model. Though not completed as of yet, probably a few more weeks or so. (I was anxious to get this one completed), but have promised myself if it takes 9 months to finish her or a year, so be it. I have 2 kits on the way. One is a Chebec and the other the Fair American.

 

Sing praises friends if I complete at least one of them.

 

John E

[augie]

Your attitude on completion time is spot on.  It takes whatever it takes......usually longer than you thought.

 

There is lots of information on planking here on MSW....I'm sure there are some turorials right on the home page.  Have a look!

[pompey2]

John  That old bug is biting. Buying tools to improve things 'next time' is a sure sign. Sorry mate but there's no hope for you.

I like the choice of ship too very elegant those romans. Keep up the good work.

 

Nick

[Auvergne]

Augie,

Thanks for the tips which I will give a go at....planking that is. I have finally appropriated a booklet on planking any type of vessel. I have seen it on the site as well. I must take whatever time it takes for the next ship. Already figured to spend whatever it takes as you state, thanks Augie...appreciate your tutor.