US Brig Syren by rvchima - FINISHED - Model Shipways

[augie]

That's a LOT of progress.  Well done.  I like that figure as well.  You are FAST.

 

I sped up when I got to the longboat.  Built it in 45 minutes with 2 coats of paint (used a roller)

[rvchima]

Augie,

Tonight I was trying to match your speed on the longboat and sanded through the side. Now I have to wait all night for the wood filler to dry. Maybe I can use spray paint to catch up.

Rod

[rvchima]

Longboat completed

 

13 weeks, 255 man-hours

 

The longboat took about 1.5 times longer than it should have because of two major mistakes. I mentioned my first mistake in my last post - I sanded through the hull. It patched up OK with wood filler but the stain was blotchy. My second mistake was to try to line up the ribs by eye. I measured carefully but the result looked terrible, as shown below. I ended up starting a new longboat from scratch. This time I held it up to the light periodically as I sanded. When I could see light through the wood I knew it was time to stop.

 

Left: What happens when you sand through the hull, then try to line up the ribs by eye.

Right: New hull with ribs aligned with a jig.

 

How I aligned the ribs

First I eliminated the center keel strip. You can't see it under the floorboards anyway. Then I used a 1/8" nylon cable tie to align each rib parallel to the last. I used spring clamps to hold the cable tie. CA glue barely sticks to the nylon. The second hull looked SO much better than the first that I'm glad I started over.

 

The longboat took 27 man-hours to build but it's one of the best tiny models that I've ever built. Maybe I'm finally getting the hang of this precision work.

 

I did start on the bowsprit. Only a few hours of work so far, but it makes a big difference in the look of the ship.

 

[rvchima]

Question about seizing a line

 

A couple of places in the instructions have said to seize a line with thread. I think I could do it full scale but it sure is hard in miniature. Does anyone have any tips on how to hold two threads while wrapping them with a third?

[rvchima]

Question about thread supplied with the kit

 

The thread supplied with the kit is wound tightly around plastic "bobbins," and ends up kinked when you unwind it. Should I use it as-is, or soak it in water to straighten it out?

[augie]

Beautiful work on the longboat.  I can't help you but I'm sure you'll get suggestions on the seizing....it will help us both!!!!

[augie]

To get the kinks out I stretch the line and leave it under tension for a while (hours?) then wax it with beeswax.

[rvchima]

Bowsprit, Jibboom, and Flying Jibboom Complete

 

14 weeks, 277 man-hours

It took 23 hours to build and rig the Bowsprit, Jibboom, and Flying Jibboom.

 

The Syren has almost doubled in length since my last post. I've had to revise my situational awareness - I kept bumping parts that weren't there before and broke the dolphin striker twice.

 

I shaped all the booms, etc. in a drill press. I left an extra inch to go in the chuck, spun the part at 1600 rpm, and tapered them with sand paper. Pretty easy.

 

I rigged most of the blocks to the booms with thin wire instead of thread. That's not realistic, but it is a lot easier and looks OK to me.

Edited April 17, 2013 by rvchima

[rvchima]

Masts, Tops, and Top Masts Complete

15 weeks, 301 man-hours

 

The Syren has gotten much taller too! The masts aren't actually attached yet but they will be soon. I better build and attach the final base to the model before I attach the masts.

 

It took 19 hours to build the masts, tops, and top masts.

 

The 1/16" tape that came with the model did not stick very well, so I bought a roll of 1/16" flat black graphic tape made by Chartpak at a local art supply store. It sticks very well, but I coated the mast bands with some diluted white glue just to be sure.

 

I like this overhead view. In real life the cross trees would be about 75 feet above the deck. I have climbed about 40 feet up some big spruce trees in my back yard to trim branches, and it was terrifying! Imagine hauling sails this far above the deck in rough weather.

Edited April 17, 2013 by rvchima

[russ]

_Rod:

_{First of all, this is a really nice build. I am impressed with your work.}

 

_{On seizing lines, I use a third hand device to hold the lines and then add the seizing. Some folks will use a bit of CA on the lines, but I prefer using Elmer's white glue. It dries clear.}

 

_Russ

[augie]

Really first rate!

[bhermann]

Rod - i don't know how I missed this one on MSW-1, but she sure is looking good.  I love the way the bowsprit rigging came out.  Getting those footropes to sag "naturally" is a pain in the butt - you did a real fine job there.

 

Referring back to your original post - when Neil Armstrong was walking on the Moon, I was building those paper LEM models you could get at Gulf gas stations - I must have had 10 of them around the house.  When I get to my Flying Fish, I'll be sure to come to you for advice!  Yours looks really nice - even after all the years.

 

 

Looking forward to following this as you progress - thanks for sharing. 

 

Bob

[rvchima]

Gentlemen,

Thank you all for the kind words. I am enjoying posting this build log, and it is gratifying to know that some folks are following it.

Rod

[rvchima]

New stand built
 

16 weeks, 320 man-hours
 
I wanted to build and attach the permanent stand for the Syren before I attached the masts. As I dug through my lumber rack looking at cocobolo, padauk, and quilted maple, I had to step over a pile of quarter sawn white oak waiting on the floor for my next build - a Stickley-style coffee table. And suddenly I realized that the real Syren was probably made mostly from oak That settled it - the stand had to be oak. I built it yesterday and attached it today.
 
I have also finished adding all the miscellaneous blocks and rigging to the masts, so it's time to head back downstairs and step the masts.

Edited April 23, 2013 by rvchima

[russ]

The stand looks good. I think the brass pedestals are the right call. The oak finished very well. Good work.

 

Russ

[rvchima]

Question about this editor

 

This is a nice editor for a blog, but does it have a spel checkr? I can't find one anywehre!

[bhermann]

Rod

 

Spell check isn't a feature of the Forum, it is something that needs to be enabled in your browser, and how to do it is dependent on which browser you are using.  Check out this topic for some more information:

 

http://modelshipworld.com/index.php?/topic/534-spell-check-and-measurment-converter/

 

BTW - I agree with Russ.  The stand looks really good - I like the reasoning behind using oak..

 

Bob

[rvchima]

Masts Stepped

 

 

I stepped the masts last night. Plans on the wall to align the side view, plumb bob hanging from the ceiling just behind the main mast to make sure it's vertical from the front. I used 5 minute epoxy for the job. I've done everything else with 15 second medium CA, so the epoxy gave me 20 times the working time I'm used to.

 

Stayed up until 1 am making tiny wire links for the chain plate assemblies. Not the most fun part of the model. ;^(

 

 

 

[rvchima]

Bob,

Thanks for the information about the spell checker. I use Firefox and had somehow had no dictionary installed. It's fixed now so I have no excuses.

Rod

[russ]

The masts look good. In that first photo, I almost thought you had the shrouds on the model instead of the drawing.

 

Russ

[Timmo]

Looking good there Rod, I'll be following the build and might try the siren myself one day

Wayne

[john46]

Excellent work and nice pictures Rod.

 

Regards,

John

[racouch444]

Thanks for the pictures, log and the welcome suggestions.  I have just about completed my Syren hull, and the plating.  I was`nt willing to deal with all those little pieces of the copper plates, so I put my copper on in strips - after dimppling the strips by a tiny die, made of aluminum.  But instead of punches, I center punched the aluminum, with the pattern shown in the manual, leaving a standing sharp edge, and used three strips of rubber glued to the upper part of the die ( punch ) to force the copper face down onto the centerpunched aluminum.  It did a damn fine job I think, but I did had to add dimples later where there were gaps in the pattern.  The plating looks OK, but the authenticity went out the window.  I also had a problem with the cannons ( the paper `test` ) being too high, I cut my waterways out at the gun ports, not a good solution.  Those gun ports were a `bear ` to make square, and neat, and the sweep ports impossible.  What the hell is a sweep port anyway, - I mean on the real ship ???  If it werent so expensive, I`d almost be willing to start this job over.  I don`t like the cannons MS supplied with the kit, so I`m going to re-cast them using a RTV rubber mold, altered to photos I downloaded from Model Ship World some time ago.  I dont know thats going to work out, but I have done it before, with moderate success casting small boats. I noticed your helm, very nice - obviously not a kit issue, mine came with half the outside spokes missing.  I`m not sure I can make a wheel that small, I`m going to try casting it in resin.  Sorry about the lack of pictures, as yet I dont have a camera, but I`m working on that. 

racouch444

[fnkershner]

Sweep Ports are for Sweeps. LOL i.e. Long handled oars. If the only propulsion for a ship is sails and there is no wind. Guess what the crew has to do? Must have been quite the job.

[augie]

Sweep Ports are for Sweeps. LOL i.e. Long handled oars. If the only propulsion for a ship is sails and there is no wind. Guess what the crew has to do? Must have been quite the job.

Floyd didn't want to depress you by telling you that those 'long handles' are really long........like 25-30 feet.  Not exactly like rowing your sweetheart around the local pond!

[rvchima]

Sweep ports

 

Excellent question racouch444. I didn't know what sweep ports were either. I even built 16 long oars called sweeps (see page 73 of the instructions) and never made the connection until now. Sure would be cool if someone left the doors off temporarily, built the sweeps early, and poked them out the side to see what she looks like under oar.

 

Concerning cannons, I remember reading that MS was supplying new cannons now, and might even be open to replacing them. Anyone know about that? I bought very expensive cannons from Bluejacket Shipcrafters. But then I've spent way more on tools, supplies, and paints than I spent on the model in the first place. Every new project deserves some new tools.

 

Rod

Edited April 26, 2013 by rvchima

[MD11pilot]

I'm enjoying your build, Rod.  Really nice work.  I liked your hint about the zip ties as a tool for spacing the ribs in the long boat -- simple yet very effective.

 

I can't even imagine how hard it would be to row a ship as big as the Syren.  Heck, just carrying the oars around would be a major chore.  You'd think they would just tow with the ship's boats, like in the opening scene of "Master and Commander."  The crew would definitely deserve an extra ration of grog after a couple of hours on those oars.

[rvchima]

Chain plates, then a week off

I haven't posted in a couple of weeks but I have a good excuse - I spent a week in Duck, NC for my son's wedding. Eric Chima and Jess Aylward were married in a beautiful ceremony on the beach, in 25 mph winds. We were all freezing cold, but the wedding went off perfectly and everyone had fun. During the week I visited the Wright Brother's memorial in Kitty Hawk, and my second son Keith and I took hang gliding lessons on the dunes. The winds were also high then, so we flew tethered to the instructors on a short leash. I'd love to go back for more.

 

But back to the Syren. Before the wedding I started the chain plates as described in the instructions. I stropped all the deadeyes, made a zillion links, then assembled a few chains. Then I noticed that they were all different lengths, and all were longer than the in drawings. Oh s*&^. After a little thought, I decided to start over and cheat. I replaced the chains with a long, single wire twisted around a deadeye on one and with a loop on the other end for a nail. I used the photo-etched brass preventer links for some detail. I made a jig to get the correct length. The whole batch of deadeyes took a couple of hours and I am happy with the results.

Left - chain plates like they're supposed to be made, but too long.

Right - simplified chain plates.

[augie]

Congrats on the wedding of your son....... and your resolution of working on the chain gang!

[rvchima]

Standing Rigging

 

In the last week I've added a lot of the standing rigging and started the rat lines. I discovered that I am short several 2.5 and 3.5 mm deadeyes, so I pestered Model Expo and they promised to send more. I the meantime my Syren is a little lopsided, with some shrouds missing on the port side.

 

I experimented with the ratlines and found that clove hitches were a lot of work to tie. But Ship Modeling Simplified by Frank Mastini says that at small scale a simple overhand knot is simpler and neater than a clove hitch, so that's what I used. Here are step-by-step instructions for tying the ratlines.

 

1. Clip some 1/4" graph paper to the shrouds. Micro clips for igniting model rocket engines are great for holding graph paper, loose threads, and rigging deadeyes.

Start with a clove hitch on the left-most shroud, since a clove hitch is self-tightening. Pull the line across the next shroud with your right hand.

Then use your left hand to put some angled tweezers in the "hole" between the next 2 shrouds and the ratline you're working on. Grab the end of the line with the tweezers.

 

2. Use the tweezers to pull the line through the hole, then push it through the loop in the line in your right hand. Here I've already grabbed the end and dropped the tweezers. I wish this picture was a little clearer.

 

3. Ta-da! You have an overhand knot around the next shroud.

 

4. Tighten up the knot, then move on to the next shroud.

When the line is done align everything with the graph paper, then put a drop of medium CA on each knot. Blot quickly with a paper towel, and make sure the graph paper is not stuck in back.

In 15 seconds you can trim the ends of the lines.

When all the lines are done, touch each knot with a black Sharpie marker to cover up shininess from the glue.

 

After my deadeyes arrive I'll try to get some photos of my Syren with some standing rigging in place.