US Brig Syren by Gahm - Model Shipways

[Gahm]

It has been a while since my last update (too many other projects going on ). I finally started with the rigging of the guns – first step the breech lines. After experimenting a little with different breech knots (img 1c) and different materials using a simple gun station jig (img 1a) I decided to go with the Syren rigging rope 0.025, a 100wt silk thread (img 1b), and the 3^rd breech knot from the left in img 1c. It seems to be one of the most commonly used breech knots which I could find on images from carronades and naval guns of that period. Images 2 and 3 show the detailed steps of how to make the breech knot. In img 2d my ‘manual serving station’ can be seen. It comes in handy for small tasks. The finished knot is shown in img 3i. Img 4 lists the different steps for the 2^nd knot of the breech line. The length of the line needs to be marked (img 4j) and the whole process described in img 2 and 3 repeated, only now with a gun ‘dangling’ on one end of the rope. The finished breech line is shown in img 5. Images 6-9 depict one half of the guns with breech lines – the other half still needs to be done . Img 10 shows the breech line for one of the long guns.

 

Thomas

 

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[Tigersteve]

Superb!

Steve

[Gahm]

Thank you Dirk and Tigersteve for your great feedback! And thanks for all the likes!

 

Dirk, with my first attempt of the long gun breech rope I acted on the assumption that the tiller was unhooked and used directly to steer the ship when the guns were operated. The length and shape of the Syren tiller would support that assumption. However, I have seen by now several models with shorter breech ropes (like you also suggest) and clearly need to revisit the length of that rope  

 

Thomas  

[Blue Ensign]

Beautifully neat work Thomas, and a great explanation of your approach to this fiddly little exercise.

A classic 'how to' post.

 

B.E.

[Gahm]

Thank you, B.E.!

 

Thomas

[HIPEXEC]

Thomas,

 

Great build!

 

I'm am going to drill the mast holes before I get even building the gunwales. I like your jig idea. I'm making my Syren into The Argus which has a much larger rake angle on the aft mast than the Syren. With your type jig I can nail it.

Thanks

[Gahm]

Thank you, Rich, for this comment! I have learned so much from this forum since I joined that I am glad if I can contribute a little myself.

 

Thomas

[Gahm]

I finished all breech lines and started with the gun tackles. For these I am using the 0.008’’ line from Chuck’s Syren company, served with a 100wt beige silk thread (image 1a), and the Syren 2mm single sheave boxwood rigging blocks. I opened up the holes in the blocks a little (77 drill), sanded the corners slightly with a fine sand paper and mounted each block on a wire loop to facilitate the handling of these tiny objects (image 1b). For hooks I went with the photoetched 3mm hooks from Dafi (http://www.dafinismus.de/plates_en.html#anker7). All parts needed for a hook-block assembly are shown in image 2c. Images 2 and 3 present the assembly sequence for a tackle and image 4 shows the finished result. For rope coils I used a variation of an idea from Richard (kscadman). Image 5 shows my jig which allows making rope coils right beside the gun. It also allows varying size and shape of these coils. I want to avoid for these coils to look all identical and ‘too perfect’. The first completely rigged carronade is shown in images 6 – 8. I still have to see whether I stick with this process for the remaining 17 guns . . . 

 

Thomas

 

 

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[Eddie]

Wow thats coming along really nice.

[rafine]

Super work on the gun rigging, Thomas.

 

Bob

[Blue Ensign]

That is very, very, nice work Thomas, puts my fudged efforts around the side tackles to shame.

That's an interesting little cheese making device you have there😊

B.E.

[Gahm]

Eddie, Dirk, Bob, B.E., thank you for your kind comments! Especially considering the outstanding rigging results on your own models your feedback is highly appreciated! And thanks for all the likes!

Dirk, I know . . . one down, 17 to go 

 

Thomas

[Gahm]

Gun rigging continued . . . the rigging of the long guns is finished (images 1 - 5).

3 down and 15 to go . . . 

Thomas

 

 

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[jablackwell]

Thomas: amazing work to watch. Your ship is coming along wonderfully, and the detail is astounding. The Syren is on my list... and I could only hope to aspire to such levels. I do have a question that maybe you could help me with... from a beginner's perspective having never built a ship with cannons or other deck based arms: do you glue the cannons, etc, to the deck? If so, what do you use for that?

 

Thanks! I shall be sitting back and enjoying your build.

~john

[Tigersteve]

Thomas- you are setting the bar very high for anyone's Syren build. I'll say again that I'm really enjoying this log.

Steve

[Gahm]

Thank you, John and Steve, for your kind comments! And thanks for all the likes!

John, yes I glue the cannons to the deck. For this I use a little droplet of Elmer's yellow wood glue underneath each wheel, and if some glue should show I clean it away with a wet paintbrush. As I glue wood to wood it actually bonds pretty strongly. I involuntarily had to test this bond when I had to remove one of the cannons to correct a little mistake after I had already glued it to the deck. It was surprisingly difficult .

[Gahm]

Gun rigging continued . . . 7 down and 11 to go .

I am proceeding with the gun rigging in steps of 4 guns each to keep things interesting. Starting from the stern of the model it also allows to permanently mount all the deck furniture which will no longer be impacted by the rigging of the carronades, e.g. at the current stage the steering wheel with tackles, binnacle, and capstan (image 1). Image 2 shows the rigging of the steering tackles. I chose the method where both sides are rigged and the 2 ends of the rope combined underneath the steering wheel drum (see images 2 and 3). And to answer the obvious question of how these guns could be operated in such a confined space: in case of operation the tackles for the steering wheel were unhooked and the rudder operated via the tiller without wheel. That is also the reason for the shape of the tiller which has the length and the round end typical for direct manual operation. Image 4 shows some little add-ons to my Syren serving machine. It allows seizing very small eyes but also shows the potential for other simple modifications which will come in handy when I move into the rigging phase of my model. Images 5 and 6 are some additional views of the current state of the model.

 

Thomas

 

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[MEDDO]

 Looks great. It's wonderful to see what a skilled modeler can do with a great kit.

[Heronguy]

Thomas,

 

An information packed post!.  The work looks wonderful.  I'm awaiting my replacement plywood for this kit so when I do start I'll have your build to motivate me!.

 

I haven't used the Servomatic yet so I may be able to figure out how your mods play.  I'll ask later if I still can't figure it out.

 

Inspiring.

 

 

[HIPEXEC]

Very nice gun rigging

[Tigersteve]

Love it!

Steve

[Gahm]

Michael, Doug, Rich, Dirk, Steve, thank you for your kind comments! And thanks for all the likes!

- Doug, I really like the Syren Servomatic. It took me a while to get it fine tuned to a point where it ran very smoothly. The brass tube design makes it easy to fabricate all kinds of inserts which allow the serving of special parts such as seized eyes, blocks, etc. Once I get to that point it will be interesting to design a 'mouse maker'

 

Thomas 

[Beef Wellington]

Hi Thomas, somehow I've missed your Syren build up to this point, wow, just wonderfully inspirational work.  

[chance]

Hi Tom, Great looking model.  How and when did you drill the holes through the keel for the mounting support posts and what diameter did you use? How will you secure them once the model is finished? 

 

Thanks  

[kscadman]

Your work is always amazing Thomas!!

[Gahm]

Jason, Chance, Richard, thank you for your interest and feedback! It is always highly appreciated!

Chance, I drilled the holes through the keel when the rough framing was just finished and I still had easy access to the keel. The diameter was determined by the width of the keel.  I inserted in each hole a 2 inch long brass pipe which went through the keel and way up into a basswood filler block. The 2 counterparts to these brass pipes were mounted on my stand. Each pair of brass pipes consisting of the piece in the keel and the piece on the stand were connected via a solid brass rod which fills the inside of the brass pipes. That makes for a pretty stable connection. Whether this will be the final stand solution is still undecided. But these holes are not visible and they give me a lot of options for the final stand design 

 

Thomas

[Gahm]

Gun rigging continued . . . 11 down and 7 to go.

A little sign of life . . . with more guns being rigged additional deck furniture could be permanently mounted: the ladders, five rail, and pump. The deck starts to get a ‘finished’ look (images 1 - 4) .

 

Thomas

 

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[Stuntflyer]

Looking super nice, Thomas! Full size views show really nice detailing

Mike

[rafine]

Not just finished Thomas -- beautifully finished.

 

Bob

[cog]

Hello Thomas,

 

I've been an irregular follower,or should I say lurker You really have some smashing detailed deck furniture on your build. Wonderful work.

 

Cheers