US Brig Syren by knightyo

[knightyo]

Well, since going back to school a couple of years ago, I've had to put my modeling on hold.  I have been lurking on the site from time to time however, which has been a nice respite from my studies.   Now that school is starting to wind down, I'm able to lurk a little more, and can see the light at the end of the tunnel.  I've decided to re-build my log from the pre-crash era, even though I won't be able to perform any solid modeling for a while yet; just having the log back up will be immensely satisfying.  I'm going to try and post relevant pics in a sequential order, and any pics which seem like they might be of help to others. 

 

Enjoy, and feel free to leave any comments or suggestions.   I am going to be very rusty once I start her again, and will probably need guidance in order to make sure I don't mistakenly wander down the wrong path!

 

Alan

[dgbot]

It is good to see this build again. 

David B

[knightyo]

Looks like I was using kite string for alignment checks.  The date of 2007 is horrifying.  The turtle is definitely in this race. 

[knightyo]

I'm including this pic as it shows how rough the hull initially looked.  Since I knew I'd be painting everything, I took a very lazy stance towards really treating each section as it's own project, and pretty much threw planks and glue at the thing figuring I'd sand everything to shape later.  Was this lazy? yes.    Did it really save time at the end?  Well, it's now 2014 and the ship still isn't done.  I think it's safe to say my "timesaving" planking approach didn't really yield a lot of benefit.

[knightyo]

Pics showing everything after sanding. 

[knightyo]

I think I stole this idea from Chuck.  Used a dremel tool cutting disk to shape a beaded molding pattern in an old Xacto blade, and ran the "shaper" down a piece of planking in order to create a beaded molding strip.

[knightyo]

I think I used simple painters tape in order to tape off the hull.  I knew it didn't have to be a perfect line as the copper plates would eventually be overlapping the paint line.

[knightyo]

Now since I knew that pretty much everything I installed from this point on would be visible, I slowed way down.  I used graph paper to help myself plank the deck properly, and to make sure I didn't end up with any surprises.

[knightyo]

Deck is done.   I remember that I used a black Sharpie marker to color the edges of the planks before gluing them in.  This created a very nice effect once the planks were installed and sanded, BUT the ink from the Sharpie reacted with a Mastic I applied to the deck, which required me to resand.  It ended up fine, but was very scary for a while.  Lesson learned:  Always test paints/stains/inks on scrap pieces first...  

[knightyo]

Random images

[dgbot]

Another thing that will help is to use a scraper instead of sandpaper.  The sandpaper will lightly tear the small fibers and might spread the caulking.  Scraping is like using a sharp razor.  It shaves the fibers and as a result will not affect the caulking.  it will also polish the deck

David B

[knightyo]

Creating the cannons (cannonades? carronades?  I can't remember ) was really fun.  I turned a master in my mini-lathe, then created a mold.  The metal is pewter.  The other cannons shown are for my Lexington which is also collecting dust.  I think I'll finish the Syren first, then the Lex, then the Confederacy.  I also have a tiny model I've been fiddling with in my spare time.  And of course the Triton.  And YES.  I know if I'd focused on one project at a time, one of them would be done by now.  I just couldn't resist starting each project as it came down the pike!

[knightyo]

The figurehead was inspired by an old plastic Heller model of La Sirene.  I took a pic of the figurehead, and scaled it down to size. Then it was a matter of printing out, gluing to a piece of pear, and cutting out.  She currently looks like an ancient idol.  Much work to be done on her!

[knightyo]

Misc hull plating shots

Edited February 16, 2014 by knightyo

[knightyo]

Misc pics..

 

[knightyo]

David, that is an outstanding point!  It also seems like scraping can really give a nice polish effect as well.  Definitely fun to experiment with sanding vs scraping.

 

Hmm.. tried to quote David's message and respond... But it didn't work...  Looks like I'll have a learning curve with the new site as well as getting back into the groove with modeling. lol

Edited February 16, 2014 by knightyo

[dgbot]

I am happy you were able to save your photos.  I enjoyed your log before the crash.

David B

[knightyo]

Thanks David, it sure is fun to be back!

[Rustyj]

Hi Alan, It' so great to have you back and your Syren log too!  

[Trussben]

Very nice to see your log and syren back here.

 

Ben

[knightyo]

Thanks guys!  I've got a LOT of catching up to do!

 

I did run across another pic on my system.  I've periodically snuck in time here and there to sand little "shingles" for the quarter galleries.  I'm not quite sure whether to sand them down flatter, round the edges over on each, or quite what to do.  You guys wouldn't believe how small they are.  About the only way I can work on them is to gently hold them in tweezers, and use a very fine sandpaper to shape them.  I'm about 4/5 finished with the one, and the other is about halfway done.

 

I'm basically working my way down on these, trying to make them as ornate as my skills will allow.  I'm thinking of using microscope cover slides for the window sections..Perhaps hollowing the structure out from the back.... My goal is to have every surface on these be of pear for consistency... The pear also matches the stern ornamentation and the figurehead.  I don't seem to have pics of my stern ornamentation to show for comparison against the rest of the planking, but I'll work on getting a few more pics up.

 

Alan

Edited February 17, 2014 by knightyo

[knightyo]

Slowly, but surely.

[knightyo]

Some random shots to update/re-create the build log.  Just took them, and that's about where I'm at.  I chuckled when I saw the dust in the gunport, and had to take a pic.

 

Alan

Edited February 24, 2014 by knightyo

[NenadM]

Very nice work

[WackoWolf]

Excellent work, nice and clean and crisp. Keep the pictures coming.

[knightyo]

Thanks guys. It's a pretty fun mini project working on these things.

 

Not much to report today.  I was able to squeeze in a quick bit of time to cut off the lower portions of the "ugly" wood, and sand the "shingle" area down. I think I'll finish the "shingling", then glue it to the new pear base, after it is constructed.  Then I'll start work on the window and lower sections.

 

I'm intending on using a mild acrylic black wash on the quarter galleries in their entirety when they are finished, in order to match the method I used on the stern decoration way back when.  I think that method will also be used on the figurehead when she is done, so every pear component matches in color/look/feel.

 

I'm still not sure whether or not to round the shingles.  at this point I think it's the right thing to do, but I know once that process is started, there is no turning back, and if I foul it up, a LOT of time will have been for naught.  Rounding the shingles will also give me the opportunity to correct/disguise the uniformity errors with a few of them and help to make all of them to appear to be as symmetrical as possible. 

Edited March 2, 2014 by knightyo

[dgbot]

Your shingles are great.

David B

[knightyo]

Thanks David!

 

If it was you, would you round them over, or leave them "straight"?

 

Alan

[knightyo]

Hey guys,

 

I was able to sneak into the garage today and get some work done on the carronades!  Does anyone remember which Syren builder simulated the elevation rod in his carronades by using a threaded rod?   For the life of me, I can't figure out where to get a threaded rod that small.  

 

Alan

[augie]

I'm pretty sure that was Dubz (Dirk).