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US Brig Syren by kscadman - Model Shipways - Scale 1:64 - first wooden ship build


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First wooden build? WOW Very impressive work my friend. How do you take on such a project as a first? I wouldn't have the nerve. I guess you just do it. :dancetl6:

+1

 

Hi Richard

 

Amazing for a first wooden build... bowdown.gif

 

I am sure to learn a lot from your build... I will follow it very closely! thumb.gif

 

Cheers

 

Bala

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Augie & Bala, thank you for the comments.

 

The stern is progressing. I've managed to get the stern guns made and installed. I decided to add the train tackle to the guns. I'm not sure if its appropriate based on how close it is to the tiller rigging but I like the end result. Guess I'll find out soon enough when I finish the tiller.

 

Richard 

 

 

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Current Build - U.S. Syren

 

2nd Build - HMS Bounty Launch

 

When organizing your thoughts, never use the Dewey Decimal system.

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I think the tiller rigging will pass over it nicely.  Looking really sharp!

Augie

 

Current Build: US Frigate Confederacy - MS 1:64

 

Previous Builds :

 

US Brig Syren (MS) - 2013 (see Completed Ship Gallery)

Greek Tug Ulises (OcCre) - 2009 (see Completed Ship Gallery)

Victory Cross Section (Corel) - 1988

Essex (MS) 1/8"- 1976

Cutty Sark (Revell 1:96) - 1956

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Richard,

Darn nice.

 

I had to stop my build for the duration of a contract I took. It has me traveling to Houston weekly so not much time to get back into the groove. But, looking at your photos makes all the more eager to get back to it.

 

Richard T

Richard
Member: The Nautical Research Guild
                Atlanta Model Shipwrights

Current build: Syren

                       

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To all thank you for the compliments. Am celebrating 2 years of work on here this month and I'm realizing how tedious the small bits can be, but I do like the results when finished.

 

Augie - you were right, the tiller rigging passes over it nicely.

 

Richard - I know how projects can keep a person away but I hope to see updates on your Syren - she's coming along great!

 

Thomas - Thanks as always!

 

Scott - I see your point, but I'd be more worried about having the tiller hitting me while manning the cannons if the ship went hard to port or starboard.

 

Chuck - Thank you - coming from the master I'm feeling good about my progress. 

 

I've completed the steerage and tiller rigging and I'm currently doing the prep work (sanding, staining, etc.) for the fife rail, bitts & stack. Also I'm still looking for a smaller bell for the binnacle.

 

Richard

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Current Build - U.S. Syren

 

2nd Build - HMS Bounty Launch

 

When organizing your thoughts, never use the Dewey Decimal system.

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The steerage and tiller rigging turned out great! I assume you used the wheel provided in the kit? What paint did you use to simulate wood? I really like the end result!

 

Thomas

Current Built:   Model Shipways  Syren  (US Brig 1803)

 

Last Built:        Anfora (kit bashed)  Ictineo II  (1st steam powered submarine 1864)

 

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I originally wasn't going the use the kit provided wheel and ordered a wheel from model expo. That wheel turned out to be too wide. 

 

I used the Humbrol "sand matte" its number is matt 63.

Current Build - U.S. Syren

 

2nd Build - HMS Bounty Launch

 

When organizing your thoughts, never use the Dewey Decimal system.

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On a ship the size of Syren things could be tight.  You may notice that the binnacle is lashed to the deck and could be removed for action.  Also, the steering gear could be easily disconnected so that only the tiller remained to steer thereby eliminating that steering gear to the ship's wheel. 

Augie

 

Current Build: US Frigate Confederacy - MS 1:64

 

Previous Builds :

 

US Brig Syren (MS) - 2013 (see Completed Ship Gallery)

Greek Tug Ulises (OcCre) - 2009 (see Completed Ship Gallery)

Victory Cross Section (Corel) - 1988

Essex (MS) 1/8"- 1976

Cutty Sark (Revell 1:96) - 1956

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Very nice build.  Seeing what you have done on your first build has motivated me to try the same, so I ordered my Syren tonight (they are back ordered but I ordered it non the less).  I only hope that my Syren comes out even close to the quality and level of detail that your has.

I do what the voices in my wife's head tell me to do.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Augie, thank you for the information. I was wondering how that would work under fire. 

 

CPt_D thanks for the comments and I hope you get your Syren soon! Its a joy to build this kit. I credit all the members on this site for their help in my success so far. The comments, tips & tricks, etc. have been invaluable. Just start a build log once you begin and you'll do fine.

 

So far I've been able to complete the most of the bitts & pump. On the pump I started out making everything out of wood and paper but I just couldn't get it right so after a bit of frustration I turned to brass. The local hobby store had 1/8" & 1/16" brass tubing as well as 3/32" square tubing which worked out well.I also went ahead and made the galley stack out of the brass tubing. I wasn't able to get the handles exactly on center but I'm happy with the result.

 

Richard

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Current Build - U.S. Syren

 

2nd Build - HMS Bounty Launch

 

When organizing your thoughts, never use the Dewey Decimal system.

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Very nice build!  I just completed my first build, and I wish it came out half as nice as yours!

Mike

 

Current Wooden builds:  Amati/Victory Pegasus  MS Charles W. Morgan  Euromodel La Renommèe  

 

Plastic builds:    SB2U-1 Vindicator 1/48  Five Star Yaeyama 1/700  Pit Road Asashio and Akashi 1/700 diorama  Walrus 1/48 and Albatross 1/700  Special Hobby Buffalo 1/32  Eduard Sikorsky JRS-1 1/72  IJN Notoro 1/700  Akitsu Maru 1/700

 

Completed builds :  Caldercraft Brig Badger   Amati Hannah - Ship in Bottle  Pit Road Hatsuzakura 1/700   Hasegawa Shimakaze 1:350

F4B-4 and P-6E 1/72  Accurate Miniatures F3F-1/F3F-2 1/48  Tamiya F4F-4 Wildcat built as FM-1 1/48  Special Hobby Buffalo 1/48

Citroen 2CV 1/24 - Airfix and Tamiya  Entex Morgan 3-wheeler 1/16

 

Terminated build:  HMS Lyme (based on Corel Unicorn)  

 

On the shelf:  Euromodel Friedrich Wilhelm zu Pferde; Caldercraft Victory; too many plastic ship, plane and car kits

 

Future potential scratch builds:  HMS Lyme (from NMM plans); Le Gros Ventre (from Ancre monographs), Dutch ship from Ab Hoving book, HMS Sussex from McCardle book, Philadelphia gunboat (Smithsonian plans)

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Hi everyone, I finally have a chance to work on my Syren. 

 

I've completed putting the figurehead on which was an adventure in itself.I ended up breaking the lower cheeks off while fitting the figurehead. Also I've been able to get the swivel brackets, pinrails and cleats installed. Now I'm working on my carronades. Two are done and fitted. 

Very nice model.  I like the keel jig very much.  Your design or a commercial purchase?

 

Ron Gove

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  • 1 month later...

Charley, Augie, Mike, Thomas & Dirk thank you for the comments.

 

I've finished chapter 13 and now its on to chapter 14. As I was re-reading the chapter I realized I'd better think about building my base before I get to a point where I'd be breaking off pieces installing her in her permanent stand. So I bought a piece of solid oak at Home Depot and cut a 30 degree miter on all 4 sides then I sanded it smooth and added several coats of matte polyurethane

The bitts went well but I had alot of trouble when it came to making the fife rail. Even though the railing is in 2 pieces and cut cross grain I still had trouble drilling the holes wide enough for the belaying pins. It kept wanting to crack and break. I spent alot of time re-gluing tiny pieces back together that the drill broke off. The basswood dowel supplied for the legs was a disaster. So I ended up buying a dowel made from birch and that worked well. I turned the legs on my watchmakers lathe which made the cutting go smoothly.

I've mad li ttle progress on my quarter galleries but eventually I'll get them done. I worked on the stern ornamentation but the casting sizes were so different that I ordered new ones from Model Expo. Hopefully I'll get replacements.

 

Anyway enough with the dialog and on to the pictures.

 

Richard

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Current Build - U.S. Syren

 

2nd Build - HMS Bounty Launch

 

When organizing your thoughts, never use the Dewey Decimal system.

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Fine job on those fife rail stanchions.  Deck is really coming alive isn't it?

 

I really love your oak base.  Talk about standing proud !!!!!  :)

Augie

 

Current Build: US Frigate Confederacy - MS 1:64

 

Previous Builds :

 

US Brig Syren (MS) - 2013 (see Completed Ship Gallery)

Greek Tug Ulises (OcCre) - 2009 (see Completed Ship Gallery)

Victory Cross Section (Corel) - 1988

Essex (MS) 1/8"- 1976

Cutty Sark (Revell 1:96) - 1956

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Your Syren really looks good! It always amazes me to see all these details on the deck. It really makes the ship come alive! Did you "wood-paint" the belaying pins which came with the kit or did you use something different (turn them yourself, buy wooden ones)? If wood-painted you really did a very nice job! I cannot tell the difference from real wood by looking at your pictures!

 

Thomas

Current Built:   Model Shipways  Syren  (US Brig 1803)

 

Last Built:        Anfora (kit bashed)  Ictineo II  (1st steam powered submarine 1864)

 

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HI Augie, and thanks. I'm happy with how the ol' girl is fitting out. Can't wait to see how she is with her hammock cranes installed.

 

Thomas, I thought about using the birch wood to make the belaying pins but there wouldn't be any way to make them all equal with the tools at hand. So I painted the brass ones with the same Humbrol matte sand that I used on the wheel.

 

Richard

Current Build - U.S. Syren

 

2nd Build - HMS Bounty Launch

 

When organizing your thoughts, never use the Dewey Decimal system.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Progress is being made on the stern. Davits are done. Gun port lids are done. Stern ornamentation is done. Finally got a set of castings that were close enough to work. 

 

The davits sat high on the cap rail so I added a piece of wood as filler to blend it in with the cap rail. I'm understanding how any slip ups early comes back to haunt a person in a latter step. But hey, it gives my Syren its own character.

 

Made some progress on my quarter galleries and will continue the painfully slow process as I work on the ladders, and the rest of the cap rail details.

 

Richard

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Current Build - U.S. Syren

 

2nd Build - HMS Bounty Launch

 

When organizing your thoughts, never use the Dewey Decimal system.

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Richard - Wonderful work! Can you give us more  detail on how you prepared your stern decorations? They actually look pretty good. I have been worried they would always look like metal.

Current Builds - 18th Century Longboat, MS Syren

Completed Builds - MS Bluenose, Panart BatteStation Cross section, Endevour J Boat Half Hull, Windego Half Hull, R/C T37 Breezing Along, R/C Victoria 32, SolCat 18

On the shelf - Panart San Felipe, Euromodel Ajax, C.Mamoli America, 

 

Its a sailor's Life for me! :10_1_10:

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Richard,

having gone through the construction of the stern davits myself just recently I know exactly what you are talking about! These guys can be a little bit tricky. But yours turned out beautifully! And I fully agree with Floyd, you have a very good way of making the metal cast parts look like wood. Your stern decoration is very well done!

 

Thomas

Current Built:   Model Shipways  Syren  (US Brig 1803)

 

Last Built:        Anfora (kit bashed)  Ictineo II  (1st steam powered submarine 1864)

 

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Floyd and Thomas, Thank you!

 

I believe the secret is using the Humbrol matte sand paint and being too busy. All I did was prime the castings with testors primer then I gave it a light coat of matte sand. Then I wasn't able to get back to it for a couple of days then I added a second thin coat. On my final coat I just "hit the high points" which made them brighter than the recessed areas. But I did wait a day between coats. Hope this helps. 

 

Richard

Current Build - U.S. Syren

 

2nd Build - HMS Bounty Launch

 

When organizing your thoughts, never use the Dewey Decimal system.

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