Thanks Will, I tried variations of the red and settled for a colour very close to the Model Expo red. Busy painting the black cap rails at the moment, multiple coats.
Syren 1803 1:64 Model Shipways
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Yes the cap rails really make the red pop. You’re on right track with multiple coats of black sanded smooth. I was fortunate with mine as I had been given ebony wood and used it for my caprails.
Instructions on how to paint wood that nicely please Roger...
That is a compliment in itself coming from the Vasa artist
For the ass end I used alaskan yellow cedar, which gave me an initial smooth relatively non-porous surface. I then used Vallejo Model Air thinned in a 1:10 ratio with Vallejo thinners. Those aft planks were airbushed before fitting then sanded down with fine 600 paper, then 1500b between coats. After that I hand brushed on multiple coats of the same Vallejo Model Air red. The Model Air is already thinned suitable for airbrushing and tends to settle evenly. Even so I watered the paint down a little more to give me a very thin even coat each time I brushed. As long as I did not go back over the brush strokes it tended to even out. In all there are probably six coats but I can see little areas that may need a little more work.
The black cap on the stern is basswood. So I firstly gave the wood a "seal" of two coats of Vallejo Matt Acrylic Varnish, thinned a little too. Then two coats of Vallejo black primer followed by two coats of Model Color (Colour) black followed by, you guessed it, two coats of the varnish again. The Model Color range is thicker paint so I still thin with a little water. I think I am still at the experimental painting stage but so far I am happy with the results.
You should be happy with the result! Thin paints, multiple coats, lots of sanding. Check. And varnish the substrate if it has looser grain prior to painting. Expertly done my friend!
Thanks Paul, by the way I hope you are beating that covid crap and on the mend. Take care.
The results from all the work are what will show through times. But I must mentioned that the caprails being basswood will be soft and easily damaged as work continues. Excellent paint workThat is a compliment in itself coming from the Vasa artist
For the ass end I used alaskan yellow cedar, which gave me an initial smooth relatively non-porous surface. I then used Vallejo Model Air thinned in a 1:10 ratio with Vallejo thinners. Those aft planks were airbushed before fitting then sanded down with fine 600 paper, then 1500b between coats. After that I hand brushed on multiple coats of the same Vallejo Model Air red. The Model Air is already thinned suitable for airbrushing and tends to settle evenly. Even so I watered the paint down a little more to give me a very thin even coat each time I brushed. As long as I did not go back over the brush strokes it tended to even out. In all there are probably six coats but I can see little areas that may need a little more work.
The black cap on the stern is basswood. So I firstly gave the wood a "seal" of two coats of Vallejo Matt Acrylic Varnish, thinned a little too. Then two coats of Vallejo black primer followed by two coats of Model Color (Colour) black followed by, you guessed it, two coats of the varnish again. The Model Color range is thicker paint so I still thin with a little water. I think I am still at the experimental painting stage but so far I am happy with the results.
I’ve already found multiple disadvantages of that soft basswood but it does have it’s uses. I’m keeping very fine filler, black paint and the varnish handy, just in case
.I changed out the inner bulwark timbers to yellow cedar and I have Swiss pear billets to cut for the decking and other parts of the build.
Thanks for your input, comments and support.
Alaskan yellow cedar is a wonderful wood in place of boxwood. AYC finishes beautifully with just wipe on poly makes a smooth velvety surface and much easier to use than basswood.I’ve already found multiple disadvantages of that soft basswood but it does have it’s uses. I’m keeping very fine filler, black paint and the varnish handy, just in case
I changed out the inner bulwark timbers to yellow cedar and I have Swiss pear billets to cut for the decking and other parts of the build.
Thanks for your input, comments and support.
Right. Heinrich will not leave his neighborhood until he sees your next successful post. Wait, nevermind, he has to do that regardless...Oh boy, nothing like a little pressure
My first time working with the Alaskan yellow cedar (AYC) but I like it, a lot. I didn’t order enough but for this build I’m going to continue with the mix of basswood, Swiss pear and the AYC where appropriate.
Next build I’ll use the lessons learned and lean more towards the better wood. Mind you at the rate I am going the next build will not start till 2032
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Right. Heinrich will not leave his neighborhood until he sees your next successful post. Wait, nevermind, he has to do that regardless...
Says the orthodontist no doubt isolating from everyone at the moment… but wait… Heinrich can at least go to a Japanese restaurant
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Now the cap rails are on and some of the black paintwork is completed I feel as though I am slowly getting somewhere.
I had some delay in my build progress due to not reading the manual far enough ahead. For those who are in the early process of, or thinking about, a Syren build let me try to explain. Measurements given will be in the imperial system since that is what the kit manual shows.
Chuck’s truly excellent manual tells us at the start of Chapter 7 to thin the bulwarks down to 5/32” thick. Since it’s mentioned in the first paragraph of the chapter I assumed he meant before planking inboard with the 1/8” x 1/16” bulwark planks. He didn’t, he meant after the inner planking was completed. I normally read ahead and absorb information but somehow got ahead of myself - not the manual. The key thing here is to realize the cap rail must be the required 1/4” after it is completed, which includes a 1/16” x 1/16” strip along the outside edge of the rails. That 1/4” equates to 16” full scale. I checked a few books and that seems realistic. Moving on, the manual states use a 1/16” thick sheet and cut the rail at 3/16”. wide. With that edge strip of 1/16” you get the full 1/4” - if you do it right.
My error, as I said, was assuming a reduction of the upper bulwarks to 5/32” before bulwark inner planking. So in my case the 5/32” thickness I sanded to, plus later the 1/16” inner bulwark planking, gave me 7/32”. Within the required total cap rail width of 1/4” but I also needed to consider an inboard overlap of, say 1/32” and the 1/16” outer trim piece. So adding all that together I ended up with 5/32” (pre-inner planking) + 1/16” (inner planking) + 1/32” (rail inner overlap) + 1/16” (outer rail strip) = total of 10/32”. That meant a cap rail, which was too wide by 1/16”.
I had finished all the red painting and had no intention of sanding that down to a shell thickness of 5/32” overall. So I decided to reduce the outer trim work to 1/32” instead of the designed 1/16”. Reducing the inner cap rail overlap to an absolute minimum but rounding off the cap would also save me that 1/32” inner overlap. So I carefully cut, yet again, a new set of cap rails. After attaching the new 1/32” trim work I ended up with a 1/4” required rail, except for’d where it’s slightly wider, which I believe is also realistic.
I broke many pieces of the very thin 1/32” trim work as I scraped in the longitudinal cove. I cut those strips from basswood sheet stock so the result, even after painting, is a little rough. There’s still some paint touch-ups to do. I’ll put it down to sea-going wear and tear in 1803
Awesome Roger! Hope you have a great day celebrating with family and friends!
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I do not know how I missed that posting on Wednesday. Apologies Roger. Your Syren looks exquisite with the red beautifully offsetting the black wales while the rest of the woodwork is just superb! When that deck is planked - and I know that you will create a stunning deck - that whole ship is going just going to "pop"! And then not even to talk about the black and red deck ancillaries.
And then of course: Happy Birthday my friend! May you be granted a year full of health that you can enjoy with your loved ones and treat us on beautiful model building!
And then of course: Happy Birthday my friend! May you be granted a year full of health that you can enjoy with your loved ones and treat us on beautiful model building!
Happy Birthday, Roger! 