I certainly will but I’ll not be able to start on them till next weekend.
Syren 1803 1:64 Model Shipways
- Thread starter RogerD
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were you going to make them out of wood, like the @walrusguy
Hi Jack, I am going to try but it’s definitely going to be a personal challenge. No idea how they will turn out though
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Quarter badges
As I progress to more of the external fixtures I have come up against the matter of the quality of the metal fittings in the kit.
View attachment 377842
I cleaned up the quarter badges as best I could and it’s obvious from the first photo how difficult it is to paint fine lines. So I experimented a little and air-brushed the whole badge, then dry-brushed the shingle looking things on the top. I then painted the imitation windows black and allowed for a tiny glassy sheen. The second photo shows the results of that first effort. Reasonable from a distance (10 metres) but maybe too crappy close up.
View attachment 377843
As far as I can tell quarter badges were less common on these smaller ships and tended to serve no purpose. In many cases quarter badges were omitted completely, so now I have choices:
As usual critiques, suggestions, raised eyebrows and “good grief” comments are very welcome
- Mount the painted quarter badges as shown on the left (after a little more tweaking).
- Use one subdued colour covering the badges completely, then mount them so they are not overly prominent but the build effect on the quarter is there.
- Omit them completely.
- ?
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Hello Roger,
a very difficult question you ask. Looking at your classy build I would suggest not using those supplied parts, they are indeed not pretty and would not go with the rest. As Paul said, try to build them yourself as you definitely have the ability. I am sure that you will solve this wonderfully.
Thanks for your valued input Tobias. Placing the painted badge temporarily on the Syren’s quarter reinforces how it does not enhance the build. Yep, it’s ugly
.I agree with an attempt at making them myself. I have seen some really beautiful carvings done by modellers but their artistic flair is well outside my experience. I will take a more simplistic approach and hope some basic but careful carving results in something usable. We shall see.
You tell Roger, I'm miles away from fine carvings too, that's another chapter we need to turn to learn. I dread it when La Palme is ready.
Good morning Roger. I am definitely with Paul and Tobias. Your Ship is quality, the kit quarter badges not so much. Give making them a go, the fall back is always these from the kit. Cheers GrantQuarter badges
As I progress to more of the external fixtures I have come up against the matter of the quality of the metal fittings in the kit.
View attachment 377842
I cleaned up the quarter badges as best I could and it’s obvious from the first photo how difficult it is to paint fine lines. So I experimented a little and air-brushed the whole badge, then dry-brushed the shingle looking things on the top. I then painted the imitation windows black and allowed for a tiny glassy sheen. The second photo shows the results of that first effort. Reasonable from a distance (10 metres
View attachment 377843
As far as I can tell quarter badges were less common on these smaller ships and tended to serve no purpose. In many cases quarter badges were omitted completely, so now I have choices:
As usual critiques, suggestions, raised eyebrows and “good grief” comments are very welcome
- Mount the painted quarter badges as shown on the left (after a little more tweaking).
- Use one subdued colour covering the badges completely, then mount them so they are not overly prominent but the build effect on the quarter is there.
- Omit them completely.
- ?
Your work is so meticulous and well crafted I have absolutely no doubt you will produce high quality carvings when the time comes.
Thanks Grant. One of the things I truly value on this site is the straightforward, honest input and advice from fellow modellers such as yourself. I think it will be fun to try a new concept in ship modelling so yes, I intend to give it a go.
….as my son says when I’m hesitant to do a drop off or jump…..”Dad just hit it”…
Problem is...life often hits back
. Once you've been to rehab 8 or 10 times you get a bit more cautious. All of which has nothing to do with Roger's quarter badges - the only rehab those might lead to will be emotional 
.
True story.Problem is...life often hits back
The quarter badges.
I made a start on making my own quarter badges and first efforts are a mix of frustration and wonky eyesight. Nevertheless I intend completing my prototype and then decide if the badges will be used or not.
Will @Will @ Trilogy gave me a link in a previous post, which gave me some insight into how I might approach this mini project. Lacking tiny carving expertise a similar modular approach seems a likely solution. I’ll write some brief notes on progress as I go but I have to admit to many little failures and lost parts over the past days. This has become a lot more difficult than I anticipated.
As I looked at the metal kit badges I decided to use a backing plate to glue on the mini modules. So I copied the badges from the plans and glued the paper copies to a piece of 1/32” thick pear. I cut the badges out on a scroll saw then carefully cut around the edges with a #11 blade to roughly outline the side scrolls. Problem #1, the badges “lean” and curve at different angles from each other so duplication is a non starter. Using the backing plate I mentally broke the first badge into parts/modules, as mentioned earlier. Then I cut out, carved and sanded each modular part to resemble the original. A pain in the butt because there are multiple angles to consider. As I get older my thinking in 3D becomes more of a challenge. Regardless, the pieces eventually came together in a basic resemblance of the original. I haven’t shown a glued up badge in the photo because I’m still reworking the pieces.
Thinking ahead the windows and margin separators will need to be applied. I had a 3/128” (0.55mm) thick piece of pear I previously cut on the bandsaw. Much too thick to use so I reduced that to 1/128” (0.28mm) to use like a veneer. It needs to be thin enough to allow for the overhang of the “roof”. Time will tell if that idea works.
I used pear because I like the wood. I initially tried basswood but couldn’t get fine edges. Trouble is the pear quarter badges, if used, will not match the existing stained basswood planks above the wales. Important?, maybe but I’m not going to sweat that for the moment, again time will tell.
My admiration for the experienced ship model carvers has gone sky-high. It’s not until you try working on different and difficult components of a ship model that you really appreciate and respect the fine work of others.
Thanks to you all for your continued help, advice and input, it is always very much appreciated.
I made a start on making my own quarter badges and first efforts are a mix of frustration and wonky eyesight. Nevertheless I intend completing my prototype and then decide if the badges will be used or not.
Will @Will @ Trilogy gave me a link in a previous post, which gave me some insight into how I might approach this mini project. Lacking tiny carving expertise a similar modular approach seems a likely solution. I’ll write some brief notes on progress as I go but I have to admit to many little failures and lost parts over the past days. This has become a lot more difficult than I anticipated.
As I looked at the metal kit badges I decided to use a backing plate to glue on the mini modules. So I copied the badges from the plans and glued the paper copies to a piece of 1/32” thick pear. I cut the badges out on a scroll saw then carefully cut around the edges with a #11 blade to roughly outline the side scrolls. Problem #1, the badges “lean” and curve at different angles from each other so duplication is a non starter. Using the backing plate I mentally broke the first badge into parts/modules, as mentioned earlier. Then I cut out, carved and sanded each modular part to resemble the original. A pain in the butt because there are multiple angles to consider. As I get older my thinking in 3D becomes more of a challenge. Regardless, the pieces eventually came together in a basic resemblance of the original. I haven’t shown a glued up badge in the photo because I’m still reworking the pieces.
Thinking ahead the windows and margin separators will need to be applied. I had a 3/128” (0.55mm) thick piece of pear I previously cut on the bandsaw. Much too thick to use so I reduced that to 1/128” (0.28mm) to use like a veneer. It needs to be thin enough to allow for the overhang of the “roof”. Time will tell if that idea works.
I used pear because I like the wood. I initially tried basswood but couldn’t get fine edges. Trouble is the pear quarter badges, if used, will not match the existing stained basswood planks above the wales. Important?, maybe but I’m not going to sweat that for the moment, again time will tell.
My admiration for the experienced ship model carvers has gone sky-high. It’s not until you try working on different and difficult components of a ship model that you really appreciate and respect the fine work of others.
Thanks to you all for your continued help, advice and input, it is always very much appreciated.
Looks very promising!
Roger it looks great can't wait until you get to the next step.
During my move (Gilbert, AZ to Broomfield, CO) my Syren was damaged and needs repairing. The basement is being finished which includes my shop and then I can repair Syren. Looking at you badge work makes me think I'll do the same. Really glad you found my info useful.
During my move (Gilbert, AZ to Broomfield, CO) my Syren was damaged and needs repairing. The basement is being finished which includes my shop and then I can repair Syren. Looking at you badge work makes me think I'll do the same. Really glad you found my info useful.
Thanks Paul, doesn’t look like much but as I digress from the kit I find it’s becoming more time consuming. The little kit-bashed items seem, as you well know, to take forever. Lots of fun though
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Yes, that link helped me form some additional ideas, so thanks for that. Damage to a model like the Syren is scary, as Jack @Jack Sparrow also knows, but credit to you both for not shelving it.
Those little modules I cut look straightforward but they are surprisingly difficult to angle and twist just right and also layout to scale. I tried to approach it like intarsia but the pieces are tiny. This is going to take a while and as Tobias @Tobias said the actual carving is “another chapter we need to learn”.
However, I feel if we don’t try we don’t learn and if we don’t learn then how can we achieve our goals? Now after saying that I guess I have committed myself to the next step
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I still see the model crashing, in slow motion, onto the floor and my year's worth of work splattered all over the floor. But I didn't get mad. It's not within me to be like so.Yes, that link helped me form some additional ideas, so thanks for that. Damage to a model like the Syren is scary, as Jack @Jack Sparrow also knows, but credit to you both for not shelving it.
Those little modules I cut look straightforward but they are surprisingly difficult to angle and twist just right and also layout to scale. I tried to approach it like intarsia but the pieces are tiny. This is going to take a while and as Tobias @Tobias said the actual carving is “another chapter we need to learn”.
However, I feel if we don’t try we don’t learn and if we don’t learn then how can we achieve our goals? Now after saying that I guess I have committed myself to the next step
Quick question if I may, for the rooftops, are you going to carve the little "clamshell-like" tiles into the wood?
That is a really good question and anticipates some practice efforts I made on pine wood.
I tried to reproduce the “shingle effect” as I call it, with a 1mm gouge on a piece of pine wood. As I practiced cutting in I managed to get something that may be ok, though my practice cuts were on a flat piece of wood not the angled curve piece as shown.
I intend glueing up all the little parts first then using the tiny gouge on the “roof” to get that effect. I’ll glue all the parts with PVA so if I mess up the “roof” I can remove it with 70% isopropyl alcohol and try again. I think the piece is too small to attempt those small cuts before glueing it. Early days yet
.
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Sounds like fun, though.That is a really good question and anticipates some practice efforts I made on pine wood.
I tried to reproduce the “shingle effect” as I call it, with a 1mm gouge on a piece of pine wood. As I practiced cutting in I managed to get something that may be ok, though my practice cuts were on a flat piece of wood not the angled curve piece as shown.
I intend glueing up all the little parts first then using the tiny gouge on the “roof” to get that effect. I’ll glue all the parts with PVA so if I mess up the “roof” I can remove it with 70% isopropyl alcohol and try again. I think the piece is too small to attempt those small cuts before glueing it. Early days yet