Thread Serving Machine

[Philski]

I purchased the Syren Serve-O-Matic to serve my ship model ropes. But I found it to be little "clunky". The gears didn't mesh very smoothly and I didn't particularly like spinning it by finger. So...I took their design and beefed it up by adding bearings and metal gears, along with some collars. I added a little turning handle to facilitate the motion. I stuck with their basic design. I only had to buy gears, tubing, bearings and collars.

 

[Don Case]

Very cool. How do you tension the serving thread?

 

[Philski]

Very cool. How do you tension

 

[Philski]

Very cool. How do you tension the serving thread?

With my finger! Light touch as needed. And it allows me to move the spool as needed.

 

[Don Case]

Got it now. I went to the Syren site and downloaded the instructions to see how it worked. Cool machine. From my archery days I have an arrow lathe that I made from an old sewing machine. I can see some possibilities there

 

[Dfolgado]

I’m building mine with same principle, with bearings and plastic gears.

It is not finished yet, still working on it.

Let’s see how it will work…

 

[Steef66]

Nice update to the syren
I made mine elektric with an automatic yarn feed. Works well. Very steady turns. Look to link in my banner

 

[Stevedownunder]

I purchased the Syren Serve-O-Matic to serve my ship model ropes. But I found it to be little "clunky". The gears didn't mesh very smoothly and I didn't particularly like spinning it by finger. So...I took their design and beefed it up by adding bearings and metal gears, along with some collars. I added a little turning handle to facilitate the motion. I stuck with their basic design. I only had to buy gears, tubing, bearings and collars.

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Nice up grade Philski,

Cheers,
Stephen.

 

[Stuart Little]

I scratch built mine to a very similar design with plastic gears & bearings. I powered it with a 12v motor & reduction gearbox combined through a speed controller.

 

[Don Case]

I haven't got to rigging yet but I'm wondering. Is there that much serving on a ship that it justifies buying or building a machine to do it?

 

[Philski]

I haven't got to rigging yet but I'm wondering. Is there that much serving on a ship that it justifies buying or building a machine to do it?

I started doing serving by hand with lines held tight between two vises. Then, seeing posts and reading some books on rigging decided to serve mst of my rigging where it would have been on the actual ship. My AL San Francisco just instructed to glue the shrouds to the mast. That would not be authentic to me. I find that with this ship and more to come, a serving machine makes it easier to complete and with the correct threads, much more accurate.