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normanh

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Everything posted by normanh

  1. normanh
    I have attached a picture of my Snake showing where I fitted my fenders. Hope it helps? Norman
  2. normanh
    I have used Westbourne Models just outside the centre of Weymouth, excellent people to deal with and very knowledgeable or even Caldercraft direct by mail order for their kits. Norman
  3. normanh
    I dont think you can go wronng with a Caldercraft kit as a first model, the Convulsion was my first build and a pleaseure to build here, it might be that my old build is one that Monach/Glyn refers to in his post. I still have the pictures somewhere if you need them. Norman
  4. normanh
    Have you positioned the channels correctly, I seem to remember on by Snake they fitted ok? Norman
  5. normanh
    I use a simple soldering iron - solder melts at an ideal temeperature of around 270C for soldering based my process control days in electronics for a lead solder, never used a flame yet and soft solder holds well enough if spotlessly clean before hand. Norman
  6. normanh
    Never know then called anything else other than "odd leg calipers" here in the Uk and that goes back almost 50 years to when I was in school . Norman
  7. normanh
    Looking very good, shes a pleasure to build - was my first kit, just the right size. Norman
  8. normanh
    Ouch, I feel for you Jim a tragic event indeed. I suffered similar on my Convulsion build 6 years back when my circular power saw fell out of a cupboard. Luckily my model was just at the completed hull stage and just suffered light damage compared to your Snake. Take you time and slowly but carefully rebuild her shes worth the effort even now. Norman
  9. normanh
    Be careful the blocks on the lower side of the yard dont foul. I had the same problems on the jeers, also I dont think they included sufficient 5 mm single blocks as I had to get a good few more but dont remember loosing that many to the rug monster. Norman
  10. normanh
    Your futtocks look a little to low to me Jim, have you pitched them to the scale plan? You might find they are too low when fitting the yard. Norman
  11. normanh
    You can only mix water with water based stains Low VOC usually these days - there tends to be solvent based stains which will need somethink like turps or white spirt. Norman
  12. normanh
    In the Uk Birch dowel is very common and available in a wide range of sizes - this is the material used in the Caldercraft kits, walnut seems to be common as well. I suggest you pop along to your local timber stockist ahd have a look at what joinery timbers they stock. Again in the UK its not uncommon for building stockists to carry a range of round hardwood dowels. Norman
  13. normanh
    Particleboard by definition is chipboard - not much good in modelling Norman
  14. normanh
    Particleboard in the Uk is commonly known as chipboard and is widely used as melamine faced panels for furniture, when wet it will turn into something like soggy weetabix or cornflakes. Another common material is Hardboard usually as 1/8 or 3 mm thick dark brown smooth sided on one side and textured on the other, this is pretty useless unless its for simple backing boards in picture frames etc its just too soft for anything structural. In Europe and the UK MDF is commonly available in 3 grades - light brown is a standard grade. Green is moisture resistant, Pink is a fire resistant grade. All are very common in the joinery trade in the UK and subject to veneering and CNC processing. Norman
  15. normanh
    I use a black polyester sewing thread from Gutterman widely available every where - size looks good for 1:64 which is close to your scale. The threads easily to work with and comes in pretty long bobbins a good few hundred metres. The also do a linen version if you want a natuaral fibre. Norman
  16. normanh
    Caldercraft do launches as extra kits in 1/64 scale - could save some work, the hulls are resin with timber details inside. Norman
  17. normanh
    MDF is pretty good a material to work with and widely used in the joinery trade for all sorts of furniture and panelling. I come across it widely in my job. Several people have said to me that they prefer the water resistant version which is universally coloured a pale green and takes a finer finish when sanded ready for painting. The cost of goint to water resistant is just a few pounds per 8 by 4 foot sheet, Its widely available from 6mm ( 1/4 inch) to 25mm (1 inch nominal) but beware its very heavy in full sheet sizes. Norman
  18. normanh
    Cellulose lacquer - read rattlecan car lacquer its that simple whats used on car finishes. Personally I wouldnt use it but just let a perfectly clean finish age and tarnish naturally to an even patina Norman
  19. normanh
    With Alclad you do neet to spray the metallic onto a gloss black finish in a lot of cases and the black has to be cellulose or the metallic will strip it. Norman
  20. normanh
    I have attached some photographs of a programme from the 200th Anniversay of the launching of the Victory at Chatham in 1765. Chatham always seems to be neglected when it comes to history, shes was one of the most important yards of her day and the first naval yard to build an iron ship - HMS Achilles mods - I didnt place this in the Exhibitions part of the board as this is more about the programe the exhibition has long gone by over 48 years and I was lucky to attend as a small lad. Norman
  21. normanh
    I had no problem soldering my strops but you do have to ensure the area to be soldered is very clean and I used some extra rosin flux, they are of a copper metal. I have used either a 12W or 25W iron and old fashioned lead based electrical solder. Make sure your wales are in the correct position as mine where out and I had to take out the slack in the chains by building them up with solder. You cant see the error once painted. Norman
  22. normanh
    Thats how I did mine Stergios, the solder holds very well and if done carefully is easily covered with a dab of black paint once the flux has been cleaned away. I used a small 10W iron. Norman
  23. normanh
    Very useful as they self healing when cut, had mine for a number of years now just watch you dont wipe of the white grid with a solvent - paint thinners. Norman
  24. normanh
    Try reading the information sheet given with prescription medicines for side effects - I take a couple one for blood pressure, the laugh is we take these to either control or cure a medical condition. I have worked with chemicals for most of my working life and trained and qualified in chemistry, all substances should and are assessed in their intend application and must always be treated with respect and not abused. Norman
  25. normanh
    Strange as it may seem I dont have that luxury of having a music store nearby well in not in my neck of the woods in darkest Essex but thanks for the tip, as I said I use CA the smallest of drops transfered from a cocktail stick.

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