thibaultron

Hi Richard - I use those bits too, and I like them, but I've found that they're very brittle and need to be held in a drill press or milling machine.  
 
Hi Jay:  I also use HSS drill bits with 3/32 shanks for all of my hand power drilling.  This is the set I have:
 
http://www.woodcarverssupply.com/30-PIECE-DRILL-SET-3_32/productinfo/627020/

Hi all,
I was following the conversation and thought I would add what I have been doing.
I found a place called drill bit city online that sell re-sharpened bits. (at its sister site it has new ones plus mills and other bits.)
 

 
The shafts are all a common size and the plastic ring gives an easy to read bit size and also serves as a stop when putting it in the drill.  They are easy to handle and hold up well... unless I use them by hand or without a holder.  Then, like others, they tend to break if I breathe too hard. For quick holes they can be used without a holder.
 
best part is they are cheap.  The set shown is about $10.00. You can also get sets of 5, 10, etc of the same size.  I have sets of 10 in # 74,75,77, and 78. 
 
(No connection with them, just a customer.) they can be found at 
 
https://www.drillbitcity.com
 
 
Richard

I use clear shellac thinned with denatured alcohol.  About 50%.  Does a good job sealing the wood and as long as you do not plan to use a water based clear finish over it it makes a good base coat.  You can use oil or enamel over it with no problem or solid color water based paints.

One caution with tungsten carbide drills.  They will break if you put a sideways stress on them.  For other sizes check for for micro milling bits.  They generally have a 1/8" shaft and come in a vast range of sizes.

I just received more micro drills from the US distributor of Proxxon. 
They have a thick shaft and are made of solid tungsten carbide. The ones I ordered were 0.5 and 0.8 mm in diameter, others (bigger) are also available. The second picture is of the three at 0.5 mm.
 
 
I have a supply of 'micro drills' that are simply straight pieces of metal with a slight spiral at one end. They are the typical Chinese made products available at most places. Those cheap ones break easy; they burn their way through the wood (don't try to drill metal) and leave a hole of unknown diameter. I use them for places that are not critical (holes for eye-bolts, etc).
But if you want to be a bit more careful, use the Proxxon drills - they are also made in China, but apparently under better controlled conditions-. Here is the web site http://shop.prox-tech.com/k/search?q=micro+drill
  The big question is 'Will Proxxon be willing to make other drills that cover the smaller ranges' so often used by us? 
 
PS. This is not intended as a plug for Proxxon, just my thoughts about quality and what I need.
 

Now things are getting interesting guys!
 
Hornet, I like the roll around table. It looks handy. Something like that wouldn't fit under my desk, but it's giving me ideas.
 
NIgel, the adjustable chair looks interesting. I've thought about things like bar stools, but I need some kind of upper back support to steady my hands. Your idea has me thinking too.
 
Thibaultorn, thanks for th picture. It gives me a much better idea of what you're talking about. It looks extremely useful (and Harbor Freight isn't that far away).
 
Back to my cave for some pondering. . .
 
Thanks again!
 
Harvey

When threading a sewing needle for sewing leather I was taught to lay the end of the thread out on a surface, one hand holding the thread and the other using the cutting edge of a sharp knife, held perpendicular to the thread, to scrape the last  2 inches into a tapered point. Might try that before using the glue to stiffen the thread at the point.
jud

Hi All,
 
As a compliment to a low table (reusing my captain's old play table)  I am also reusing my astronomy observing chair as my build chair.  I've copied the photo and some text from my Dragon log from a few weeks ago below to save you clicking through. I just checked the link and it still works.
 
"It is infinitely adjustable for height as the seat grips the back rails using a plastic friction bar. Needs a foot rest at the highest settings  (~36in so at least I do!) but again will work well for rigging w/o bending over or standing up for ever. I’ve not seen anyone mention these chairs before so figured I’d post in case it interests someone. They aren’t cheap, but I find mine sturdy and comfortable. Link below for those not into astronomy. Not done any checks for price so look around before you take the plunge if you like it."
  https://www.astronom...hairs_c457.aspx   Hope this perhaps helps.   Cheers,   Nigel.      

Hi Harvey
 
I solved this problem by using an old wooden desk (a school desk in fact) I chopped the legs down to the size that I felt comfortable with and added castors. The desk lives under my main work desk, which is an L shaped office desk. When I want to work on rigging, I just roll it out. I also fitted this desk with a hinged top so I can store scrap wood and clamps in it. I left the back of the desk open and I store strips and dowel in it. Hope this may give you some ideas.
 

 
Desk is stored under main desk - castors fitted
 

 
Desk rolls out when needed for rigging or for extra workspace
 

 
Desk lid lifts up for storing scrap timber and clamps.
Rear section of desk for wood strips and dowel.
 

 
For me the desk is at a comfortable height for working on upper rigging.
 
 
 
 

This may not work for you, but here is what I did for a large 1/8th scale ride behind locomotive I have. I bought a hydrolic lift table from Harbor Freight, for about $100. I just raised and lowered the table as needed.
 
You could attach a table to it, with legs that go through the table. Have holes in the legs, that you can slip a rod into, to lock the table at various heights. Use the lift table to change heights, and roll it out of the way when working. The handle of the cart would get in the way of working on the model, unless you can modify it somehow, or have it turned to the side..

This may not work for you, but here is what I did for a large 1/8th scale ride behind locomotive I have. I bought a hydrolic lift table from Harbor Freight, for about $100. I just raised and lowered the table as needed.
 
You could attach a table to it, with legs that go through the table. Have holes in the legs, that you can slip a rod into, to lock the table at various heights. Use the lift table to change heights, and roll it out of the way when working. The handle of the cart would get in the way of working on the model, unless you can modify it somehow, or have it turned to the side..

Thanks Bob and Ron, It is fun.  I found my training disks for the version 14, but had some trouble with the main program.  I still haven't figured out yet how to get by the difficulty.  On my version 23 on the 8.1 computer I did get most of the sections moved into the spaces where they belong, I am still figuring out why I can't seem to do the same on the old version.  Since the version 14 is no longer supported, all I have is the printed handbook or manual that came with it.  Part of the interactive helps that used to go online no longer do so.  Trouble is I have forgotten much of the nomenclature to be able to look up the things I need in the manual.  Anyway, I may go ahead on version 23, offline, since I can't afford the lockups that occur as soon as I try to start downloading updates.  My new computer started dogpile downloading everytime I tried to get a regular update.  Even after several online sessions with guru people trying to fix my new one, that still occurred.  That is why I stopped going online with it, at all.  At least the help option on the newer one works.  I got further with positioning them in 3-4 hours than in that many days on the old version.  

Mark, Thanks for the likes.  
 
I am hoping that once I get the stations drafted into the program, I can put on the waterlines and then use them to create intersects that I can create the actual frames which do not necessarily fall on very many of the stations.  With them I could get the basic faired frames with the edges sloped to match the hull form.  I have found it to be difficult (to say the least given my math skills) to calculate frames from the stations. the only way I could do that is to make them all oversized and file or sand them down using fairing strips.  I prefer to fight my way through learning the program features to make it possible for me to use the program in the future.  Losing my math skills stinks. I had thought that It would be easier to do the math in metric, but my mind just can't make the transition to envision things in that format.  I guess I am stuck with feet and inches and letting a program do all the math if I can just learn some more about my CAD program.  I need to start jotting the page numbers in the manual onto a tablet with verbal descriptions and nomenclature I find from the book, until the references become re-findable through repetition until my mind can find the right commands to use to do a certain task.  That way I may be able to break through into doing 3D.
 
If anyone reading this should even suspect that they might have sleep apnea, by all means get a doctor to help you get tested before it gets too bad.  You do not want to try to live with the damage it would do to your memory and learning skills.  OKAY? 
YOUR LIFE COULD BE AT RISK.  Sometimes you do not wake up from trying to sleep without the help. Ever!!!!

It looks like your filler blocks do not have a lot of compound curvature. That makes it easier than when the filler block is up against the bow or stern where the curvatures go every which way.
What I ended up doing is to rough cut the block by saw and then sanded the rest with a disk sander to a bit larger than needed.
To prevent my knuckles and DNA from being part of the model, I glued the block to a handle using hot-melt glue. It gave me lots of room to maneuver the block while sanding and made it easy to dry fit numerous times.

I have purchased the model ship ways U.S.S. Constitution and yes, I know the skill level is for advanced modelers but I wanted a challenge.  I have been studying the plans and I noticed that there is a build in which someone filled in between the bulkheads with balsa wood for the entire length of the model instead of just at the bow and stern.  What advantage is it to build it that way?  It seems it would be easier to plank the ship with the solid frame but cutting and trimming  the filler might be harder than it looks. .  are there any suggestions or comments?  
     I wanted to build a big model as I have really big hands to handle those tiny parts, but good grief, that thing is huge.  No wonder those kits are so expensive. .  anyway,  I'd like to know what tips I need to know before I get started.   Model shipways says even a beginner can build it if he takes his time.  . . . I built me a nice 10 foot work bench out in the garage. .  put a couple of lights and a magnifier on it, so I guess I'm ready to begin.  Are there any good books that might be worthy of filling in the gaps between ignorance and experience?  I already know that whoever named all those parts on these ships must have had one too many because none of the names of these parts make any sense.   Who ever heard of a bowspirit, bearding line, or a rabbit ?  I was in the Navy (many years ago) and I remember the poop deck but some of the names of those sails are beyond the English language.  Thank you for any and all the help you can give me.  

There was a master builder, Bill Evans, who recommended balsa fillers in his articles in Model Shipways magazine (I think).  He said that it prevented deformations that he observed that occurred in planked hulls over time, especially if there weren't enough bulkheads or frames.

Chris, thanks for the tutorial on card modeling.  I am in the process of building an intro presentation on card modeling for my ship modeling club. My initial model was the "Monitor" from the National Marine Sanctuary and sold through the Maritime Museum at Newport News, VA. I am now working on "Scalescenes.com" Cargo Ship and have downloaded Walden Model Co. "Imperial Russian Yacht "Livadia"". Do you have an updated list of card model vendors? In reading through part III, I noticed that neither Scale Scenes or Walden Models was on your list. Thanks again. .  

I have a series of pics taken while work was in progress which illustrate techniques I have not seen in other logs.  I also have not seen, even after a search of the site, this particular model.  I would be happy to post these pics, with comments of course, in sequence if others think it would be helpful.
 
Past this point, I have built tops.  There is also a scratch-built yawl, visible on deck, done in a novel manner.

Here's a cool link to help with your matching color problems. Just click on
any color in the photo and see what happens. You can upload any of your 
photos where indicated and do likewise.
 
http://scalemodeldb.com/paint
 
John

Yesterday I have installed the stopper. Now this SIB is completed.
 
Best Regards!
Igor.

Thank you Bob!
Last night I have put the boat in the bottle:
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Now I need only to come up the interesting stopper.
 
Best Regards!
Igor.

Another of my small projects. I recently have seen the photo of the model boat, which was interesting me.
 

 
I have wrote to the author of the model and he told me that this boat is a typical for Sardinia the southern Mediterranean area Andalucia.
 
A couple of weeks ago I started building the model of this boats in a bottle.
 
Best Regards!
Igor.

Hi All,
 
I'm a big fan of Tamiya tape and have used it for many years on plastic models before I graduated to real modeling

I did borrow my Admirals cutter and green cutting mat to cut some sails from a sail pattern. Worked like a charm - cuts smoothly and accurately like a hot knife through butter.  Great tool

Replacement blades (2 per package) cost $4.50 to $5 depending on size at Joanne's sewing store.
I have sharpened the old one with limited success. Any nick on the edge causes hick-ups on the cut.