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lamarvalley

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Everything posted by lamarvalley

  1. Greetings Ray. I soaked my mahogany planks for anywhere from 10 minutes to 45 or so and used an iron used by airplane builders to stretch the skin over the wings. Gets plenty hot and actually steams the plank into shape. Worked well for me. Having said that tho... read those articles... they are a wealth of info and it pays to pay attention to the details. Randy
  2. Holy Cow!!! Obviously you are a fan of the incredibly tiny... your attention to detail at such a small scale is impressive. Wow!
  3. Bedford... that household fuse wire sounds interesting but here in the states breakers have long replaced fuses so getting that blank stare from the guy in the hardware store when I ask for 'fuse wire' is not my goal.... I assume you're talking copper wire or maybe it's aluminum?.... braided? what gauge?
  4. She's looking great Robbyn! Whatever the stays are (not there yet so I haven't a clue and my instructions are way downstairs) I'm sure you'll do just as well with them as you have other parts that were once upon a time brand new too. That's kind of the fun of this stuff... breathless anticipation at the newness of it all.
  5. Based on my past electrical experiences it seemed without trying there were times when I could wire a lamp or such so that it flickered off and on.... I wasn't even going for that effect either.. woo hoo... It's a gift...
  6. Now that's a pintle.... Gorgeous! Those are an actual work of art. Well done Sir!! Randy
  7. Looks great. Love the cannon balls. Looks like it's about time to get tall now with the masts and such.... with rigging just ahead.
  8. Thanks for the info Floyd. I don't have an immediate need for this, never even thought of it before, but it is saved for when I want to add some 'furniture' to the deck and a hammock would be perfect. Now I know how to do it. Randy
  9. Actually, the San Francisco does have a past as it was once the Florencia as shown in the article link. http://modelshipbuilder.com/page.php?6 Historically speaking, she once was a warship although liberties were taken on the part of AL.
  10. I personally have not had any dealing with Constructo other than seeing some build logs so someone else will have to speak of the quality of parts and instructions etc. Two things I notice however between these 2 ships... the bounty is a double hull while the SF II is a single. Seeing as this is my first ship... ever... I didn't know nor appreciate the difference. Also, from websites i saw the bounty is more than twice the cost of the SF II. While cost doesn't convey quality... in all things.... it might mean better brass fittings and such. The SF II extras were okay, maybe even better than that at times but not stellar. Look for a build log of the constructo bounty for more info. Either way... have fun!
  11. I too am in the midst of the AL San Francisco. It is a fine ship but it does have its issues just as Shaz said. I like this ship a lot however and it is one of the biggest reasons I chose it over dozens and dozens of other possibilities. Like the first two respondents said, go with your interests first... and I'll add one more criteria to consider... challenge yourself beyond where you think you are skill-wise... that makes it even more fun!
  12. Okay, I see it now that it is highlighted in yellow but before... nope. Can you fix it, should you fix it or can you live with it? You've done such an exceptional build it seems a shame to alter it. I'm with Augie, it flows as it is.
  13. Absolutely ingenious Ilhan! Beautiful work Randy
  14. Good day Scott and welcome back to the hobby. There will be variations on the opinions but I use wood glue 95% of the time... titebond II and their new transparent that dries clear. This allows for a slow set time usually with the need to clamp the parts in some fashion. Serves my needs quite well. I use thin CA for immediate attachment and for me is my least favorite because it can run due to it's super low viscosity. When I use it almost every time I end up with some on me somewhere. Thicker CA's set a bit slower and allow a few more moments for adjustment or placement and I prefer that feature. They all have their place and sit back and wait for it, I'm just the first to respond... my guess is this will be a popular thread... you came to the right place to get educated. Randy
  15. I've little doubt that the rest will be anything less than stunning. I love watching this build. You and a few others on these pages (you know who you are ) are true precision masters on a minute scale... I thank you for the inspiration! Randy
  16. I'm with Popeye... I fail to see the mistake and love the colors and precision. She's beautiful!
  17. Holy cow, you're burning thru this ship. Don't you sleep? She's looking good... nice job, I'm looking forward to the masts and rigging... then she'll be getting some height..
  18. I'm not sure, IMO, that they need to be of the same grain or width as the hull since I would think they would be a different material or a later production if this were a full size vessel. Consider what it would look like if making them contrast rather than blend. What would it look like if it were ebony? With that nice brass hinge... mmm, could be nice! Then you could edge glue planks into a long single piece and cut them to the size of holes ~ 10x10mm? Don't get me wrong... I love your wooden hatch cover..and I wish I'd have thought of it and if you want to match plank for plank... hats off and cheers to you but yikes, you're right, that's a profanity laced adventure if ever there was one. I used a product called Brass Black.... I got it a gun shop and it is used to touch up the "blue' on firearms. Toxic and acidic but effective. Wear gloves and eyewear and don't swallow it and it'll go fine..
  19. Your transom looks good Eric. I still like that b&w contrast. Windows look real too. What kind of trim are you thinking of. Scrollwork, shutters of a sort? Creative paintwork... like some kind of crackle or weathering?
  20. Bedford, I bow to your soldering experience fore it far exceeds mine but I always thought flux was a necessity...my solder is called 'grade 60/40 solid... is that a resin core? Would it say it on the roll? Not quibbling, just asking... you know... learn something new everyday... use it in every way...
  21. I'm new to this hobby so I can't speak to the cost aspect of scratch versus kit. I would think that a kit would be cheaper in the long run but that would probably vary from kit to kit, maker to maker etc. Like you said, there are plenty of places for good lumber but the little stuff, scrollwork and such is harder to acquire. You don't say if you are in the US but some woodworking stores, Rockler for instance, sell pre-made scroll work which might do with a tweak here and an alteration there. Also, if you're doing a scratch build but it is a kit already produced maybe, almost certainly for a price, maybe you could buy figureheads and the like from the maker. I know some do sell replacement parts due to breakage and/or lost/missing parts from the kits. Bottom line, IMO, if you're confident and ready to do a scratch build don't left the little stuff stop you. Scratch builders seem to find a way around every issue... these pages are full of such innovation. Good luck Randy
  22. I think you just got a practicum on soldering... and yes... flux is required. Your wheels look good... aren't you glad you added them.... I mean, really, without them those poor sailors would wear themselves out dragging those cannon around (to where I have no idea but if they have wheels...? )
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