kurtvd19

Looking good Dan. It pays to take the time to redo something you know just isn't as good as you can make it. Don't leave duct tape on too long or it will leave residue. For the time you are working on it no problem. Just don't use it and leave the model for a week or two (or even longer) before getting back to it. The stuff sticks better the longer it's on until all the adhesive is wicked into the part and when the stiff tape is removed all sorts of adhesive is left behind to gum up the wood. Ask me about this at the meeting and I will tell you how I know.... My tape holders by my desk always have a roll of duct tape as well as blue painter's tape for those jobs that need a good hold that will not loosen. I consider both as essential tools. Kurt

Ken: Thanks. Yes, I was amazed that the cast threads worked so well when I assembled the pumper. The detail was amazing on all the cast parts for that kit. I told a buddy of mine about the horse drawn hearse and the high quality cast parts that will be in that kit (from your masters) and if it's ever produced he wants one built. Kurt

Yeah, the kit piece is never going to be better than the master. GIGO applies to kit pieces too. I got some bollards in a tug kit that were nowhere near round. Very much an oval shape and way too thin on the thinner side of the oval to even attempt to make them round by filing. It would have been an exercise in futility to ask the manufacturer for new parts - the replacement would not have been better as it wasn't a matter of an incomplete fill - the molds were worn out. I inherited a bunch of old parts from a club member. He worked part time for a downtown Chicago hobby shop that closed in the late 60's or so and he got all the ship fittings - fills a whole bunch (27) drawers of a cabinet that just fit in my mini-van. All the parts are in extremely dusty/dirty manila envelopes of the day. Opening them up is a real treat because most of the parts are of very good quality. Brass castings, brass turnings, multi-part brass pieces soldered together. Names like Boucher, A J Fisher, Marine Models, Billings, Model Shipways. Now, none of these parts are newer than 1970 or earlier. Of course, some are better than others, but they were all better than the average parts in a lot of today's kits. Amazing quality - maybe it's because these were all made in the USA (exception being Billings) Not any signs of the dreaded white lead disease - maybe it's because these were all made in the USA? (same exception) I wish I could use some of these parts as masters and make up new fittings in the metal spin casting machine I also inherited from the same guy. Even if I could do it legally there just isn't enough time left. Kurt

Elijah: Yes, that's a wing nut. If you don't have the wing nut you can make the same sort of tool by using a clamp to clamp the upright and the pencil holder at the correct position. Saves making the slot. Kurt

Elijah: I have some cherry veneer in my shop that you can have enough of to do the planking if you want it. Let me know. Picked it up for a job that fell through. Kurt

Glen: Great work - as usual. These will be world class models when finished. Kurt

I try to clean up as soon as I notice too many tools on the workbench rather than in their proper place and I try to always use the shop vac when cutting or sanding. However, nothing works as good as having the monthly club meeting here in my shop - it forces me to do a fairly thorough clean up at least one a month. Kurt

Here is a photo of two handles I prefer over the stamped metal disposable handles. Each cost under $10 on eBay. The metal one is the better of the two but there is a different plastic handle that looks very similar to the red handle but costs a lot more that some prefer. I can use the metal handled one show for hours w/o any issues but the stamped metal ones hurt my hand after just a few minutes. Kurt

Elijah: Dave was and still is a member of the NRMSS and was Secretary for many years until he had to drop the job due to health and now his living in IA. Kurt

Cathead: Call Bluejacket tomorrow and ask them. They are quite helpful and will surely tell you if the product will do what you want and how to do it. Kurt

Cathead: Again - great model and thanks for sharing the building with us. The Arabia is an interesting subject. I don't know of any sort of plans for it. Would probably have to be mostly conjecture and practice of the day to arrive at a model. If you know of any sort of plans please let me know. Take care, Kurt

Cathead: Congratulation on completing a great model. Can't wait to see the rest of the photos. The name board and name on the side look great. Kurt

Nice work on the Grasshopper spars Cathead. I have seen them on only one other model that I can remember. A very nice touch and great explanation on their use. The only way I can think of to make them hang realistically would be to weight them like you did while coating the rigging with very thin white glue and letting the glue set up with the weighted spars hanging. I did this with the landing stage on the Chaperon - hanging off the bow and not heavy enough to weight down the rigging w/o help. The only problem with what I did, (and you took the precaution that will make sure you don't have a similar problem by attaching them to the side of the hull) was that when the cased model was dropped about 6 inches at the NRG St. Louis conference the landing stage broke loose from one of the lines as it was able to swing freely being held only by rigging. It was very difficult to reattach the lines after they were cut to size - I had to resort to using some C/A in place of a knot on one line. Kurt

Elijah: Welcome to the NRG. Mary processed your membership this morning. Look for your membership card in the mail. Kurt

Elijah: Good start. The string idea works well. You have connected the line on deck and the line along the keel, stem and stern. You need to make sure that with these lines connected that the centerline at the bow and stern are both parallel. You can check this by leveling the hull port to starboard and lock in place with some heavy objects on each side so it does not move unintentionally. Using a square or something else that will sit perpendicular to the table top make sure the line at the bow and at the stern are both also perpendicular to the table top. A building board would be the perfect way to hold and align the hull while you do this. I sent you a PDF on building boards and I know your tools and materials are limited but the data will show you how a building board works and you can improvise a similar arrangement. Hope this helps. Kurt

Your build log should go in the Kit Model Builds section rather than in the Scratch Build section - other wise I agree with Cathead and look forward to following your project. Kurt

I didn't know it was a plastic hull. I think you need to figure out a way to get the chain parts off the hull. Supposedly resistance soldering can be done on HO train rail ends with plastic ties w/o damage to the ties but I wouldn't want to take a chance with a plastic hull. Kurt

If you use a torch that close to the hull, PLEASE have a fire extinguisher handy. I can see needing to form the chains in place, but surely you can remove them to do the soldering. One thing that can work is resistance soldering - a thin insulator between the chain and the hull would be adequate to protect the hull from the heat. Resistance soldering gets the metal between the electrodes hot extremely quickly and the electrodes act as heat sinks with the power off. My torch is growing cob webs since I started using a resistance soldering unit again. Had used a home made one 20 years ago but when my buddy moved we flipped and he got to take it with him. Stay Brite - a silver bearing solder strong enough for chain plates, etc works good with a resistance soldering unit. Kurt

Mark: You can include the ships boats in the main build log. You are displaying the ships boats off the model but most builds include the ships boats as part of the build and not done in separate logs. If you include similar wording as the undelined wording noting that the ships boats are included - HMS Tremendous with Ships Boats - it covers the whole project. You can also do separate build logs but I think those following the project would want to go to only one log to follow your progress. Really it's your choice. Kurt

Elijah: Sal had real good advice to plan ahead. I always recommend a careful reading of the instructions before you start anything and then to keep looking ahead for things that might be better done a bit sooner. As an example, some part installed at step 5 might be in the way of step 7 so look ahead to see that you will have access for step 7. Glad to see you have a good start. Kurt

Bill: Check the NRG's Resources lists for model clubs in NJ Kurt http://www.thenrg.org/modeling-clubs.php

Chris: Use an index card or anything of similar size and a piece of double side tape. Poke a hole through the tape and card. Insert the end of the line through the hole, sticking the line down to the card as shown and wind the coil pressing the line down onto the tape. When the coil is the size you want, stop coiling and "paint" the rope coil with diluted white glue. Let it dry and remove from the card/tape. You can make multiple coils at the same time by using additional strips of tape. Kurt

Geoff: Nice work. For the next Ships on Deck (January - December's strictly party) bring some of these photos on a flash drive so the rest of the club can see your work. Kurt

Cathead: Great work. Between your build and Glenn's I spend too much time admiring your work - need to get some time in on my projects but you guys are distracting me. Keep it up! Kurt

Cathead, you guessed right. Click on the link below to see Glenn's work. Glen talked at the 2014 NRG Conference in St. Louis on this wreck and their work. Kurt http://nautarch.tamu.edu/model/