kurtvd19

Ahoy: I have told many of my fellow club members about the Book Collector program I use to keep track of my library on my desktop. They are having a sale that makes it very affordable. I have no vested interest and I will not get a cent or anything if you sign up - I just wanted to let you know that if you had ever heard and thought about this program at all now would be a good time to get it. A free download that lets you manage up to 100 books is also available and I used it to see if I liked it before buying the program several years ago. I have the Book Collector pro version but I think the std will work for many people. I am able to track the original purchase price of the book, if it's autographed, all the data on it - pages, volume, etc. I purchased this originally when Mary threatened me with haunting me forever if I died w/o leaving her a list of the books and their worth if she needed to dispose of the collection. It has saved me from purchasing additional copies of books I already had...something I know many of us have done. Just wanted to let you know about the bargain. The link to the web site is http://www.collectorz.com/book/ The link to the sale is https://www.collectorz.com/shop/sale.php?book50pro=1&inf_contact_key=1d5eb42f913e91f755c3a625085ea212f5cf974ea323afd529e10d36025a9ea8 My apologies if this is posted to the wrong section but it's offered for information and I have no connection except as a very pleased user. Kurt

Sal: Check the drawing below. I believe the piece you are referring to is the stock with the keep pin removed and the stock moved to the left in the photo with the stock them dropping into place alongside the shank of the anchor with the ball at the bent end of the stock keeping the stock from passing through the eye of the shank.

David: That's exactly what I use for my airbrushing. I originally got it for rigging - the up and down adjustability made it great for raising when I wanted to work on the deadeyes - with the chair lowered, or lowering the table and raising the chair when working on the tops. There are medical supply businesses that rent and sell this type of equipment for in home use and they routinely dispose of stuff all the time. When you get back home you can check this out. I will keep my eyes open for one. Kurt

I will be looking at the rigging real soon. Just starting the dead eyes today. Will let you know what I think about the lift blocks later. Kurt

Bob: The build in SiS is mine and Chuck and I have been sharing comments privately. I decided to duplicate the replica boat at the Lake Champlain Maritime Museum and have applied a finish to the exterior and interior as the boat at the Museum has. Chuck thought I was nuts to "weather" a boat that lasted just a few months before being sunk until I explained my reasoning. He may be right about being nuts - I do build model boats.... Kurt

The pliers I use for making eyebolts, etc. are fairly inexpensive but a very good quality tool. The tips are 0.042 in diameter at the tip. An eye/ring of almost any size from 0.042 in. dia. up to 0.188 in dia. can be made. I make a mark on the tapered barrel to mark the spot to wrap the wire when I want to make a bunch the same diameter. These are also useful for making hooks with an eye - all with the same tool - no need to swap out tools or use a drill bit for the eye and then the pliers for the rest. I got this at Hobby Lobby and it's from their Beadsmith brand. Kurt

Don: Check out airbrushing with acrylic paints. No odor, no hazard, soap and water clean up. Even over-spray isn't an issue as acrylics are dry before the "dust" can hit the floor. Even a long painting session doesn't make measurable dust and a quick sweep and it's gone, but use a spray booth of any sort with a filter on the exhaust and that's not even needed. And a spray booth can be self made w/o the worry of an explosion proof motor as required with solvent based paints. Simple furnace filter is adequate filter at the back side. Kurt

Marc: Be careful with Dullcoat. One coat does the job. Multiple coats don't make things duller - they actually build up making the surface smooth - and shiny. Of course, if you use a very thin coat via the airbrush, another coat might be OK, but if you use the stuff from a rattle can stop at one coat. Kurt

Looks good Geoff. I could get that entered in the art gallery it looks so good. Kurt

Chuck You can always try out the look of the "bumpy" mast and if you don't like it make it round and smooth. The problem that I see is that it might look to observers that you just did a poor job of the mast as it might not look as good at scale as it does full size. But, you are building the model for yourself not the observer who might not appreciate the authenticity of the bumpy mast. Share your efforts on this as you are ahead of me on the build and I am curious as to how it will look to scale. Take care, Kurt

Sorry not my parts so I can't share any secrets about them (as I didn't make them) except to say that they were done in RTV molds and are destined to be pieces in a kit. A friend shared the photo of the initial run of parts. However, I can say with certainty that this quality of parts is able to be done in pewter and RTV molds as I have others on hand cast by another fiend that are just as good. Kurt

Each of the parts shown here were cast in RTV molds Kurt

Looking real good Ryland. Kurt

Andy: I would call this a Semi-Scratch build with all the changes and additions you are making. Heck. you could call it IRVING and it would still be a great job. Kurt

Scott: This tool or one like it makes working with photo etch so much easier and precise that I wouldn't work without it. Kurt

Andy: The boom looks great! I was going to suggest that you cut duplicate parts for each piece for the other side when you fit the first side but I got busy with a restoration customer and forgot to post. I always find it helpful to do this when I am building paired pieces. It's always easier - in my opinion - to cut duplicate parts and assemble the twin pieces at the same time. Cutting duplicate parts means not having to measure the first piece to duplicate it later and doing the assembly of the two parts sequentially avoids forgetting which part went on first or something else that can turn out to be a problem later. This will be a great model when completed. Take care, Kurt

Andy: The ship is owned by US Gypsum, the name is Gypsum Integrity, and you are correct that it's not on the Lakes. It is currently off the coast of Sierra Leone near Freetown. I just did a Google and located it using Marine Traffic. It was built in 2009. I was told it was built in Brazil as were the models. The models came in through NOLA and were then shipped to Chicago and someplace in Europe with the European model making it one piece. Very heavy stone bases and glass cases. I set the model on a table in my shop on top of a sheet and then took the case off and watched small pieces fall out. Didn't lose any pieces. As far as the Brazil build I was told this by the same guy who said it operated on the Lakes so I am not positive. I like what you are doing with the build and conversion of the model. Kurt

Andy: I envy you working in the larger scale. I have attached a photo of a self unloader boom that was part of a builders model of a gypsum carrier that I repaired. Looking behind the remounted boom you might note the absence of the superstructure. It, the boom and all sorts of stuff was in need of repair when the superstructure came loose during shipping of the model from S. America to Chicago. The model was in approximately 1/100 scale and some of the photo etched railings were almost tied in knots from bouncing around in the case - all were replaced as it's impossible to straighten small photo etched rails. The boat operates on the Great Lakes and I was able to work from photos of the full size boat as well as the other twin model that made it unharmed from S. America to Europe. The parts came loose because the "professional" model shop painted the Plexiglass deck and then glued to superstructure down to the painted deck and the paint didn't hold. The Plexiglass wasn't even sanded to make a good surface for the paint - but I didn't contract to fix anything that wasn't broken. Wish I had taken a photo of the model before I started the repairs. Kurt

I have wanted something like these calipers but didn't know this tool actually existed. After seeing the original post I jumped onto eBay this morning and got a great set for $25. Place sent a notice that they have shipped already! Kurt

Dan Al's carries the Badger RR colors - same identical paint as the Marine paints. If you ever need to know the exact match between RR and Marine let me know - I have the master list. All the Marine colors except 6 or 7 have a RR match. Comes out of the same 5 gallon container. Kurt

Dan: I agree with Chuck. I don't think you would be happy with any of the Model Expo paints compared to Badger - you know my bias - but I think the ME paints are horrible compared to any other paint. Kurt

Tom: The trick to making round holes in styrene is to use a brad point drill bit in a variable speed drill at a slow speed. The brad point bit has a sharp center point and the cutting edge of the drill bit is at the outer edge of the bit. The initial contact with the surface is with the point and then the outer edges making a circle around the point that is cut before the inner surface of the drill bit touches the plastic. Makes for a real neat hole without danger of grabbing the plastic as an ordinary bit can do. Use a slow speed on the drill and very thin plastic can be cut easily as well as thicker resins. Just don't ever use these bits on anything other than wood or plastic. Kurt

Richard: The advice I gave originally would apply to this as well as anything ship related. The better the underlying surface is cleaned and any gloss removed, the better the acrylic will adhere. Maybe a very fine wire brush can be used to get into the nooks - it has to be very fine as you don't want to have to sand the surface. I have some fine wire brushes that I think came from a jeweler supply but i think I saw some similar brushes from Model Expo or Micro Mark. But if the surface is matte or dull now this probably isn't needed. Can't tell from the photo if the highlights are just from the light or due to having a gloss surface but I suspect the lights. Kurt

Richard: As long as the underlying paint is clean and not a gloss finish the acrylic should adhere just fine. Clean as Andy suggested and lay on very light coats of the acrylic until complete coverage is achieved. Kurt

Very nice job Mike. The Fly looks good too. Kurt