kurtvd19

SeaWatch Books announces the business is for sale.  If interested contact Bob Friedman at bobcat45@charter.net

Please use the email provided - questions will not be answered here.

I was asked to post this by Bob

On 5/19/2021 at 2:32 PM, Bob Cleek said:

A brush in the hand of an experienced painter can do just about anything an air brush can,

I belong to a local IPMS chapter though I seldom build plastic models.  We just had one of the founding members of our chapter pass away.  He built airplanes and never used an airbrush.  He won many awards at IPMS contests and when people found out he didn't use an airbrush they didn't believe it.  His models stood up under close scrutiny at these contests so he was competing against expert airbrush users.

A brush in the hands of an expert can produce a great finish just as an airbrush can produce a bad paint job in the hands of somebody who never practices.  Both depend on the skill of the user to produce a great paint job.  In my opinion it is easier to accomplish with an airbrush but only after a lot of practice - but a lot less than with a brush.

Thanks Eric  I will attend

3 hours ago, Jeffb said:

I am almost finished the running rigging. 

Jeff:

Is the rigging line supplied still from Morope?  That was what was originally supplied with the kit.  Until Chuck made his rope available the Morope was the best on the market in my opinion.

Kurt

 

Three inches is the rule for shop table saws.  But I mention it so people will think about it. 

How do I keep 3 inches away?  I can't.  So I will keep my fingers as far away as possible.

The need to keep a good distance away is for when the saw is running.  The adjusting screw is closer than 3 inches - I sure hope you don't try to adjust the blade height with the Preac running.😎

There is a tape sold by FastCap meant for Miter Saws that is put in place and the blade is turned on and to cut through the tape   It's sturdier than the blue tape and is 16" long - 5 pieces for $6.66.  Fastcap.com made for the big saws, but if it can be done with a big saw we can do it with our small saws - ,just scale things down.  This looks like it will be usable on our saws - I am going to order some to test it.

 

 

I am working on incorporating video into power points for the next workshop on the use of saws.  Will hopefully be incorporating video into the next workshop - not saws.

 

The video was posted on Tuesday.  All members got the link in an email - check your spam folder in case it wound up there.

 

Sorry, but we only have one guy who can do the editing and then posting to the website.  He's got a full time job and has had some critical work to finish before posting the video.  I think it will be posted very soon. 

Do yourself a favor and look for another build log - this one hasn't been active since 2019.

58 minutes ago, Randy1962 said:

So, just apply the alcohol (91% in my case) to the glue build up and let it soften for a couple of minutes and then scrape away?

Multiple applications will probably be needed.  Keep it wet - don't let it dry or you will need to start all over.  Have something under the piece to catch run off - don't let it ruin something it drips on.  Some have used tissue to keep the area wet - applying more to the tissue so the underlying part is kept wet.  Test occasionally and when soft do what works best to remove the excess.  Repeat as needed.

What they are describing is how to remove epoxy type glues.  One can use epoxy on wood so it can be a wood glue but ordinarily  the term "wood glues" mean the white or yellow glues such as Titebond, Elmer's etc.

Gorilla glue is a poly vinyl acetate glue (PVA) as are the Titebond glues.  The Isopropyl alcohol works well on PVA glues.  I have never use Gorilla glue on a model and would not use it due to it's foaming charistic - that may have caused your problem.

The common solvent for the white or yellow wood glues is Isopropyl Alcohol - you probably have some in your medicine cabinet.  If you go to the drug store try to get the 90% stuff - whatever you get, go for the highest % you can obtain.  The 90% costs more than the common medicine cabinet variety but it works a lot better and it's still quite affordable - just remember to put the cap on tightly between uses.

They are Bob Smith.  Smith prints the customers name on the bottles.  Best CA available.

 

Eric:

As the bevels on the carlings are not seen you might make neater joints by making the ends of the carlings square and the pocket in the deck beam square.  I can tell you from personal experience that I made the joints in the beams and carlings that way when this project was in the prototype stage.  The one thing I did to the end of the carlings was to break the bottom end of the carling so that any wood left in the bottom of the deck beam pocket would not interfere with the bottom of the carling seating square.

 

The left end of the carling shown in your photo will also work to be an easier fit - and the whole darn thing is hidden so make it easy on yourself.

 

Also, it is easier to fit the pocket to the carling as you can sneak up on the fit - start with the pocket a bit undersized and slowly make it larger to fit the carling tightly.  That's what the furniture makers do.

Shortly before Alan died he talked to myself and two other individuals about working together to update both books.  Unfortunately I am the youngster in the group and by far the junior when it comes to actual knowledge on the subjects.  Neither of the others wanted to get tied up in such a project and I just do not have the knowledge to do the job.  I have the publishing and distribution contact - the NRG - but alas I don't see that there will ever be an update done. 

 

I know that by making the existence of the books better known and being able to get them published we would sell a lot more than 3 copies a year! 

KIT REVIEW – USCG HARRIET LANE

MODEL SHIPWAYS KIT #MS2270

Scale 1:96 (1/8' = 1'0")

Length (overall) 28", Width 8", height (on base) 16"

Plank on Bulkhead construction

This kit is the fourth in a series of progressive model tutorials by David Antscherl for Model Shipways (Division of Model Expo) with the Lowell Grand Banks Dory, the Norwegian Sailing Pram and the Muscongus Bay Lobster Smack being the three previous models.  All have been reviewed here.

The kit comes in the usual sturdy blue box with a large color label showing a completed model.  The box weighs just ounces less than 5 pounds.

Upon opening the box, the plans are the first thing seen.  There are five sheets of 18" x 36" plans labeled as Deck, Rigging, Sail and two sheets labeled as Rigging and Laser Cut Board Parts Identifier sheet (A-L) and (M-Y).

The box also contains the following:

Sixty-six page full-color instruction manual

Twenty-two sheets of laser cut Basswood

Three sheets of laser cut paper card

Seven pieces - strip Basswood

Three wood dowels

Six rigging line spools

Five packs of blocks

Eighteen different Britannia castings – multiple pieces of several parts

One sheet of Photo Etch Brass

Misc. Brass and other parts

Parts list – 3 pages

 

The sixty-six-page full color instruction manual is well done.  Before any assembly is started it is my recommendation that the modeler should read every word of the instructions before doing any assembly.  The first page of the instructions cautions the reader in red print to read the instructions.  There are numerous tips for the modeler designed to guide to building this or any other models.  Tips are printed in red to help the modeler.  There are also "Super Detail" tips throughout that provide ways to improve the accuracy of the model.  The most important tip is "Take your time".  There are hints throughout the instructions printed in red to catch the attention of the builder.  Read them.  Most tips will help with this kit and some of them will help in the future with any kit.

Planking Sheets

Planking is supplied slightly oversized but to the correct shape for the location intended.  Adequate extra material is provided on the width of the parts to sand to fit.

The other 18 sheets of laser cut wood

Three Laser Cut Paper Sheets

5 1/2" x 8" x 0.0095 Photo Etch Brass

 

 

Box of Cast Metal Pieces, Rigging Material, Flags & Wire

 

Ladders, Anchors, Canons, Davits, Ventilators

Belaying Pins, Eyebolts, Wire & Brass Rod

 

Windlass, Cleats, Eyebolts, Chain

Flag and Rings

 

Blocks

 

Rigging Line

Rigging – in progress photo – Courtesy of David Antscherl

 

Parts List – 3 pages and US to Metric Conversion sheet

Overall, I think this is a great kit with good cast parts and laser cutting of the wood is very well done.  The  laser cut pre-spiled planking is a nice feature and will help most modelers produce a good planking job.  The good instructions and plan sheets should leave nothing to be guessed at.  The rigging line is very good quality.  The blocks are decent quality for the size, but they are the typical kit supplied blocks with square edges so finicky modelers may look for replacement blocks. 

 

Thanks to David Antscherl for providing photographs of the finished model.  Thanks to Model Shipways (division of Model Expo) for supplying the review kit.

 

 

 

 

It is the Howard Steamboat Museum in Jeffersonville, IN.   (812) 283-3728

They usually have both books in stock for under $20 each (its been a bit so they might have raised the prices)

On 12/28/2021 at 4:09 AM, wefalck said:

It gives me the shudders when I see guys on YouTube proudly showing off their wood-working or mechanic's skill

I recently started to watch a YouTube video about saw safety and stopped the video after about 30 seconds when the guy went to the saw with an open button up sweater with long sleeves AND a tie!  At that point I stopped viewing the video because I figure that anybody who wears long sleeves and a tie while using a table saw is a certifiable idiot.  YouTube has some excellent informational videos but also some that are pure BS.

SeaWatch Books published a book by Justin Camarata called - Waterline Dioramas: A Modelbuilder's Artform  with a review here on MSW -

It might be out of print but if you can borrow one it will be a good read.

Check the model railroad sites as they do a lot of realistic water.

Chuck:

Go to the started album you want to delete and look at the top left box where your write up and other data is and note at the bottom right in the gray box with MANAGE ALBUM and a drop down arrow.  Click on it and there is a choice to DELETE ALBUM.  Click on it and the job is done.

Make sure it's the one you want gone as it's final.

If you want a lathe for model building this is not what you want. 

 

Do a search here on MSW for TAIG Lathe and Sherline Lathe there are also some others used for our hobby.  There are several topics about picking out a lathe - check them out.  Then if you have questions about a specific one for your use ask and you will get answers/opinions.

Roger:

That was my first power modeling tool.  Got it as a Christmas present when I was in 5th grade IIRC.  I had it sitting around for years after moving on to better tools and it finally was gone - maybe at my parent's hands - I just don't remember.  But I used it a lot back then. 

I usually use my Preac for the brass but the Byrnes saw just uses larger diameter slitting blades like on the Preac.  I like to make a sandwich of light aircraft plywood with the brass sheet sandwiched between the ply - everything stays nice and straight and the cut edge hardly needs to be sanded.  Drop the cut piece in acetone and the glue is dissolved.  The only thing I have ever used Duco cement on.

Back when I was on the FD and still on the ambulance I responded to a kickback situation and the saw operator wound up dead.  Combination of penetrating wound and traumatic impact of the 2 x 4.

Mike:

Looking good.  Airbrushing will not fill in gaps.  Don't even try.  Your plan to use the filler is the way to go.