Roger Pellett
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Everything posted by Roger Pellett
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I respectfully disagree with David. I like the paint job. I suggest that you leave it as is. Roger
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By contrast for the US Navy the period from 1865 to the 1880’s was known as the Doldrums as the nation’s attentions turned inward and Naval construction all but halted. Incredibly ships that had fought in the Civil War were pulled out of the reserve fleet during International Crises well into the 1890’s. While historians generally consider this to be shameful, it seems to me that not trying to keep up with European developments, saved the US a lot of wasted money. When they finally decided that they needed a modern fleet, they had no trouble building one. Roger
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I would build the model by hand using the same techniques being used by Steven (Louie da Fly) to build his Nef model. Carve a plug, plank it, remove from plug, and add frames. I would buy some decent hand tools and learn how to use them before CNC equipment. Roger
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I am dimly aware that there is more than one version of the Model Shipways Flying Fish Kit (depending on the kit’s age). In the late 1970’s or early 1980’s Model Shipways completely redrew the kit’s drawings. If my memory is correct the work was done by Ben Langford. When these revised drawings were finished, an article was published in the Nautical Research Journal. It should still be available from the NRG office. This article should allow you to see the sources used and assumptions made; information rarely available to the kit builder. Roger
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There is a well known drawing that you can find on the internet, of these Civil War era Picket Boats. You can find it on the (US) Navy History Website. I believe that came from Battles and Leaders of the Civil War. Unfortunately I know of no scholarship to determine its accuracy. So, is this an accurate drawing or something drawn years after the fact when memories were dim? The most striking difference between the drawing and model is that the drawing shows a boat with a square stern vs the kit model’s round stern. This leaves you with the problem faced by all kit builders: Did the kit designer know something, or is this a feature added to increase marketing appeal. Roger
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Great job! I suspect that few people today realize the role that the Erie Canal played in the development of agriculture in the Midwest. The port of Buffalo received grain from all over the region via the Great Lakes and transferred it to barges to transit the Canal to NYC’s Harbor. Your floating elevator was the last link in this important economic system. Roger
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Frank J H Gardiner Painting
Roger Pellett replied to michaelpsutton2's topic in Nautical/Naval History
Curiosity killed the cat! Removing it from the frame could damage it. Hang it on your wall and enjoy it! Whatever it’s origin it’s a nice painting (or print). Roger -
Bob, Clay shaping pliers- Something like my super dooper deadeye strop crimper.
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I must admit that I tried this years ago to make double or triple blocks for davit blocks on a small scale model. I was able to produce the machined blocks but when it came to soldering the wire, I wound up with an unsightly blob. I have been building a resistance soldering unit. By first tinning the wire and then resistance soldering I think that I can eliminate this problem I’m looking forward to seeing how you adapt this technique. Roger
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There has been a discussion elsewhere on the forum about scales for models and the subject of small scales lead to the mention of using wood to make very small blocks. The system below was used by the late Gerald Wingrove to make very small blocks for a model of the Pilot Brig Bengal. The blocks produced are probably more like the Late Nineteenth Century internally stropped blocks than the earlier rope stropped ones.
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According to his book, The Colonial Schooner1763-1775, Harold Hahn did not take up serious ship model building until the 1960’s and began his Colonial Schooner Diorama In 1969. Over 20 years before he had built models using the plans published in Popular Mechanics. I also don’t know of any models that he built that were not Revolutionary War era. Remarkably Hahn’s Grandfather was a deepwater sailor, who left the sea in 1880 to become a prospector in the American West. He died in a blizzard in 1933. Hahn says the he was just entering his teens when this happened and admits that this made little impression on him as they were separated by 2000 miles. This means that the information in the notebook would have to have been compiled 40 years before Hahn was born. I don’t think that Harold Hahn is the Hal on the front page of the notebook.
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Blair, Welcome to the forum. I’m not a model railroader but sometimes wish that I were. I love those Shay locomotives! Many years ago my wife and I rode up the mountain on West Virginia’s Cass Scenic Railroad. They operate Shays. Shays were also used in the open pit iron ore mines here in Northern Minnesota. I wouldn’t overdo the weathering. Chaperone hauled both passengers and freight in the Evansville, Indiana and NW Kentucky areas. To attract passengers she had to be well maintained. As a coal burner areas exposed to coal dust or smoke would be grimy. Otherwise fresh paint inspires confidence with the traveling public. Roger
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This might sound odd but it also depends on your situation- age, experience, etc. If you already have a workshop with common woodworking tools, or if you are starting out in life and intend to build up a shop, than you only need to consider what you need to supplement what you already have. If you have nothing, that’s a different story. I would add a decent quality vice, and a razor saw with mini miter box to your list. Roger
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My compressor that cost about $100 US has a top pressure of about 8 BAR (125 psi). It also has a tank and a built in pressure regulator that allows output pressure to be turned down as needed. These compressors are sold by large home improvement stores throughout the US. It’s noisy, but so are my other full sized power tools. My wife has been putting up with noise and dirt from an in home workshop for over 50 years. My first workshop was the second bedroom of a two bedroom Apartment. When you need a tool, buy the right one and it will last you a lifetime. Roger
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Bill, Your machine uses about as much power as two light bulbs. The manufacturer of the MM machine tried to overcome this by very high speed rotation. This means that the machine produces very little torque. In a thickness sander high RPM’s are not good since as Jaager points out it can burn your wood. Much better to have a much slower machine with much higher torque. Roger
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I am reading Homer’s The Odyssey, a modern English translation of the Greek text but in the original Greek Hexametric poetic form. Much to my surprise I am enjoying it immensely. Homer likes to use adjectives as literary devices to maintain the poetic cadence; for example, the goddess Athena is always “Bright Eyed Athena.” With this in mind here’s what he repeatedly says about galleys: They are usually described as Black Galleys and sometimes Well Balanced Galleys. Rigging is always Plaited Oxhide Rigging. They are always moored with their stern to the beach. When they get underway Their Pine Mast is stepped into the Mast box. Roger
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Brian, Another tip. On a limited budget buy tools that do double duty. Instead of buying a small engineer’s square buy a decent quality combination square, the kind with the sliding leg. This will be useful for other things. Roger
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Bill, I agree with Jaager. I still don’t understand why MM would market a 12v. Machine. If you buy the more powerful Jim Byrnes machine I believe that you will be pleased at the additional power it provides, If you don’t feel that you can spend the money why not build one. The only purchased parts in my thickness sander are a pair of pillow block bearings, belt,and pulleys. In my case, whenever I get rid of something, I save the motor. Also, our local landfill segregates that sort of thing and allows visitors to take stuff for free. You might also be able to buy a used motor, or something used with a motor for a fraction of the new cost. I turned the drum for mine from Maple using the sander itself as a lathe. Once the maple block and its shaft are mounted in the pillow blocks, set up a tool rest and spin block with the motor. An ordinary bench chisel works fine. I glue the sanding medium, hardware store belt sander belt to the drum with contact cement. The NRG used to sell a plan set for the tool and are photos of my sander here on the forum. Roger
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Boris, Particularly nice job on the flags. They look lifelike. A nice finishing touch. Roger
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Brian, You must be a newlywed! Wait in the weeds until she needs those cute shoes that she saw, a new handbag, or better yet a new outfit. Then pounce!😏 Roger
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If you are equipped to paint with an air bush you might want to add an “air eraser” to your tool kit. This is an abrasive blast cleaner, about the size of an airbrush. In addition to mechanically cleaning the surface, it adds a very fine “tooth” to help paint adhere. It is not so aggressive as to destroy details. Here in the US we have a company called Harbor Freight that sells imported tools. While not renown for quality, especially on this forum, I bought my air eraser there. It was inexpensive and sturdy. Maybe you can find a similar unit in the UK. Probably not a good choice for apartment dwellers or dining room table modelers! Roger
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If this was my machine, I’d buy a small 110v 3600RPM or 1750RPM AC motor and fabricate a new mount. A new fractional HP 110v electric motor sells for as little as $100. Jaager is correct, you’re looking for torque not drum speed, so you may need to play with pulley sizes. I don’t understand why MM would sell a 12v. Machine. My guess that it might have something to do with selling the machine internationally. This could be an opportunity to improve your machine. Roger
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