Roger Pellett

Wow, they didn’t pay for mine.  Of course different  state’s insurance rules can vary.  Maybe Oregon’s offer different coverage than Minnesota.
 
My wife also refuses to understand that I can’t hear her with her back to me and her head in the refrigerator.

A number of years ago there was a 3 or 4 part series in the Nautical Research Journal about a model of Kearsarge.  It includes considerable research material.  Call the Guild office about ordering reprints.
 
Roger

Put a dimmer before the machine. You will loose some torque, but gain a cheap speed-control.
 
In fact, I am running some of my machines from an extension cord with momentary foot-switch and have a 'plug-dimmer' in the socket, into which I plug the machines. Allows you to preset the speed and start/stop the machine with the hands free.
 
Everything that is effectively a resistor, incandescent bulbs, motors, soldering irons, etc., can be controlled with such dimmers.

Wow, they didn’t pay for mine.  Of course different  state’s insurance rules can vary.  Maybe Oregon’s offer different coverage than Minnesota.
 
My wife also refuses to understand that I can’t hear her with her back to me and her head in the refrigerator.

Medicare (with supplemental insurance) picked up the whole bill for my hearing aids.  Just wish they did glasses also.
 

Check the WoodenBoat Store (WoodenBoat.com). They have advertised boat models especially for young model builders.
 
Roger

Yeah, me too.  My hearing was tested several years ago and hearing aids were prescribed.  Expensive!  In these “industrial space” restaurants they seem to pick up ambient noise much better than conversation at the table annoying my wife who thinks that since I am wearing my “ears” I should be hearing everything that she has to say in her ladylike modulated voice.
 
Ken, it is my understanding that the VA will provide hearing aids for service connected hearing loss.  
 
Roger

Yeah, me too.  My hearing was tested several years ago and hearing aids were prescribed.  Expensive!  In these “industrial space” restaurants they seem to pick up ambient noise much better than conversation at the table annoying my wife who thinks that since I am wearing my “ears” I should be hearing everything that she has to say in her ladylike modulated voice.
 
Ken, it is my understanding that the VA will provide hearing aids for service connected hearing loss.  
 
Roger

Yeah, me too.  My hearing was tested several years ago and hearing aids were prescribed.  Expensive!  In these “industrial space” restaurants they seem to pick up ambient noise much better than conversation at the table annoying my wife who thinks that since I am wearing my “ears” I should be hearing everything that she has to say in her ladylike modulated voice.
 
Ken, it is my understanding that the VA will provide hearing aids for service connected hearing loss.  
 
Roger

Check the WoodenBoat Store (WoodenBoat.com). They have advertised boat models especially for young model builders.
 
Roger

Yeah, me too.  My hearing was tested several years ago and hearing aids were prescribed.  Expensive!  In these “industrial space” restaurants they seem to pick up ambient noise much better than conversation at the table annoying my wife who thinks that since I am wearing my “ears” I should be hearing everything that she has to say in her ladylike modulated voice.
 
Ken, it is my understanding that the VA will provide hearing aids for service connected hearing loss.  
 
Roger

Thanks for the link Sam
I do have some kind of Chinese rip off visor similar to the one you like that was given to me. It kind of works but I am not all that happy with it either. So long as I am still living with my wife I want to keep track of what may be coming at me from the side as well. If you can't hear her then you need to watch out for her!
 
What I rigged up last night was a magnifying lamp that I got somewhere around the beginning of recorded history. It has been sitting in the basement for probably twenty years but after some hesitation the florescent light started up and it worked. It was OK, still not perfect, but I think I like it better than the optivisor or other alternatives I have tried so far. I do find that I have my nose plastered against the lens but at least my hands are not there as well. I do wish it had LEDs instead of the florescent though. I will keep trying it out for a few more days and if I like it enough then I may be investing in a 21st century equivalent.
 
Unless the restaurant is quiet and I sit on the proper side, conversation is pretty much a waste for me. I hate many of the modern restaurants designed to look, (and sound) like a warehouse. With the open ceilings that have the air conditioning pipes and stuff exposed. The ambient noise  in those places seems to be amplified to the point that conversation is impossible even for people with good hearing!  

Moving on to the chassis sub-assembly
 
Main chassis
 

 
Front axle
 

 
Rear axle
 

 
Left and Right tank tread assembly
 

Miscellaneous wheels, drivers, idler wheels
 

 
Chassis assembled
 

 

I’m only suggesting use of rasps for initial shaping.  When you get close to the bulkheads, it’s time to get out the sandpaper.

Mark,
 
Why can’t you remove most of this wood with a half round wood rasp or one of those cabbage grater type tools?  This would generate much less fine dust
 
Roger

Eric,
 
This month’s WoodenBoat Magazine has a nice article about Arabia, her salvage and the museum. Like most magazine articles it is short on detailed information, most if not all you probably know but nice recognition nonetheless.  I’ll send you my copy when I’m done with it if you like.
 
Roger

Did anyone 'splain to Lt Dumbjohn what he'd have to do? Or was it easier to let the lad flail.   Guess we took a long time to get aviators into combat, with the schooling we did.
 
Heck, the time I got to drive an M-60, in Schweinfurt, Germany, I got a 3 minute briefing on steering (like a bicycle), gear selection(one forward, I think) and speed(the long wide one on the right). Just don't get too close to the HAWK battery and no, you can't turn the turret to put the barrel forward. I drove one tank across a good sized ditch and went into their parade ground? We took 3 tanks into this huge field and immediately got into a wheel of the 3 tanks chasing each other's tail.  The Army captain wasn't too amused until he saw our AF Colonel driving one of the tanks in this rat race.

Masked, painted and mounted the canopy today. A good 4-5 hours required, rather tedious. The pre cut masks make a world of difference. The job would have been much more difficult and time consuming without them on this model.
 
 

Eric,
 
This month’s WoodenBoat Magazine has a nice article about Arabia, her salvage and the museum. Like most magazine articles it is short on detailed information, most if not all you probably know but nice recognition nonetheless.  I’ll send you my copy when I’m done with it if you like.
 
Roger

I started prepping and masking the main canopy pieces tonight. It will probably take me the better part of my modeling time tomorrow to finish the masking and painting of it. I have some chores to do tomorrow that cuts my modeling time short.
My baby girl (she's 22) leaves in another week for New Hampshire to finish up her schooling. It sure is going to be an adjustment for me when she's gone. I'm dreading it, but I won't tell her that. Guess I'll spend more modeling time to chase the blues away.
 

Hank,
 
Looks Great!  You are proving that you can make a silk purse from a sow’s ear.
 
Roger

Hank,
 
Looks Great!  You are proving that you can make a silk purse from a sow’s ear.
 
Roger

I'm a big fan of bandsaws,  My remarks may not be fully applicable to your needs (a 14" with 12" depth of cut, and a 12" with a 6" depth of cut. ), but I think a couple of observations might be useful to you.
 
I watched the sales video of the Axminister AC1400B and read through the manual.  It appears to be a decently built machine for the price ($225USD) and the manual is well written .  But I'm skeptical that it could properly tension a 13mm blade - that's a bit difficult even on  my 1940s-50s era 14" Delta with a  cast iron frame.  Insufficient blade tension will be manifested by bowed and wandering cutting. I think the standard 6mm/6TPI is appropriate, or at most possibly an 8mm blade would be ok (By the way, one rule of thumb is that 3 or 4 teeth should be in the wood when cutting, although an additional 1-2 teeth won't be problem if the rate is slow enough to eject the dust from the kerf.)   Other than that,  perhaps modern blade metallurgy has improved the flexibility of bandsaw blades.  In earlier times,  blades broke quite often on saws with less than 12" wheels.

Finally, if the blade tension, tracking, and guides are properly set, then it should be possible split a pencil line without a fence or miter gauge.  Indeed, very fine work can be done - look at this 6cm tall reindeer that Alex Snodgrass (see above) cut out freehand for my young daughter, all the while  conversing with the audience at a woodworking products show.  

The rear face of the deckhouse has bifold doors - at scale size these are quite small and I won't be making hinges. The 4 door are made as a strip.

Together with associated panels they were glued on to the core.

The side panels were left over long and were cut back to size on the mill.


The top plank was glued in place where the panels had been cut back and then a piece of mahogany was turned and slit to form the corner pieces.


The top was constructed from 0.1" wide by .060" thick planks separated by .006" card to simulate the caulking.

The hatch top cover was similarly made.

The tape is protecting the front corners that were made from turned brass rod. This reinforcement is included because of the proximity of the anchor chain.

2 holes were drilled to take the vents.

Mahogany inserts were turned to simulate the plinths on which the vents sit.

Before starting the rigging on my last model I went to the cosmetic department at our local Target store and told the lady stocking shelves that I wanted a bottle of her least expensive lacquer based clear nail polish.  A little bottle with brush on top cost well under $2.00. A little dab was used to secure knots, servings,etc and ro stiffen the ends of line.  It worked great and I still have most of the bottle.