Keith Simmons

Jay,
I am a little late to this but figured I would throw my two cents in, I have fabricated more than a few solid surface counter tops in my days as a residential cabinet maker.
 
For adhesives we used an MMA product (Methyl Methacrilate) that was blended with a colorant to make the seams disappear. Weldon 45 is good also but at the sizes we are talking here its extremely expensive, a 45ml cartridge is $30 and then you need the tips and dedicated applicator gun. About $100.00 total.
 
As you mentioned Corian is an acrylic product so Weldon16 might work, I think Home Depot sells it. Weldon3 is water thin, it might work. Weldon 40 should work also. I havent tried any of these three products with solid surface so take it with a grain of salt.
 
Prep wise I was taught to never use an impact cutting tool - table saw, jig saw etc, the micro grooves left by the blade was supposed to create a stress riser that could cause a fracture. In practice though we used a 10" 60 tooth TCG blade with a -5 degree hook angle. Then all joints were cleaned up with a spiral router bit. We cleaned our joints with acetone before gluing up and just enough clamping pressure to bring everything together.
 
You can turn solid surface materials, I think what might be happening here is the scale we work at, like you discovered it frigile. Also your cutting tool should not leave a sharp inside corner, that whole stress riser thing again.
 
As you found it's heat formable, like acrylic sheets you just need to heat slowly and completely, an oven works best. IMO a heat gun is too fast and localized.
 
It looks like you have abandoned the process but like I said I figured I would throw my two cents in.
 
Sam

Hi Glenn
 
I wonder if you ever look back and say 'wow'! ...because that's what I do whenever I read your latest update!
 
Brilliant as always.
 
Cheers
 
Patrick

Many thanks Keith, I build carriages etc when not doing boats so the info is really useful for both. Many thanks.

Boxwood carving for the barge in progress.  Using a #11 blade.   Its half done.   Left side shows the laser cut blank while the right side is almost there.   The blanks are glued to a piece of scrap with elmers glue.  In this case I just used a glue stick.  Make sure its really glued down good.  Especially the ends of the thin parts that are susceptible to breakage.  I sandwich the glued up piece with another scrap sheet and clamp them together so the piece stays flat and doesnt curl up. The blanks are just 1/32" thick and sandwiching keeps them flat so all the surfaces glue up nicely.   Leave them overnight to dry really good.....now you are ready to carve.
 
The finished carving is removed from the base by just dumping it face-first into a bath of 90% rubbing alcohol for 5 or 6 hours.  They usually just fall right off the base.   Let them air dry and you are good to go.
 

 
When you dont have lots of time to spend on the model its good to keep these carving blanks around the shop.  You can easily spend a half hour or 45 minutes doing a little at a time.  There are nine such pieces in this kit that will need to be carved.  But dont worry .....a resin casting kit will be available for those who dont want to carve them or give this a try.  But I urge to to do so...its a lot of fun and addicting.   The guys in the club cant get enough of them to play around with.
 
Chuck

Hi Mike,
              Thanks for your comments. I think the key to getting a circular wheel is using 16 spokes. All I did with mine was to set spokes 4 at a time on imaginary compass points starting with N S E W, then I just split each space equally until all 16 spokes were used. After finding a common measurement between the spokes I cut the connecting pieces at 10 degrees and glued them into place 4 at a time using the compass points. I have done other wheels with 8 or 12 spokes and they weren't as round as I wanted. So in my opinion 16 spokes makes all the difference.
                Hope this made sense, worth a try anyway....  
 
      Thanks, Keith 

Hi guys,
 
              First I want to apologize for not keeping the build log current with the build. I was multi- tasking by working on the wheel and rails at the same time and before I knew it the exterior was done...   Anyway, let me see if I can back track a bit and make some sense of this log. Hopefully I can figure out how to sequence the photos with a description. If not I will just separate them with replies. 
 
              
 
              With the hull section I wanted to show the engine room and wheel structure. I'm still deciding what I want to do with the aft compartment, I am leaning towards a bar under construction. As for the wheel, I started off with a 1 1/2" plug of Bubinga and knowing the diameter was to be 6" I started mass producing Pine spokes 2 1/4" long. Then it was just a matter of pinning the hubs to my little living room work table and gluing the 32 spokes. Once I had 2 sides of the wheel spokes done I started filling in the perimeter with 10 degree connection pieces. Once that dried I added the Bubinga connectors also 10 degree cuts. At this point I started building the wheel hanging structure to get the overall wheel length ( 7" ). Since I wanted the wheel to turn, I cut a bunch of paddles out of pine and Bubinga then glued them in a pattern that make the wheel strobe as it was turned. Worked out pretty good....
 
 

 
 
                In this section I wanted to build a small theater so I set a stage and made several pews ( they were easier than actual seating..lol  Keep in mind, the only tools I am using are a coping saw and a drill and I want the boat to look under construction. I'm not sure the columns are apparent but that is what they are suppose to be...
 
     
 
                With this section I have the stacks and  wheelhouse . Planning on a wheel and a desk or something for this interior. As for the stacks, I have a bunch of stair pickets from my many years of home building and I just cut them apart and glue sections together to get the desired size and shape, In this case I also used some 7/8" rubber O-rings to create the weld lips which you see on this type of stack.
 

 
                  Then the top section shows the rail system which uses 220 clear push pins with a Bubinga rail. Since the wood was too hard to just push the pins into place I had to drill the holes and then cut of 80% off of the actual pin then glue a place.
 

 
                   Hopefully, I shed a little light on how I build these models, I never have a detailed plan. I get a picture in my head then try to make it come to life, With that kind of process things can and do change all the time, A good example was the suggestion by Patrick to show the framing. That turned into the starboard side being the ( under construction ) side, Thanks Patrick, good call....    Anyway, thank you all for your interest and once I start my next build I will try to make the log a bit more interesting.  Hint:  It is going to be war ship...
 
                  Thanks again and everyone have a great day,  Keith
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
 
 
 
 
              

Hi all,    
 
         Finished the exterior of my showboat, just have a couple of interiors to tighten up....This was a fun one...
 
 
    Thanks for looking in,   Keith

Thanks popeye,
 
                         I really appreciate everyone's comments and likes.  I have actually finished her exterior.... ... just have some interiors do figure out...... .... I will get post some progress pics soon...
 
             Thanks again,   Keith

Hi Mike,
              Thanks for your comments. I think the key to getting a circular wheel is using 16 spokes. All I did with mine was to set spokes 4 at a time on imaginary compass points starting with N S E W, then I just split each space equally until all 16 spokes were used. After finding a common measurement between the spokes I cut the connecting pieces at 10 degrees and glued them into place 4 at a time using the compass points. I have done other wheels with 8 or 12 spokes and they weren't as round as I wanted. So in my opinion 16 spokes makes all the difference.
                Hope this made sense, worth a try anyway....  
 
      Thanks, Keith 

Hi Mike,
              Thanks for your comments. I think the key to getting a circular wheel is using 16 spokes. All I did with mine was to set spokes 4 at a time on imaginary compass points starting with N S E W, then I just split each space equally until all 16 spokes were used. After finding a common measurement between the spokes I cut the connecting pieces at 10 degrees and glued them into place 4 at a time using the compass points. I have done other wheels with 8 or 12 spokes and they weren't as round as I wanted. So in my opinion 16 spokes makes all the difference.
                Hope this made sense, worth a try anyway....  
 
      Thanks, Keith 

Hi Mike,
              Thanks for your comments. I think the key to getting a circular wheel is using 16 spokes. All I did with mine was to set spokes 4 at a time on imaginary compass points starting with N S E W, then I just split each space equally until all 16 spokes were used. After finding a common measurement between the spokes I cut the connecting pieces at 10 degrees and glued them into place 4 at a time using the compass points. I have done other wheels with 8 or 12 spokes and they weren't as round as I wanted. So in my opinion 16 spokes makes all the difference.
                Hope this made sense, worth a try anyway....  
 
      Thanks, Keith 

Hi guys,
 
              First I want to apologize for not keeping the build log current with the build. I was multi- tasking by working on the wheel and rails at the same time and before I knew it the exterior was done...   Anyway, let me see if I can back track a bit and make some sense of this log. Hopefully I can figure out how to sequence the photos with a description. If not I will just separate them with replies. 
 
              
 
              With the hull section I wanted to show the engine room and wheel structure. I'm still deciding what I want to do with the aft compartment, I am leaning towards a bar under construction. As for the wheel, I started off with a 1 1/2" plug of Bubinga and knowing the diameter was to be 6" I started mass producing Pine spokes 2 1/4" long. Then it was just a matter of pinning the hubs to my little living room work table and gluing the 32 spokes. Once I had 2 sides of the wheel spokes done I started filling in the perimeter with 10 degree connection pieces. Once that dried I added the Bubinga connectors also 10 degree cuts. At this point I started building the wheel hanging structure to get the overall wheel length ( 7" ). Since I wanted the wheel to turn, I cut a bunch of paddles out of pine and Bubinga then glued them in a pattern that make the wheel strobe as it was turned. Worked out pretty good....
 
 

 
 
                In this section I wanted to build a small theater so I set a stage and made several pews ( they were easier than actual seating..lol  Keep in mind, the only tools I am using are a coping saw and a drill and I want the boat to look under construction. I'm not sure the columns are apparent but that is what they are suppose to be...
 
     
 
                With this section I have the stacks and  wheelhouse . Planning on a wheel and a desk or something for this interior. As for the stacks, I have a bunch of stair pickets from my many years of home building and I just cut them apart and glue sections together to get the desired size and shape, In this case I also used some 7/8" rubber O-rings to create the weld lips which you see on this type of stack.
 

 
                  Then the top section shows the rail system which uses 220 clear push pins with a Bubinga rail. Since the wood was too hard to just push the pins into place I had to drill the holes and then cut of 80% off of the actual pin then glue a place.
 

 
                   Hopefully, I shed a little light on how I build these models, I never have a detailed plan. I get a picture in my head then try to make it come to life, With that kind of process things can and do change all the time, A good example was the suggestion by Patrick to show the framing. That turned into the starboard side being the ( under construction ) side, Thanks Patrick, good call....    Anyway, thank you all for your interest and once I start my next build I will try to make the log a bit more interesting.  Hint:  It is going to be war ship...
 
                  Thanks again and everyone have a great day,  Keith
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
 
 
 
 
              

Hi all,    
 
         Finished the exterior of my showboat, just have a couple of interiors to tighten up....This was a fun one...
 
 
    Thanks for looking in,   Keith

Hi Mike,
              Thanks for your comments. I think the key to getting a circular wheel is using 16 spokes. All I did with mine was to set spokes 4 at a time on imaginary compass points starting with N S E W, then I just split each space equally until all 16 spokes were used. After finding a common measurement between the spokes I cut the connecting pieces at 10 degrees and glued them into place 4 at a time using the compass points. I have done other wheels with 8 or 12 spokes and they weren't as round as I wanted. So in my opinion 16 spokes makes all the difference.
                Hope this made sense, worth a try anyway....  
 
      Thanks, Keith 

....I knew they were push pins!         brilliantly done!   of course.......if a plan was used,  there would be no freedom.   wonderful work and very resourceful.   looking forward in seeing your next build  

I think your build is brilliant. I love the rails and the use of the glass pins is fantastic. I would love to know a bit more about how you made the paddle wheels as in managing to keep them so beautifully circular.
Anyway, wonderful work, I wish I were that clever !"

Funny how those mistakes turn out to be invisible to your friends and family. I actually pointed out mistakes when I showed my model, until a friend politely said the model looked great and wondered why I was telling him it didn't.

I think it is because they have a few moments to take in the entire model, whereas you have had hours to create, then agonize over that mistake (and the 3 mistakes you made trying to correct the one mistake).
 
I look at my PHILADELPHIA model and look at the many rope coils.  A casual observer would say "Wow!  A lot of rope coils" and move on.  I will look at it and remember how THAT coil took 3 tries to make.  THAT coil replaced the one I made and somehow lost.  THAT coil I accidentally glued to my finger.

Roger,
 
    Well said.  You are EXPECTED to make mistakes on your first one, that's why is should be something like the Virginia Pilot Boat (or whatever is on sale).  I have had several early models where I have essentially made twice.  Build a part, throw it away, build it again.  Build an assembly, tear it apart, build it again.  The value is in the learning.

Many years ago, I had a friend who was interested in building a model ship. I suggested the Model Shipways Virginia Pilot Boat model which he purchased. As we worked together we often had lunch together and I would always ask how he was coming and offer help. His answer was always "I got it out but was afraid that I would mess it up." I suspect that upon his too early death, the kit was thrown out.
 
My advice to beginners would therefore be a little different:
 
Get busy and build the model before you lose interest! Your first model will not be a collector's item. You will make mistakes. Hopefully your second model will be better than your first. Today, as I build models, I still make mistakes, and as the model goes forward, I tend to remember them more than the successes, but after the model has been sitting for a while in its case in my study, I look at it and realize, wow! This is a good representation of XXXXX.
 
This is a difficult craft and not moving ahead until you achieve perfection, will prevent you from mastering it.
 
Roger Pellett

Hi guys,
 
              First I want to apologize for not keeping the build log current with the build. I was multi- tasking by working on the wheel and rails at the same time and before I knew it the exterior was done...   Anyway, let me see if I can back track a bit and make some sense of this log. Hopefully I can figure out how to sequence the photos with a description. If not I will just separate them with replies. 
 
              
 
              With the hull section I wanted to show the engine room and wheel structure. I'm still deciding what I want to do with the aft compartment, I am leaning towards a bar under construction. As for the wheel, I started off with a 1 1/2" plug of Bubinga and knowing the diameter was to be 6" I started mass producing Pine spokes 2 1/4" long. Then it was just a matter of pinning the hubs to my little living room work table and gluing the 32 spokes. Once I had 2 sides of the wheel spokes done I started filling in the perimeter with 10 degree connection pieces. Once that dried I added the Bubinga connectors also 10 degree cuts. At this point I started building the wheel hanging structure to get the overall wheel length ( 7" ). Since I wanted the wheel to turn, I cut a bunch of paddles out of pine and Bubinga then glued them in a pattern that make the wheel strobe as it was turned. Worked out pretty good....
 
 

 
 
                In this section I wanted to build a small theater so I set a stage and made several pews ( they were easier than actual seating..lol  Keep in mind, the only tools I am using are a coping saw and a drill and I want the boat to look under construction. I'm not sure the columns are apparent but that is what they are suppose to be...
 
     
 
                With this section I have the stacks and  wheelhouse . Planning on a wheel and a desk or something for this interior. As for the stacks, I have a bunch of stair pickets from my many years of home building and I just cut them apart and glue sections together to get the desired size and shape, In this case I also used some 7/8" rubber O-rings to create the weld lips which you see on this type of stack.
 

 
                  Then the top section shows the rail system which uses 220 clear push pins with a Bubinga rail. Since the wood was too hard to just push the pins into place I had to drill the holes and then cut of 80% off of the actual pin then glue a place.
 

 
                   Hopefully, I shed a little light on how I build these models, I never have a detailed plan. I get a picture in my head then try to make it come to life, With that kind of process things can and do change all the time, A good example was the suggestion by Patrick to show the framing. That turned into the starboard side being the ( under construction ) side, Thanks Patrick, good call....    Anyway, thank you all for your interest and once I start my next build I will try to make the log a bit more interesting.  Hint:  It is going to be war ship...
 
                  Thanks again and everyone have a great day,  Keith
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
 
 
 
 
              

Hi all,    
 
         Finished the exterior of my showboat, just have a couple of interiors to tighten up....This was a fun one...
 
 
    Thanks for looking in,   Keith

Thanks popeye,
 
                         I really appreciate everyone's comments and likes.  I have actually finished her exterior.... ... just have some interiors do figure out...... .... I will get post some progress pics soon...
 
             Thanks again,   Keith

Hi guys,
 
              First I want to apologize for not keeping the build log current with the build. I was multi- tasking by working on the wheel and rails at the same time and before I knew it the exterior was done...   Anyway, let me see if I can back track a bit and make some sense of this log. Hopefully I can figure out how to sequence the photos with a description. If not I will just separate them with replies. 
 
              
 
              With the hull section I wanted to show the engine room and wheel structure. I'm still deciding what I want to do with the aft compartment, I am leaning towards a bar under construction. As for the wheel, I started off with a 1 1/2" plug of Bubinga and knowing the diameter was to be 6" I started mass producing Pine spokes 2 1/4" long. Then it was just a matter of pinning the hubs to my little living room work table and gluing the 32 spokes. Once I had 2 sides of the wheel spokes done I started filling in the perimeter with 10 degree connection pieces. Once that dried I added the Bubinga connectors also 10 degree cuts. At this point I started building the wheel hanging structure to get the overall wheel length ( 7" ). Since I wanted the wheel to turn, I cut a bunch of paddles out of pine and Bubinga then glued them in a pattern that make the wheel strobe as it was turned. Worked out pretty good....
 
 

 
 
                In this section I wanted to build a small theater so I set a stage and made several pews ( they were easier than actual seating..lol  Keep in mind, the only tools I am using are a coping saw and a drill and I want the boat to look under construction. I'm not sure the columns are apparent but that is what they are suppose to be...
 
     
 
                With this section I have the stacks and  wheelhouse . Planning on a wheel and a desk or something for this interior. As for the stacks, I have a bunch of stair pickets from my many years of home building and I just cut them apart and glue sections together to get the desired size and shape, In this case I also used some 7/8" rubber O-rings to create the weld lips which you see on this type of stack.
 

 
                  Then the top section shows the rail system which uses 220 clear push pins with a Bubinga rail. Since the wood was too hard to just push the pins into place I had to drill the holes and then cut of 80% off of the actual pin then glue a place.
 

 
                   Hopefully, I shed a little light on how I build these models, I never have a detailed plan. I get a picture in my head then try to make it come to life, With that kind of process things can and do change all the time, A good example was the suggestion by Patrick to show the framing. That turned into the starboard side being the ( under construction ) side, Thanks Patrick, good call....    Anyway, thank you all for your interest and once I start my next build I will try to make the log a bit more interesting.  Hint:  It is going to be war ship...
 
                  Thanks again and everyone have a great day,  Keith
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
 
 
 
 
              

Hi guys,
 
              First I want to apologize for not keeping the build log current with the build. I was multi- tasking by working on the wheel and rails at the same time and before I knew it the exterior was done...   Anyway, let me see if I can back track a bit and make some sense of this log. Hopefully I can figure out how to sequence the photos with a description. If not I will just separate them with replies. 
 
              
 
              With the hull section I wanted to show the engine room and wheel structure. I'm still deciding what I want to do with the aft compartment, I am leaning towards a bar under construction. As for the wheel, I started off with a 1 1/2" plug of Bubinga and knowing the diameter was to be 6" I started mass producing Pine spokes 2 1/4" long. Then it was just a matter of pinning the hubs to my little living room work table and gluing the 32 spokes. Once I had 2 sides of the wheel spokes done I started filling in the perimeter with 10 degree connection pieces. Once that dried I added the Bubinga connectors also 10 degree cuts. At this point I started building the wheel hanging structure to get the overall wheel length ( 7" ). Since I wanted the wheel to turn, I cut a bunch of paddles out of pine and Bubinga then glued them in a pattern that make the wheel strobe as it was turned. Worked out pretty good....
 
 

 
 
                In this section I wanted to build a small theater so I set a stage and made several pews ( they were easier than actual seating..lol  Keep in mind, the only tools I am using are a coping saw and a drill and I want the boat to look under construction. I'm not sure the columns are apparent but that is what they are suppose to be...
 
     
 
                With this section I have the stacks and  wheelhouse . Planning on a wheel and a desk or something for this interior. As for the stacks, I have a bunch of stair pickets from my many years of home building and I just cut them apart and glue sections together to get the desired size and shape, In this case I also used some 7/8" rubber O-rings to create the weld lips which you see on this type of stack.
 

 
                  Then the top section shows the rail system which uses 220 clear push pins with a Bubinga rail. Since the wood was too hard to just push the pins into place I had to drill the holes and then cut of 80% off of the actual pin then glue a place.
 

 
                   Hopefully, I shed a little light on how I build these models, I never have a detailed plan. I get a picture in my head then try to make it come to life, With that kind of process things can and do change all the time, A good example was the suggestion by Patrick to show the framing. That turned into the starboard side being the ( under construction ) side, Thanks Patrick, good call....    Anyway, thank you all for your interest and once I start my next build I will try to make the log a bit more interesting.  Hint:  It is going to be war ship...
 
                  Thanks again and everyone have a great day,  Keith