bruce d

Hello Gerry, You are not the first to scratch your head over this but in fact it is easy when you know the trick. Upload your photos. They will be in a box at the bottom of the page you are writing. Enter your text and then place the cursor where you want the first picture. Godown to the uploaded pics and click on the '+' button within the image you want to insert: it will appear where you left the cursor. Repeat for each image. I find it looks better if you put a couple of lines of space below your text when placing the cursor but try it and see what suits you. HTH Bruce

I can't explain why there is a difference, but there are Unimat collet chucks frequently sold on Ebay UK for a lot less than that. There is one at the moment for an SL at £155. The aftermarket items usually take ER16 collets, the originals take E16. You can use ER16s in a chuck made for E16s but not the other way around. E16s are no longer in production so only ER16s matter. There is at least one UK seller who makes ER16 collet chucks with the Unimat M12 x 1 thread, usually around £140. Let me know if you want to follow up on this, P&P to the USA shouldn't be bad. HTH Bruce

After agonising over the rights and wrongs of the two options, I decided to attach the keel, stem and sternpost after installing the bulkheads. It may be obvious to others but it certainly made me think about how scratchbuilding is deep water. Next up is the stem. The wood in this group is cherry except the false keel and all shaping and fitting had to be done while it was still possible to lay the hull former flat on it’s side. The plans were stuck to the cherry in line with the grain. The earlier experience with an over aggressive spray adhesive is history: this is my new go-to spray adhesive and it works like a charm. It is strong but in one of those mysterious ways that only chemists can explain it is also temporary. For about 24 hours after initial application you can peel away the paper and clean away the residue with a touch of IPA. Once the pieces for the stem were cut out on the bandsaw and tidied a bit, the scarf joints were milled. This worked smoothly but I realised I should have left more waste area around each of the pieces when I cut them out as there was no ‘second chance’ should I have wanted to re-do a cut by even a tiny amount. No problem, but noted for next time. I did not attach the pieces to each other until the individual pieces sat properly in their position against the former. I marked the former where the scarf between the stem and keel should be (the transition from curved stem to straight keel) and worked from that. This allowed me to offer up the lower of the stem pieces and make a mark where the upper scarf would fall and everything else followed from that. Fitting and fettling of the first two pieces done, I glued them together and started to repeat the process for the final bit of stem. This was mostly just a process of offering up and making a lot of small tweaks. It was important to get the curve right on the front edge: the line of the curve will be continued as a straight line giving a taper in elevation to the false keel. Easily done by using a copy of the drawing as work board. The stern post is also ready and I will trim it to join the keel when they are all fitted to the former. Now I can move on to the bulkheads.

Odds are good that the right hand chuck has a set of Unimat soft jaws. Can't say for certain as there were also some very good aftermarket chucks that (I believe) came with jaws of that shape, possibly the Indian 'Soba' brand. Free advice, treat it as such: If you have recently acquired these and don't know their history, I suggest a total strip down (three minutes work), de-grease and a tiny touch of copper-grease before reassembly (another three minutes). The original Unimat chucks were great but many have been in the hands of well meaning users who (a) overtighten them and (b) bung any old grease or oil into their cavaties. I like the saw table.

I'll say it did. I like what you have done with the laminate. As I am about to make a smaller version out of some veneers laying around it was interesting to come across your description. I've heard people say 'We're going to need a bigger boat'. Well, looks like it's on the way.

Nice job Mustafa, looking forward to the next one.

Hello George, What a great subject, well done. I saw an image of something similar on Thassos a few years ago but there was no date. I will watch if you don't mind? Καλή τύχη Bruce

Looking good, mind if I watch?

They are invaluable. Also, they are cheap: https://www.proopsbrothers.com/modellers-hobby--craft-kit-plastic-parallel-slide-clamp-130mm-x-50mm-large-3092-p.asp ... and available in smaller sizes... https://www.proopsbrothers.com/modellers-hobby--craft-kit-plastic-parallel-slide-clamp-75mm-x-40mm-small-3095-p.asp Their ebay store has multi-packs of 5 and 10 at discounted prices. I have no connection with Proops other than being a long term satisfied customer. HTH Bruce

Hi Thomas, sorry for the delay in answering but it looks like you chose well. Your progress is good and you seem to be doing all the right things. The stern looks better after you thinned it down and the stem (that piece at the bow) looks alright to me (but I haven't seen the plans ). The stem is quite a big part of the distinctive appearance of these craft and I have spent quite a bit of time finagling the stem pieces on my Mediator.

Hi Michael, Actually, the cutter is English, purchased by the Danes. Since starting this thread ... ... I have narrowed things down a bit more. There are a couple of files which I believe will help once I can return to The National Archives (I don't have the guts at the moment). HTH Bruce

OK, have a look at this and compare the end grain of your wood with the examples in the video. If your walnut is quartersawn, you should be able to get good slices off the narrow edge. If not, you will have to experiment. Based on my own experience, and I am no expert, you will know pretty quickly if thin planks from the narrow edge are going to be any good. HTH

Hi Thomas, looking good so far. Just another unsolicited bit of advice: choose your filler to match the hardness of the wood surface. If one is harder than the other, sanding will be much more difficult because each stroke will remove more of the the softer material (whether it is the wood or the filler) and leave high spots and low spots. On the curved surface of a hull, the effect is even more pronounced. If anything, go for a filler that is softer than the wood. HTH Bruce

Michael, no straight answer from me but is this any help?

Chronos have very good aftersales service.

Thanks Mike, keel update soon. If it is of interest, here is the link to the thicknesser used for the tapering: HTH Bruce

Depends what you want to do with the saw. Chop off saws are good at, well ... chopping off. The Proxxon FET saw ... https://www.chronos.ltd.uk/product/proxxon-fet-table-saw-240v-210576/ ... is pretty good at most small tasks that suit a conventional saw-table. I have one, it is consistent and once you get used to the fence and mitre seems well suited to a modellers typical needs. It also of course can chop off wood using the sliding mitre. You will undoubtedly hear that the best saw on earth is a Byrnes saw: I am sure this is true. Sadly I do not have one so can only say that so far I have been satisfied with the Proxxon. HTH

Welcome to MSW

Always looking for problems solved by others before I come to them in my build. Good luck and maybe you could ask if the numbers relate to some linen industry standard? That seems to be the case but I'm guessing.

Hello Mike, I think this fits the description ... https://www.linladan.com/products/the-flax-flower-hemstitch-yarn?variant=21884453748841 ... for the 874 but no sign of the 870. HTH

Hello Slowhand, just looked properly at your log for the first time. A very interesting subject and the way you are keeping your cool while navigating the what-scale-is-it-today game is admirable. I will follow along if you don't mind? BTW, my Scheppach bandsaw only had one weak spot: the tyre wear which never made sense. The UK after-sales support was always first class. I have now upgraded to a Metabo BAS261 simply because I needed to do some bigger stuff.

You are my hero.

I love MSW. It has yet again made me think. So here is my question. If two pieces of wood are to be glued together, and one of the surfaces has been painted with acrylic paint, which glue gives the best result? Part two of the question: what if one surface has paper glued to it? (big hint: scarf joints, edges of planking)

By following this suggestion you will find the results of your wood, your glue and your sanding/scraping materials. All three affect the outcome and you may find that you just don't like carrying out a particular process despite liking the results other builders have produced. I sympathise, and a few experiments with the scrap wood from your kit will tell you a lot.

I admit when I got the first one I was wary of this but (maybe luck) mine stay put unless given a good wallop.