ah100m

The crew better be doing frequent soundings!

I bought this one from Amazon.  Takes small bits, can dial down the RPM's to quite slow and has adequate torque for wood, plastic, brass and white metal.  The only drawback is it is not cordless. 

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B075SZZN4J/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

This is the car in the Revs Institute, right?  Gorgeous car.

And trains are so like sailing ships...!

I do the same thing when I get tired of rigging.  I build 1/12 scale race cars.  And when I get tired of winding throttle return springs or rubbing out paint I go back to ship building.  Takes twice as long to build one model but no longer to build two!

I've got wire down to 0.006" (0.16mm).  Search for "Artistic Wire" (brand name) on Amazon.

To get a bit ahead of the game.  No matter what the model (ships, armor, cars, aircraft) I only spray automotive lacquers (Duplicolor from Amazon) that I decant from the spray can and mix the colors myself.  No thinning necessary and they spray beautifully.  Easy clean-up with lacquer thinner.  Try it.  Cheap too.  They also have sanding primers (fills scratches) and thin primers in white, gray and red oxide.

I would hesitate to buy an airbrush that has an integral cup.  A separate cup usually swivels a bit too so you can spray at slightly different angles.  It also makes cleaning easier.  Paasche airbrushes, which are very good, has models with separate cups.   Just my two cents.

I ordered mine on Oct.15th and it arrived (Florida) on Nov. 12th.  It's the next one in the queue to build.

And these are the best needle threaders:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0001DS1RA/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Vice (sic)?!

This a Fairchild Republic aircraft, not Grumman.  Right Island ("Long"), wrong company!

I used 32 ga cotton-covered floral wire to make bolt ropes which I formed into clews at the clew of each sail. The bolt ropes were glued (white glue) to the edges of the sails.  For cringles I forced small loops of rope in between the sail material and the bolt ropes.

I got the wire from Amazon but they don't seem to stock it any longer.  It's available from other sources though.  Below is a photo of how it looks.  If you want a close-up reply to this and I'll post one.

Like others, I usually have two very different models going at the same time. 

Right now I have an almost-finished MFH 1/12 scale Ferrari 315S on hold (got bored polishing the paint out) and I'm building the hull of the Model Shipways Fair American.  Once I get to the point where I need to start hull planking I'll finished up the Ferrari.  Back to the FA then with an Italeri 1/12 Fiat Mephistopheles as a relief as needed.

USS Constitution with two gun decks?

The tape may be useful for larger scales.  According to one of the answers on Amazon it measures 0.08 inches thick which is almost 4 inches in 1/48 scale and almost eight(!) inches in 1/96 scale.  More like armor.  (Maybe buy a roll and measure it yourself). 

Baremetal foil is available in copper.  Very thin, adhesive backed but you'll need to cut individual plates or score larger strips.

Barry- Funny you should say that you even built models while you were in Vietnam.  I was in the hospital in Tan Son Nhut and they distributed model kits for us to build to pass the time. I got a large scale (I think 1/32) Aurora Huey Cobra gunship.  To be frank I don't actually remember building it.

I too started building models early, inspired by my father.  I seem to remember building an F-80 together and then I was off and running on my own as he died when I was twelve.  Cars (AMT customizing kits), aircraft, finished my first of two USS Constitutions when I was about 19.  Started doing armor and large scale planes and cars a few years ago, just finished another Revell Connie (Just used the hull - the rest is scratch built) and embarking upon my first wood kit.

Welcome to the group!

Amazon has UHU Hart glue.  Four tubes for $25.

To me the spar in the photo looks like a spare upper mast - topgallant or royal, not a yard.

I used this paper available from Amazon :

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001KZH21E/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1

I colored it with diluted white glue tinted with acrylic paint.  Strong wet, quite sturdy.  Bolt ropes from thread-coated flora wire wire, also from Amazon. 

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B071SH3CQQ/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I'm pleased with the results.

I lost my basement a few years ago too.  You may want to look into a secretary like this one that  I bought from Amazon.  Works well as a workbench for anything up to four feet long or so.  The Admiral likes it to when it's all close up.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01A93Y2MO/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Actually, pushing C starts the air flow.  Pulling back on C moves the needle rearward allowing paint to flow so if you push down on C while also pulling rearward you get air and paint!   Voila, air brush!  (This is a dual action brush).

B is not an adjustment - it holds the needle in place so that when you pull C rearwards it moves.

Think of A as a travel adjustment.  It limits the movement of the needle rearward when C is moved rearward essentially limiting the maximum amount of paint mixed with the air controlled by pushing down on C.  By the way, limiting the maximum amount of air (pressure, actually) is done with the air pressure regulator on the air line.

From a practical matter you're rocking back on C to spray.  Pull back more=more paint.  Push down more=more air.

Have fun!

Looks like only the eyebolts for the jackstays are mounted.  Moot point, actually, as jackstays weren't used in 1812 (the time I'm portraying).  And the large yards were stored on the channels.  I think the shorter yards would come up through the main hatch.  (Not really a hatch, but the big opening in the spar deck amidships).  

I'm finishing up my USS Constitution and I want to show spare yards stored on the forechannels.  A while ago I asked if the necessary blocks would be attached to the yard in anticipation of its being needed and the general consensus was "no".  Well, how about footropes?  How about the mounting hardware for the studdingsail booms?  Neither of these items would seem to be quick to mount to the yard if the yard was needed. 

What do you think?

OK, yeah, but how's the bike!

(Old saying - flesh heals, Campagnolo don't)