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Keith Black

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Everything posted by Keith Black

  1. Keith Black
    Very nice results on the start of the deck planking, Mark.
  2. Keith Black
    That last photo is a grand sight, it's the best angle from which to view a ship IMHO.
  3. Keith Black
    Eric, it could have been a water source for nothing more than a track pan?
  4. Keith Black
    Yorick, welcome to MSW. Glad to have you aboard.
  5. Keith Black
    Eric, no forgiveness necessary. If you've got pertaining historical photos, please, always feel free to post them. I don't think it's a pile driver per se, I think it's some sort of floating well rig? Note the threaded pipe casing on deck. The pipe is in short sections (that's why the pile driver is so short), maybe 6, 8 feet at the most. Too short for oil or gas and you wouldn't be drilling for drinking water in the middle of the river, my guess is they were setting pipe to get water to the tracks. Whatever its purpose it is a cute little bug, you need to put that in your train layout.
  6. Keith Black
    No, it's Birchwood Casey Brass Black. Birchwood Casey Blue is for a blue finish.
  7. Keith Black
    I like the RP a lot. The only issue it's limited for long lengths. If I was cutting long lengths I'd have to design a stop for doing so. I've used mine enough to trust it way more than me and a miter saw. Anymore I just blow and go.
  8. Keith Black
    You mean, this is as good as it gets?
  9. Keith Black
    I have a RP slicer and I think it's much more precise than a miter saw for repeated cuts requiring the same length, IMHO.
  10. Keith Black
    Jacques, rule of thumb, the higher up the smaller the block. The blocks you have will work out great because all blocks were not the same size. Bigger on the bottom and smaller at the top.
  11. Keith Black
    Incredible work, Siggi. I hope the painter is in leg irons back on the Tiger.
  12. Keith Black
    Nice work, Paul. Slicers are the only way to go, I can't believe how long it took me to see that lightbulb come on.
  13. Keith Black
    Thank you, Keith. I first drill my holes where the chain ends will attach. I start with a piece of chain that's a few links longer than the correct length. I then make the top eye at the end of the chain and trim the eye shank to match the top hole depth. I work from the top down when making the chain length that way I don't have to fight gravity. I run a piece of wire between the links (bending the two ends downward) where I think will be the bottom end link is. With the top eye in the top hole (unglued) I pull the chain as taunt as possible at the center of the bottom hole holding onto the wire I had run between the links. The chain is usually too long, I note how many links too long and run another piece of wire through those links cutting away the chain where the first piece of wire was run. I repeat this process till I have the correct chain length. I then make the eye in the bottom link, cut the eye shank to the correct length, pray, and test fit the chain. Occasionally I'll cut the chain too short and have to start over with the top eye but 95% of the time I can sneak up to the correct length by trimming away the bottom links. I hope the above makes sense, I'd like to add photos but I can barely get this three handed job done with the two hands I have let alone take photos. As I said, it's a tedious process and I wish I knew a better way. If anyone has a better method I am all ears!
  14. Keith Black
    Funny but not funny if you're the one on the receiving end.
  15. Keith Black
    Thumbs up, Jacques. 👍
  16. Keith Black
    If this was my problem I'd CA a piece of thin plywood (any type of thin wood) on the backside of the opening then cut the plank to fit. It may not be kosher but it fills the hole.
  17. Keith Black
    Kurt, I think oxygen plays as important part in the blackening process as the solution itself. Soaking pieces in the solution is too much and a paint brush maybe too much as well plus it's hard to rub with a paintbrush. I know rubbing with a Q-tip works like the bee's knees.
  18. Keith Black
    Removal might create a crater but could be easily filled with a sawdust and CA mixture. Until the eyebolt eye broke off it was a very nice clean looking piece and I know you hate messing about with it.
  19. Keith Black
    Ian, we're both of that "we don't need no stinkin' directions" school of thought. I forgot to mention that I placed the parts to be blackened on a folded paper towel to absorb any excess blackening solution and once rinsed in water I buffed them with a clean paper towel before repeating the process. I hope it works as well for you as it did for me. Thank you, Eberhard. Oh, how very true!
  20. Keith Black
    Tom, I'd say natural because of the contact of the line with the sail.
  21. Keith Black
    Jacques, you might try putting a very small amount of acetone at the base of the eyebolt shaft with a needle and see if you can tease the shaft out. It would be a lengthy process as acetone evaporates very quickly. Normally I'd use a Q-tip dipped in acetone but that maybe too much acetone for your working area?
  22. Keith Black
    Ian, until recently I would have agreed with you 100% but the last two times I've used Birchwood Casey I've had success amazingly enough. I blackened the chains for the derrick crane stays and the sidelight lanterns and they came out perfect. I'm somewhat shocked because in the past I've had a flakey/sooty finish which easily rubbed off. The last two times I've soaked the pieces to be blackened in acetone and thoroughly rinsed in water as usual but instead of soaking the parts in the blackening solution I used a Q-tip soaked in BC and rubbed the pieces for 30 to 45 seconds and let sit for 15 seconds. I did this twice rinsing in water after each application and they came out great. I am ashamed to say that with the exception of using acetone instead of alcohol these are the exact directions on the bottle which after seven or eight years of frustration I finally read.
  23. Keith Black
    Thank you to everyone for your comments and likes As I said, I'll be leaving Lula's light boards white. Side lights were recommended in 1858 and signed into law in1864 by President Lincoln. I can not find light board color requirements mentioned in the early regulations. A brief update... I got the boiler stack chain stays attached which took the better part of a full workday. The chain size required wire no greater than 28 GA for making the eyes. To attach chain stays I have to sneak up on the correct link length by trial and error. It's a very tedious process and I wish I knew a faster/better means to accomplish this task. One link makes all the difference in the world and it drives me a bit batty getting the perfect length. With the stack stays done next up is the pilothouse. It'll be three or four days before I have an opportunity to get back to work on Lula so it will be awhile before I'm able to post progress and photos. Thank you for your support and for following along. Keith
  24. Keith Black
    Rick, I use annealed wire for a couple of reasons, one it's black so I don't have to paint it and two, it's easy to work with. I work at 1:120 so I need all the advantages I can get.
  25. Keith Black
    Rick, I post the following trying to be of help and not trying to hijack your build log. See page 12, post # 352 on how I wire strop blocks.

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