walter1097

I haven't seen this mentioned so I thought I would. It may be somewhere my keyword search didn't locate, but anyway, here goes:

I've been building the Bounty Launch and heard some horror stories about bending the 3/32 sq cherry frames onto the forms. I've been using my sealing iron from my model aircraft work. For those not familiar, it's basically a small iron shaped heating element on a handle. It's used for sealing down and shrinking aircraft covering materials and is readily available at hobby supply outlets. I think I got mine at Tower Hobbies. I don't know what temperatures it operates at, compared to a household iron, but it gets hot enough to boil water out of wood and the size and shape are really handy for bending wood in either direction. I use the flat part for bending from the outside of a curve and the curved part for the inside. If I'm bending a plank more or less free form (not to a form) I just lay the wet plank (soaked 2-4 hours) on my workbench, press the iron firmly on the plank where I want to start the bend, and pull up on the plank. The only trick is to go slow enough for the wood to heat up. The iron heats the water in the wood to sizzling hot. Usually by the time I've finished the bend the wood is completely dry. If I need to bend it more after that I usually re-soak it but I've found the iron will bend basswood a bit even if the wood isn't wet. I found it works a lot easier than clamping a soldering iron in a vise and scorches the wood a lot less.

When I used it on the frames on the Bounty launch I had very little breakage, and I wasn't able to figure out anything about the grain, so I just bent them however I happened to grab them. Of course that could also be due to the fact that I ordered extra wood before I ever bent the first frame. Murphy never sleeps!

My other tool from aircraft modelling is a heat gun, also for shrinking covering material. I also use it for shrink tubing on electrical wiring and anywhere else I need high portable heat. It gets much hotter than a hair dryer, in fact the manufacturer warns you not to use it for that purpose. Also available at Tower and others.

Yeah, tell me about it. When I lived in Virginia, right after I got out of the service, my neighbors would ask why I didn't SOUND like I was from New York. I told them I DO sound like I'm from NY. Just 'cause I don't say toity toid and toid street doesn't mean I'm not a New Yorker, born and raised. I got even though. The first winter we were there we got a foot and a half of snow, which the Yankees on the corner (us) claimed full credit for,,,,you're  welcome. I grew up spending summers on Keuka Lake and I still say the Finger Lakes area is one of the prettiest in the country.

Joe: Sorry, I don't get around much any more. That's part of the reason I got back into ship modeling. I didn't get out flying at all this season, just didn't feel up to it. The one day I tried I got rained out right after I got my plane fueled. Might still make it, but I doubt it. I get to Rochester two or three times a year to see the doc and that pretty much wears me out. I'd be happy to join online discussions, share experience, photos of builds, etc.

My brother server on the Turner. I remember when he brought home a Turner shoulder patch and a model of the Fletcher for me. I seem to remember him telling me they were almost identical except the Turner had the original 5" mount at the forward upper position whereas the Fletcher had a Hedgehog launcher there (or maybe it was t'other way round, it was probably 55+ years ago) I was in Naval Security Group 68-77. Jim always said I wasn't in the "real Navy" He was right, but I can't say I regretted it. Sleeping in a regular bed every night instead of tossing around the North Atlantic on a tin can somehow seemed better to me.

Oh, and what tender? Jim was on the Puget Sound, out of Newport (I think) later in his career.

Oops, I did a little research. Looks like the Turner was a Gearing class destroyer. I guess the closest model Jim could find at the time was the Fletcher (by Revell, if I recall) Guess I made the association that the Turner was Fletcher class. I'll ask him about it. I know he was on radar picket ships in the Atlantic (unless I remembered that wrong too)

Thanks again, everyone. Actually, my name isn't Walter. I revived that handle from when I used to participate in a chat room. Walter came from Walter Nowotny. I'm sure many of you recognize the name. My given name is Gerry, so most of my friends call me Ger. I tend to be cautious, at least at first, with revealing personal details in an online forum. I'm sure I'll get more comfortable with time.

davidrasch: I've never heard of JoTika models but I will definitely look into them. Thanks. 

Thistle17: I live in a small town near Syracuse. I moved from the Rochester area about 3 yrs ago. I'll check out your website soon.

I don't know what happened to my lazy, laid back retirement. I seem to be almost as busy these days as when I was working. I can't even sleep in on weekdays. The landlady's dogs come thundering down the stairs before she leaves for work. Nothing like a cold nose in your armpit to wake you up early. (sorry if the crude image offends anyone)

Thanks. I live in upstate NY. Meant to mention that but I did put it in my profile. Ok, I THOUGHT I put it in my profile but I just checked and it wasn't there. Fixed that. Still trying to add the Nickname (or whatever it is) above my profile photo. I'll get the hang of it eventually.

Hi, I usually just go by Ger, in an online context. I've been building models since I was ten or so. Plastic to start with, airplanes, ships, cars, military vehicles, weapons and figures. I think I started with wooden ships while I was still in the service. Did a few kits: Some early solid hull ones from Model Shipways, Rattlesnake, Fair American, Virginia Privateer and a couple others. I have a scratch built 1/64th model of the continental frigate Randolph, from plans enlarged from Chapelle. It has been stalled, at hull mostly done and lower masts in and rigged, while I've tried to figure out what to do about a figurehead and other decoration.

After a long absence pursuing other hobbies, mostly building and flying radio controlled airplanes and a bit of model railroading, I'm back to building wooden ship models from kits. Like a lot of folks here I've purchased several kits, mostly to get an idea of quality and what appeals to me for other reasons, before I started building one. Right now I'm working on the Bounty launch from MS. On the shelf waiting to be built (although one or two I like so little for one reason or another, that they may never get built) are: MS Chaperon, 18th cent longboat, Mantua Pinta, AL Nina. Not thrilled with the Italian kits. I REALLY don't like plywood when the edge shows on a completed model.

So I already have quite a few questions but I'll save them til I figure out the most appropriate place to ask them, after I've read a lot more build logs.