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grsjax

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Everything posted by grsjax

  1. Anyone have experience with Bucktool machines? I was researching scroll saws to fine one to replace the old and decrepit Dremel I have when I ran across this company. Specs on their 16" scroll saw look good and the price is within my budget. Reviews look ok. It isn't a top of line machine but has some very nice features like a foot switch and cast iron table that similar machines from Wen, Shopfox, etc do not have. Looking for some input from users. https://www.amazon.com/BUCKTOOL-16-inch-Variable-Scroll-Pinless/dp/B07T4N9L93
  2. Great for working on ships in a bottle.
  3. I didn't think of bamboo. Great idea. Bamboo is very strong even in thin sections.
  4. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Armstrong-100-Ton-Gun/dp/B07GVPQTGZ Very interesting documentary available on Amazon Prime. History and development of the largest muzzle loading naval gun.
  5. I have managed to buy a couple of open box but un-started models for a fraction of the original price. If you check ebay regularly it is amazing the deals the sometimes pop up.
  6. I suspect that there was at least some variation in the color from ship to ship. Not having the technology to produce exactly the same color from batch to batch the eye of the person mixing the paint determined the exact hue. I think that researching the pigments and mixing formula for paint in Royal dockyards will give you about as much information as you are going to find on the subject. The primary determinant of color was the pigment used.
  7. Like all countries the Germans are excellent designers and builders in some areas and not so much in others. In addition there can be wide variations in quality between manufactures in the same field. I worked in Germany in the construction and water/wastewater field for 10 years. There were times that German methods and materials were not up to standards I was used to in the US and their water and wastewater systems were a decade or so behind in design and execution. That said there are some builders in the US that produce shoddy results and water/wastewater systems that are not up to current standards. The moral of this story is that you have to approach each product/project with a certain wariness no matter where it comes from.
  8. I just received a Arkit Pinky Dove kit. Looks like a very good kit with decent materials. Can anyone tell me about this company? I know they are no longer in business and models were made in Spain but that is all I know.
  9. Stay away from Billings for a first build. Their instructions are rather sketchy and not for beginners. Look for a model that has excellent drawings and instructions. Preferably one that has several build logs on MSW. Models from Model Shipways are very good in that respect. If you are looking for a model that makes a good display and is not to difficult for a first time builder look at the "Willie L. Bennett" from Model Shipways. Not that Model Shipways is the only manufacturer with good drawings and instructions. Check out build logs here and ask questions about those that interest you.
  10. I believe the column on the MicroMark drill is a tube, not a solid bar. I could be wrong as I have not had the chance to take one apart. One way to stiffen a tube it is to fill it with concrete or a wooden dowel that is a snug fit in the tube.
  11. True but it will also be less rigid than a shorter one. Increasing the length can have an undesirable impact on vibration and accuracy.
  12. The Micro Mark drill press just plugs into the wall as do the Modelexpo and Harbor Freight versions.
  13. This looks like a fancier version of the one sold by Modelexpo. Some time Model Expo puts them on sale for under $100. This one looks to have a better level of finish than the Modelexpo one but aside from the digital readout and other mostly cosmetic differences I would assume that under the skin they are the same drill. My Modelexpo drill press works good, very little vibration and seems to have a lot of power for its size. Haven't had a chance to do much work on it but seems to do what it is supposed to.
  14. I have been using DesignCad 3D v22 for a couple of years. Very good interface and documentation. v22 is now out of date and will not run on Windows 10 but newer versions are available for reasonable price.
  15. If you access to an ultrasonic cleaner just remove the leads and put them in for 15sec.
  16. I like the WEN 10", 2 speed saw.
  17. A decent saw that is usually reasonably priced is the old Dremel table saw. Decent out of the box and easy to upgrade to make it better. Another option is one of the 8" table saws sold by sears from the 30's to the 60's. All cast iron and steel construction. I bought one for $50 a couple of years back. They show up on eBay regularly.
  18. One thing to keep in mind is that ship design and building terms in the 18th and 19th centuries were often vague and different writers would refer to different things with the same term and vs versa.
  19. Might want to take a look at "The Search for Speed Under Sail" by Howard I. Chapelle.
  20. Has anyone received a kit from CAF models? If so please post a review and/or build log. Thanks
  21. The Billings Blue Nose II 1:100 kit is actually a good kit for beginners. The instructions are getting better but still need some work. However there is plenty of help here on MSW so if it was up to me I would say go for it.
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