grsjax

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07VCTPCJQ/
 
I purchased a portable spindle sander. The $55 price is perfect for the first scratch builder.  
 

I realize the inquiry was about a "dedicated spindle sander, not a drill press or moto tool," but I have to say that IMHO a "dedicated spindle sander" for modeling is really one of those things (if such truly exists) that is overkill. I agree with Jager that there's no point to oscillation. This is primarily because nobody is going to be hogging off large blocks of wood when modeling and, if one operates the sander properly, there should be little or no wood clogging or undue abrasive wear. (I.e.: let the sander do the work and don't press the work hard into the drum.)
 
I have used a Delta drum sanding kit designed for use in a drill press for years and have been entirely satisfied with it. (Again, the Morse taper of a drill press chuck isn't designed to take lateral force, but this isn't a problem if little lateral force is applied with the work piece, as is proper.) A used bench top drill press is easy to come by on Craigslist or a garage sale for relatively little money and if used as a dedicated drum sander, it can always double as a back-up drill press. If you already have a drill press, so much the better.
 
Using hole saws, I have cut a selection of holes to match the size of the drums from 1" plywood. I've also cut a couple extra with holes to fit the largest drum. By stacking up these "zero clearance inserts" (the big ones beneath the smaller holed ones, as needed) clamped to the table and adjusting the quill and setting that as convenient, I can always move the abrasive area exposed as needed to always have an unworn section of abrasive presented to the work piece. A crepe rubber abrasive cleaner used as needed ensures that the abrasive doesn't wear prematurely.
 
I have a plastic tube that fits my shop-vac hose and has a rare earth magnet epoxied onto it.  This tube holds the hose beneath the center of the drill press table top and pretty much sucks most of the sawdust away from down below.
 
It's really no more trouble than chucking a drill bit into the chuck and sticking my shop-vac hose to the bottom of the drill press table, so my drill press not being "dedicated" to sanding has never been an issue for me.
 
It's a stock Home Despot item for forty bucks: https://www.homedepot.com/p/Delta-Sanding-Drum-Set-25-Pieces-17-940/203293688  Harbor Freight has them for twenty-seven bucks less the abrasive sleeves: https://www.harborfreight.com/4-piece-quick-change-sanding-drum-set-35455.html  Horror Fright has the crepe abrasive cleaners for eight bucks, too: https://www.harborfreight.com/sanding-belt-cleaner-30766.html
 
Just sayin'. Your mileage may vary.
 

 

My respect, dear colleagues!
Completing a new woodenkit MK0304 is in the process.
 

Good day
 
Happy to have found this site. Thanks for admitting me.
 
This started out as a machining exercise, but the project now spiraled into a whole new dimension. I will try and emulate some of the magnificent dioramas on here.
 
Solid brass - Total length 220mm Not perfectly to scale, but I am happy with the results

OK. Here I am working on HMS Sophie!

NEW RULE for MSW modelers: Suit & Tie at Your Bench

Various sets for 1:48 San Bartolome
Ships of Pavel Nikitin
Available directly. See article for links.
 
Along with the 1:48 San Bartolome that we reviewed HERE, Pavel Nikitin also sent over a number of optional sets for this kit. Here we take a look at them.
 
"San Bartolome - 2" slipway for building San Bartolome

Whilst it’s not vital that you have a building slip for this kit, I know many folks do like to use one. As this model is 1:48, it may well be simpler to use one to rotate your model as you build up the intricate frames that she has. If you’re one who would use a slip, then you might be pleased to know that there is one specifically for the San Bartolome. This weighty box (2.4kg) contains a whole jig system for this model, based on a plywood box system.










A series of small ply clamps are also included which are designed to hold planks to the outside of the hull, and doubtless other tasks during construction. The whole package is cleanly laser cut and includes the various metal fittings needed to hold everything in situ. The current price of this building slipway is 41.07 €, and it’s available HERE.
 
 
 
 
 
"San Bartolome - 2" Stand for ship model


The standard kit doesn’t come with a stand. I know some folks like to prepare their own or mount the model on brass columns, but if you want something that’s designed specifically for San Bartolome, then a stand is available for it as a separate item. This pack weighs in at just under 1kg and contains a laser cut ply stand that is as ornamental as it is functional. The stand is a series of interlocking parts with an attractive peg system to hold it all together.










An attractive name plate adorns each side of the stand, so you can pose your model either way round and still have that on show. This stand would very much benefit from the paint set which we’ll look at next, due to the bare ply finish…..or you could paint the stand as you wish. The stand costs 45.17 € and is available directly from HERE.
 
 
 
 
Painting Kit
Firstly, I need to clarify that the San Bartolome 2 doesn’t require this set due to the different timbers that it’s made from in relation to the V1 of that kit. Both the V1 and V2 will shortly be available on their website, so you’ll have a choice of what to build and how you wish to finish it. This set consists of six bottles of alcohol-based paints. These all come in large bottles.

 


 
These paints are designed to paint the model in a very specific way which is easier to show than to explain. Please check this video which illustrates how to apply this paint, which can be airbrushed without any extra thinning:
 
 
This set also comes with three sheets of both 240 grit and 320 grit sanding sponge to create the distressed effect you can see in the video. This set is available for 35.89 € directly from HERE.
 
My sincere thanks to Pavel Nikitin for sending the samples seen here on MSW.
 
 
 
 

 
 

Expect lots of thinned linseed oil and diluted pine tar was used more often than paint on weather deck spaces and furniture. Thinned or diluted for penetration, wood being porous, some areas might have had pigment added to the mix. Get water under painted wood and the paint lifts off, so use proper oils often to protected from water, especially if subject to repeatable dry then wet cycles.
 

I'll bet I'm not alone in my modeling process.  If I build something and the joints look magnificent, I'll leave it as natural wood.  If what I've built needs filler or is sub-par, it gets painted in order to hide my sins. 😊
 
Alan

From WORK magazine, January 1891: a bandsaw with a swiveling bed/table to make compound curves. I think I would keep all my favorite fingers away from this beast.
 

 
Here is the whole magazine which has three pages of description and theory behind the machine.
 
work_magazine_094_1891 COMPOUND BANDSAW.pdf
Be careful.

Dr PR,
 
Today DesignCAD is considered to be a "hobby" program, and it lacks some of the bells and whistles of more expensive programs. But it is still a very capable 2D and 3D drawing program. Considering it costs about $100 with free bug fixes and technical support, and it has a great free user Forum where you can ask experienced users how to do things and solve problems, it is a tremendous bargain.
 
Thanks. I'll read up on DesignCAD...$100 is well within my 'budget' range 🙂
 
Richard
 
Later: I see DesignCAD is sold by TurboCAD, who I recognise.  Seems it is now $60 ...   DesignCAD 2D 2020 https://www.turbocad.com/designcad/designcad-2d.html    ...and it's not subscription!  I'll watch some YT videos on it.    
 
They also have a 3D package     DesignCAD 3D Max 2020 and TurboPDF v4 Bundle   https://www.turbocad.com/designcad/designcad-3d-max-2020-and-turbopdf-v4-bundle.html     at $200  which is kinda within the realms of 'well maybe, one day' budgeting. I'm assuming the two packages would use the same interface design....that is as important as anything.
 
 
 

1:32 Captain John Smith's Shallop
Catalogue # CJSS01
Ships of Pavel Nikitin
Available directly for €98.56
 

 
When the early colonists came to the New World at the turn of 16th-17th centuries, they quickly realised a need in small, universal, and durable boats to explore the coast safely and to start trade relations with local North American tribes. One of the most important aspects was not local boat construction, but the assembling Europe-built vessels beforehand. These boats were disassembled and shipped to the New World on the larger vessels used by English sailors to cross the Atlantic Ocean. Boats were usually between 25ft to 45ft in length, and utilised both sail and oars. They tended to have either one or two masts and at least one sail, as wells as six to eight oars. They could carry up to 25 persons with a food enough for a few days. The boats played an important role in survival and the development of the first settlements in the New World.
 

 
Captain John Smith sailed with a crew of 14 persons and set out to explore and map out the Chesapeake Bay in the summer of 1608. The crew sailed more 1700 miles over just three months. This story is well known because of the meeting that Captain John Smith had with a Native American princess, Pocahontas, during his trip. The legend of Pocahontas and John Smith has been highlighted many times in a literature and cinema. All the notes and drawings of this journey were described in detail in Captain John Smith’s diaries. Unfortunately, he didn’t describe his shallop in detail, and all we really know is that it arrived in The New World, disassembled aboard the "Susan Constant".
 
 
The kit
Pavel Nikitin is probably not a name you’ve heard of before, or at least much. Pavel is a Ukraine-based designer, designing and producing model kits with the assistance of Eugen Troppmann. This is a typical cottage-industry operation, as are many other contemporary companies, but the current situation in Ukraine means that these guys are working under the hardest of conditions in order to fulfil the kit orders they’re currently getting. From being sent, the packages I received took only around 10-12 days to arrive here in the UK, after an understandable holdup in Kiev.
 
Captain John Smith's Shallop comes in a relatively large-sized box that weighs around 2kg. That seems quite heavy for a 1:32 shallop, but the reasons for that will soon become evident. The box label depicts the finished model in two photos, showing the boat with deployed sails and also a lovely interior detail shot. For your own info, this little boat in 1:32 has these dimensions:
 
·      Length: 272mm
·      Width: 110mm
·      Height: 350mm
 
All kit parts are laser-cut, as you would generally expect for a modern kit, and all the sheets supplied in this kit come wrapped in numerous sheets of cellophane to protect them. Here you can see exactly what you get when the box is opened, minus the plans and instructions that I moved for clarity.
 

 
The kit itself is manufactured in several types of timber, namely walnut, cherry, alder and beech. All sheets are nicely clean cut all the way through, and the grain lends itself to the scale of the model. You’ll see here that the hull frames are provided in sections, with the clinker plank elements clear to see. There are also bevel marks to make sure the hull is properly faired for later fitting the pre-cut planks. 
 

 
And here you see those planks, but from 0.6mm wood, so they’ll be nice and easy to manipulate into place. How do I know? I’ve been watching Olha Batchvarov’s series of videos on YouTube, clearly showing how this model is put together. I’ve included a link to her series of Shallop videos in this article. Other parts on here include components for the barrels. The inner seating at bow and stern comprises of individual planks that make up the whole part, as per the real boat. Even the side paddles are built in the same manner, adding to the finished realism.
 

 
Here you see parts for the keel and display stand on the middle, thicker sheet while the other sheets contain inner strakes, oars and barrel staves. 
 

 
Now, that kit weight. There are numerous sheets of MDF in this kit which go to assist the building of this little boat, and this one is very useful. Those hull frames you need to assemble are assembled inside the cut-outs in this sheet. This will ensure you get 100% correct alignment of all the parts. 
 

 
This MDF sheet contains parts for one of the THREE jigs that are supplied to help you build the boat. The first jig concerns the initial framing onto the multipart keel. This setup is very common with plank on frame model kits.
 

 
Another sheet contains more frame assembly parts and also more parts for the framing jig.
 

 
Now, this jig is what you sit the hull onto so that you can plank it. The hull sits on this upside down, making the jig a sort of assembly buck. Being clinker of course, planking starts with the garboard and works upwards (or downwards on this jig!) to the gunwales. A third jig is included which the planked hull sits into so it may easily be fitted out. The jig materials far exceed those to build the boat, hence that 2kg kit weight. 
 

 
This is a feature which isn’t normally included in a kit, and that’s a pre-cut, slotted mast and gaff. These are assembled from sections that have been glued together by the company. They are pre-tapered and you just need to round the parts off to complete. 
 


 
These guys also make their own fittings boxes out of laser cut MDF, with a sliding Perspex lid that’s engraved with the part number of each compartment. Small foam pieces are pushed into some compartments to stop the smaller, more fragile parts from rattling around. 
 

 
This box contains rig cord which is actually quite nice in quality and not shop-standard as in many kits.
 

 
Three frets of copper photo etch are included, as well as two brass ones for the many detail parts within the hull and for masting.
 

 

 
Here you can see various rigging blocks, 3D-printed lantern and other laser-cut, shaped parts. A small flag is also included.
 

 
A good quality sail material is supplied too, printed. This will need some work in adding the boltrope etc.
 

 
FOUR sheets of large plans are supplied, showing the hull detail, masting, rigging, fitting out, etc.
 


 
Instructions
 


A 47 page A4 manual is also supplied, ring-bound with clear plastic covers. The type of illustration is a beautifully detailed line-drawing style that clearly illustrates every aspect of the project, and with all parts numbered clearly. No drawing is ambiguous and everything looks very simple to build. 
 










 
 
Conclusion
This is such a wonderful and beautiful little kit of a significant boat. It won’t take up much display space despite the scale, and the price is very attractive too. This certainly isn’t a long-term project but the finish certainly seems to belie that fact. Head over to Pavel’s website and support this young company, especially at such a difficult time. I’m very sure you’ll not be disappointed with the package you receive.
 
My sincere thanks to Pavel Nikitin for sending the kit that we’ve reviewed here on MSW. Click on the website link to buy yourself one of these kits.
 

 
 

 
 
 

As the title says, we are pleased to announce that Ships of Pavel Nikitin are now a sponsor to MSW.
 
https://shipsofpavelnikitin.com/shop
 
This is a new Ukrainian company which have a small but growing number of original model kit designs with some nice building features which I'm sure you'll like. In the next week, I'll be bringing you reviews of:
 
1:48 San Bartolome 1584 Building cradle for San Bartolome Paint set for San Bartolome Display cradle for San Bartolome 1:32 Captain John Smith's Shallop.  
We are shortly being sent their new 1:25 Viking Drakkar too. 
 
These guys are operating in the most appalling of conditions in Kiev, with rocket attacks taking out their power and water etc. To continue to create thee kits in that climate is amazing. I hope you'll support them and welcome them to MSW.
 
Their banner is now on our site too.
 

I seriously doubt if anyone is going to become financially deprived by buying shellac vs WOP vs lacquer.
 
 I grew up well before we became conscious of environmental hazards of various finishing materials, manmade and otherwise.  My parent’s hobby farm featured a long white board fence and my sister and I were the fence painters, each armed with a bucket of white oil based paint and a large paint brush.  We got as much paint on ourselves as the fence.  I am, therefore, rather insensitive to smelly paints and varnishes in my shop, particularly in the small quantities that we use.
 
WOP, shellac, lacquer- all work.  It’s a matter of personal choice.
 
Roger

Everything written about shellac that I've ever read contains the caveat that it has a limited "shelf life." I'm sure at least some of these articles have been written by experts. I've always used Zinsser's "Bullseye" brand pre-mixed "orange" (amber) or "white" (clear) shellac in quart cans. All I know is that I've never perceived any deterioration of the product over the passage of time and, in some instances, it took me several years to consume a quart of the stuff. I've certainly had it thicken a bit due to the evaporation of the alcohol solvent, which is easily resolved by simply adding more alcohol, but I've never seen any of the Zinsser's Bullseye shellac "go bad" sitting on the shelf. As this stuff probably has to set on the shelf in the store for a long time before it's sold, perhaps Zinsser has found some additive that solves the short shelf life problem? I don't know.
 
What i do know is that shellac is one of the handiest materials I know for modeling. It dries very quickly. It's easily thickened by just letting a small amount sit in the open air for the alcohol to evaporate. Thinned shellac is an excellent wood finish that can provide the entire range from matte to high gloss, depending on how thick you wish to apply it. It's also one of the most moisture resistant coatings available. It can be hand-rubbed to a perfect finish ("French polishing") or, applied thin, can serve as an invisible matte sealer beneath any other coating. It can also be used to stiffen rope to form catenaries in rigging and seal rigging knots which can later be easily undone if needed. Thickened shellac is an excellent adhesive. Shellac is archival material that will last for centuries and is easily dissolved and removed with common alcohol. It's also non-toxic (except for the denatured alcohol its dissolved in. Shellac is used in confectionary making to give a gloss to candies such as jelly beans.) And, last but not least, it's readily available in paint and hardware stores and relatively inexpensive.
 
I can't see what's not to like about the stuff. 

I would have suggested Foyles but I haven't been there in over 20 years so I guess that would be out of date.  When I was there I went over to Greenwich and found several nautical themed bookshops there.  Been a long time so they could be all gone now.

Thanks for the advise.  I tried scissors and that seems to work ok.  Might have to find a really small pair to do some of the smaller bits.

Thanks for the advise.  I tried scissors and that seems to work ok.  Might have to find a really small pair to do some of the smaller bits.

Haven't visited them in a while but these people are long-time specialists (and five minutes away from Cuty Sark!):
About Us (navalandmaritimebooks.com)
 
HTH.
Bruce

I have used metal working shears for cutting parts out of brass sheets before, with great success.
 
That was how the stern and quarter galleries came on my Mantua Victory.

Brass sheet .010in or less in thickness can be easily cut with a pair of sharp scissors.  I have found that these work better on thin stock than heavier metal shears.
 
A quality scroll saw can also be used.  I first glue the brass to a piece of thin craft plywood with Ambroid cement, the old model makers cement.  The brass is easily peeled from the wood after cutting.  If you have and can use a jewelers saw this would work too.
 
Roger

Hi everyone,
 
Thanks again for the comments and likes. Since the last update I have installed the forecastle and quarterdeck beams and hatch carlings, coamings and ladders. The waterways were then installed along with the beam rabbets for the fore and aft planking. Finally I completed the bulwark planking. I am looking forward to building the windlass and capstan next.






Until next time,
Ian
 
 

Finished my Smith Island Crab Scraper. It was a lot of fun, I learned a lot about building wood models.

Here is a build log for this kit. 
 

FINISHED
Final pictures
 
The Zeesboot in scale 1:24 (in workboat mode)  is now completed.  The Zeesen-sack at the end of the Zesse-gear ground net is just being hauled up over the stb. side with a tackle in the upper mainmast, after a nights drift with the Zeese gear sweeping over the Bodden ground. It`s been quite a good catch and the fishermen are pleased with their work. The bow and stern prolongation-spreading-poles have been shifted in again and secured on deck.
I named the boat LORBAS and the home port is the harbour of the town Barth. ( This is not a model of an actual existing boat, and the fishing-craft registration # on the sail is from a boat that has been scrapped many years ago)
The build provided much fun over the last months and I think it turned out as one of my favorate models
 
Nils