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grsjax

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  1. Like
    grsjax reacted to Chuck Seiler in Should I request new parts?   
    That is why I think the part is just turned around.  Model Shipways doesn't have spaceshuttle tolerances, but they are pretty good.  This large of a discrepancy doesn't make sense.  This is a popular model and I think this large of a discrepancy would have been noted before. 
     
        As previously mentioned, I have had this problem in the past and resolved it by flipping the part or moving it further along the curve.
     
       
  2. Like
    grsjax reacted to Thanasis in Carronade on swivel?   
    Hi all.
    Comments please...
    Thx

     
  3. Like
    grsjax reacted to wefalck in Fixing paper to timber   
    You can also slide one of these thick razor-blades with reinforced back between the wood and the paper. That helps to peel it off, even when it has been on longer.
  4. Like
    grsjax reacted to allanyed in Fixing paper to timber   
    I print on label paper so I have no need to glue the drawing onto wood.  Just peel of the backing and stick on the wood.  Paper that is wet with glue can stretch and kink at times whereas label paper is much easier to work.
    Allan
  5. Like
    grsjax got a reaction from jmlyle in CAF model kits   
    From what I have seen they are outstanding kits.
  6. Like
    grsjax reacted to bruce d in French longboat by bruce d - CAF - 1/48   
    The ribs are well made but fiddly. The material is 1mm cherry plywood of good quality.
     

     

     
    There are etched lines on one face of the first two ribs as an aid to fairing.
     

     
     
    Rib number three also needs a small amount of fairing but marks are not needed. I suggest anyone who is considering building this kit should read the next bit carefully; this is where the ‘three-cups-of-tea plan’ kicks in.
    Since the successful fairing of the first three ribs would be the trickiest part of the build, and the possibility of breaking any of the other 22 delicate ribs was equally intimidating, I was happy to see a way to [A] reduce the risk of breaking ribs and [B] repair any damaged ribs easily.
    The trick only works if you do one rib at a time, start to finish, no exceptions. Even though the first two are the ones needing the most fairing, I followed the same process for them all and it paid off as you will see.
    This is what I settled on: Leave all ribs on the fret and, starting with the first rib at the front end, cut away only the redundant piece of wood that fills the inside of the rib. Set aside the piece you just removed. See photo and leave the rest of the fret untouched. It is important to keep all the pieces of the frets which would normally be considered waste and thrown in the bin. They are used to make jigs to retain the correct shape of any broken ribs while glue dries.
     

     
    Carefully hold the entire fret with the chosen rib still in place. You now have access to the inside of the rib to remove char while it is still attached to, and supported by, the main piece of the fret.
     

     
    Once that inside char is removed you cut the tabs that hold the rib. Set aside the fret without doing anything more to it. If anything breaks (like mine did), return the rib to the perfectly shaped space on the fret you took it from and you can make repairs there (see example later in post). The fairing of the first ribs makes repairs highly likely. I needed to make repairs to ribs using this ‘jig’ method a total of three times and it worked each time.
    To do any fairing or further removal of char on the rib requires supporting the piece. I placed the rib on the flat face of the steel parallel as shown in the photo and used only downward strokes with a sanding stick.
     

     

     
    It was the only safe way I found for this task. All of my breaks came from bad handling while fitting, not fairing.
    The results can be satisfying; right side of photo is faired, the left still to do.
     

     
    And then it broke while I was handling it.
    Emergency protocol initiated: a touch of Titebond glue on the fracture; place the rib back into it’s space in the fret; when satisfied that I had recreated the original shape, I allowed it to cure overnight.
     

     
    It worked. This is the repaired rib.
     

     
    Photos below: after rib # 1 was faired and glued in place, I removed the now redundant section of fret that had held it in order to gain access to rib # 2. I kept the pieces that had been cut away in case of problems later on. I do not know if the designer intended builders to use this process, or for that matter if everyone else knows a better way, but this is what worked for me.
     

     

     
    Things moved quickly (hooray!) as soon as I was past the third rib since no more fairing was required. Bookbinders glue was used for attaching all ribs to the keel. It has a very quick grab but gave enough time for levelling as long as long as I didn’t dither.
     

     

     
    I continued with the same method of cleaning the inside of the rib before removing it from the fret. Then cleaning the outer edge was mostly done by supporting the rib on my finger and rubbing 120 grit sandpaper along the length of the rib, never across the rib.
    All ribs sat nicely in their slots in the keel, it was easy to level them up and the building cradle proved to be true and effective.
    The interior will be finished in red. The safest way to colour the ribs without getting paint on the narrow edges where the planking will be glued was … don’t use paint!
    Tests showed that a red water-based ink marker (Tombow ABT number 847) looks right on both the planking veneer and the rib ply. I left the option open of using acrylic paint on the inside of the planking after assembly and found a good match. I will decide later.
     

     
    A word of caution, however: the plywood turned a bit ‘wooly’ when the water-based ink was first applied. After it dried the effect disappeared and the ply seemed as strong as before. I coloured the ribs with the minimum needed to get a uniform finish and left them to sit for a day.
    Progress:
     

     

     
    Then the ‘ouch’ moment. Perhaps I became complacent after my earlier success. Somehow I snagged the last rib (number 25, at the stern) after it was firmly in place and it snapped. A touch of IPA released the rib and it was repaired in the ‘fret-jig’ (there’s a new word).
     

     

     
    It was then returned to the keel with no damage evident. Apparently the ply did not suffer any ill effects from the water-based ink.
     

     
    Planking is next.
     
     
     
     
     
     
  7. Like
    grsjax got a reaction from mtaylor in Fair-a-Frame   
    I have had a fair-a-frame for several years and have used it with no problems.  It is cheaply made but if you take care to assemble it with everything fair it works ok.  Only problem I have had is that it isn't long enough for some models.
    The comments about building your own fair-a-frame tool are good ones.  It isn't complicated and you can make it anyway you want.
  8. Like
    grsjax reacted to Oldsalt1950 in Fair-a-Frame   
    With a little modification, this will do exactly what it is designed to, that is hold the keel and allow you to square the bulkheads. I modified mine at no additional cost, just used some scrap pieces to hold the clamps tight to the base board. 
  9. Like
    grsjax reacted to Seamus107 in Fair-a-Frame   
    I like to use Lego blocks when gluing up frames.  They are perfect right angles, can be assembled into jigs of various configurations, have good surfaces for clamping, and are resistant to wood glue.  For my current model, I glued 28 frames to a false keel, starting at the bow and working toward the stern, one at a time, moving the Lego jig along as I went. Works well for me.
     
    james
    Maine
     
  10. Like
    grsjax reacted to Oldsalt1950 in Fixing paper to timber   
    Stick glue works well.
  11. Like
    grsjax reacted to mtaylor in Fixing paper to timber   
    I use rubber cement.  Just don't leave it on the wood for more than a week or so. 
  12. Like
    grsjax got a reaction from AlleyCat in Suggested sites for purchasing wood model ship kits   
    Check the sponsors listed on the right side of the home page of this site.  Some good sources there.
  13. Like
    grsjax reacted to Chuck in Why do some manufacturers make single plank kits?   
    For me personally.....its a matter of why plank it twice if you could do it properly with the first layer.   As a MFG and designer it has nothing to do with cost.   At least for me.  It has more to do with the usual audience of folks who buy my kits.   Single planked kits are targeted to more experienced builders who know how to plank.   Once you learn how to properly plank a hull, why in the world would any builder want to be forced by the design of a kit to plank it a second time.   So I would say that neither single or double planked POB kits are better than the other.   I would instead say that they are directed toward different groups within the hobby.  One is for those more experienced with planking.
     
    BUT... depending on the design....any single planked kit can be planked a second time if that is what the builder wants to do.  I would however state that they should think about the thickness of those planks or even possibly sanding more off the bulkheads to compensate for the additional layer.  But again...if you are comfortable with your planking as a more skilled builder there is no reason to do it.
     
    Any POF kit of course would never be double planked and the same is true for smaller open boats like the Medway Longboat which just wouldnt work.
     
     
    Chuck
  14. Like
    grsjax got a reaction from Bob Cleek in help on four kits   
    The Dusek Knarr in 1:35 scale would make a good basis for the boat in the painting.  At a larger scale like 1:12 it would be about the right dimensions and it could be modified to fit the image.  Dumas makes some 1:24 kits of ChrisCraft boats.

  15. Like
    grsjax got a reaction from mtaylor in help on four kits   
    The Dusek Knarr in 1:35 scale would make a good basis for the boat in the painting.  At a larger scale like 1:12 it would be about the right dimensions and it could be modified to fit the image.  Dumas makes some 1:24 kits of ChrisCraft boats.

  16. Like
    grsjax got a reaction from mtaylor in Constructo "Elidir" Thames Steamboat Instructions Needed   
    Many Thanks to JanHope for sending me the instructions and parts list.
  17. Like
    grsjax reacted to Sparky21 in New member   
    Thank you form allowing me to join the group. I am a retired Electrician

    A number of years ago my family gave me a couple of wooden boat kits. Last year I finally decided to start putting them together. The first model was a Midwest "The Dinghy" Second was the The Muscongus Bay Lobster Smack
    Many hours of frustration huge learning curve.  
    I have been working on the  18th Centry LongBoat by Shipways. s. 
  18. Like
    grsjax reacted to Slowhand in Polacca by Slowhand - Scale 1:32 - 18th century ship of Venetian Fleet ON HOLD   
    First steps scaling up the plans before copying across onto the plywood. No expense spared here mind, this 5mm 3 ply from B&Q a few months ago cost all of £ 3/4. 
    Did a dummy run with a coping saw but as it happened got much better results with my Scheppach bandsaw which I finally seemed to have mastered. The dummy keel was laid on the 11th May. The mouse police looked typically distainful.




  19. Like
    grsjax reacted to Roger Pellett in Choice of Mill   
    Here’s an example of a specialized homemade fixture machined on my Sherline lathe fitted with its milling column.  The fixture holds brass parts for ladders while being soldered.  It’s made from aluminum.  Aluminum is easily machined and solder does not bond to it.  Aluminum is cheap and readily available from hardware and home improvement stores.  Most of the jigs and fixtures that I make do not require higher strength materials.  
     

  20. Like
    grsjax reacted to Gregory in Do I spile the top(upside) of the plank or the bottom(downside)   
    Both, in a sense. 
    Normally you would be tracing the edge of a plank that is already in place, it could be the top or the bottom. 
    David Antscherl's paper shows doing this with dividers.

    I use masking tape.
    The traced edge of the new plank should match the existing plank perfectly.  You will then establish the shape of the other edge of the new plank based on the width desired.  It may taper toward the bow or widen toward the stern.  Once in place,  the open edge will be traced for the next plank.
    When there is only enough space for one ( the final ) plank, then the edges of the planks above and below the space will be traced to create a plank that fills the space ( hopefully ) perfectly.
     
    With the edge bending method, I would establish the width and tapering of the plank before bending.
     
  21. Like
    grsjax got a reaction from rudybob in Do I spile the top(upside) of the plank or the bottom(downside)   
    This article on the NRG website covers the subject.  https://thenrg.org/resources/Documents/articles/APrimerOnPlanking.pdf
  22. Like
    grsjax got a reaction from mtaylor in Do I spile the top(upside) of the plank or the bottom(downside)   
    This article on the NRG website covers the subject.  https://thenrg.org/resources/Documents/articles/APrimerOnPlanking.pdf
  23. Like
    grsjax reacted to wefalck in Choice of Mill   
    It would also depend on where you are located. Sherline is more expensive over here in Europe and Proxxon outside Europe.
     
    Sieg and under whatever other names they are sold over the world vary considerably in price. Prepare to basically get some 'castings in advanced state of machining', when you go for a bargain offer. Lots of finishing and adjustment work needed it seems.
     
    Adjustment will be needed for any machine after delivery, so don't expect it to work perfectly out of the box.
     
    And I agree, it would be nice to have an Aciera or a Sixis ...
  24. Like
    grsjax got a reaction from mtaylor in Choice of Mill   
    Depends on what you want to use it for.  The vast majority of milling for model ships does not require a top of the line mill costing thousands of dollars.
  25. Like
    grsjax got a reaction from Ryland Craze in Choice of Mill   
    Depends on what you want to use it for.  The vast majority of milling for model ships does not require a top of the line mill costing thousands of dollars.
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