realworkingsailor
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Everything posted by realworkingsailor
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You have my attention. Can’t wait to read your review. Andy
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The roofs on these cars are typically galvanized metal. They are often not painted. Quite commonly, when the sides of the car were painted, the crews didn’t mask off the roof, so there is usually considerable overspray. I would definitely follow the recommendation to seal the wood before painting. It doesn’t really matter what sealer you use as long as it’s compatible with whatever paint you decide to use. Scalecoat paints are still available from Minuteman Scale Models, in either bottles or rattle cans. Most craftsman kits like this didn’t come with trucks or couplers (most still don’t). From the looks of it, you’ll need a pair of 70ton roller bearing trucks. And you’ll also need weights if the car is planned to be used. As for your decals, given the age of the kit, you may wish to dig around and see about replacing them all together. Microscale may have what you need. For weathering, look for Pan Pastel. They have weathering pastels that you apply with an applicator sponge and seal with dullcote. Have fun, these types of kits can be challenging, but at least you don’t have to bend any wood into weird curves. Andy -
Unfortunately I have yet to stumble upon a definitive work on the subject. Most of what I’ve learned comes from various tidbits from a diverse assortment of sources, and a deep and undivided fascination with all things steam. Short of being able to dig up an old railway shop manual on the subject. Maybe if I was a bit more literarily inclined..... Andy
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It has a lot to do with the history and development of the various types of valve motions (valve gear). Early forms of Stephenson’s valve gear (the predecessor of Allan’s straight link) were directly connected in line with the valve stem (no articulated linkage). This required the valves to be placed horizontally in line with the pistons. If the steam chests (the mechanical structure that contains the valve and piston) were to be turned outwards, the locomotive would be made considerably wider than necessary. Even later versions of Stephenson’s gear (on locomotives with vertical oriented steam chests) still kept the rigid valve stem, although the action was transferred laterally through a series of cranks and cams. The real limitation of inside valve gear is the size of the locomotive. Smaller locomotives generally had lighter, more open frames (with more space between). The advent of external type valve gear such as Walschearts, allowed for increases in size of locomotives by permitting heavier frames. Andy
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The diagram makes sense. It’s basically a derivative Stephenson’s valve gear, but by moving the radius rod at the same time (and opposite direction) as the link, the same valve action is effected in something like half the space. Andy
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Very nice machine work! What manner of valve gear did the locomotive use? Given your valve location between the frames, I’m guessing Stephenson’s? Andy
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Have you tried Detail Associates? They do a lot of model train detail parts, but also carry an assortment of brass rod and strip stock. They don’t have a website, but you can find their products on many model railway retailers sites like Walthers https://www.walthers.com/catalogsearch/result/?q=Brass+strip (who also may carry some residual K&S strips in stock) Andy
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Maybe this might help. In the book “Fighting Ships 1850-1950” by Sam Willis there’s an excellent broadside cutaway illustration of the Marlborough. (Those are just a couple of quick cellphone camera snaps, it’s a coffee table book that’s, well, literally a coffee table)
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I’ve been wondering if they’re not modified gun ports for a slide-carriage gun. I had a look at Wikipedia and it claims that later in its career, the ship was fitted with one 7” 110lb Armstrong breech loader. Perhaps it was mounted forward and required wider ports in order to allow it to be traversed, from a central position, either port or starboard. Andy
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Northwest Short Line Chopper?
realworkingsailor replied to asimon's topic in Modeling tools and Workshop Equipment
I would suggest opting for the slightly more expensive Chopper II. Instead of the MDF base, if uses a replaceable cutting mat in a much sturdier cast metal base. Andy -
See, I knew that you knew what you were doing, it was all just a test to see who was paying attention in class 😁 Andy
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Hi Mike, Very nice metal work on the lantern, although I hope the lenses aren’t glued in yet.... Andy
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Hi Sjors! Nice looking boat you're building! I noticed you referenced me the other day, asking about the colours of the propellors and I was thinking of the best way to respond.... then I remembered my profile picture, and figured that it would make a good example for you. The famous picture of me standing in the Kort nozzle. That prop is a typical manganese-bronze alloy prop after a few years work. Then I also remembered that I had another dry dock picture of another ship with a prop of a different metal alloy. I can't remember offhand what the metal was (not stainless steel though), but it's also been through five or six years of work since its last polishing. Hope this helps! Andy
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I received for Christmas (and just finished reading), “Erebus” by Michael Palin (yes THAT Michael Palin!). A fascinating account of the history of that enigmatic ship. While the author is not the first person you would think of when it comes to naval historians, he nonetheless manages to weave a brilliant nautical narrative. He covers, in some detail, as much of the human stories surrounding the various voyages of the Erebus, culled from various journals and letters written by the various participants. Starting with some details of her initial construction and her early deployment in the Mediterranean, to her conversion for polar service, and her two polar operations. The first being the successful voyage to the Antarctic, led by Sir James Clark Ross, and her final fateful journey. A recommended read for anyone interested in polar exploration, Sir John Franklin, and maritime history. Andy
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For something that has the serious potential to come out (looking) like a total rat’s nest, I am utterly amazed at how neat and tidy your work is. Andy
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If you’re talking about the little brass pin nails, these: https://www.micromark.com/Spike-Insertion-Plier are far more accurate and versatile for driving them in (and pulling them back out too). They were originally designed specifically for spiking model railway track, I have a set, and use them extensively for shipbuilding. I’ve had no trouble with nailing plywood, mdf and other woods. Andy
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With all the sudden and unexpected interest, I'll throw you good folks a bit of a bone (not one of Freyja's chew bones though). I'm out of the shipyard for the near future, but I'll share a few pics of how far I managed to get with the planking. Not really too many more strakes left to go, I can't remember if it's eight or nine by my last count. The wales are done, but not fully painted, just the top and bottom edges. And popeye, it's not so much the pitter patter of little feet.... more like the thundering footfalls of a herd of galumphing baby elephants! Andy
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Hey everyone, Thanks for the positive comments. My current distraction is a little more demanding of my attention (and rightly so). Her name is Freyja, she’s four months old, and she doesn’t really allow me to turn my back for a second. Andy
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Hi! I had been picking away at it a little bit over the winter, so there has been some progress. I tended to stall every time Jason (Beef Wellington) posted an update on his build. And also a few other distractions keep getting in the way. I may get back to it when the distractions abate, and the weather turns cooler. Andy
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I wouldn't be surprised if it was black. I'm not sure when coal-tar epoxy paint came into general use, but I recall slathering it around the ballast tank of my first ship twenty years ago. More modern ships use more of an off-white colour in the ballast tanks to improve lighting (better passive reflection from portable light sources), and defect detection. Bunker tanks are generally uncoated. Andy
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If I may offer a suggestion, it may be an idea to combine this great list, with the current list of banned manufacturers (no links for those ones, obviously), along with the reasons why those manufacturers have been banned (I want to call it Chuck's manifesto, but he's dead right, and we should all follow his sage advice!). And perhaps also, it should be considered that every so many weeks, any extraneous conversation is deleted from this particular thread (ie when a suggestion for an addition, or perhaps a deletion, has been verified and added). These lists should be pinned and available for immediate reference by anyone. Having to wade through pages of conversations (forwards of backwards) dulls the message. Not saying there shouldn't be discussion, but there should be a separate arena for it. Andy
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For most of us ratlines are a mind numbing chore..... with the level of detail you put in to yours, if you don't mind me asking, how do you avoid ending up in the corner curled up in the foetal position ranting gibberish? All kidding aside, congrats on page 100 and well done! Andy
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Good news that things will/may work out, but I still think it was a sneaky way to go about it.
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I can't wait to see how far this collaboration may go. I hope some day for a full ship, as opposed to just a cross section. I am one of those lacking in finer power tools (don't think my chainsaw is too useful for finescale modelling). Obviously, I recognize all things must start somewhere, and I hope this works out well for everyone.
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Thanks for all the nice comments, likes and well wishes. Mark, unfortunately the whole office and operational organization has changed, so the job I was doing doesn't exist any more. At this point I'm looking at a whole new career, and that's not the easiest thing to figure out. It was so much easier during that better part of a decade of time that high school and university/college provided.... the pressure was.... different....
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