Charles Green

This is my understanding of weighing the bower anchor on a large vessel: When a vessel is put to anchor, the cable is payed out a prescribed distance to allow some spring to minimize strain. A marker buoy is set to identify the anchor's location. When it's time to move on, a ship's boat equipped with a windlass is set out. When it's near the marker buoy, the anchor is fished for with a grapnel. When located, the windlass is used to pull the anchor just off the bottom and then floated/brought under the small boat to the cathead. Up to this time, the capstan crew simply reel in the slack as the small boat approaches. It is only after the anchor breaks the surface does the capstan crew bear the weight of the anchor. Is this all true as standard practice? On modern vessels I have noticed the anchor chain hanging nearly vertically. Is there a clutch and motor assembly to take in and reel out anchor chain as the vessel rises and falls?

And I thought I knew about files and rasps. Between Corradi, Nicholson and Grobet, plus a few other makers, I've got over 200 files and rasps and rifflers. Now Liogier. This makes me pause.

Parts of small dimension cut from limb wood are subject to warping due to stresses inherent in that type of wood. The limbs of deciduous trees form "tension wood" on their upper halves, conifers form "compression wood" on the lower halves of their limbs. Both types of growth provide extra strength to help support the limb's horizontal load but result in a surprising amount of "walk" when limbs go through the mill. Don't count on much straight wood from the limbs.

By August 3rd, after my comments on this topic only raised more questions than were answered, I resolved to buy the NRG's back-issue collection which contained a definitive article on the subject -Vol. 43, #1. I ordered that day but a day after receiving confirmation, the NRG had the integrity to send notice that every disk was discovered to contain a defect and delivery would be delayed until the problem was resolved. I received the new disk a few days ago. It was worth the wait. I'm here to tell you, you can't live without a back-issue collection! The articles, illustrations, even the old advertising - a disk full of it provides total immersion into ship modeling. As comprehensive as the article is, I was hoping for more data on wood types most suitable for archival reasons. As it stands, the article details the problem of acetic acid out-gassing from wood, wood glues and finishes (in general, from any organic material) and its effect on lead. All wood types, common wood glues and finishes out-gas acetic acid to one degree or another. A short list of wood types and their out-gassing potential is included. From that list, red and white oak and basswood are the only woods mentioned that would find common use in modeling and from an out-gassing/archival standpoint, they should be avoided. From a list of "other material", out-gassing from contact cement and plastic wood is considered harmful. Shellac seems to be the only finish that does not out-gas acetic acid but it does not block out-gassing vapor from the wood or glue it may cover. From other sources, I have found hide-glue is considered archival but it is comparatively difficult to use. Compared to open-air display, the potential for damage from out-gassing is amplified many times by enclosing models in exhibit cases which essentially trap and concentrate the fumes. If made of wood, the cases themselves will contribute to the problem. Constructing/venting an exhibit case in a way to allow the air within to turn over twice a day is considered adequate for archival purposes. Maintaining an inert atmosphere within the case or the use of adsorbents was considered impractical. In spite of the hazard enclosures present, they are considered preferable to open air display. Dust collecting on a model will attract and hold moisture and destructive micro-organisms, while cleaning the model of dust invites damage as do people too curious to leave hands off. A type of glazing can be chosen for an exhibit case that will filter UV radiation. An exhibit case will also protect the model from rapid changes in temperature and humidity. The out-gassed acetic acid effects not only lead but any other material susceptible to acidic degradation. Rigging is in this category. The article concludes with a bibliography of 30 citations, 15 of which pertain specifically to the out-gassing properties of wood types and finishes. In the recent past, I have attempted to research another topic by way of inter-library loans. Lacking bona fide researcher credentials, in this time of shut-downs and skeleton crews, I didn't get very far. When things open up, I'll investigate pertinent citations from this article's bibliography.

Welcome Genny: Just how far north are you? What's it like in your territory?

Warped across their width - it sounds like you are describing cupping. Stress in a dried, thick plank, too weak to distort it, may take over on thin sections sliced from of it. The warping of the thin section may occur as it is being cut. You may be able to flatten your boxwood by steaming the planks, stacking them with with stickers/battons between and on top and bottom and then clamping the assembly. Let them set, clamped, for a day.

Bob Cleek/Painting Book: At the end of the article you cited, an up-coming book by Kyle Kolbe, "Artists Oil Color Miniature Painting Handbook" is mentioned. Did this book make it to print? I haven't been able to locate it.

Welcome Paul: Years back I spent several weeks riding a bicycle around Scotland. I came equipped with camping gear to be self-sufficient but you Scots are so friendly I wasn't given the opportunity to camp out. Everywhere I went, people invited me in! Your country is a bicycler's dream. That said, I wish I could be of help in answering your question.

Take a look at your set-up before the cut. If the cut-off end will be trapped between the blade and fence, expect kick back.

Jaager: Yes on the PVA. Not much, but it's there. I had to go back and look to be sure. Screws were involved too. I'm going to get the NRG Journal back issue with the definitive article on wood types that contribute to lead oxidation and see if I can put this issue to rest.

While this goes back to the topic of lead oxidation, it speaks to the use of poplar for modeling. As modelers, poplar has all the characteristics we look for - but from personal experience, any lead components in its vicinity are subject to its out-gassing of acetic acid, which starts the whole oxidation process. I made a container for storing .177 caliber lead pellets from poplar. Enclosed in the container, the pellets started "frosting over" in a few weeks. In the open, or farther way from poplar - who knows?

Nothing better to do today than solve the reversed "CAPT" on Hank's helmet. The mole on Hank's chin is on his right side in the trailer photo. One brief close-up shot in an action scene in the trailer shows the mole on his left side. Also, the action scene in the trailer the still came from is shown. "CAPT" is not reversed in the action scene. For some reason, the trailer still-photo was reversed.

At that scale of detail, you'r near what walnut's porosity and grain characteristics will let you do. And, you don't have to settle with your first attempt. Your tools must be super sharp. Keep a strop or extra-fine stone at hand and use it before you think it's necessary. You may want to grind your own tiny carving tools with specialized shapes. The shank-ends of small drill-bits work well for this.

Nice job on the stealers.

This is only my opinion: While deck plank seams on real ships were filled with jet-black tar - at model scale - I think the jet-black appearance created by ink or black paper draws the eye; it's "too black". I always prefer the appearance of plank edges darkened with pencil.

Jim: I knew that! I've ordered from them just as you have. I got McMaster Carr confused with Granger.

I didn't think MSC could be beat for one-stop-shopping for files but I just checked McMaster Carr. McMaster Carr has more. McMaster Carr only sells to business. If you can make that sort of connection, they are a great resource for tooling or fasteners.

MSC sells a wide variety of high quality files and rifflers of all sizes. All sold individually or by the set.

Kaixo Jandrus: I'm in Boise, Idaho. Outside of Basque Country proper, this area has more Basques than any other part of the world. This was the year for Jaialdi here, but the virus put the lid on it. Welcome to this site!

Brewerpaul: A fine-tooth, metal slotting blade on a modeler's table saw will do it. Just don't try to cut the full diameter in one pass. Set the blade height at about 1/4 the tubing's diameter, hold the tube in place on the cross slide and begin the cut. Then, without advancing the cross slide any further, rotate the tube to finish the cut. I suppose this technique could be used in an upside down fashion on a cut-off saw by partially lowering the blade. I don't have a cut-off saw so I've never tried it. In spite of the small size of the cut, the chips are hot. Protect your eyes.

CPDDET: I just got the sliding table top - worth it, especially for identical length parts with angled cuts. Other accessories I've had for some time - all useful: Extended Rip Fence Rip Taper Gage Micrometer Stop - The saws precision makes micrometer adjustments of the rip fence possible. Zero Clearance Throat Plate Blade Adapters - Use any blade up to four inch with any size hole up to one inch. Tell Jim what you want. Accessory Pack Blades - Figure out your needs and get replacements. Extra Drive Belt - I've got one, never needed it but I like having it around. The miter gage with adjustable extension is new to me. Mine is the old style - longer but not adjustable. The extra length has always been helpful.

Hello from Idaho: I've never driven truck but I did spend a few years living on the road, going from project to project. Lap-size, portable projects kept me centered and out of the bars! I'm glad to see you are interested in keeping your mind occupied - there is no end to modeling. Welcome to this site.

My first memory of modeling is my Dad's build of a basic, gray plastic kit of the Missouri - just like yours - no extras and no paint. He built it on a folding card table set in the corner of our dining room. My height at that time put my eyes just on level with the table's top. With my vision skimming the table's surface I watched all the parts go together. (I still have the table.) The model was a mysterious thing to me; bristling with guns like a coating of course fur. He told me the big guns were 16 inchers. Of course, I thought that was the length of the barrels and it made no sense when he told me the ship was hundreds of feet long. It was years before I understood he was talking about the gun's bore diameter. My Dad was a WWII Army engineer in the Pacific. Though he never told me why, it was many years later when I finally understood why he built a model of that particular ship, the ship that witnessed the Japanese surrender and what the Missouri meant to him. Thanks for the photo.

Nirvana: I'm in Boise.