Rik Thistle

Erik, Your hull's livery is looking very attractive and very sharp. And thanks for sharing the 'lettering' research. Next task before I varnish, I want to put registration numbers on the side of the hull. That way I can varnish over them and protect and unify the finish. You (and B.E.) got me thinking 😉 .... my Fifie may be getting some late lettering additions during the winter months. Regards, Richard Edit: A list of current Fishing Boat Registration Letters ... https://www.findafishingboat.com/article/fishing-boat-registration-letters Seems the Resistration is not only marked on the vessel but also carved.

I use a small finger plane to take it down in an octagon shape and then sand. In spite of owning a small Proxxon wood lathe I did what you did Justin on my Fifie's masts, and it worked a treat. I didn't expect it to be so quick and effective but ...well, I learn something every day. I think for longer masts I may still use my lathe, but using a miniature plane and sanding proved quick and convenient on my last build. Richard

DAP Rapid Fuse Adhesive. Thanks for the heads up. Doesn't seem it is easily available in the UK ...well, not without £15 delivery charge on the £17 bottle...gulp.... https://www.amazon.co.uk/DAP-00157-Adhesive-Building-Material/dp/B01DA6X1OC I notice some Amazon Customer Reviews warning to wear gloves since it is extra super sticky...which all CA glues tend to be anyway. I've added it to my Wishlist and will watch for it becoming a free delivery Prime item 😉 Richard

Hi Bob, White wood glue - Polyvinyl Acetate (PVA eg Titebond) is absolutely fine for deck and hull planking and takes a few minutes to 'grab' giving plenty time for adjustments. It sets hard in about 24 hrs. Some members occasionally use Super Glue (aka Cyanoacrylate, CA) for quick setting (10 secs?) joints on difficult hull planking, say. Super Glue Gel takes a little longer (30 secs?) to set so gives a little adjustment time. But CA does stick your fingers together! Contact Adhesive is used for sticking soles on shoes...it has a rubbery texture. I wouldn't use it for model ships. Here's a very good thread on glues ... https://modelshipworld.com/topic/1894-glue-recommendations/?tab=comments#comment-43667 regards, Richard

B.E., Looking good. Bet you're so glad the reef points are all done now 🙂 But they really do add to the look of the sails....once you've seen sails with reef points you can't unsee them on other boats. And I like the 'recent acquisition'...I've had one on my Amazon Wishlist for a while but haven't pulled the trigger yet. I hadn't thought of it as a 'sail holder' but it seems ideal for that...as no doubt many other uses. Hmm. Regards, Richard

Interesting contrast in the architecture in the backgrounds of the two pics. They have some splendid buildings. Richard

Hi all, Bill Penz's blog is a bit of an eye opener ... https://billpentz.blogspot.com/ Apparently it is the extremely fine dust that we cannot see that is the real problem. Richard

...the raid by the CMB'S BY Capt Agar You got me reading up on that. Commodore Augustus Willington Shelton Agar VC, DSO, RN and Sir Paul Henry Dukes KBE sure lived life to the full. I don't know if they make them like that anymore. Richard

Jim, That sounds like a very interesting and enjoyable visit. I've never been to Russia but have had a very liquid 'lunch ' with some Russian pilots and engineers at the Farnborough Airshow...they were great guys and had some some amazing stories to tell - nothing sensitive, just Vodka talk. I've found that almost all nationalities get on with each other...it's just respective Governments that muddy the waters. I wonder what fishing boats were historically used in Arkhangelsk? OK, off on another Google search....;-) Regards, Richard Edit: Those cod fishing boats look quite spectacular...https://www.romanovempire.org/media/cod-fish-fishing-boats-port-of-arkhangelsk-archangel-on-white-sea-northern-9ef98b

'The thing I like about the model Tanks.... ' That is quite a tank... if you photoshopped that in to a Russian landscape I wouldn't doubt it was real. Be careful though....you might get a Russian knock on the door asking for their tank back! And please keep the paintings coming .... they are as enjoyable as the builds. Regards, Richard

268 14mm knotted lines Yup, I feel for you 😉 The sails look great though. Regards, Richard

Hi John, Your Bluenose build is looking very good. Bluenose has now appeared on my to-do list....I like it's shape and there is plenty of info about. Your first post analysing the 3x kits available is very useful. As a relatve newcomer myself I am still find interesting and useful tools to buy 🙂. The small plane you bought is the same one I bought. And I've also discovered razor saws....very useful and they make a straight 0.008" wide cut eg ... https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B01DPUGL7W/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1 Best regards, Richard

Hi Capt Nemo, I was reading up on Bluenose builds in general and found yours...it's very good. I'm pretty much new to this hobby myself and you are asking/thinking all the questions I ask. Yes, 'contact adhesive'... https://www.amazon.co.uk/Evo-Stik-Impact-Adhesive-347908/dp/B0001P03S8 ....good for kinda fixing many things but leaves an ugly edge/watermark. Normally you spead the adhesive on both surfaces and then let it dry for a few minutes before bringing (contacting) the two surfaces together. Once together, that's it....no real scope for 'adjustment'. Wood glue is much better... you get minutes to adjust the surfaces when joined .... https://www.amazon.co.uk/Titebond-5004-Premium-Wood-Glue/dp/B0000223UR/ref=sr_1_4?dchild=1&keywords=titebond+wood+glue&qid=1606307056&s=diy&sr=1-4 There are also SuperGlue gels ... https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B01KVQKG9C/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 .... for those parts that need a bit of extra gluing strength and a quick'ish bond. But are a pain if you get your fingers glued! I do like the shape of Bluenose...it's very elegant, and probably very functional. All the best, Richard

Charlie, Thanks for the kind words. Dallas turned out OK considering she had been in cold storage for 25yrs 😉 I did learn I don't like rigging so I'll be confronting that 'fear' with my HM Flirt build! Looking forward to your Black Prince build. All the best, Richard

I think the safest thing is to try to capture as much as you can at the tool as possible. Yes, that's the ideal scenario. I imagine we, the members, have a range of 'shipyard' layouts ranging from almost full blown commercial workshops with a wide range of machinery that is used most days, to a corner of a room in a house and a Dremel power tool that is used once a week. I don't think there is a one-size-fits-all dust extractor solution. I'll probably use my small lathe and disc sander in my shed whilst wearing a mask and with the door open. In my study I'd like to use some kind of quiet, compact dust extractor that captures dust from a Dremel without the dust getting in to the air in the room and then in to my lungs. Richard

Mark, Yeah, a standard vacuum is a reasonable solution. I did try my Panasonic with a pair of Sony NC headphones but even they couldn't cope 😉 I suspect I'll muck though for the next while using a combination of holding my breath and tidying up after with my Dust Buster. But in the longer term I will keep my eye open for a compact, quiet solution. Cheers, Richard

Spyglass, use a scrap of strip as a buffer for easy removal and it also come in handy to overlap I hadn't thought of that. It seems obvious when I read it but the good ideas always are. Thanks, Richard

Thanks Glenn, I'll add the Rabbit Air to the list I'm looking at. Regards, Richard

OK mnl, thanks for the tip. Richard

mnl, I was thinking of this one at $350 https://www.highlandwoodworking.com/festool-ct15e-hepa-dust-extractor.aspx To put it in perspective, a HEPA Meile vacuum cleaner, also nice a quiet, is $699. Thanks. The Festool is available in the UK for about £280 .... https://www.axminstertools.com/festool-ct-15-dust-extractor-106635 I'll read up on it. In a perfect world I'd like an L class, very quiet (<50dB A), 250mm x250mm x250mm cubic extractor, with a wide suction nozzle that could be positioned above the work area and cost less than £100 😉 Maybe there is a market gap for home hobbyists? Regards, Richard

Hi Götz, That's useful info. If I do go for a proper dust extractor then I'm looking at an 'L Class' for my shipyard/study. Which, out of this list.... https://www.powertoolworld.co.uk/tools/vacuums-dust-extractors/l-class-rated-extractors?corded_voltage=414 points me towards the £230 Fein, 240V, 67dB (A) ... https://www.powertoolworld.co.uk/fein-dustex-25-22l-wet-dry-dust-extractor-machine At the moment, my mains powered, house vacuum is a Panasonic MC-E3002. It is very noisy but I cannot find a dB rating to use it as a benchmark. I also have a couple of quieter Dyson battery vacuums. I currently use a Black and Decker Dustbuster in the shipyard/study for cleaning up after hand sanding. Hand sanding tends to generate dust but (in a still room) gravity pulls most of it down to the desk. Power sanding tools tend to throw dust up in to the air and that would be of concern and where a dust extractor would be needed. OK, plenty of food for thought. If I buy an extractor I will post here on how it performs. Thanks again, Richard

mnl, Thanks for the reply. Yes, the Festool industrial extractors aren't cheap (£400 - £800) but do look purpose built, albeit large .... https://www.screwfix.com/c/tools/dust-extraction/cat830940?brand=festool Fein also do similar but are a bit cheaper ... £320 - £590. Makita do a 72dB one for £190 ... https://www.amazon.co.uk/Makita-VC2012L-Class-Dust-Extractor/dp/B00YHG86VS/ref=as_li_ss_tl?crid=6JPUX5VFH86H&keywords=dust+extractor&qid=1554441892&refinements=p_72:419153031&rnid=419152031&s=gateway&sprefix=dust+ex,aps,155&sr=8-60&linkCode=ll1&tag=diy32-21&linkId=dd3a6baf3f87965b394880c4d9eeb63e&language=en_GB There is a Scheppach one for £106 ... https://www.amazon.co.uk/Scheppach-HD2P-Extractor-Collector-Attachments/dp/B00HVZ7OS8/ref=sr_1_4?dchild=1&keywords=Dust+Extractor&qid=1606122919&refinements=p_36%3A7500-&rnid=118657031&sr=8-4 And a domestic green Bosch vacuum cleaner (73dB) at £77 ... https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bosch-EasyVac-Compact-Vacuum-Cleaner/dp/B072B6SQZT/ref=pd_sbs_60_1/262-5849643-1925430?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B072B6SQZT&pd_rd_r=38b47fc0-f5b8-43a8-9d86-35510732addb&pd_rd_w=cFnRc&pd_rd_wg=eoZSE&pf_rd_p=2304238d-df78-4b25-a9a0-b27dc7bd722e&pf_rd_r=T5ZXZAS4S0D2RPS2JNPE&psc=1&refRID=T5ZXZAS4S0D2RPS2JNPE Anyway, looking at criteria, in order of importance... a) Health - keeping lungs clean - ears undamaged (40dB average home noise, 60dB conversation and background music, 70dB office noise and inside a car). b) Functionality - equipment reliability, catches 'most' of the dust, fits under a desk/bench, mains powered (or battery?) c) Cost - £800 is way too expensive, but what price do we put on health? d) Size - nice if it could tuck under the desk and the tubes weren't cumbersome If I find anything of further interest, I'll post here. Or if anyone has experience of a cost-effective, functional quiet dust extractor it would be great to hear about it. Thanks, Richard

Thanks Bob. I think I've been guilty of trying to short cut the work needed to get planks to fit. I had set myself a target of getting the first planking done in about 1 week, even though I wasn't working on it every day. Less haste, more speed. Thankfully my build log highlighted where I was cutting corners and the members have been great in advising me how to fix the issue and what to do in the future. All the best, Regards, Richard

Thanks Chuck. Noted and added to my mental data base. Regards, Richard

Thanks Eke. Lady Eleanor was a delight to work on. I hope she has a long, successful career feeding families up and down the coasts of the UK 😉 The black, red and white hull does look pretty good and as Chris says on his website, we are invited to expand on his kit and add our own touches. It greatly helps that there are a number of excellent build logs on this particular website and plenty books, and pics and info from other museum/preservation society websites. It's very satisfying that a number of these boats are still sailing - thank you to those who do that. Flirt is a big step up for me and I imagine it will see me through to next summer, at least. One of the reasons I bought it was that it has plenty rigging - something I'm not particularly comfortable doing. But, as they say, you need to confront your demons to overcome them... well, that what they say - we shall see. Catch you soon, Richard