BANYAN

I got mine a couple of days ago; a vast improvement on trying to read Steel etc - Well done Allan (and those who helped). This will make a very useful addition to the library. cheers Pat

That's looking top-notch Alan; a very versatile work platform that could also be utilised as a drafting table with a clip on extension for larger drawings/plans cheers Pat

Hi Danny, I have a similar set-up for bench-top tools and about to undertake an upgrade suggested by a club member. Not a biggie as you say but could be useful in circumstances where you are using several tools together (saw/sander/thicknesser perhaps). He purchased some kits from a vacuum spare parts shop (for wall access of centrally plumbed vacuum systems) that auto-starts the vac as soon as you plug the hose into the tool. Just a further consideration of you think it helpful. cheers Pat

Hi Ulisis, that is taking shape nicely - these hidden fillers don't have to be neat just serve a purpose; the shaping is the more important. You are probably aware (but just in case) that balsa is very porous and as a gluing surface for planking can be problematic. The solution I was made aware of (I use balsa fillers also) is to coat the balsa with a diluted PVA / water solution to seal it but retain a good adhesive surface - I used 50/50 but this may not be the optimum. cheers Pat

Hi Mike, I made a rough bending jig from scrap wood with rounded guides placed where required - the gentler the curve of the 'round' the better - which I simply clamp to my workbench or place in a large vise. I then soaked the wood in boiling water for about 20 minutes and then used thin clear rubber hose (fish tank type) off-cuts which I sliced in half longitudinally to place over the dowel where the holding 'bits and bobs' would be to minimise any wood bruising/marking. I had to repeat this about 3 times to get the bend. I will try to take a photo of the jig etc tomorrow when I get home from work. I use a cheap single burner camp stove (butane can) burner with an old dish shaped pan (pinched from the Admirals stock - shhh! - well she did get a new one out of it ) I am not sure which woods are available to you but I have used walnut ( a beast to bend but you do get there ) and Huon Pine - I use the latter exclusively for my masts now - a tad softer than hardwoods but more dense then most pines and a joy to 'work'. For harder woods I found the longer the tapered dowel the easier to bend (but there is a limit before it becomes prone to snapping - trial and error I am afraid) and I could afford to slightly damage the very ends with greater pressure if require (cut off later) - the greater length is the trick I find (but it has to be pre-tapered) and I have been able to bend dowels up to 18mm max diameter of taper) successfully without resorting to undercutting, grooving or crushing the wood etc One thing though, and apologies if this is telling you how to suck eggs. I found that it is better to not try to fully shape the jib boom/sprit. I tapered it then bent it, then cut it to length and shaped the joints with the deck and for the bees etc. I tried it the other way (doing all the shaping first but just could not accurately predict the overall length, joint angles etc before the bend was applied. cheers and good luck Pat

That's an impressive table Alan, I look forward to seeing the completed version - gives me some food for thought cheers Pat

Great job Ollie, always nice to see the final product as it gives you a real sense of achievement. I look forward to seeing the job you do on the Endeavour! cheers Pat

Just ordered my copy and looking forward to getting it in my hands. Great effort in compiling this Allan, it will be much easier to use and more comprehensive than your source materials. cheers Pat

A good pick-up there Ollie - as you say it suits the model. cheers Pat

Very nice lines for a fine lady, even without the meat on her 'bones' - nice work John, this will make into a very nice model. cheers Pat

That all came together very nicely Piet and makes a very fine enhancement to the presentation of the model - BZ and three loud Huzzahs! cheers Pat

Hi folks, and very many thanks for the very useful feedback. Based on Nigel's advice I will let his kit go through to the keeper - I'm glad I asked Nothing wrong with plastic at all I must agree as it offers some great detail especially for the 'steel navy' ships. Chris, many thanks for the pointer to card - I will follow that option up. Thanks again to all cheers Pat

Hi all, I am a wood modeller but built plastic aircraft and a couple of ships in my youth. I have an opportunity to purchase a ARII Yamamoto 1:250 kit at a reasonable price (second hand but still in box and plastic sealed bags) and am sorely tempted to build this little monster (41") . if I go this path though I would like to fully detail it. I have found that GMM do a photo-etch kit for this ship at 1:250 but I have not been able to find a wood decking kit for this scale (unless I missed it at ArtWox, White Ensign etc). I would also like to upgrade the guns (barrels at least) to brass and pther potential enhancements (yet to decide to build as designed or in final sortie configuration with all the AA guns). I have also heard that Pontos (Korean company) does some really good PE but have been unable to find a 1:250 for Yamamoto so far. I would very much like to establish what accessories and detail upgrade kits are available for this kit before committing - any feedback and advice would be greatly appreciated. cheers Pat

Hi all; Greg, Jeff et al - I have the utmost respect for people running small business; especially those catering for specific needs. However, as an International purchaser of many bits and pieces I have come to the point where "No PayPal - No Purchase". This is a result of the security issues surrounding hacking etc so I will no longer use a CC payment as you never know who is retaining/not retaining CC details on their servers (secure or not). I am not saying that PayPal will never be hacked (let's hope it never is though), but it is easier to fix passwords etc in one place only. The hoops to jump through and additional costs arising to the buyer in trying to sort out cheques and bank transfers etc usually far exceed the costs of PayPal to the Trader and I for one, am more than happy to accept the additional/added fees for PayPal convenience added to an order than try and do it any other way. Just for consideration cheers Pat Edit: When purchasing I usually prefer to buy (and pay) for a quality product rather than the cheapest - adding PayPal etc handling charges is but a very minor consideration (from my point of view).

Love this sort of detail Piet - she will be a very interesting model to view when completed. cheers Pat

Some great progress Popeye - you need to take more Mondays off mate She is looking great and will make a great addition to your little fleet! cheers Pat

Thanks Alan, I am looking forward t seeing the completed project. BTW - don't feel like Robinson Cruse in not foreseeing every step before assembly - "Guilty your honour" from this side too cheers Pat

Great progress Alan, looks like this will be the 'ants pants' solution when finished. Do you intend to add drawers or tool holders etc also? cheers Pat BTW - love your signature tag

I would assume that many of us would not have the ability to recognise/identify specific wood species etc unless they are vastly different in colour etc. For me at least. individual packaging by wood type/species etc is very helpful; by size is not that important to me unless separation into several packages saves on costs (unlikely ) cheers Pat

This is one of the most important issues for me as I do the final dimensioning myself. If I want to leave the planking natural it is important to me (others may have differing opinions of the type of finish they want to achieve) that the wood at least looks that it is has come from the same batch. cheers Pat

There may also be some affect from transport and packaging and then the storage conditions at the customers end? Keeping the wood at a specific humidity and then sending it in ordinary packaging, sometime for weeks of transport, and possibly to a place with a much greater (significant) difference in humidity and temperature may cause it 'shock' or change? I admit that I have no idea of the dynamics of wood etc but this begs the question of whether treating it with kid gloves would be better or worse for the final product? That is, if it has constantly been stored at a particular temp/humidity and it is then sent to a place where it may not be used for some time and where it might be stored in conditions that are much different (and may vary significantly) have some effect on the wood? In my very limited knowledge I would have assumed that as long as it has been well seasoned and is now stable it should produce a good result? If I then store it in different conditions to those in which it was milled (and previously stored) would that not influence its final dimensions? As long as the quality of the wood (grain, figure etc) is good and it does not warp, twist etc I would be happy. cheers Pat

Thanks - that helps cheers Pat

Now, the outcome of that discussion is something I would like to read and see implemented cheers Pat

Coming along nicely Alan. I think that when finished a condensed version of this log would make a great article for the database? cheers Pat

A metric version of dimensions would help? cheers Pat