Jay 1

Wow, Pete can't keep up with your growing fleet! Kidding aside, she has really nice lines and looks like she's going together very smoothly--as always, very nice work! From the the sounds of Kate's advise, I'm guessing she enjoys your builds and sailing as much as you?

Cheers,

Jay

Congratulations, Robert--she's a beauty! Everything looks excellent!

Cheers,

Jay

Congratulation on a superb build, Pete--she's gorgeous! Looking forward to when you build the full size one--am sure you are, too!

Cheers,

Jay

Wow, Pete you're flying as fast as her! The cockpit looks really nice, and your planking is always sweet...4hrs, man that's great!

Cheers,

Jay

She looks great, Pete--that keel is some fine craftsmanship! I always enjoy seeing your finish work, too--clean and crisp! Btw, very nice level!!

Cheers,

Jay

Excellent job on the keel, Pete! That looked like it was going to be tricky and you nailed it!

Cheers,

Jay

Nice planking, Pete! Like everyone else, I'm looking forward to seeing your work on the keel--I'm sure it'll look great (all your does;) )!

Cheers,

Jay

Outstanding craftsmanship, Zoran! It has been a pleasure seeing you build her, and thank you for sharing with us!

Cheers,

Jay

My latest is a middle of the road Iwata, and it's been a great airbrush to use. Personally, I think one of the trickiest aspects of using an AB is getting the paint mixed right for use--it varies from brand to brand and even with the same brand, color to color. The next less tricky part is getting the right amount of air for what you're shooting. As Andy suggested, it takes some practice. I'd add that it's a good habit to do a few practices runs with each paint mix (esp. if it's a key area of the build) before shooting what you want to paint. A last suggestion is to clean the AB well--they can be very temperamental when it comes to this.

Good luck and have fun with whatever you decide upon!

Jay

Beautiful build, Mike--she looks great and I really like all the details you put into her; well done!

Cheers,

Jay

Hi Carmelo & Vince,

No disrespect meant to you, Vince but lead fittings used in ship models can undergo very nasty corrosion. Many years ago the US Navy did a report on models in their holdings that were experiencing lead corrosion. It appears that this corrosion can strike lead rather haphazardly--in other words, some fittings may be fine and others will go "south." Here's an article on this: http://www.thenrg.org/resources/articles/Lead%20corrosion%20in%20ship%20models.pdf

Given the inherent toxicity of lead and also it's potential for corrosion, you may be better off replacing the lead fittings with Britannia (contains no lead) replacements and or fabricating your own, Carmelo.

Cheers,

Jay

She's looking great, Pete! That deck layout looks like it's be tight--it'll look great with those details and clear varnish should highlight the fixtures well! Definitely looks like you spent a long, fun day in the shipyard!

Cheers,

Jay

Thanks, Greg--your blocks look great!

Cheers,

Jay

Beautiful work, Pete--your deck looks fantastic!

Cheers,

Jay

She looks fantastic, Tim--very nice paint job and finish work!

Cheers,

Jay

Very nice work, Greg--your rigging work is excellent! The blocks you've used look great--are they Chuck's or someone else's?

Cheers,

Jay

I agree with Pete--your work is wonderful and your fleet is very impressive!

Cheers,

Jay

She's a good looking build--congratulations and well done, Zoran!

Cheers,

Jay

Great start, Pete--everything looks spot on, and I agree with your wife about the Ausralia's sleekness! Likewise, good tip about moulded breath vs. breadth extreme...that one bit me once while drawing a body plan; needless to say I don't think I'll trip over that rock again (that teaching lesson resulted in re-doing that entire plan, ugh).

Hope you have wonderful evening of celebrations with your family!

Cheers,

Jay

Looks like you had a brilliant day, Michael--and extra kudos for showing up for and teaching the kiddies (hook 'em on boats while they're young)!

Thanks for sharing!

Jay

Glad you all are OK! Thanks for the update, Tim--she really looks sweet!

Cheers,

Jay

Zoran, she's looking really sweet--very nice work!

Andy's right, Richard. You'll need a quality cutter for the material you're working with--you're easily looking at $20 and up cutters. Give Rio Grande jewelry a try: http://www.riogrande.com/Home . You can give 'em a call for recommendations & they're good about returns or etc. if a tool doesn't meet expectations.

Cheers,

Jay

She has some sweet lines, Pete, and it'll be great to see an America's Cup build that's unique--looking forward to following along as you bring her to life!

Cheers,

Jay

Wow, I never quite grasped how large she is until seeing her in the context of your living room!! She a big beauty, Michael!!

Cheers,

Jay