Kurt Johnson

I was trying to remember unsuccessfully, which of the clear materials used to glaze windows, etc has the best non-yellowing properties. Where does the material used in blister packaging stand?  Is it acetate?  
 

oh no, I already forgot what I was forgetting.
 

Kurt 

Michael,
 

I hope someone will make a video series of your work like the Philip Reed series. That would be the ultimate treat.  A book wouldn’t be bad idea either.
 

Kurt

Steve, How nice your wife lets you borrow her brushes. I hope you don’t wait to get them back.

Coming alone really nice.

Kurt

Watching a craftsman at work in any area is always such a pleasure! I can’t imagine the amount of satisfaction it brings you. Especially when you perfect areas you weren’t satisfied with. You must spend as much or more time planning and building in your head than with your hands and those ”a ha” moments must feel great.

Keep it coming.

Kurt

Mike, 

When I was very young (1950’s) I used to devour my father’s Mechanic’s Illustrated and Popular Science magazines over and over until they fell apart. Reading all your threads brings back those moments. Thanks. I always take great pleasure in anyone doing something that they are really a master at. I always think of the bazillion small steps it required to get there. The main problem with you is you are the Master at so many things! Thanks again for sharing all of your talents with us. 
 

Kurt

Wonderful.

Gaetan, I am glad there are people like you. You make my life so much more enjoyable!

Kurt

You are the consummate master craftsmen.  I can’t decide which I enjoy more, your models or the tools you create to make them with. I guess there’s no reason to choose is there? Just to enjoy it all. Thanks Michael.

Kurt

Does anyone know or have tried to mate a Dremel right angle attachment to Proxxon mototool? I know Proxxon has a right angle grind/polisher tool but it’s about $140 bucks and wouldn’t be used often enough to justify purchasing one. Any attempted hacks?

Kurt

Amalio,

Your work is impeccable.

What a fantastic idea, attaching sandpaper to palette knives. I would have never have thought of it, but I can see how useful a tool it would be. Simple, elegant and now that I’ve seen it so obvious. Are you hiding any other gems you’ve come up with?

Kurt

Mark,

Micro-Mark sells them in 2 different lengths.

Kurt

BE,  

I was thinking the lower hull is going to take a bit of fussing and fiddling with to get her up to your standards of planking. Are you planning on creating any special jig that you can invert her upon to hold really solid and give you the optimum control of her as you massage the planks into place and not damage that stern?

Kurt

Thanks? I agree with your feelings about using blue. I never though the freize work was on many longboats and small craft, except in paintings or a royal bardge. Can you imagine the upkeep? Sailors where nothing but  practical at least as far as work goes and maybe even some junior officers could be at times.

Kurt

I didn’t realize that colors were officially that strictly adhered too especially with small craft.  Didn’t the Nelson scheme occur gradually as a trend, rather then an official decree?

Sorry, Yankee ignorance.

Kurt

That’s just about the right size to hit myself in the head when I make one of my cement head mistakes. You know, just to get a refocus, like a reset button.

Kurt

BE,  

She definitely is a very smart looking craft. I’m hoping to be able to come up with a blue about halfway between your shade and a Wedgewood sort of blue. And when I get there, I’m going to experiment with using fish line monofilament for treenails. I’ll try it on a small mockup first, depends on the colors available. But that’s in the distance for now.

Kurt

Svein Erik, 

Your Cheerful is coming along fine. It is a blessing to have Chuck’s advice as you build your model. That is a true rarity, and a surety that you will have the best possible outcome. VERY few companies would offer that kind of support! It’s nice too, that it makes it so much more of a personal experience, your not just another 

number, but a fellow ship modeler.

Kurt

BE, 

Coming along nicely. When you say you intend to scribe the hook and butt scarfs on the main wale. Are you going to scribe them off of the model before the second layer of the wale is attached?

Kurt

Chuck has shown me some nice results using fishing line. Very subtle, compared to wax, wood filler or actual treenails where the end grain appears too dark. I’m going to have to experiment. They’re always perfectly round with no bleed out around the edges. That’s a long way off though.

That sounds about right. I think I still have a piece of 1/32 “ pear from hobby mill which is extremely close to 0.7 mm. I’m going to let you go first though. Are you planning on painting the lower hull, or finishing her like Dirk. I think the natural finish would be so very much more demanding (and satisfying). No room for cover ups. Isn’t that what this is all about from a fun point of view anyway? My thoughts lean to treenailing with monofilament brown fishing line “ala Chuck”. Seems so clean and elegant if you get the correct shade. 

Kurt

I am really interested in how you approach the lapstrake. I would think you would have to have wider planking material than supplied to allow for the overlap. Or do you have extra material on hand?

Kurt

Ah, the ole tinker clinker ye thinker. Be careful you could sink her. 

Kurt

BE,  Have you decided if you are going to do a clinker hull or not at this point?

Kurt

The board looks a little thin by what would normally sell for butcher block here which is normally over a 1 1/4 inch thickness ( about 32mm) if maple, easily $75.00.

Just remember when you add the second layer to the wales, that as the wales approach the stem they taper their thickness until the wale is the same thickness as the regular planks at the stem. They no longer stand proud of them. You may want to taper the first layer a bit so that the second layer doesn’t become tapered paper thin. In other words taper both layers equally to obtain the finale thickness where they meet the stem. I would wait until you have the lumber you need to figure out how you want to achieve the taper. 

   Chuck stated he overlooked this detail and had to go back to correct it. I know he did it deliberately to make him look as if he is a mere mortal. He’s very sneaky that way. Since the wale is painted black, it really does’t matter what type of wood you use, as long as it will take a decent finish (paint or dye). 

     Is your building board some type of butcher block? If so that would cost a fortune in the US.

Kurt