Bob Cleek

Yes, it's easy to do the math to get a decimal equivalent, but there are a lot of other settings where the chart is really handy. Older K&E 10" Paragon decimal scaled proportional dividers came with a fabric-hinged folding cardboard chart (which is often lost and missing) and the later models have the settings "cheat sheet" on a piece of metal attached to the bottom of the case. If all else fails, a bit of googling should turn up a copy of the "cheat sheet" easily enough, or, at worst, a photo of the bottom of the case with a readable settings plate.

I was rather surprised that some modelers weren't familiar with the proportional dividers. I find them essential. I suppose because I do a lot of scratch work and I find myself redrawing lines published in old books (Chapelle, etc.) that will be prints of larger drawings reproduced without regard to scale. With a good set of proportional dividers, all you need is a single identified measurement (a non-fractional measurement is best) and with your dividers set to your working scale, away you go! Just take a distance from the page in the book and the other side gives you the distance to the scale you've set. There are, as mentioned, a lot of other things you can do with them as well, such as drawing a square with the same area as a particular circle and vice versa, but I've yet to learn who really needs to do that. I collect fine drafting instruments for my own use. Most I've bought on fleaBay and I check for listings frequently. I'll pass on that the prices do vary wildly, depending on condition, quality and rarity. Condition may not always be a relevant factor if you are looking for a "user." Some oaf may have scratched his name into the instrument and/or the case may be in rough shape. That can mean a $100 or $150 reduction, leaving what would be a "mint" $200 instrument going for only $50, yet be entirely satisfactory for use nonetheless. The proportional dividers that you want to look for are the 10" pairs with "110 scaling" or "decimal scaling." This scaling permits setting proportions in "decimal equivalents" (e.g. 1/2 = .50) These instruments will have rack and pinion geared adjustment and Vernier adjustment to decimals out to .0005 (If memory serves... perhaps there's an extra zero in there... don't hold me to it.) These instruments will be manufactured by Keuffel and Esser and Bowen in straight point configuration and right angle point configurations (as pictured above.) You will likely never see a right angle pointed set on fleaBay. They are extremely rare. I expect that at some time Dietzgen made decimal equivalent scaled proportional dividers, but I've never seen a set on fleaBay. The most commonly offered are the K&E 10" "Paragon" decimal scaled models. "Paragon" was K&E's top of the line series of instruments and the "110" decimal equivalent scaled dividers were only offered in the "Paragon" line. They are made of "German silver," which is an alloy of nickel and copper, much similar to monel. Their "Parogon" were made of cold rolled German silver and hand fitted. (Each will bear matching part serial numbers. They were sold in silk velvet lined cases. The back of the case in newer production has a metal plate on the bottom with all the various decimal equivalents etched in it, which is quite helpful. Older models have a cardboard insert (often missing) that has the same information. (The information is easily found on line in any event.) There are also commonly 6" and 7.5" proportional dividers. The 7.5" models do come with rack and pinion adjustment but not with the more accurate Vernier adjustment feature. They are, however, useable. The 6" models do not have rack and pinion adjustment and neither do some of the 7.5" models. Don't waste your money on anything that does not have rack and pinion adjustment. While useable, the "slide" adjustment models aren't anywhere near as accurate. Similarly, pay the few extra bucks for the "110" decimal scaling. The other proportional dividers have scaling that corresponds to fractions 1/2, 1/3, 1/4 and so on, and settings in between are "by guess and by golly." Also, you will see "Russian Navy" and "Weems and Plath" proportional dividers offered. Take a pass on these because they are "navigational dividers" and, although they work the same and are useable, they are scaled for "time" and "distance" proportions for use on maps and their scaling isn't useful for modeling measurement conversions. (You can adjust them for plans measurement conversions by comparison to a rule and/or tick strips, but this is rather tedious) In summary, what you want to look for on eBay is a Keuffel and Esser 10" "Paragon" proportional divider with "110" decimal scaling. They are relatively common because they were the "professional's choice" for many years. A "mint" example with an excellent case will sell for as much as $225, but very "clean" examples regularly go for around $125 at the moment. Examples that are a bit "rough," mainly due to a worn case, can be had for $75 or even $50. If you work from drawings to the scale you are building (i.e. as with kit plans,) you can live without a proportional divider, but if you are working from plans in one scale (or no scale, as in many lines drawings found in old books,) you will be amazed at how you ever before lived without them. Yes, you can measure a distance and then punch that into a calculator and then measure off the result, over and over again, or you can set your dividers once and then simply measure the drawing at one end of the dividers and have the proportional distance simultaneously provided between the points of the other end of the dividers. It doesn't get any faster or simpler than that.

There's no such thing as too many tools and those pictured above are very nice, but before those were available, I just used a plain "cheapo" pin vise (the ones without the rotating knobs on the ends, etc.) into which I chucked the bit and then just chucked the whole pin vise in my drill press chuck. It worked like a charm. Unless precision drilling is required, as with very small holes to be threaded or where depth and perpendicularity is critical, I usually do all small diameter drilling by hand. I save a lot on drill bits that way! I also made up a ring clamp holder for my Foredom hand-pieces which mounts on the tool-post of my 12" Craftsman/Atlas lathe. The hand-pieces will accommodate fine size drill bits in collets or small chucks. The Foredom foot pedal can keep speeds down for delicate work (avoiding broken bits) and with the hand-piece in the cross-slide on the lathe, you can drill fine work very precisely and even use it as a tool-post grinder.

If you are going to accurately "weather" a ship model that has a copper sheathed bottom, there won't be any copper color to be seen. Even a new coppered bottom will, within a few weeks, turn to a verdigris green color. Once the vessel has been in the water for a few months, that will remain to some extent at the waterline, but below that it will be fouled with a lot of dark green and dark brown growth which will look almost black from a distance. For modeling purposes, if one wants the "used" look, rather than a pristine "as built" presentation, one might as well use paper sheets rather than the fancy copper foil the kit makers sell and paint it accordingly. Trying to achieve a "patina" on a copper bottom by treating the copper is a lot harder than just painting it. Even left alone, new copper will turn a pleasant, and accurate, brown color after it's been in the case for a few years. Take a look at the pennies in your pocket.

I have developed the habit of using "orange" shellac on all wood in a model, both as a primer or alone to depict bare wood. It protects against moisture as well as just about anything. "Orange" shellac will have a slight brownish tint, like a stain, and will darken, ultimately to a chocolate brown, with successive coats. The first coat will be flat, but additional coats will built up a gloss finish if desired. If the brown isn't to one's taste, there is also colorless "white" shellac. Shellac is dirt cheap, BTW, and thins with denatured alcohol. It can be wiped up, even after drying, or brushes cleaned, with alcohol. It can be buffed with an alcohol soaked rag and can be rubbed to a perfectly smooth finish with fine steel wool. Shellac was what the master furniture makers of old used, and likely the guys who build the Admiralty models as well, so you can't go too far wrong with it.

I guess this proves there is a lot of way to skin this cat! There is, however, a product made for the purpose that works wonderfully. It's called "Interlux Surfacing Putty" (the old timers also call it "glazing compound") and can be purchased for around $20 a pint at any marine chandlery. (Other paint companies make it as well, I'm sure.) It is intended for filling dents and dings (but not huge divots) when fairing boat topsides which are to be finished with gloss topcoat. It is about the thickness of "thin peanut butter" and can be further thinned with acetone. As it is acetone-thinned, it dries very quickly. It will dry and skin over in the can if the can is left open long. This can be cured if it happens by adding a small amount of acetone to the can, storing the can upside down overnight, and then stirring well to reconstitute the original thickness. This stuff sands like a hot knife going through butter and will quickly fair in any defects. I wouldn't be too quick to use Bondo, which is fine for metal, but is hygroscopic and can let go sometimes when used on wood. Elmer's and filler has the drawback that Elmer's doesn't sand very well and will gum up paper quickly. Epoxy and micro-balloons works well enough, but is messy and you have to fiddle with the epoxy mixing. One huge advantage of Surfacing Putty's ease of sanding is that you don't run the risk of sanding low spots into your surface while trying to fair the spot you've put it on.

No question, if you are having problems with brush strokes, your paint is too thick. Experiment with your non-oil based paints to see what solvent will work best. I've had good results with denatured alcohol for acrylics. Multiple thin coats are better than fewer thick coats. The old "Dio-sol" thinned Floquil paints were wonderful, in that they had a high, and very fine, pigment content and so could be thinned while still retaining much of their "covering" ability. The water based crap the eco-regulators have imposed upon us (drying paint fumes harm the environment, don't ya know) is nothing near the quality of the "good stuff." Thin paint application and multiple coats is the answer. If the paint is thin enough and will "level" on its own, it shouldn't matter much what kind of brush you use, really, so long as you remember: "synthetic bristles for water-based paint and natural bristles for oil-based paint."

"Yellow metal" guns were made of what came to be called "naval brass," which is actually a bronze. (Copper and tin.) Never brass. (Copper and zinc.) Bronze oxidizes to a dark brown color and needs no further maintenance. While bronze can be polished, it is quite a job and given the good looks of "natural bronze" in the marine environment, it's hard to believe any captain would paint a bronze cannon. Iron cannon might be painted black (or "blacked" with lampblack and oil,) but as bronze cannon were prized as "finestkind," I doubt anyone would ever want to conceal that fact by painting it black. At small scale, however, (or at a distance,) cannon would appear black in any event.

Try going to your local pet store. They all sell bovine large bones in a variety of sizes. You can get "knuckles" or long bones, thoroughly sterilized and shrink wrapped. They usually vary a bit in size. You can pick your favorite shapes as needed and they are inexpensive. They come in "regular" and "smoked." The smoked are brown colored. Get the plain regular white ones. (Your dog will love the smoked ones, but you don't want Rover chewing up your model!) Similarly avoid those that may have peanut butter or other tasty stuff stuffed inside of them.

Sold for $560 high bid.

Google "foot operated treadle scroll saw" or "treadle jig saw." You'll find more than you ever wanted to know about converting old treadle sewing machine bases to scroll saws. You may find some time saving answers there.

The one rigging tool I find indispensable is the ear polypus forceps. (Google it to see what they look like.) Nothing can reach inside the shrouds and grab a line better..

Just hearsay here, but I've heard nothing but good things about them over the years. Little Machine Shop seems to be oriented towards serious machinists, which is a good thing. They have a wide range of machines and tooling. It's a demanding market. If an outfit isn't pretty good, they aren't going to be in business long and TMS has been around for a while now. As for buying Sherline, or any "micro" machines, I'd offer the observation that it's really important to get as much information up front as possible. (Which you are doing here.) I'd suggest you check out the "home shop machinist" type forums and ask your questions there. Those guys have a huge amount of knowledge to share when it comes to machine tools. While I won't call myself a machinist by any stretch of the imagination, the advice I got was to get the biggest machine I could fit in my shop (and afford) and to get good used "old Amurricun 'arn" which is a lot less expensive than questionable new Chinese stuff. I scored a late-model Craftsman/Atlas 12" X 42" with all the tooling anybody could hope for thanks to Craigslist and I've been very happy with it. (The tooling it came with is probably worth three or four times what the lathe itself is worth.) I paid probably a third of what a basic Sherline or Taig set up would run. The Atlas isn't the top choice for doing serious production machining because it is somewhat light weight for a 12X lathe, but it's entirely serviceable if you don't get impatient and try taking 1/4" cuts! It does anything I need for modeling, as well as general shop use and properly set up is as accurate as I will ever be able to need.. The big advantage is that the tooling is standard and readily available. There's plenty for sale used as well, which means big savings. Figure to spend at least as much on even basic tooling as you do on the machine itself. That's where the problems I've heard of arise with the Sherline and Taig type of machinery. Sherline's tooling, at least when I checked it out, was pretty much all proprietary. In other words, if you want a widget, you will have to by a Sherline widget because none of the standard widgets will fit on your Sherline machine. That makes the Sherline hugely more expensive. Somebody may want the Sherline and that makes the expensive justifiable for them, of course. I'm not saying Sherline makes a poor machine, one way or the other, but If you buy a machine that is based on standard tooling, i.e. standard Morse tapers, standard T-nuts and so on, you will probably be a lot happier and a lot richer. The thing to remember about machine tools is that an accurate big machine will do small work, but a small machine can't do big work and the small machines don't cost all that much less, either.

Yep, sounds like what we call "contact cement" here in the US.

I hear you! I've encountered the same problem. The fact is, most of the "tools," using the term loosely, that are offered by "modeling" mail order houses are bottom-of-the-line junk. (Yes, that means you, Model Expo and Micro-Mark!) I can't blame them that much, though, because good tools are always expensive to buy, but cheaper in the long run. Tool buyers are often new to a craft and hesitant to lay out the big bucks, so the retailers offer what sells... and often at rather high prices when all is said and done. If I were in the market for a jeweler's saw, I'd go to any of the big commercial jeweler's supply houses. In fact, that's where I go for any miniature tools these days. I've found Otto Frei to have a particularly nice selection. Here's their saw page: http://www.ottofrei.com/Store/Saw-blades-and-Saw-Frames/ Rules for buying tools: 1) Never buy a tool unless you really need it. 2) If you are going to use the tool more than once, buy the best one you can possibly afford. It will hold its value, be a joy to own, and improve your craftsmanship because you won't be able to blame your shortcomings on your tools! Buying the best is always the most economical way to go, unless you know a cheapo throw-away tool will serve the purpose in the short haul. And, if you amass a nice collection of really good tools, they will hold their value and perhaps make your widow's cleaning out your shop worth her while!

Try this one for limited production runs. Perhaps it will work. (It will depend on the metal you want to cut the disks out of.) Take a piece of tubing made of metal harder than the metal you want to cut your disk out of. (Or, at least, anneal the disk material, which you should probably do in any event.) The tubing should have an inside diameter the same as the size of the disk you want. Cut the tubing square across (or grind the end flat.) Then grind the edge of the tubing at about 60 degrees, forming a sharp edge at the end of the tubing, which will be a circle the same size as the inside diameter, and hence the same size as the disk you want. Put the tubing in your drill press. (Put it far enough in the chuck that it will not "whip" or flex.) Put your disk material on a block of wood. Drill the disk material with the tubing "hollow point drill" you have made. Apply pressure slowly and evenly, but not so much that you deflect the disk sheet material. (Rig an effective method of holding the disk material sheet.) Use lubricating oil (WD-40 should be fine.) You should be able to cut a disk the same diameter of the inside of the tube every time. Keeping the cutting edge of the tube at right angles to the disk material goes a long way towards ensuring success. When you've got enough disks, remove the tube and poke the stack of disks out of the "hollow point drill" tube. I've done this frequently with a variety of materials, but can't ensure it will work with the material you are using. The keys are having a harder "drill" than the material you are cutting and patience.

Yes, dust vacuums do have their place and if you are extensively using power tools they become something of a necessity unless you can work outdoors or have fans that will circulate the air, and thus the micro-dust, out of your shop. That said, the problem of dust is hugely reduced in direct proportion to the reduction in power tool use. A sander is not really a shaper, but most use them for this purpose. On the other hand, for example, a plane takes a shaving that doesn't add a bit of dust to the air. A knife or a chisel doesn't add dust to the air, either. On the other hand, a router, table saw, wood lathe and so on make a real mess! It's a bit of a trade off, I suppose.

Yep, silicone sprays are death to fine finishes in the shop environment. The silicone "dust" gets into the air and settles on things. Then it transfers to the finish surfaces and coatings (particularly varnish) will form "fisheyes" wherever they come in contact with the slightest bit of silicone. (It seems to affect the surface tension of the coating material.) Just don't go there!

Not to hurt feelings here, but... Those of us "of a certain age" can remember the time when every boy's education in how to hone and dress a fine edge on a cutting tool began around age seven or eight when he was given his first pocket knife, an item of personal kit every male carried in his pocket for the rest of his life. Sadly, with all the metal detectors around, few men carry pocket knives anymore and few mother's would tolerate their seven year old son having a pocket knife of his own. (I suppose they are strictly forbidden on the grounds of any grammar school these days. Parents today seem ignorant of the fact that what "can put your eye out!" is really the most fun when you're a kid.) Consequently, outfits like the good folks at Lee Valley have made quite a business of selling all sorts of slick gizmos that promise to ensure success in an endeavor which, up to maybe fifty years ago, most kids had mastered by age ten or twelve. Strange how one generation can master operating a personal computer without a second thought, but can't sharpen an edged tool without all sorts of guides and machines and so on. Honing guides are like training wheels on a bicycle. They ensure greater success on a first effort by the inexperienced, but encourage dependence. I'd encourage folks to take off the "training wheels" and learn to sharpen "freehand." It is an easily acquired skill, regardless of whether you rely on an Arkansas stone, a Japanese waterstone, a "diamond" stone, or even a piece of emery or aluminum oxide paper taped to the (flat) top of a table saw or whatever and giving it a few licks on a strop or steel. There's lots of instructional videos on YouTube for those who don't have grandfathers to show them how to sharpen an edge and fettle and adjust a plane, spokeshave, or whatever. (The trick is "feeling" for when the bevel is flat on the abrasive surface and keeping it there.) This was the second thing any apprentice learned, after how to sweep the floor. You can spend lots of money on electric shop vacuum systems, honing guides and machines and the like, or serve an "apprenticeship" learning the basics instead of buying tools sold to make people believe they will make them better craftsmen. Unfortunately, the woodworking hobby seems to be going the way of golf, where slick marketers are always trying to sell you a club that's going to improve your game. Don't let them play you for a sucker! (Okay, rant over!)

It sure looks like it would be relatively easy to find a straight knife blade that would serve as well, or grind the teeth off of an old piece of saw and sharpen that. Myself, I've found a standard "paper cutter" to work quite well for cutting straight edges from veneer sheet and the like.

It's obviously a poor second to the Horror Fright "Mini Mite table saw" alternative. (Sorry, this site won't permit pasting the URL... go to "Harbor Freight" on-line catalog and use their search box.) I have one of those and it's pretty much gutless for sawing and offers poor accuracy unless you want to start modifying it. It lists for $37, but with the usual Harbor Freight discount coupons and all, can probably be had for $29. Comes with regular and a diamond edged blades about 4" or so. I bought it on a whim to play with. I ultimately cut a flat disk to mount on the arbor and glued sandpaper to it. It makes a serviceable disk sander, but I wouldn't advise expecting much from it as a table saw.

I've previously encountered overheating problems with battery powered Dremel tools. Not related to this recall, but my wife used a rechargeable Dremel with a sanding drum to manicure her show dogs' toe nails. (It's a common practice in that endeavor. ... sheesh! Don't get me started!) This required continuous running under load for five minutes or more and the battery contacts would heat up and melt. Obviously, this wasn't one of the "1001 Things You Can Do with Your Dremel Tool." After exchanging a few burned up batteries, she "confiscated" by corded Dremel. I still have the battery one, but rarely, if ever, use it. When she took my corded Dremel, it gave me an excuse to buy a Foredom system. As most probably know, there's just no comparison between the Dremel and the Foredom. While the Foredom is more expensive, of course, it will probably outlast a half-dozen Dremels.

A preventer on a larger vessel is as described and pictured above. In that application, there are far larger forces involved, and, as illustrated, many such applications on larger vessels are connected to the middle of the boom where they apply a stronger pull downward and also serve as vangs. That hasn't been my experience with the far smaller sailing craft. But, as they say, "different ships, different ropes."

Both blocks contain hooks. It certainly could be used as a gybe preventer, but that ignores the fact that there are reef clew line turning blocks on the aft end of the boom, yet no other cleat upon which to belay them. There is an eye at the end of the boom to which the main clew could be fastened, which would permit the tackle to be used as both a preventer (when the main was fully set) or a reef clew tackle when sail was shortened. My money remains on it being a clew reefing tackle, though. Preventers are generally single part lines without any blocks for purchase. They are not set up to haul under tension, but rather just tied off once the main boom is run out on a run and cast off before hardening up or commencing a controlled gybe. They aren't intended to apply any forward tension to the boom, but rather to simply prevent the boom from swinging aft. Also, any rigger worth his salt wouldn't use a full length tackle as pictured even if he wanted purchase on a gybe preventer. It would be a waste of line. He'd run a pendant from the end of the boom and then clap on a short tackle (a "handy billy") only long enough to provide the purchase. There'd be no point to using up all that line running through the blocks to the extreme ends of the attachment points. Capice? Gybe preventers are not to be confused with boom downhauls rigged on modern jib-headed mainsails, which are intended to pull down on the boom to flatten the main on a reach or run and so do require purchase.

I saw a "waxing" sign in the window of a beauty parlor the other day and asked them if they did ship model rigging and all I got was a blank stare. You should wax because: It eliminates the "fuzz" so your rigging will appear true to scale. It tends to seal the thread and prevent its holding moisture ambient in the air. It makes the thread stiffer, which can be a help in forming catenaries when portraying slack lines. It can make threading the thread through holes easier as it makes the thread stiffer, although dipping the end of a thread in CA glue these days will turn the end of a thread into its own "needle" and is easily clipped off when the threading is done. Beeswax will eventually dry to a hard surface which won't hold dust, but if you don't put your model in a case, it probably isn't going to last long enough for dust to be a problem. I simply draw the thread over a block of pure beeswax several passes and then between my thumb and forefinger to remove any excess and even out the application. Always has worked for me.