Bob Cleek

To make a living selling milled dimensioned modeling wood, yes, but that's only because the consumers are hung up on three or four now-exotic (over-harvested) species that were once plentiful and commonly used. To become a self-sufficient modeler, all you really need is a good (i.e. a Byrnes) micro-table saw and perhaps a (Byrnes) thickness sander. Heavier machinery which saves much labor in reducing larger stock to modeling-sized billets can usually be begged or borrowed when that task occasionally arises. There are many great species for modeling that routinely end up in the chipper because they don't exist in size or quantity sufficient to make milling it on a commercial scale worthwhile. That certainly doesn't mean that commonly available woods like apple, persimmon, satin walnut, chestnut, holly and such aren't probably readily available for the scrounging at the municipal brush dump or by plying a friendly arborist with a bottle of Jack so he'll save you some of the good stuff when he comes across it. 

Try a test piece joint for this to see if you like it.  My preferred method is that I mix a small drop of black acrylic paint with PVA carpenters' glue, just enough to make it dark grey or black, but not enough to negate the purpose of the glue itself.  It leaves a distinct black seam and does not weaken the joint.   If any has seeped out it can be scraped and then sanded. 
 
Black tissue like that found in craft stores is very thin but shows the line well and is porous enough that the glue penetrates and does not significantly weaken the joint in my experience.
 
Allan

None that I can see. The practice of bedding faying surfaces with cloth and bedding compound leaves nothing to see but a very narrow seam the color of the bedding compound, if that. Unless a model were built to an unusually large scale, such a seam would be invisible at scale-viewing distances. Some modelers like to highlight their joints by the use of pencil lead, paint, or a sliver of black paper when building unpainted models. Pencil lead is quite sufficient. Paper is more time-consuming and, in my opinion, no more effective than other methods. Additionally, paper between the faying surfaces results in a weaker joint. (Paper between glued joints is a common way to create a temporary joint which can later be easily broken apart.) A careful study of "masterpiece" models in respected museum collections, close-up color photographs of many of which are now available online and in books, will assist a modeler in determining which details they might consider incorporating in their model truly contribute to a compelling impression of reality in miniature and which are inaccurate stylistic conventions which are popular from time to time with the modeling fraternity. 

Art,
 
I hesitate to post this since you’ve already spent $100, BUT, here goes.
 
A number of years ago, I got involved rebuilding wood canvas (Old Town) canoes.  These involve a lot of steam bending.  After jury rigs outdoors I finally set up a system that would be safe to use indoors.
 
Your steam generator will work well.  I used a Wagner PowerSteamer wallpaper steamer that is the same thing that you have, just a different color scheme.
 
After trying PVC pipe as a steam box I found that it would not withstand the heat from the steam.  It sagged badly.  I replaced it with a wooden box made from  4 1”x4” boards nailed together.  With a hinged lid on one end and a block of wood capping the other.  A galvanized threaded flange was fastened to the bottom and a threaded nipple was screwed into the flange that mated with the hose from the steam generator.  A small hole was drilled into the bottom as a drain.  
 
The hinged door allowed me to quickly open the box to pull out wood.  The steam can burn you quickly so you will need some sort of tongs.  Another advantage of the wooden box is that it leaks!  This allows circulation of hot steam within the box and ensures no buildup of pressure within the system.
 
If you have adequate circulation in and out of the box, I don’t see a need for either pressure or temperature gages.  Water at atmospheric pressure boils at 212F, and you don’t want a closed system.
 
Roger
 
 

Somewhere here on the board already posted by someone else, but I do not find the original source, here a copy from the document how the Royal Navy was doing the hammocks (thanks to the original poster!!!) http://files.homepagemodules.de/b564537/f129t1616p17024n2.pdf     Two drawings out of Brays Album from NMM PAJ1992 http://collections.rmg.co.uk/mediaLib/400/media-400304/large.jpg PAJ1989 http://collections.rmg.co.uk/mediaLib/676/media-676424/large.jpg    
  This is what Nares, Commander R.N. wrote in 1868  http://archive.org/stream/seamanship00acadgoog#page/n222/mode/2upPage 85
      And here the US Navy in 1915 doing it still the same way http://www.filmpreservation.org/preserved-films/screening-room/u-s-navy-documentary-1915 see 8:40    Here 2 stills  
 

 
Gruß, Daniel

None that I can see. The practice of bedding faying surfaces with cloth and bedding compound leaves nothing to see but a very narrow seam the color of the bedding compound, if that. Unless a model were built to an unusually large scale, such a seam would be invisible at scale-viewing distances. Some modelers like to highlight their joints by the use of pencil lead, paint, or a sliver of black paper when building unpainted models. Pencil lead is quite sufficient. Paper is more time-consuming and, in my opinion, no more effective than other methods. Additionally, paper between the faying surfaces results in a weaker joint. (Paper between glued joints is a common way to create a temporary joint which can later be easily broken apart.) A careful study of "masterpiece" models in respected museum collections, close-up color photographs of many of which are now available online and in books, will assist a modeler in determining which details they might consider incorporating in their model truly contribute to a compelling impression of reality in miniature and which are inaccurate stylistic conventions which are popular from time to time with the modeling fraternity. 

None that I can see. The practice of bedding faying surfaces with cloth and bedding compound leaves nothing to see but a very narrow seam the color of the bedding compound, if that. Unless a model were built to an unusually large scale, such a seam would be invisible at scale-viewing distances. Some modelers like to highlight their joints by the use of pencil lead, paint, or a sliver of black paper when building unpainted models. Pencil lead is quite sufficient. Paper is more time-consuming and, in my opinion, no more effective than other methods. Additionally, paper between the faying surfaces results in a weaker joint. (Paper between glued joints is a common way to create a temporary joint which can later be easily broken apart.) A careful study of "masterpiece" models in respected museum collections, close-up color photographs of many of which are now available online and in books, will assist a modeler in determining which details they might consider incorporating in their model truly contribute to a compelling impression of reality in miniature and which are inaccurate stylistic conventions which are popular from time to time with the modeling fraternity. 

Plank widths would also vary depending upon the amount of curve to the frames. The lower planks below the curve of the bilge were called the "broads" because the flatter shape of the hull permitted wider planks without the need for extensive backing out to shape the plank to match the curve of the frame.

None that I can see. The practice of bedding faying surfaces with cloth and bedding compound leaves nothing to see but a very narrow seam the color of the bedding compound, if that. Unless a model were built to an unusually large scale, such a seam would be invisible at scale-viewing distances. Some modelers like to highlight their joints by the use of pencil lead, paint, or a sliver of black paper when building unpainted models. Pencil lead is quite sufficient. Paper is more time-consuming and, in my opinion, no more effective than other methods. Additionally, paper between the faying surfaces results in a weaker joint. (Paper between glued joints is a common way to create a temporary joint which can later be easily broken apart.) A careful study of "masterpiece" models in respected museum collections, close-up color photographs of many of which are now available online and in books, will assist a modeler in determining which details they might consider incorporating in their model truly contribute to a compelling impression of reality in miniature and which are inaccurate stylistic conventions which are popular from time to time with the modeling fraternity. 

Plank widths would also vary depending upon the amount of curve to the frames. The lower planks below the curve of the bilge were called the "broads" because the flatter shape of the hull permitted wider planks without the need for extensive backing out to shape the plank to match the curve of the frame.

Heavy duty bending equipment suggests serious bending is contemplated.
 
I apologize for the inappropriate anthropomorphic terminology, it just is easier.
 
Wood wants to bend thru the thin dimension.
But for sharp bends pay attention to the grain,  if it is not parallel it may delaminate.
Wood does not want to bend thru the thick dimension.  It will try to spring back forever. It will tend to twist.
 
This means that for parts like rails, it is a better choice to follow prototype practice.  The method is to spill the shape from a much wider plank and assemble it in pieces.  Most kits do not supply the necessary wide stock, so a third party supplier is needed.

Why is a Ferrari better than a Corvette? :D  There is no comparison between any of the Byrnes Model Machines (I have all three) and anything else on the market. (I've pretty much seen them all.)  Read all the reviews on this forum, and others. I've never seen anything other than rave reviews on Byrnes tools.
 
As for the saw,

1.  Quality of construction is unsurpassed. The fit and finish is perfection. There isn't a piece of plastic anywhere on the thing, except maybe the insulation on the power cord and the shop vacuum hose spud. They are made in a small workshop by a master machinist, not a mass production factory with unskilled labor, and it really shows. 
 
2.  The machine is made of CNC-machined parts and nobody else can match its accuracy tolerances. Order one with the micrometer fence adjustment, the machine's tolerances are finer than your eyesight.
 
3.  Order the cross-cut table, and you will have a machine that can do whatever you need in terms of straight cuts in wood or light metals at a level of precision you can't get anywhere else.
 
4.  The saw takes four inch blades. Most all of the competitors take three inch blades. The extra inch of cutting capacity alone should convince anyone the Byrnes saw is the one to have.
 
5.  It has much more power than the other micro-saws. This is very significant. The other saws can zip through balsa and basswood as well as a Byrnes saw, but when it comes to hard woods, they often struggle. The Byrnes saw isn't a "hobby tool," it's a very serious piece of professional grade machinery.
 
6.  It's made in the USA and you can pick up the phone and actually talk to the guy who makes them. When ordering, you can have your saw configured exactly as you wish, e.g. extended table, tilt table, accessory choices, and end up with a "bespoke" machine. If you call, I'm sure Jim Byrnes will be happy to advise you how to best configure your saw to do exactly what you want to do with it.
 
7.  How often do you buy a tool that makes you feel good just looking at it? The Byrnes saw is the Purdey shotgun of small table saws.

Why is a Ferrari better than a Corvette? :D  There is no comparison between any of the Byrnes Model Machines (I have all three) and anything else on the market. (I've pretty much seen them all.)  Read all the reviews on this forum, and others. I've never seen anything other than rave reviews on Byrnes tools.
 
As for the saw,

1.  Quality of construction is unsurpassed. The fit and finish is perfection. There isn't a piece of plastic anywhere on the thing, except maybe the insulation on the power cord and the shop vacuum hose spud. They are made in a small workshop by a master machinist, not a mass production factory with unskilled labor, and it really shows. 
 
2.  The machine is made of CNC-machined parts and nobody else can match its accuracy tolerances. Order one with the micrometer fence adjustment, the machine's tolerances are finer than your eyesight.
 
3.  Order the cross-cut table, and you will have a machine that can do whatever you need in terms of straight cuts in wood or light metals at a level of precision you can't get anywhere else.
 
4.  The saw takes four inch blades. Most all of the competitors take three inch blades. The extra inch of cutting capacity alone should convince anyone the Byrnes saw is the one to have.
 
5.  It has much more power than the other micro-saws. This is very significant. The other saws can zip through balsa and basswood as well as a Byrnes saw, but when it comes to hard woods, they often struggle. The Byrnes saw isn't a "hobby tool," it's a very serious piece of professional grade machinery.
 
6.  It's made in the USA and you can pick up the phone and actually talk to the guy who makes them. When ordering, you can have your saw configured exactly as you wish, e.g. extended table, tilt table, accessory choices, and end up with a "bespoke" machine. If you call, I'm sure Jim Byrnes will be happy to advise you how to best configure your saw to do exactly what you want to do with it.
 
7.  How often do you buy a tool that makes you feel good just looking at it? The Byrnes saw is the Purdey shotgun of small table saws.

Thank you to all who replied to my question. Being new to ship modeling, I have much to learn. One thing I have learned in my over 35 years of cabinet making is, the very best tools, coupled with the right blades, makes for a much more accurate and enjoyable building experience. Having said that, there is also something to be said about the mind that demands excellence. 
I'm looking forward to getting my own Byrnes saw. I'm falling in love with my new ship building hobby. And I greatly admire the caliber of skill and excellence that is displayed within these pages. Thanks again for giving me some of your time.
Much appreciation,        Robert 🙂

As a deckie who has used the davit system for lowering/raising such an anchor  I would suggest the aft position is due to the stays. It would be extremely difficult to raise the anchor inside them especially with any kind of rocking.
 
The process is to lower the anchor on the falls while taking in chain with the windlass until the anchor is hanging on the chain just below the hawse pipe. The falls are then detached and the anchor lowered. The retrieval operation is the opposite. That being the case the falls must have quite a length of line to reach that far forward.
 
It's interesting to note that the falls are not stowed attached to the lifting eye on the anchor shaft, rather to an eye on the pin rail. On Waratah it's not as pretty but the falls are stowed hooked to the lifting strap on the anchor.
 

Why is a Ferrari better than a Corvette? :D  There is no comparison between any of the Byrnes Model Machines (I have all three) and anything else on the market. (I've pretty much seen them all.)  Read all the reviews on this forum, and others. I've never seen anything other than rave reviews on Byrnes tools.
 
As for the saw,

1.  Quality of construction is unsurpassed. The fit and finish is perfection. There isn't a piece of plastic anywhere on the thing, except maybe the insulation on the power cord and the shop vacuum hose spud. They are made in a small workshop by a master machinist, not a mass production factory with unskilled labor, and it really shows. 
 
2.  The machine is made of CNC-machined parts and nobody else can match its accuracy tolerances. Order one with the micrometer fence adjustment, the machine's tolerances are finer than your eyesight.
 
3.  Order the cross-cut table, and you will have a machine that can do whatever you need in terms of straight cuts in wood or light metals at a level of precision you can't get anywhere else.
 
4.  The saw takes four inch blades. Most all of the competitors take three inch blades. The extra inch of cutting capacity alone should convince anyone the Byrnes saw is the one to have.
 
5.  It has much more power than the other micro-saws. This is very significant. The other saws can zip through balsa and basswood as well as a Byrnes saw, but when it comes to hard woods, they often struggle. The Byrnes saw isn't a "hobby tool," it's a very serious piece of professional grade machinery.
 
6.  It's made in the USA and you can pick up the phone and actually talk to the guy who makes them. When ordering, you can have your saw configured exactly as you wish, e.g. extended table, tilt table, accessory choices, and end up with a "bespoke" machine. If you call, I'm sure Jim Byrnes will be happy to advise you how to best configure your saw to do exactly what you want to do with it.
 
7.  How often do you buy a tool that makes you feel good just looking at it? The Byrnes saw is the Purdey shotgun of small table saws.

Why is a Ferrari better than a Corvette? :D  There is no comparison between any of the Byrnes Model Machines (I have all three) and anything else on the market. (I've pretty much seen them all.)  Read all the reviews on this forum, and others. I've never seen anything other than rave reviews on Byrnes tools.
 
As for the saw,

1.  Quality of construction is unsurpassed. The fit and finish is perfection. There isn't a piece of plastic anywhere on the thing, except maybe the insulation on the power cord and the shop vacuum hose spud. They are made in a small workshop by a master machinist, not a mass production factory with unskilled labor, and it really shows. 
 
2.  The machine is made of CNC-machined parts and nobody else can match its accuracy tolerances. Order one with the micrometer fence adjustment, the machine's tolerances are finer than your eyesight.
 
3.  Order the cross-cut table, and you will have a machine that can do whatever you need in terms of straight cuts in wood or light metals at a level of precision you can't get anywhere else.
 
4.  The saw takes four inch blades. Most all of the competitors take three inch blades. The extra inch of cutting capacity alone should convince anyone the Byrnes saw is the one to have.
 
5.  It has much more power than the other micro-saws. This is very significant. The other saws can zip through balsa and basswood as well as a Byrnes saw, but when it comes to hard woods, they often struggle. The Byrnes saw isn't a "hobby tool," it's a very serious piece of professional grade machinery.
 
6.  It's made in the USA and you can pick up the phone and actually talk to the guy who makes them. When ordering, you can have your saw configured exactly as you wish, e.g. extended table, tilt table, accessory choices, and end up with a "bespoke" machine. If you call, I'm sure Jim Byrnes will be happy to advise you how to best configure your saw to do exactly what you want to do with it.
 
7.  How often do you buy a tool that makes you feel good just looking at it? The Byrnes saw is the Purdey shotgun of small table saws.

Why is a Ferrari better than a Corvette? :D  There is no comparison between any of the Byrnes Model Machines (I have all three) and anything else on the market. (I've pretty much seen them all.)  Read all the reviews on this forum, and others. I've never seen anything other than rave reviews on Byrnes tools.
 
As for the saw,

1.  Quality of construction is unsurpassed. The fit and finish is perfection. There isn't a piece of plastic anywhere on the thing, except maybe the insulation on the power cord and the shop vacuum hose spud. They are made in a small workshop by a master machinist, not a mass production factory with unskilled labor, and it really shows. 
 
2.  The machine is made of CNC-machined parts and nobody else can match its accuracy tolerances. Order one with the micrometer fence adjustment, the machine's tolerances are finer than your eyesight.
 
3.  Order the cross-cut table, and you will have a machine that can do whatever you need in terms of straight cuts in wood or light metals at a level of precision you can't get anywhere else.
 
4.  The saw takes four inch blades. Most all of the competitors take three inch blades. The extra inch of cutting capacity alone should convince anyone the Byrnes saw is the one to have.
 
5.  It has much more power than the other micro-saws. This is very significant. The other saws can zip through balsa and basswood as well as a Byrnes saw, but when it comes to hard woods, they often struggle. The Byrnes saw isn't a "hobby tool," it's a very serious piece of professional grade machinery.
 
6.  It's made in the USA and you can pick up the phone and actually talk to the guy who makes them. When ordering, you can have your saw configured exactly as you wish, e.g. extended table, tilt table, accessory choices, and end up with a "bespoke" machine. If you call, I'm sure Jim Byrnes will be happy to advise you how to best configure your saw to do exactly what you want to do with it.
 
7.  How often do you buy a tool that makes you feel good just looking at it? The Byrnes saw is the Purdey shotgun of small table saws.

Why is a Ferrari better than a Corvette? :D  There is no comparison between any of the Byrnes Model Machines (I have all three) and anything else on the market. (I've pretty much seen them all.)  Read all the reviews on this forum, and others. I've never seen anything other than rave reviews on Byrnes tools.
 
As for the saw,

1.  Quality of construction is unsurpassed. The fit and finish is perfection. There isn't a piece of plastic anywhere on the thing, except maybe the insulation on the power cord and the shop vacuum hose spud. They are made in a small workshop by a master machinist, not a mass production factory with unskilled labor, and it really shows. 
 
2.  The machine is made of CNC-machined parts and nobody else can match its accuracy tolerances. Order one with the micrometer fence adjustment, the machine's tolerances are finer than your eyesight.
 
3.  Order the cross-cut table, and you will have a machine that can do whatever you need in terms of straight cuts in wood or light metals at a level of precision you can't get anywhere else.
 
4.  The saw takes four inch blades. Most all of the competitors take three inch blades. The extra inch of cutting capacity alone should convince anyone the Byrnes saw is the one to have.
 
5.  It has much more power than the other micro-saws. This is very significant. The other saws can zip through balsa and basswood as well as a Byrnes saw, but when it comes to hard woods, they often struggle. The Byrnes saw isn't a "hobby tool," it's a very serious piece of professional grade machinery.
 
6.  It's made in the USA and you can pick up the phone and actually talk to the guy who makes them. When ordering, you can have your saw configured exactly as you wish, e.g. extended table, tilt table, accessory choices, and end up with a "bespoke" machine. If you call, I'm sure Jim Byrnes will be happy to advise you how to best configure your saw to do exactly what you want to do with it.
 
7.  How often do you buy a tool that makes you feel good just looking at it? The Byrnes saw is the Purdey shotgun of small table saws.

Why is a Ferrari better than a Corvette? :D  There is no comparison between any of the Byrnes Model Machines (I have all three) and anything else on the market. (I've pretty much seen them all.)  Read all the reviews on this forum, and others. I've never seen anything other than rave reviews on Byrnes tools.
 
As for the saw,

1.  Quality of construction is unsurpassed. The fit and finish is perfection. There isn't a piece of plastic anywhere on the thing, except maybe the insulation on the power cord and the shop vacuum hose spud. They are made in a small workshop by a master machinist, not a mass production factory with unskilled labor, and it really shows. 
 
2.  The machine is made of CNC-machined parts and nobody else can match its accuracy tolerances. Order one with the micrometer fence adjustment, the machine's tolerances are finer than your eyesight.
 
3.  Order the cross-cut table, and you will have a machine that can do whatever you need in terms of straight cuts in wood or light metals at a level of precision you can't get anywhere else.
 
4.  The saw takes four inch blades. Most all of the competitors take three inch blades. The extra inch of cutting capacity alone should convince anyone the Byrnes saw is the one to have.
 
5.  It has much more power than the other micro-saws. This is very significant. The other saws can zip through balsa and basswood as well as a Byrnes saw, but when it comes to hard woods, they often struggle. The Byrnes saw isn't a "hobby tool," it's a very serious piece of professional grade machinery.
 
6.  It's made in the USA and you can pick up the phone and actually talk to the guy who makes them. When ordering, you can have your saw configured exactly as you wish, e.g. extended table, tilt table, accessory choices, and end up with a "bespoke" machine. If you call, I'm sure Jim Byrnes will be happy to advise you how to best configure your saw to do exactly what you want to do with it.
 
7.  How often do you buy a tool that makes you feel good just looking at it? The Byrnes saw is the Purdey shotgun of small table saws.

Why is a Ferrari better than a Corvette? :D  There is no comparison between any of the Byrnes Model Machines (I have all three) and anything else on the market. (I've pretty much seen them all.)  Read all the reviews on this forum, and others. I've never seen anything other than rave reviews on Byrnes tools.
 
As for the saw,

1.  Quality of construction is unsurpassed. The fit and finish is perfection. There isn't a piece of plastic anywhere on the thing, except maybe the insulation on the power cord and the shop vacuum hose spud. They are made in a small workshop by a master machinist, not a mass production factory with unskilled labor, and it really shows. 
 
2.  The machine is made of CNC-machined parts and nobody else can match its accuracy tolerances. Order one with the micrometer fence adjustment, the machine's tolerances are finer than your eyesight.
 
3.  Order the cross-cut table, and you will have a machine that can do whatever you need in terms of straight cuts in wood or light metals at a level of precision you can't get anywhere else.
 
4.  The saw takes four inch blades. Most all of the competitors take three inch blades. The extra inch of cutting capacity alone should convince anyone the Byrnes saw is the one to have.
 
5.  It has much more power than the other micro-saws. This is very significant. The other saws can zip through balsa and basswood as well as a Byrnes saw, but when it comes to hard woods, they often struggle. The Byrnes saw isn't a "hobby tool," it's a very serious piece of professional grade machinery.
 
6.  It's made in the USA and you can pick up the phone and actually talk to the guy who makes them. When ordering, you can have your saw configured exactly as you wish, e.g. extended table, tilt table, accessory choices, and end up with a "bespoke" machine. If you call, I'm sure Jim Byrnes will be happy to advise you how to best configure your saw to do exactly what you want to do with it.
 
7.  How often do you buy a tool that makes you feel good just looking at it? The Byrnes saw is the Purdey shotgun of small table saws.

Why is a Ferrari better than a Corvette? :D  There is no comparison between any of the Byrnes Model Machines (I have all three) and anything else on the market. (I've pretty much seen them all.)  Read all the reviews on this forum, and others. I've never seen anything other than rave reviews on Byrnes tools.
 
As for the saw,

1.  Quality of construction is unsurpassed. The fit and finish is perfection. There isn't a piece of plastic anywhere on the thing, except maybe the insulation on the power cord and the shop vacuum hose spud. They are made in a small workshop by a master machinist, not a mass production factory with unskilled labor, and it really shows. 
 
2.  The machine is made of CNC-machined parts and nobody else can match its accuracy tolerances. Order one with the micrometer fence adjustment, the machine's tolerances are finer than your eyesight.
 
3.  Order the cross-cut table, and you will have a machine that can do whatever you need in terms of straight cuts in wood or light metals at a level of precision you can't get anywhere else.
 
4.  The saw takes four inch blades. Most all of the competitors take three inch blades. The extra inch of cutting capacity alone should convince anyone the Byrnes saw is the one to have.
 
5.  It has much more power than the other micro-saws. This is very significant. The other saws can zip through balsa and basswood as well as a Byrnes saw, but when it comes to hard woods, they often struggle. The Byrnes saw isn't a "hobby tool," it's a very serious piece of professional grade machinery.
 
6.  It's made in the USA and you can pick up the phone and actually talk to the guy who makes them. When ordering, you can have your saw configured exactly as you wish, e.g. extended table, tilt table, accessory choices, and end up with a "bespoke" machine. If you call, I'm sure Jim Byrnes will be happy to advise you how to best configure your saw to do exactly what you want to do with it.
 
7.  How often do you buy a tool that makes you feel good just looking at it? The Byrnes saw is the Purdey shotgun of small table saws.

I don't see why one couldn't use the process for brass as well, although I think it might be faster to build up thickness with copper and then brass, nickel, or gold plate the copper. In the days of real chrome trim on autos, I believe they plated the iron with copper and then the copper with chrome.  The plating process is the same for any metal, although the electrolyte mixtures may vary, I think. All the brass and copper fixtures on the old "boardroom models" of the great ocean liners were gold plated. It wasn't "realistic," as they were all painted on the prototypes, but it was a style in modeling at the time. 
 

Why is a Ferrari better than a Corvette? :D  There is no comparison between any of the Byrnes Model Machines (I have all three) and anything else on the market. (I've pretty much seen them all.)  Read all the reviews on this forum, and others. I've never seen anything other than rave reviews on Byrnes tools.
 
As for the saw,

1.  Quality of construction is unsurpassed. The fit and finish is perfection. There isn't a piece of plastic anywhere on the thing, except maybe the insulation on the power cord and the shop vacuum hose spud. They are made in a small workshop by a master machinist, not a mass production factory with unskilled labor, and it really shows. 
 
2.  The machine is made of CNC-machined parts and nobody else can match its accuracy tolerances. Order one with the micrometer fence adjustment, the machine's tolerances are finer than your eyesight.
 
3.  Order the cross-cut table, and you will have a machine that can do whatever you need in terms of straight cuts in wood or light metals at a level of precision you can't get anywhere else.
 
4.  The saw takes four inch blades. Most all of the competitors take three inch blades. The extra inch of cutting capacity alone should convince anyone the Byrnes saw is the one to have.
 
5.  It has much more power than the other micro-saws. This is very significant. The other saws can zip through balsa and basswood as well as a Byrnes saw, but when it comes to hard woods, they often struggle. The Byrnes saw isn't a "hobby tool," it's a very serious piece of professional grade machinery.
 
6.  It's made in the USA and you can pick up the phone and actually talk to the guy who makes them. When ordering, you can have your saw configured exactly as you wish, e.g. extended table, tilt table, accessory choices, and end up with a "bespoke" machine. If you call, I'm sure Jim Byrnes will be happy to advise you how to best configure your saw to do exactly what you want to do with it.
 
7.  How often do you buy a tool that makes you feel good just looking at it? The Byrnes saw is the Purdey shotgun of small table saws.

Most of these conundrums go by the boards once one becomes familiar with how wooden ships really appear. If one can't spend a lifetime on the waterfront, spending as much time as possible studying really great models in the better maritime museums is highly advisable, as is collecting as many books on the subject as one might have room for. The object of modeling is to create a convincing impression of the subject in miniature. If it doesn't look right, it isn't right. The trick is developing a trained eye for what a subject should look like at scale. The concept of scale viewing distance is important and often is overlooked. Scale viewing distance is best determined by asking, "If I were standing as far away from the real ship as would be necessary to make the real ship appear as small as the model, what details on the real ship would be visible? The most frequent mistake made seems to be models which have out of scale details that would not be visible at scale viewing distance. The biggest offenders seem to be copper plating tacks, deck planking seams, planking trunnels, rigging diameters, and most anything having to do with details on sails. If the model's scale viewing distance is seventy-five or a hundred yards, you certainly aren't going to be seeing much more than the most subtle hints of seams and roping on sails and certainly not individual coppering tacks. Reproducing the mere suggestion of those subtle details, where they are barely visible at scale viewing distance, is really where the modeler's artistic skills come into play and, generally, "less is more." If visualization isn't one's strong suit, a good rule of thumb is that at 1:96 scale (1/8" = foot)  any detail larger than one foot in size on the real vessel should be reproduced on the model and any less than one foot in size on the real vessel should be seriously considered for omission entirely if they cannot be reproduced accurately to scale. Similarly, on a 1:48 (1/4"=foot) scale model, details less than six inches in size should be omitted if they can't be reproduced to exact scale.