Bob Cleek

If your emphasis is on accuracy, a band saw isn't going to be a machine where you'll readily find it. On a band saw, "accuracy" is dependent more upon the operator's skill than anything else. If "tight curves" are anticipated, certainly at modeling scales, a good quality scroll saw is the tool for the job. The "tightness of curves" or "minimum radius of cut" of a given band saw blade can cut is dependent on the width of the blade. As indicated on the chart below, a 1/8" wide band saw blade will only cut minimum radius of 3/16" and, while I've never seen a 1/8" band saw blade, I expect it's a rare bird indeed. I expect it would require a band saw designed to do such fine work. On a standard 14" band saw, I expect a 1/8" blade would be quite prone to breaking. A scroll saw, on the other hand, is capable of cutting radii equal to half the width of the blade itself. 
 
Blade Width (Inches) Minimum Radius (Inches) 1/8 3/16 3/16 5/16 1/4 5/8 3/8 1-1/2 1/2 2-1/2 5/8 4 3/4 5-1/2 1 7  
 
It's a matter of preference, price point, and space available, I suppose, but, in my opinion, small bench top band saws aren't really all that practical. A good scroll saw will serve much better for short radius cutting, although perhaps with slightly less throat depth, which generally isn't an issue with tight curves. A table saw will cut straight lines easier than any band saw, too. For larger work, however, a "standard"  14" or larger band saw is really required and is also capable of accurate re-sawing if properly set up. As to which one to buy, the price points are generally indicative of quality. As with many stationary power tools these days, the retail distributors all sell essentially the same models, all built at the Revolutionary People's Patriotic Machine Tool Collective somewhere in China, but there is a difference in fit and finish, depending upon the distributor's specifications. When it comes to things like band saws, the used market is also worth checking out. It's not unusual to see quality machines in decent condition selling used for a fraction of their original price. Neither is it unusual to find older machines which are of much higher quality than the models now selling new.

"Experience begins when you start." Your beading and crocheting experience will have application in rigging ships, so you're already on your way. Enjoy!
 
Just start with something very simple and do the best job you can on that. There is a learning curve. The most common mistake most all make is biting off way more than you can chew. Square-rigged ship models aren't really the best choice for beginners. Try starting with a fore and aft rig first and work up to the complex rigs. (Don't ask me how I know this! Most of all of us have been there.)

"Experience begins when you start." Your beading and crocheting experience will have application in rigging ships, so you're already on your way. Enjoy!
 
Just start with something very simple and do the best job you can on that. There is a learning curve. The most common mistake most all make is biting off way more than you can chew. Square-rigged ship models aren't really the best choice for beginners. Try starting with a fore and aft rig first and work up to the complex rigs. (Don't ask me how I know this! Most of all of us have been there.)

You really can't ever have too many books! 
 
I really don't think there is an "essential" book for modelers. There have been many published over the years, many, if not most, repeating information written in their predecessors' books. Some are better than others, of course, but none are "essential." Reading any or all of them will provide a "tip" here and a "trick" there, none "essential," but together all helpful. A lot depends on the type of modeling you want to do. There's no point in buying a bunch of books on masting and rigging sailing ships if you want to build modern warship models.
 
If you are like most and want to do sailing ships, I'd say  you could probably do well picking up any of the better "how-to's" written in the last twenty years and you'd probably have the "basics." Then I'd suggest one haunt the used bookstores and online for good-condition used books at bargain prices.... The Anatomy of Nelson's Ships by Longridge (which has a lot of methods and techniques information in it,) anything by Charles Davis, anything by Howard I. Chapelle, and anything by Harold Underhill. Pick up copies or paperback reprints of Darcy Lever on seamanship and rigging, The Art of  Rigging by Biddlecomb, Masting and Rigging in the Days of the Spritsail Topmast (? this from memory.) Once you had most of those, you'd have a basic collection of the "classics." 

That micro-milling machine is sweet! It's a beautiful piece of "steam punk" engineering. I love it.

I have the Domanoff endless ropemaker. He has two or three ropemakers. I have the "top of the line" one that will make any kind of rope, three or four strand, cored or not, right or left hand twist.  Truth be told, I've only "played with it" thus far. I've just ordered a bunch of Gutermann Mara thread and I'll be getting more serious shortly. I would say it's a quality machine. Its well made, considering its made of plexiglas. It has a microprocessor control in the control box that is not at all intuitive. You must read  the instructions to know how to set it up and adjust it. (Adjustments are made by pushing the "emergency stop" button a certain number of times when the other controls are set in various configurations. You have to read the instruction manual to know the codes.
 
I found Alexy Domanoff a great guy to deal with. He walked me through setting mine up because I hadn't received the set up manual when i bought it  used from another fellow who never used it once. I would consider it in an entirely separate class from the Dominoff serving machine in terms of apparent construction quality. I'll find out how well it spins a lot of different sizes of rope soon. I expect to be happy with the result. I haven't heard any complaints about its performance. Nothing but good stuff.

I have the Domanoff endless ropemaker. He has two or three ropemakers. I have the "top of the line" one that will make any kind of rope, three or four strand, cored or not, right or left hand twist.  Truth be told, I've only "played with it" thus far. I've just ordered a bunch of Gutermann Mara thread and I'll be getting more serious shortly. I would say it's a quality machine. Its well made, considering its made of plexiglas. It has a microprocessor control in the control box that is not at all intuitive. You must read  the instructions to know how to set it up and adjust it. (Adjustments are made by pushing the "emergency stop" button a certain number of times when the other controls are set in various configurations. You have to read the instruction manual to know the codes.
 
I found Alexy Domanoff a great guy to deal with. He walked me through setting mine up because I hadn't received the set up manual when i bought it  used from another fellow who never used it once. I would consider it in an entirely separate class from the Dominoff serving machine in terms of apparent construction quality. I'll find out how well it spins a lot of different sizes of rope soon. I expect to be happy with the result. I haven't heard any complaints about its performance. Nothing but good stuff.

I have the Domanoff endless ropemaker. He has two or three ropemakers. I have the "top of the line" one that will make any kind of rope, three or four strand, cored or not, right or left hand twist.  Truth be told, I've only "played with it" thus far. I've just ordered a bunch of Gutermann Mara thread and I'll be getting more serious shortly. I would say it's a quality machine. Its well made, considering its made of plexiglas. It has a microprocessor control in the control box that is not at all intuitive. You must read  the instructions to know how to set it up and adjust it. (Adjustments are made by pushing the "emergency stop" button a certain number of times when the other controls are set in various configurations. You have to read the instruction manual to know the codes.
 
I found Alexy Domanoff a great guy to deal with. He walked me through setting mine up because I hadn't received the set up manual when i bought it  used from another fellow who never used it once. I would consider it in an entirely separate class from the Dominoff serving machine in terms of apparent construction quality. I'll find out how well it spins a lot of different sizes of rope soon. I expect to be happy with the result. I haven't heard any complaints about its performance. Nothing but good stuff.

That micro-milling machine is sweet! It's a beautiful piece of "steam punk" engineering. I love it.

That micro-milling machine is sweet! It's a beautiful piece of "steam punk" engineering. I love it.

That micro-milling machine is sweet! It's a beautiful piece of "steam punk" engineering. I love it.

Belated thanks, Gentlemen, again
 
Since the effective work surface on my workbench gradually had been reduced to around 20 cm x 20 cm, a decluttering action was urgently needed. On the now freed-up workbench I made two improvements to my workshop equipment that I had been planned for a long time:

Tilting model stand
Decades ago, together with some antique lathe parts, I had received a beautifully made cast-iron foot, the use of which had long been a mystery to me. At some point I found out that it was a table base for a small vice, that I unfortunately don't have. In my drawers there was lounging also one of these hand vices with a grid of holes to allow to clamp irregularly shaped parts with the help of short pins. I never had a proper use for it. But both parts together made a useful stand for models during construction. Unfortunately, this stand could not be tilted. In my treasure chest with 'scrap metal' was a clamp for tilting lamps in nicely cast brass. This piece offered itself to make the model stand tiltable. It was done with some modifications to the existing parts and a lathe-turned intermediate piece. Various M10 x 1 threads (standard lamp thread) were cut on the lathe for it. Fortunately, I also had such a tap.





Magnifier holder for the micro milling machine
It is handy to have a magnifying glass permanently installed on the milling machine. A suitable magnifying glass had come to me a long time ago as a promotional 'gift'. In the mentioned scrap treasure chest there was also the gooseneck of an old lamp and various lamp fittings. A connectiing piece to fit the magnifying glass with it M6 thread to gooseneck was turned on the lathe. The magnifying glass can now be rotated in the gooseneck.
Once we can reliably order again in China, I will get another 'angel eye', a ring equipped with LEDs, as they are sold for installation in car headlights. This makes for very nice ring light, as I had fabricated for the 'large' milling machine. Only that here the ring will be integrated into the magnifying glass, because there is not enough space around the milling spindle.





Work continued on the WESPE too, but of that later.  

Correct. Also, divider points and pen points will also be steel. Note the steel points in the K&E Paragon set pictured above.

Very neatly done Eberhard. I am surprised that the designers decided they needed so many ports, do you know why?

Beautiful boat Sir. fantastic work.  its a treat for eyes:) i have steamer in dreams to get built.   

helmsman stool

Correct. Also, divider points and pen points will also be steel. Note the steel points in the K&E Paragon set pictured above.

True, water is a no-no. However, I'd put a finer point on "most of the better quality drafting instruments" being brass.  The highest quality drafting instruments were made of cold rolled "German silver," which is sometimes called "nickel brass" which is 60% copper, 20% nickel, and 20% zinc. It's also sometimes called "nickel silver," or "cupronickel." German silver is within the category of brasses, but shouldn't be confused with common brass at all. Lower quality instruments will be chrome plated. Unlike chrome or nickel plating, German silver has a satin finish.  High quality sets, such as Keuffel and Esser's Paragon line and Dietzgen's Gem Union line, originally came with a flannel-type jeweler's polishing cloth such as made for polishing fine silverware.
 

Yes, but nearly all the finer threaded components will be steel.

True, water is a no-no. However, I'd put a finer point on "most of the better quality drafting instruments" being brass.  The highest quality drafting instruments were made of cold rolled "German silver," which is sometimes called "nickel brass" which is 60% copper, 20% nickel, and 20% zinc. It's also sometimes called "nickel silver," or "cupronickel." German silver is within the category of brasses, but shouldn't be confused with common brass at all. Lower quality instruments will be chrome plated. Unlike chrome or nickel plating, German silver has a satin finish.  High quality sets, such as Keuffel and Esser's Paragon line and Dietzgen's Gem Union line, originally came with a flannel-type jeweler's polishing cloth such as made for polishing fine silverware.
 

True, water is a no-no. However, I'd put a finer point on "most of the better quality drafting instruments" being brass.  The highest quality drafting instruments were made of cold rolled "German silver," which is sometimes called "nickel brass" which is 60% copper, 20% nickel, and 20% zinc. It's also sometimes called "nickel silver," or "cupronickel." German silver is within the category of brasses, but shouldn't be confused with common brass at all. Lower quality instruments will be chrome plated. Unlike chrome or nickel plating, German silver has a satin finish.  High quality sets, such as Keuffel and Esser's Paragon line and Dietzgen's Gem Union line, originally came with a flannel-type jeweler's polishing cloth such as made for polishing fine silverware.
 

True, water is a no-no. However, I'd put a finer point on "most of the better quality drafting instruments" being brass.  The highest quality drafting instruments were made of cold rolled "German silver," which is sometimes called "nickel brass" which is 60% copper, 20% nickel, and 20% zinc. It's also sometimes called "nickel silver," or "cupronickel." German silver is within the category of brasses, but shouldn't be confused with common brass at all. Lower quality instruments will be chrome plated. Unlike chrome or nickel plating, German silver has a satin finish.  High quality sets, such as Keuffel and Esser's Paragon line and Dietzgen's Gem Union line, originally came with a flannel-type jeweler's polishing cloth such as made for polishing fine silverware.
 

I have a number of these drawing instrument sets, the majority by Kern, from Switzerland (from when I was working as an information and technical illustrator - long before computers made real draughting skills redundant!). The best material to clean them with is jewellers rouge paste or red jewellers polishing compound, applied with an electric mini drill, with a final hand polish using lint free cloths. Never use anything remotely abrasive, even the finest grade steel wool, as this will damage the chrome plating. And certainly never use any acid-based cleaning liquid, regardless of how much it's been diluted. 

Trouble is a new motor powerful enough to run a planer can cost a couple hundred bucks.. I did see a nice little 4 in jointer mounted with a motor at an estate sale for $100 a couple months back. 
 

Yep. You can't beat "old 'arn." I have a four inch 1950 vintage Craftsman, made by King-Seely, I believe. It works great for shorter stock. A 6" jointer would handle larger stock better, but I don't use it for much more than three or four foot long stock. A 6" jointer is a relatively large machine.
 
I rarely joint raw wood down to square finished on all sides. I just joint it until I have a flat wide enough to then cut pieces off on the band or table saw. Putting a round piece of wood through a table saw gives me the heeby-jeebies. One little wobble and it's likely to be coming back at you.