Bob Cleek

Patience, Grasshopper.  
 
I checked their website and they've explained their current unavailability: 
 
We are temporarily closing the website to machine orders
to allow us some personal time with family, a vacation,
and time for shop maintenance and inventory.

Our current plan is to reopen some time in mid-September.

Until then, you may continue to order accessories for all
the machines - we're just not accepting orders for the machines
themselves because our equipment will be shut down
during this time period.
 
https://byrnesmodelmachines.com/contact5.html 
 
I certainly hope they are well and not for some other reason indisposed, even if the untimely demise of the Byrnes Model Machines company would probably cause the value of my Byrnes machines to skyrocket like fine art does when the artist is no longer able to paint any more.
 
From what I have always understood, Jim and Donna Byrnes run this little "mom and pop" machine shop where they build the Byrnes Model Machines. I expect they have an employee or three, but not a lot more. From all indications on MSW, if you phone the company, you will probably get Jim or Donna answering the phone. Amazon they ain't, but then again, try getting Jeff Bezos himself on the phone at work sometime!  
 
It's not a huge factory with machines rolling off the assembly line 24/7. There is a relatively small market for these specialty machines (which probably should more accurately be called "instruments!") These machines are practically custom-made, or as the Brits would say of their fine Saville Row suits, "bespoke." If they take time off for a vacation, and/or to clean up the shop and put things back in order at the expense of production, that's to be expected. Give them a call at 407.657.4663 during business hours, Florida time, or send an email through the "contact us" menu drop-down on your website and I expect somebody will be there to help you out. If not, wait a bit and see. It seems we get these "Where's Jim?" posts every time the poor guy and his wife try to get away for a little bit. 
 
That said, if you have decided to "pull the pin" on buying a Byrnes machine, I certainly can understand your frustration!  

If you can keep a straight razor sharp on a regular basis, you've already got it down. Don't worry about it. Just treat them like your razor and they'll stay sharp forever.

Over the years of shaving with a straight razor I have become pretty adapt to honing and stopping a razor. There was, of course, a learning curve but over that time I have acquired the stones and skill to do it.
I imagine, with time, a similar skill could be attained with these chisles.
Thank you for your thoughts and insights. 

Patience, Grasshopper.  
 
I checked their website and they've explained their current unavailability: 
 
We are temporarily closing the website to machine orders
to allow us some personal time with family, a vacation,
and time for shop maintenance and inventory.

Our current plan is to reopen some time in mid-September.

Until then, you may continue to order accessories for all
the machines - we're just not accepting orders for the machines
themselves because our equipment will be shut down
during this time period.
 
https://byrnesmodelmachines.com/contact5.html 
 
I certainly hope they are well and not for some other reason indisposed, even if the untimely demise of the Byrnes Model Machines company would probably cause the value of my Byrnes machines to skyrocket like fine art does when the artist is no longer able to paint any more.
 
From what I have always understood, Jim and Donna Byrnes run this little "mom and pop" machine shop where they build the Byrnes Model Machines. I expect they have an employee or three, but not a lot more. From all indications on MSW, if you phone the company, you will probably get Jim or Donna answering the phone. Amazon they ain't, but then again, try getting Jeff Bezos himself on the phone at work sometime!  
 
It's not a huge factory with machines rolling off the assembly line 24/7. There is a relatively small market for these specialty machines (which probably should more accurately be called "instruments!") These machines are practically custom-made, or as the Brits would say of their fine Saville Row suits, "bespoke." If they take time off for a vacation, and/or to clean up the shop and put things back in order at the expense of production, that's to be expected. Give them a call at 407.657.4663 during business hours, Florida time, or send an email through the "contact us" menu drop-down on your website and I expect somebody will be there to help you out. If not, wait a bit and see. It seems we get these "Where's Jim?" posts every time the poor guy and his wife try to get away for a little bit. 
 
That said, if you have decided to "pull the pin" on buying a Byrnes machine, I certainly can understand your frustration!  

You could come over to the dark side and scratch build a simple boat. 

The title of this thread is true of most tools, not just chisels.
 

I've decided that I am going to have the following epitaph engraved on my tombstone: "He who dies with the most tools wins." In over a half-century of collecting tools (and inheriting my father's collection of as many years of collecting, albeit that he had a lot more restraint and a lot less money than I do) I have to admit that my involvement in a very broad spectrum of the maritime trades, primarily as a hobbyist, has caused my 1500 square foot shop building to presently be full of tools and "stuff I can't throw away," that all of it is getting in the way of getting as much done as I'd like at the moment. So be forewarned! Tool "collecting" and 'book collecting" can easily become adjuncts to a ship modeling hobby that threaten to overshadow the modeling itself! Fortunately, I will be "deaccessioning" a lot of my collection ("junk," as my wife calls it) and remodeling my shop to permit more efficient use of it all.
 
That said, most modelers with any experience can go on at great length about their tools and those they continue to lust after. Most also can confess to their mistakes in buying tools that were of poor quality or which proved totally useless. The best motto to live by is never to buy a tool until you need it and, unless it is for a single use and nothing more, always buy the highest quality tool you can possibly afford. Low quality tools, of which there are far more available today than there were in the past, are the most expensive because you will find yourself having to buy them over and over again.
 
As others have pointed out, a basic set of ship modeling tools can be had quite inexpensively, except that they will limit you to some extent because a lot of the tasks you will encounter can be done much faster and more efficiently with more expensive powered tools although those come at progressively higher prices. You get what you pay for. Without getting into specific tools, I will say that most of the tools, hand or powered, offered for sale by vendors catering to the hobbyist market are overpriced for what they are and, although they may look the same, are of lower quality. (Certainly beware of any Asian import tools which are almost always sub par.) You will have to strike a balance between what you can afford (or want to waste money on) and what you actually need and/or will be of benefit to your modeling abilities. The secret to getting the most tool "bang for your buck" is in buying only the tools you need and buying the best tools you can afford.
 
So, for the moment, I suggest that you look to the online or mailed catalogs of outfits like MicroMark and Model Expo primarily for ideas about tools you may find helpful, and then compare those offerings to the offerings of vendors in other markets. Very often, very high-quality tools which you are looking for can be bought for the same or even less from vendors selling to the medical instrument and professional jewelry making markets. Look to Otto Frei Company and Rio Grande Jewelry Supply for quality modeling hand tools. Look to any of the many medical (surgical) instrument companies for things like scalpels which are similarly priced and exponentially better than the ubiquitous "hobby knives" from Xacto and the myriad of Chinese knockoffs of the Xacto line. Look also at eBay and similar "auction" sites for used medical instruments and other modeling tools. You will be amazed at what you can find for reasonable prices and high quality. [You will benefit from picking up some hemostats, suture needle holders (forceps,) and an "ear polypus" or two. (Google those up and learn.)] Keep in mind that used tools, particularly older ones in good condition, are almost always a bargain.
 
Your first stop in tool shopping should be the MSW "articles" section: https://thenrg.org/resource/articles and https://thenrg.org/articles/basic-tools. There's no need to waste bandwidth repeating the basics. Also review the ship modeling YouTube videos of Tom Lauria (use the YouTube search feature) and Kevin Kenny (an active MSW forumite) for their comments on various tools they have found helpful. (Kevin lives in Trinidad and Tobago and finds he has to by his tools elsewhere, so he "goes shopping" when he is in the US visiting relatives and his "unboxing" videos of what he has "scored" on his travels are most informative because he's obviously a guy who knows his tools.) Pay particular attention to master modeler Paul Budzig's website https://www.paulbudzik.com/scale-model-workshop-videos/scale-model-workshop-videos.html and all of his YouTube "Scale Model Workshop" videos. Paul, a dentist, really knows his tools and whatever you can glean there will stand you in good stead. Beware, however, of some of the other YouTubers who post ship modeling videos. Their abilities are, shall we say, "uneven," some being highly accomplished, others, well, not so much, and still others apparently more indebted to the tool manufacturers who send them tools to "review" than anything else. I expect you'll figure that out rather quickly as you watch them. 
 
One tool I will strongly suggest that you purchase at the outset which I don't hear mentioned a lot because it is fairly new on the scene and comes from the electronics assembly industry is the "QuadHands" "magnetic workbench" tool. This is the latest and best replacement for the widely available "Helping Hands" holder sometimes marketed as the "Third Hand." Its usefulness for small assemblies, silver soldering, spar-making, and rigging tasks should be immediately apparent. The "super deluxe" model with all the optional bells and whistles (particularly the  PanaVise option) is pictured below. The product line ranges from fifty bucks or so on up. Available from QuadHands directly or Amazon: https://www.quadhands.com/products/quadhands-deluxe-workbench Look at the product line and see what model best suits your needs. 
 
However, do not buy any other knock-off of this tool. It has been widely "pirated" by Chinese manufacturers, some of which even mimic the exact colors of the original. The value in the original 'real deal" version is in the quality of the alligator clips and other features and the quality of the flexible arms and magnets. (There is a big difference between cheap alligator clips and expensive ones!)

Whatever you do, don't waste even the three or four bucks that you'll see these offered for. Even the most expensive ones are total junk. (Don't ask me how I know this!)
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

I've decided that I am going to have the following epitaph engraved on my tombstone: "He who dies with the most tools wins." In over a half-century of collecting tools (and inheriting my father's collection of as many years of collecting, albeit that he had a lot more restraint and a lot less money than I do) I have to admit that my involvement in a very broad spectrum of the maritime trades, primarily as a hobbyist, has caused my 1500 square foot shop building to presently be full of tools and "stuff I can't throw away," that all of it is getting in the way of getting as much done as I'd like at the moment. So be forewarned! Tool "collecting" and 'book collecting" can easily become adjuncts to a ship modeling hobby that threaten to overshadow the modeling itself! Fortunately, I will be "deaccessioning" a lot of my collection ("junk," as my wife calls it) and remodeling my shop to permit more efficient use of it all.
 
That said, most modelers with any experience can go on at great length about their tools and those they continue to lust after. Most also can confess to their mistakes in buying tools that were of poor quality or which proved totally useless. The best motto to live by is never to buy a tool until you need it and, unless it is for a single use and nothing more, always buy the highest quality tool you can possibly afford. Low quality tools, of which there are far more available today than there were in the past, are the most expensive because you will find yourself having to buy them over and over again.
 
As others have pointed out, a basic set of ship modeling tools can be had quite inexpensively, except that they will limit you to some extent because a lot of the tasks you will encounter can be done much faster and more efficiently with more expensive powered tools although those come at progressively higher prices. You get what you pay for. Without getting into specific tools, I will say that most of the tools, hand or powered, offered for sale by vendors catering to the hobbyist market are overpriced for what they are and, although they may look the same, are of lower quality. (Certainly beware of any Asian import tools which are almost always sub par.) You will have to strike a balance between what you can afford (or want to waste money on) and what you actually need and/or will be of benefit to your modeling abilities. The secret to getting the most tool "bang for your buck" is in buying only the tools you need and buying the best tools you can afford.
 
So, for the moment, I suggest that you look to the online or mailed catalogs of outfits like MicroMark and Model Expo primarily for ideas about tools you may find helpful, and then compare those offerings to the offerings of vendors in other markets. Very often, very high-quality tools which you are looking for can be bought for the same or even less from vendors selling to the medical instrument and professional jewelry making markets. Look to Otto Frei Company and Rio Grande Jewelry Supply for quality modeling hand tools. Look to any of the many medical (surgical) instrument companies for things like scalpels which are similarly priced and exponentially better than the ubiquitous "hobby knives" from Xacto and the myriad of Chinese knockoffs of the Xacto line. Look also at eBay and similar "auction" sites for used medical instruments and other modeling tools. You will be amazed at what you can find for reasonable prices and high quality. [You will benefit from picking up some hemostats, suture needle holders (forceps,) and an "ear polypus" or two. (Google those up and learn.)] Keep in mind that used tools, particularly older ones in good condition, are almost always a bargain.
 
Your first stop in tool shopping should be the MSW "articles" section: https://thenrg.org/resource/articles and https://thenrg.org/articles/basic-tools. There's no need to waste bandwidth repeating the basics. Also review the ship modeling YouTube videos of Tom Lauria (use the YouTube search feature) and Kevin Kenny (an active MSW forumite) for their comments on various tools they have found helpful. (Kevin lives in Trinidad and Tobago and finds he has to by his tools elsewhere, so he "goes shopping" when he is in the US visiting relatives and his "unboxing" videos of what he has "scored" on his travels are most informative because he's obviously a guy who knows his tools.) Pay particular attention to master modeler Paul Budzig's website https://www.paulbudzik.com/scale-model-workshop-videos/scale-model-workshop-videos.html and all of his YouTube "Scale Model Workshop" videos. Paul, a dentist, really knows his tools and whatever you can glean there will stand you in good stead. Beware, however, of some of the other YouTubers who post ship modeling videos. Their abilities are, shall we say, "uneven," some being highly accomplished, others, well, not so much, and still others apparently more indebted to the tool manufacturers who send them tools to "review" than anything else. I expect you'll figure that out rather quickly as you watch them. 
 
One tool I will strongly suggest that you purchase at the outset which I don't hear mentioned a lot because it is fairly new on the scene and comes from the electronics assembly industry is the "QuadHands" "magnetic workbench" tool. This is the latest and best replacement for the widely available "Helping Hands" holder sometimes marketed as the "Third Hand." Its usefulness for small assemblies, silver soldering, spar-making, and rigging tasks should be immediately apparent. The "super deluxe" model with all the optional bells and whistles (particularly the  PanaVise option) is pictured below. The product line ranges from fifty bucks or so on up. Available from QuadHands directly or Amazon: https://www.quadhands.com/products/quadhands-deluxe-workbench Look at the product line and see what model best suits your needs. 
 
However, do not buy any other knock-off of this tool. It has been widely "pirated" by Chinese manufacturers, some of which even mimic the exact colors of the original. The value in the original 'real deal" version is in the quality of the alligator clips and other features and the quality of the flexible arms and magnets. (There is a big difference between cheap alligator clips and expensive ones!)

Whatever you do, don't waste even the three or four bucks that you'll see these offered for. Even the most expensive ones are total junk. (Don't ask me how I know this!)
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

No arguments from me on that point 👍🏼

The title of this thread is true of most tools, not just chisels.
 

I've decided that I am going to have the following epitaph engraved on my tombstone: "He who dies with the most tools wins." In over a half-century of collecting tools (and inheriting my father's collection of as many years of collecting, albeit that he had a lot more restraint and a lot less money than I do) I have to admit that my involvement in a very broad spectrum of the maritime trades, primarily as a hobbyist, has caused my 1500 square foot shop building to presently be full of tools and "stuff I can't throw away," that all of it is getting in the way of getting as much done as I'd like at the moment. So be forewarned! Tool "collecting" and 'book collecting" can easily become adjuncts to a ship modeling hobby that threaten to overshadow the modeling itself! Fortunately, I will be "deaccessioning" a lot of my collection ("junk," as my wife calls it) and remodeling my shop to permit more efficient use of it all.
 
That said, most modelers with any experience can go on at great length about their tools and those they continue to lust after. Most also can confess to their mistakes in buying tools that were of poor quality or which proved totally useless. The best motto to live by is never to buy a tool until you need it and, unless it is for a single use and nothing more, always buy the highest quality tool you can possibly afford. Low quality tools, of which there are far more available today than there were in the past, are the most expensive because you will find yourself having to buy them over and over again.
 
As others have pointed out, a basic set of ship modeling tools can be had quite inexpensively, except that they will limit you to some extent because a lot of the tasks you will encounter can be done much faster and more efficiently with more expensive powered tools although those come at progressively higher prices. You get what you pay for. Without getting into specific tools, I will say that most of the tools, hand or powered, offered for sale by vendors catering to the hobbyist market are overpriced for what they are and, although they may look the same, are of lower quality. (Certainly beware of any Asian import tools which are almost always sub par.) You will have to strike a balance between what you can afford (or want to waste money on) and what you actually need and/or will be of benefit to your modeling abilities. The secret to getting the most tool "bang for your buck" is in buying only the tools you need and buying the best tools you can afford.
 
So, for the moment, I suggest that you look to the online or mailed catalogs of outfits like MicroMark and Model Expo primarily for ideas about tools you may find helpful, and then compare those offerings to the offerings of vendors in other markets. Very often, very high-quality tools which you are looking for can be bought for the same or even less from vendors selling to the medical instrument and professional jewelry making markets. Look to Otto Frei Company and Rio Grande Jewelry Supply for quality modeling hand tools. Look to any of the many medical (surgical) instrument companies for things like scalpels which are similarly priced and exponentially better than the ubiquitous "hobby knives" from Xacto and the myriad of Chinese knockoffs of the Xacto line. Look also at eBay and similar "auction" sites for used medical instruments and other modeling tools. You will be amazed at what you can find for reasonable prices and high quality. [You will benefit from picking up some hemostats, suture needle holders (forceps,) and an "ear polypus" or two. (Google those up and learn.)] Keep in mind that used tools, particularly older ones in good condition, are almost always a bargain.
 
Your first stop in tool shopping should be the MSW "articles" section: https://thenrg.org/resource/articles and https://thenrg.org/articles/basic-tools. There's no need to waste bandwidth repeating the basics. Also review the ship modeling YouTube videos of Tom Lauria (use the YouTube search feature) and Kevin Kenny (an active MSW forumite) for their comments on various tools they have found helpful. (Kevin lives in Trinidad and Tobago and finds he has to by his tools elsewhere, so he "goes shopping" when he is in the US visiting relatives and his "unboxing" videos of what he has "scored" on his travels are most informative because he's obviously a guy who knows his tools.) Pay particular attention to master modeler Paul Budzig's website https://www.paulbudzik.com/scale-model-workshop-videos/scale-model-workshop-videos.html and all of his YouTube "Scale Model Workshop" videos. Paul, a dentist, really knows his tools and whatever you can glean there will stand you in good stead. Beware, however, of some of the other YouTubers who post ship modeling videos. Their abilities are, shall we say, "uneven," some being highly accomplished, others, well, not so much, and still others apparently more indebted to the tool manufacturers who send them tools to "review" than anything else. I expect you'll figure that out rather quickly as you watch them. 
 
One tool I will strongly suggest that you purchase at the outset which I don't hear mentioned a lot because it is fairly new on the scene and comes from the electronics assembly industry is the "QuadHands" "magnetic workbench" tool. This is the latest and best replacement for the widely available "Helping Hands" holder sometimes marketed as the "Third Hand." Its usefulness for small assemblies, silver soldering, spar-making, and rigging tasks should be immediately apparent. The "super deluxe" model with all the optional bells and whistles (particularly the  PanaVise option) is pictured below. The product line ranges from fifty bucks or so on up. Available from QuadHands directly or Amazon: https://www.quadhands.com/products/quadhands-deluxe-workbench Look at the product line and see what model best suits your needs. 
 
However, do not buy any other knock-off of this tool. It has been widely "pirated" by Chinese manufacturers, some of which even mimic the exact colors of the original. The value in the original 'real deal" version is in the quality of the alligator clips and other features and the quality of the flexible arms and magnets. (There is a big difference between cheap alligator clips and expensive ones!)

Whatever you do, don't waste even the three or four bucks that you'll see these offered for. Even the most expensive ones are total junk. (Don't ask me how I know this!)
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

An additional step,  and if done after every few cuts,  can really delay a need to revisit the water stones is to strop on a medium like scrap leather charged with gold, green, or rouge compound.

I've decided that I am going to have the following epitaph engraved on my tombstone: "He who dies with the most tools wins." In over a half-century of collecting tools (and inheriting my father's collection of as many years of collecting, albeit that he had a lot more restraint and a lot less money than I do) I have to admit that my involvement in a very broad spectrum of the maritime trades, primarily as a hobbyist, has caused my 1500 square foot shop building to presently be full of tools and "stuff I can't throw away," that all of it is getting in the way of getting as much done as I'd like at the moment. So be forewarned! Tool "collecting" and 'book collecting" can easily become adjuncts to a ship modeling hobby that threaten to overshadow the modeling itself! Fortunately, I will be "deaccessioning" a lot of my collection ("junk," as my wife calls it) and remodeling my shop to permit more efficient use of it all.
 
That said, most modelers with any experience can go on at great length about their tools and those they continue to lust after. Most also can confess to their mistakes in buying tools that were of poor quality or which proved totally useless. The best motto to live by is never to buy a tool until you need it and, unless it is for a single use and nothing more, always buy the highest quality tool you can possibly afford. Low quality tools, of which there are far more available today than there were in the past, are the most expensive because you will find yourself having to buy them over and over again.
 
As others have pointed out, a basic set of ship modeling tools can be had quite inexpensively, except that they will limit you to some extent because a lot of the tasks you will encounter can be done much faster and more efficiently with more expensive powered tools although those come at progressively higher prices. You get what you pay for. Without getting into specific tools, I will say that most of the tools, hand or powered, offered for sale by vendors catering to the hobbyist market are overpriced for what they are and, although they may look the same, are of lower quality. (Certainly beware of any Asian import tools which are almost always sub par.) You will have to strike a balance between what you can afford (or want to waste money on) and what you actually need and/or will be of benefit to your modeling abilities. The secret to getting the most tool "bang for your buck" is in buying only the tools you need and buying the best tools you can afford.
 
So, for the moment, I suggest that you look to the online or mailed catalogs of outfits like MicroMark and Model Expo primarily for ideas about tools you may find helpful, and then compare those offerings to the offerings of vendors in other markets. Very often, very high-quality tools which you are looking for can be bought for the same or even less from vendors selling to the medical instrument and professional jewelry making markets. Look to Otto Frei Company and Rio Grande Jewelry Supply for quality modeling hand tools. Look to any of the many medical (surgical) instrument companies for things like scalpels which are similarly priced and exponentially better than the ubiquitous "hobby knives" from Xacto and the myriad of Chinese knockoffs of the Xacto line. Look also at eBay and similar "auction" sites for used medical instruments and other modeling tools. You will be amazed at what you can find for reasonable prices and high quality. [You will benefit from picking up some hemostats, suture needle holders (forceps,) and an "ear polypus" or two. (Google those up and learn.)] Keep in mind that used tools, particularly older ones in good condition, are almost always a bargain.
 
Your first stop in tool shopping should be the MSW "articles" section: https://thenrg.org/resource/articles and https://thenrg.org/articles/basic-tools. There's no need to waste bandwidth repeating the basics. Also review the ship modeling YouTube videos of Tom Lauria (use the YouTube search feature) and Kevin Kenny (an active MSW forumite) for their comments on various tools they have found helpful. (Kevin lives in Trinidad and Tobago and finds he has to by his tools elsewhere, so he "goes shopping" when he is in the US visiting relatives and his "unboxing" videos of what he has "scored" on his travels are most informative because he's obviously a guy who knows his tools.) Pay particular attention to master modeler Paul Budzig's website https://www.paulbudzik.com/scale-model-workshop-videos/scale-model-workshop-videos.html and all of his YouTube "Scale Model Workshop" videos. Paul, a dentist, really knows his tools and whatever you can glean there will stand you in good stead. Beware, however, of some of the other YouTubers who post ship modeling videos. Their abilities are, shall we say, "uneven," some being highly accomplished, others, well, not so much, and still others apparently more indebted to the tool manufacturers who send them tools to "review" than anything else. I expect you'll figure that out rather quickly as you watch them. 
 
One tool I will strongly suggest that you purchase at the outset which I don't hear mentioned a lot because it is fairly new on the scene and comes from the electronics assembly industry is the "QuadHands" "magnetic workbench" tool. This is the latest and best replacement for the widely available "Helping Hands" holder sometimes marketed as the "Third Hand." Its usefulness for small assemblies, silver soldering, spar-making, and rigging tasks should be immediately apparent. The "super deluxe" model with all the optional bells and whistles (particularly the  PanaVise option) is pictured below. The product line ranges from fifty bucks or so on up. Available from QuadHands directly or Amazon: https://www.quadhands.com/products/quadhands-deluxe-workbench Look at the product line and see what model best suits your needs. 
 
However, do not buy any other knock-off of this tool. It has been widely "pirated" by Chinese manufacturers, some of which even mimic the exact colors of the original. The value in the original 'real deal" version is in the quality of the alligator clips and other features and the quality of the flexible arms and magnets. (There is a big difference between cheap alligator clips and expensive ones!)

Whatever you do, don't waste even the three or four bucks that you'll see these offered for. Even the most expensive ones are total junk. (Don't ask me how I know this!)
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

You should probably give yourself a fair chance with your first venture into wooden kits.  Right now, your best bet is to take a close look at Model Shipways  Shipwright beginner series.  There is an option to get some basic tools with the first one - if you do not already have the ones in the bundle.
 
If you have unlimited funds and  wish to accumulate tools just to have tools, go on a buying spree - most will probably just gather dust.  Otherwise,  when you get to a point where a tool looks like it could increase speed or efficiency  just get that - opt for quality in your choice.  If you also start your #2 plastic kit,  you can work on it while waiting for UPS.
 
About a Dremel -  The all in one models rotate too fast for shaping - it wants to skip to where you don't want it -and have no power if you slow it down enough not to burn wood.
30,000 RPM is just too fast for #61-80 drill bits.  

I did! I used it for weathered bronze patina. I used it as a base color and then did a bit of "weathering" on it. I had a model with copper cable standing rigging (very "yachty" in the days before stainless steel.) I used it on the standing rigging.  I've also used it on deck fittings and scoop ventilators. Floquil's verdigris was, to my taste, at least, a bit too light. I'd tone it down with a thin brown wash. I also used it to good effect when air brushing hull bottoms. There will always be some verdigris highlights on copper bottoms and, to a lesser extent, on copper-containing antifouling painted bottoms, right along the waterline where the air gets to the copper and it oxidizes it.
 
MicroScale has one of the best Floquil equivalent color charts online. It shows all the Floquil and PollyScale  (Testor's former high-quality line of acrylic miniature paint) colors matched to the equivalent colors of most of the major model paint manufacturers today.
 
Parenthetically, I came across an interesting booklet online the other day: The Model Railroad Hobbyist's  Guide to Acrylic Painting in a Post-Floquil World, published by Model Railroad Hobbyist magazine in 2016. The PDF of this booklet can be found at 58. MRH14-12-Dec2014 (testors.com)  It contains a lot of good information about acrylic modeling paints and contains a very good equivalent color chart from Floquil/PolyScale paints to other brands. It addresses formulae for mixing thinners and techniques for application. In some ways, it is a modern acrylic-themed version of the old Floquil Painting Miniatures booklet first printed in 1961 and available at: Floquil Painting Miniatures (paulbudzik.com), provided by Paul Budzig on his really valuable website: Fine Scale Modeling by Paul Budzik (His "Tools and Techinques" and "Videos" sections on the site are real treasures well.) The latter booklet has a lot of very good instructional information on miniature painting which, despite common perceptions perhaps fostered by the paint manufacturers, isn't as easy to do well as it looks. I expect the information in these two booklets would be of interest to most modelers.
 

I frequently simply mix "boiled" linseed oil and turpentine and rub it on. ("Boiled" linseed oil isn't really boiled. It simply has some Japan drier added to it to speed polymerization.) 

I did! I used it for weathered bronze patina. I used it as a base color and then did a bit of "weathering" on it. I had a model with copper cable standing rigging (very "yachty" in the days before stainless steel.) I used it on the standing rigging.  I've also used it on deck fittings and scoop ventilators. Floquil's verdigris was, to my taste, at least, a bit too light. I'd tone it down with a thin brown wash. I also used it to good effect when air brushing hull bottoms. There will always be some verdigris highlights on copper bottoms and, to a lesser extent, on copper-containing antifouling painted bottoms, right along the waterline where the air gets to the copper and it oxidizes it.
 
MicroScale has one of the best Floquil equivalent color charts online. It shows all the Floquil and PollyScale  (Testor's former high-quality line of acrylic miniature paint) colors matched to the equivalent colors of most of the major model paint manufacturers today.
 
Parenthetically, I came across an interesting booklet online the other day: The Model Railroad Hobbyist's  Guide to Acrylic Painting in a Post-Floquil World, published by Model Railroad Hobbyist magazine in 2016. The PDF of this booklet can be found at 58. MRH14-12-Dec2014 (testors.com)  It contains a lot of good information about acrylic modeling paints and contains a very good equivalent color chart from Floquil/PolyScale paints to other brands. It addresses formulae for mixing thinners and techniques for application. In some ways, it is a modern acrylic-themed version of the old Floquil Painting Miniatures booklet first printed in 1961 and available at: Floquil Painting Miniatures (paulbudzik.com), provided by Paul Budzig on his really valuable website: Fine Scale Modeling by Paul Budzik (His "Tools and Techinques" and "Videos" sections on the site are real treasures well.) The latter booklet has a lot of very good instructional information on miniature painting which, despite common perceptions perhaps fostered by the paint manufacturers, isn't as easy to do well as it looks. I expect the information in these two booklets would be of interest to most modelers.
 

Saw a reference to Floquil Marine Color paints in one of the posts recently. Moving stuff around on my workbench and found an old color chart. Never could find a use for Verdigris!

I frequently simply mix "boiled" linseed oil and turpentine and rub it on. ("Boiled" linseed oil isn't really boiled. It simply has some Japan drier added to it to speed polymerization.) 

Hi Tony,
I use equal amounts of varnish and white spirit  mixed together.
Wipe it on, and immediately wipe it off for initial protection, apply further coats for a deeper colour.
 
B.E.

thanks for the tip. Can I ask about the 50%? Do you mean I should add 50ml white spirit to 50ml of Varnish? Or should I add 50ml of white spirit to 100ml of varnish? 
thanks for the help.
Tony

Yes, there's a bit of a learning curve to color matching. Keeping a record of the proportions of color (measured by the length of paint paste extruded from the tube) and color "chips" for matching, plus slowly "creeping up" on the color as the perfect match mixture is approached are helpful. Using hypodermic syringes to measure paint amounts is also helpful. Or you can simply mix more than you expect you'll need and save the excess in a container for later use. Alternately, there are so many premixed oil paint colors offered already that it's hard to believe the exact color someone wanted couldn't be had "right out of the tube." That said, it's always better to have paint left over than to run short before the job is done! 
 
I wholeheartedly agree with your assessment of water-based acrylics. It seems to me that these disadvantages are more pronounced in the cheaper product ranges and probably is a consequence of lower quality pigments, the most cost-determinative ingredient in paint. I've have become more circumspect in expressing my low opinion of acrylics in comparison to oil-based enamels, not out of any concern for other people's feelings, but because I just can't be bothered responding to their whining. There was a time when I'd actually enjoy arguing with people online about such subjects in pursuit of a "right answer," but it seems cyberspace is polluted with people who are only pretending to seek information, and instead are only just fishing for compliments and affirmation. and who, when they encounter the slightest resistance to their positions, get all bent out of shape. Frankly, I can't see any practical reason whatsoever to prefer acrylic paint over solvent-based oil paint and in our modern "Special Olympics" world where everybody gets a participation trophy, nobody's forcing me to compete. 
 
 

I doubt anybody who is mixing their own colors and conditioning their own paint are buying "big jugs of craft paint" because large quantities aren't required and acrylic "craft paint" isn't the quality that most would want in terms of pigment size and amount. What most are using, be it acrylic or oil-based are the tubed artists' colors that contain paint that's the consistency of toothpaste. These colors can be bought in tubes of various sizes, so you can buy a larger tube of white and black and smaller tubes of any other color you want. In general, ship modeling doesn't demand a large palette of colors at all. The tubed artists' paints have a very long shelf life if the caps are cleaned and tightly closed. Artist's oil paints don't have any driers added in the tube and the user applies drier to their own taste. Before the Japan drier is added, it takes practically forever to dry (polymerize, actually.) Because of the smaller quantities of artists' oils required, (the thick tubed paint is thinned greatly for use, so you aren't paying "paint" prices for a lot of thinner) it doesn't hurt to spend a bit more for the high-quality tubed colors which have finely ground pigment and lots of it.

In an attempt to drop an anchor to prevent further "thread drift," I suggest those interested in the impact of the Indian Arts and Crafts Act of 1990 has on ship modeling read the applicable statutes and draw their own conclusions:
 
18 U.S. Code § 1159. Misrepresentation of Indian produced goods and products
(a) It is unlawful to offer or display for sale or sell any good, with or without a Government trademark, in a manner that falsely suggests it is Indian produced, an Indian product, or the product of a particular Indian or Indian tribe or Indian arts and crafts organization, resident within the United States. (Bold emphasis added.)
 
The essential element of this prohibited act is offering or displaying anything for sale in any way that falsely suggests it was made by an Indian.
 
The Indian Arts and Crafts Board enforces the Indian Arts and Crafts Act of 1990 that prohibits false advertising in the marketing of Indian arts or crafts. The Board also provides certified Indian-owned business listings, provides federally recognized tribes with business assistance, and operates several Indian Arts and Crafts museums. See: https://www.doi.gov/iacb/  The particular applications of the IACA are set forth in the Code of Federal Regulations,Title 25, Chapter II, Part 309 (https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-25/chapter-II/part-309) :
 
§ 309.1 How do the regulations in this part carry out the Indian Arts and Crafts Act of 1990?
These regulations define the nature and Indian origin of products protected by the Indian Arts and Crafts Act of 1990 (18 U.S.C. 1159, 25 U.S.C. 305 et seq.) from false representations, and specify how the Indian Arts and Crafts Board will interpret certain conduct for enforcement purposes. The Act makes it unlawful to offer or display for sale or sell any good in a manner that falsely suggests it is Indian produced, an Indian product, or the product of a particular Indian, or Indian tribe, or Indian arts and crafts organization resident within the United States.
 
§ 309.9 When can non-Indians make and sell products in the style of Indian arts and crafts?
A non-Indian can make and sell products in the style of Indian art or craft products only if the non-Indian or other seller does not falsely suggest to consumers that the products have been made by an Indian.
[68 FR 35170, June 12, 2003] 
 
The IACA only addresses false advertising. It was enacted in large measure to prevent the practice of selling Asian knock-offs of Indian arts and crafts as real Indian handicrafts.
 
The IACA doesn't address nor attempt to enforce claimed rights to designs, patents, and trademarks which is the province of intellectual property law. For example, the Navajo Nation trademarked traditional Navajo weaving patterns and designs, as well as the brand "Navajo," as early as 1943. The Navajos' rights to those designs, patents, and trademarks properly registered under applicable laws are clear and enforceable. However, Indian intellectual property rights beyond formal patents, trademarks, and copyrights become much less clear. Questions arise as to the ownership of cultural rights claimed by an entire group of Indians. There are also religious rights protected by law which inure to various Indian tribes. Questions arise such as whether a non-Indian person can build an "Indian sweat lodge" for commercial purposes because it is an activity reserved to certain tribal spiritual traditions, or copy a sacred symbol, and so on.
 
Therefore, if one were to undertake to build a model of an Indian canoe with painted Indian symbols on it, and not display or offer it for sale misrepresenting that it was an Indian art or craft item, it doesn't appear they would be violating the IACA, but they could nevertheless be violating an  Indian intellectual property right in the reproduction of copyrighted Indian symbols on the canoe, no differently than they arguably would be violating Coca-Cola's trademark rights if they painted a Coca-Cola logo on the side of the model, or they might be violating an Indian cultural or religious practice right if the symbols were sacred to the involved Indian tribe. (The Urban Outfitters clothing company recently got themselves entangled in an expensive lawsuit when they made and sold underwear in Navajo weaving pattern prints. The Navajo were offended by the prospect of "skid marks" on their traditional patterns.) Similarly, all else being permissible, even the use of the name of a tribe to describe the type of canoe, e.g., "Tlinglit canoe" or "Haida canoe," could run afoul of the IACA without a prominent disclaimer that it was not made by an Indian (e.g., "Tlinglit type canoe" or "Haida style canoe" and labeled "Not Indian Made.") or violate a copyright if the tribe has registered its name as the Navajos did eighty years ago. However, I would imagine that if one politely contacted the applicable tribal council and respectfully requested written permission to reproduce a tribal design or symbol on a model canoe that was not being made for commercial purposes, they would probably get a welcome reception. That would be, after all, the polite thing to do.
 
 
 
 
 
 

I suspect "MGUS" is a sub-diagnosis for the wider, but less frequently publicized, diagnosis, "HIIK," which stands for "Hell if I know." There's a lot of that going around. I fortunately do not have any significant "foot drop" (knock on wood,) but I did develop a pronounced "shuffle," mainly because my numb feet impaired my balance, a function I never realized they performed until the didn't.  My "foredeck ape" days are over also, but I long ago became unable to afford to keep up with the old yachtsman's rule of thumb that your boat should be as long in feet as your age in years anyway.