Bob Cleek

Way too much to copy from Caruana's History of English Sea Ordnance Volume II, pp381-3    In short, up to about the middle of the 18th century the breeching was simply taken in a round turn round the neck of the button and secured by means of a seizing.
The next solution employed wrought iron double thimbles attached to the neck of the button. 
The thimbles were eventually discontinued in favor of a spliced eye in the bight of the breeching.  This is described in Steel's Art of Rigging of 1797. 
Of course the breeching ring of the Blomefield changed everything.
Allan
 
 

I have a Vanda-Lay Dremel-powered drill press. Vanda-Lay makes some interesting tools and their quality is probably second only to Jim Byrnes' Model Machines tools. That said, there is no question that the Byrnes thickness sander is the better tool and the better buy, as well. I see from checking Jim's website that they are not taking orders for machines at the moment because they took time off for summer vacation, but will be back shipping machines in mid-August. I suppose this is why they don't have the prices for the machines listed on their website at the moment! As I recall, the Byrnes sander is about the same, or even less money than the Vanda-Lay thickness sander with the motor. I have to say, owning a Byrnes thickness sander, that it is the "better buy," even if it costs a bit more than the Vanda-Lay. 
 
These sanders require some power to work effectively. I don't doubt that you can power one with a hand drill motor as Vanda-Lay suggests and a few have noted above, but I would think that would put some serious power demands on a hand drill motor, particularly if you are using it for a prolonged period. I also don't think there are any hand drill motors that put out anything like the RPMs that either the Byrnes motor or the power tool motor Vanda-Lay sells for somewhere around $300 do.
 
The fact that the Byrnes' integral motor takes up far less bench space than the Vanda-Lay, regardless of how the Vanda-Lay is powered, is no small consideration, not to mention that the integral motor on the Byrnes machine is far more "elegant" than the cobbled-together power options for the Vanda-Lay.
 
There are two big differences that put the Byrnes head and shoulders over the Vanda-Lay. The first, but not the greatest, difference is that the Byrnes is exceptionally accurate and is easier to adjust. It has an indexed adjustment knob that allow adjustments in increments of .002". The Vanda-Lay may be just as accurate but I expect it is more fiddily to set. The second, and biggest... huge... difference in the two machines is that the Vanda-Lay has a three-inch wide drum. It will only sand wood three inches wide or less. The Byrnes machine has a six-inch wide drum! The Byrnes sander will handle twice the width capacity of the Vanda-Lay and the Byrnes offers the option of loading its six inch wide drum with two different grits of abrasive sheet, each three inches wide, on the six inch drum. This allows you to use half of the drum for coarser sanding and the other for finer sanding, should you desire to do so.
 
So, for the same price, all else considered, the Byrnes is twice the machine in my estimation.  
 
I realize that price is often a serious issue for all of us. All I can say in that regard here is that the difference in price isn't much to get twice the machine in the Byrnes. It can't be said enough that the cheapest tool in the end is often the most expensive one. You could buy any one of the Byrnes Model Machines, use it for ten years, and if you didn't beat it up, probably sell it easily for half or two thirds of what you paid for it. Not so with the Vanda-Lay. If it's a difference of even a couple of hundred bucks, how long will it really take for you to forget the "pain" of that? These days, where I live, at least, that's maybe three half-way decent dinners out with the Missus. If you get the Byrnes, you won't be sorry.
 
 
 

And all th is time I thought I was the only one who was frustrated by the original paperback volume one binding with the pages that fall out. When I got the second volume with the spiral binding that allows you to lay the book flat on your workbench when using it as a reference, I seriously entertained taking my volume one down to the local chain stationary store and having it spiral-bound, as well. One of those things on my list of "probably-never-will-get-around-tuits," though.  

There's an excellent instructional piece on preparing your own grown wood for modeling use in the NRG's Ship Modeler's Shop Notes, Volume II, I believe, but if you don't have it, buy both volumes and it will be in one of them. A couple of invaluable modeling books and, in terms of bang for your buck, a very good investment. Get them from the NRG online store or used off eBay.

Thanks for the clarification! As I wrote, "Without looking at a carton in my hand right now, I'm going to guess and say that pumice is the finer abrasive powder and rottenstone is the coarser of the two." I was just too lazy to go out to my shop and check which was which.  

Okay, you caught me with some time on my hands. Painting and finishing are highly skilled trades that the painting materials industry has spent generations trying to "dumb down" in order to convince untrained consumers they can "do it yourself" at home. If one wants a professional result, they still have to know how to do it like a professional. 
 
Whether a steel or wood hull, they both should appear "smooth as a baby's bottom" up close if you want to achieve a realistic look at "scale viewing distance." This is a matter of proper painting technique. As they say, a good paint job is 90% preparation and 10% application.  Softwoods like basswood pose the problem of raised grain but this is easily solved. When softwoods especially are exposed to water, or even ambient moisture, their grain will "raise" because the soft wood between the grain absorbs the moisture and swells. The first thing to remember is you must seal the bare wood first. Sealing is an essential first step. Sand your piece well down to 220 or 320 grit abrasive and be sure you have a smooth surface; save for perhaps a few minor dings and divots you will be filling. The purpose of sanding is to remove a thin layer of the surface. Don't sand down to bare wood "chasing" a larger imperfection and don't concentrate sanding on an imperfection. That will cause an uneven surface. After you have sanded well, dust the piece and wipe it with a tack rag and apply sealer.  Don't use water-based sealer, paint, or anything else water-based. (If you use acrylic paints, use those that are thinned with alcohol, not water. Alcohol will not raise wood grain.) The water will soak right into the wood and you'll be back to sanding the grain flat again. I use pre-mixed canned shellac to seal model wood, particularly basswood. Shellac will soak into the wood, but will not raise the grain. Shellac is one of the best moisture barrier coatings available and it will significantly slow the rate of moisture absorption and so stabilize the wood. Shellac is compatible with any paint or varnish.
 
If your hull is smooth, so much the better. Remember the "viewing distance" calculations. If you can't see it at your "scale viewing distance," then leave it off the model. Riveted iron plates can post challenges, of course. Thin paper strips can be applied to the shellac sealer to represent iron plates. Shellac is a good adhesive for them as well. If you are going to be showing plates, portlights, eyebrows and similar details on your hull, then you can modify the schedule below to accommodate the detailed surface you have. Seal well with shellac, then airbrush your successive coats while trying to be as dust-free as possible. If your surface is interrupted by a lot of protruding detail, you will just have to "dance with the girl you brought."
 
After the shellac has dried, it should be sanded with 320 grit until it is perfectly smooth all over. Test the smoothness of your surface with your fingertips. They are far more sensitive to surface smoothness than your eyes alone. Again, sand and tack the piece and then apply a sanding basecoat. Sanding basecoat is a thick white paint that had a fair amount of chalk added to it. It serves as an intermediate layer of the coatings lay-up which will fill very light imperfections and will be easily sanded. It also does double duty as an undercoat which produces a uniformly opaque surface which is essential to a uniform finish coat, (You will be painting forever to try to cover color variations beneath a finish coat. Finish coat paint isn't designed for this.) When the sanding base coat is dry, sand it with 320 grit (or start with 220 and work up to 320 if you've got brush strokes all over it... it's thick stuff) Don't make yourself crazy if you still have some small imperfections. You'll get to those next. Again, dust and tack the surface. 
 
Your surface should be getting close to perfectly smooth at this point but there may be a few imperfections, a scratch here or a little ding there, that haven't been removed. You should sparingly apply surfacing putty to any remaining scratches or dings. (It may also be called "glazing putty," but it's not for puttying windows.) See: Interlux Paint 257P Surfacing Putty - White-Pint | Autoplicity  Surfacing putty is sold in paint stores, chandleries, and auto body and fender supply stores. It's what the pros use to get a perfect finish. It's not cheap but the canned stuff is thinned with acetone and a tablespoon added to the can before sealing well should ensure a long shelf life. There may well be less expensive brands than the Interlux linked above. Check with your local auto paint store. Surfacing putty is about the consistence of toothpaste and is applied to scratches and dings with a flexible spatula or putty knife. The object is to fill the imperfection, and not leave a big "bump" of putty around it. If you apply it properly, a few swipes with some 320 sandpaper should be enough to level the surface without leaving a big "putty bump" on it. The imperfection should be invisible. Pay particular attention to this step and make sure you have not overlooked puttying any imperfections. The fewer there are left, the more they stand out! (Resist the temptation to use drywall patching putty and similar compounds instead of real surfacing putty. their matrix is too coarse and cannot be sanded smooth enough. Similarly, don't substitute "body filler" products like Bondo which are too hard to sand easily. WEST System epoxy resin with their proprietary sanding additives is entirely suitable but somewhat more difficult to sand and quite expensive.)
 
After you've puttied and sanded again, dust and tack and apply a coat of undercoat. Undercoat is a paint designed to cover well and dries "flat" with a matte finish. It provides a base for the finish coat. Importantly, it will seal the areas where you have applied surfacing putty. Dried putty will absorb a finish coating more readily than sanding basecoat and if you skip the basecoat your finish coat will have areas of flat "print through" where you applied surfacing putty unless you sealed the piece with undercoat. When it dries, again sand, dust and tack. This time, however, will be the last time you should be doing anything other than very light sanding on the piece, so take care to be certain that your sanding is absolutely perfect. You may wish to sand with an even finer grit than 320 although there's little to be gained by sanding above 600 grit for modeling purposes because we aren't (or shouldn't be) using high gloss finish coats.
 
For the application of finish coats, it's highly recommended that you go somewhere else with as little ambient dust as possible in order to avoid getting specks of dust in the finish coats. I often use the bathroom when my wife is not at home. It's the least dusty room in any house. Make sure the piece is scrupulously clean. Apply a quality oil-based finish coat. Depending upon the scale, a metal hull can be painted with an eggshell finish. It's a matter of taste, but for larger wooden ships, I prefer a more matte finish than for metal hulls. There are painting instructions elsewhere. You have to be an accomplished painter to apply a perfect finish with a brush. It you aren't, don't bother trying. All your hard work preparing a perfect surface will be for naught if you mess up the finish coats. Most prefer an airbrush because it is easier to use and to control the thickness of the paint application. Apply multiple thin coats. You can always apply another coat when the last one dries and build up your finish coating as needed, but if you put too much paint on at one time and get runs, sags, or "curtains," you're looking at a long and tedious sanding job to correct the damage done.  Don't rush. (It may be a matter of taste, but I wouldn't recommend aerosol "rattle can" paint for quality work such as discussed here. As remarkably reliable as the more expensive brands have become in mass producing plastic spray nozzles, all it takes is a single "spit or sputter" from a rattle can to ruin a finish coat.)
 
As you finish coats are applied, it's a near certainty that some dust will fall on the wet surface and stick there. Do not try to remove dust or anything else from the paint until the paint has completely dried. You may try all you want, but if you go back over a wet surface to just pick out that one gnat that landed on it and got stuck you will make a bigger mess than just leaving it there to dry. After each coat of finish paint is applied and dried well, wipe the surface with a soft cloth and this will remove most all of the dust that may have fallen on it. The dust usually is only microscopically attached to the surface and need only be knocked off and the attachment point will be invisible.
 
Apply as many finish coats as you feel are necessary to get the finish you want. It's not uncommon to miss a spot here or there (called a "holiday" in the trade) and need to apply another coat to correct that. If you do get a run or a sag, let it dry completely and then sand it off fair to the adjacent surface and start again. Don't be discouraged if you have to repeat a step along the way. Attention to detail is essential. 
 
When you reach what you think is your final finish coat there will still probably some dust that stuck to this coat, as well. Let the finish coats dry well. You may also find that your finish is too glossy for your taste, or too matte. This last step addresses dust specks and the reflective quality of the finish. Be sure the finish coats are thoroughly dry. (Like for a week. Particularly synthetic coatings like acrylics may take a lot longer to "dry" (cure) than we think. Those that have "rubbery" latex-like bases will always be difficult to sand. A hard finish sands well.  Obtain some rottenstone and pumice from the paint store. These are inexpensive abrasive powders. Without looking at a carton in my hand right now, I'm going to guess and say that pumice is the finer abrasive powder and rottenstone is the coarser of the two. These abrasive powders are used by being rubbed on the workpiece with a soft damp cloth. The coarser powder will remove the gloss. The more you rub, the less glossy the surface will become. Further rubbing, however will soften the surface to a beautiful eggshell finish. Use of the finer powder will do the same, but can be worked up to a high gloss finish if rubbed enough. This is a "hand-rubbed finish." There are lots of YouTube videos about hand-rubbing finishes, which is commonly done in fine furniture finishing. This hand-rubbing will remove all the dust specks that were on the painted surface and leave a perfectly smooth surface with the reflective quality of your choice.
 
In summary,
 
1.   Sand and shellac to seal.
2.   Sand and sanding basecoat
3.   Sand and surfacing putty
4.   Sand and undercoat
5.   Sand and finish coat
6.   Hand-rub finish coat
 
When you go to the maritime museums and see the magnificent builders' yard models of the steamships of the early years of the last century with their perfectly painted "iron" and "steel" hulls, this is how it was done. 

I have a Vanda-Lay Dremel-powered drill press. Vanda-Lay makes some interesting tools and their quality is probably second only to Jim Byrnes' Model Machines tools. That said, there is no question that the Byrnes thickness sander is the better tool and the better buy, as well. I see from checking Jim's website that they are not taking orders for machines at the moment because they took time off for summer vacation, but will be back shipping machines in mid-August. I suppose this is why they don't have the prices for the machines listed on their website at the moment! As I recall, the Byrnes sander is about the same, or even less money than the Vanda-Lay thickness sander with the motor. I have to say, owning a Byrnes thickness sander, that it is the "better buy," even if it costs a bit more than the Vanda-Lay. 
 
These sanders require some power to work effectively. I don't doubt that you can power one with a hand drill motor as Vanda-Lay suggests and a few have noted above, but I would think that would put some serious power demands on a hand drill motor, particularly if you are using it for a prolonged period. I also don't think there are any hand drill motors that put out anything like the RPMs that either the Byrnes motor or the power tool motor Vanda-Lay sells for somewhere around $300 do.
 
The fact that the Byrnes' integral motor takes up far less bench space than the Vanda-Lay, regardless of how the Vanda-Lay is powered, is no small consideration, not to mention that the integral motor on the Byrnes machine is far more "elegant" than the cobbled-together power options for the Vanda-Lay.
 
There are two big differences that put the Byrnes head and shoulders over the Vanda-Lay. The first, but not the greatest, difference is that the Byrnes is exceptionally accurate and is easier to adjust. It has an indexed adjustment knob that allow adjustments in increments of .002". The Vanda-Lay may be just as accurate but I expect it is more fiddily to set. The second, and biggest... huge... difference in the two machines is that the Vanda-Lay has a three-inch wide drum. It will only sand wood three inches wide or less. The Byrnes machine has a six-inch wide drum! The Byrnes sander will handle twice the width capacity of the Vanda-Lay and the Byrnes offers the option of loading its six inch wide drum with two different grits of abrasive sheet, each three inches wide, on the six inch drum. This allows you to use half of the drum for coarser sanding and the other for finer sanding, should you desire to do so.
 
So, for the same price, all else considered, the Byrnes is twice the machine in my estimation.  
 
I realize that price is often a serious issue for all of us. All I can say in that regard here is that the difference in price isn't much to get twice the machine in the Byrnes. It can't be said enough that the cheapest tool in the end is often the most expensive one. You could buy any one of the Byrnes Model Machines, use it for ten years, and if you didn't beat it up, probably sell it easily for half or two thirds of what you paid for it. Not so with the Vanda-Lay. If it's a difference of even a couple of hundred bucks, how long will it really take for you to forget the "pain" of that? These days, where I live, at least, that's maybe three half-way decent dinners out with the Missus. If you get the Byrnes, you won't be sorry.
 
 
 

I have a Vanda-Lay Dremel-powered drill press. Vanda-Lay makes some interesting tools and their quality is probably second only to Jim Byrnes' Model Machines tools. That said, there is no question that the Byrnes thickness sander is the better tool and the better buy, as well. I see from checking Jim's website that they are not taking orders for machines at the moment because they took time off for summer vacation, but will be back shipping machines in mid-August. I suppose this is why they don't have the prices for the machines listed on their website at the moment! As I recall, the Byrnes sander is about the same, or even less money than the Vanda-Lay thickness sander with the motor. I have to say, owning a Byrnes thickness sander, that it is the "better buy," even if it costs a bit more than the Vanda-Lay. 
 
These sanders require some power to work effectively. I don't doubt that you can power one with a hand drill motor as Vanda-Lay suggests and a few have noted above, but I would think that would put some serious power demands on a hand drill motor, particularly if you are using it for a prolonged period. I also don't think there are any hand drill motors that put out anything like the RPMs that either the Byrnes motor or the power tool motor Vanda-Lay sells for somewhere around $300 do.
 
The fact that the Byrnes' integral motor takes up far less bench space than the Vanda-Lay, regardless of how the Vanda-Lay is powered, is no small consideration, not to mention that the integral motor on the Byrnes machine is far more "elegant" than the cobbled-together power options for the Vanda-Lay.
 
There are two big differences that put the Byrnes head and shoulders over the Vanda-Lay. The first, but not the greatest, difference is that the Byrnes is exceptionally accurate and is easier to adjust. It has an indexed adjustment knob that allow adjustments in increments of .002". The Vanda-Lay may be just as accurate but I expect it is more fiddily to set. The second, and biggest... huge... difference in the two machines is that the Vanda-Lay has a three-inch wide drum. It will only sand wood three inches wide or less. The Byrnes machine has a six-inch wide drum! The Byrnes sander will handle twice the width capacity of the Vanda-Lay and the Byrnes offers the option of loading its six inch wide drum with two different grits of abrasive sheet, each three inches wide, on the six inch drum. This allows you to use half of the drum for coarser sanding and the other for finer sanding, should you desire to do so.
 
So, for the same price, all else considered, the Byrnes is twice the machine in my estimation.  
 
I realize that price is often a serious issue for all of us. All I can say in that regard here is that the difference in price isn't much to get twice the machine in the Byrnes. It can't be said enough that the cheapest tool in the end is often the most expensive one. You could buy any one of the Byrnes Model Machines, use it for ten years, and if you didn't beat it up, probably sell it easily for half or two thirds of what you paid for it. Not so with the Vanda-Lay. If it's a difference of even a couple of hundred bucks, how long will it really take for you to forget the "pain" of that? These days, where I live, at least, that's maybe three half-way decent dinners out with the Missus. If you get the Byrnes, you won't be sorry.
 
 
 

I have a Vanda-Lay Dremel-powered drill press. Vanda-Lay makes some interesting tools and their quality is probably second only to Jim Byrnes' Model Machines tools. That said, there is no question that the Byrnes thickness sander is the better tool and the better buy, as well. I see from checking Jim's website that they are not taking orders for machines at the moment because they took time off for summer vacation, but will be back shipping machines in mid-August. I suppose this is why they don't have the prices for the machines listed on their website at the moment! As I recall, the Byrnes sander is about the same, or even less money than the Vanda-Lay thickness sander with the motor. I have to say, owning a Byrnes thickness sander, that it is the "better buy," even if it costs a bit more than the Vanda-Lay. 
 
These sanders require some power to work effectively. I don't doubt that you can power one with a hand drill motor as Vanda-Lay suggests and a few have noted above, but I would think that would put some serious power demands on a hand drill motor, particularly if you are using it for a prolonged period. I also don't think there are any hand drill motors that put out anything like the RPMs that either the Byrnes motor or the power tool motor Vanda-Lay sells for somewhere around $300 do.
 
The fact that the Byrnes' integral motor takes up far less bench space than the Vanda-Lay, regardless of how the Vanda-Lay is powered, is no small consideration, not to mention that the integral motor on the Byrnes machine is far more "elegant" than the cobbled-together power options for the Vanda-Lay.
 
There are two big differences that put the Byrnes head and shoulders over the Vanda-Lay. The first, but not the greatest, difference is that the Byrnes is exceptionally accurate and is easier to adjust. It has an indexed adjustment knob that allow adjustments in increments of .002". The Vanda-Lay may be just as accurate but I expect it is more fiddily to set. The second, and biggest... huge... difference in the two machines is that the Vanda-Lay has a three-inch wide drum. It will only sand wood three inches wide or less. The Byrnes machine has a six-inch wide drum! The Byrnes sander will handle twice the width capacity of the Vanda-Lay and the Byrnes offers the option of loading its six inch wide drum with two different grits of abrasive sheet, each three inches wide, on the six inch drum. This allows you to use half of the drum for coarser sanding and the other for finer sanding, should you desire to do so.
 
So, for the same price, all else considered, the Byrnes is twice the machine in my estimation.  
 
I realize that price is often a serious issue for all of us. All I can say in that regard here is that the difference in price isn't much to get twice the machine in the Byrnes. It can't be said enough that the cheapest tool in the end is often the most expensive one. You could buy any one of the Byrnes Model Machines, use it for ten years, and if you didn't beat it up, probably sell it easily for half or two thirds of what you paid for it. Not so with the Vanda-Lay. If it's a difference of even a couple of hundred bucks, how long will it really take for you to forget the "pain" of that? These days, where I live, at least, that's maybe three half-way decent dinners out with the Missus. If you get the Byrnes, you won't be sorry.
 
 
 

I have a Vanda-Lay Dremel-powered drill press. Vanda-Lay makes some interesting tools and their quality is probably second only to Jim Byrnes' Model Machines tools. That said, there is no question that the Byrnes thickness sander is the better tool and the better buy, as well. I see from checking Jim's website that they are not taking orders for machines at the moment because they took time off for summer vacation, but will be back shipping machines in mid-August. I suppose this is why they don't have the prices for the machines listed on their website at the moment! As I recall, the Byrnes sander is about the same, or even less money than the Vanda-Lay thickness sander with the motor. I have to say, owning a Byrnes thickness sander, that it is the "better buy," even if it costs a bit more than the Vanda-Lay. 
 
These sanders require some power to work effectively. I don't doubt that you can power one with a hand drill motor as Vanda-Lay suggests and a few have noted above, but I would think that would put some serious power demands on a hand drill motor, particularly if you are using it for a prolonged period. I also don't think there are any hand drill motors that put out anything like the RPMs that either the Byrnes motor or the power tool motor Vanda-Lay sells for somewhere around $300 do.
 
The fact that the Byrnes' integral motor takes up far less bench space than the Vanda-Lay, regardless of how the Vanda-Lay is powered, is no small consideration, not to mention that the integral motor on the Byrnes machine is far more "elegant" than the cobbled-together power options for the Vanda-Lay.
 
There are two big differences that put the Byrnes head and shoulders over the Vanda-Lay. The first, but not the greatest, difference is that the Byrnes is exceptionally accurate and is easier to adjust. It has an indexed adjustment knob that allow adjustments in increments of .002". The Vanda-Lay may be just as accurate but I expect it is more fiddily to set. The second, and biggest... huge... difference in the two machines is that the Vanda-Lay has a three-inch wide drum. It will only sand wood three inches wide or less. The Byrnes machine has a six-inch wide drum! The Byrnes sander will handle twice the width capacity of the Vanda-Lay and the Byrnes offers the option of loading its six inch wide drum with two different grits of abrasive sheet, each three inches wide, on the six inch drum. This allows you to use half of the drum for coarser sanding and the other for finer sanding, should you desire to do so.
 
So, for the same price, all else considered, the Byrnes is twice the machine in my estimation.  
 
I realize that price is often a serious issue for all of us. All I can say in that regard here is that the difference in price isn't much to get twice the machine in the Byrnes. It can't be said enough that the cheapest tool in the end is often the most expensive one. You could buy any one of the Byrnes Model Machines, use it for ten years, and if you didn't beat it up, probably sell it easily for half or two thirds of what you paid for it. Not so with the Vanda-Lay. If it's a difference of even a couple of hundred bucks, how long will it really take for you to forget the "pain" of that? These days, where I live, at least, that's maybe three half-way decent dinners out with the Missus. If you get the Byrnes, you won't be sorry.
 
 
 

I have a Vanda-Lay Dremel-powered drill press. Vanda-Lay makes some interesting tools and their quality is probably second only to Jim Byrnes' Model Machines tools. That said, there is no question that the Byrnes thickness sander is the better tool and the better buy, as well. I see from checking Jim's website that they are not taking orders for machines at the moment because they took time off for summer vacation, but will be back shipping machines in mid-August. I suppose this is why they don't have the prices for the machines listed on their website at the moment! As I recall, the Byrnes sander is about the same, or even less money than the Vanda-Lay thickness sander with the motor. I have to say, owning a Byrnes thickness sander, that it is the "better buy," even if it costs a bit more than the Vanda-Lay. 
 
These sanders require some power to work effectively. I don't doubt that you can power one with a hand drill motor as Vanda-Lay suggests and a few have noted above, but I would think that would put some serious power demands on a hand drill motor, particularly if you are using it for a prolonged period. I also don't think there are any hand drill motors that put out anything like the RPMs that either the Byrnes motor or the power tool motor Vanda-Lay sells for somewhere around $300 do.
 
The fact that the Byrnes' integral motor takes up far less bench space than the Vanda-Lay, regardless of how the Vanda-Lay is powered, is no small consideration, not to mention that the integral motor on the Byrnes machine is far more "elegant" than the cobbled-together power options for the Vanda-Lay.
 
There are two big differences that put the Byrnes head and shoulders over the Vanda-Lay. The first, but not the greatest, difference is that the Byrnes is exceptionally accurate and is easier to adjust. It has an indexed adjustment knob that allow adjustments in increments of .002". The Vanda-Lay may be just as accurate but I expect it is more fiddily to set. The second, and biggest... huge... difference in the two machines is that the Vanda-Lay has a three-inch wide drum. It will only sand wood three inches wide or less. The Byrnes machine has a six-inch wide drum! The Byrnes sander will handle twice the width capacity of the Vanda-Lay and the Byrnes offers the option of loading its six inch wide drum with two different grits of abrasive sheet, each three inches wide, on the six inch drum. This allows you to use half of the drum for coarser sanding and the other for finer sanding, should you desire to do so.
 
So, for the same price, all else considered, the Byrnes is twice the machine in my estimation.  
 
I realize that price is often a serious issue for all of us. All I can say in that regard here is that the difference in price isn't much to get twice the machine in the Byrnes. It can't be said enough that the cheapest tool in the end is often the most expensive one. You could buy any one of the Byrnes Model Machines, use it for ten years, and if you didn't beat it up, probably sell it easily for half or two thirds of what you paid for it. Not so with the Vanda-Lay. If it's a difference of even a couple of hundred bucks, how long will it really take for you to forget the "pain" of that? These days, where I live, at least, that's maybe three half-way decent dinners out with the Missus. If you get the Byrnes, you won't be sorry.
 
 
 

Excellent advice from Allan. If you can afford it, the Byrnes unit is the way to go.

It looks similar to the Jim Byrnes sander.   I cannot speak for the Vanda Lay unit but my Byrnes unit is about 15 years old and runs like the day I bought it.  Thousands of board feet of wood have gone through it.  It is a bit more compact than the Vanda Lay unit with the motor built into the frame. No matter which unit you choose, DO NOT use it without a vacuum hose attached. If you do not have a shop vacuum set up, portable or otherwise, you will need one.  The amount of fine power sawdust created is immense and will cover everything, including you.    Wear a mask!!!!!  
 
Allan

Great finds! Those old MoTorBoaTing magazine Ideal Series plans books are really great. Apparently, Hearst Publishing still owns the copyrights on the Ideal Series. There's something between twenty and thirty volumes to the set, but I've only seen a handful here and there and always grabbed them when I could. Some are full of really classic William and John Atkin designs. Years ago, I tried to find out of Hearst Publishing would allow me to do a "Best of" anthology of plans from the Ideal Series. The jerks wouldn't even reply to my letter. 

Great finds! Those old MoTorBoaTing magazine Ideal Series plans books are really great. Apparently, Hearst Publishing still owns the copyrights on the Ideal Series. There's something between twenty and thirty volumes to the set, but I've only seen a handful here and there and always grabbed them when I could. Some are full of really classic William and John Atkin designs. Years ago, I tried to find out of Hearst Publishing would allow me to do a "Best of" anthology of plans from the Ideal Series. The jerks wouldn't even reply to my letter. 

Bob my Zipper build came from one of the Ideal Series books. I also will buy them when I find them.

Have you tried binder clips? Handy and cheap. Lots of different sizes available.
 

Not me and I've been using it for going on fifty years or so. Of course, a museum professional will tell you it's not "Class I archival" unless it has a hundred-year life span and we can't know that just yet.  What you want to steer clear of is anything that "out-gasses" acidic fumes, especially if your model will be cased (as it should be if you think it is worth keeping.)  There are some very valuable articles in the "Articles Database" and "More" drop-down menus that every modeler would do well to read. These should answer your questions about materials longevity. Some consider obsessing about the archival qualities of modeling materials is a bit "over the top," and maybe it is. Everybody's mileage may differ, but for my money, I see all aspects of ship modeling as an exercise in striving to "do the common thing uncommonly well," or at least as well as I am able to do it. Especially if one is building from scratch, you never know whether your one-of-a-kind model might be of some interest to someone else after you're gone. It doesn't take any more money or effort to use materials that will outlast us, so why not do so? 
 
Nautical Research Guild - Article - Ephemeral Materials in Ship Models (thenrg.org)
Nautical Research Journal - Vol 43 (thenrg.org)
Nautical Research Guild - Article - Specifications for Construction of Exhibition Models of U.S. Naval Vessels (thenrg.org)
Planking Downloads and Tutorials and Videos - Model Ship World™
 

I'd urge you to test sanding the heads off of brass nails before you go inserting them on your workpiece. Wood, being a lot softer, sands much more easily than brass nails. If you want to secure planking, you can drill holes and glue wood or bamboo "dowels" into the holes or, as some do, insert pieces of nylon fishing line into the holes. These options are more than adequately strong.  

It would depend upon the model kit. One should expect that plastic parts would be clean, but it's always possible that they aren't. Handling plastic parts with bare hands prior to painting can certainly leave skin oils that may interfere with a coating. I never worried about it much when I was building plastic models, but, obviously, when in doubt, cleaning the parts is advisable and can't hurt.  A soak and rinse in an appropriate mild cleaning solution which itself is not prone to leaving any sort of residue on the part should be sufficient to remove any oils or grease prior to applying any coating to plastic parts. 

I can't say whether these models were made in Singapore, Vietnam, or Mauritius or not, but they are the sort of product that small ship model factories in countries with developing economies are now turning out for the mass export. Singapore and Vietnam seem to have well-established ship model building industries. Mauritius has been the most prolific exporter of ship models since the last quarter of the 20th Century. Selling ship models for export is apparently a significant segment of the economy of this tiny island nation. Their product quality range runs from the almost crude to the very well-done. It's quite fascinating to see how they build these models on an assembly line basis. It's even more amazing that they can turn a profit doing so! Certainly, the people working in these small factories can't be making much at all. I expect much of the profit goes to the middle men who import the product and resell it around the world, but still and all, the Mauritians must be making enough building them for it to be worth their while to do so.
 
Check out these websites. While we will all lament that we often can't even give away our completed models, there's a whole industry out there selling ship models to an apparently viable customer base. 
 
See: http://customwoodhandicrafts.com/custom-wood-model-ships/ 
       https://hoiancraftships.com/ 
       https://silhoutech.com/
       http://aemodels.com/AE-MODELS-TEAM-PTE-LTD.-Services-Ship-Rig-Models-Rig-model-supplier-Singapore-Model-makers-in-Singapore
       https://bobatoshipmodels.com/ 
       https://historic-marine.com/ 
       https://le-port-ship-model-factory-and-showroom.business.site/ 
       https://mautourco.com/model-ship-building-works-of-art/
 
 
 
 
 

 
 

 
 
 
 
 
https://www.bbc.com/news/av/business-43432017
 

Ditto to the best wishes with the docs! 

Hi guys, hi Johann. Can you please help me. I am trying to find how to do certain knots like this one. Where did you find how to tie them?
 
The Ashley Book of Knots is generally recognized as one of the two encyclopedic works on knots of all kinds. It's been in print forever now and there are many used copies available online as well as new ones. It's a volume I expect anyone who has occasion to work with cordage of any kind to appreciate as an essential reference work. The Ashley Book of Knots: Clifford W. Ashley: 9780385040259: Amazon.com: Books
 
 
 
The Arts of the Sailor by Hervey Garrett Smith is another classic on the subject of rigging and fancy rope work. It's not encyclopedic, but it has much of the basics.
 

 
 
 Another encyclopedic work is the Encyclopedia of Knots and Fancy Rope Work by Hensel and Graumont.  Encyclopedia of Knots and Fancy Rope Work: Hensel, John, Graumont, Raoul: 9780870330216: Amazon.com: Books  Similar to Ashley's above, this volume purports to describe every knot known to man and probably can claim the record for that notwithstanding Ashley's similar claim.  While Ashley's is entertainingly illustrated with many drawings and is done in "coffee table" style, Ashley's organizes its knots by the purposes and trades which commonly employ the particular knots, while "Graumont and Hensel" is organized by type of knot as defined by the knot type's mechanics and so is organized by chapters on knots, bends, hitches, and so on. "Graumont and Hensel" is a much more academic and dry reference work illustrated with black and white photographs. 
 

 
The Rigging of Ships in the Days of the Spritsail Topmast - 1600-1720 by Anderson is another valuable classic which was written specifically for ship modelers. It specifically addresses the period between 1600 and 1720. The Rigging of Ships: in the Days of the Spritsail Topmast, 1600-1720 (Dover Maritime): Anderson, R. C.: 9780486279602: Amazon.com: Books
 

 
Some have found Peterson's Rigging Period Ship Models helpful, although it has been criticized with apparent validity for suffering some inaccuracies. Rigging Period Ship Models: A Step-By-Step Guide to the Intricacies of Square-Rig: PETERSSON, Lennarth: 9781848321021: Amazon.com: Books
 

 
 
There are other more period-specific books on rigging and rope work. These are contemporary works and quite technical. Two of these are available in PDF format for free on the MSW forum website in the drop-down menu at the top of the forum homepage.  Both happen to be called The Art of Rigging. One is by David Steel and the other by George Biddlecomb and are usually  referenced simply as "Steel's" and "Biddlecomb." TheArtOfRigging-Steel.pdf (thenrg.org)    The art of rigging (thenrg.org)
 
Many of these reference books address full-size work and not miniature model-making, but reducing full-size prototypes to scale is what we are about, so it's an easy enough task to tie our knots smaller with smaller rope, or to develop ways of faking it to accommodate our smaller scales. As far as tying small knots, I suggest anybody who's interested in tying rigging knots should spend some time searching YouTube for videos on "surgical instrument knot tying" or "instrument suture tying" and the like. There are many instructional videos, many posted by medical schools, demonstrating how to tie very small knots in very confined spaces using surgical instruments which can easily be purchased for little money on eBay and other sites. These are easily learned basic techniques of great practical value to modelers.
 
For example:
 
 
 

Hi guys, hi Johann. Can you please help me. I am trying to find how to do certain knots like this one. Where did you find how to tie them?
 
The Ashley Book of Knots is generally recognized as one of the two encyclopedic works on knots of all kinds. It's been in print forever now and there are many used copies available online as well as new ones. It's a volume I expect anyone who has occasion to work with cordage of any kind to appreciate as an essential reference work. The Ashley Book of Knots: Clifford W. Ashley: 9780385040259: Amazon.com: Books
 
 
 
The Arts of the Sailor by Hervey Garrett Smith is another classic on the subject of rigging and fancy rope work. It's not encyclopedic, but it has much of the basics.
 

 
 
 Another encyclopedic work is the Encyclopedia of Knots and Fancy Rope Work by Hensel and Graumont.  Encyclopedia of Knots and Fancy Rope Work: Hensel, John, Graumont, Raoul: 9780870330216: Amazon.com: Books  Similar to Ashley's above, this volume purports to describe every knot known to man and probably can claim the record for that notwithstanding Ashley's similar claim.  While Ashley's is entertainingly illustrated with many drawings and is done in "coffee table" style, Ashley's organizes its knots by the purposes and trades which commonly employ the particular knots, while "Graumont and Hensel" is organized by type of knot as defined by the knot type's mechanics and so is organized by chapters on knots, bends, hitches, and so on. "Graumont and Hensel" is a much more academic and dry reference work illustrated with black and white photographs. 
 

 
The Rigging of Ships in the Days of the Spritsail Topmast - 1600-1720 by Anderson is another valuable classic which was written specifically for ship modelers. It specifically addresses the period between 1600 and 1720. The Rigging of Ships: in the Days of the Spritsail Topmast, 1600-1720 (Dover Maritime): Anderson, R. C.: 9780486279602: Amazon.com: Books
 

 
Some have found Peterson's Rigging Period Ship Models helpful, although it has been criticized with apparent validity for suffering some inaccuracies. Rigging Period Ship Models: A Step-By-Step Guide to the Intricacies of Square-Rig: PETERSSON, Lennarth: 9781848321021: Amazon.com: Books
 

 
 
There are other more period-specific books on rigging and rope work. These are contemporary works and quite technical. Two of these are available in PDF format for free on the MSW forum website in the drop-down menu at the top of the forum homepage.  Both happen to be called The Art of Rigging. One is by David Steel and the other by George Biddlecomb and are usually  referenced simply as "Steel's" and "Biddlecomb." TheArtOfRigging-Steel.pdf (thenrg.org)    The art of rigging (thenrg.org)
 
Many of these reference books address full-size work and not miniature model-making, but reducing full-size prototypes to scale is what we are about, so it's an easy enough task to tie our knots smaller with smaller rope, or to develop ways of faking it to accommodate our smaller scales. As far as tying small knots, I suggest anybody who's interested in tying rigging knots should spend some time searching YouTube for videos on "surgical instrument knot tying" or "instrument suture tying" and the like. There are many instructional videos, many posted by medical schools, demonstrating how to tie very small knots in very confined spaces using surgical instruments which can easily be purchased for little money on eBay and other sites. These are easily learned basic techniques of great practical value to modelers.
 
For example:
 
 
 

It was a long while ago, but I a photo of an open sided assembly line decorator model production in Vietnam.
The think the formula is:  a country with a skilled, but under utilized work force, willing to work for much less than their skills are worth because their economy is temporarily stuck on a sandbar.   When the economy recovers or has its initial bloom, this sort of operation probably has to reappear in the next country with the proper factors.
There used to be something named Starving Artists - a large room with a lot of people, each behind their own easel, all copying a master painting projected at the front of the room.    I imagine something similar for mass produced decorator models.  I do not imagine someone just looking to earn enough for their next hit could be a satisfactory worker.
 
Your two have something extra - the designer had an eye for elegant design, the lines have artistic curves.  The wood is not pallet quality crap. It looks like Acer, or Beech or Birch.
 
They are not actually ship models as we would define them here. They are simulacrum of ship models.  Tasteful background decoration.