HMS Thorn by Kevin Kenny - 1:48 scale - Swan-class - David Antscherl practium

[Kevin Kenny]

Hi Tom the short answer is yes, i actually have 4 table saws, large Dewalt which i use to prepare bulk lumber, an old Proxxon which i use to bring stuff down to modeling size but not happy with the quality. A Preac which has all the accessories and one that i use every day and the Jim Byrnes, the best made saw in the world. I also have a Proxxon ban saw which i use daily but not happy with it but it is the perfect size. A large Dewalt cross cut saw and the Proxxon chop saw.  Do i need them all? No. But they sure make life easy. 

[Kevin Kenny]

Ken you can get bits from you dental supply for the turbo carver. I got a gift from my dentist of about 50 bits that he was not using, the equivalent  of three dental visits in value. They were unused and in perfect condition. 
 

photo below shows the gratings cut out to be framed on the upper deck, Lots  of extras for later on. I am glad that i made so many, as you can find so many imperfections in the ones i made even though i was so careful. And the truth be told it takes very little extra time  to make more at the same time.

[mtaylor]

For dental bits, look in Ebay.  Sometime ago a bought a box of them of various shapes and sizes for little money. Another good alternative is talk to your dentist.  Most will be happy give away their used ones.

[KentM]

Thanks Kevin and Mark.

Kent

[druxey]

True: it is the set-up that takes most of the time to do. Then you can churn out gratings quite quickly.

[TBlack]

Kevin,

I only wish I had the space for all the wonderful equipment that you have (guys and their tools, oh my!). I use my sherline milling machine for gratings. It's equipped with DRO. Also, while you are careful with the direction of the grain, I turn the end grain vertical which helps eliminate breakage.

Tom

[Kevin Kenny]

Hi Tom

i am very envious of your DRO mill. I have long thought about doing the upgrade but cant find a way to purchase it without my wife Susan seeing the purchase. Oh well one day. Most of the saws you see are in an outside shop. The inside shop is one of my kids bedrooms that took me years to takeover. 

[stuglo]

21 hours ago, KentM said:

One can never have too many saws.  I have 2 Preacs, a Proxxon, a Byrnes, a Dremel and something that I bought when I was just starting.

 

I just recently finished watching all of your HMS Thorn videos over a 3-4 month period.  Totally delightful and very educational. I have almost finished the HMS Granada videos.  I did buy a Turbo Carver and managed to find a Vandalay Tree Nail Maker (not made any more). 

Keep up the great work.  I am learning a lot.

 Kent

I have the small proxxon and the proxxon FET. I am unhappy with the latter for various reasons including the longitudinal stop moving when tightening the toggle screw (handle). Also, with the blade guard in place this stop cannot be less than 1cm from the blade. (working from the right as I do). In fact, using the smaller proxxon is much better for thinner strips eg 1.6X1.8mm.

I am seriously thing of ordering a Byrnes. I would very mush like to hear comments and advice.

[Kevin Kenny]

To be fair i just reviewed their latest video on you tube and the new Proxxon FET which is so much better than the one i have.  Yet it still pails in comparison to the Jim Byrnes.  What annoyed me about them is i wrote to them about upgrading my saw with their new fence ( mine is useless) and they told me it was not upgradable. Unlike my 20 years old Sherline which is totally upgradable. The only advantage it has is the ability to make angle cuts, a feature that i seldom use.So my opinion is if you can afford it buy the Byrnes, it is without question the best small table saw on the market today by far. 

[KentM]

I agree with Kevin about the Byrnes saw.  Although having a Preac is nice if you can find one.  

Kent

[mtaylor]

5 hours ago, stuglo said:

I have the small proxxon and the proxxon FET. I am unhappy with the latter for various reasons including the longitudinal stop moving when tightening the toggle screw (handle). Also, with the blade guard in place this stop cannot be less than 1cm from the blade. (working from the right as I do). In fact, using the smaller proxxon is much better for thinner strips eg 1.6X1.8mm.

I am seriously thing of ordering a Byrnes. I would very mush like to hear comments and advice.

Look in the tools area.  A quick search will get you much information.

[Smile-n-Nod]

Yesterday, Vimeo Search returned over 30 of your HMS Thorn build videos. Now it returns two. But the links in your posts in the first part of this thread still show those videos. Any idea what's going on? 

Edited September 1, 2021 by Smile-n-Nod

[Kevin Kenny]

I just checked and they are there. They are in a file.i just checked and they are all working. 

[Smile-n-Nod]

2 hours ago, Kevin Kenny said:

I just checked and they are there. They are in a file.i just checked and they are all working. 

Thanks. Maybe Vimeo's search is not working. 

[Kevin Kenny]

Frames for upper deck gratings complete.

[Kevin Kenny]

 

[Kevin Kenny]

These are my finial numbers.

[No Idea]

Yet another fantastic video - thanks Kevin for going to all of the trouble making these very informative and honest diaries of your build 👍

[stuglo]

13 hours ago, Kevin Kenny said:

These are my finial numbers.

You're not a Doctor- I can read your writing 

[Kevin Kenny]

Hahahahahaha

[Kevin Kenny]

 

[dvm27]

Good result Kevin. Persistence pays off!

 

When milling it is best to have small pieces like the bitts sitting on a base of the same diameter which extends to the bottom of the mill vice. This base serves as a positive stop so that each face can be rotated without worrying about aligning with the top jaw of the mill vice. In addition, when milling small pieces of wood the tightening of the vice will frequently squeeze the bottom of the vice slightly narrower that at the level of the top of the jaws. This can loosen the grip and cause milling errors. Below is a quick mock up of what I have described.

 

[AON]

those are good vise use practises I hope to remember!

[Kevin Kenny]

Thanks Greg. I actually thought about doing this but was so intent on understanding how to make the piece. Then once i got it down pat it just took a few minutes to actually machine the three pieces. In fact  sometimes i i found the vice tightened the front   before the back. Now that may have been the piece it self and i was careful not to over tighten it. Il. Make a nite in the comment section. I could not have done this without your early  advice. It make such a difference. 

[Kevin Kenny]

[Kevin Kenny]

Well worth the two weeks of work.

thanks for the motivation Greg.

[Kevin Kenny]

 

[VACorsair]

What still camera are you using?  

[Kevin Kenny]

All my photography is done on the new iPad pro

[stuglo]

On 9/23/2021 at 5:50 AM, Kevin Kenny said:

 

Never enough tools (toys) or lights. Never enough time to use  them.