Paint Shop

[Rufus T. Firefly]

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[bob turner]

If I ever do another, I will try the muslin trick. By the way, muslin is not as common as it once was - I tried a piece to more smoothly cover a Cub gas tank under the Dacron. Some have used it on leading edges with reportedly good results.

[Rufus T. Firefly]

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[rex desilets]

I do believe JoAnn purveys everything except O scale brass

[Rufus T. Firefly]

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[sarge]

I've never really understood that practice - not gluing wood to wood then; gluing sealer to sealer.

You could argue we still were, for butyrate or cell'y was impregnated in the grain. Gluing would just be considered a multistep process.

You could also argue a better surface gave you a more reliable joint, more uniform attachment over a surface area, a few other pretty reasonable statements.

What really helped was proofing against moisture in a non-conditioned environment. In those days I would not have thought of using homasote roadbed unsealed, and today I rarely think to seal it. The cycling of the bits between winter and summer would raise hell with my wood models back then, a railroad (or wooden models) built in a basement actually was more stable than one in a spare room with windows open in the summer, dry heat in the winter. No-one had a/c then as a rule, so the old guys taught us young guys to use sealer.

It is a very different world we're used to now what with pretty universal A/C, but you can still get caught out if you don't think about it. I still have a couple unsealed wood cars I built when I was sitting dead bored in the Sinai with the MFO. I mailed them to my dad when I was done, and when I caught up with them in DC a year later or so they had neatly disassembled themselves, so I had the fun of building them again; kits of my own manufacture.

Grin!

[Rufus T. Firefly]

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[robert.]

"BTW, can you recommend a source for a short set of Forstner bits that are not crap but also not crazy expensive?"
Home Depot. Ryobi. Also try Fastenal. I had a set of almost 20 still covered in hard wax. Never used. Cost over $300 brand new. I tried to sell them on eBay. starting bid $50.00. I took half a dozen times of relisting to sell them. Not many people have a use for them now.

[sarge]

I've never really understood that practice - not gluing wood to wood then; gluing sealer to sealer.

You could argue we still were, for butyrate or cell'y was impregnated in the grain. Gluing would just be considered a multistep process.

You could also argue a better surface gave you a more reliable joint, more uniform attachment over a surface area, a few other pretty reasonable statements.

You could, but I wouldn't. Runs totally against all I was ever taught regarding wood and finishing, as well as my experience with furniture restoration and the strength of joints glued vs. glue to glue.

If I'm honest, there isn't a whole lot that makes me very worried about gluing up wood models being faithful to the same methods as furniture restoration. If that was the case, we'd be cracking out the old crock-pot and heating up the hide glue to build a reefer. Your favourite CA/Goo combination is just a multi-step gluing process, one that doesn't follow antique restoration protocol. I hold model building and furniture resto schools really don't corrolate, but there are a lot of useful tricks I've taken from one and used in the other when I found myself having to work my way out of a jam. The old prewar modellers who taught me pretty much used different techniques than the furniture and luthier guys who taught me "big wood". Both schools work well.

BTW, can you recommend a source for a short set of Forstner bits that are not crap but also not crazy expensive? I hit a nail with one doing the electrical and was using it today to open up a space in a clock body today; worked ok since it was burl redwood, but I could feel the nick in the blade. Probably also need bearings for my drill press - probably easier to buy a new drill press,

Offhand no, any place where I can get good ones I expect to get well nailed for them. Good ones are hard to make and are getting "niche" any more. You can get Bosch forstners from Peachtree Woodworking for a reasonable price all things considered. Then I think you might want to get a low-rent set from Harbor to use running electric.

[robert.]

From the Miami beach Antique show last week. Furniture restoration meets model building.

B6F35053-5B36-4A6A-A41E-9999571BC031.jpeg

[sarge]

Every time I see something like that it reminds me of what an absolute hack I really am.

Its magnificent!

[PRR Man]

yee haw, what a work of art!

[Robert]

Holy Toledo what a MODEL!

I could study that ship for hours and wonder in amazement as to how on earth such a masterpiece was built.

Robert

[rogruth]

Very nice.
Was it made by one person?
How long did it take?
How much built from hand-made parts?
When and where was it built?

[Rufus T. Firefly]

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