Subject: SMML VOL 1569 Date: Tue, 05 Mar 2002 00:17:04 +1100 SMML is proudly sponsored by SANDLE http://sandlehobbies.com -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- MODELLERS INDEX 1: Re: planked decks 2: Russian Deck Red 3: Re: Enjoying the Hobby /Steamboat question 4: Seattle and Melbourne 5: Re: Trumpeter Arizona 6: Re: Russian Deck Red -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- MODELLERS -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1) From: Bradford Chaucer Subject: Re: planked decks >> PPS: The planks of US Battleships were attached to the deck with a gap (1/4 inch) between them their neighbor. This gap was then calked to waterproof the deck. If the planks were butted against each other there would not be any space for the wood to expand and contract when it got wet/dry and cold/hot. << That's exactly right, if there were no gaps, expansion with humidity changes (or wetness from rough seas) would cause the planks to expand across the grain and buckle. Shrinkage when they dried out would open gaps which would let water underneath. The planks must be spaced and the gap filled with a flexible caulk >> The only way the planks could be installed without gaps would to make the entire deck free floating. This works great in my kitchen, but would be pealed off the ship the first time a wave came over the bow. If you look close enough, you will notice a round plug at each end of every plank on an operational ship. This is where the plank is bolted to the deck. A round plug covers the bolt head. You may not see them on ship that do not go out to sea because they are not needed and add to the cost of installing the deck, but they have to be there on any ship with a wooden deck that puts out to sea << When I was on the USS Mass. during SMML Con 1, they were replacing teak deck planks and were drilling bolt holes and plugging the holes after the planks were bolted down. That raises a bit of comic relief. Teak picks up silica (sand) as the tree grows. As a result the wood is very abrasive when worked (though the wood also works beautifully with sharp tools) and it dulls/wears out tooling very quickly. One of the artisans ( apes) working on the re-planking was trying to drill and counter-bore bolt holes in teak planks on a drill press using a spade bit. The bit had probably been sharpened at least once this decade. Smoke was pouring off the plank and you could smell the characteristic odor of overheated teak all over the place (smells mildly like burning rubber) Regards, Bradford Chaucer -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2) From: alec@radmail.rad.co.il (Alex Kravitz) Subject: Russian Deck Red The best choice - Humbrol 100 (Matt red/brown). To obtain the right tint, give a wet cover of Humbrol Gloss coat to painted decks - this will reduce a color brightness and add depth. Without a gloss coat, Humbrol 100 is just too bright. Resulting color is perfectly matches the Russian red epoxy paint (called in Russian "surik"). You can safely spray the flat cote later without risk to change the tint. Alec P.S. Very strange, but only Humbrol Gloss coat gives the right tint to Humbrol 100. I tried to use acrylic coat without any success. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3) From: James pasquill Subject: Re: Enjoying the Hobby /Steamboat question Someone wrote: >> I believe that there is a place for each and everyone of us who models for history and fun. I model for fun . . . whether you also model for fun or model accuracy, good for you. This genre needs all flavors of people. Rohloff is one, I am another and you are the others. I honestly request that anyone who builds for pleasure respond to A.W.'s message. It would be nice to have an estimate of the number of people who ship modeling just for fun. << I fully agree but..In all seriousness if everyone responds to your request the list will be flooded for weeks with "me too" posts. The point I tried to make with some levity which seems to have missed the mark is that I and everyone on the list builds models "just for fun", whether they put them together straight like they might have as a 9 year old or whether they completely research them and rebuild every part like the fellow who wrote the articles on the Arizona currently running in Ships in Scale magazine. Even the pros on the list, the very few who make a meager living building models, are doing it for fun or they'd be doing something else. No one has to agree with me but I'm strongly hinting that this thread has run its course as it does every 3 or 4 months. Better to describe to us the modeling you've been doing and we'll know it was great fun in the process! ;^) I'm working on a small passenger steamboat and need help with the roof coloring. I've never seen a color photo of an early 1900s steamer except old colorized photos which are notoriously bad references. The roofing appears to canvas over wood. Anyone know what color the canvas might have been painted? Jim P -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4) From: "Robert Lockie" Subject: Seattle and Melbourne Thanks to everyone who offered suggestions as to museums in Seattle. I have forwarded them on to my enquirer and hopefully his wife will not return with an abiding dislike of us all for filling his holiday with ship museums. And to drift well off topic. Congratulations to Mark Webber, Paul Stoddart and all the team at European Minardi for their fine performance at the Melbourne GP over the weekend. I think even they would agree that the circumstances were somewhat unusual, but first corner pile-ups create these opportunities and you still have to be pretty good to even get to the end (more than some of the teams who avoided that incident did). Good on yer! Robert Lockie Swindon UK Hi Robert, Yeah it was great to see Mark Webber bring the Minardi home in 5th place - here's hoping that this signifies a change in their fortunes - be nice to see another Aussie F1 champion ;-) Shane -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5) From: AAA Hobby Subject: Re: Trumpeter Arizona >> March Squadron flyer shows 1/350 Arizona by Trumpeter! Nuff said. << Sure, they can wrongly call it that, but what does the box say? If the box doesn't say Trumpeter, it isn't Trumpeter. The box art shown is the MHM box. They also list the 1/700 kit as Trumpeter. Both the Banner and MHM kits are the same, the stands even have the trumpet logo on it. This all goes back to the official policy of Trumpeter that their "first rate" kits are in the Trumpeter line and their lower quality kits are in the MHM line. This one is a MHM kit. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6) From: Subject: Re: Russian Deck Red Hi Bob, The best colour match I have found for Russian Deck Red is Humbrol 132 which is an enamel. This seems to react to light in the right manner to give an almost orange appearance in bright daylight, but stays a dark red when indoors in the shade. All the best Peter Hall WEM -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Check out the SMML site for the List Rules, Backissues, Member's models & reference pictures at: http://smmlonline.com Check out the APMA site for an index of ship articles in the Reference section at: http://apma.org.au/ -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- End of Volume