Subject: SMML VOL 2098 Date: Sun, 19 Jan 2003 20:35:24 +1100 SMML is proudly sponsored by SANDLE http://sandlehobbies.com ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- MODELLERS INDEX 1: Golwand & Gowland/Revell "Ships in Miniature" 2: Re: Re-Stock at WEM 3: Re: Holland 4: Using Nichrome Wire for Rigging 5: Re: Sydney/Melbourne 6: H.M.S. Abercrombie.... 7: Passing History 8: More History Passes 9: Re: Cockroaches 10: Planking on Georgi Pobiedonosets 11: Re: Norfolk 250N Stain 12: After 140 years in watery grave, Hunley sailors to be buried ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Model club & SMMLcon Information 1: SMML Site Update 2: APMA Site Update ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- MODELLERS ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1) From: Jimmyjb Subject: Golwand & Gowland/Revell "Ships in Miniature" Hi, I just subscribed to the list. I started making plastic ship models in seventh grade -- 1952 and remember starting out with the Golden Hind by a company called "Gowland & Gowland". I believe that they were distributed by Revell, who eventually took over production. As I recall, the models were waterline, to a scale roughly approximating 1:220 (they were only about five or six inches long at most). They were all molded in a soapy off-white "high impact polysterene" and set in a sea base with a little nest for the hull. I had a devil of a time with the Golden Hind's intricate paint scheme -- I think maybe there were decals for the transom. I eventually made all the models in the series, which included, the Bon Homme Richard, the Constitution, the Savannah, Flying Cloud and a grand banks fishing schooner, Gerty Thebaud among others. Though the paint/glue spills bothered my Mom, the models only took up a small space on my bookshelves. The redeeming grace was that the models turned me on to history, as I went to the library and read every book I could about the histories of the ships and their commanders. Does anyone here remember these little models? I no longer can make models due to arthritis in my hands, but buy some ready-made on ebay. I did find a kit of the original Golden Hind model I built 51 years ago. Jim Bloom ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2) From: Brooks Rowlett Subject: Re: Re-Stock at WEM >> We've received a re-stock on our 1/350 USS REUBEN JAMES (DD-245), the classic Clemson-class 4-stack destroyer lost to a U-Boat's torpedo 5 weeks before Pearl Harbor. << What configuration is this kit in? Is it classic interwar 4-piper standard, or is it the escort mod, which RJ's squadron had undergone before she was sunk? Brooks A Rowlett ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3) From: Burl Burlingame Subject: Re: Holland I took a chance and emailed Dr. Popko, and he replied that he had mailed me a copy. Apparently that's the link .... Burl Burlingame ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4) From: "Kerry L. Jang" Subject: Using Nichrome Wire for Rigging Hi Bradford, In regards to how you use nichrome wire, here is my experience with it. Nichrome wire in these fine guages off the spool is a bit limp, with a bit of spring, but similar to stretched sprue but I would sat a bit stiffer. It is hard and strong, can take a lot of abuse (no worry about the stuff snapping in two when you pull it) and has the advantage of being stable in different environments. In these fine guages its very easy to cut with a nice or scissors. It handles like very fine pastic rod but stronger. I was able to pierce the skin on the tip of my finger with the end of it. Ouch! Here's how I use it. Take off spool and get rid of any curl by taking the strand and hold one end in the fingers on one hand and the other end in the fingers of the other hand and gently pull it (like a snapping motion) to take out the curl. It will still sag, and seem whispy, but any tension from the reel is taken out. I secure one into a hole in the deck or to the end of a yardarm. You can fix it in place with a smear of CA glue or, if possible, like on the yardarm, it can be wound round a yardarm for example and fixed with a smear of glue. The other end is simply pulled taught and fixed with a smear of CA or wound a turn or two if possible at the terminal point. Fix with CA glue and trim. **In short, use it the same way you would stretched sprue.** Here are some other advantages I have found over stretched sprue. If you use sprue, it often breaks when you try to tighten it. Or, if you use tighten your rigging with heat, you can melt the line or the model itself. Furthermore, heat treating sprue to tighten is rather uncontrolled. If it shrinks to far, you can pull your masts, yardarms, etc., out of shape. When you stretch sprue, its too easy to get inconsistent diameters. Wire off the spool is consistently one size. If you use the rubberized thread, you have built in tension on your masts that may vary over time with humidity and heat. Again, the tension built into the rubberized thread is somewhat uncontrolled. Note too that some brands of rubberized thread that had been sold in the hobby trade in the past (e.g., stuff sold by "PP Aeroparts" years ago for riggin WWI biplanes for example) would break down in sunlight due to UV degredation. Finally, I don't care much for monofilament as it is has a slick surface that I found hard to secure with glue for example. Another nice thing about nichrome is that you have more control over tension and the natural stength and spring of the wire makes it easy to handle. I have tried copper wire in 1:700, but copper wire kinks, breaks and bends too easily in this scale. It is hard to use, but good for sailing ships as its softness allows you to shape cantenaries into the rigging. The key to rigging is that your masts are strong. No matter the scale, I rebuild all of the main parts of the masts and yards out of brass rod. This gives me the strength to pull rigging tight. Michael, As to where to get the stuff, the best supplier is Pelican Wire Comapny in Florida. Your dentist uses it for braces but that is the thick stuff! Just use your browser to search on their name and they will come up. They now have a secure website order page where they sell the spools in modellers quantities. Before you had to buy the stuff by the pound! Thats a lot of wire. Now you can buy a few hundered feet at a time. Gene, Glad my comments help. I buy the stuff and I don't tell my wife as the spools are small enough to sneak into the house and hide... The other way I get it into the house is to buy my wife a spool at the same time - she makes beaded jewllery as a hobby, and a spool of the heavy guage stuff for her smooths things over... Once again, the best guide to using Nichrome is Loydd McCaffery's book "Ships in Minature" by Conway and published in the USA by NIP. Its all about sailing ships but if you want to now about rigging with nichrome wire, this is the one. Also, tons of useful info on carving your own ships' boats, etc, etc. I see the latest Combrig 1:700 kit is a steam ship that carried a full set of sails, ratlines and rigging... now on my must get list! Warmest regards, Kerry ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5) From: Starline / Fleetline Subject: Re: Sydney/Melbourne Here in Melboreing we are really spoilt when it comes to good hobby shops etc. It can be really difficult to predict what is more available or cheaper over here. Generally I feel most European/Asian manufactured items are considerably cheaper. (i.e. you could pick up the Trumpeter Hornet for as little as $70US if you know where) Places to look are..in the city... Hearns Hobbies - Pretty knowledgeable stock most things, not so good on ships. Victorian Hobbies - Very knowledgeable, as above, bonus they carry some second-hand kits. Hobby Place - Totally unhelpful but large & unusual range of kits. Probably best with ships. Hylands Books - Superb military bookshop, carries almost everything from everywhere & helpful. Just out of town a little... Snowy Mountain Models (Altona Meadows) - The best place for good deals has quite a few second-hand rarities usually. Specialise in Mail Order but carry some. Fleetline (Altona North) - We don't carry much these days but we're nice people! Military Melbourne Books (Prahan) - Excellent range of second-hand books. The biggest bonus here, Australia is supplied from all over the world, Russian, Polish, Czech, Chinese, Taiwan & the more usual mainstream mfgs. For after market parts, PE, limited run stuff I don't think there is anywhere which can beat it. Our dollar is about 50c in the US so the exchange rate doubles your dollar. (If you do end up here in Modelling Melbourne give us a call & i'll point you the right direction... Kevin 93180602) :) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6) From: "Chris & Dennis Otto" Subject: H.M.S. Abercrombie.... If you use the "Google" search engine you will find some nice photos, on various sites, of her. They are B+W, but some of the schemes are rather recognizable and actual colors should be able to be referenced from camouflage sources. Regards, DFO ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7) From: John Snyder Subject: Passing History It is a sad day for ship lovers in Massachusetts -- the famous Fore River Shipyard (also known as Bethlehem Quincy), which had been mothballed for many years, was sold yesterday to a local automobile dealer to be forever liquidated as a shipbuilding facility. Fore River was opened in the 1880s to build steel ships for the expanding US Navy and was finally shuttered by General Dynamics in 1986. All efforts to reopen the yard and resume ship construction in the 1990s came to naught. The shipbuilding equipment will be auctioned off and the property redeveloped for light industry...and for storing the new owner's cars. And so an era comes to a close... The workers at Fore River/Quincy Bethlehem built some of the most famous warships in US Navy history. These vessels include: USS NEVADA (BB-36), USS MASSACHUSETTS (BB-59), USS LEXINGTON (CV-2), USS WASP (CV-7), USS LEXINGTON (CV-16), USS BUNKER HILL (CV-17), USS HANCOCK (CV-19), USS NORTHAMPTON (CA-26), USS PORTLAND (CA-33), USS QUINCY (CA-39), and USS VINCENNES (CA-44). The shipyard also launched light cruisers, destroyers and smaller vessels for the US war effort as well. Best, John Snyder The Token Yank White Ensign Models Home Page for WEM, http://WhiteEnsignModels.com ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 8) From: John Snyder Subject: More History Passes A 22,000 ton ferry will today become probably the last ever ship to be named Belfast's Harland & Wolff shipyard. The Anvil Point is the second of two ferries built there for an English shipping consortium. When it is completed in a few weeks' time, all but 130 of the year's workforce will be made redundant. The ship will be No 1,742 in the 150 year history of the yard, where the Titanic was built. At its peak it had 35,000 workers. Chief executive Bill Alexander says that the firm does have a future in the engineering business, but it is unlikely yo build any more ships. Original article at: http://www.online.ie/news/viewer.adp?article=1929080 Best, John Snyder The Token Yank White Ensign Models Home Page for WEM, http://WhiteEnsignModels.com ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 9) From: Fkbrown90 Subject: Re: Cockroaches If you promise to not step on me I'll tell you who started the cockroach thread. Franklyn ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 10) From: Pieter Cornelissen Subject: Planking on Georgi Pobiedonosets Hi all, I've just received a Kombrig Georgi Pobiedonosets and noticed that it's deck planking is layed on in he traditional way, not in sections. The WSW Potemkin (same fleet, same navy yard but about ten years later) does have its deck plaking done in sections. Has anyone on this list access to overhead photographs or drawing of Georgi Pobiedonosets or her sisters that can shed any light on this? Cheers, Pieter Cornelissen Delft, the Netherlands ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 11) From: James Corley Subject: Re: Norfolk 250N Stain >> Norfolk 250-N and 5-N Navy Blue were virtually identical. 250-N was a trifle more blue, so if you REALLY want to mix, you might try adding a bit of Flight Deck Stain 21 to 5-N Navy Blue. Personally, I'd use 5-N and then weather it afterwards. << Or just buy the bottle of #20/250N Flight Deck Blue from the Testors Acryl line, #4234 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 12) From: John Kutina Subject: After 140 years in watery grave, Hunley sailors to be buried http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/printer2/index.asp?ploc=b&refer=http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/national/104836_crew18.shtml ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Model club & SMMLcon Information ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1) From: Mistress Lorna Subject: SMML Site Update Hi Everybody Time for another look at the SMML website as we welcome Tom Dean to the Mainbrace Gallery with his Sackville, Haida and others while Ian Wrenford adds his build of the Heller Russian Icebreaker to the Gallery. More references were added with images of RFA Argus, Rotterdam and Harbour Ferries (useful for in port dioramas one would suspect) And of course if you missed any of the past SMMLs, you can get right up to date as the archives have been updated with volumes 2088 - 2098. Cheers Mistress Lorna SMML Webmistress and occasional modeller ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 2) From: Shane Subject: APMA Site Update G'day all, The APMA site has been updated with new Members Models & Reference photos. Check out the Update page for full details. Regards, Shane APMA Webmaster http://apma/org.au Having FUN making models Now with Secure On-line Ordering ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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