What I spent My Allowance On (New Stuff For The Bench)

[RoughboyModelworks]

Paul...can we at least up the quality a bit?
Marc

Marc - your allowance is obviously much greater than mine... However, as a long-standing member (inducted in 1976) of the Academy of Malt Scotch Whisky, I have had the pleasure of consuming a great variety of single malts over the years and I have not yet met one of which I did not approve. Regrettably tho for the past couple of years, the forced reduction and near-elimination of my allowance have prohibited me from indulging my passion for single malts. This prohibition is eased somewhat by the mundane selection available in our back-water of civilization and the regular medicinal soothing of JD...

Paul

[RoughboyModelworks]

Now for the important stuff. Gentlemen, single malt Scotch and Jack Daniels are fine drinks but an excellent cognac beats anything, hands down. Such liquid ambrosia is the nectar of my downfall.
Russ

Also an excellent choice, though I understand too much of it leads to fantasies about young thong-clad women...

Paul

[RoughboyModelworks]

Though not a recent purchase, these Alvin 450 Proportional Dividers have been of tremendous use to me over the years. A precision tool made of machined-aluminum with replaceable steel points, they're designed for scaling dimensions up or down from technical drawings and dividing lines and circles into equal parts. The version I have is 8" long point-to-point. They are still being produced in a couple of different sizes and though relatively expensive, have paid for themselves many times over. You can find them online or at any good art supply store.

I'm currently using them on the 1:24 Heywood Brake Van project. The prints I have of the technical drawings for the van, though drawn to 1:32 scale, did not print out at that scale. By taking dimensions off the drawings using the long-pointed end of the dividers, I can read the correction dimensions off the 1/2" scale on an architect's rule with the short-pointed end of the dividers. It was simply a matter of finding the right position for the divider's adjustable pivot point.



Paul

[DaKra]

Have a pair of those also, very useful tool.   But sometimes the pivot shifts with use, and the proportions go off a little.  So if I am working from plans in a different scale, I usually scan, rescale in photoshop or adobe, print and use the tool for taking 1/1 reference points.   Compass works for 1/1 reference points, too.  Slower to adjust but holds the setting reliably.             

[RoughboyModelworks]

That's curious, I've never had that problem Dave. They've always remained fixed where I've set them. I've found greater inaccuracies generated in the printing process. I can print the same drawing file on three different printers and get 3 slightly different sized drawings. We also have to remember that paper, like wood, is a flexible medium and is constantly changing. These dividers do an excellent job of resolving the inaccuracies.

Paul

[DaKra]

Its easy to check for printer output precision-- draw a ruler file in Adobe, just little tic marks at 1mm increments along an X and Y axis.  Print it out and line it up with a steel rule.   I see no distortion in my printer's output, maybe .002" along an 10" span, more than precise enough for model work.   

I'd figure its much less precise to take many measurements by hand, rescale each measurement individually with a mechanical divider, and transfer them to the workpiece.    But still within tolerances for model work, can't go splitting hairs too finely or nothing would get finished!   

Rescaling using a copy machine is a whole different matter.

Dave

[RoughboyModelworks]

Good tip on checking accuracy of a printer Dave.

I agree, too much opportunity to introduce inaccuracies by multiple mechanical transfers of dimensions. That's why I only do it once, from the original drawing in a different scale to an architect's rule in the scale that I'm modelling. The time-saving feature of the dividers is there is no math involved for those of us who are mathematically challenged. The resulting dimension is then transferred into the CAD software which outputs the dimensions needed for the finished part to within .0001". Accurate enough for our needs I'd say... 

Paul

[marc_reusser]

Not purchased yet but have left a few hints around the place just in case my wife doesn't know what to buy me for an anniversary present ... you know the subtle way  leaving the suppliers web site open on the computer, purchasing a book "Learning how to use Your Mini Lathe" and  may try using this photo as the screen saver 

Ah the hinting game...I know it well...though for me if it works it generally just ends up as her saying "Why don't you order it...that way it will be the right thing"

The lathe looks nice, is that the one from Micro-Mark? Good Luck with the hints!

The MIG pigments are good, if you haven't got it yet would recommend you try their Industrial City Dirt, P039.

I think I might have that one 


MR

[marc_reusser]

Paul,

That's a nice set of dividers.


Dave,

Thanks for the printer calibrating scaling tip. Might save me time from having to scale it into or draw it in AutoCad.


MR

[marc_reusser]

Paul...can we at least up the quality a bit?
Marc

Marc - your allowance is obviously much greater than mine...

Paul

....errr....I was hoping you were buying. My allowance doesn't extend to that level.....I've just been fortunate to have some very gracious and appreciative clients.

[danpickard]

My latest adventures meant buying an etching tank, and then sourcing a good supply of ferric chloride and sheet brass at the right price.  The tank normally has an aquarium heater in it to get the ferric up to a good working temperature, but given the Australian summers, it wasn't really needed today!  A small air pump is mounted behind the timber splash screen to provide the bubbling/agitation.  So far I've done a few test sheets, and need to work on alignment issues.  Only out by approx .5mm, which is ok for the current parts I'm working on, but need to adjust for some other future ideas.  I know the "cabinet work" is a bit rough, but it was from shed scraps, and does the job, knowing it was only going to get stained with ferric, so its finish wasn't high on my priority list...

Dan

[DaKra]

Hey Dan

Nice!  Hope you'll start a thread on your home etching and show us how you do it.     

Dave   

[RoughboyModelworks]

...I've just been fortunate to have some very gracious and appreciative clients.

Very fortunate indeed...    I dare say we could all use a few more such expressions of appreciation, not that we feel under-appreciated, just strapped and thirsty... 

Paul

[RoughboyModelworks]

That looks like a decent and practical setup Dan and yes, please share some more info on your etching project.

Paul

[finescalerr]

Etching is to metal what lasers are to wood and paper. It is a necessary but underutilized technique. And the process requires no expensive, specialized equipment. Please think about a detailed S-B-S. I would publish it in the next Modelers' Annual without question. -- Russ