John's Whatever Bench Returns ...

[JohnRatzenberger]

Thanks, Nigel - I had to look up what a step drill is and I think no, what I really need is something w/o a pointy end so I end up with a flat deck/floor - but I think I can fake it once I try.

Of course, as the owner of numerous tools, I simply will need to get one because I do not already have one

[JamesPerrin]

Step drill bits are primarily designed for drilling holes in sheet metal. If you've ever used a regular bit only for it to pull itself through without cutting a clean hole then these solve that problem by not having a spiral flute. You step through each size until the hole is the correct dimension.

[Dazzled]

Do you have anyone nearby with a SLA (resin) 3D printer John? Making a cylinder of any size/wall thickness in CAD is a doddle; you can make them to length or as a tube to be cut down as required.

[JohnRatzenberger]

No, but thanks for the suggestion.

[JohnRatzenberger]

OK, so the last transfusion lasted two weeks and this time the platelets tanked also. By Monday I was in for a scheduled lab, which resulted in platelets being given on Tue, which resulted in a follow-up lab on Wed, and a transfusion scheduled for Thursday. Unsure if I'll get more platelets as they stayed low or we'll just hope the blood helps fix the problem.

So that killed any progress on my models, but here they are. I am painting but cannot seem to focus on the patterns or brush control so it is taking longer than I would expect. Hopefully back to them on Friday & the weekend.



It didn't help that I used much of (the healthy) last week rearranging deck chairs, AKA paints, in the model room and didn't get the job finished because two shipments of new stuff have pinged about the country on wandering transport. Oh, well ....

I posted a couple new acquisitions a couple days ago in the stash thread and am about to go post a couple more that just showed up.
I may not be healthy but I am hopeful.

[Lone Modeller]

I hope that you health improves John as you must be severly frustrated not only with the lack of modelling but the way it affects life in general. Best wishes for better times.

[JamesPerrin]

Take whatever pleasure you can John whether it’s a bit of spring cleaning or just some nice purchases to fondle.

[JohnRatzenberger]

Well, here's a picture, just so I don't get the dreaded "Useless without ..." sticker



It's been rough, trying to keep track of two different camoflage schemes - colors and patterns. I failed miserably on San Diego - lost the two neat photos I had, one of each side, then forgot I even had them and plowed along until almost painted, then they surfaced and I've spent past couple days trying to salvage it. DoY hasn't been that difficult - that is I didn't loose the camo pattern, but it's still a lot of work - paint, touch-up, re-touch.

San Diego (the kit) has it's own problem. The 8 turrets are mis-molded - the left & right gun "ports" on each are not the same - cannot see it until trying to fit a gun barrel into them. I tried to fix the turrets but that proved too much effort so I sanded down the rear parts of each guntube to fit. The good news is that I did not send one into limbo and I do have 8 turrets finished.

I'm trying to get the camo painting done so I can move along with assembly. Start another round of chemo this week, may have a change in treatment, combine a previous treatment which had long runs between transfusions with the current chemo - we'll talk about that tomorrow.

[Lone Modeller]

It reads as though you are having real concentration problems John - I do hope that things improve with the new treatment. Having something to take your mind off problems is a good thing though - keep trying.

[DavidWomby]

Good to see you still at it, John. Good luck with the new treatment plan.

David

[Ratch]

Good to see

[JohnRatzenberger]

OK, some progress on San Diego.



The good news is that I have "corrected" the camo scheme and tomorrow I will start gluing down the superstructures to the deck. It may take a couple days and some clamps as the fit isn't great. I want to avoid filler along the joins. Minimize touch-up and all that. Not to mention squashing something with too much clamp pressure.

The bad news is that after all the effort I put into the 8 turrets, I got the idea that they needed blast bags. Well, I tried some Vallejo filler with the nice pointy nozzle but just wasn't real neat about it. I had a lot of clean-up to do and I'm not sure I achieved much. I will address those tomorrow - it may be that I can use paint to rectify the situation, we shall see. I may need some spot filler. Should have left them alone because they are not going to look like what I wanted.

After this, then it's most deck details, a few at a time, and I can move my main effort back to the Duke of York.

[Clashcityrocker]

What about drops of white glue for blast bags?

Nigel

[JohnRatzenberger]

What about drops of white glue for blast bags?

Nigel

That may be easiest way to fix it - thanks.

[iggie]

What about drops of white glue for blast bags?

Nigel

That may be easiest way to fix it - thanks.

Or even UV glue?