Dave Hunt

2 hours ago, Happy Hippo said:

He doesn't need one of those anymore!

Oooh, that was below the belt.

Mind you, as a sign in the barbers I used to go to in Horncastle read, "God created a few perfect heads. The rest he covered in hair." Guess how much hair the barber had?

Dave

Indeed, Richard, I did pick up on the sarcasm in your post and my reply attempted to match it but failed dismally. As my old English teacher would probably have put it, "Must try harder." 

Mind you, with my luck when it comes to painting I wouldn't be surprised of I did have the first recorded case of a workshop being wrecked by an exploding airbrush compressor.

Dave

3 minutes ago, Crimson Rambler said:

A photograph(s) of your chosen engine in the period being modelling is/are essential when attempting to model Midland engines!

An excellent point, Adrian. In every book I have written about Midland and LMS locomotives I have included just such a warning and have yet to make a model where I have not found some difference, albeit often quite small, from the available drawing(s) revealed in photographs. The late, great, David Tee once said to me that the only standard thing about locomotives from a particular Class was that they were nearly all different in some way.

Dave

Pardon my complete ignorance, but I take it the compressor I use for my airbrush isn't in the same category when it comes to potential disaster? It's a good many years old and I've never had it inspected. Painting models causes me enough angst as it is without worrying about the bl**dy compressor exploding.

Dave

2 hours ago, polybear said:

 

Bear came within seconds (literally) of getting hydraulic oil at high pressure (something like 3000psi) straight into my mush from something like 30" away.  I had an inkling that all was not well, despite my buddy saying "don't worry, don't worry - that's alright...".  When Ray said don't worry, the smart thing to do was worry....

Made a mess I can tell you, as it unloaded the entire contents of the hydraulic accumulator in a fine mist about 6ft diameter.

There was a USAF crew chief at Ramstein in the 70s who looked for a leak in a 3,000 psi hydraulic system on a Phantom that had just started up by, quite unbelievably, running his hand over the suspected pipe. The point of leakage was soon identified when two of his fingers were sliced off.

Dave

I was once coming back from Cyprus in an F4 when the front seater in my No. 2 had a can of some sort of fizzy drink that he dropped on the cockpit floor. He retrieved it by turning the aitctaft upside down whereupon it bounced off the canopy and he managed to catch it. So far so good. Then came his big mistake, he opened it. After bouncing around the can was quite lively and its contents erupted all over everything, which cost him a lot in fines paid to the ground crew lads who cleaned up the mess.

Dave

Regards from HH to Hunt senior duly passed on and received with thanks.

The perils of a Sodastream that didn't have the top securely fixed were graphically illustrated many years ago by yours truly when we were preparing for a crew room party and I was busy manufacturing the fizzy drinks (not champers unfortunately). All went well until I was distracted and when I pressed the on button a great fountain of liquid shot out and covered an amazing area of walls, ceiling, carpet and furniture. Sadly the event was quite obviously caused by me and I wasn't able to say that a big boy did it and ran away. The cleaning up operation was, of course, entirely my responsibility without help from my so-called colleagues.

Sodastreamsp have obviously changed since the events outlined above, judging by the picture Douglas posted, so there may well be some sort of failsafe interlock built in nowadays.

But still be careful out there.

Dave

Have you ever seen the damage you can do with a Sodastream that isn't closed properly? Ask me how I know this..... 

Must go, off to see Dad soon after doing a Covid test.

Dave

4 hours ago, simontaylor484 said:

Silly question Dave how difficult would it be to etch the parts you need yourself?. I dont know if it would be worth the setup cost or not but its always an option.

Thanks for the input, Simon, but as you suggest, the setup costs would really make it very expensive. In order to produce the fine detail that the pros achieve takes quite an investment in equipment and time. For the number of plates I use I have concluded that it is more cost effective to go to a professional provider but I always try to supply my own artwork as having it done for you is possibly the most expensive part of the process. 

Dave 

This morning I've tried several makers of etched builders' plates but have drawn nearly as many blanks. Some, like Light Railway Stores, will only do special orders if the outline and size of the plates match ones that they already do, others want a minimum order that I don't need and some will only work from their own artwork, for which they charge a large whack. None of them had anything like Cowans Sheldon plates already in their ranges. Guilplates, however, not only will work from the customer's artwork but already have several Cowans Sheldon plates in their archives so I've sent them my requirements and am waiting for their comeback.

Apart from that, today has been designated cleaning day so I'd better get on with my appointed tasks. Pah! 

Dave

Although I am not a fence, I have been known to hedge round things a bit so I suppose I could be persuaded with bribes of cake. Oops, I'm on a tonnage reduction regime aren't I? Well, maybe we could take a leaf out of the futures market and deal in virtual cake? 

Dave

Morning All from a sunny and warm North Salopshire.

Just a quick visit to wish Flavio alles Gute zum Geburstag and many of 'em.

Have a good day.

Dave

53 minutes ago, Happy Hippo said:

I asked about the polycarbonate panels and they laughed: About 90% of the people who have their conservatory roof replaced opt to keep the panels for other tasks.  Cold frame lids being a popular second usage.

 

They'd not heard about using them as baseboards but immediately quoted all the positives:  rot free, UV resistant,  lightweight, easy to cut,  and weldable with plastic solvent.

Have you thought about getting them to supply an extra couple of panels that you could hide from prying (I.e., Nyda's) eyes prior to their use for modelling purposes? They sound like good prospects for lightweight baseboards.

Dave

PS if you do that and get caught, it wasn't my idea, OK?

I'm happy to report that my modelling mojo has been found alive and well and has been restored to its rightful place with the result that some productive time was spent in the workshop this afternoon. Progress has been made with the breakdown crane and there is light at the end of that particular tunnel - and it's not the 6. 15 coming the other way either.

On that particular note, the maker's plates in the kit are not of an acceptable standard so I'll be doing some artwork soon with a view to having some etched (including a set for you, Jamie, if you would like some). It was my intention to see if Guilplates would do them but I have heard it said that there are some better sources out there. Do any TNMs have any advice to offer?

Dave

4 hours ago, Happy Hippo said:

Only one Chinook made it off Atlantic Conveyor: ZA 718 'BN'.  There is a small brass plaque on the back of the centre control console recording this fact and the part she played in Op Corporate.  I parachuted from her on a number of occasions when she was with 7 Sqn at Gutersloh ( Dave! Dave! Have I got the Sqn number correct this time?). 

Well done HH! I'm glad that my little tutorials on Squadron numbers have had some positive results 

Dave

Best of luck with the tests, Mike. 

Looks like another masterpiece in the making.

Dave

In my young days I had a boss of whom it was said, "He always leads from the front - the front of the Mess entrance that is."

Apologies to Bear for not realising that he was usually in the lead.

Dave

The thought has just occurred that where hippos go, bears are often not far behind.........

Dave

The last time we became aware of a creature hanging around outside looking lost and hungry was two years ago when Horace the cat appeared. We decided that we would feed him scraps but nothing further would be done as we didn't want a cat as a pet. Then he started sleeping in the back porch on an old chair so a blanket was put there but we told ourselves that he certainly wasn't coming in the house. Then he managed to sneak into the house a few times and it was decided that was OK as long as he slept outside but when the really cold weather arrived he was allowed to sleep in the utility room. No way, though, was he to be allowed in our bedroom. As I write this, he is peacefully asleep on our bed, has his own blanket on the sofa, eats only the best cat food........

However, adopting a wandering hippo is another matter as turning Hunt Towers into a substitute Muddy Hollow is at best difficult as the property is built on a slope. The problem is exacerbated by the fact that I have also been placed on a tonnage reduction regime so at the moment cake is in short supply and I don't suppose that lettuce leaves are an acceptable substitute?

Anyone want to adopt a hippo and his friend?

Dave

1 hour ago, polybear said:

 

Bear did hear reports of said emissions being a prime contributor to Global Warming.  Not to mention rumours of a hole in the ozone layer directly above Telfland....

Living dangerously close to the Muddy Hollow (15 miles or so) we have learned that when rumblings from the south are detected, if the wind is from that direction it is wise to keep all the doors and windows closed until the noxious cloud has passed over. 

Dave

Good morning from another part of North Hipposhire where it is also raining, hence we are having a long, lazy lie-in (good alliteration or what?). We went to see Dad yesterday and he is certainly improving; with a Zimmer frame he can now walk a good 25 yards, which is a quantum leap since he went into the care home a few weeks ago. At this rate I can see him getting back home in a month or so but counting chickens etc.

I'm also hoping that my modelling mojo is returning and that in the absence of good weather I may get the chance to exercise it this afternoon. I hope that another half dozen sessions will see the breakdown crane finished and I can then get on with the match wagon.

Have a good Sunday people.

Dave 

As well as employing chemical warfare on the weeds I have an electric thingie that blows superheated air on them and shrivels them up. It's good for large, single weeds but it takes about ten seconds to get rid of each one so with rows of the bl**dy things in some of the paviour joints it would take too long to do the whole job that way. Hence resorting to glyphosate juice. However, Jill is getting a bit vociferous about me using 'those chemicals' in the environs so I may well try salt and see if that works.

Dave

17 minutes ago, Happy Hippo said:

Wot's cake?

 

Ah, more for the rest of us then (unless PB scoffs the lot).

Dave