May 12th 2019

This months meeting was held in the seminar room at Lee Valley Tools in Niagara Falls, Ontario.

The theme of the meeting was Relief Sculpting methods for Model Details with a demonstration by John.

​John began by explaining the difference between additive and subtractive sculpting.  Subtractive is the process of removing material from a base material, as in carving in wood or chiselling in stone, to reveal an image.  Additive is simply depositing material to build up an image from a base material.  John demonstrated his additive method.

A fine pointed implement, steady hand and practise are all that are required.

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John demonstrated on a piece of blackened (painted) cardboard using Weld Bond and a very fine paint brush.  He says you must use a fine tipped implement and has also used toothpicks.
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The liquid Weld Bond is brushed or dabbed onto the base material in small quantities, then allowed to dry a bit or thoroughly if you prefer.  Liquid Weld Bond is white but when dry or cured it is clear or transparent   The Weld Bond will slump or settle a bit as it dries.
​When ready simply apply more material to build up the sculpture.  If you've added too much it can be chiselled, filed, or sanded away once cured.  If you've made a mistake it can be wiped away before it is cured with a bit of water as it is water soluble.

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Once cured and completed (sanded to shape) the sculpture requires a primer coat of acrylic paint.  John pointed out that the enamel spray paint (Beauty Tone) he once used on a plastic model might have contained solvents or generated heat which had resulted in the deformation of the plastic, whereas he has never experienced this with acrylic spray paint.

The dried primed sculpture can then be finish painted and augmented with highlighting as John had did with one of Brandon's 3D resin printed cannons.  The Royal Cypher and cast reinforcement rings of the cannon barrel were highlighted with a light brushing of grey acrylic.  The paint was lightly loaded onto a brush and then the brush was wiped lightly on a paper towel to remove most of the paint.  The areas to be highlighted were then very lightly brushed grey.

This was later augmented with a dash of Gun Powder Black (black paint pigment) added via paint brush to the  hole of the firing pan and around the muzzle for touch of realism.

Ron had brought his schooner Scottish Maid (1839) that he is presently working on.  Both the hull and deck planking are completed and have been fitted quite nicely.  He is now working on the standing rigging.  We are all looking forward to seeing his progress at our next meeting.

Tijs brought in kit model of the Roger B Taney, a US Revenue Cutter (1833-1858).  Next to it was an unrelated smaller row boat he had made.

Dave brought in a couple of books to review...
  1)  Franklin's Lost Ship - the Historic Discovery of HMS Erebus
         It tells you everything except exactly where the ship is as it is a protected site.
​ 2)  The Anatomy of Sail - The Yatch Dissected and Explained
         It is and does exactly as the book title claims - very informative.
Dave also brought in his new Apple Pen to show how he uses it with his IPad to add notes to images.  He can also use it to add voice files.  In this case he uses it to add a music file to images of his Native American flutes to keep a permanent record of their range capability.  He also brought in his second flute to show how he added a thin inlay to it to hide the seam joint on the sides.  He had to carve the grooves freehand as the compound angle and curves could not be followed by a router.

Ray brought in a new addition to his tool chest to show the group.

He had just acquired a Proxxon PS13 Sanding Pen.   It comes with four straight and four angled pad holders and uses self adhesive sanding pads sold by Proxxon.  The cord has a special 3 prong plug that works with the 12VDC transformer that Proxxon sells separately.

The unit sands in a linear (side to side) motion, not orbital, and is quite suitable for models and tight locations. 

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