Richard Marmo's
SCALEWORLD
Computers are strange. They also have an abnormal affinity for Murphy's Law in which anything that can go wrong will go wrongÖat the worst possible moment. So what does this have to do with this month's column? Nothing. Except for the fact that the brightness of my monitor is slowly going south and didn't make itself obviously evident until a few days ago. While it hasn't had any effect yet on my ability to create text, it's definitely had an impact on the creation of photographic scans that you can actually see. As a result, this month's Scaleworld has a noticably different look to it. It's all text. Photos will return next month after I replace my monitor. Now that you're aware of the problem and I accept your condolences let's get to it.
As I've alluded to the last couple of month's there are several new safety items worth considering. All three surfaced in a catalog I received from KLINGSPOR'S WOODWORKING SHOP
First up is a package of TaperFit 2 hearing protectors. If you use anything in your modelbuilding (such as a table saw to create wood bases or a rotary tool at max rpm) that can produce an ear-damaging decibel level, these are a neat solution. Nothing more than a pair of soft, tapered cones of foam connected with a long cord, all you do is squash'em between your fingers, stuff'em into the ear canal and allow them to expand. You get a 10 pack (stock #NO015300) for $3.95.
Don't care for squashable foam plugs but still want to protect your ears? Then check out a set of E-A-R UltraFit Earplugs (stock #AE34040). These little gems take the form of a triple-flange single-sized earplug, made from an ultra soft rubber (probably synthetic) and connected with a cord so that you can lose just one. You also get a snap-top plastic case for easy storage and transport. According to the label, they can lower the noise impact on your eardrums by as much as 21 decibels. Price? A virtual giveaway at $2.95.
Third, but definitely not last, is a roll of Guard-Tex Friction Tape. (stock #GB41308)This stuff is definitely weird, but it works. Made from a loose weave fabric, it's green in color and tough as nails. It will tear, but with considerable difficulty. What's it intended for? To protect your precious skin from damage inflicted by abrasive wheels, sanding drums, etc.
We've all been there. Some part or other has to be sanded and the only way to do it is to try to hold the part while we work it down on a sheet of sandpaper. All too often, we discover that we've also sanded thru the top five or six layers of skin! Wrap a length of this tape around the ends of your fingers and eliminate that problem. Even better, wrap a few layers around your thumb before you trimming a piece of plastic down with a #11 blade. It'll function just like a flexible thimble, keeping your thumb in one piece and blood off the plastic. A 30-yard roll goes for $2.99 and if you buy four or more, you get'em for $2.50 each.
You've heard me rave fairly frequently about Bob Smith Industries cyanoacrylates, specifically Super-Gold and Super-Gold +, as well as their range of epoxies. Well, they have something new and if you don't add this product to your inventory of adhesives, you're making a serious mistake. What I'm talking about is BSI Insta-Cure IC-Gel. We've all seen gel forms before, but there are a few things that make this variation different. First and foremost is how much you get. Most gels come in piddling little tubes holding maybe two or three grams for a couple of bucks. BSI gives you a humongous 20 gram (.7 of an ounce) tube for $6.88 AND guarantees it to remain usable for two years. Does it work? Betcher boots it does! LIke all gel formulas, it stays where you put it. IC-GEL cures in 10-25 seconds and remains workable til the moment it sets. I say this because I've been using it to attach the outer skins to an architectural mass model. After spending 20 seconds or so of dabbing IC-GEL all over the structure's frame, I add the skin, press it in place and I'm done. Its applications will be limited only by your imagination, but it will be especially valuable for the installation of ultra-small antennae that have to be mounted in strange locations. For example, that horn antenna that goes on the top of the glass nose of a B-29/50. Even gap filling Super-Gold + isn;t really appropriate for that type of installation, but IC-GEL is.
And that is about it for this month. There's several new kits to talk about, along with a number of books, but I'd rather save those until I replace my monitor and can include scans.
