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Fair American 1:48 by Model Expo

Hello, everyone! I guess it’s been a couple of weeks since my last update on Fair American. Unfortunately, I’ve not really made any progress. After completing the gun carriages, I decided they’re still going to be higher than I like in the gunports, so I’ve been looking at all my options for getting them lower. I’ve raised the breach end of the barrel as much as I dare, but I can thin the deck planks a bit to get some more daylight on top. This of course requires a thickness sander, which has been my main project for the last couple of weeks
IMG_6370.jpeg
Done but for installing the motor and power supply. I’m waiting for a pulse-width modulator because the motor I pulled out of an old cordless drill draws more current at start-up than the laptop power supply is willing to put out. The PWM should allow me to start the motor at low speed and flatten out the current pull.
IMG_6349.jpeg
I wanted a simple mechanism to raise and lower the bed that didn’t allow the bed to tilt sideways and could be built with stuff on hand. I came up with this design of a threaded rod running through a really fat dowel. As the rod is turned, it moves the dowel towards or away from the pivot on the outfeed end. I can mill anything under about 17mm, which I can’t figure ever needing to do anything that big for this hobby. [EDIT: I just saw @BradNSW 's great work on his cant frames and decided I can envision a need to put something bigger through this. Maybe a mod due in the future.]

Hiking has also limited my bench time (not a bad thing)
IMG_6358.jpeg
Wednesday was a trip up Mt Daibosatsu, one of Japan’s hundred famous mountains. That’s Mt Fuji peaking above the clouds.

Tomorrow I’m off to Kyushu to try to bag another Hyakumeizan (百名山). Although there are no bears on Kyushu, Mt Karakuni has been off limits until recently due to volcanic activity so hopefully I’ll be alive to post photos next week.
 
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Namabiiru said:
Hello, everyone! I guess it’s been a couple of weeks since my last update on Fair American. Unfortunately, I’ve not really made any progress. After completing the gun carriages, I decided they’re still going to be higher than I like in the gunports, so I’ve been looking at all my options for getting them lower. I’ve raised the breach end of the barrel as much as I dare, but I can thin the deck planks a bit to get some more daylight on top. This of course requires a thickness sander, which has been my main project for the last couple of weeks
View attachment 553872
Done but for installing the motor and power supply. I’m waiting for a pulse-width modulator because the motor I pulled out of an old cordless drill draws more current at start-up than the laptop power supply is willing to put out. The PWM should allow me to start the motor at low speed and flatten out the current pull.
View attachment 553873
I wanted a simple mechanism to raise and lower the bed that didn’t allow the bed to tilt sideways and could be built with stuff on hand. I came up with this design of a threaded rod running through a really fat dowel. As the rod is turned, it moves the dowel towards or away from the pivot on the outfeed end. I can mill anything under about 17mm, which I can’t figure ever needing to do anything that big for this hobby. [EDIT: I just saw @BradNSW 's great work on his cant frames and decided I can envision a need to put something bigger through this. Maybe a mod due in the future.]

Hiking has also limited my bench time (not a bad thing)
View attachment 553874
Wednesday was a trip up Mt Daibosatsu, one of Japan’s hundred famous mountains. That’s Mt Fuji peaking above the clouds.

Tomorrow I’m off to Kyushu to try to bag another Hyakumeizan (百名山). Although there are no bears on Kyushu, Mt Karakuni has been off limits until recently due to volcanic activity so hopefully I’ll be alive to post photos next week.
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Great design, I may have to copy you on this one. Also, fantastic photo along your hiking route. The view of Mt Fuji in the background is over the top!
 
Daniel20 said:
Great design, I may have to copy you on this one. Also, fantastic photo along your hiking route. The view of Mt Fuji in the background is over the top!
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Thanks, Daniel. It’s crazy how much smaller Mt Fuji looks in the photo than when you’re looking at it with the Mk 1 eyeball. The human eye is an amazing device.
 
dockattner said:
Cool photo! From the way things are sounding here in the US you'll still have some free time...
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Yes, there doesn’t seem to be any propitious omens in the tea leaves, does there? Honestly, I’m close enough to retirement and financially secure enough to relish the time off, but I’ve got uniformed military folks trying to do their jobs as well as mine and in a much more financially precarious situation than I am. I suppose this is what it feels like to be a baseball manager who’s been ejected from the game, only I never argued with the umpire.

As for the photo, Daibosatsu is one of my favorites. The view never disappoints—except for the one time I had to give up because of the typhoon… ROTF
 
GIG1810 said:
Hey Namabiiru,

There's a saying by Confucius that goes:

Those who know their goal can make decisions.
Those who make decisions find peace.
Those who find peace are secure.
Those who are secure can reflect.
Those who reflect can improve.

So enjoy the time... :D Thumbsup
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Thank you, Gunther. I am definitely trying to do that. Yesterday we went to Mt Karakuni.
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I took this on the way up. You can hear the sound of the steam even at our campsite more than 2km away.
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This is Mt Shinmoe from the top of Mt Karakuni. Shinmoe means New Burning Mountain, and you can see why. It is still off-limits.
 
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