CLOSED

[Bob WilsonParticipant @bobwilson59101]

17th May, 2016

Further disasters in suppliers. This morning, I decided to go along to the local B& Q store for some brass tube. When I got there, it was all closed down and gone! On the way back, I thought I would call at Page & Taylor, Preston Dock to pick up some splayed sapele moulding that I have been using for years to edge the bases. Same thing. As I approached, it was all closed up. I found the following on the internet:

**LINK**

At the moment, I have a small supply left, but not much. I have searched the internet, but can find no other suppliers of this simple moulding. I am beginning to think it may be time to "call it a day" as far as ship modelling is concerned! Art shop closed – timber supplier closed – toolshops closed – Model shop closed – B & Q closed!

[Bob WilsonParticipant @bobwilson59101]

[Dodgy Geezer 1Participant @dodgygeezer1]

Have you tried 4d modelshop?

This is not a model boat shop, but a place specialising in materials and services for architectural modelling.They should be well up on display cases….

[Bob WilsonParticipant @bobwilson59101]

Thanks, but I am not looking for a ready-made display case, as I make my own! The problem is that the only supplier of splayed sapele moulding has closed down, and so far, I cannot find another supplier! The splayed moulding is the sloped bit of dark wood inside the case, bordering the lighter centre piece of steamed beech veneer. This display case is completly hand-built to my own design that has almost become a "trademark" of my models!

Bob

[Dave MilbournParticipant @davemilbourn48782]

Bob

This looks like a straightforward 90° triangular section rather than a complex spindle-moulding. If that is the case (oops – sorry) then the section could be reproduced by someone with a table saw and a supply of sapele.

Dave M

[Bob WilsonParticipant @bobwilson59101]

Dodgy

I have just looked at the 4D website, and they do not have any splayed moulding, but it is a very good site thanks, and does stock a lot of things I use, such as brass tube etc.

Dave

It isn't triangular, this is the shape. I have tried cutting it myself in the past, and it doesnt work with my bandsaw, too uneven. Whoever supplied Page & Taylor with it is no doubt still producing it, but I can't find them!

Bob

[Dodgy Geezer 1Participant @dodgygeezer1]

Posted by Bob Wilson on 18/05/2016 08:30:55:

Thanks, but I am not looking for a ready-made display case, as I make my own! ….

 

Perhaps I should have been a bit more explicit. This is a site providing services and materials for the sorts of models that architects make to illustrate proposed buildings, etc.

All of these will, of course, be one-off items, and may well be encased in their own one-off display cases, which will also need to be made. The site (and shop) stocks a very wide range of modelling materials for architectural purposes, but must also be used to servicing specialist requirements for all sorts of odd items, such as short runs of mouldings to make bespoke display cases.

I was suggesting that you talk to them about what you need. This is a field they specialise in, so they should understand what you want, and if they cannot provide it they should be able to direct you to someone who can…

 

Incidentally, the shape you require looks as if it could be most easily cut by taking a rectangular length of sapele and running an electric plane along it at an angle.  I made up some window sills for my shed to pretty much the same cross-section that way out of pine….

Edited By Dodgy Geezer on 18/05/2016 10:20:31

[Dave MilbournParticipant @davemilbourn48782]

Is the top face very slightly curved? If so then it's so slight that I wonder if anyone would spot the difference between convex and flat. If not then here's how I would do the job with a table saw; it's just like cutting balsa-wood right-angle trailing edge strip (and I wish I had a quid for every length of that I've cut!!). Incidentally you do need a proper "circular" saw with an adjustable tilt and a rip-fence (latter is not shown). A bandsaw is of little use for cutting sections like this as the blade wanders too much.

Found this company very quickly. They do lots of mouldings as well as a bespoke service. and sapele is a stock timber. http://dwmouldings.co.uk/products

Edited By Dave Milbourn on 18/05/2016 10:24:07

Edited By Dave Milbourn on 18/05/2016 10:32:17

[Dodgy Geezer 1Participant @dodgygeezer1]

To add to DM's precision illustration, here is a similar shape in softwood, cut from rectangle stock by running an electric plane along it by eye…

[Martin Field 1Participant @martinfield1]

Just plane the edge of a bit of sapele! Then cut it off. That's hardly even a moulding really, just trim. Even if you cut it on the bandsaw it could be evened up with a hand plane.

Martin

[Dave MilbournParticipant @davemilbourn48782]

Just to explain why the blade is set only to half the included angle: If you turn the workpiece over after step #3 you can keep on turning out triangular sections with identical angles until you have enough – or run out of sapele. You then set the blade back at vertical and run the strips through with two different rip-fence settings to square off the edges and produce identical strips. This is the type of job which would be given to a cabinet-maker's apprentice or, in my case, the bloke who normally drew the plans and packed the kits! It isn't rocket-science.

Dave M

[Bob WilsonParticipant @bobwilson59101]

Thanks for replies.

The top is not curved, but I can see what you mean. It is an optical illusion, it is flat!

I find that "short runs" of anything like this would cost a fortune, plus postage on top of it. So not really an option for me!

When I had a small circular saw, I could indeed have made it myself. But the motor burned out (Dremel) and I couldn't find any circular saws of a similar size, and have no room for a larger one.

I don't have an electric plane, and don't really want to get one. (Lack of space, and another gadget to learn how to use). They have one at the local ship model club, but demonstrations didn't impress me overmuch! I think I will just have to find an alternative edging, but I doubt if it will look as good.

Some time ago, I had a similar problem with 18mm quadrant beading for the outside of the case. The manufacturers suddenly took to cutting the corner off, thus losing me the reference edge, and my woodworking skills were not sufficient to obtain accuracy without the corner. I tried cutting round dowel into four pieces on the band saw, and couldn't manage it with much accuracy. After a long search, I found a supplier of 18mm quadrant who didn't remove the corner.

Bob

[BanjomanParticipant @banjoman]

Bob,

Proxxon does two different small, table top circular saws, one called the FET (**LINK**, and an even smaller one, the KS230 (**LINK**). The latter, though, would probably not be much use for the pruposes discussed here, as I believe it doesn't have the possibility to tilt the sawblad for a bevel cut, while the former is fairly expensive (£300+, I think) …

Another table top circular saw I've been looking at (allright: drooling over) is the one from Byrnes Model Machines in the US: **LINK**, although with some added bells and whistles plus freight from the US, It'd be even more expensive than the Proxxon (not to mention that one would in all likelihood have to pay import duty and VAT on top). I suspect, though, that this one would be a rather good tool, and so will go on drooling over it …

/Mattias

[Dave MilbournParticipant @davemilbourn48782]

Bob

I'm sorry but I would have thought a man with your skills might be a little more resourceful. There MUST be a timber merchant in your area who could supply a suitable piece of sapele; it's not an uncommon or expensive wood. That merchant will either have a table-saw himself (and maybe an employee who'd be happy to spend his fag break sawing it up for the price of a pint) or know one of his customers who could do the job.

Alternatively why not use the Internet or the classified phone book to find a cabinet maker? For example I found this link inside a minute. **LINK**

The Lord helps those who help themselves, m'duck. For the rest of us there's always Google…

Dave M

[Bob WilsonParticipant @bobwilson59101]

I am very resourceful but there are some things that I just don't want to do, and making my own splayed edging is one of them Neither do I want to spend hundreds of pounds on a circular saw! I took up miniatures to avoid all that sort of thing. Anyway, this morning, I contacted the company who owned (and closed) Page & Taylor, Preston. They are located in Blackpool, not too far away! They have confirmed that they do stock the splayed sapele edging, but will not do mail order. Perhaps as well, because when I purchased it here, I had to go through it to find the best quality and wood shade for my purposes, and mail order would just be picking what came to hand, and posting it. We will go along presently and get a stock of it. They have plenty of free parking, and seem to be on an industrail estate rather than in the town!

I have never actually liked making my own display cases, but cabinet makers cases are far too expensive for me and the average modelmakers case just made from acrylic with glued edges have never appealed to me.

So, I developed my own style!

Bob

[Dave MilbournParticipant @davemilbourn48782]

You see? Easy, innit? Onwards and upwards…

DM

[Bob WilsonParticipant @bobwilson59101]

Not easy to me I am afraid! I spent a considerable amount of time yesterday trying to find some on the internet, and a lot of this morning as well! Even so, will have to go to Blackpool to get it. Jus hope it is of the quality I need! Most things I can find, but this splayed moulding was very difficult. And I wonder if the other half (Blackpool) of the firm is going to fold up as well! The art shop has also moved to Blackpool, and the good quality toolshop has gone as well! Even Maplin Electronics has cleared off across the river.

Bob

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