Re: FT detachable base construction/installation

On  3-Apr-02 at 01:59, Thomas Barclay (kaladorn@magma.ca) wrote:
> Made my first tubular brass base for FT 
> (SemFed BB from Brigade.... love that model 
> Tony!). 
> 
> Problems: 
> 1) Squaring a hole in the bottom of the BB - 
> most files wouldn't work (not enough travel) 
> and the dremel likes to make rounded corners. 
> Suggestions? One idea is filling excess 
> (assuming round-ish hole) with Plastic Metal or 
> some such compound for filler. 

Make a round hole and fill with epoxy.	I prefer the
kind from the auto store that is a putty.  Green stuff
is a bit weak for this evolution.

> 2) Installation of brass outer collar

I've never bothered with this, the stand ends up
resting on the epoxy anyway.

> 3) Installation of brass stand into old GeoHex 
> base. How do you gaurantee verticality and 
> perpendicularity in both relevant axes? Any 
> tricks? I was thinking the application of some 
> more plastic metal at the joint would also be 
> wise to reinforce it.... but it might be 
> unaesthetic. Strikes me that one basedepth is a 
> small contact area for a 90 degree join...?

I use the pewter bases for starships from GZG.	I
square the circle on top up with a dremel so the
square brass tubing is fairly tight, then use
epoxy to hold it in place.  The epoxy has enough
time before hardenning that you can eyeball it
perpendicular.

One note, don't try to eyeball if your work surface
has lines running at an angle to perpendicular. DAMHIKT.