Fotheringill's thread on misaligned walls poked awake a long-forgotten need. Many, many years ago, an inlaw worked in a machinist shop and brought me a whole bunch of steel (or steel alloy) blocks that were just right for holding walls in alignment. They ranged from one-inch cubes to much larger rectangles. I remember they were heavy. I guess I forgot them when I got divorced in 1979. Anyone have any ideas on how to replace them? Are they sold anywhere?
Go to www.harborfreight.com and search for "angle plate" They come in 1", 2" and 3" square sizes and are cheap compared to the price Micro-Mark is asking for the same thing. I bought two each of the 1" and 2" ones for structure assembly. I plan to buy some 0.25" diameter Neodymium magnets from www.allelectronics.com and CA glue them inside the ends of some 2" long brass tubing (as handles for them). These I aim to use as "clamps" to hold the structure walls firmly against the blocks while gluing.
Speaking of magnets of the rare earth variety, they are used by guitar repairmen to hold patches in place while the glue dries. Outfits like Stewart MacDonald and Luthiers Merchantile probably sell them. These things are strong. This magnet business is not helping Pete. I would try machine shops first, and surplus places next. Len
I am glad, yet a bit disturbed, Mr. Nolan, that I have stirred up long forgotten needs (only kidding). Brett- Great idea. Thanks. Len- I purchased 4 itty bitty ones at Radio Shack and will be playing around with them a bit, this weekend.
Ah, Mr. Fotheringill, I remember ratherly fondly the little modeling table where, when I was a young man, I enjoyed many hours building tiny models of the shacks in the fishing villages of Martha's Vineyard. Menemsha--what a pretty little village! There were no compromises in those days. I remember cladding my buildings with tissue-paper thin, exact scale 1 x 4 cedar clapboards, carefully tapered with the finest of grits. Driving scale nails gave me great pleaure in the wee hours of the night. Now, 'tis gone, all for the lack of squares of nickel steel alloys that were the color of the cruel North Atlantic seas past the breakwater Hey, I make N scale ships on a 5 HP radial arm saw. I built my first 1:1 house with that saw. And I really love my honking framing nailer--makes me look like Rambo walking around. I went to the local Freightharbor Outlet today. Angle plates? No way! Thanks for the ideas, folks! I'll find them somewhere, I swear! Once a long-lost lust is stirred up, it's impossible to quench.
I had to mailorder mine, Pete. Great stores, aren't they? Bought a 10" random orbit car buffer for $12 last time I was in one.
If I didn't already have just about every tool known to man--except the angle blocks--I would have been in heaven.
Chastened with fire and brimstone? Too hot to handle? Just a touch of "the other side" so you appreciate the good side? My wife tells me that, due to my reprobated life, I'll get out of purgatory about one second before the universe is declared done.
