What happens when I purchase a firearm online?

Posted on July 3rd, 2009 by Model Ships

Ok, so I am planning to purchase a Marlin Model 60 rifle. So when I pay for the rifle with a credit card, whats gonna happen? They are telling me about shipping to an FFL. Do i gotta pay da FFL just to get my rifle? Whats the steps on retrieving my firearm from the FFL and all this buisness?

Generally, an FFL dealer will charge a "handling and paperwork fee" for the transfer of the firearm. From a legal standpoint, what is happening is that while you’re paying the seller for the firearm, it is being transferred in to your local FFL dealer and you’re actually "buying" it from that local dealer. That means all relevant retail paperwork, including the federal Form 4473 must be filled out and kept on file just like any other firearm purchase from that local FFL.

So, to answer your questions: Do you have to pay the local FFL dealer to get your rifle? Most likely. Because there is the question of both the federal paperwork and required background check for a firearm purchase that the local FFL dealer must handle. I have yet to find a local FFL dealer who will do a transfer for free.

The steps on retrieving your firearm from the local FFL is pretty much exactly the same as buying the firearm from that local FFL, except that the cost of the firearm is already taken care of. The paperwork fee and background checks are what you generally will need to pay.

FFL dealers can pretty much charge what they want for this transfer service — some perceive it as more of an inconvenience than others, and thus, prices vary widely. Also, if there is any further paperwork, or required steps at the State level, this could also increase the fee accordingly.

So, say for the sake of argument you plan to purchase your Marlin online from GunBroker. Before you make that purchase, it is probably a good idea to talk to your local FFL dealers about purchase transfer services, so you have some concept of how much the transfer fee will be and be prepared to pay it upon receipt of your firearm — this is what I do.

Once you’ve found your local FFL you want to deal with (usually it’s a gunshop with which you already have an established business relationship), you make arrangements to send or fax a copy of that dealer’s FFL (Federal Firearms License) to the seller. This will allow the seller to ship the firearm, as only Licensees may generally receive firearms in the mail (I say "generally" because there are specific exceptions, but an interstate dealer purchase is not one of them.)

Once you have made arrangements to get a copy of the FFL to the seller, you can then purchase your firearm from that seller, and then send the FFL as arranged. The seller may not ship the firearm until the signed copy of the FFL is in his possession.

However, once the seller has both the FFL and the appropriate payment for the firearm plus the shipping charges (and any other relevant taxes, charges, or fees), the firearm will be shipped via common carrier to your local FFL dealer. Depending on your relationship with that local dealer, you may either have to call occasionally to see if the shipment is in, or the dealer may call you. Either way, once the firearm arrives, you go to your FFL’s place of business, pay the transfer fee, fill out the paperwork involved with a new firearm purchase, have the background check done, wait the requisite number of days if a waiting period applies to you, and if approved, take your firearm home after all requirements are met.

Just like buying the firearm from the FFL dealer himself.

Rc Pirate Ship Model

Posted on July 3rd, 2009 by Model Ships

To facilitate this method of rigging a number of enlarged hand sketches are given, which, although not strictly to scale, are meant to help the novice while rigging an Rc pirate ship model. These details correspond with those shown in circles on plate No. 4.

Details of the spritsail yard marked A on plate No. 4 are given in fig. 164; details of the fore yard-arm B on the plate are shown in fig. 165, and those of the fore top C in fig. 166.

Details of the main yard-arm D on plate No. 4 are shown in fig. 167, whilst the main topmast head E is detailed in fig. 168. The details at the bowsprit end F on plate No. 4 are shown clearly in fig. 169, and these it is hoped will prove helpful to the rigger.

The following brief description of ropes, tackles and gear may help to clear up any remaining difficulties.

Backstay.-From a masthead to the ship’s side, a running backstay comprised a pendant and whip: standing backstays set with dead-eyes and a lanyard, or with a backstay tackle.

Bob-Hay.-A rope, set up with dead-eyes, from the bow­sprit, near the outer end, to just below the figure­head.

Bowline.-A line attached to a bridle on the leech of a sail and led to the deck through conveniently placed blocks on the rigging, the fore bowlines run through two blocks on the bowsprit.

Bowsprit running rigging.-There was a considerable amount of rigging on the bowsprit, chiefly the sprit-sail halyards, blocks to guide the spritsail lifts, etc.

Braces.-Ropes or tackles used to move a yard horizontally; the fitting of the fore brace is shown in fig. 170.

Buntlincs.-Ropes used to assist in hauling a sail up to a yard. The leads of buntlines vary considerably, usually from blocks on the yard about midway between the mast and the yard-arm; one end goes to the foot of the sail, the other through a block in the mast or top and thence to the deck, or top.

Catharpins.-Tackles or rope systems disposed horizontally between the futtock staffs to assist in keeping the shrouds taut.

Clewlines.-Ropes from the clews of square sails-used to haul them up to the yard.

Crowsfeet.-A triangular network of ropes often seen at the lower end of mizen topmast stays and elsewhere.

Footrope.-A rope below a yard for men to stand upon, and generally set up with a dead-eye and lanyard.

Futtock shrouds.-Ropes connecting the lower dead-eye of an upper shroud with the shrouds of the mast below it. On later models, taken to a necklace on the lower mast.

Futtock staff.-A. horizontal bar worked on to the shrouds as a place of attachment for the futtock shrouds.

Gammoning.-A strong multiple lashing connecting the bowsprit to the stem of a ship.

Garnets.-A tackle used between a stay and the deck as a means of lifting weights or otherwise assisting in the working of a ship.

Halyards or Halliards.-A rope or tackle employed to haul up a yard, or perform some similar duty.

Jeers.-Tackles used to raise a yard either alone, or in conjunction with ties and halyards. See detail, fig. 166.

Martnets.-Ropes used similarly to leech lines to assist in hauling up a sail.

Parrel.-A fitting employed to keep a yard close against a mast. Usually the rope goes three times round the mast, the turns being spaced by strips and balls, called respectively ribs and trucks. The ends of the rope go around the yard, one on each side of the mast.    See detail, fig. 164.

Pendant.-A long strip, or rope, with a block seized in the free end, the other end being attached to a mast or elsewhere.

Preventer stay.-A subsidiary stay, usually a lighter rope running just above an ordinary stay.

Ratlines.-Horizontal ropes fixed across the shrouds.

Reef gear.-^Ropes and tackles used to reduce the sail spread reef bands are sewn on the sail to strengthen it and take the eyelets or holes for the reef points, which are short pieces of rope fixed to the sail and subsequently tied around it and the yard.

Sheets.-Ropes used to haul in the lower corner of a sail, sometimes a single rope, sometimes double and often with a tackle.

Slings.-A rope used to support a yard, as for example a spritsail yard slung below a bowsprit.

Stay collar.-The bight or loop of a stay where it passes around a spar, for example that on the bowsprit.

Tie.-A rope used for hoisting a yard. A typical form comprises a “tie” attached to the yard, taken upwards and through a sheave in the topmast below the crosstrees, and terminating at a block. A runner reeves through the block and the standing end is attached to the ship’s side, well aft of the mast. A block is seized into the free end of the runner and a halyard or tackle worked through it on the opposite side of the ship to the standing end of the runner.

Top rope.-One used for hoisting or lowering the topmast.

Truss tackle.-A tackle employed to haul up a parrel and assist in lifting a yard.

Woolding.-A binding of rope around a mast or spar to strengthen it.

Us Navy Ship Models

Posted on June 29th, 2009 by Model Ships

Leech lines, attached to the edge or leech of the sail, were used on all the square sails, but are omitted on many of the drawings to avoid confusion; a typical arrangement is shown on the after side of the main topsail.

Clew lines and clew garnets have already been mentioned, and examples are shown in place on the foresails.

Buntlines were used on all the square sails to assist in hauling them up to the yard; examples are shown on the main course, and also a slab line, used for a somewhat similar purpose.

Very much could be written about the details of running rigging, little of it would be of value to the novice. In practice the best way to rig Royal Albert is to read through all the chapters in this book dealing with the masts, spars, rigging and sails; study the numerous photographs of the work in progress, compare them with the drawings, especially plate No. 4, then make a start with the job and go steadily on with it. The general scheme actually followed on Royal Albert was to prepare as many blocks, tackles and components as possible, then hoist the lower yards, fit the lifts, halyards and the braces, hoist the topsail yards and fit the correspond­ing ropes thereon, and then hoist the topgallant yards. The whole of the corresponding ropes on each were then fitted as this tends to develop a familiarity with them; for example, all the lifts were fitted one after another, then all the clewlines, and so on.

The various tackles and halyards such as the fore topsail tackle (fig. 163) were  then dealt with, then  all the braces and so on, stage by stage. Actually it will be found compara­tively simple to make a success of the rigging by working in this way. Never mind if there is a feeling of ignorance about it; just go ahead and fit up one group of ropes at a time, study their purpose, position and arrangement on the drawings and fit them similarly on the Us navy ship models.

I plan on buying a Hobby Model kit on eBay?

Posted on June 26th, 2009 by Model Ships

It looks legitimate it says brand new. It is 62.00 dollars and retail price is 86.00. If they happen to rip me off or send me a missing piece. What do I do? BTW I found a site that sells the same thing for 62.00 except it has shipping. This one does not (If you do not live in the US then shipping is not for free.)

Ask the seller what the return policy is before you bid. Most will let you return a product because of defect for a full refund, some make you pay for shipping. Also, check their feedback rating to make sure others have had good experiences with the seller. Also, pay using paypal. Paypal is supposed to protect buyers from being ripped off, however I have never needed to use their buyer protection. Good luck.

Sailing Ship Thermopylae Model Kit

Posted on June 23rd, 2009 by Model Ships

Clewlines were ropes used to haul up the clew of a sail, were either single or double; in the latter case the standing end is made fast to the yard, close to the mast, thence down to and through the clewline block on the sail and up to a block on the yard and thence to the deck, or to the top.

Roughly speaking, the foregoing are found on all old-time sailing ship thermopylae model kits, but there are numerous chorographical and national variations in detail which should be a subject of individual study by the ardent ship modeler.

The running rigging actually fitted to the Royal Albert is considerably simplified compared with that shown on the working drawing plate No. 4 and in the detailed sketches. The following is a brief description of the detailed rigging shown on the drawings; the reader can fit or omit them as seems desirable.

The rigging is shown on plate No. 4, the spritsail braces are shown double and lead to the beak-head, the spritsail topsail braces lead to the forestay. The fore topgallant bowline leads from the sail through blocks on the stay and thence to the forecastle, a similar arrangement being adopted for the fore topsail and fore buntlines. These were used to haul out the sail and assist in keeping it taut.