UPDATE.

As mentioned in my last update I have been very busy with domestic chores the past few weeks. I have completed the decorating and other preparations for our new kitchen and bathrooms, the installation of which starts next Monday and will last 3-4 weeks. During that time I will try to post articles but the frequency may be sporadic.

In the time since my last update I have only enjoyed a few odd hours of modelling time so the work on the infantry battalion and the batch of limbers continues while no progress at all has been made with the cavalry upgrade.

Readers will be aware that I am almost at the end of construction of the last of my three armies. I have commented a number of times on how and where I may be able to build another display unit to enable me to continue with a fourth army and therefore maintain my hobby. Although that conversation continues with my wife it occurred to me that having only 3000 screws left in stock I should first determine if I can actually get any more screws. Its a bit of a chicken and egg situation actually, no need for another display unit if I can not get anymore screws.

The screws I use are old fashioned slotted countersunk and have been out of production in the UK for many years. The last purchase I made some 4 years ago was of a box of old rusty screws found for me by a contact in the trade. He has now retired so I thought I would make some enquiries. Over the past month I have been sending out e mails to literally dozens of potential suppliers seeking these screws or even someone who could make some. Regretfully I have had no luck whatsoever. Either the quantity I require, 20,000, is not enough to warrant production or there is just no more stock left.

I had almost given up as even my enquiries to China, where they still make them. did not yield any progress. I did however find a company who specialise in supplying small quantities of old screws for restoration projects. The prices were very high however in desperation I sent an e mail. To my surprise I was asked to call them and having done so found they had a very large stock of my screws and were happy to give me a reasonable price for the quantities I needed. The upshot is that I have purchased almost all of their stock and yesterday I received three parcels containing some 36,000 screws !!!!!!! Two thirds are zinc plated and will need treatment to remove the zinc ( see my post on screws under LABELS ) but the other third are self coloured and in perfect condition. I am quite sure this was the last bulk supply of these screws in the UK hence why I decided to buy them all.

So now, thanks to Tony at The Vintage Screw Company, I have enough screws to build two more armies which should keep me going for up to 8-10 years !!!!!! I am so pleased that my hobby can  continue, all I have to do now is persuade my wife to let me build two new display units although quite where they will go is still unclear. !!!!!!

This is what 180 boxes of half inch number 6 screws looks like, better than Christmas to me even if I almost had a hernia carrying them upstairs to the modelling room !!!!!!!!!!!!