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  1. Well I'm finally getting around to doing another wood ship (boat in this case...lol!) model. I finished my Chesapeake Bay Crabbing Skiff some time ago and as I have stated in other posts, my intention was to work through some of these small Midwest kits as a starting point to obtain the skills necessary to tackle larger modeling projects in the future. So for my second model, I've selected another Skill Level 1 kit. The Chesapeake Bay Flattie. This one will have slightly more rigging and an additional sail from the crabbing skiff. It is my sincere hope that this build will not take anywhere near the 5 years that my first build took. Hopefully with a dedicated model building room and fewer interruptions, this build will be "smooth sailing"! As always, I'm sure I will have many questions and I look forward to engaging the tremendous pool of talented builders on this forum once again. OK, first up is a parts inventory. Stay tunded for that!
  2. It was interesting to find out that “The Peterboro Canoe” was named due to the association with Peterborough, Ontario. There was a time almost any wooden canoe In the traditional Canadian style, that is, one basically having the appearance of the woodland bark canoe of the North American Indian, could be referred to as “a Peterboro” certainly a rich history with these canoes. So here is a kit I purchased on eBay for less than $50, well worth the hours of entertainment.
  3. Let’s start with some background. I stumbled onto the Modelships Reddit a couple years ago while doom scrolling in the middle of the night trying to get my infant daughter to sleep. I became pretty fascinated by the intricacy of some of those builds but didn’t have the time to even think about getting started back then. A few months back I started toying with the idea of giving this a shot and ultimately couldn’t shake it. I don’t have any prior experience building models, but for someone with a desk job, I’m moderately handy and have done a fair amount of work on my house over the last 8 years. After some research and deal hunting, I ended up selecting this kit, along with some tools and supplies to get started. I was already pretty well into this build when I found my way to this site, so the rest of this post will primarily be a reflection on the first half of my first build, and I’ll try to transition to more of a true build log once I’m caught up. So far, my impression of the kit is that it is exactly as advertised. It’s very approachable for a beginner. The instructions are pretty clear and easy to follow, minus a step or two where the text got scrambled somehow. There are even some tips and contextual narratives mixed in for good measure. The first dozen or so steps were straight forward and probably don’t need to be rehashed here. The first real lesson for me came when I had to attach the knee to the transom. Despite the instructions calling for slow CA, I used quick CA as that was all I had on hand at the time. I proceeded to nearly glue my fingers together and ended up with quite a bit of excess, which you can see in the second photo. I now have slow CA as well. The other problem was that the transom ended up slightly off center, which led to a lot of sanding later on, though I managed to adjust for it. I was also slightly off center with 1 of the 8 frames, though now that I’ve gotten the side planks on, I don’t think it hurt me too much. Attaching the side planks to the frames ended up being not as bad as I thought it might be. At first I had some difficulty at the stem since it’s not easily clamped, but I managed to find a way to grip it and drip enough fast CA to get it secured while the slow CA set up. The rest of the side planks were affixed with white glue and clamped. Several rounds of sanding later brings me to the last two photos for this post. I’ve already made a bit of progress from when these were taken, so I should be ready for another post in a few days. Thanks for reading!
  4. I continue my run of New England fishing boats with the Midwest Muscongus Bay Lobster Smack - now manufactured by Model Shipways. Looking back at logs for the Midwest kit, it has been popular with experienced modelers looking for opportunities to modify and enhance the basic kit, as well as inexperienced modelers. It has additional interest for me since my wife's parents had a cottage in New Harbor, Maine that looked out on Muscongus Bay (at least until the trees in the vacant lot across the road grew up). I chose the Midwest kit over Model Shipways' own version in large part because of the fondness expressed by other members for Midwest kits in general and this kit in particular. I am looking forward to an old-school building experience. The kit arrived in good order, in a box that appears identical to the original Midwest box with the addition of a Model Shipways logo. I took a quick look at the contents. Previous logs pointed out two peculiarities/shortcomings of the Midwest-manufactured kit: balsa wood hull planking, and small cotter pins to be used as eyebolts. The sheet balsa planking has been replaced with 1/16" basswood sheet, and there are real eyebolts in place of the cotter pins. The balsa bow filler blocks remain. I'll have to see if the basswood sheet planks can be made to conform to the boat's hull shape. The manual has been slightly updated but still refers to the cotter pins and balsa planking. There are two rolled sheets of plans, small enough to tape to my work surface. I have made some progress, which will be covered in the first posts.
  5. Greetings! Having completed my first build last month, the MS Grand Banks Dory from the introductory Shipwright Series, I said I was going to practice on another model before moving up in skill level. I am excited that MS/ME has acquired and began reproducing many Midwest kits of the past, as they appear to be perfect for beginners like myself. I chose this Skiff kit with the goal of improving my basic skills, and building on lessons & mistakes I made on the previous model. I've also done some research on the older Midwest kits, so I will try to point out some differences on this Model Shipways rerelease as I notice them. I would skip over the box, but as I haven't seen any build logs for this MS produced Skiff I'll take a moment to show it. First major difference with the box is the picture of the model has an entirely new paint scheme compared to the old Midwest colors. I think the deep blue is attractive and will plan to follow this paint job when the time comes. The box does appear to have a hybrid branding - the old Midwest logo is featured, but also clearly has MS branding added as well. As a result I've titled this build as an MS-Midwest build to help clarify that this is a rerelease version. From the box description and learning about skiffs for this build, later 19th century seems like an appropriate era for this build log. The side of the box has MS '22 trademarks, but interestingly it keeps the original Midwest kit number of 967. When doing some research of the old Midwest produced kits they made two different scales for the Skiff - kit #947: a 1:6 scale model advertised as a "Yacht Skiff." And kit #967: simply titled "The Skiff" in 1:12 scale. As of right now only this single Skiff model appears on the ME/MS website, which is this 1:12 model. Opening the box the contents appeared as expected - same standard as MS laser cut wood. As shown in the picture - one of the side planks was already free but thankfully no damage. Everything appeared to be in order, however the instruction manual had some strange printing errors. I won't go into detail out of respect for ME/MS, as they replied within hours of my email and sent a new instruction manual right away, and said they would check other kits. Starting off with the bottom plank - markings needed to be measured and penciled in. In contrast to the Dory I just built that had guide markings, having to make simple markings like this made me feel more engaged in the build. I then installed the stem, knee, and transom. I took time to make sure everything was square, perhaps more so then my last build, and definitely used less glue as I learned from last time to gauge how much is needed. Next I'll finish getting the cleats ready, and attach the frames in the coming days. So far I'm enjoying the rereleased kit and think it is a great complement to the Dory build.
  6. Preface I’m about ready to start my next build. Ready as in: it’s on the work bench, research done, and building process outlined, at least mentally. I got into the habit with in my previous build of, well, doing a build log. I think I have now established a discipline to continue that process. While this boat could correctly go into different launch dates, I chose this sub-forum since the version I am building has a 1937 date on the plans (see below). For this log, I want to post some information prior to starting the actual work on the model. As I pondered the build, I did what I think all modelers do at some level: research. The unusual aspect comes from the subject of a workboat which from my perusal of threads isn't a typical research subject. This research pointed a direction to take for the build. I started with the “Construction Manual” (instruction sheet) which, I think, is where most modelers begin when building a kit. Kit information Speaking of kit, here’s my thoughts on the kit itself. I’ve had this kit in my stash for years. I decided it was a good reentry into a wood model as I previously built a Midwest Model’s kit (The Dinghy). Additionally, I think I can do more than just “follow the instructions.” I wanted to look at upping my game by modifying this kit and build. If all goes per plan, I will have added some ‘scratch build’ skills to my toolbox. The kit is a Skill Level 2: intended for the person having “some prior experience building wooden boats.” I find that an interesting turn of phrase since in all likelihood most of us haven’t built a wooden boat. Boat models, yes. But not actual boats. (I know there are a few exceptions out there of people who have built a boat or two.) The kit has the necessary components to build a nice-looking model using basic skills of “cutting, fitting, and shaping wood.” As a side note, Midwest Models at some point in time quit producing these models. I am not sure when. Maybe someone can add a date to the thread. Recently, Model Expo reintroduced the kits from Midwest Models, including this kit. It appears that they kept the kit in its original form with die-cut pieces and strips for planking. While other kits for beginners and novices exist, this kit provides a good introduction to wooden boat/ship modeling. For those who choose to build this model, I hope this build log will prove useful. The kit has basswood die-cut pieces, strip wood for planking, and some mahogany pieces for the oarlocks and rub rail. It also includes material for oars, oarlocks, a lobster trap and buoy (more on these when I assemble those parts), and even a model of a lobster in cast metal. The instructions are clear enough to follow. I would suggest that some areas of the construction steps need a bit of research around beveling and bending wood. Nothing major, but if you haven’t done it before, look up some ‘how to’ information for techniques. The instructions include a couple of tidbits of data that got me to thinking about the build and raised questions about the boat. Like many modelers, I researched the boat. What I discovered pointed out ways I could modify the model for this build. Here’s what the instruction sheet (and box cover) has for background on peapods, particularly as related to lobster fishing. Being a double-ender (pointed at both ends), the workboat fits a unique set of requirements for those fishing for (well, trapping) lobsters. The boat can be easily rowed in either direction. This workboat design makes it suited for working around rocky shorelines. People rowed the boat while standing and added sails for getting to and from their traps and for use as lighthouse tenders. You find these in use around New England. They showed up in the late 1870s through the 1930s when diesel powered became the predominant lobster fishing boat. The concept of having sails and rowing while standing suggested some potential areas for modifying the kit. Beyond the instruction sheet history, background, and additional research In case there are some who don’t know the details of the boat, here’s some information you may find useful and gave me an insight into building this model. I found more than one type of ‘peapod’ during my digging around the Internet. This article shows detailed variations of lines for peapods and has some charts evaluating their performance, WoodenBoat link: Gallery of Peapod lines) I found the information interesting, particularly the range in sizes (13 to 16 feet) for the length of these boats. This 14-foot scaled model fits within that range. Like so many workboats, the exact origin cannot be specifically pointed out with 100% certainty. Several sources do point to North Haven Island, Maine, and Penobscot Bay as the birthplace. That is pertinent to this build since, by using the lines in the above ‘gallery’, I found this model fits the North Haven (Whitmore) lines. For a bit more details on peapod history, I suggest this link: North Haven Maine Historical Society: Peapod. I found a lot of differences in the various sources describing peapods. For example, the design likely started as lapstrake, or clinker built, with the planks overlapping. At some point, the construction changed or included carvel; planks butting against each other. The image below comes from a Wikipedia article about Clinker Boat Building . No other attribution noted. I think it does a good job showing the difference in the styles. This model uses carvel build. This drawing of the carvel does show the general need to bevel the planks for a boat. The amount of work depends, of course, on the actual lines of a ship or boat. Another area of difference exists around the sailing rigs. These boats were often used as lighthouse tenders. Howard Chapelle’s American Small Sailing Craft (Pg. 217-222) points out that peapods had a gaff mainsail or spritsail with a few having a jib tacked stem. A more contemporary set up includes a single lug sail or as a lug rigged cat yawl. If you want to take your model making to a new scale; say 1:1, you might want to visit Chesapeake Light Craft and their Lighthouse Tender Peapod. Building this full scale versions gives the experience of actually building a boat and not just a model. (Or you could say you built a 1:1 scale model?) They also include some details about peapods and their choice in sails for their boat kit. Some peapods were rowed (while standing) out to the lobster grounds and then sailed home at the end of the workday. It seems that these boats were not altered much for this dual duty. The sails were stored while working traps and stepped for the trip home. I did find a reference that an oar was used as a rudder which eliminates the need to manhandle the rudder. (About that standing up and rowing, you’ll have to wait until step 56 of the manual.) If one intends to use the boats mainly as tenders or supply boats, having a keel and rudder makes sense. These additions make a boat easier to maneuver with wind power. Again, I referred to Chapelle’s book for details. The plans there showed examples where the false keel is extended. The keel in this book ranges from 3” to 5”. (In Boat Modeling with Dynamite Payson, he shows a sailing keel of about 10 inches in the version he uses as a reference.) While adding a centerboard keel could be an option, from what I found in my research, that option apparently did not get used often, if ever. What this means for my build. I went over these details to give some insight on my thought processes and explain the changes I will make to this build. I plan on adding a sail rig. To do so I need to settle on a plan and determine how to add the keel, rudder, and rigging. Using Chapelle’s book (pg. 219 Fig 83), this 1937 version from Jonesport, ME will be my main guide. Using the kit’s drawing (blue lines) and adding the keel and rudder (red lines) I came up with this as my model’s plan. This keel works out to be 5 inches on the prototype which, I think, is a good compromise in the range of keels in the various sources. I will have to refine parts of the drawing when the time comes like the final shape of the rudder and tiller. However, I feel this will work well for my goals. I do have a general plan in mind for working all these changes into the model. I will cover those details at the appropriate points in the build. But as a preview, a couple of other changes requires modification to the (now bow) seat that will help support the mast along with a mast step. I haven’t looked at all the details for a boom, gaff, the ‘iron crane’ that sits on top of the mast, and the rigging. I do have a good idea on what these will look like. For the sail, my plan is to add a silk span sail. I intend to have the sail furled. (Hopefully that will hide any ‘newbie’ mistakes as I have never scratch made a sail nor worked with silk span.) I will be reviewing Tom Lauria’s video “Making sails for Ship Models from Silkspan” (Link to Part 3) for guidance. And somewhere in my notes is a link that indicates a method to cut the sail to make the task easier to model a furled sail. For this method you don't make the whole sail. A part of the sail in the aft lower corner is cut off to simplify the furl. Ready to start the physical work. I hope you learned something from my efforts so far. After all, a big part of the hobby and these websites comes from sharing information we discover as we progress. While it may not be 100% historically accurate, the model should be a good representation of a Maine Peapod rigged for sailing.
  7. As a new member and a newbie to wooden model ship building, I thought this very short build log of a very simple model, Midwest’s Dinghy, could also serve as a means to introduce myself to the community. And, who knows, the build log itself might be useful for another newbie planning this same model. As my username suggest, I am Dutch but I actually live in the UK, in London to be more precise. When I say I am a newbie to wooden models I am lying, albeit it very slightly. I did actually build one wooden model before, when I was a kid, and started another one, which I never finished, in my twenties. Both builds are many decades ago now though, and I hardly remember anything about them, so I definitely feel like a complete novice. I do remember that the model I built as a kid was a solid-hull model of the Bounty, and that I very, very, severely simplified the rigging because I lacked the patience to do it right at that age. The model I built in my twenties was a plank on frame model, but I don’t remember the ship or the kit manufacturer. I did complete the double-planked hull on it, and it actually looked okay, but I was working 60-70 hour weeks at the time, and never got round to the rigging. I moved home many times since, and somewhere along the way, the incomplete model got lost. So, not a great start to this hobby… However, I have much more spare time now, and I have decided to give it another go. To nullify the chance of failing at the rigging stage once more, I chose a beginner model that does not have any rigging – a rowing boat. Smart, is it not? Or simply cowardly, that is for you to decide… The model I chose is a classic: Midwest’s Product Dinghy, now produced and sold by Model Shipways. It is a very simple little boat, but it does have a plank on frame construction, so it does provide a first opportunity to get acquainted with this daunting-for-a-beginner aspect of model ship building. I completed the model in a ten-hour day, so this is not a proper build log, as the actual build was completed before I could even start the log. Still, as I wrote above, perhaps it can be of use to another beginner contemplating the same model, who knows. I myself read several build logs of this model on this forum, and they were very helpful. Thank you, Voyageur, Duanelaker, MaryO, and burgoofj for your clear and instructive building logs! These are the contents of the box (photo below). The planks for the hull are pre-formed, which was one of the reasons I selected this kit, since I am interested in the ‘plank spilling technique’ that I have seen discussed on this forum. In this case, the spilling has already been done for me, making things easy. The instructions consist of text and black-and-white drawings, and they were very clear and easy to follow. They did not mention that one should remove the black burns on the sides of the laser-cut parts though, to ensure that glue/dyes/lacquer can get proper purchase on them, but I had read about that in other builds on this forum, so I knew that I needed to do that. All of the parts were straight, and could be used as is. I have nothing to compare the kit to, but I was quite happy with its quality. For some parts of the build, the instructions ask you to pin the wooden parts to cut-out parts of the plans. I wanted to keep the plans intact for future reference, so copied them beforehand, and used those copies instead. This photo (below) gives an example, in which two halves of a bulkhead are supposed to be affixed to the plans, and subsequently connected with a small wooden section; rather than the suggested pushpins, I used clamps. The instructions tell you to use a pencil to draw two parallel lines on the dinghy bottom, to suggest it consisting of three planks. I did not find the result very convincing, and near the end of the build, decided to largely rub out the pencil mark and replace them by a straight scratch/scribe in the wood. The dinghy bottom is curved, which is achieved by putting it on top of three blocks of different heights, and then affixing it to middle one with pushpins. The manual says you should soften the underside with alcohol first, but I did not do that, and it turned out fine. The two pushpins do leave two holes in the bottom which, despite ending up below a seat, are visible from certain angles in the completed build, so in hindsight I would probably rather have clamped the bottom rather than pin it. But the holes are not very conspicuous. In this photo (below), I have put on the first planks. Since they are pre-spilled, they go on effortlessly. As the manual recommended, I used CA glue (super glue) throughout this build, so I did not require any clamps to keep the planks in place. I used a high-viscosity CA glue, with a set time of 30 seconds, as I have seen recommended on this forum. This worked well, but despite the glue not being at all runny, I did manage to leave some visible traces on the inside of the boat, mainly where I had to move planks up and down during the fitting process. I was largely able to remove these later, by simply sanding them off, but careful inspection would still show up some glue blemishes in the completed model. In hindsight, I should perhaps simply have used PVA instead. The CA did make for a quick build, but even the high viscosity, relatively slow-setting variant I used clearly introduces the risk of staining the wood. A lesson learnt. In the photo below all planks are on (yes, I know, ‘all’ is only three on each side, but I had to start somewhere), and the pushpins have been taken out. The dinghy bottom kept its form nicely. When removing the side-plank overhang from the dinghy bottom, I used a knife, as suggested by the instructions. That was a mistake, as the knife ripped some to the planks, even though it was sharp, resulting in some gaps between side planks and bottom. I filled these with a mixture of wood glue and saw dust, and they are not problematic because they are at the bottom of the boat and not visible, but in hindsight I should have just sanded rather than cut the side planks down. These are the oars I made. I found the instructions unclear about how to ensure that the decorative (?) rounded ends were similar, and the oars ended up a bit uneven as a result, but the bottom of the oars, the bit with the blades, looked alright, so I am focusing on that in this photo. And, finally, this is the completed dinghy (photo below). I made the mistake of installing the inwales to high at the back, and could not move them down because I had used CA glue (again, will switch to PVA in next build), so the back seat is positioned too high. But overall, I am quite happy with the result. I can recommend this boat to other novices. It is simple, looks quite nice, and can be finished in a single day, if pushed, so you get a quick return on time invested. I know that that is not particularly important, since this a hobby, not a job, but it is much better than biting off too much, getting frustrated along the way, and never finishing a build, which is what happened to me in my more youthful exploits in model shipbuilding. I really enjoyed building this little boat, and it has given me the confidence to take a slightly more ambitious model for my next build. I am awaiting delivery of the NRG half hull planking tutorial kit, and have also already purchased a kit on which I want to apply the lessons that I will undoubtedly learn in that tutorial, namely Artisania Latina’s Bounty Jolly Boat. Will start new build logs for these two projects once I have started them. Thank you for reading and greetings from London, Seb.
  8. Chesapeake Bay Flattie Midwest Products - 1:32 Hi everyone! Here is my first build log and first model. Some quick background on the kit: My Dad got this kit for me when I was a kid roughly 20 years ago (I can't remember the exact year). I was really into age-of-sail stuff at the time, so was very happy about it. I got up to the point right before assembling the side and bottom planks, the instructions were misplaced, I got distracted by other things, and the kit was never finished. Somewhat recently, my Dad passed away, I rediscovered the kit, acquired many of his modeling tools and a lovely little skiff model he made (also Midwest), and determined to finish the kit he had gotten for me. I completed the hull at that time, but with life being what it is, it has taken me a couple of years to get back to it. (It also helped that I was getting screen headaches and needed something else to do in the evenings other than working on the computer) So I am in a rhythm now, reading books about ship modeling, fishing and working boats, real boat building, etc, regularly working on the model, and really enjoying it. (I also fully intend to build a full-size boat or two over the coming years) Since I am just starting this log in the middle of the build, and the kit was started 20 years ago, I can't really show every step, but I'll do my best to catch everyone up in subsequent replies to this thread. I will include the kit box and current state of the model in the first post.
  9. Log 1 After the exhausting battle with the Lowell Grand Banks Dory, I've found myself at the shores of the long awaited Sharpie Schooner. I found this kit on eBay for 45$. It came in good condition, and unless I overlooked something; nothing is missing. I started labeling and removing bulkheads from the sheets, and moved on to the keel. After 2 hours of cutting away at the slots in the keel, I hadn't made much progress. Feels like I'm treading water. So I went to browse others' builds and saw no mention of any issues. It would appear that the laser failed to cut my keel, as I am essentially scratch slotting it. The lines are barely visible, and not showing on the back of the sheet. My hand has cramped so I'll be waiting to start back up tomorrow. While I was looking through Hopes' build she mentioned straightness of the keel and it's bulkheads. So I checked mine quickly. She has a small warp near the stern, just below what appears to be the... Tiller slot. F4, F1 and F2 all appear to have a very slight rock to them as well. Tomorrow I will soak these rather thick parts for a few hours, and then put weight on them while they dry.
  10. I choose the Sharpie Schooner by Midwest for my second build (their Chesapeake Bay Flattie was my first build). I've seen several beautiful builds on here, especially the log from hopeful: Sharpie Schooner by hopeful, and I'm hoping to add some of their flair to my build. Upon opening the box I sadly noticed that almost all of the blocks and cleats were plastic so I ordered new ones (along with some deadeyes and rope) from the Syren Ship Model Company (I really wasn't pleased with the thread on my Flattie). This build will probably be very slow (two young kids keep me pretty occupied outside of work) but keeping a build log should force me to do at least a little every week. At the moment I'm in the process of cutting out the keel and bulkheads. Already I know I'm going to have questions about coloring the anchor and chain as well as improving upon my rigging and potential color schemes, but we can save those for when I get to them.
  11. My girlfriend ordered the Fantail Launch II for me for Christmas and it's supposed to come via UPS tomorrow. Awesome, now I can build that and install my steam engine I built from a Midwest kit and add radio gear and run it at a pond this coming spring. I will post build updates as I go....wayyyy too many projects at once here but I sure love this hobby lol.
  12. The Christmas tree boat is now a reality. I've been trying to break away to do other things, but it just wouldn't let me go! it wasn't due to the ideas that were running through my mind at the time.....it was just everything around me. from working on cars, and work in general.....to events around the home....it just felt like a weight was sitting on my head, weighing me down. one week........to two weeks..........I could only endure short stints at the table. I wasn't there.......and there seemed little use to push.........this couch potato crap had GOT to go! I've had this kit for about a year now.........the admiral saw it and thought it looked cute. I'd pull it out every once in a while and tinker with it......without the application of glue, when I'd sit at my computer hatching idea for the other builds. I had a few for this kit too......the reason for all the dry fitting. I was planning a multi-boat build with this kit, but I have since given up the project. there are much bigger fish to fry, rather than spend my time bashing the crap out of a level 1 kit. I should have done what I was going to do earlier........start the mast work on the trawler Syborn, but I was still suffering from the mental block........so I brought this kit out to tinker with. once the glue touched the wood.......there was no turning back. I didn't have to remove the hull parts from the panels......that was already done. small ans short pieces of 3/32 square stock need to be cemented onto the bulkheads, in specific places to act as assembly tabs. some trimming was needed to clear the assembly slots.........and of course, figuring out the lingo of sliding thing over and onto. but the assembly of the frame was under way........no real rocket science to make them straight. the deck platform and the mast collars were added to the frame at this time. the deck was cemented on next. I had begun to think that there was a problem......it had a overhang at the transom of roughly 1/4 of an inch. I later came to the conclusion that these parts are merely over sized, to allow for fitting and sanding. the cut of the keel part is pretty rough.........I did a little sanding which was a bad move {you'll see later}. adjustments were made and allowed to dry.........the two pieces of the cabin needed to be bent, in the meantime. I normally do this simply by getting the parts wet {water}, and bending them by hand. in the instructions, they say to use alcohol.......so that's what I did. it worked, but I still like my way better. I did get to do something to the Syborn's mast....I posted it already. through the sessions with this model, I've done a little more here and there....and the muddled mind syndrome is beginning to clear. glad to see that there is hope, and that pulling this kit out wasn't a complete waste of time.
  13. This is a kit I have wanted to try for a long time. I was inspired to finally go out and find one by member Duanelaker's recent build. I got this one on e-bay for $19.50 plus shipping. I hope I can do it justice. The box shows a little water staining but the contents were dry and did not at first appear to have been wet. All of the parts were in their unopened original packaging. An inventory confirmed all of the parts were there, including two pre-made and finished paddles plus the parts required to make two more. As you can see there is some discoloration (mildew) on the "strongback" building base. Upon closer inspection you can see that it is warped to the point of rendering it unusable. This will be easily replaced by a nice stable strip of 3/4" marine plywood. Two of the building forms were slightly warped also. So I soaked them for a couple of minutes and clamped them between a couple of strong backs for the night. Hopefully I will be able to get started in earnest tomorrow night. Best Regards
  14. This is my first build log and I expect it will progress in fits and starts with many mistakes along the way. I have been building models off and on for 50 years. Mostly plastic cars and planes when I was a kid progressing to simple wooden boats later on. The last 20 years have been taken up with family and job but now that I am retired I have gotten back into the hobby and have time to work on models. This model is the Midwest Maine Peapod in 1" = 1' scale. I have built a few of the Midwest offerings and generally like the kits but they do have a few problems that I will point out as the build progresses. The first is the poor support for the building forms. As I mentioned on another forum it was necessary to use scrap from the kit to reinforce the strongback as can be seen in the following pic. The edges of the forms are coated with bees wax to keep any stray glue from sticking the planks to the forms (I hope). As you can see I have a couple of planks in place. Planks are fastened with Gorilla 10sec super glue at the stems and a very small amount of Elmers white glue along the seam.
  15. Obviously, with Midwest no longer producing wooden ship models, this kit is NOS (new old stock). It was given to me with the proviso that I maintain a build log of my progress. So-o-o-o-o...here goes... I am also concurrently building the Model Shipways 18th Century Longboat - I am currently in the planking process on the Longboat. Because I've taken Chuck's advice to heart: "...treat each plank as a small milestone," and I'm using Elmer's white glue, my progress planking will be fairly slow. Because of the slowed pace on the Longboat, the Commodore suggested I start the Skiff and produce two models at the same time. So today I got started... All of the parts were in sealed bags so I anticipate no issues with having all the materials. I am concerned about the plastic cleats and block. I'm going to have to find cast cleats and a wood single block...to scale. Also the rigging line looks a little dodgy; this may need to be upgraded too. Here's the instruction manual. It looks like it may be a great tool to learn techniques as well as to build the model. In preparation for assembling the building jig I cut out the bottom plank and gently sanded it with 400 grit paper. I used my granite block to try to get as close to square as possible on the edges. Then it was time to assemble the building board. As you can see below the stem and stern posts have been cut out of the blanks and sanded square on the mating surface. The center support is also on the board. The bottom plank, the two interior bulkhead supports, and the four pieces for the keel batten were stained with a 50:50 blend of golden oak and clear Minwax and are downstairs drying. So that's the progress so far. Below is most of my work area. The Longboat is on its jig with a myriad of clamps holding the port sheer plank as it dries.
  16. Started this model in 1997 but shelved it until lots of “give-back” time not needing to commute as I’m working from home during COVID.
  17. This is my forth build, after completing my last build the 18th Century Longboat by Shipways this should be an easier build for me. Although I did learn a tremendous amount my failures and successes on the previous build.
  18. My first ship model. My first build log. I’ve built model rockets for years but never did a build log. This will be as much a posting experience as it will be a boat building experience. I hope to hone both skills. i started small and easy with the Dinghy. I wanted to have the best chance for a successful build.
  19. The last build was plastic, so this build will tempt the fates by being wood. Following ccoyle’s advice, this isn’t a 1/2 scale model of HMS Victory towing the Vasa, but a small kit described as ‘near fool proof’. I won’t discuss how close to fool I may be, but, as they say, the proof is in the doing. There is a brief section in Chappelle’s American Small Sailing Craft (yes, gentle readers, I’ve bought some books recently!) but I haven’t found much else. A casual perusal of internet searches finds mostly images of Midwest’s kit! If others have information about flatties, please jump in. Same for sage advice, sarcastic insights and flashing of the ‘please flasten your seltbelt’ sign. All are welcome. Here are some photo’s of Midwest’s Chesapeake Bay Flattie Kit’s bits and pieces.
  20. So here we go... My first build log! First off I have to say after reading through some of the other build logs on this site, my hat's off to many of you self described "newbies" out there who are ambitious (and skilled) enough to tackle a large multi-masted plank on bulkhead/frame model for your first wooden ship build. As I stated in my intro thread, I even found beginners kits such as the Model Shipways "Phantom" to be pretty challenging and so I have decided to take a very gradual approach to learing this art. For one thing, I don't have a lot of time to devote to my hobbies at this stage in my life (job, kids, etc...), and I need something I can finish in a reasonable amount of time. Secondly, I want something that I, with my very entry level skillset, can do a reasonably presentable job on. Lastly I want a project that will teach me basic skills I can use on my next (slightly more advanced) model. With all that in mind, I have decided to start my wooden ship modeling education with several of the Midwest Products line of smaller boat kits. In my introduction, I stated that I would begin with the "Chesapeake Bay Flattie" but after further review, I think I will actuall start with the "Chesapeake Bay Crabbing Skiff" The reason for the change is that I believe this to be the simpler of the two kits. Both are skill level 1, but the crabbing skiff has much simpler rigging. So, the first step for me is to set up a work area. I've already been aquiring a few basic tools and I will make those the subject of my next post. Until then... smooth sailing!!!
  21. Hello, This Build log is being copied from another forum it was actually started three weeks ago. I am actually a little embarrassed to even put this here after reviewing all of the beautiful workmanship on this site. But we all have to start somewhere even at 60 yrs old. So here goes. This will be a log of my first complete build of a wooden boat kit. Like many people I have made many attempts over the years to build one of these to completion only to get half way through and run out of patience or just have life get in the way. Now that I am sixty years old I seem to have developed the patience for this sort of thing and my only daughter is all grown up, married and has blessed my wife and I with our first grand daughter so I am promising myself that this one will get finished no matter what. Also with the internet it is so much easier to reach out to people of like mind and skills and draw on their experience to solve problems that would have previously stopped me in my tracks. I recently came by this kit locally on Craig's list for thirty bucks so I figured what the heck. The same fellow had an 1/75 AL Bluenose for $75.00 I should have grabbed it too I suppose. The box was a bit mildewed (not unusual in Florida) but the kit is complete. I actually got a head start so let me bring you up to date day by day.
  22. Welcome to another addition of simple boats built by Dave. I have gone down the rabbit hole of having more kits then years left on this earth. I can only hope I get to all of them...I can not wait to retire! so here is the box and insides for post #1...since it was an EBay find, someone had already taken all of the pieces out of the wood blanks and didn’t break them! I was missing half of the stem so I had to scratch build a new one. Practice!
  23. I am doing the rigging on my HMS Bounty Jolly Boat and needed a break so I broke this kit out. It was not wrapped and I believe was used, the wood was dry and warped but I figured it would still be fun.
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