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ccoyle

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Everything posted by ccoyle

  1. It might simply be a matter of general unfamiliarity with the product. I don't personally have any experience with DeAgostini, and I don't think we have all that many build log or gallery entries for them, either.
  2. Those are great memories, Bob. Our family had two VW campers; my dad did the camper conversion himself on the first one, and the second one was a pop-top. We did the same with the vacations all around Northern California. Sorry for hijacking this topic, Genocon!
  3. My grandfather, who was as fastidious as they come, had an absolutely pristine 60s-vintage VW van camper conversion. I never had a crack at inheriting that car either 'cause it got T-boned at an intersection (happily no harm to grandpa).
  4. You're right -- shooting one's own ratlines is a no-no. Is it possible that the ship was originally rigged as a sloop before being converted to a mortar vessel?
  5. Your story resonated with me on several points: 1. I am a descendant of Nieuw Amsterdam immigrants. 2. I am a native of Northern California -- like the REAL Northern California, not like the Northern Southern California town of San Francisco. 😉 3. My youngest daughter is a Kathleen. Good luck with your project!
  6. I like them both ways. Many sails on models aren't anywhere close to being in scale, and pre-sewn sails are the worst offenders in this regard, usually having a coarse weave and way, way too obvious stitching. Even so, they can still look good on a model in spite of these scale inconsistencies. The best way to think about this is to look at photos of real sailing ships: panel lines are barely perceptible, and stitching can't be seen at all. Using sail cloth with a high thread count and then gluing instead of sewing bolt ropes, IMO, is a great improvement, and properly furled silkspan (which I haven't tried myself) can likewise add a significant touch of realism to a model. But to each their own!
  7. When I was a kid, my family had a '55 Bel Air. My dad sold it back in the days before it became a classic collectible, as opposed to simply being an old car. I've often wondered "what if" ever since.
  8. Looking good! The kits out of Spain (Constructo, Artesania Latina, Dikar, OcCre) have always tended to have an eye-pleasing variety of woods for modelers who like to leave their builds in the natural.
  9. Moving is no fun, and I should know, cuz I've done it 38 times in 56+ years. 😳 I hope yours is trouble-free!
  10. As long as we're talking about just the instructions (which are normally not complete enough for a modeler to build a model from them), you can use the private message function. When you hover your cursor over the member's avatar, their profile will appear in a pop-up window; in the lower left corner you'll see a private message button. Sharing plans is a more delicate issue. If the manufacturer is still in business, as Amati is, it is preferable to go through them to obtain plans.
  11. I love the Golden Age of Flight -- but these two birds wouldn't win any beauty contests, to be certain.
  12. Welcome aboard! Fascinating picture, too.
  13. Hadn't thought about it. It would be a lot of work, and I subscribe to the "less is more" school of thought on treenailing.
  14. Well, a plank here, a plank there -- slowly the work is progressing. Here is the progress to date: Mostly I'm making this post to document for other builders a problem that I have been having with the planking at the stern. I've been running into a lot of trouble with closing the seams where planks overlap -- but only at the stern. Hmm. Here's a shot of the bow: As you can see, everything looks nice and tidy. But now, here's the stern: You can see that there's stubborn gaps forming as a result of needing to bend the planks a certain amount in order to make them align properly. Of course, the close-up photo makes the problem look much worse than it actually is, and a person would have to view the finished model from a very awkward angle to see the open seams, but still I'm finding it rather annoying to try and correct. Two more strakes, then it will be time for the first application of stain.
  15. Carpenter's glue, medium CA ("super glue"), no contact cement. The first will get you through most of the hull construction.
  16. Freedom Song ceased production of their boat kits a few years back. I'm not sure if their other kits are still in production or not. Their kits were definitely old-school technology, but they had some interesting subjects. I have their Tancook whaler in my stash and did a review of it in 2014.
  17. Ernie, Every time I see your avatar I think of this statue in Eureka, California, near my hometown. It commemorates all the fishermen lost at sea.
  18. I have the P-6E in the same squadron markings in 1/33 scale card format. Kinda low on my build priority list, though, despite the cool color scheme.
  19. I've had my Sassafras 12 kit in the garage for a few months now. I'm actually a little intimidated by it -- since it's full-sized, I can't simply order another kit if I booger this one.
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