kurtvd19

I have been using these since their initial introduction. V2 is a big improvement - and they are worth the $$. Kurt

One can make a small fortune in model ship building. The trick is starting with a large fortune. I went to their site and looked at a bunch of the models and agree that the quality is all over the place. However, this is a business and time is money and it looks like they are able to deliver high quality - BUT the customer has to be willing to pay for the level of quality they desire. It all depends on what the model is for. Up on a shelf to be a decoration item (less detail) or in the waiting room or board room of a shipping company - a lot more detail. As to the contractual limits on building the same models after leaving the company that's not unusual. If a company's product or IP isn't protected they can soon find themselves competing with former employees unfairly. Kurt

I clamp a piece of ply over the plate and raise the blade through the plate and the ply. Gives backing to the plate and makes the slot cleaner.

Yes, it's a vent for one of the fuel tanks. There is another directly opposite.

The kit is a model of a DPC Tug built during WWII. They were built on a rush basis due to the number of tankers being sunk off the east coast of the US early in WWII. The tankers being sunk created severe shortages of fuel oil for heating in the NE so these tugs were designed so that barges could be pulled closer to shore or in the intercoastal waterways where the U Boats couldn’t get to them The Office of Defense Transportation planned 100 Diesel tugs of 85’ x 24’ x 8’ and 500 barges and turned over the designing and superintending the construction of this fleet to the Philadelphia district office of the Engineer Corps, US Army. The plans called for 100 identical tugs in order to facilitate the construction as ordering 100 of each component would simplify the manufacturing and later the servicing of the boats. This also shortened procurement time as it was critical to get the tugs into service as soon as possible. In October of 1943 the Defense Plant Corporation placed an order for the Engineer Corps, US Army for the Defense Plant Corporation (DPC) for 100 diesel tug boats. The order for the 100 tugs was divided into contracts to six shipyards with individual contracts from a low of 4 tugs to a high of 42. The Long Beach shown on the kit box was based in LA and was a DPC tug as indicated by the pilothouse being squared up rather than round for the ease of production. There was also the Los Angeles another DPC Tug that was essentially identical to the Long Beach - only the name boards were different. The photos are of DPC tugs - The Becky E is shown under conversion to a live aboard in Lemont, IL. The head on of the pilot house at dawn is Miss Laura in Duluth and the Tipperary is also in Duluth. The Long Beach is shown following the Los Angeles. Kurt

Eric: Something I read or maybe when I was at the museum and talked with the one brother that I seem to recall something about the mule being at the stern. I think that at that point (the museum was just opened and a lot more has been put on display since) there might have even been some sort of placard or indication of the spot evidence of the mule was found. I might be totally wrong but this is my recollection. Kurt

If you started with Syren blacks for your current build I would wait for them to be back in stock. Any others on the same model will stand out like a sore thumb in comparison. Place an order with Syren ASAP and work on another area in the meantime.

Eric: If I remember correctly wasn't there a mule on the aft end that died when it sank? The B option (like the Mary MacDonald) has a space for the mule while A doesn't. Kurt

RG Welcome to the NRG and MSW. You have a great local club there in San Diego - an invaluable tool for a modeler. Kurt

Bob: The NRG article Roger mentioned is from the June 1984 30.2 issue on pages 55-67 and the cover photo. The article shows the Smithsonian plans and is about making the plans and the model at the Smithsonian. The plans were printed at a reduced size so each of the 3 plan sheets duplicated in the article are each on a single magazine page. But they will help with using the Model Shipways plan set. I just extracted it from the digital files and it is available, like most of our articles, for $2.50 as a PDF that is emailed. Contact the office to pay the $2.50 by card or pay pal and we will email a copy. Office phone is 585-968-8111 or nrghomeoffice@gmail.com 9 AM to 4 PM CST for calls. Kurt

I think it would hit the roof trim if swung out - inward it is....

Welcome to MSW Jeff. I am the author of the Practicum in SiS so if yo have questions this is the place. Kurt

Use epoxy with the fiberglass cloth. West System is the best but very pricey. I have used it for model hulls and their dispensing plungers work great in getting an exact mix. Works just like the polyester resin without the odor. Kurt

This is a topic that has been discussed in length - do a search for cutting brass strips.

Elijah: Here are three photos that show the relative sizes of the spars. First the model in the Museum and then the replica. Got these from Bob Filipowski when I was building my model. Kurt

In my experience I have never seen any thing other than the planks overlapping the side planks. Many times there are reinforcing boards at the edges - sometimes on both surfaces. Hope this helped. Kurt

John: Welcome to MSW - I assume you are somewhat new making your first post - but this is the place for sharing and learning. Bluejacket has exceptional customer service and they really listen to their customers. And if there are other kits on the shelves they will be checking to make sure that part is correct in the boxes and they will make sure future parts are the right length. Kurt

Welcome to MSW Mike. this is the place to find the help. Kurt

Eric's correct - hog chains were not chain but steel rods with hook ends (or hook to round end). I have quite an extensive collection of period photographs and have never seen actual chain used though I guess it could have been used. I suggest that solid rods should be used. Kurt

Roger: I use Badger Modelflex Acrylic's exclusively. They do not require an undercoat and for many years I didn't use one. Then Badger developed their STYNYLREZ primers and I now use them prior to the top coat and in many instances no top coat is needed as they have developed many colors for the STYNYLREZ primers bowing to the needs of the wargamer/figure painters. Currently they are available in white, gray, black, red brown, neutral, light flesh, ebony flesh, dull pink, oceanic blue, metal and black gloss. All but the black gloss are flat. The one color I don't have is neutral - no idea what color it actually is. Badger's Modelflex Marine Acrylic paints and their other Modelflex acrylic paints are airbrush ready in the bottle - shake and spray. As such they don't cover in one coat. Because they dry so fast several coats can be applied as fast as the one coat is done the next coat can be applied. All of the Modelflex paints have the same chemistry and I found that their RR colors had most of the colors I used before the Marine paint line was introduced. Hull Black - Engine Black = same paint different label. As I airbrush almost exclusively - masking and fine detail airbrushes (currently have over a dozen in my painting arsenal) means I don't use paint brushes much. I have brushed the Badger paints in small areas and they do require two or more coats for coverage. Some day I will need to brush some of the STYNYLREZ stuff and I expect it will cover better when brushed. I have hand brushed the occasional piece using Vallejo's Model Color Acrylics. Got them at Hobby Lobby. They do have excellent coverage with a brush. they come in a 0.57 fl oz bottle for $4.99 at Hobby Lobby making them very expensive in my opinion. Badger's Modelflex is $2.55 (usaairbrushsupply.com) for 1 fl oz making it a lot more economical for me to stock many colors. I hope this helped a bit - but using an airbrush almost exclusively I just don't do a lot of brush painting. Take care, Kurt

There are good acrylic model paints so you don't have to break out the enamels. One of these days the enamels just will not be around - the EPA will get them eliminated eventually. If you mean to break out the Testors or Model Master paints then disregard the following except for general info. It's important to use a model paint not something from the hardware store meant for the homeowner to "cover in one coat". The avg house type pain has the pigments size of about 37 microns whereas the good hobby paints are about 1 micron in size. The smaller pigment size will not hide detail like a 37 micron size will. Go to a lot of work replicating rivets, seams, etc and then try to keep the detail when applying such thick paint is sure counterproductive. Kurt

Don't even bother. It's not a fine pigmented model paint - more like big box store house paint - way too coarse for models in any case. Just as an experiment I tried to shoot some with an airbrush - just to see if it could be done - results were pure garbage. I had heard such bad reviews about it that when somebody offered a couple of bottles that they were unable to get to work I gave it a try. I dumped it all in the garbage as I wasn't about to pass it on and give somebody big problems thinking it was a model paint.

Doc: Thanks for the link to the Hobbymill tips on using the saw. I added it to my files. We will get it posted onto the Resources pages so it's not lost to the members. Kurt

I have a great tool made by Northwest Shortlines - more costly than Michael's nice shop made tool. The table allows precise spacing of the "rivets". Kurt

Bob: Here is an extract from the article where I described the silkspan "tar paper" method. Hope this helps. Kurt Extract on roofing technique.pdf