bobcat

To clear up some confusion, SeaWatchBooks has only retired from publishing new titles. The web site remains open for orders from our existing titles. A new brochure will be included with your upcoming NRJ. For all of you who are waiting for deliveries please note that our postal service is nearing FUBAR and so service is going to be slow. Please have patience with us as we are doing the best we can under the current conditions. Thanks, Bob Friedman

Hi, Speedwell volume I is on press now and is scheduled for release Feb 1 I will announce it on this site and on the SeaWatchBooks site. Stay tuned. Thanks, Bob Friedman

Many old printing facilities used grain up blocks for the floors around the presses. They absorbed spills and gave a good "foot" for the pressmen. The only problem was if they ever caught fire they were next to impossible to put out. Bob Friedman

Soon, patience, soon. Book two will be on third rates. Bob Friedman

I appreciate the voices of support for SeaWatchBooks. As a lot of you know I am a one man band; sort of leader of the band. I have processed thousands of your orders over the years along with managing authors, editors, designers, computer graphics experts, fulfillment service people and my print management crew. Somewhere in this semi controlled confusion something goes wrong. We try and fix it with various degrees of success. But as long as there is a good supply of duct tape and a hank of bailing wire I think we will be able to keep most of you happy. Thanks for your patience Bob Friedman

Does anyone know where to buy the Wolfcraft MT70 clamps in the US? Thanks, Bob Friedman

The Hayling Hoy of 1759 is now afloat and available from SeaWatchBooks. The Hoy, which is a small single masted ship, was used to carry small amounts of freight and /or passangers along England's east coast. The monograph, complete with building plans, is designed for first time plank on frame builders or for the more experienced builder who wants a small, fun project in between major builds. Check out all information and ordering instructions from seawatchbooks.com Thanks, Bob Friedman

Hi, I encourage everyone to write to Grant Walker asking him to finish volume II of the Rogers Collection. The manuscript has been edited,and pictures selected and sized. There is just a bit of work that needs to be done and some bureaucratic hurdles to be cleared so give Grant all the encouragement you can muster. Regarding Vasa, most of the planned contributors are gone and I cannot see any light at the end of this tunnel. It just is not going to happen. Thanks, Bob Friedman SeaWatchBooks

Greenwich Hospital Barge, Druxey Revealed By now a lot of you have figured out that Druxey, who modeled the Greenwich Hospital Barge of 1832, is none other than David Antscherl. He has put all of his notes and photos on paper and SeaWatchBooks has just published it as a book. Go to seawatchbooks.com for more information. Thanks, Bob Friedman

Glenn, your work is just gorgeous. Could you please update your email address on your web page so that I can contact you. Thanks, Bob Friedman

Hi, We have updated SeaWatchBooks News and Forthcoming page to let you know what is coming in 2016. We are at www.seawatchbooks.com. Thanks, bob Friedman

Hello, ALL copies of the Dutch Merchantmen by Ab Hoving contain a plans portfolio along with the book. If the book was bought at the Rijksmuseum book store they owe you the plans set. They now know this. Write to them and they will send you the set. There has been only one printing of this fabulous publication and it includes the book and plans set for the price of $75. Thanks, Bob Friedman, Publisher SeaWatchBooks

Hello, My printer went above and beyond normal procedures to get the reprint of the Rogers Collection reprinted and shipped in less than two weeks. In my world that is almost unheard of. Hats off to the crew at Taylor Specialty Books in Dallas. All back orders are being filled today and normal order and delivery schedules will begin on Monday so get your orders in so your books will arrive for the holidays. thanks for your patience, Bob Friedman, SeaWatchBooks

Another method is to use powdered 24 karat gold in a gum arabic base. The product looks like a big pill and it disolves in water. You can cut off a small piece, add a bit of water and then paint the gold on. This how ancient illuminated manuscripts were colored with gold This method will produce great results on difficult to reach places. I found my supply at a place called Jerrys Art Supplies. They are a major art supply cataloger. Bob Friedman

Hi, Where was she found and what condition is she in? Thanks, Bob Friedman

HI, Ed Tosti has proven himself to be a master modeler. HIs research, plans and building are of the highest order and that is why I am so proud to be his publisher. Ed and I thought you might be interested in knowing all the steps it took to bring Ed's Young America to you in book form. Once Ed had competed his manuscript and produced it using IN Design it went to one of the free lance editors that I use. From there it traveled to a designer who polished Ed's layouts and produced "print ready" PDFs for the printer. While this was going on, permission was obtained from the Gardner estate in The UK to use Erik Gardner's great painting for the jacket. Our primary printer then produced proofs of all materials, made any last minute corections and went to press with the body of the book. A second printer, using digital equipment, was hired to produce the long, 48" multiple color plans. We had to resort to a nation wide search for the plans printer because of many comlications. While all of this was going on, the body of the book was sent to a bindery where the printed book was sown and placed in its case. Yet another company prduced the die cut folder for the plans and still another company replicated the CD that is in the book. The final trick was to bring all of the components back to the primary printer where the jacket was put on the book, the CD sleve glued to the back of the book, the plans holder glued and plans inserted, Finally each package was shrink wraped and sent to the distibution center. When all is said and done, Ed and I wish you the inspiration to study and build. That's why we do it. Thanks, Bob Friedman

Hi, Those 6 books will fit in a Large size flat rate box and the cost for that is $80. I use the lowest cost services that I can find. Bob Friedman

HI, Shipping volume I to Europe and Asia is $30. Volume II because of its weight is $50. However both books, when bought together can fit into a flat rate box offered by the US Post Office and will cost 60 to 70 dollars depending on location. Thanks, Bob Friedman

David Antscherl's fourth book in his Swan series on rigging and masting has been revised and expanded.David has added 16 pages on model sail making. For those of you who already own volume IV a 16 page booklet has also been published. Look for it on seawatchbooks.com Thanks, Bob Friedman

Hi, For those of you who have made, or are thinking of making sails for your model, David Antscherl has authored a 16 page addition to his Swan IV, Rigging a 6th Rate Sloop. He takes sail making from the basic materials to mounting the finial product on a model. His results are amazing. The new, revised and expanded volume is now on sale at SeaWatchBooks. For those of you who already own the first edition of the book there is a special 16 page supplement that is also available. Thanks, Bob Friedman

Hello Crackers, Can you tell me where you found the picture of Young America? Thanks, Bob Friedman

Hi, I hope to have the first volume done by the end of summer. I do not have any projections beyond that. Bob F

HI, First off, Happy New Year to all. I have just updated the News and Forthcoming section of my web page (www.seawatchbooks.com) to give everyone a hint about what will be coming down the ways for 2015. New titles from Gib McArdle, Ed Tosti, and more so take a look. Thanks, Bob Friedman

Hi, I have used apple and pear for over 40 years and both woods are the tops in my book. Here are some lessons I learned along the way. Try and get pieces that have grown straight like trunks. Branches that have a big curve in them have unequal stresses on the top and bottom of the piece. Wood cut from those pieces will have a tendency to move when cut into billets. I cut my logs in half and seal the ends. I then let them air dry in the garage for a year. When ready, I cut my half logs again into quarters with a chain saw. The most stable wood you can get has been quarter sawn. you also have an easier piece to work on a band saw. Don't be in a hurry to stain apple wood. Like all fruit woods it develops a natural patina over time. Bees wax thinned with good mineral spirits makes a grat finish and allows the wood to patina with age. I let my billets adjust to the temperature and humidity of the shop before working on them. Sometimes crab apple wood is much lighter than regular apple. If you are lucky to find a crab apple log see if you have a differnt color. Bob Friedman

Hi, I would like to review a book that all steel navy fans will want in their library. It's title is BRITISH AND COMMONWEALTH WARSHIP CAMOUFLAGE OF WW II, Destroyers, Frigates, Escorts, Minesweepers, Coastal Warfare Craft, Submarines,and Auxiliaries by Malcom Wright. In 160 pages the author provides 740 full color drawings of the camouflage of just about every smaller craft that fought for the British in WW II. The book is heavily researched and I doubt that anyone else but the author knows more about this subject. Tha color illustrations, all hand drawn by the author, are execllent and are accompanied by short descriptions. There is a ship's name index for quick locating. All I can say is Wow to all of the information packed into this small book. It is perfect for the WW II researcher, and the model maker. BRITISH AND COMMONWEALTH WARSHIP CAMOUFLAGE, Destroyers, Frigates, Escorts, Minesweepers, Coastal Warfare Craft, Submarines and Auxxiliaries Malcom Wright Naval Institute Press (North America) Seaforth Publishing (rest of world). 10 1/4"x8 1/4", 160 pages, case bound with jacket, full color, 740 drawings. ISBN 978 1 59114 186 0 Thanks, Bob Friedman