Keith Black

Henry, you're doing a bang up job on cleaning up the model. A difference between night and day of the cannon in picture #3 and the cannons cleaned up and stationed on deck in photo #8. Little detains are starting to show as in photo #9. It might be easier to order two cannon barrels (provided you can locate the same size and type) and cheaper time wise from a supplier, Cornwall Model Boats comes to mind. https://www.cornwallmodelboats.co.uk. If nothing else it's fun going through their offerings of parts. They carry belaying pins, blocks, cannon barrels, and many many more items. I have no motive in promoting CMB other than they are a good supplier, I speak from personal experience. Keep up the good work.......KB

Tom, that looks great! Yes, Keith and his magic lathe produce some amazing stuff.

Brain, thank you for the encouragement. I wish you would model a wood hull screw frigate, you'd get to do steam and rigging. Tom, bless you for your kindness. Thank you. Tony, I've thought long on your suggestion. If I had rigged several ships and knew what I was doing I might go that route because it does seem to be an answer to the biggest problem with older models. Being new/green to rigging I'm going to stick with thread due to it's more forgiving nature but, I am going to use poly not cotton. It may add a couple of more years to the rigging? Gary, I gleaned so much from your "Last Dollar" build, I'm ever indebted. Thank you so much for the kind words. Gus, thank your support and thank you for stopping by! Don't be a stranger and if I can ever help, please ask. Keith, thank you for answering up and having my back. In my case, how I made something isn't that complex, pretty straightforward stuff. I'm sorry I've not posted in so long but I had hoped to be able to post a photo showing progress by now. Alas I've gotten stuck on, should I drill out for sheaves at the end of the spars or not. I'm representing the spars as being wood, I've been going through build logs looking for an example with sheaves but no success. I have drawings showing the spars should have sheaves at the ends. I twist with indecision. Thank you all for kind comments and the likes, your kindness blesses me beyond words.

Eberhard, please don't apologize. I enjoy getting "bugs", in the end I may not be able to act on them but I do manage to learn something new in the process. And thank you for the lathes.co.uk link.

Trond, welcome to MSW. Stow your gear in a build log and enjoy your stay.

Ever since Eberhard gave me the bug to buy a jewelers lathe I've scoured high and low, the ones partially or substantially incomplete as Keith said, are expensive. A complete vintage jewelers lathe (the ones I've found anyway) cost more than sin!

and historically correct. It must be hard decision to paint such a finely crafted hull, Siggi. Nice paint job, you're working the painters backsides off.

Bruma, the sails are the most realistic I've seen modeled. Very nicely done!

Cal, I hope it works out and I'm glad I was able to help.

M2S, welcome to MSW and enjoy your stay.

Philly, please do a test piece first just to make sure it's going to meet your expectations.

Cal, is his what you're looking for? https://freetimehobbies.com/1-200-pontos-ijn-mikasa-1905-detail-up-set-for-merit-wave-hobby-boss/

Keith, neat clean work as usual. Are going to home run the wire railings?

PTH, welcome to MSW. I look forward to seeing pictures of your grandfather's models.

Gus, IMHO I'd go with the San Juan. It's not an expensive kit and if in your first attempt it doesn't go as you had wished, get another inexpensive kit like the San Juan and try again. One thing this hobby requires is patience, take a deep breath and jump in. I wish you the very best with whatever one you choose.

I paint over polyurethane with acrylic paint and recoat with poly without issue.

I love stories with a happy ending. Chris, congratulations on the successful reunion.

Siggi, that's so nice.

I use masking tape. I lay out a strip (approximately four inches) of one inch wide masking tape on to a piece of wood, paint it whatever color I want and once dry, I cut it to the required width. The tape can be made to stand proud as required by a second or third winding. I poly coat everything so this helps bind the edges of the tape to the work. I used masking tape to also make the gun tracks. I wasn't happy with the bow gun tracks and removed the tape to redo the tracks. I had a devil of a time getting the tape off, it holds really well. I know this isn't traditional but golly it saves a lot of time and effort. If you're a metalsmith you scoff and rightly so, unfortunately I'm not a metalsmith.

Gixli, welcome to MSW and the world of ship modeling.

Henry, she's cleaning up nicely. A world of difference.

Little faces with puffy cheeks, beautiful work, Johann.

We don't need no stinkin' trunnions. Steven, they look great particularly considering the scale.

Brian, fantastic modeling. A real treat viewing your latest mini builds.

Henry, the pictures and link to the model I posted is supposedly the same model as yours. If they're not, one would be hard pressed to drive a hair between the difference of the two. It sounds like you've stabilized the hull. Looking forward to photo updates.......KB