Wawona59

Very nice "Cat"! For our Firebomber display several years ago I built a model of the PBY 5A as it appeared in the movie "Always". My model is on the bottom shelf in the back corner. This is a real plane (not Hollywood") that was based in Ephrata, WA near where I live. The model is now owned by a very happy kid.

Nice work so far! I'll be following along and hope to see more of your work on this project. I have a Nieuport28 in my stash. It's the 1:16 Model Airways kit. I'll get to it someday after I get my current projects finished and delivered to the recipients.

Welcome to Model Ship World Jackson. What an interesting philosophical question. I was introduced to building models by my dad over 60 years ago. He could take a box of balsa sticks and some tissue paper and make something that could fly. Later, he showed me how to build balsa and tissue models. I was hooked. I've been fascinated by history from a young age. All of the models that I've built were of real subjects that I would research with the help of a librarian. When my dad got a job at Boeing in the mid-60's we moved to Seattle, where I became interested in aviation history (anything built by Boeing at that time) and maritime history. I visited the Lumber Schnoor Wawona in 1966 and I was hooked on Sailing ships. Ships have affected our daily lives in the past and still do today. Ships transport the food we eat, clothes we wear, goods we buy, etc. etc. and also transport the goods we produce to other countries. They help protect our country's interests in times of war or conflict. They can take us to destinations we've never been to. They have been vital throughout history for economic growth and exploration. So, why do I build models? 1. Keeping in touch with history. Every model I build is of a subject that I research. I have a couple of models on permanent display at the Seattle Museum of Flight. These required considerable to get correct for a museum display. I have several memorable projects I've built over the years. I've given several of my models away to kids who expressed in interest in the history of the model. My signature below includes models involving Seattle maritime history that are on my short-term build list. 2. Satisfaction and sense of achievement. I never build anything just "out of the box". Most of my models require a lot of scratch building. It's a pleasure working with my hands and using my brain to create something unique. 3. Pleasure working with wood. All of my ship models are made out of wood primarily using hand tools. It's truly a pleasure working a clear piece of hardwood with a newly sharpened hand plane or chisel. 4. Relaxation. Modeling is mental therapy for me. When I turn on some classical music (Baroque) and work on a model the problems and stress of the day seem to fade away, at least temporarily. Looking forward to reading your thesis when you are finished. WELCOME ABOARD!

I built the 1/48 Roden N28 in 2018 as part of a WW1 centennial display at the Seattle Museum of Flight. One feature of the Roden kit that I found interesting that I really liked was that the cockpit is built outside of the fuselage and then carefully slid in place through the front before the engine and cowling are installed. The N28 is one of my favorite WW1 aircraft due to its sleek lines and that it was the first fighter employed by the American Expeditionary Force. I think you will enjoy this build.

I second Chuck's recommendation on beech instead of oak. Beech is a tight grained hardwood that takes stain well and is easy to work with. Oak is too course in my opinion for model work. A good source for beech is popsicle sticks. Save the sticks after you've enjoyed your ice cream bar.

I bought all three of their tools, slicer, repeater and sander. These are high quality tools. The slicer is my go-to tool for cutting strip wood and results in a very clean cut. The repeater is useful when cutting strip wood to the same length. However, similar results can be achieved by simply clamping a piece of scrap wood to the fence and table. Granted, these are expensive tools, but the pleasure using them far outweighs the investment. After using these tools for about a year now, the initial sticker-shock price was soon forgotten. Highly recommended!!

Nicely done! Great workmanship. The green and white scheme really pops! I must admit, after reading several build logs such as yours, I'm starting to develop an affinity for oar-powered small craft. What's next on the horizon?

Mike, Beautiful work on the canoe. Cedar strip canoes are popular here in the wet Pacific NW. What kind of finish are you planning for her? Clear WOP or linseed oil perhaps? I'd like to follow along on this one. Keep up the good work. She's going to be a real "looker" when you finish.

Many thanks to all the MSW members who responded to my post. Those videos were very helpful and Dziadecaek's the diagram in post #11 is spot on for my question. I guess it really comes down to personal preference. I have a set of 8" West German dividers that I've never really used a lot. I'll start experimenting with these. Since 99% of my modeling is with hand tools (quality ones) I just like the idea of using the dividers. It comes down to' "The modeler who dies with the most hand tools, wins." LOL Thank you all for your input. It is very helpful.

Although I've only been a MSW member for a couple of years, I have a lot of respect for the work our administrators and moderators to do to keep MSW afloat. Folks like ccoyle, mtaylor, cpassoro, jhatch (my apologies to any admin that I may have missed) deserve our thanks from the general MSW membership. I'm sure being an administrator or moderator on MSW may feel akin to trying to herd cats. Please join me in recognizing them and offering a big THANK YOU to them for their efforts.

Is there any advantage of using proportional dividers for planking compared to using a tick strip and planking fan? Does anyone on MSW use proportional dividers?

When I get to it, I'd like to plank my Model Shipways Confederacy with something other than basswood. Does the Modelers' Sawmill wood package for the Winchelsea have enough wood material to plank the Model Shipways Confederacy? This might be a question for Chuck.

Beautiful Chesapeake Flattie halvoric. I built this model last year as a present for a friend. I found this to be a very fun and enjoyable build with lots of opportunities to make the model your own. You did a lot more on the masts and rigging than I did. It looks like it was well worth the effort. Hope to see more of your work on MSW. Do you have any thoughts for what's next on the agenda? I'm partial to the Model Shipways kits. I think they are well engineered and enjoyable to build.