Jaager

I may be wrong about this, but as I understand it:
carbide is mainly suited for use with metals like steel.  They stay sharp longer but they are also brittle and allow for little lateral deformation. 
HSS allows for flexing.   but quality steel is probably worth the extra.
 
CML  https://www.cmlsupply.com/drill-bits-individual/
sells drill bits

If you find that this project is practical,  you might consider becoming a site sponsor.  I do not know what the costs involved are, but your cartouche could contain images of the blades and the link go to a page with the blades..   A descriptor with each blade at your site could provide the wood thickness that it is designed to cut.   Sort of idiot proof the process.   Since the blades are small and not heavy,  you could explore the possibility of having economy mail to Europe or work a deal with someone in the EU.  -  recurring factors that show up here  - sort of like it might pay Jim Byrnes to find a Maw & Paw distributor in the EU and you both use it.

I may be wrong about this, but as I understand it:
carbide is mainly suited for use with metals like steel.  They stay sharp longer but they are also brittle and allow for little lateral deformation. 
HSS allows for flexing.   but quality steel is probably worth the extra.
 
CML  https://www.cmlsupply.com/drill-bits-individual/
sells drill bits

First - thank you for your visit here.
 
 
I think that a significant number of us use machines with:
ID  1/2"
OD 4" max
OD 3"  when it is sufficient for the depth of cut
 
For our uses  it would make things more clear if you provided a table for TPI
Assume that the material being cut is dense hardwood Maple or harder  maximum depth is >1"
Max TPI  per thickness of cut  
 
We use expensive wood so we wish to minimize loss to kerf
So the table should also include minimum blade thickness per depth of cut to avoid blade flex. 
 
What we go by now is from an old Hobby Mill publication:
 
"For sheet stock above 3/16" or 4.5mm:  Use the I-293 .040 kerf blade. 
Actually you can use this blade on thinner stock but it has a thicker kerf (more waste) and a few less teeth than the I-292 blade (chipout sooner with thinner stock)
For stock between 3/32" (3mm) - 3/16" (4.5mm):  Use I-292 .030 kerf blade.   If there is chipout around 3/32", go to the #99 blade
For stock between 3/64" (1mm) - 3/32" (3mm):  Use #99 170T blade.  Main change in blade is the finer pitch
For stock thinner than 3/64" (1mm):  Use #100 224T blade."
 
These are probably the most often used blades.
If you have better experienced based suggestions there would probably be interest here.
 
For stock thinner than 3/64" (1mm):  Use #100 224T blade.
 

First - thank you for your visit here.
 
 
I think that a significant number of us use machines with:
ID  1/2"
OD 4" max
OD 3"  when it is sufficient for the depth of cut
 
For our uses  it would make things more clear if you provided a table for TPI
Assume that the material being cut is dense hardwood Maple or harder  maximum depth is >1"
Max TPI  per thickness of cut  
 
We use expensive wood so we wish to minimize loss to kerf
So the table should also include minimum blade thickness per depth of cut to avoid blade flex. 
 
What we go by now is from an old Hobby Mill publication:
 
"For sheet stock above 3/16" or 4.5mm:  Use the I-293 .040 kerf blade. 
Actually you can use this blade on thinner stock but it has a thicker kerf (more waste) and a few less teeth than the I-292 blade (chipout sooner with thinner stock)
For stock between 3/32" (3mm) - 3/16" (4.5mm):  Use I-292 .030 kerf blade.   If there is chipout around 3/32", go to the #99 blade
For stock between 3/64" (1mm) - 3/32" (3mm):  Use #99 170T blade.  Main change in blade is the finer pitch
For stock thinner than 3/64" (1mm):  Use #100 224T blade."
 
These are probably the most often used blades.
If you have better experienced based suggestions there would probably be interest here.
 
For stock thinner than 3/64" (1mm):  Use #100 224T blade.
 

First - thank you for your visit here.
 
 
I think that a significant number of us use machines with:
ID  1/2"
OD 4" max
OD 3"  when it is sufficient for the depth of cut
 
For our uses  it would make things more clear if you provided a table for TPI
Assume that the material being cut is dense hardwood Maple or harder  maximum depth is >1"
Max TPI  per thickness of cut  
 
We use expensive wood so we wish to minimize loss to kerf
So the table should also include minimum blade thickness per depth of cut to avoid blade flex. 
 
What we go by now is from an old Hobby Mill publication:
 
"For sheet stock above 3/16" or 4.5mm:  Use the I-293 .040 kerf blade. 
Actually you can use this blade on thinner stock but it has a thicker kerf (more waste) and a few less teeth than the I-292 blade (chipout sooner with thinner stock)
For stock between 3/32" (3mm) - 3/16" (4.5mm):  Use I-292 .030 kerf blade.   If there is chipout around 3/32", go to the #99 blade
For stock between 3/64" (1mm) - 3/32" (3mm):  Use #99 170T blade.  Main change in blade is the finer pitch
For stock thinner than 3/64" (1mm):  Use #100 224T blade."
 
These are probably the most often used blades.
If you have better experienced based suggestions there would probably be interest here.
 
For stock thinner than 3/64" (1mm):  Use #100 224T blade.
 

First - thank you for your visit here.
 
 
I think that a significant number of us use machines with:
ID  1/2"
OD 4" max
OD 3"  when it is sufficient for the depth of cut
 
For our uses  it would make things more clear if you provided a table for TPI
Assume that the material being cut is dense hardwood Maple or harder  maximum depth is >1"
Max TPI  per thickness of cut  
 
We use expensive wood so we wish to minimize loss to kerf
So the table should also include minimum blade thickness per depth of cut to avoid blade flex. 
 
What we go by now is from an old Hobby Mill publication:
 
"For sheet stock above 3/16" or 4.5mm:  Use the I-293 .040 kerf blade. 
Actually you can use this blade on thinner stock but it has a thicker kerf (more waste) and a few less teeth than the I-292 blade (chipout sooner with thinner stock)
For stock between 3/32" (3mm) - 3/16" (4.5mm):  Use I-292 .030 kerf blade.   If there is chipout around 3/32", go to the #99 blade
For stock between 3/64" (1mm) - 3/32" (3mm):  Use #99 170T blade.  Main change in blade is the finer pitch
For stock thinner than 3/64" (1mm):  Use #100 224T blade."
 
These are probably the most often used blades.
If you have better experienced based suggestions there would probably be interest here.
 
For stock thinner than 3/64" (1mm):  Use #100 224T blade.
 

Will this work to help with fine detail color application?
I saw a video featuring an experienced boat/yacht finisher.   I think he was advocating a rather vigorous technique for varnish application. 
(I think he favored organic solvent based varnish).    The key factor that I took home was that he advised wrapping  "masking"  tape from over the heel to abut half way to the tip.  The wrapping was fairly tight.  It reduced the flopping arc of the fibers - stiffing them - and it makes migration to the heel a longer journey in a compressed region. 
Cleaning solvent can neutralize any bonding between the tape and fibers to remove it during cleanup.

Will this work to help with fine detail color application?
I saw a video featuring an experienced boat/yacht finisher.   I think he was advocating a rather vigorous technique for varnish application. 
(I think he favored organic solvent based varnish).    The key factor that I took home was that he advised wrapping  "masking"  tape from over the heel to abut half way to the tip.  The wrapping was fairly tight.  It reduced the flopping arc of the fibers - stiffing them - and it makes migration to the heel a longer journey in a compressed region. 
Cleaning solvent can neutralize any bonding between the tape and fibers to remove it during cleanup.

I expect taping would work to stiffen some small brushes, but, all things considered, using a very small, short bristle brush (a "pointer" or "dotter") would be preferable. 
 
Some pros do wrap the bristles closest to the ferrule with masking tape for the purpose described and it works quite well. It improves the performance of regular brushes when the brush isn't as stiff as the painter would like. The proper technique for varnishing is different than that for finish painting. Varnish is applied more thickly in order to build the depth of the coats and so is said to be "flowed on" rather than brushed repeatedly to spread a thin coat evenly. The less you brush it, the thicker the coat will be and the less likely for bubbles to occur in the varnish coat. A stiffer brush which can carry more varnish makes this easier to accomplish.
 
Actually, there are specialized brushes made for varnishing and lacquering. They are high quality brushes with shorter bristles and are hand made with badger hair. Originally, they were made with bristles set in vulcanized rubber in a special ferrule which minimized getting the coating in the heel. (In fact, most untrained painters dip their brushes too deeply into the coating which is a major contributor to it working into the heel.) The old fashioned hand-made real badger hair brushes were quite expensive. Grumbacher made the best of them, but no longer makes genuine badger hair brushes. A Grumbacher size 4 artist's pure badger bristle brush used to sell for around fifty bucks and last I heard thirty years or so ago, a three inch badger varnish brush was pushing $100. 
 
There are now synthetic "badger" and blended real badger/synthetic badger varnish brushes with the bristles set in epoxy, which does not require the fancy ferrule of the old style, but I've yet to use one. They still cost quite a bit. The three inch synthetic badger varnish brush, pictured below, retails for close to seventy bucks.  The one inch one runs around $40. Obviously, wrapping tape around the heel of a decent standard brush is a good compromise, but I must say there is nothing sweeter than varnishing with a real badger varnish brush. 
 

Paint Brush Highlights: Badger Flowing (dynastybrush.com)
 

Steve,
I think that one answer is that it is up to you. 
If you are using a large bandsaw to do this resaw operation
If it is planking stock that you are producing
The easy way it to slice the plank width as the slice thickness - with extra for thickness sander removal
Then the plank thickness is what your Byrnes table saw slices off.
If the grain that will show is not what you want on display:
 
That a much thicker slice for the first cut from the board - one that is as thick as you are comfortable feeding into your bandsaw.
If you are stuck with using a 10" table saw - this slice is whatever the maximum depth of cut for you saw blade  ~ 1-2" usually
Rotate thisk stock 90 degrees.
Then slice the pre sander widths.   The Byrnes saw product will be the plane cut face  There could be no grain or grain arcs depending on your luck.
 
I hope that your Sycamore is the English species using that name - Acer pseudoplatanus 
If it is the American species using that name -  Platanus occidentalis   You really do not want it showing.  It is a bit brittle, it stinks,  another name for it is Lacewood - the grain is really busy.
The Acer is almost as hard as Hard Maple -  with Hard Maple - edge slices can show a variety of grain patterns - fire - fiddleback - all of the patterns that other sorts of woodworkers pay a lot extra for and that we do not want.   It is up to chance and depends on the way the tree rings are oriented to the plane of the blade.
For frame timber in the lower hull where there is a curve- there is no hope for invisible grain figures -  I just let Mother Nature win that one.
 
Your Pear looks like a challenge.
If you have an edger - getting a straight edge - will cost you a lot of wood
If you do not have an edger - you really want a bandsaw
a ~1/2" carrier board  to rife against the fence and be on the saw table.   Fix the Pear plank to the carrier - drywall screws if you gotta -  with enough beyond the outer edge of the carrier that the blade will get you your complete straight edge.
The outer cutoff and be against the fence too - slices from it will just be ever shorter and the end grain will be really angled  - but it will not be edger chips either.
 
The carrier board on a bandsaw is also way way to mill logs and branches.   Steel framing braces and long screws to keep it fixed to the carrier.

Steve,
I think that one answer is that it is up to you. 
If you are using a large bandsaw to do this resaw operation
If it is planking stock that you are producing
The easy way it to slice the plank width as the slice thickness - with extra for thickness sander removal
Then the plank thickness is what your Byrnes table saw slices off.
If the grain that will show is not what you want on display:
 
That a much thicker slice for the first cut from the board - one that is as thick as you are comfortable feeding into your bandsaw.
If you are stuck with using a 10" table saw - this slice is whatever the maximum depth of cut for you saw blade  ~ 1-2" usually
Rotate thisk stock 90 degrees.
Then slice the pre sander widths.   The Byrnes saw product will be the plane cut face  There could be no grain or grain arcs depending on your luck.
 
I hope that your Sycamore is the English species using that name - Acer pseudoplatanus 
If it is the American species using that name -  Platanus occidentalis   You really do not want it showing.  It is a bit brittle, it stinks,  another name for it is Lacewood - the grain is really busy.
The Acer is almost as hard as Hard Maple -  with Hard Maple - edge slices can show a variety of grain patterns - fire - fiddleback - all of the patterns that other sorts of woodworkers pay a lot extra for and that we do not want.   It is up to chance and depends on the way the tree rings are oriented to the plane of the blade.
For frame timber in the lower hull where there is a curve- there is no hope for invisible grain figures -  I just let Mother Nature win that one.
 
Your Pear looks like a challenge.
If you have an edger - getting a straight edge - will cost you a lot of wood
If you do not have an edger - you really want a bandsaw
a ~1/2" carrier board  to rife against the fence and be on the saw table.   Fix the Pear plank to the carrier - drywall screws if you gotta -  with enough beyond the outer edge of the carrier that the blade will get you your complete straight edge.
The outer cutoff and be against the fence too - slices from it will just be ever shorter and the end grain will be really angled  - but it will not be edger chips either.
 
The carrier board on a bandsaw is also way way to mill logs and branches.   Steel framing braces and long screws to keep it fixed to the carrier.

I have some of those cutting tools.  All in all, the whole kit IS kinda sexy.  The most useful tool for me was a small plane that is not offered.   My evaluation is that some of the tools will be useful, but special effort will be necessary to use them instead of what you would normally use.  The benches and hold downs will be a stretch to apply at best.   This whole set seems more useful for someone who models miniature copies of full size furniture.  Something made up of right angles and flat planes.  Not for something made up of near infinitely varied curves.  Measure twice, cut once or avoid an impulse buy.

It's not an "either/or," but rather a "both/and" kind of thing. These volumes are simply collections of reprints of the "Shop Notes" section of the NRG Journal over two spans of time. (They should be due for another volume one of these days soon.) The subject matter is not highly organized in terms of distinguishing between highly sophisticated techniques and those which "will help the newbie most." (All will eventually be helpful to a newbie, but some will appeal primarily to the more experienced builder.) These books are goldmines of useful how-to-do it information, but step-by-step tutorials for newbies they are not.
 
Each volume can be purchased for $35 from the NRG Store online. Nautical Research Guild (thenrgstore.org) Used copies in good shape cost perhaps half that on average, but, by the time you cover shipping, you might as well spring for a brand new copy in good shape. If buying Volume I used, try to get a later printing which is spiral bound. It's helpful if the book will lay flat with the covers turned all the way back, reducing the space the book will take on your bench and making for easy copying of pages if that is desired. My Volume 1, purchased many years ago, was the glued paperback binding and it sheds pages, a problem I've solved with a couple of binder clips.  If cost is a limitation, used copies of both volumes are readily available on eBay and Amazon used books. See: Ship Modeler s Shop Notes 9780960345618 | eBay and Ship Modeler's Shop Notes: Edson, Merritt, Lankford, Ben, Mueller, Edward, Rubin, Norman: 9780960345618: Amazon.com: Books
 
To answer your question directly, if you can only afford one, I'd suggest Volume II, since it is the more recent selection of Shop Notes articles. Some of the material in Volume I, while still useful, can be somewhat dated. The level of sophistication in ship modeling has increased markedly in the last couple of decades. You can then buy Volume I later, as both remain in print. 
 
If you pursue the hobby for any length of time, you will quickly discover (and apparently already have) that an adequate research library is an essential tool for the ship modeler. Beware: IMHO, most of the newbie "how to do it" books advertised as such are not worth what they ask for them. Use the forum search engine to find threads on which books to buy for a decent reference library and start by buying the classics in your area of interest which you will find identified there. It's a good idea to develop the habit of making a "budget" for building your reference library and stick to it. By committing to $25 (or more) a month, which in today's money is no more than the old "three martini lunch" plus tip, and scouring for used books on line, you will be able to painlessly buy a book a month or so.

Painting my models is always one of the aspects I enjoy the most, but I have always been plagued by two persistent problems -
 
The first is I can never seem to find the right brush for very small detail work and the second is I can never seem to maintain a brush for any length of time. I believe I have found solutions to both problems. This will no doubt be old news to many of you, especially if you're also artists or painters, but it's a revelation to me.
 
First problem - finding a suitable small brush for detail work.
It seems that when I buy even the very smallest brushes, I still can't control them easily and often they still deliver too much paint. A little research online suggested that I have been using the wrong brush. Most of these small brushes that are readily available are called "round", but what I learned is that there is another brush called a "spotter." These are also round, but they have much shorter bristles. That makes them stiffer and as a result, it increases the control considerably. I discovered that not every art supply source sells them, and surprisingly, some had not even heard of them, but I did find some and I bought four sizes (l to r - 20/0, 5/0, 3/0, 0 - very small to small.)

 

 
They come in both straight and angled. I decided to try both and have been experimenting with them. So far, I prefer the straight, but I know the angled ones are going to come in handy in actual practice. (I've painted many hot water rads over the years and know how helpful an angled rad brush can be.)
 
Second problem - cleaning and maintaining brushes.
I have always found it hard to maintain my brushes. It seems no matter how careful I am, (which admittedly, is not always all that careful) they still end up looking like this in very short order.

 
That brush started out as a beautiful fine round tip and now it's virtually useless.
 
I discovered a product called Masters Brush Cleaner and Preserver and I think it's going to be a game changer.
 

 
You clean most of the paint out of the brush in water (or solvent for oil)  and then rub it into the Masters. You can rinse and repeat as necessary. When the brush is thoroughly clean, you can leave some of the "soap" on the brush which will help to maintain its shape.
 

 
Here is the same brush again.
 

 
The hint of red that was still at the base of the brush is now gone, and it is somewhat restored to its original shape. In truth I fear this particular brush may be too far gone to be restored completely, but leaving the coat of soap on it will cause it to retain its shape and  is sure to make it still usable.
 
If I care for my brushes this way right from the start I don't think I will have many problems with them again.
 

 
For example, I have been practicing with these new brush extensively using both black and red paint and there is no trace of either near the ferule. (That's not black paint you see closer to the tip, it's just variations in the colour of the bristles) and the shape is as good as when I started.  The seller calls the bristles on these brushes "synthetic sable."
 
There are dozens of videos on Youtube demonstrating the use of Masters, which I found to be helpful.
 
As I say, this all might be old news to many of you, but it's new to me and I believe it's going to be so helpful, that I thought I would share it.
 
David
 
 
 
 

The linen supplier twists up the fibers into yarn.
This is sold as LEA - which is essentially an obsolete measurement - it has been replaced -
but I have not mentally absorbed it. Since I have obtained about as much and as wide a 
variety of linen yarn as is obtainable now, I don't need to deal with the change.
And yes,  with LEA - the larger the number - the smaller the yarn.
 
 
From our perspective  the hope would be that  70.2  LEA yarn would be 2 lines with a final size of 70,
but alas -  what it means is
Two 70 LEA yarns twisted together and sold as a loosely twisted  thread..
 
If unraveled  it would be   two 70 LEA yarns - not two 140 LEA - which would be nice for us
except -  twisting up the 62 LEA is difficult - it breaks easily - so that may be the practical limit.
 
I finally got why the old guys favored linen - the linen wrapping on Egyptian mummies is still largely intact.
It does not readily oxidize.

This I did using a Byrnes rope walk.  I will have to play with the setup
to get the warps more acute but that should not affect these data significantly.
 
 
     
 
 
 
 
 
100/3   =   100 LEA linen yarn  spun up using 3 yarns.
 
The diameter was measured using a lacquered dowel and counting the
closely packed rotations in an inch.

For bench top all-in-one a mill can probably fill the bill,  However I predict that that a model that fit your requirements would have a significant foot print, be heavy, and be expensive. 
The advantage is that being a mill, the bearings would be meant to stand up to significant lateral forces - that is allow you to mill metal if that is something that you wish to do.
 
The other choice is to have a smaller bench top drill press for bits in the #50-80 range for your in door work room and a free standing economy drill press for your unconditioned shop.
I have gotten good use from my version of ah EuroTool DRL-300 -  I probably lucked out by buying it on sale from Otto Frei -  because they probably get the upper end of QA -  while a discount supplier may not be as selective. 
Sometimes, trying to do it using a compromise one does it all winds up costing you more in the end.

For bench top all-in-one a mill can probably fill the bill,  However I predict that that a model that fit your requirements would have a significant foot print, be heavy, and be expensive. 
The advantage is that being a mill, the bearings would be meant to stand up to significant lateral forces - that is allow you to mill metal if that is something that you wish to do.
 
The other choice is to have a smaller bench top drill press for bits in the #50-80 range for your in door work room and a free standing economy drill press for your unconditioned shop.
I have gotten good use from my version of ah EuroTool DRL-300 -  I probably lucked out by buying it on sale from Otto Frei -  because they probably get the upper end of QA -  while a discount supplier may not be as selective. 
Sometimes, trying to do it using a compromise one does it all winds up costing you more in the end.

For bench top all-in-one a mill can probably fill the bill,  However I predict that that a model that fit your requirements would have a significant foot print, be heavy, and be expensive. 
The advantage is that being a mill, the bearings would be meant to stand up to significant lateral forces - that is allow you to mill metal if that is something that you wish to do.
 
The other choice is to have a smaller bench top drill press for bits in the #50-80 range for your in door work room and a free standing economy drill press for your unconditioned shop.
I have gotten good use from my version of ah EuroTool DRL-300 -  I probably lucked out by buying it on sale from Otto Frei -  because they probably get the upper end of QA -  while a discount supplier may not be as selective. 
Sometimes, trying to do it using a compromise one does it all winds up costing you more in the end.

For bench top all-in-one a mill can probably fill the bill,  However I predict that that a model that fit your requirements would have a significant foot print, be heavy, and be expensive. 
The advantage is that being a mill, the bearings would be meant to stand up to significant lateral forces - that is allow you to mill metal if that is something that you wish to do.
 
The other choice is to have a smaller bench top drill press for bits in the #50-80 range for your in door work room and a free standing economy drill press for your unconditioned shop.
I have gotten good use from my version of ah EuroTool DRL-300 -  I probably lucked out by buying it on sale from Otto Frei -  because they probably get the upper end of QA -  while a discount supplier may not be as selective. 
Sometimes, trying to do it using a compromise one does it all winds up costing you more in the end.

It would be worth your time to read the pinned threads at the top of this section  - for beginner suggestions -   a beginner boat kit  as a way to get your feet wet - while gaining perspective and skills  while harnessing your necessary initial enthusiasm - to avoid water that is too deep.
 
If this hobby takes hold of you, you progress to the scratch build ambition,  and you have or have access to at least a big bandsaw and a Byrnes thickness sander
A version of scratch building  also includes   Replacing less than ideal kit supplied wood with more appropriate species  - Fabricating your own sub-assemblies - Adding more detail:
In hyperbole this is called "kit bashing" but it is really kit augmentation and or kit adaptation.   It is the common way for those of us with no fine woodworking experience to progress to plans only independence for modeling subjects.
 
Why this post=
Since I am not able to keep certain obsessions under control, this is what I think I would do in your place.  Understanding that I have no concept to the actual travel distances.
 
You have seeming easy access to wood that is not economically practical to get to the Atlantic coast.
It is Pacific Madrone - from a shop that can kiln dry it without it self destructing
https://www.snwwood.com/Northwest-Hardwoods/Pacific-Madrone
It is Sustainable Northwest Wood in Portland.   They seem to be a "do a physical visit only" shop. But then you can handpick for grain and color.  (Pick'em up truck and at least 100 BF)
The consensus here from those with experience with it is that you do not want the Port Orford Cedar.
 
It seems that there are several regional mills that supply something that you do want if the scratch build bug takes hold.
AYC   Alaska Yellow Cedar   - a site search will show you what it is all about.
 
 
 

It would be worth your time to read the pinned threads at the top of this section  - for beginner suggestions -   a beginner boat kit  as a way to get your feet wet - while gaining perspective and skills  while harnessing your necessary initial enthusiasm - to avoid water that is too deep.
 
If this hobby takes hold of you, you progress to the scratch build ambition,  and you have or have access to at least a big bandsaw and a Byrnes thickness sander
A version of scratch building  also includes   Replacing less than ideal kit supplied wood with more appropriate species  - Fabricating your own sub-assemblies - Adding more detail:
In hyperbole this is called "kit bashing" but it is really kit augmentation and or kit adaptation.   It is the common way for those of us with no fine woodworking experience to progress to plans only independence for modeling subjects.
 
Why this post=
Since I am not able to keep certain obsessions under control, this is what I think I would do in your place.  Understanding that I have no concept to the actual travel distances.
 
You have seeming easy access to wood that is not economically practical to get to the Atlantic coast.
It is Pacific Madrone - from a shop that can kiln dry it without it self destructing
https://www.snwwood.com/Northwest-Hardwoods/Pacific-Madrone
It is Sustainable Northwest Wood in Portland.   They seem to be a "do a physical visit only" shop. But then you can handpick for grain and color.  (Pick'em up truck and at least 100 BF)
The consensus here from those with experience with it is that you do not want the Port Orford Cedar.
 
It seems that there are several regional mills that supply something that you do want if the scratch build bug takes hold.
AYC   Alaska Yellow Cedar   - a site search will show you what it is all about.
 
 
 

Almost nothing is known about what the original Mayflower looked like and there are certainly no plans of it.  There may well have never been any plans as we think of them.
Kits that purport to be the Mayflower are pretty much imaginative fabrications created from thin air.
Kits based on the reproduction Mayflower II are based on a design of Wm Baker,   He made assumptions and choices that probably reflect nothing that actually existed in the past.  A kit would only a model of his creation.
 
The reliable way would be to use
 
17th CENTURY DUTCH MERCHANT SHIPS
Text, Photos and Plans for the Ship Modeler
by Ab Hoving
 
and scratch build.   It might be wise to start with a boat that was a part of the equipment,  then do one or two of the smaller vessels.
 
If you do not have a copy already,  I would advise that you do so as soon as possible.   Pier Books migrated to SeaWatch Books  but I would not count on SeaWatch migrating to a successor. 
 
@Ab Hoving Perhaps  Ab might have a much more authoritative suggestion.

Almost nothing is known about what the original Mayflower looked like and there are certainly no plans of it.  There may well have never been any plans as we think of them.
Kits that purport to be the Mayflower are pretty much imaginative fabrications created from thin air.
Kits based on the reproduction Mayflower II are based on a design of Wm Baker,   He made assumptions and choices that probably reflect nothing that actually existed in the past.  A kit would only a model of his creation.
 
The reliable way would be to use
 
17th CENTURY DUTCH MERCHANT SHIPS
Text, Photos and Plans for the Ship Modeler
by Ab Hoving
 
and scratch build.   It might be wise to start with a boat that was a part of the equipment,  then do one or two of the smaller vessels.
 
If you do not have a copy already,  I would advise that you do so as soon as possible.   Pier Books migrated to SeaWatch Books  but I would not count on SeaWatch migrating to a successor. 
 
@Ab Hoving Perhaps  Ab might have a much more authoritative suggestion.