md1400cs

Hi again (too soon I imagine) J Pett, so nice of you to attach me with a hook of some kind. Your Rattlesnake is remarkable. If I was a minor catalyst, well I'm very honored, thanks for mentioning it; I think? Mark, I look forward to your Segal Vasa updates. We all grow and learn from each other. My efforts here have been a wonderful growth experience by looking into other's builds on MSW and learning from their notations as they go along. All good !!. This build, and how it is coming along is in great part because of what I have learned here. Thanks folks.... ZyXuz thanks for your, always, encouraging notations. ----------------------------- So, in my zeal to retro-build this boat, here is my latest re-build. I was not "comfortable" with the bow transverse railing, so I removed it. The pics are self-explanatory so no need to describe any of theses. The first pic is obviously my original effort. The in-between pics are my re-model, and the last is, of course, a pic from our Vasa bible. I don't have Clayton Johnson's gift, or anyone else’s for that matter in regard to sculpturing, so I purchased generic gilded stanchions and painted them. It's a compromise, but I'm more comfortable with this "look" than my original effort. As I move on I will, however, try my hand at "sculpturing" I need to build to lower braces for the two catheads, and also fashion wooden trim pieces on each side of the flag pole just above the rounded gilded piece at the stern. Thanks for stopping by, and for all of your super nice posts. Regards, Michael

Ferit, Love your ten dollar word. That was a new one for me (:-)

Hi Everyone, I purchased these as a set. I assumed (there's that word again) that they would be pre assembled. Is there a "trick on how to assemble them without destroying the dead eyes, as I did on my first attempt. It's prob. staring me in the face but I can't see it. Any advice will be appreciated. Regards, Michael

Hi Mark, This Vasa is becoming a quite popular project. I'm happy that you are sharing your build. Certainly looking good. You have really captured this colorful ship very nicely. Regards, Michael

Hi Jürgen, I just discovered your Leopard while admiring Ferit's Berlin. You had posted a response on his build threads. I think that he is right (:-) You artists who scratch build are really amazing. I will follow your Leopard with great admiration and pleasure. Regards, Michael

J Pett, I only see the steps forward, and those are "keep on truckin" steps. Sweet build. I'm also learning a lot from you. Regards, Michael

Wacko Wolf, Kevin, Matti thanks guys for your nice words, very much appreciated. Ferit regarding that large drain, Im not sure what you are asking? This large square drain is one of the six that service the upper gun deck, Please note the line drawing as a reference. Also the Vasa photos were taken by Matti. When he visited the museum he told me that he would take these drain photos to help me out. Matti they did (:-) I may have to re-do those two drains, because they should,of course, cut into the hull side timbers. Mine don't, and its a visible flaw. Ferit I hope this answers your question. Again everyone thanks for stopping by. I will have an update for my rebuilt bow railing very soon. Regards, Michall

Lin, Super nice. Your weather deck gratings have been perfectly captured. Beautiful. Also your canon carriages are perfect, along with everything else as well. I will enjoy following your build. Regards, Michael

Matti, Love the look of your ship. Works very well. Nice, very nice !! Regards, Michael

21/07/2014 reloaded some deleted pics Timothy, and NM Brook, thanks so much for your encouraging words, they are always appreciated. Ron, special thanks as well for your very detailed and informative prose (as well as your praise of my project, whoa, undeserved, but thanks a million). Your prose was absolutely not too esoteric, on the contrary, from your input we, who are Vasa nuts have certainly learned a lot. As I have posted previously, I regretted not painting the "clinker" panels [just learned that word (:-)] a bright red. Well your discovery is very sweet music to my eyes. It retrospectively rationalizes my not painting those timbers. I must have been visionary, when I decided to instead use darker wood for the highlights could they be terra cotta??? ha ha.... It does, however, open a can of worms; why would the 1/10th, then have such garish colors, if in fact they were actually much more muted, and much less intricate especially the gallery upper timbers that also have white scalloping? None-the-less it now makes us all more "relaxed" about the paint issue for our Wasas. Thanks. Since the remodel, and enlargement of the museum, it must be even more spectacular. Ron, you certainly had a rare opportunity being hosted by one of its researchers. Yes that museum is a "monster" as it should be. I loved my visit there in the mid 90s. I NEED to go back. And yes Ron, I am familiar with Clayton's Vasa. I must have every pic, and seen every YouTube video about his project. This guy "walks on water" and the lake aint frozen !! Thanks for pointing him out. His build has been a wonderful catalyst for me. ------------------- A current minor update; I constructed and installed the four hull windows near the galleries. As you can see I used two sizes of grating for the frames. One caveat; as you know gratings are always loose and just crossed braced. I had to make sure that the "back sides" were firmly glued together, so that they would hold together when cut, and adjusted for fit. It took several attempts to get four that met my needs. I also added two hull drains that show up in occasional Vasa photos. It took me a long time to even "see" that little bit of detail. Again thanks all of you who are kind enough to pass through and visit this build, with added huge thanks to those of you who take the time to leave feedback and encouragement. Thanks so much....Have moved forward by removing the bow lateral railing. Rebuilding it, mine was all wrong. Regards, Michael

Vince, Nice update. Gary is correct these detail areas take so long, It seems as thought there is no visible progress, then when its done it, as yours is, looks spectacular. Regards, Michael

Nigel, Brilliant !!! Regards, Michael

Ferit, Perfect, of course. Those small gaps in your spools, along with the end tie off's are so precise. I also now have my visual guide on how exactly I want my Standing rigging lines running from the chain plate to look; exactly like yours (:-) Did you use G-S Hypo? I am at the point where I need to finally buy some of that glue that you suggested in an earlier post. Regards, Michael

Andre, Again thank you for your, always, kind and encouraging words. Very much appreciated. I'm doing some small detail work right now, and I will post an update soon. It won't seem like much, but these small projects are time consuming (:-) Regards, Michael

Hello Harlequin, I'm happy that I found your build. I've always admired this kit. It looks as though you will be doing a spectacular build. I will follow with pleasure. Regards, Michael

Alexandru, Beautiful update. Regards, Michael

Matti, Great pics. These will also help me. Especially the Large drain on the side of the hull, rope pulley frame just above the chainplate brace for the poop deck mast. I see the deck drain hole. It is a bit above the deck edge side trim (:-) I'm happy that you are feeling better. Regards, Michael

Matti, Thanks. Your efforts are appreciated. I think that our best possibilities for the weather deck drains are by looking at the 1/10th. Here is a photo that I cropped. You can see the drain on the port side. Follow with you eye to the other side of the deck and you can sort of make out the look of the drain from the other side. So, in my case not having made those small square cuts, and inserting small square pieces during the initial hull build, I'm left with just drilling holes, and adding a small square cover (:-) That's what happens when someone decides to "add" much more detail after the construction has already started. Hmmmm oh well...It's still a lot of fun. Regards, Michael

Schiffebastler, Yes, now I understand your explanation. I also carefully looked at some of the 1/10th photos. I did notice how it looks from the deck, I think. Though at this point after viewing original photos of the salvaged ship, none of the weather deck was intact. So who knows how it really looked (:-) As usual I very much appreciate the time you take to offer help if I happen to have some questions. Right now I have started to remove the bow cross railing. I will reconfigure it to look more closely like the 1/10th. So moving froward with small "fix and repair" tasks. I'm also installing those oval window frames on each side, forward of the upper galleries. As well as those very small square widows just forward of the lower galleries. And finishing water exits. I'll update some pics very soon. Regards, Michael

Gary, You folks on the scratch built side always leave in awe. Your French ship is so beyond useful adjectives. Are you, or will you also be using the Jean Boudroit books for reference? Regards, Michael

Congrats Buck, Good luck. You're not going into the new farming business are you? (:-) Regards, Michael

JP, No No No Don't paint. It will make many of us go into mourning. Your hull, planking, treenails are all so stunning. Regards, Michael

Jack, Always a pleasure to look in at your updates. Beautiful progress. Regards, Michael

Ferit, Thanks. I think that the Corel supplied chainmail looks really excellent. I would have used them as well. Your idea is good. i need to think about hoe to do mine. Regards, Michael

Ferit, As usual superlative work. Did you make those?. I'm sure you did. And if you did, would you have a few pics that you could post? I'm close to also installing the chainplates, but I don't like those that came with the ship. Your artistry is always so helpful. Regards, Michael