md1400cs

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

Mario, its a grand slam..... MIchael

I'm working on Corel's Wasa. She is my second build, the first was some 40 years ago. There should be a link just below my posts. Thanks for your interest. Regards, Michael

Theo, Your canon carriages are in one word STUNNING. Regards, Michael

Andy, Just went through your build for the second time. So impressive. Beautiful. Your copper, canons, masts all are so well articulated in miniature. Really special. The Pegasus requires a lot of precise talent, you certainly fit that bill. Congrats... PS: Lov the drill/lathe. You win the Rudd Goldberg Award for that one. Regards, Michael

Andy, HUGE thanks. Ran into your link while surfing through Randy's beautiful SF build. I've been thinking on how to "fix" the chain-mail supplied for my build. Your link has, I think, exactly what I need. (:-) I also discovered morope here Hmmmmm. regards Michael

Hello Robb, I'm happy that I linked on your build. It will be a pleasure to follow along. PS: I'm glad that you are better, and yes have many more birthdays (:-) Regards Michael

Bob, Hi welcome to MSW (I'm a newbie as well). Your CS looks to be astonishing. Your attention to factual details is super impressive. I look forward to following your progress. Congrats...nice choice for a build. The new rebuilt museum for this ship looks awesome. I need to get there one of these days (:-) Regards Michael

Matti, Thanks..Yes it is rather dark at the museum. When I visited there in the 90's, had I known that I was going to build this kit, I would have taken so many more photos. I flew to Stockholm just to see the Vasa (I was working in London at the time) What an astonishing experience. Its as though one could time travel.. PS: Loved the Steig Larson books, what a story (:-) What a sad ending for him. Regards, Michael