Devildog36 Posted September 23, 2020 #1 Posted September 23, 2020 So I recently started modeling and am on my first build (see the build logs for me) and I've been trying to find wood. I've found plenty of places to get wood in raw form but as I'm new I do not have a shop full of power tools and neither can I spend the money right now to get them. So I wanted to buy wood in precut lengths for my build. I found Modelers Central (https://www.modelerscentral.com/) and found their wood to be very reasonably priced and they have tons of extras for model building like anchors, barrels and much more. This isn't a testimonial really as much as has anyone else used them before. The site doesn't really say it but they are based in Australia so I've no idea how long it will take to get me the wood but the shipping costs was under 20$ and that includes insurance. Once I get my two orders I'll post a review but wanted to see if anyone else has anything to say about them. They seem to have tons of models from dozens of manufacturers. mtaylor 1 Quote
Jim Rogers Posted September 23, 2020 #2 Posted September 23, 2020 I have used them before, no issues. Devildog36 1 Quote Regards, Jim Rogers Damn the Torpedoes , Full speed ahead. Adm David Farragut.
Landlubber Mike Posted September 23, 2020 #3 Posted September 23, 2020 One place that I have had some success is Woodcraft (there's one in Springfield). It's hit or miss, but they have a section with 3" x 24" (or so) boards of various thicknesses. I believe they carry boards down to 1/8" in thickness, but again, hit or miss on sizes, species, too much figure in the grain, waviness of the board, etc. I found some sheets of bloodwood that I might try for gun carriages, and padouk that I'm using on my La Renommee build. Another option at Woodcraft is to look at their veneers. You can get long sheets of the stuff that are about the right thickness for planking. For my Renommee, I'm using cherry veneer that I found there that worked nicely. You can also find dowels in various woods and diameters at Woodcraft. I picked up a bunch of nice dowels in cherry and walnut for my Renommee and a future build. Just make sure that you check for straightness as many were a bit wavy. I rolled them on the floor to see if they rolled smoothly or were bumpy because of warping. Big loss when Hobbymill and Crown left the business mtaylor, MEDDO and Devildog36 3 Quote Mike Current Wooden builds: Amati/Victory Pegasus MS Charles W. Morgan Euromodel La Renommèe Plastic builds: Hs129B-2 1/48 SB2U-1 Vindicator 1/48 Five Star Yaeyama 1/700 Pit Road Asashio and Akashi 1/700 diorama Walrus 1/48 and Albatross 1/700 Special Hobby Buffalo 1/32 IJN Notoro 1/700 Akitsu Maru 1/700 Completed builds : Caldercraft Brig Badger Amati Hannah - Ship in Bottle Pit Road Hatsuzakura 1/700 Hasegawa Shimakaze 1:350 F4B-4 and P-6E 1/72 Accurate Miniatures F3F-1/F3F-2 1/48 Tamiya F4F-4 Wildcat built as FM-1 1/48 Special Hobby Buffalo 1/48 Eduard Sikorsky JRS-1 1/72 Citroen 2CV 1/24 - Airfix and Tamiya Entex Morgan 3-wheeler 1/16 Terminated build: HMS Lyme (based on Corel Unicorn) On the shelf: Euromodel Friedrich Wilhelm zu Pferde; Caldercraft Victory; too many plastic ship, plane and car kits Future potential scratch builds: HMS Lyme (from NMM plans); Le Gros Ventre (from Ancre monographs), Dutch ship from Ab Hoving book, HMS Sussex from McCardle book, Philadelphia gunboat (Smithsonian plans)
Jaager Posted September 24, 2020 #4 Posted September 24, 2020 Devildog, You may have more resources than you realize. The Washington Ship Model Society is based in northern Virginia. Between it and the local woodworkers guild and the local schools, you may have access to the use of the necessary machinery to produce your own stock. Not far from you - in Elkwood, VA is C.P.Johnson Lumber - with excellent prices on Hard Maple, Black Cherry, Yellow Poplar, Yellow Birch their inventory is out of the two exotics that I would consider = Yellow Heart (Pau Amarillo) and Granadillo (Macacauba). The other domestics have unuseful grain characteristics. Devildog36, Landlubber Mike and mtaylor 3 Quote NRG member 50 years Current: NMS HMS Ajax 1767 - 74-gun 3rd rate - 1:192 POF exploration - works but too intense -no margin for error HMS Centurion 1732 - 60-gun 4th rate - POF Navall Timber framing HMS Beagle 1831 refiit 10-gun brig with a small mizzen - POF Navall (ish) Timber framing The U.S. Ex. Ex. 1838-1842 Flying Fish 1838 pilot schooner - POF framed - ready for stern timbers Porpose II 1836 brigantine/brig - POF framed - ready for hawse and stern timbers Vincennes 1825 Sloop-of-War - POF timbers assembled, need shaping Peacock 1828 Sloop-of -War - POF timbers ready for assembly Sea Gull 1838 pilot schooner - POF timbers ready for assembly Relief 1835 packet hull USN ship - POF timbers ready for assembly Other Portsmouth 1843 Sloop-of-War - POF timbers ready for assembly Le Commerce de Marseilles 1788 118 cannons - POF framed La Renommee 1744 Frigate - POF framed - ready for hawse and stern timbers
barkeater Posted September 24, 2020 #5 Posted September 24, 2020 I have used Modelers Central several times and have been happy with their service. Shipping time is surprisingly good considering I'm half a world away. I like that their wood strips are longer than anybody else I have used. mtaylor and Landlubber Mike 2 Quote Completed scratch build: The armed brig "Badger" 1777 Current scratch build: The 36 gun frigate "Unite" 1796 Completed kits: Mamoli "Alert", Caldercraft "Sherbourne"
JRL Posted October 1, 2020 #6 Posted October 1, 2020 I ordered some materials from MC on May 2nd. They shipped it on May 3rd. It cleared Australian customs on May 7th. Then it sat in limbo until it finally arrived in San Francisco on May 31st. I received the package on June 3rd. MC said the delay was caused by a lack of airline capacity and US delivery restrictions due to the pandemic. Maybe those bottlenecks have eased somewhat by now. They said that the normal shipping time was five to ten days. I will add that there was an item missing from the order, for which I had already been billed. I pointed out the issue and received a refund without a problem. mtaylor 1 Quote
HardeeHarHar Posted October 1, 2020 #7 Posted October 1, 2020 I recently ordered Boxwood from Germany (Arkowood) for my ongoing build of the Granado, and it also took forever to get here in the US. This was also due to Covid I believe, but at least it was actual Castello Boxwood when it arrived. I purchased some "boxwood" from a different supplier in the US, and it wasn't boxwood, it was putridyellowood or fuglyellowstuff, or at least I think that is its scientific name, so caveat emptor and "buyer beware" etc..... mtaylor 1 Quote Brian Current Builds: HMBV Granado 1/64 Caldercraft; HMS Sphinx 1775 by HardeeHarHar - Vanguard Models 1:64-V2 Completed Build: HMS Bounty's Jolly Boat 1/25 Artesania Latina; Master Korabel - 1:36 Yefin Nikonov's Secret Vessel On the Shelf: HMBV Granado 1/48 CAF Model
Devildog36 Posted October 4, 2020 Author #8 Posted October 4, 2020 I ordered wood on the 21 st and it was shipped two working days later. They did a good job of communication and it arrived today. Two weeks or less from door to door Is not a bad thing. The wood is very well packed with no damage, no frayed edges and clean cuts I’m very happy Landlubber Mike and mtaylor 2 Quote
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