Greetings from Spokane

[sigmadog]

As long as I can remember, I've loved the intricate beauty of model ships. Other kids were car-crazy, building models of rodded-out Mustangs and Camaros, while I sat in my room building plastic ship models. I think my first was a 17th century plastic number of Sovereign of the Seas (or not - it may have been some other ship). Eventually, when I hit Jr. High, I was given a large two-foot (at least) long kit for the U.S.S. Constitution in plastic (may have been Revell). It took all summer, but I finished that model (the rigging took the longest). My parents displayed it in the house for years on top of the TV cabinet.

 

Life has a way of pushing you along, and for years I set aside my hobby until The Missus purchased in the mid 90's, as a gift, a wooden kit of the HMS Bounty cut-away model showing the interior of the hull. I got started on it, but the hull and bulkheads didn't survive the move to our new house. A year later I ordered instructions for the "Smuggler" an 1877 Gloucester Fishing Schooner from The Laughing Whale in Maine. It didn't take long to figure out that scratch-building my first wooden model wasn't the best way for me to start.

 

Now it's 2021 and I think I've got the time and (hopefully) the dedication to give it another shot. I ordered a decent kit off eBay (Corel - Revenue Cutter "Ranger"). It has all the elements I'm hoping to learn: planking, modest rigging, deck furniture, etc.. We'll see. I'm looking forward to making a ton of mistakes and hopefully learning a thing or two in the process.

 

Thanks for reading!

 

Note: I've attached an image of a couple half-hulls I made a few years back (the figurehead in the background is a gift from The Missus - God love her!).

[mtaylor]

Welcome to MSW, Sigmadog,  When you're ready to start your model, do give some thought to starting a build log.  It's a great way to get help and also meet other builders.

[sigmadog]

22 minutes ago, mtaylor said:

Welcome to MSW, Sigmadog,  When you're ready to start your model, do give some thought to starting a build log.  It's a great way to get help and also meet other builders.

Thanks! That sounds like a good idea. I'll give the build logs a look-see.

[Louie da fly]

Welcome to MSW, Sigmadog!

 

I'd like to second Mark's recommendation that you start a build log. It's a great way to get help and advice, and we get to see your build taking shape. The instructions are here:

 

 

You will make mistakes - that's inevitable. But each mistake is a learning experience, preparing you for a better model next time you build. And nobody makes the perfect model or fails to make mistakes, even the most experienced modeller. They just make more ambitious mistakes!

 

Good to have you aboard.

 

Steven