Hi

[Mike the Maxx]

Hi,

My name is Michael and I am a complete newbie at building wooden ships.

 

In the past I was a woodworker in several furniture shops and made Welsh Stick chairs and even made my own traditional joiners bench.

I became enamored with hand tool woodworking and hand traditional joinery.

 

When the time came I could no longer do this I sold off the shop and started learning antique clock restoration, which I still dabble in.

 

Due to some injuries and illness I am no longer able to work with larger material, so I decided to combine my love of nautical history and woodworking and start building model ships.

 

It will be good therapy and help with improving some hand dexterity and fine motor skills as well as an enjoyable way to spend some time which I seem to have a surplus of.

 

I am a former Marine and then worked in EMS as a Paramedic eventually going to Alaska and working as a Bush Medic till a career ending injury happened there.

 

I came back and went to finish my degree until I had to stop and take care of my dad who had Alzheimers.

 

I then went to work for an Industrial supply company for fifteen years till they outsourced my job, but was getting to the point where I was physically unable to do so anyway and am now going on disability.

 

I have already received my first kit.

 

After a great conversation with Model Expo I am starting with their “Shipwright” series beginning with the Lowell Grand Banks Dory.

I just about have the work space finished and am going to dive in in head first in the next few days.

 

I have so enjoyed reading through many threads here and have already learned much, now is the time to put it into practice.

 

I am looking forward to contributing here and maybe even making some new friends.

 

I am sure I will have a lot of questions and it seems like folks here are more than happy to help a new builder.

 

One caveat...as a former English Major I have a tendency to be rather wordy...so my apologies for that! 🤓

 

Anyway that is my introduction, I hope everyone has a great weekend,

M

[JeffT]

Welcome to MSW Michael 

[Mike the Maxx]

Thank you Jeff!

[Baker]

[Ryland Craze]

Welcome to Model Ship World Michael.  The Lowell Grand Banks Dory is an excellent kit for the first time wooden ship modeler.  There are several build logs of this model on MSW.  I hope you start a build log of your kit so that we can follow along.

[Mike the Maxx]

Thanks,

On my third read through of the instructions and also wondering if I should post a build log also....since it is my first one and also not sure which sub-forum I should use.

[ccoyle]

35 minutes ago, Mike the Maxx said:

not sure which sub-forum I should use.

 

These boats were used as working boats well into the 20th century, so Kit Builds 1901-present would be appropriate. Oh, and welcome aboard!

[BenD]

Going on disability and about to have a ton of time on your hands. This hobby is perfect given the fact that wooden ships can take hundreds of hours. It can be therapeutic... that's when things are going well. 😆 

 

Edited April 23, 2021 by BenD

[mtaylor]

Welcome to MSW, Mike from a former Marine.   Quite a few of us here.   I'm looking forward to your build.

[Mike the Maxx]

49 minutes ago, ccoyle said:

 

These boats were used as working boats well into the 20th century, so Kit Builds 1901-present would be appropriate. Oh, and welcome aboard!

 

Oh man, thanks so much...I will go ahead and start a log there...It may turn out to be a train wreck but I think it will be a great way to learn with feedback.

M

[Mike the Maxx]

15 minutes ago, mtaylor said:

Welcome to MSW, Mike from a former Marine.   Quite a few of us here.   I'm looking forward to your build.

 

 

Semper -Fi

MOS 1371 

84-88

[Keith Black]

Mike, welcome to MSW. What part of the Alaska were you in? My wife and I lived in Egegik for nine years. 

[Jim Lad]

Hello Michael, and a warm welcome to the forum from 'Down Under'.

 

John

[Mike the Maxx]

2 hours ago, Keith Black said:

Mike, welcome to MSW. What part of the Alaska were you in? My wife and I lived in Egegik for nine years. 

 

 

Wow, nine years there is a good while, did ya like it?

You couldn’t pay me enough to go back...these old bones are crying out for Florida!

 

I was in Fairbanks at UAF when I first then moved to Alaska.

Then a couple years later went back as a Flight Medic and lived in Anchorage...I worked out in Bethel...we covered an area roughly the size of Utah...the Yukon Kuskokwim Delta area...but we also had quarters at the airport in Anchorage.

Hooper Bay was getting to the farthest parts north and Eek was about as south west as we went while in Bethel.

Working out of Anchorage we had a Lear and went all over, even a flight or two over to Whitehorse in Yukon Territory...down to Juneau (hated flying in that place...always tightens the britches) and back then most head injuries and other medical certain conditions would take us down to Seattle...also we went down the Aleutians too.

[Mike the Maxx]

3 hours ago, Jim Lad said:

Hello Michael, and a warm welcome to the forum from 'Down Under'.

 

John

 

 

Thank you John..always wanted to visit..  I have some friends that live there and they love it...

Thanks for the kind welcoming!

M

Edited April 24, 2021 by Mike the Maxx

[Old Collingwood]

Hi there, warm welcome from UK   -  you will fit in fine - just watch out  for food topics  - we love our food  here  (winky winky face)

 

OC.

[Edwardkenway]

Have fun and Enjoy!

[Keith Black]

16 hours ago, Mike the Maxx said:

Wow, nine years there is a good while, did ya like it?

 What's not to like about living in a zoo? Brown bears sleeping on the porch at night, mother moose and her two calves having a walk about through the yard, fox, lynx, wolverine, wolves, coyotes, eagles, geese, ducks, salmon, huge trout, literally not a fence anywhere, open land from Bristol Bay to the Gulf of Alaska, Mother Nature trying to do you in when you've gotten stupid, Mother Nature teaching you to respect all things, absolute total silence when the only thing you can hear is your blood pumping in your ears,  and a ever growing appreciation for His creation.........it was OK. 

[Mike the Maxx]

17 hours ago, Keith Black said:

 What's not to like about living in a zoo? Brown bears sleeping on the porch at night, mother moose and her two calves having a walk about through the yard, fox, lynx, wolverine, wolves, coyotes, eagles, geese, ducks, salmon, huge trout, literally not a fence anywhere, open land from Bristol Bay to the Gulf of Alaska, Mother Nature trying to do you in when you've gotten stupid, Mother Nature teaching you to respect all things, absolute total silence when the only thing you can hear is your blood pumping in your ears,  and a ever growing appreciation for His creation.........it was OK. 

 

 

Well said...you got the better part than I.

 

Unfortunately being a medic up there was quite depressing....out Bethel way and in the remote villages it can be heartbreaking and rough and tumble.

As my training officer told me...

 

“Out here, especially in the dark months all there is to do for some is sit and think about all the dark things in life”...add alcohol and drugs and it made for a rough job.

 

 

 

Lots of highs and lows.

 

 

So for me, Alaska was bittersweet.

 

Sorry if I overshared, but I am a pretty straightforward kind of person....and I think I am going to like it here quite a bit.

 

Off to Lowes for a few supplies and then to start on this kit!

 

 

Cheers,

M

Edited April 25, 2021 by Mike the Maxx
too long

[Keith Black]

 Mike, sorry to hear about your physical problems, I hope and pray it's not MS. 

 

 I'm a successful Parris Island graduate, class of 67. We do tend to go for the gusto till the wheels come off. Alaska is living on the edge, I think anyone who lived there is a book that needs to be written. 

[Mike the Maxx]

Ooh-Rah!

I still go catatonic when I see a sand flea...

And thank you for your well wishes...your right about the wheels coming off...the only thing I got left that is not OEM is my hair it seems...

Edited April 24, 2021 by Mike the Maxx