Michael_A Posted April 25, 2021 Share #1 Posted April 25, 2021 Hello all, I am so excited to have found this wonderful forum! My name is Michael and I grew up on Long Island Sound in New York. My bookshelf in middle school was full of works by Chapelle, Skene, and others. I built my first boat model – Model Shipways "Gjoa" – with a saw, xacto knife, and sandpaper. During seventh grade I connected with Robert Pittaway in the small craft department at Mystic Seaport. I learned how to draft and Rob encouraged my designs and inspired me to build my first boat. Here's the "Cygnet" which must have weight 200 lbs. Here's a drawing back from 1979 when I was 16: Decades passed and after many unfulfilling corporate jobs I got a job building architectural models. My five years at F.W. Dixon in Woburn, MA were the most fun of my entire career. In addition to learning from a crew of skilled modelmakers, we also had a pattern shop where I saw another world of craftsmanship. This was at a time when laser cutting was just beginning and I got really good at creating building facades from architectural drawings. Here's a photo of a model I helped create in the early '90s: Later on I moved up to VT, built a birchbark canoe, and realized that while the problem-solving aspect of boatbuilding was extremely compelling, it was not the basis of a career for me. But I still enjoyed building models. Here's a 1:4 kayak I made by eye .... And now, the present: I am still working but looking ahead to retirement. With more free time during the pandemic, the urge to work with my hands bubbled up. I cleaned up my old tools, cleared a workspace, and bought some of the books I had given away decades ago. Just before finding this forum, I started on a 50" Marblehead sailing yacht from some 1940s lines. Perhaps I will set it up for RC or maybe just free sailing. I can't wait to start a "real" ship model & build log but want to finish this one first! For the moderators ... if I start a build log, what category would this go into? Thanks all for reading this far, and I look forward to spending more time getting to know everyone here on the forum! Harvey Golden, mtaylor, Keith Black and 1 other 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ccoyle Posted April 26, 2021 Share #2 Posted April 26, 2021 Welcome! It sounds like we are the same age. Sadly, no retirement anytime soon for me -- I will probably need to work until I drop dead, but oh well. Your Marblehead schooner should go in the scratch category, 1901-present, with the tag RADIO added to the title as per the instructions. Your other models and 1:1 boats all turned out nice -- looking forward to your progress on this one. JeffT, Keith Black and mtaylor 3 Quote Chris Coyle Greer, South Carolina When you have to shoot, shoot. Don't talk. - Tuco Current builds: Brigantine Phoenix, Bf 109E-7/trop Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Black Posted April 26, 2021 Share #3 Posted April 26, 2021 Michael, welcome aboard to MSW. I look forward to following your build log once you get up and running. mtaylor and JeffT 2 Quote Current Builds: 1870's Sternwheeler, Lula Wood Hull Screw Frigate USS Tennessee Decorative Carrack Warship Restoration, the Amelia Completed: 1880s Floating Steam Donkey Pile Driver Early Swift 1805 Model Restoration Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael_A Posted April 26, 2021 Author Share #4 Posted April 26, 2021 Thanks Chris, Well, "looking ahead" to retirement and actually doing it are two different things! I guess the main thing is I can devote a few hours every week to having fun doing this kind of thing & am not willing to put that off anymore. I have been following your Sassafras build and that's exactly the kind of boat/project I love! Thanks for the advice. Michael ccoyle, Keith Black and mtaylor 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeffT Posted April 26, 2021 Share #5 Posted April 26, 2021 Hi Michael. Welcome to MSW mtaylor and Keith Black 2 Quote Jeff In progress: Medway Longboat 1742 - Syren Ship Model Company -1/2" scale USS Constitution - Model Shipways - Scale 1:76 HMS Granado - CAF Model - 1:48 HMS Sphinx - Vanguard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mtaylor Posted April 26, 2021 Share #6 Posted April 26, 2021 Welcome to MSW, Michael. I'm not sure what you mean by "real models".... what your current project is fills that category very well. Keith Black 1 Quote Mark "The shipwright is slow, but the wood is patient." - me Current Build: Past Builds: La Belle Poule 1765 - French Frigate from ANCRE plans - ON HOLD Triton Cross-Section NRG Hallf Hull Planking Kit HMS Sphinx 1775 - Vanguard Models - 1:64 Non-Ship Model: On hold, maybe forever: CH-53 Sikorsky - 1:48 - Revell - Completed Licorne - 1755 from Hahn Plans (Scratch) Version 2.0 (Abandoned) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Louie da fly Posted April 26, 2021 Share #7 Posted April 26, 2021 (edited) Hi Michael, and welcome. There's no reason you can't put up a build log for the model you're working on at the moment. I'm sure a lot of people would like to see it. By the way, I love your architectural models. Steven Edited April 26, 2021 by Louie da fly Keith Black 1 Quote It's not really a ship model unless you've bled on it. CURRENT BUILDS Golden City - Ballarat paddlewheeler La Lomellina - Theoretical Reconstruction of a Genoese carrack sunk in 1516 FINISHED Venetian merchant Ship from Basilica of San Marco Australian couta boat RMS Titanic HMVS Cerberus 11th century Byzantine dromon Winchelsea Nef - Late 13th century Mediaeval ship Henry Grace a Dieu - Rebuild of 1:200 model I started in 1967 Mistydeefer - restoration of decor model yacht Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael_A Posted April 26, 2021 Author Share #8 Posted April 26, 2021 12 hours ago, mtaylor said: Welcome to MSW, Michael. I'm not sure what you mean by "real models".... what your current project is fills that category very well. Mark, What I meant to say is that these Marblehead yachts are not "models" of full size yachts; but are actual sailboats with a set length of 50". So I wasn't certain if this build was appropriate for the forum. I will start up a build log soon and my next build will be a scale model of a full size boat. Still in the dreaming stage about that one .... Michael Keith Black, mtaylor and ccoyle 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Black Posted April 26, 2021 Share #9 Posted April 26, 2021 1 hour ago, Michael_A said: I wasn't certain if this build was appropriate for the forum Michael, we're an equal opportunity forum We share many building projects. We have a member with a build log featuring a pirate ship bed he's building for his son. We have car models, plane models, shop renovations, work shed builds, on and on. The MSW home page is easy to navigate with many categories of interest. In fact, so many varied and interesting topics that I find myself puttering about more in MSW than working on my projects. And that's Ok because I learn a great many things. I hope you enjoy your stay......Keith mtaylor 1 Quote Current Builds: 1870's Sternwheeler, Lula Wood Hull Screw Frigate USS Tennessee Decorative Carrack Warship Restoration, the Amelia Completed: 1880s Floating Steam Donkey Pile Driver Early Swift 1805 Model Restoration Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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