Maine Peapod by palmerit - Midwest Products - 1:14

[palmerit]

Adding a new small build to work on now and then between other builds. I'm waiting for shaped bulwarks to dry overnight on one model, shellac to dry overnight on another, and wood filler to dry overnight on another. I don't often get a few hours to work on models - and after a busy Saturday writing a challenging report for work - I need to turn my mind off. So I grabbed the Maine Peapod from the shelf that I had bought cheap during a Model Expo name-your-price sale. It's a small model, but after seeing some of the builds, it could be a tricky bit of planking.

 

You might see from other fairly recent build logs that Midwest models were discontinued. They are slowly now being reissued by Model Expo / Model Shipways.

 

From what I can gather, the instructions have barely been updated, except to include an updated map of the sheet parts at the front. The instructions refer to paints and techniques that seem decades old (paint brands that I think no longer exist, using Windex to bend planks which I've never seen in other contexts, using something like electrical tape instead of tamiya tape). The parts are I gather new laser cut patterns from the old model might have had. These models - even small, seemingly simple ones - are more of a challenge to build in many ways than more modern (larger, seemingly more complex) models you see from Vanguard.

Edited 11 hours ago by palmerit

[Russ MIlland]

I have one of these kits and am considering building it as my first build in many decades. I will be interested in how difficult you find it to be.

[palmerit]

Making the building jig on the building board. Need to glue the centered bulkheads to the board. Instructions say to use CA. I’m using wood glue. Though I used a speed set Titebond for this, with Lego blocks to keep things square. 

[palmerit]

Marking rib locations and gluing the stems to the bottom plank. The bottom plank has the rib locations marked. 

[palmerit]

1 hour ago, Russ MIlland said:

I have one of these kits and am considering building it as my first build in many decades. I will be interested in how difficult you find it to be.

I’m betting the planking will be more fiddly than other models. The planks are pretty narrow and there are lots of them. But we’ll see. 

Edited Sunday at 04:58 AM by palmerit

[palmerit]

On 9/20/2025 at 10:28 PM, Russ MIlland said:

I have one of these kits and am considering building it as my first build in many decades. I will be interested in how difficult you find it to be.

@Russ MIlland Figuring out how to do the narrow planking is definitely challenging. Thankfully there are other build logs out there. I got it because I thought it would be a different challenge for me. While a small boat and a small model, this is definitely not a 1st or 2nd or 3rd model to build. I’m going to find it challenging to plank. 

 

If this were my first model, I'd be at a complete loss about how to build it. It's like 5 levels harder than the Model Shipways Dory or Midwest Models Dory for example. And still way harder than planking the Vanguard Sherbourne (or Ranger).

 

Again, that's not a surprise. I kind of got it because I thought it would be a different challenge. Just didn't appreciate how challenging it would be. It's a bit of a puzzle.

Edited 11 hours ago by palmerit

[palmerit]

This is probably going to be a plank a day kind of model. That’s fine since I’m doing this one as filler while waiting for parts of other models to dry. I soaked the planks in hot water. I’ll leave them to bend overnight. After I get this first plank glued into place I might soak and bend a few planks on each side. 
 

I’m going to have to figure out better ways of clamping the ends in place - a problem I haven’t solved satisfactorily with other models. 

[robert952]

Following along.  Good start. (You reminded me I need to update my 'un-build' log.)