Maine Peapod by palmerit - Midwest Products - 1:14

[palmerit]

Note to beginners looking for a first (or second) model: This is not a beginner model. It’s small, sure. But the planking with all the thin plank strips is pretty tricky. A fun challenge for a more experienced modeler - especially as a side project - but not a first model. 

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 Monday at 04:55 PM 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 September 21 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 September 23 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.)

[palmerit]

Gluing one side (after letting the wet planks dry into place). I might try to do two sides at a time one I get the first planks glued in place. Couldn’t do both in the first pass. 

[palmerit]

I’m doing about a pair of planks every day or two (soaking and clamping to shape into place, then trimming and gluing into place after they’ve been shaped and dried). This is a challenging planking. 

[TerryPat]

Looking great!  Nice work...  I really like the Midwest kits. I built a few back in the day. I'll be watching. 

[palmerit]

Slow progress. A plank a day or so. 

[palmerit]

One tricky thing with this model with all the thin planks is that I realized the planks were starting to separate from the build frame (separate in that a gap started forming). I wet down the planks and tightened them down with rubber bands to bend them in a bit. For future planks I’m going to add more of a bevel to the bottom frames than I have so far. 

[palmerit]

I wonder how many beginners have bought this little boat for their first model and given up. It is a “Skill Level 2” but I could imagine an adult thinking surely a Skill Level 1 is for a child. This little model is quite the challenge - in an interesting way - with the dozens of thin planks that need to be shaped carefully. I do about a plank every day or two. It’s a good second or third or fifth model to have in the mix at the same time. I have no clue how someone could just plunge ahead on it for hours at a stretch. 

Edited Monday at 12:22 PM by palmerit

[JacquesCousteau]

Nice work! I also built my peapod model while I had other builds going. All those thin planks are pretty tedious to add, although I suppose using superglue might make it faster? I also remember finding it a bit tricky to avoid a clinkering effect going around the turn of the bilge. 

[palmerit]

8 hours ago, JacquesCousteau said:

although I suppose using superglue might make it faster? I also remember finding it a bit tricky to avoid a clinkering effect going around the turn of the bilge

I end up doing a lot of slight repositioning of planks while adding various clamps - and can only glue to the plank edges - so I think superglue would be a real mess in my hands (literally and figuratively). 

I’m struggling a bit to make that turn. I shaped the bottom of the planks a bit at an angle, which helps. I clamp to keep the hull following the shape of the build structure and clamp to try to avoid too much clinker effect. I’m hoping it won’t be too much that a sanding can’t smooth out. We’ll see. 

I have no idea how I’ll clamp when I get closer to the bottom board. The kind of just says “add planks” with no pointers. I’m astounded people could build these before the age of the internet. Maybe that’s why there were probably more model clubs back then. Our “clubs” now are virtual. 

[JacquesCousteau]

Tricky though it may be, it looks like you're doing a good job of it! I think I used wedges made from scrap, rubber bands, and bobby pins to hold things in place toward the end.

 

2 hours ago, palmerit said:

I’m astounded people could build these before the age of the internet. Maybe that’s why there were probably more model clubs back then. Our “clubs” now are virtual. 

Same! I suppose books of modeling techniques were also more useful for beginners then, but they can only do so much. Without this forum, I certainly would have a much harder time, and I doubt I would have started in the first place.

[palmerit]

2 hours ago, JacquesCousteau said:

I think I used wedges made from scrap, rubber bands, and bobby pins to hold things in place toward the end.

I had reviewed your build log but had missed the bobby pin and rubber band trick. I'm going to borrow that one. 

[robert952]

I read through your log again and I may have overlooked whether you beveled each plank as you added them. 

 

Like you, I soaked the plank and clamped it in place overnight. I left them a bit long so I could cut to size. 

 

Keep in mind that my method here is  based on upside down hull. So top and bottom is relative to that position. The top of the previously installed plank is left untouched. After next plank dried I put a slight bevel on the bottom edge of the next plank. It was just enough to allow the plank to fit flush on the lower plank and to the frame. I think that helps avoid the clinker effect.

 

I also beveled the planks on each end a bit to fit to stem posts.  I was careful to mark stern and bow on each plank since they were 'custom fit.'  Finally, I beveled the backside (closest to the bulkheads) of each plank (as you did) to fit to the posts.  Entry #6 of my build has some pictures that may help. 

 

As for gluing the bilge area, I did like you and used a lot of rubber bands. I also put a piece of wood under the building base to keep the rubber bands tight to the form. It is a tedious job to shape those planks to size. My results weren't pretty. I had to cut some filler pieces. From the beginning as I put the planks on I knew I'd be doing a lot of filling and sanding. (No matter how new the blade on my knife, I couldn't keep the cuts neat.) Entry 15 of my build log shows the ugly details. (However, filler and sanding made it look better.)

 

I think the kit is rated at the proper skill level of 2. Over the years I have seen similar definitions as those that appear on this kit defining the skill level requiring cutting and shaping of wood. When I began working in wood, I started on a model of The Golden Hinde.  Like a lot of beginners, I (finally) figured out I needed to learn some basics. A lot of modelers quit at this point. I (luckily) found MSW and read through a LOT of posts. That encouraged me to keep on trying. 

 

So, I got a Level 1 kit and built it in a weekend.  I figured Level 2 would be the next step. But I found, as you did, it's still  a challenge. (And I added more challenge by modifying my build with a keel and sail.) Now whether this should be the second or fourth model someone builds is a personal call. 

 

I feel each model we build should offer some kind of challenge. When I look at a model, it's hard (for me at least) to deterimine if my skills are up to snuff. However, I know it's going to be a learning experience.  

 

With all that said, I am impressed with how your build is going. You have overcome the challenges very well. So, don't be too hard on yourself. In some areas I wish my build looked as good as yours at the same point.  

 

As to 'plunging in for hours,' you'll probably get there. My wife was working a late shift and usually got off about 1AM.  Sometimes she'd get off early. I was working on a plastic model one night. I started about 7:30ish. The model was fitting togther well. I was moving along in the process.  I heard the door open. I yelled out, "Things slow at work tonight?" figuring she got off early.  She said, "Are you alright?" I relied, "Yeah, why?"  "Do you know it's almost 2 AM?" Uhhhh...nope. I guess I had made the plunge.  

[palmerit]

@robert952 Thanks for the comments. 

 

I did bevel both ends on the stem posts and beveled the bottom of each plank to get the angle to follow the shape of the building frame - far more of a bevel as I've worked up (technically down) the hull.

 

I currently have several different models I'm working on in semi-parallel fashion - though the Gunboat Philadelphia is on the back burner for now because it is fairly large. So for me it's fine to just do a plank every day or two. I'll probably go add my plank for the evening in a little bit. By contrast, I can spend hours working on one or two of the other kits. With the peabod, it seems I can't really do more than one plank at a time given all the rubber bands and clamps I need to put into place. That's perfectly fine for a fifth model on my table - well not physically on my table, it's near my table when I'm not working on it. I can't imagine in one evening adding more than one plank to the peapod. I could add a dozen planks to the Vanguard Lady Isabel I am also now building in one sitting on a Saturday - at least if I did not have a bathroom remodeling project I promised my wife I'd have finished over a year ago that has been taking up my weekends and some evenings.

 

My impressions about the difficulty were really more for a true novice looking for a model kit to get started with. There's a bit of a calibration to wooden model ships that is different from other kinds of models. Any adult could - with some patience perhaps - build the most difficult Lego Technic model out there. Most adults could build with a bit of effort - maybe not exquisitely painted - all but the most difficult and fiddly plastic model with tons of PE parts (and perhaps not ones with particular poor instructions and perhaps not the Heller plastic ship models). The same is not true for a wooden model ship. When I first discovered this hobby a little over a year ago, if I had not discovered modelshipworld I probably would have used my knowledge of Lego and plastic models to pick something in the middle of the range, assuming that a Level 1 or Level 2, or Novice or Beginner kit, were for 8-12 year olds. It would be easy for a novice to see this little wooden boat and think it was an easy build.

 

And yes, a Lego ship in a Bottle does count. I'm counting the Lego Endurance I built last winter.

Edited 21 hours ago by palmerit