What is known about GAWEGM

[RolandR]

Since I am new to wooden model ship and cannot find information about the Gawegm company, I would like to know, if its a manufacturer we can trust to produce their own models.

[Keith Black]

I could find very little but they seem to be linked to Betty Models, a China based manufacture. Myself, I wouldn't knowing buy one of their kits. There are too many well know and trusted brands/manufactures to make purchases from. See MSW's list of approved vendors. 

 

https://www.bettymodels.com/ship-models_c40?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=22641265625&gbraid=0AAAAABX_hftJGwjYdwi5c3sIL3kN4h2qD&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI8PHL0qjCkQMVNE5HAR1omSNsEAAYASAAEgLyTPD_BwE

[ccoyle]

From their website, it doesn't appear that they manufacture kits, only finished display models, so they're not really something we would concern ourselves with. 

[Keith Black]

52 minutes ago, ccoyle said:

From their website, it doesn't appear that they manufacture kits, only finished display models, so they're not really something we would concern ourselves with. 

 Chris, It kinda looks like kits to me. *see Keith shrug

 

https://www.amazon.com/GAWEGM-Wooden-Model-Building-Adults/dp/B09K6JZRCP

 

https://www.amazon.com/GAWEGM-Wooden-Ship-Model-Building/dp/B0D77XDNNR

 

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=GAWEGM+ship+model+kits&i=arts-crafts&crid=86B629LRCG08&sprefix=gawegm+ship+model+kits%2Carts-crafts%2C73&ref=nb_sb_noss

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/406166035433

 

https://woodartsupply.com/products/gawegm-ship-model-building-kits-scale-1-96-classics-antique-ship-model-harvey-1847-wooden-sailboat-diy-hobby-boat?srsltid=AfmBOor7RoXmBJipLiADsmW6333LNNo0hJkBO2zEWaqzAHvIDCe5T39T

 

 

[ccoyle]

22 minutes ago, Keith Black said:

Chris, It kinda looks like kits to me. *see Keith shrug

 

Well, that changes things. I didn't see those kits on their website. The e-commerce listings suggest to me that they are simply rebranding or reselling kits produced by known copycats -- which places them squarely in the 'naughty' camp.

 

See what I did there? Christmas, dontcha know.

[RolandR]

Thanks.

[Taken Aback]

I recently purchased their Chamfer Cutting tool from Amazon. I haven't used it yet, just assembled it as it comes as a kit with laser cut wood parts.

 

Clever design, but I didn't get any instructions and had to find a video in order to assemble it. The laser cut parts were well done, though, quite accurately sized.

[tmj]

Buy from 'known' reputable sources and support the folks who actually go through the motions of designing that stuff with hopes of maybe earning a dollar or two for their long, tiring efforts. Don't support the Chinese pirates that simply 'steal' hard earned intellectual property, make inferior copies and effectively drive the cost of the truly good stuff up much higher than it really 'should' be, via the basic laws of marketing, supply and demand. I might ruffle some feathers here, but I honestly don't care. "I hate 'thieves'!" As soon as I see country of manufacture being 'China', I quickly walk the other way! As tempting as the price 'always' is, I also know that the product is either stolen or extremely inferior in manufacturing quality! "Just say 'NO' and pay a few dollars more!" You'll be supporting legitimate, hardworking inventors and craftsmen, as well as preserving the integrity of great quality in the needful products being sold to us hobbyists! "Don't buy ill-gotten 'crap' just because it's cheap!" "Buy the good, legitimate stuff instead!" 

           

Edited 18 hours ago by tmj

[kljang]

TMJ,

 

Not all items from China should be tarred with the same brush and labelled “bad”.   Nor are all Chinese manufacturers  “thieves”.  There is certainly one excellent model company from China, CAF Models that is approved on this very site for creating excellent quality models from original research. There reviews of their kits, and build logs so you can see for yourself.
 

The company is run by Cao Feng, or Tom Cao and is based in Shanghai, PR China.  I had the pleasure of spending a day with him and his family last month and got a first hand view of his latest products, and I brought him research materials for his next.  
 

I will prepare a review of one his latest kits for this site once it arrives.

 

The original poster RolandR did the right thing asking about a particular company.  Caveat Emptor is always the watchword!

 

Best regards,

 

Dr. Kerry Jang 

Vancouver, Canada

[LoydB]

I got their plank bending jig and like it. The only thing wrong with it is that I had to partially cover the peg slots on the bottom so the wooden dowels wouldn't fall through.