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Midwest kits

MarTay6 said:
My completed Lowell Grand Banks Dory...
Of interest to note this boat is still being produced in Amesbury, MA- and is one of- if not the oldest shipbuilders in the US- having been producing small boats since the late 1700's... they are a museum as well.
Still producing the full-size version of these.
I go down to Amesbury a time or two a year- and intend on going the next time I go down there!View attachment 494530
Click to expand...
beautiful!!!
 
One thing that I did that I would recommend- at least with the first kit- is that it is of a small enough scale that I continually worked under a headband magnifier- so I could clearly see what I was doing.
Another thing that helped s great deal- is I made small sanding strips by gluing 220 grit sandpaper to small strips of wood- typically 1/2" wide by maybe 2" long to use to sand pieces... really helped in tapering the edges of planks as was required. Just thin scrap wood maybe 1/16" thick.
 
MarTay6 said:
One thing that I did that I would recommend- at least with the first kit- is that it is of a small enough scale that I continually worked under a headband magnifier- so I could clearly see what I was doing.
Another thing that helped s great deal- is I made small sanding strips by gluing 220 grit sandpaper to small strips of wood- typically 1/2" wide by maybe 2" long to use to sand pieces... really helped in tapering the edges of planks as was required. Just thin scrap wood maybe 1/16" thick.
Click to expand...
Wow! I love pop sickles, and you just gave me a use for the used sticks! A little glue and some sand paper! Thanks.
The head band magnifier is a good suggestion too, these 81 year ole eyes are not what they used to be! Thanks for the video too!
 
MarTay6 said:
My completed Lowell Grand Banks Dory...
Of interest to note this boat is still being produced in Amesbury, MA- and is one of- if not the oldest shipbuilders in the US- having been producing small boats since the late 1700's... they are a museum as well.
Still producing the full-size version of these.
I go down to Amesbury a time or two a year- and intend on going the next time I go down there!View attachment 494530
Click to expand...
Yoor Dory looks fantastic! I love the base. It makes me remember all the docks in Freeport NY where I grew up covered in crushed shells.
 
11320 Titanic said:
Wow! I love pop sickles, and you just gave me a use for the used sticks! A little glue and some sand paper! Thanks.
The head band magnifier is a good suggestion too, these 81 year ole eyes are not what they used to be! Thanks for the video too!
Click to expand...
I use small pieces of foam board that I cut as sanding sticks. I find the foam board is more flexible than a piece of wood so shapes better. You can also easily cut the foam board to whatever size or shape you want. I attach the sandpaper with contact cement (rubber glue). It holds the sandpaper firmly in place, but the sandpaper can be easily peeled off and a new piece put on. You can get the rubber cement and foam boards at places like Staples or Michaels.
 
Only if you walked in bare feet! Before my time, some of the main roads like sunrise highway was covered in crushed shells. Long Island was the oyster capital of the world, until they exhausted the oyster beds. :(
 
Rob444 said:
Only if you walked in bare feet! Before my time, some of the main roads like sunrise highway was covered in crushed shells. Long Island was the oyster capital of the world, until they exhausted the oyster beds. :(
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Oops, my mistake. It sounded like you were covered in crushed shells. ROTF
 
Just to update on the replacement parts from Model Expo for the Midwest kit I referenced earlier- replacement parts received promptly, VERY well packaged!
 
MarTay6 said:
With the credit from the Lowell Dory, I ordered the Midwest Rowing Dinghy, and when I received it, I noted that the top planks- which were advertised as being mahogany- and the box cover even states the parts as being in Basswood, Mahogany & Birch- yet in the instruction book, the parts list calls for Qty 2 Walnut top planks.
What I received was only Qty 1 top plank sheet- so what I am missing was one- however what I received was in basswood.
Additionally, the 3 bottom pieces were in error- the center piece was about 2" short in relation to the sides.
Model Expo was very responsive to my report of these problems, and have shipped corrected parts- though they state the top planks will be in walnut, as they do not have any mahogany available.
So they are having growing pains not only in parts production, but advertising and technical documentation as well.
I'm sure these are growing pains- Midwest has ALWAYS been a quality name- as has Model Expo... and the important thing is- that they were very responsive in following up to resolve the problems- they even followed up with me by phone to assure me of what was being done to resolve the problems.
I'm not sure I like the idea of walnut top planks- I may cut some thin mahogany veneer and make the top planks that way... we'll see!
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Do you have a Woodcraft store nearby? Consider buying some veneer. Use a good straight-edge and a sharp rotary cutter to make your own mahogany strips.
 
Philski said:
Do you have a Woodcraft store nearby? Consider buying some veneer. Use a good straight-edge and a sharp rotary cutter to make your own mahogany strips.
Click to expand...
Ha! I wish!! lol I live in Maine- about halfway up the state... afraid we don't have those kind of shopping options here!! Had one in Jacksonville, FL- where I lived before moving here 10-1/2 years ago.... and I wouldn't change living here for a Woodcraft store- in spite of how wonderful they are!
I have some mahogany stock... and a good table saw that I can rip veneer thickness strips off no problem at all... besides, veneer is typically 0.024"- (2/83") per their advertisement- which is definitely too thin for anything but maybe the smallest of ship models.
I definitely do miss having a Woodcraft store nearby! I use to say that if I ever hit the lottery, I was going to buy one of everything they had in the store!
On the flip side, I am lucky to live about 15 miles north of Bluejacket Models!
 
MarTay6 said:
Ha! I wish!! lol I live in Maine- about halfway up the state... afraid we don't have those kind of shopping options here!! Had one in Jacksonville, FL- where I lived before moving here 10-1/2 years ago.... and I wouldn't change living here for a Woodcraft store- in spite of how wonderful they are!
I have some mahogany stock... and a good table saw that I can rip veneer thickness strips off no problem at all... besides, veneer is typically 0.024"- (2/83") per their advertisement- which is definitely too thin for anything but maybe the smallest of ship models.
I definitely do miss having a Woodcraft store nearby! I use to say that if I ever hit the lottery, I was going to buy one of everything they had in the store!
On the flip side, I am lucky to live about 15 miles north of Bluejacket Models!
Click to expand...
so,you're set! the only problem with ripping veneer on a table saw is the waste. but you do what you have to do.
 
Philski said:
so,you're set! the only problem with ripping veneer on a table saw is the waste. but you do what you have to do.
Click to expand...
And if I rip off the edge of a piece of stock, I've very little waste.
I'd like to apologize Philski if my previous reply sounded flippant- or sarcastic. It was not meant to be that way!
 
MarTay6 said:
Ha! I wish!! lol I live in Maine- about halfway up the state... afraid we don't have those kind of shopping options here!! Had one in Jacksonville, FL- where I lived before moving here 10-1/2 years ago.... and I wouldn't change living here for a Woodcraft store- in spite of how wonderful they are!
I have some mahogany stock... and a good table saw that I can rip veneer thickness strips off no problem at all... besides, veneer is typically 0.024"- (2/83") per their advertisement- which is definitely too thin for anything but maybe the smallest of ship models.
I definitely do miss having a Woodcraft store nearby! I use to say that if I ever hit the lottery, I was going to buy one of everything they had in the store!
On the flip side, I am lucky to live about 15 miles north of Bluejacket Models!
Click to expand...
Often, a veneer that thin is used as a second planking for finishing that is put on top of a thicker planking made of a material that bends easy and is used for strength but not pretty.
 
MarTay6 said:
And if I rip off the edge of a piece of stock, I've very little waste.
I'd like to apologize Philski if my previous reply sounded flippant- or sarcastic. It was not meant to be that way!
Click to expand...
I have a full woodshop. I cut veneers from stock using a resaw blade on a bandsaw. But I also enjoy the Woodcraft store in Boise for all sorts of stuff. Its nice to have access to lots of different species of woods. There is also High Desert Hardwoods in nearby Eagle, Idaho that have a HUGE selection of lumber. Its nice to have stock on hand to be able to create as needed.
 
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