Well, Ladies and Gentlemen, Welcome to the Paper Navy of the Bear Flag Republic’s very own Forum! It looks as though Ron has finally gone completely over the edge (we'll miss him so!) for he has actually asked ME to be the moderator for this new section of our beloved Cardmodels.net web site (unequivicably the best web site in the world on the subject!)(No, Really, I mean it!)
I welcome you all to The Ship Model Forum! We’re gonna have a great time here discussing our favorite modeling topic, Ships!
So you all can know a little more about me, all my friends call me Max….yes, yes, I know….â€but you used to sign all your posts “Larryâ€â€¦.that’s because that’s my name….but, like I said, all my FRIENDS (that’s you guys!) call me Max! It keeps the confusion to a minimum!
I have been building models, like most of you, since I was a kid (and I’m far from THAT category now! I turn 51 in March!) I ran through the gamut of plastic model cars and model planes (putting them on a string and setting them on fire!..remember that, guys!) Then, when I was a sophomore in High School, I decided to try my hand at model ships. My first ship model was the Revel Cutty Sark. Shortly after that, her sister ship Thermopolae…..I built in the neighborhood of 6 to 8 plastic model ships (even sold one!), then kind of hung up the hobby as LIFE got in the way!
Once I had some free time again (and a wife, and a child on the way!) I got back into modeling with the Revel USS Constitution! I went all out on that one…silkspan sails (stained in tea to make them canvas colored), patina’d copper hull (just painted, but it looked really good), fully detailed Captains Cabin, with painted paintings on the walls, a map on the table, crew members discussing their course and battery operated miniature lights as lanterns on the desks! She was beautiful! Constitution has graced my home for 15 years! Unfortunately, she did not weather the move to Corona California so well. Her bowsprit was broken and several yardarms were snapped from the masts. It was VERY painful, but about 6 months ago I had to lay her to rest…with the promise of my NEW Model Shipways USS Constitution sailing over the horizon and expected in port at the start of this year! (With the aid of Bob Hunts Practicum: http://www.lauckstreetshipyard.com ) I imagine this new Constitution is going to be my crowning achievement!) I began building wooden ship models about 6 or 8 years ago. I have build several..the most ambitious to date being the Model Shipways New Bedford Whale Boat..my first “plank of frame†ship model.
During this period, I also discovered Paper Modeling! I built all the usual suspects (you know, the FREE ones) from the internet. Then discovered the Paper Shipwrights site and all those beautiful “Monitor†ships! Well, I fell in love with those little buggers and have built several now (my USS Monitor…the one with 1700 parts…still sits waiting for me to come back to her!) and plan on, someday, building more.
I came across my current project, H.M.S. Cleopatra, back in October or November last year. Of course, I was immediately intrigued! “Wow, a fully rigged model ship! Made from Paper! I was beside myself! I ordered it up (with some help from Moshe!) and, well, you all know the rest, because I’ve been posting my progress on her from the moment I opened the envelope! That thread “To Build A Ship: The HMS Victory and Cleopatra†is far and away the most read and posted to thread on this website since it’s inception! I sincerely thank all of you who are reading along, and I especially thank those of you who post notes of encouragement! You have no idea how much that helps keep me motivated to continue forward and not let this model languish in the corner like so many of our projects tend to do! I never imagined the building of a paper ship model could capture so much attention!
Well, because of all your attention,
and obvious interest in the subject, Ron has decided to give the web site its own area to cover the subject. Here, we can post new building progress reports on all sorts of ships. I would love to see some of those beautiful ships from Digital Navy built here…maybe an ocean liner…and, some day, I will get back to my monitors and post them here, too! (My Connie comes first, though…sorry!)
If you’re new here, welcome! If you “not-so-new†here, welcome back! How about we start off this forum with some introductions and a little history of our ship model building. I’ve told you about myself…let’s hear from some of you! What are you working on? What is your most ambitious project to date? What model ship do you look forward to building? Got a ship you would like to see designed? This would be a great place to let everyone know….this IS a pretty popular site for the designers, too, you know!
If there is anything I can help you with, please ask! This is going to be a GREAT Forum! I can’t wait to see where we take it! Welcome to the Paper Navy of the Bear Flag Republic! SAIL ON!
Max
Captain, HMS Cleopatra
Paper Navy of the Bear Flag Republic
I welcome you all to The Ship Model Forum! We’re gonna have a great time here discussing our favorite modeling topic, Ships!
So you all can know a little more about me, all my friends call me Max….yes, yes, I know….â€but you used to sign all your posts “Larryâ€â€¦.that’s because that’s my name….but, like I said, all my FRIENDS (that’s you guys!) call me Max! It keeps the confusion to a minimum!
I have been building models, like most of you, since I was a kid (and I’m far from THAT category now! I turn 51 in March!) I ran through the gamut of plastic model cars and model planes (putting them on a string and setting them on fire!..remember that, guys!) Then, when I was a sophomore in High School, I decided to try my hand at model ships. My first ship model was the Revel Cutty Sark. Shortly after that, her sister ship Thermopolae…..I built in the neighborhood of 6 to 8 plastic model ships (even sold one!), then kind of hung up the hobby as LIFE got in the way!
Once I had some free time again (and a wife, and a child on the way!) I got back into modeling with the Revel USS Constitution! I went all out on that one…silkspan sails (stained in tea to make them canvas colored), patina’d copper hull (just painted, but it looked really good), fully detailed Captains Cabin, with painted paintings on the walls, a map on the table, crew members discussing their course and battery operated miniature lights as lanterns on the desks! She was beautiful! Constitution has graced my home for 15 years! Unfortunately, she did not weather the move to Corona California so well. Her bowsprit was broken and several yardarms were snapped from the masts. It was VERY painful, but about 6 months ago I had to lay her to rest…with the promise of my NEW Model Shipways USS Constitution sailing over the horizon and expected in port at the start of this year! (With the aid of Bob Hunts Practicum: http://www.lauckstreetshipyard.com ) I imagine this new Constitution is going to be my crowning achievement!) I began building wooden ship models about 6 or 8 years ago. I have build several..the most ambitious to date being the Model Shipways New Bedford Whale Boat..my first “plank of frame†ship model.
During this period, I also discovered Paper Modeling! I built all the usual suspects (you know, the FREE ones) from the internet. Then discovered the Paper Shipwrights site and all those beautiful “Monitor†ships! Well, I fell in love with those little buggers and have built several now (my USS Monitor…the one with 1700 parts…still sits waiting for me to come back to her!) and plan on, someday, building more.
I came across my current project, H.M.S. Cleopatra, back in October or November last year. Of course, I was immediately intrigued! “Wow, a fully rigged model ship! Made from Paper! I was beside myself! I ordered it up (with some help from Moshe!) and, well, you all know the rest, because I’ve been posting my progress on her from the moment I opened the envelope! That thread “To Build A Ship: The HMS Victory and Cleopatra†is far and away the most read and posted to thread on this website since it’s inception! I sincerely thank all of you who are reading along, and I especially thank those of you who post notes of encouragement! You have no idea how much that helps keep me motivated to continue forward and not let this model languish in the corner like so many of our projects tend to do! I never imagined the building of a paper ship model could capture so much attention!
Well, because of all your attention,
and obvious interest in the subject, Ron has decided to give the web site its own area to cover the subject. Here, we can post new building progress reports on all sorts of ships. I would love to see some of those beautiful ships from Digital Navy built here…maybe an ocean liner…and, some day, I will get back to my monitors and post them here, too! (My Connie comes first, though…sorry!)
If you’re new here, welcome! If you “not-so-new†here, welcome back! How about we start off this forum with some introductions and a little history of our ship model building. I’ve told you about myself…let’s hear from some of you! What are you working on? What is your most ambitious project to date? What model ship do you look forward to building? Got a ship you would like to see designed? This would be a great place to let everyone know….this IS a pretty popular site for the designers, too, you know!
If there is anything I can help you with, please ask! This is going to be a GREAT Forum! I can’t wait to see where we take it! Welcome to the Paper Navy of the Bear Flag Republic! SAIL ON!
Max
Captain, HMS Cleopatra
Paper Navy of the Bear Flag Republic