I like to use straight pins for various things because they’re very strong, very hard and perfectly uniform sizes. I’d love to use them for visible bolts on a model as the heads are perfectly shaped. Problem is that paint doesn’t stick too well to stainless steel. I’d like to be able to use a blackening product on them if it would work okay, but “Blacken-It” doesn’t work too well on stainless steel.
There’s a ship model company in Sweden that I’d never heard of. They’re kits haven’t been available in the U.S., but distributor/online store Ages of Sail is making them available here. The line is called Nordic Class Boats and they adds some more variety to the usual offerings.
There are six kits currently available: Svea Fishing Boat, Svea R/C, CB90H Combat Boat, s/s MarieFred, Solö Ruff, s/s Bohuslän.
I really like the looks of the MarieFred and the Bohuslän, two small steamers from the early 1900’s. Both kits are R/C capable, though no R/C hardware is included. I’m don’t have any details on the prices for these kits. You’ll have to contact Ages of Sail to find out that.
s/s MarieFred
s/s Bohuslän
CB90H Combat Boat
You can also see more at the manufacturer’s website for Nordic Class Boats.
For anyone considering visiting the Hyde Street Pier Model Shipwrights workshop aboard the ferry boat Eureka, you’re in for a let down. Access to the Eureka has been restricted to Park staff and volunteers due to a broken gangway. It seems that a design flaw in the gangway causes something to break about every year or two and the boat has to be closed off.
Last month, the model shipwrights meeting was cancelled outright. This month, we’ve pushed for an alternate meeting location and got one.
The April 2014 meeting will now be held in a conference room in the lower level of the Maritime Museum building, otherwise know as the old Bath House. Entrance is on the sea side of the building through the left hand door. The entrance will be opened up around 9:15am or so and we’ll start our meeting at our regularly scheduled time, 9:30am.
Unfortunately, there is no word yet as to when the Eureka will be open again to the public.
Ship Modeler 