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Wood quality on Occre Kits


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I just finished the Pickle, and after cleaning up, thought about my next build. On the shelf were both the Fair American and the Dos Amigos. I decided on the Amigos, and pulled out all the box contents. I was quite surprised at the wood quality of the laser cut parts....seemed thin, flimsy, and....well, cheap.

 

I usually read a few build logs of others of the ship before going too far. I found only two for this ship, but both builders seemed to  echo my thoughts. It appears that other wood was substituted in some cases. 

 

I have a bit of pear and boxwood that I plan to use on my Triton cross section build, as well as to plank above the wales on the Fair American, and I really don't want to use it on the Dos Amigos.

 

I'm half tempted to put it all back in the box, and switch to the Fair American. However, I know if I do, the DO kit will remain on the shelf.

 

 Been used to the higher quality (IMO) of the Jotika kits (Pickle, Sherborne, and Convulsion), and Model Expo (Bluenose).

 

Gonna sleep on it.

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  • 2 years later...

I hate to discourage anyone from building a ship they like,but my experience with OcCre has not been good.  Many of the wood strips in my kit were warped into an S shape,the plywood was also warped - the keel former especially,& the plywood falls apart if sanded or filed in the wrong direction. It may just be a fluke - other people  seem to like their kits. If you like the ship,then go for it - most of the wood issues I overcame with some creative clamping & glueing.

 

Mark

current build - HMS Vanguard - Model Shipways

 

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1 hour ago, marktiedens said:

the plywood falls apart if sanded or filed in the wrong direction

 

I had this same problem with some of the plywood supplied in the upgrade kit for my Victory Models (subsidiary of Amati) HMS Fly, and Amati is not known for poor materials. I can see where improperly glued-up plywood would be difficult for the quality control people to spot, but there's little excuse for bad strip wood. Warping, on the other hand, can occur anywhere post-production if the kit is not stored properly -- not pinning that on you, just saying it could have happened anywhere along the line of distribution.

Chris Coyle
Greer, South Carolina

When you have to shoot, shoot. Don't talk.
- Tuco

Current builds: Brigantine Phoenix, Hawker Hurricane

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Could be any number of things Mark.  Last kit I bought in a hobby shop had been on the shelf for several years but one would think with the internet being the marketplace that turnover would be pretty quick.  Could have been humidity, etc. occurred during shipping... who knows. 

Mark
"The shipwright is slow, but the wood is patient." - me

Current Build:                                                                                             
Past Builds:
 La Belle Poule 1765 - French Frigate from ANCRE plans - ON HOLD           Triton Cross-Section   

 NRG Hallf Hull Planking Kit                                                                            HMS Sphinx 1775 - Vanguard Models - 1:64               

 

Non-Ship Model:                                                                                         On hold, maybe forever:           

CH-53 Sikorsky - 1:48 - Revell - Completed                                                   Licorne - 1755 from Hahn Plans (Scratch) Version 2.0 (Abandoned)         

         

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                

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  • 1 month later...

I have been working on the Occre San Martin. Have only finished the first layer of hull planking and the deck planking. So far I've had no issues with wood quality with either the plywood pieces or the planking strips. I've built up kits through at least the first hull planking from Corel, Mantua, Mamoli, Artesania, Constructo, and Caldercraft and the Occre wood compares to any of these. At least my kit does.

Current builds:  Caldercraft Cruiser, Mantua Astrolabe

Almost Finished: Mamoli Hunter

 

Completed:  AL Swift, Constructo Albatros

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