Chuck Seiler

I strongly agree with Vossy.  If new to wooden ship modeling, jumping in with scratch builds can be overwhelming.  Check out the topic "New to ship modelling? But what do you build first? " to get an idea of first time builds.  While these first time builds are not all that glamorous, they give a feel for how the wood works and insight into the various techniques.  I respectfully disagree with Gregory about the 16th Century Longboat.  I found that to be more advanced in that you need to be near the top of your game with your planking.  LIttle room for error.
 
    ....but your question was about tools.  Some of the tools I find most valuable are; Dremel or similar rotary tool, #11 Exacto knife or similar surgical scalpel, sand paper/sanding sticks (I use finger nail Emory boards and sandpaper glued to popcicle sticks), wood glue.  Clamps...you can never have too many clamps.  Acquire them as you need them.  Magnification.

I did the 3 Model Shipways kits since I had no experience with wooden models, built many plastic models but no wood.  With each one I learned a lot and gained basic and mid modeling skills.  I found the price very manageable.  Recommend you look at a few build logs on this site for any model you might be interested in building before buying. Also, start a build log for anything you do, since you can ask others for help.
The key is take your time, enjoy and realize that no one will notice any flaw but you, good modeling.

In my experience, VERY few people can scratch build well right off the bat.  A friend of mine made a 6inch near-museum quality HMS VICTORY on his first build...but he had alot of skills.  It is better to practice on an inexpensive kit, where all the angles and dimensions are already figured out, that on a model you have spent much time, effort and passion on.
 
    Another option is the "18th-Century Merchantman Half-Hull Planking Kit " sold by the Nautical Research Guild (NRG).  It is invaluable in terms of learning to plank properly and can be a great display model when complete.  Click on "NRG Home Page" at the top of the page.
 
    When scratch building in the manner you showed in above photos, I used Baltic birch craft plywood...usually 1/8 inch.  Available at MICHEAL'S, in hobby shops or online.

They are also a MSW sponsor.  You can find their link in the right hand margin.

Decided not to wait until I was finished with other projects to begin working on this kit. I have looked at several construction videos on youtube which make the construction look straightforward and easy,  but not it appears if you are heavy-handed and fat-fingered like myself. I thought I would be careful by dry-fitting the components of the first jig before gluing it together. I immediately had a problem as the tabs did not fit easily into their corresponding slots without a little pre-sanding. After a while, I gave up on the idea of dry fitting first and began the disassembly of the jig. It did not come apart easily due to the tight fit of some parts and I was too rough and clumsy and ended up breaking two of the long MDF parts at their weakest (thinnest) points.  I HATE MDF as I had similar issues with the MDF parts in my Fifie frame build, let alone the toxic dust when sanding the stuff. Unfortunately, it seems that the newer kit manufacturers are using more of it. For dimensional stability and cost, I assume. However, it seems to be subject to breakage in situations where real wood would just naturally flex, and pin holding ability in what would be the equivalent of end grain in real wood. I then managed to glue together the first jig with some minor damage caused by my being too heavy-handed with my hammer when trying to force a few stubborn tight-fitting parts instead of recognizing when I was getting into trouble and backing off when I should have. Anyway, I managed to complete the first jig, glued up the keel components after removing the laser char, and began construction of the individual frames. The frame pieces have laser markings to guide you in sanding for the hull fairing (which is a nice feature) however it takes some thought when assembling each frame to know how to orient the parts correctly when gluing up each frame in its jig. Hope I'm doing it right. An additional laser mark on the part or instructional note on which end goes down first in the jig would make the process less error-prone. They say a picture is worth a thousand words and the construction diagrams save needing to have instructions in multiple languages, but I believe there are situations where a combination of both is needed.  I have similar issues with the instruction manual for my Amati Fifie kit where there are lots of step-by-step photos but not enough verbiage to complement the photos, leaving some steps unclear and ambiguous. Anyway, enough of my rantings, here are some photos of my progress thus far.
 

 
 

In my experience, VERY few people can scratch build well right off the bat.  A friend of mine made a 6inch near-museum quality HMS VICTORY on his first build...but he had alot of skills.  It is better to practice on an inexpensive kit, where all the angles and dimensions are already figured out, that on a model you have spent much time, effort and passion on.
 
    Another option is the "18th-Century Merchantman Half-Hull Planking Kit " sold by the Nautical Research Guild (NRG).  It is invaluable in terms of learning to plank properly and can be a great display model when complete.  Click on "NRG Home Page" at the top of the page.
 
    When scratch building in the manner you showed in above photos, I used Baltic birch craft plywood...usually 1/8 inch.  Available at MICHEAL'S, in hobby shops or online.

I will attempt to get the book at some point. thanks for the suggestion, Rich. since Allanyed seems to have jumped right into scratch building I think I will attempt to continue with what I have started before getting a kit. but for when I do get a kit can you guys suggest like a really cheap kit for practice. I don't want to spend a lot of money on something that's for practice.

Yes it can, but not necessarily.   If I had to start over I would probably wait until I could afford a kit, specifically the the Grand Banks dory but I had neither the money nor the choices we have today so it was jump in with both feet and a few hand tools.   
 
Look at the kit build logs for the simpler builds, then decide what suits your needs.  Your location in the world may affect your decision on which kit to get as shipping time and costs can be a factor.
 
One other thing that many members miss out on.  There are many great tutorials in the Articles Database here at MSW that can of great benefit in how to do some things, and as importantly, what not to do.
Allan  

I strongly agree with Vossy.  If new to wooden ship modeling, jumping in with scratch builds can be overwhelming.  Check out the topic "New to ship modelling? But what do you build first? " to get an idea of first time builds.  While these first time builds are not all that glamorous, they give a feel for how the wood works and insight into the various techniques.  I respectfully disagree with Gregory about the 16th Century Longboat.  I found that to be more advanced in that you need to be near the top of your game with your planking.  LIttle room for error.
 
    ....but your question was about tools.  Some of the tools I find most valuable are; Dremel or similar rotary tool, #11 Exacto knife or similar surgical scalpel, sand paper/sanding sticks (I use finger nail Emory boards and sandpaper glued to popcicle sticks), wood glue.  Clamps...you can never have too many clamps.  Acquire them as you need them.  Magnification.

I strongly agree with Vossy.  If new to wooden ship modeling, jumping in with scratch builds can be overwhelming.  Check out the topic "New to ship modelling? But what do you build first? " to get an idea of first time builds.  While these first time builds are not all that glamorous, they give a feel for how the wood works and insight into the various techniques.  I respectfully disagree with Gregory about the 16th Century Longboat.  I found that to be more advanced in that you need to be near the top of your game with your planking.  LIttle room for error.
 
    ....but your question was about tools.  Some of the tools I find most valuable are; Dremel or similar rotary tool, #11 Exacto knife or similar surgical scalpel, sand paper/sanding sticks (I use finger nail Emory boards and sandpaper glued to popcicle sticks), wood glue.  Clamps...you can never have too many clamps.  Acquire them as you need them.  Magnification.

Hi, for less than $100 you can invest in a suitable beginners kit from numerous reputable manufacturers that will guide you
through how kit hulls are constructed as well as other parts of the vessels. This might be a better option than jumping in at
the deep end on a scratch build with little or no knowledge. Also by building the cheap beginners kit it will give you a better
understanding of what order vessels are built in and what tools and techniques you need to acquire to achieve the result you
are after.
 
Chris.
 
 

Alistair, very interesting method for aging the copper plates.  I just might have to try it out on my current build.  The one thing I'm not sure about however is which morning pee I should use, the 1AM or the 3AM or the 5AM or the 7AM.😉

1:25 Drakkar ‘Oseberg’
Ships of Pavel Nikitin
Catalogue # DROS002
Available direct for approximately £160 (7400 ₴) at time of writing
 

 
History
It is believed that the word “drakkar” originates from the Old Norse words “dreki” and “kar,” which mean “dragon” and “ship,” respectively. The warship acquired this name because the head of a dragon or another mythical creature (like Jormungandr) usually adorned the ship’s bow. The shape of the ship was also long and narrow, resembling a sea serpent. The Vikings constructed drakkars out of pine, oak, or ash wood. They used a special technique for splitting trees along the grain. They then watered the planks and held them above a fire to make them more flexible. The shipbuilders put the parts of the ship together with iron rivets and nails and bound them with cords and ropes. After that, they tarred the whole structure and caulked it by plugging holes and gaps and making the seams watertight. The sail was rectangular or square. It was made of sheep’s wool and covered with grease so that it didn’t get drenched. If there wasn’t a fair wind, the Vikings used oars – 20 to 35 pairs of them.

 
In the Viking age, few ships could compete with a drakkar in terms of sheer speed, but drakkars were also very nimble. Thanks to the drakkar’s shallow draft, the Northmen could easily sail along rivers and fjords. They could land in places that were very difficult to access and attack their enemies unexpectedly. These warships were also barely visible between the waves because of their low sides. This helped the Vikings catch their enemies unawares, even in the open sea. Drakkars were created for more than just war, however. They were solid and capacious, so the Vikings sometimes used them for trade and to transport goods, but more often these ships were used for sailing long distances. How far did the Vikings travel? They reached the shores of Iceland, Greenland, and North America, to name but a few destinations.
(Abridged from Vikings: War of Clans)
 
The kit


We’ve not exactly been awash with good kits of what we would call a typical Viking drakkar, or ‘longship’ as it’s more commonly known, despite the actual ancient translation. The Amati and Dusek are the kits which most come to mind. Pavel Nikitin’s new kit is also the largest in scale of this iconic vessel, weighing in at a whopping 1:25 scale! That equates to the following sizes:
 
Length: 865mm Width: 430mm Height: 480mm  
Like the San Bartolome kit I recently looked at, the Drakkar is a second reworking, bringing a number of improvements over the original release, such as laser engraved ‘carved’ details on the bow and stern, including the ‘curls’ at each of those points. On other kits, this is where you would normally see such things as a dragon’s head, but this ship does not carry them, as per the actual recovered ship. I think in some respects, this was perhaps not as per a normal drakkar, but I could be wrong. The kit itself is packed into a slender but heavy corrugated box with a flap-opening lid depicting the finished model in all her glory, fitted with striped sail and 28 shields of varying décor. Inside the box, the various sheets are grouped into packages that are wrapped in cellophane, or ‘clingfilm’ as we know it in the UK. This keeps the sheets very tightly together. There are around 40 sheets of materials to build the drakkar. But that’s not all. Included with the ship is a very sturdy MDF jig which will most certainly aid those tasks that would otherwise be difficult, such as adding those clinker planks.





 
As with other Pavel kits, this one also includes a homemade MDF and acrylic parts box, with the part numbers clearly engraved on the sliding lid. This box includes different sizes of high-quality rope in differing sizes (no fuzz!), 3d-printed boss heads for the many shields, cleats etc.



 
The first task for the builder is to assemble the jig before then embarking on building the bulkheads. The bulkheads consist of a lower half into which a dovetailed upper half is fitted. The most outboard parts of each bulkhead are also separate parts. On the sheet, these are shown adjacent to their position on the uppers, with arrows depicting the location. This will add a little strength to the outer bulkheads, plus that change in grain direction at that point, will also help. There are also engravings on the completed bulkheads which denote where you need to pre-bevel the bulkheads prior to installation on the keel. The keel itself is a multipart assembly, with dovetail connection points.



 
The bulkheads will be installed to the keel, inverted upon the building jig, and here is where the hull will sit until fully planked. 
 
A drakkar has a single mast and spar. These are provided as laser-cut/tapered parts that you will need to round off. Looking at the shape of these parts, then this is a welcome touch. Strips of dowel are also provided for the numerous oars. The paddles for these are pre-cut. 



 
For display purposes, a stand is also included, as is an engraved plate with a serial number. The kit is 00009. I am informed that the timber for this kit is a combination of walnut, cherry, alder, and beech.


 
The instruction book is 28-page spiralbound A4 production with a protective plastic cover. The first part of the manual is text which relates to the numerous stages. Those stages are presented in drawing form in the second half of the manual. The drawings do appear to be nice and clear, and construction takes place over 68 stages. Inside the sleeve of the manual is a piece of laser-cut paper which contains three profiles which are designed to lay against the laminates that form the ‘fish’ or mast base. These are laid on at various stages and shaped to them. 








 
One plastic sleeve contains three nicely printed plan sheets which show the drakkar in various profiles, and in rig etc. The second wallet contains a single printed piece of material for the sail. You will obviously need to cut and stitch this yourself. The photos show this brightly painted, but I’d read that these were usually quite dark as protected with tar due to the expense of the sails back in days of yore. I do admit that the painted sail looks beautiful, and I’d probably go with that. The size of the sail is really quite an indicator at the size of this model in a large 1:25.

 
 
Conclusion
From both appearance and materials, this kit stands head and shoulders above other contemporary kits of Viking drakkar, by a very wide margin. Being based on the Oseberg remains, she also appears to be the most accurate of all of them too. The timbers used in the kit are stated as imitating those of the real vessel, which may have been the case, but the ships themselves were coated in tar and would’ve been quite dark. I suppose the final choice would be for the modeller. I would probably go for the tarred look. In all, I’m seriously impressed with this kit and Pavel’s determination to improve what already looked like the best kit available for this subject. All the small touches like the 3D shield bosses and the highly detailed laser carvings instead of the usual white metal fayre, really sets this apart. If you’ve ever had a thing about Viking ships or just want to build something a little different, then I really recommend this new release. 

 
*It was found that the kit had planks which were slightly too narrow to overlap properly. Pavel is now sending over replacement plank sets so I can eventually have a shot at building this lovely model kit.
 
My sincere thanks to Pavel Nikitin for sending this kit out for review on MSW. To buy directly, click the link at the top of this article.
 
 

 

Thank You, James.
What an interesting idea for a (large) diorama!...Quayside, sails furled, Burton pendants (and other spars) hoisting a last-minute carronade, water and provision barrels being swung over from the dock, etc. I also like the idea of placid water at the waterline. I think I could only pull this off if Chris could make a handful of figures I could add to such a depiction. Building one of Chris' models in this manner would truly be like jazz improvisation!

Me (and HMS Camilla) at this month's Philadelphia Ship Model Society's meeting earlier this week. The diorama's "footprint" is not modest; I wonder how large a dockside depiction of Pellew's cruiser Indy would need to be?

Jerry's parts have arrived or should be arriving shortly, based on timing of previous shipping.  I look forward to the  shipyard restarting production.
 
I wanted to take this opportunity to ask a question about real construction.  Based on building practice of the day, would the frames have been bolted together or treenailed?

Hello Guissepe and welcome to MSW.
As others have said, it sounds like your model is Navy Board or Admiralty style so it does not come with masts/spars. Here is a thread discussing rigging etc of Confederacy which may help is you want to scratch build them:
 
Also, may I suggest you use the 'search' feature at the top right of the page? If you search 'Confederacy' and select 'titles only' it will give you lots of threads covering other examples of the same model and some covering scratch-built models.
Hope this helps, good luck!
 
Regards,
Bruce

Hello, my name is Jeff, a new member here, from Victoria, Australia.  Not a great modeller, I did succeed in completing a full scale Golant Gaffer a few years ago.  After that, my wife and I lived at sea for 12 years, and now I have the Vanguard Alert kit, as my next gaff cutter.  I also have a full time job, and a new house which awaits furniture and landscaping … so time for boat building may be limited.  But it’s a joy to be a part of this community, and I look forward to sharing, and learning from you.
 

Brian,
 
HSS Drill bits are much more forgiving than Carbide.  I know that it’s easier said than done but make sure that you are not pushing the drill bit too hard .  This causes failure by buckling.  A small bit is a very slender column so any axial load can cause it to buckle.  You can help matters by pushing the bit farther back into the chuck to shorten its unsupported length.
 
Let the drill bit do the work
 
Roger

After some thought it may help to dab a bit of CA on the dowel after wrapping the wire. This would aid in holding things while making the cut. Afterwards just drop the dowel and wire into acetone to dissolve the CA.

You forget the last three ring making steps:
 
Drop the completed ring on the floor.
Spend fifteen minutes looking for it while talking dirty before giving up.
Repeat.

I am starting a new topic as the last one just got huge....over 2000 replies.
 
Its fitting that I would do so today actually.   Today marks ten years since I have started Syren.  Its been a long and interesting journey.  Ten years and miles and miles of rope made and thousands and thousands of blocks sold.   Here's to the next ten years.  Maybe not that long, LOL.
 
For a bit of news....I have finally received the parts to maintain my CNC Mill.  So blocks are on tap over the next few weeks.  In fact I have already started.   3/32" singles and doubles are now in stock.   More will follow. Although half of the 3/32" singles already sold out.  UGH!
 

 
Onward and upward as they say.
 
Chuck

Mick,
    What did you use to bolt your keel pieces together?  Is that copper?

I second Syren Ship Model Company 

I second Syren Ship Model Company 

Syren Ship Model Company