ccoyle

I think he already has the kit and is looking for help with the French instructions.

This is a pretty inaccurate generalization. There are many exceptionally nice kits coming out of Europe these days from manufacturers like Victory Models, Caldercraft, Dusek, MariStella, Master Korabel, and others. To be sure, some of the older manufacturers did churn out historically inaccurate kits, and the materials could be a mixed bag, but the newer manufacturers are setting the bar ever higher.

This is why the hobby, on the whole, is taken up by only a Relative Few - it leaves a vast remnant of of the Uninitiated who are still impressed by those of us with pedestrian skills.

And that's why many builders will advise you to hold off on this or that tool. A tool that one guy finds invaluable, another guy might never use at all. A lot of it is personal preference. Treenailing is another matter of personal preference (there are actually lots of personal preference matters in model building!). Done correctly, treenailing on a model can look spectacular. Personally, I don't do it. The reason why is because, as Ulises pointed out, treenails are made of wood, and on real ships they are scarcely noticeable even when seen close-up. But, you decide. Now, as to 'entry level' and instructions. Such things should always be balanced against the question of what do you actually want to build? All, or at least most, modelers run into tedious tasks during a model's construction that test our will to move forward. Whether you really like your model subject will go a long way towards ensuring that you actually finish your model. So if you really like Convulsion, don't hesitate to get it. Probably the most daunting task for a first-time builder is planking a hull, and though the Caldercraft instructions will not go into that in detail, we have the tutorials here to get you through it. Have fun getting started!

Forgot one thing - the Convulsion kit is one of Caldercraft's early releases. Those kits had very spartan instructions. Fortunately, you can find all the advice you need here at MSW.

I read over your list, and here's a few observations: 1) I have no experience with Admiralty brushes, but brushes really are one of those tools where you get what you pay for. I use white sable brushes from an art supply store. 2) Skip the chisels for now. I've never used them on a plank-on-bulkhead kit. 3) As David said, skip the Gorilla glue - it expands as it sets. You will use mostly PVA glue for the early stages of construction. Other types of glues will come in handy later. 4) I second the proportional dividers. Very handy for planking and also for taking measurements off of plans. 5) You already have a Dremel tool - good! I use mine all the time. Make sure you have plenty of sanding drums, sanding discs, cutoff wheels, and wire-size drill bits. Sounds like you are well on your way!

Lieber Ivan, Beachten Sie bitte Ihre Privatnachrichten.

Here ya go. Royal Caroline by Doris.

Scientific is a brand that has long since gone out of business. Their kits were not up to the standards set by the newer releases from Model Shipways, Amati/Victory Models, Caldercraft, and others. As Mark suggested, the answer to your questions depends in part on what ship you actually decide to model, as there may be multiple offerings of that subject that vary substantially from one to the next. Even within the same company's offerings, there is usually some variation in quality. Sometimes it is significant variation. Make sure to do all your homework before whipping out your debit card!

Amazing work, Greg!

Actually, it's the flat transoms that are usually incorrect. I'm not familiar with Endeavour's stern, but I suspect the rounded form is correct.

Charlie, why are you tracking down this kit in particular? Mamoli also produced one, and that kit is likely to be more common. The Hahn-style scratch build is also popular, using the timbering kit from The Lumberyard.

Yes.

If they're anything like the rest of the Woody Joe line, you can expect the kit materials to be of good quality and the instructions to be in Japanese, but profusely illustrated.

**HOUSEKEEPING NOTICE** Gentlemen, This thread is drifting off-topic. Please remember the following: #1: The House Rules provided by the original poster. #2: This thread is in the 'Discussion for a Ship's Deck Furniture, Guns, Boats, and Other Fittings' forum. Posts should be limited to those items. Tips for painting, etc., should be posted in the appropriate forum. #3: Please eliminate the banter! Although we encourage camaraderie, a thread whose primary purpose is to serve as a compilation of tips loses its usefulness if a member has to scroll through pages of clutter in order to find the actual tips. Use the 'like' button. - Thank you!

I dare say most models are multi-media affairs. Even 'wood' models normally include lots of metal work and/or other materials. They're still considered wooden models. A paper model with wooden spars and blocks and metal guns is still largely a paper model. And how much you choose to substitute depends in large degree on your comfort level. I've seen unbelievable guns here on MSW made entirely out of paper, but if I personally have the choice, I'd probably go for metal guns, too. Cheers!

Yes. Yes there is.

This is looking very nice indeed!

Looks awesome!

Jan, I think you might be referring to this one by Matti. I think it might be worth pointing out that Matti's model took roughly two years to complete, and that the kit build logs section is littered with Wasa build logs that stop mid-build somewhere. It's an intimidating model subject.

This is one of the earlier kits and likely to have minimal instructions. Should be the usual Caldercraft quality in all other respects, though.

There are two primary things wrong with your grandfather's technique: 1) It does not appear that the bulkheads are chamfered. You can see this by the way the planks bend sharply at each bulkhead station. The bulkhead parts are cut perpendicular to the plane of the sheet they were cut from; the square edges must be shaped to allow the curved planks to run properly along the length of the hull. 2) The planks on a ship's hull are not of uniform width, because the distance from the keel up along to the top of the ship's side is not the same along the length of the hull. Because of this, individual planks must be shaped along their length prior to affixing them to the hull. This process is called spiling, and it is one of trickier parts of our art to learn. Fortunately, we have some tutorials on spiling in the resources section I linked to in my earlier post. As for choosing a kit, we have a couple of relevant articles on that topic here. Enjoy!

Okay, first I'd like to say you have an intriguing set of book titles on your shelf. I used to breed African cichlids and had 22 aquariums at one point; sold them all off when it got too much like work rather than a hobby. Now, this next bit you're not going to like. Your photo shows that you are off to a bad start. Don't take this personally, but if you truly want to wind up with a decent-looking model, then you need to take a few steps backward before going forward. First, I'd strip off all the planking you have done so far and remove the false decks, if possible. Trust me, if you don't get those right, your entire build will be one giant headache. Next, grab some refreshments, settle into a comfy chair and start reading some articles and/or books about wooden ship modeling. A great place to start is here. Next, take a look at some of the build logs here at MSW to see how getting a proper hull shape is done. That's why we have logs - so you can learn from those who have already made the mistakes for you. Third, give some very serious thought to starting with an easier model. Much easier. Wooden ship models don't get much more complex than the Wasa. You'll be far more likely to succeed with Wasa if you complete something simpler first. I hope all of this hasn't put you off. This is a great hobby, if you get off on the right foot. Unfortunately, kits like your Wasa have done in many aspiring modelers before they had a real chance to accomplish something. I hope you will give my advice some consideration. Kind regards,

Hi, Iondriver. I can't help you with your particular questions, but I have moved your post to the appropriate sub-forum and edited the title for clarity. Hope you get an answer soon. Cheers!

Agree with Gunther. Now, if only some kit manufacturers would pick up on this concept and dump their cast metal boats.