JeffT

Hello,
 
I did a few plastic aircraft models and failed two wooden ships as a teenager. Now I'm almost 30, and I decided to take seriously on an hobby to clear off my mind during my doctoral studies. I played around with matches (glue-free) and built a few Ugears models in the last year and found the love for working with wood again

However those models are getting a bit simple for me, so I decided to give it a try to ships again. I love models (or in general, artworks) with lots of details, and this seems the best option. Fingers crossed, the third time will be the good one! Thanks to @ccoyle's hints I cooled down my enthusiasm and started with something simple: Occre's Albatros! I see lots of videos/logs about it and I'm looking forward to draw from the experience of the seniors on this forum! If I win over my shyness I may even start a build log myself... let's see. I'll soon start the planking, let's hope everything goes well!
 
Thanks to everyone keeping this wonderful community running, see you around!
Matt

Have already done the simple assembly drawing for the ladders. I think I will have to offer these as a 'Made To Order' service, as the steps cannot be changed, length wise. With that in mind, I will ask the customer to tell me the width of the hatch the ladder assembly is to be fitted into and I can then draw the custom width and laser cut them, so they fit perfectly.
 
ETA - Speedy ladders are ready, I just need to add them to the website. I am awaiting the MK pearwood blocks to offer the new version of Speedy. I have mentioned before, I am sure, but the 'standard' Speedy kit will be offered on pearwood laser cut parts only, with option extras for the Cochrane book, pearwood blocks and the pearwood ladders. The price for the base pearwood kit will be £285, with the remaining £240 basswood kits being the only ones I have left in stock, as I plan to do all kits only in pearwood for laser cutting from now on.

Cheers guys,
 
This is what I have done for the cleat pack, I have laser cut 8 sets, with each set containing what is on the picture
 
And the keval cleat I can sell in pairs (1.5mm pear wood)
 
Still working out the best way to do the open and closed heart blocks...

Hello Tony. Welcome to MSW 

Thanks to all for your encouraging comments and suggestions.  You've made me feel very welcome, and I look forward to learning from your ship modelling experiences.  I will post build logs of whatever kit I start in the future.  I'm in the process of remodeling a spare bedroom into my office / hobby shop. 
Thanks again, and have a good week and New Year.
 
Tony Shanko

With a couple days away from the sweatshop, and time spent in the workshop instead....I managed to finish the port side.  At least it is finished for chapter 3 and matches the other side.   Now I will turn my attention to the stern transom and all of the carvings and details that go back there.  That will complete this chapter.
 
One note...the two figures on the quarters...you will need to file a groove along the back so they sit flush and in position.  Something we couldnt do when making them.  This will vary from model to model.  This needs to be done because the qgalleries stand proud of the transom edge forming a small alcove.  Filing a small groove or slot down the back of the figure helps it sit nicely in the corner.  You will no doubt find this out when it comes time.  Its easy to do.
 
I think I matched the starboard side pretty well.
 



 
 

As usual, things didn't quite work as I thought.
I had to do some sanding and following that, some more dying. I would not recommend doing this my way. You have to be extremely careful with the rest of the model. The advantage is, that the planking structure remains very visible. Painting it might cover the seams and joints, so you have one black belt without any visible planks.
In the end it is a matter of taste.
The best thing to do is propably using the black hornbeam, wich JpR62 mentioned above.

This is the finished starboard side of the model.


Matthias
 
 
 

"Howdy and welcome aboard, pardner!"

Hello Tobias, and a warm welcome to the forum from 'Down Under'.
 
John

Greetings Patrick

Welcome!

Welcome aboard, Bolin! You sound like you are taking a good step-by-step approach to build your skills.

Hello all,
 
I just became a member after a few weeks of reading and browsing this great site. I'm a novice model ship builder from Sweden who recently decide to try this fascinating hobby. In a way I have been drawn to ships and ship models since I was a kid. I think that it was a trip to the Viking ship museum in Roskilde Denmark and the paper model I bought and built after that that sparked the interest. But I never continued then. I did some plastic models and some model air planes in my early teens, but that is more or less the extent of my modelling experience.
 
I plan to take it slow, not overreaching my still non-existing skills. I started by ordering a kit (Billing Boats Will Everard). But due to shipping problems just before Christmas it has not arrived yet. I also read some build logs here on the site and learned that it is not necessarily a "beginner model" after all, despite Billings labeling. So I went and bought a BlueJacket Swampscott Dory from a local hobby store. That kit seem to be more in line with my skills and should not take to long (hopefully) to finish.
 
Cheers
/Tobias
 
PS. My "pen name" is Swedish for bow line and the picture is of a sail from a medieval long ship with the bow line set.
 
 
 
 

Bollards:
Chuck, thank you for including extras of the bollard blanks - I used all of them to come up with a passable pair.  I wasted the first three by trying to use sandpaper over a rounded edge to carve out the larger grooves.  Then I figured out that I should try to make them more squared using jeweler’s files.  That worked much better.   I like Rusty’s idea of not gluing them onto the model until I have to.  I’d hate to break them after all the work it took to make them.
 
edit:  I noticed after posting my pictures that the bollards were sitting high compared to Chuck’s. So I took some measurements and lowered them to the right location.


 

Happy New Years to you Chuck and everyone else too!
 
I completed the bollard timbers a while back. While doing the counter and wales I constantly flip
the hull upside-down, spin it around and just manipulate it a lot. So to be safe I tucked them away 
and kept them off until the last possible moment. If all goes well I'll be putting them on later today.
 
I'm also re-doing the forward most gun port opening to be more inline with the plans.
 

Welcome!
 
I would say that any of those would be great starter kits.  The most important thing to ensure finishing, is to stick through the build.  Even if something goes wrong, fix it as best you can and keep going.  Learn from it for the next one (I’ve done that a LOT).

Hi Tony,
Welcome to MSW. I moved your topic to the "New Member" area.  So far, you've got some great answers to your questions.   
 
I'd suggest picking one of the kits from your stash that interests you the most.   Then start a build log in the kit area.  It'll be the best way to get help.  Also, pick one that has one mast for starters.  I had no ship building skills to speak of and my first kit was the Scottish Maid.  My biggest issue was the rigging so I should have went with one mast. 

Welcome to the site!  Congratulations on finishing a boat!  My first boat was blue jackets Grand Banks dory which I found easy to finish and a good intro.   Pilot phantom is a solid hull, but some have planked it.  Reading through the logs the pinnace and long boat are not too easy when it comes to planking.  I am doing a half hull sold by the NRG in hopes to learn planking without putting a kit in jeopardy.
 
i have the same paint booth pretty much and depending on what you are spraying it works well...I open a window and put the hose outside. But I only spray acrylics so it’s not that bad anyways on the small scale I do it on.
 
best of luck!

Over the years, a goodly number of new members have cut their teeth on the AL Swift kit. More recently, the MS longboat kit has been very popular. You'll find numerous examples of both kits in the gallery and build log sections.

I have no recommendations for your choice of kit.  From the ones that you have chosen to collect, none appear to be all that difficult.  No liners or large frigates, so you are not trying to learn on a subject that would tax anyone, experience or not.  I commend you for that bit of wisdom.
 
Were you venturing into scratch,  first, for milling, irrespective of dust collection equipment, you would want to do it in an out building.  The same for shaping with a belt or drum sander, they throw too much dust for a living area.   Ideal, for me for the big guns, a hole on the wall with a clothes dryer or cooking hood outside fixture - but more insulation.   Attach that to a hose venting a Rigid 14 gal. shop vac in a sound baffle box ( it is not all that loud, compared to older model shop vacs, but being able to hear music while it is on is nice ).  a quality RIF remote ON/OFF switch.  Intermediate - something like a Dust Deputy cyclone trap - easier to dump and saves having to clear the vac filter so often.  
 
For in the house,  a smaller size portable canister vacuum - the kind that is easier to clean stairs with - bagless is good.   For a spray booth,  I do not see why a large corrugated  cardboard box - you can strengthen it by PVA gluing more layers of cardboard onto it  A furnace filter at the back and a hose connection for the canister vac hose.  LED strips are light weight and generate relatively little heat = inside the box.
 
 

Hello Tony, and a warm welcome to MSW from 'Down Under'.
 
I'm sure some of our kit builders will be on line soon to help you make a decision about your first kit build.
 
John

Hi! To all.  I've been fully retired for a year now, and plan to start my first planked ship model.  I did complete a solid hull Endeavour sail boat kit #CON80417 in 2000.  Turned out okay but was a challenge since I've only built model cars of all scales my whole life.  I have several questions, which I hope this is the proper place to address them.  If not please advise.  Here they go.
1.  Which of the following kits I've squired away over the year should I build first.  Suggested kits not listed are welcome.  : Mamoli America MM4; Model Shipways (MS) HMS Bounty Launch MS1850; Lifeboat MS0108; MS 18th Century Longboat MS1457; MS Pinnace MS1458; MS Phantom MS2027; Artesana Latina (AL) Swift Boat Pilot #22110; AL Mare Nostrum Fishing Trawler #20100;MS Bluenose MS1447; Corel Sloop SM43W; AL Scottish Maid AL2032 AL Clara May #20405; Gretel MV33.  I did searched the build logs, but came away a bit confused since I don't have any ship building skills and want to finish what I start.
2.  My model shop will be in a second floor bedroom, so I need recommendations on a paint /dust booth vented outside.  Will the Ningbo Haosheng HS-E420DCK sold by Model Expo work?  Other suggestions are welcomed.
 
Thanks for listening.
Tony from York PA

Work in progress before sanding and joints on the tower and bell tower.
The bell tower was split in 2 to be able to work the openings a bit.
The apse is finished.
Soon, I will attack the roofs ...

Nice work on the stem!