MartinB

A thought.
 
I notice that a couple of manufacturer's have posted the "basic" instructions on their websites. I for one have accessed Revel's Cutty Sark rigging diagrams.
Now, if each new wooden ship kit box sold by the major manufacturer's included an additional sheet of paper (a flier if you will) that stated "for complete instructions visit our website etc.. etc... We also recommend you visit these model ship building sites that will enhance your modelling experience and illustrate modelling techniques required to complete this model (or similar etc...  you get the picture). A whole new world of wonderment is opened. (This of course assumes that a potential modeler will not readily find us/MSW).
 
The manufacturers draw people to our hobby by their ready availability of kits. It is up to the rest of us to keep them here, or enhance their experience. Why not lobby the manufacturer's to do this (or is this already done?). Working together always achieves better results. What do you think? 
 
Best regards
Martin

Hello first modeler,
 
I built my first basic wooden ship kit in 1983/84. It was a Billings Golden Hind. It came with a large book of instructions (one language only), quality drawings and excellent timber. At the time I guess the price was around  A$200 to A$300 dollars (say around $1000 today). Included in the instruction booklet were comprehensive "how to's" on plank bending, planking and rigging. I completed a creditable model by following the instructions.
 
Instructions contained in today's kits within the above price range are essentially non existent. Kits are reasonably priced (some would say cheap), so I guess manufacturers would tend to skip the niceties and assume in some instances that the builders are already a part of this niche hobby. The manufacturers are after all scrambling for market share and profits. 
 
Flashy boxes woo the unsuspecting and excitable newcomer with promises of glorious galleons and clippers from history. Exciting stuff. And why not!
 
Build what you have an emotional attachment to, I believe this is the most important requirement for completing a model. Instructions come from researching sites like this. The internet age has delivered all the instructions you need to the tips of your fingers. Never have we had it so good. All that is required is your attention.
 
Dive in, the waters warm.
 
Regards, Martin

Hello everyone! 
It’s been a long time since my last update and I have had to dig three pages back to find my build log! 
This means that I’m extremely slow, but also that the community is well and worthy, with many build logs running, which is amazing!
But now, it’s finally update time! 
 
Main mast completed (almost…)
Three sails were missing: topgallant, royal and skysail. Apart from them, other important items were missing too: main royal and skysail stays, topgallant, royal and skysail backstays.
They were missing because I needed to figure out where to place them exactly. The masts provided by Revell are longer than the one depicted by Campbell, so they need to be trimmed down and the arrival point of the last stay and backstay need to be arranged accordingly. To do that, I preferred to mount the yards with relative sails in order to double check my measurements. This approach was followed also for the fore mast, but here is even more important, due to the additional sail on top (the skysail). 
As for all the other sails, all the rigging is present. A side note is for the halliards: they are on the opposite side of the fore one, and they will swap sides again for the mizzen. The number is also different, to accommodate the skysail halliard on the main mast. 
Attaching the stay to the aft side of the fore mast was not an easy task. The area is really busy but in the end I manage to do it… 
 
In the end I’m not too disappointed and I’m another step closer to the end!  
Anyway, let’s see some pictures, I hope you like them and feel free to point out any mistake you see, your comments are priceless!
 




















Now a question for you: Campbell’s plans shows a flag on the main mast:
 

Do you have any ideas on how the flag was hoisted and fixed to the mast? Thank you in advance!
 
 
 
 
 

Amalio.
 
 Fantastic! The Master at work. 
 
 

Bravo Amalio!
 
When I grow up as a modeller, I want to be like you.
 
Best regards,
Martin

Wow! I am in awe. Bravo Amalio

Rigging yards 
 
You Can see lower yard attached ready to be fastened with chain. 

 
work Continues with rigging lower & lower topmast yards. I Guess I already dream about it. IT IS exactly oné year since i have made yards. Its a milestone fór me seeing them hung and moving every direction possible. They were quite a big fellowes.
Im finishing also topmast ratlines. 
 
AS my rig will be moderately light - just braces and haliards...i Can have them already hung. 
Next step will be attaching upper topmast with All theirs peculiar glory like lifts  ať the foot of fid and haliards....I hope glory comes Alive with rigging. 
Thank you fór watching etc...
V. 
 
 
View on lower yard crane  from top. at collar IT IS fastened by pin so IT Can move or turn diagonally from left to right, and IT Can Also turn vertically. 
 

 
 
 


...
Topmast shrouds rigged. 
 

Lower topmast on crane  Also ale to move vertically turning on its pin and horizontally around secure pin at cap side. 
 

 
 
 

 
few pics showing solidity and massivness of lower yards. 
 
 

 





 
My biggest problém IS photographing her with mobile phone and get her into frame :)) 


Rig in morning sun :))) 
 

 

PF 2023 
 

Mark, 
 
Your planking, always looks superb. A pleasure!!
 
Regards,
Martin.

Hopefully this is a better picture of the anchor release, the detail is small enough to see when you lean in but from a few feet away you probably wont notice this detail at all. Which to me, looks best. 
 
Bradley 
 

Hello once again everyone, 
 
These last few days of doing not much other than working on the flying fish have been pretty nice! I have finished the first cathead, one more and I can get them painted. 
 
I had a bunch of really small brass eyelids sitting around and that is mainly what I used to create the anchor release, I haven’t checked in awhile but I think the diameter of the eyelid is .5mm and the shaft of the eyelid is .3mm. 
 

 
Two eyelids were used on the release it hook with a .3mm brass nail in the center, I cut the shackle of sorts from a 3mm brass sheet by taking two flat pieces and clamping them in a pair of needle nose pliers and filed away all the excess, what was left was two half circle pieces of brass. I have another eyelid in the middle of those to act as the pin fall. Then I added the chain that will hold the anchor to this mechanism, and I will cut this to length later when the anchor is complete. 
 

 
The idea is a small line is tied to the eyelid on the left, when pulled, the right side slides towards the end of the cat head, releasing the pin fall. Because the pin fall would be holding the anchor it would drop pretty quickly releasing the attached chain, and while the anchor is tied off by the main cable, this release mechanism acts as a way to lock the anchor the cat head, allowing it to be locked in placed on the forecastle deck if desired. Basically you pull the release cord and the anchor drops. Here is a photo that hopefully better demonstrates this point:

 
And finally here is what it looks like now when put in place, I haven’t glued any thing just making sure it all fits. Thanks again. 
 

 
Bradley

Very nice. Most authentic. 
 
Cheers. Martin

Hello winnies masters,
 
how are your Winnies doing?..cant wait to show off the roof rail of my princess, she is being dressed to point she could go dancing soon dont be too harsh on me please hope you enjoy it. what a miniature, i firstly thought Chuck designed it himself as some kind of revenge to torture us   v.
 

 

But, after all that work, a ships lines begin to appear.
Looking just like they are supposed to.
 
Keep it going Vlad.
 
Cheers
Martin.

On board for your new build Vlad. 
Cheers. Martin.

Good day. 
I celebrate a bit today with relief and satisfaction as half is planked. 12 +  on each side. Looks like modeling on steroids but it took me a while while i mastered that smoothing straight lines and bending.. I made it over 4 days in total , it took approx 1 hour to make 1 line. I made some helpers and used violin iron bender i use when making violins. I focused on 5  things, to make sure cut line are straight for minimal seams , that bent is curvy and complete so i wont press and damage plank and that contact place is firmly glued to every bulkhead so each next line follows well and planks follows lines closest possible so they are as smooth curvy without bumping  and uniform as possible.  . With violin bender i did not need to use clamps of any sort just to bend at my will on top of  160 celsius hot plate and stick there in a while. . I only needed to moisture probably 4  planks towards stern clagressive curvature . At the end i made those planks original curvy as it was difficult to bend them qithout damaging it. So it how it went.
At this point I really want to congratulate everyone who tried proper planking no matter outcome. Its harderst part of modelmaking for reason and for reason we try to mask omit or avoid it. I want to thank to Chuck to make all way into it predictable and kind of likable even. I really cannot imagine to do it without those lines.  Observing others, there is many mistakes on mine and stern part finish is not so smooth as well. There start perfect work with previous perfect sanding of l bulkheads before as now you can see mine there is bump toward stren on one side and all clean work and perfect lines you guys accomplish, but I am happy I built a confidence now that  i can finish my first proper planking ajd hull from this point kind of properly and sucessfully and that is important for me.  Also that it wont take not months nor weeks probably few days after this pause. Now fairing inner bulwarks and I think of making black line as well. Than i will start from keel up towards the rest buf i am a bit scared not sure how to manage keel plank to instert inti rabbet...well...have to check some works...
Oh another important point. I now see disadvantage of lime strips comparing to cedar not only for different shades which makes me firmly think I will go after kind of darker finish where those non uniform planks would look better than blond- ish....what do you think?   i lean towards fruity wood colours so  ordered some quality stain so i will post test samples. Looking at pics...Should i sand hull even more ? 
So its all for this week i guess, always apology for elaborate, thank you for stopping by thank you for helping and advices and stay safe!  
 
 
 
 

Thank you Michael,
 
A small update on the hammock cranes.
 
I finished the waist hammock cranes with the netting.

 

 

 

 

 
 
The area where the anchor is going to rest I decided that it is best to leave it with no netting at all,

 
 
Before I carry on with the poop and the quarterdeck hammock cranes I would prefer to finish and fit in place the fire buckets but I am still waiting to receive the monogram decals I had ordered.  Hopefully I will receive them by next week.  
 
Robert

But, after all that work, a ships lines begin to appear.
Looking just like they are supposed to.
 
Keep it going Vlad.
 
Cheers
Martin.

But, after all that work, a ships lines begin to appear.
Looking just like they are supposed to.
 
Keep it going Vlad.
 
Cheers
Martin.

Hi Lou, thanks for commenting. No I don’t have a Corvette model in the house.( in fact I have 4 RC 1/16th scale Tanks Tiger,Sherman,T90, and T34. RC boats need water. I can run my Tanks in the garden!) I could paint most well known WW2 RN ships from memory, but I do use photos. I like painting 'small' ships, they can get up to all sorts of things. I really don’t like painting 'a ship'. I much prefer painting a story with ships in it. I can’t really explain how I paint, I just do it. I’m 80 next year so I’ve been 'at it' since I was about 5!. The first pic I can remember was a Tractor with hills behind it on a blackboard when I started school. Don’t suppose this helps but at least it’s a bit of background.
jim
ps White Tail Sea Eagle 
 


 
 

That lantern all the way up there. Very, very nice.
Martin.

I enjoyed this journey Vladimir. 
You successfully captured the spirit and form of Cutty Sark. Excellent modelling.
Cheers
Martin.
 

Hi.  Carrying on from my last post I continued making up the stern davits. I’m getting quite a bit of soldering practice on this build and improving all the time. The davits were made up of thirteen pieces of brass rods and wire of various sizes, shaped and soldered together, again not to be painted. I won’t do the other davits just yet as I think that they would get in the way of the rigging. You will notice that I have also made and added the brass boom support. I also made and attached the reserve anchors at the stern and the lifebelts.
 
Next week I’ll be doing the strops and turnbuckles for the shrouds ready for the masting.
 
 
Ken
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Hi,  Thanks again for those likes. This is just a short update on my progress. Only the rails at the stern to show, but progress is progress. You may notice that I've started the rear boat davit, one of many, there are eleven ships boats on board, something to look forward to building, ( or not )
 
Ken
 
 

 

 

Hello first modeler,
 
I built my first basic wooden ship kit in 1983/84. It was a Billings Golden Hind. It came with a large book of instructions (one language only), quality drawings and excellent timber. At the time I guess the price was around  A$200 to A$300 dollars (say around $1000 today). Included in the instruction booklet were comprehensive "how to's" on plank bending, planking and rigging. I completed a creditable model by following the instructions.
 
Instructions contained in today's kits within the above price range are essentially non existent. Kits are reasonably priced (some would say cheap), so I guess manufacturers would tend to skip the niceties and assume in some instances that the builders are already a part of this niche hobby. The manufacturers are after all scrambling for market share and profits. 
 
Flashy boxes woo the unsuspecting and excitable newcomer with promises of glorious galleons and clippers from history. Exciting stuff. And why not!
 
Build what you have an emotional attachment to, I believe this is the most important requirement for completing a model. Instructions come from researching sites like this. The internet age has delivered all the instructions you need to the tips of your fingers. Never have we had it so good. All that is required is your attention.
 
Dive in, the waters warm.
 
Regards, Martin