Toolmaker

Am I wrong in thinking you would have continually changing pressure with that style.

Top link in lists of kits. Top link again https://modelshipworld.com/forum/150-index-of-all-kits-by-brand-and-subject/ Top link again pick the date 1851-1900👍🏼 Scroll down and you find around 50 build logs for your requested subject

Hey Frank, this post will be substantially shorter than the previous. Don't overthink it mate, grab the Fife or similar. There is no wood to cut, there is no need for the garage. The painted hull is done with acrylics so no ventilation. Sanding is maybe 3 or 4 hours over the complete build, so half a day outside is the total demand. Think easy. I do everything in a spare bedroom.

Hi Frank, it’s good to talk. I’ll start by saying you always have to plough your own furrow, and what people write here is the advice they can offer after ploughing their own. The beauty is, you get lots of it and then get to pick what to take on board (see what I did there, humour that was). My only qualifications are the same as others, just what I learnt so far and it’s not that much to be fair. I previously did plenty of plastic modelling reaching an ok standard. I even managed a mention in the forward of a ship modelling book for contribution, Yay! My biggest effort was 2000 hours spent on building a Flower Class Corvette. That said, a couple or more years ago I sold all my accumulated plastic kits, around 60, and embarked on wooden ship building. For context, I’m an oldish bloke with dozens of years in mechanical engineering, good with my hands and tools and comfortable around plans and measurements (that’s my resume/CV over). Here are my thoughts on your original post. First, I thought your opening line was classic modellers talk and very funny. Advice and my own journey. Buy the Vanguard Fife kit. Even if you didn’t have any tools prior, you could buy everything needed for less than a large 1/200 scale plastic kit. Straight edge, scalpel, wood glue, clamps and sanding sticks/paper is all that’s needed. An electric drill is handy to taper the mast, but not necessary. It’s a simple hull shape but offering all the opportunities to learn good planking techniques. A kit even as basic as this (don’t mistake basic for poor quality) will likely take a number of months to complete. By the end you will know if you wish to continue with wooden ship building without great expense. Yes, this was my first wood build and yes I did have a lot to learn and yes I did want more. Learning from my previous “eyes bigger than stomach” syndrome I went for the Vanguard HMS Alert. Another great quality kit that would offer me a (slightly) more complex hull shape and a goodly starter complement of rigging. Man, I was going to need to up my tool chest for this one. The Amati keel clamp was more excuse than absolutely necessary but acquired nevertheless, along with a palm plane and a hair dryer(travel iron is another option). Some months later I was again on the lookout for the next step as I saw it. Syren Medway Longboat. Large scale demanding greater accuracy. For the third time in a row I had chosen a fabulous kit. This route exposes you as there can be no blame laid on the kit for any failure. That’s not quite how I saw it but more that I was giving myself the best chance of success. The longboat was another leap in acquiring skills needed for my ultimate builds. It was only after this that I flicked the switch on tool purchase. A saw and sander imported from the US, a US made milling machine and a German dust extractor (ha, and me a British engineer). I have now embarked on building two Syren models. HMS Cheerful and HMS Winchelsea. I call them my legacy builds as I feel my plastic ships will be heading for the rubbish bin when I’m gone but the kids will probably keep the wooden stuff. I have purchased the kit components from Syren for both and the wood has come from Vahur at Hobbymill. What a great guy he is. He cut the Winchelsea planks for me but I’m milling all my own for Cheerful. These two builds will take 5 to 6 years to complete which is akin to me saying don’t acquire a stash of wooden kits as they take such a long time to build. Well that’s as long winded as I have ever been and tells you my route from plastic to wood ship building. Basically don’t acquire more than you need and get going on the skill building. Give yourself the best chance by using a good kit. If you are specific subject driven then this is more difficult but it is easier to acquire the skills with good materials. Lastly, I have always been both impressed and grateful by the effort that Bob Cleek gives in his responses to people’s questions on this forum. His commitment to full and rational replies was my inspiration for this one. Cheers Bob and good luck Frank regards Paul

Is it the red or the gloss that you don’t like? If it’s the gloss then try spraying on a dull coat (clear matt varnish).

Late advice might be worse than none, but it might help next time. I have built a number of tanks including this kit and find some items are more suited to being painted before attaching. On the Whippet build I painted the exhausts, the machine guns with mounts, the towing cables and the tracks prior to fixing them in place. Fixing hem was after the base colour had been applied to the main tank body. it’s a great kit and lends itself to some nice weathering. Good luck with the build. Regards Paul

Thoughtful and tidy as ever Mark, very nice work mate

Hi Richard, I have been off piste for a few months and sadly missed much of this build. That said and having spent a couple of hours catching up with your efforts I gladly offer a huge thumbs up. The finished job looks fab. Paul

“A picture paints a thousand words” apparently. So here is a quick 3k words. Hope it helps Excuse the phone, it’s a few years ago A scalpel just wasn’t appropriate on this occasion great cutters, really worth the money if your going to be doing a lot of photo etch. Good luck Paul

I’m not sure on the protocol here but as somebody who knew Kev I thought I should share the sad news that Kev passed away yesterday morning. Having spent time with him over recent years I always found him to be great company and I shall miss not listening to his sea fairing tales. Although not seen so much here as he was just a recent convert, he was a fabulous show winning modeller. RIP Kev.

I’m unsure if any kind of self manufacture is an option. This picture comes from Chuck at Syren and shows his simple method using small pieces of brass tube. Other than sawing the pieces no other machining is required. He just swages the end with a tapered punch and a hammer. I hope that is useful Thanks Paul

I can endorse this method. I used it for various oars on a 1/72 scale WW2 era vessel. The pictures will show all but if further details are wanted, just ask. Hope that is useful. Cheers Paul

Yes, you could bore soft jaws on the lathe.

On the subject of turning long thin diameters, did you ever use roller boxes for turning?

Hi Richard, It seems I have been asleep on watch and have missed a couple of updates. It’s all moving along and looking well. That tapered pin is a sneaky little widget. It looks simple enough until you come to execute. I looked at the drawings that showed it and the picture of the assembled model, and in both it looks like the hole in the end is not central. Am I seeing that correctly? This is my offering; Al/Al round bar, drill and taper ream so your taper pin sits under flush by a couple of mm. So longer than the pin and the pin is fully inside. Mill the al/al bar to give 2 parallel sides or 4 if you prefer. At the mid point drill and tap through to the taper hole. This s for a grub screw. 2mm or perhaps 3mm will be fine. Locate the taper pin in the al/al fixture with a bit of force, tighten the grub screw and Mill the ends of the al/al flush to the pin. Stand in vice with the bottom on a parallel which adds further security for the pin not pushing out and do your work. Turn over and repeat. Remove pin and dress you grub screw indent. It won’t be seen on assembly. This all seems long winded, but 1 offs can be that way. Thank you Paul

Seriously nice work on show there Mark. A heady mix of carpentry and wood engineering which you have combined perfectly. Cheers Paul

Good thinking, it never entered my head that someone might try and make this without buying the plans. More fool them I say. Regarding the nut/dovetail thing; I was suggesting you screw and dowel the steel dovetail on to the cast aluminium part, then machine the complete dovetail to clean up true, parallel etc. Then the steel piece can be taken off/put back on at your leisure. The dowels would always maintain its positional accuracy. Two 1.5mm holes should suffice. Every possibility you and I are going around in circles here, but that’s ok Regards Paul

You and me both Richard, unfortunately your the only one with the plans, hahaha Due to my current strong pain killers I am yet to decide if we are at cross purpose on my latest convoluted plan. Why is it you feel the feed nut needs to be in place. Is it for alignment? I’m maybe thinking it could sit in a slot as opposed to a hole…….but then again it could be the drugs! Best regards as always and if I become annoying just shoo me away. Paul

Hi Richard, I think I am up to speed now. You were noting that the separate dovetail piece had to be so to enable access to the partially hidden hole in the above picture, which takes the knee nut. Agreed. Being simple, I thought you were concerned about reaching the steel dovetail screws and pointed out that you need to turn the saddle 180 deg in the above picture, duh 🙄 Assembly is fasten the saddle nut in place, slide saddle onto knee whilst locating knee nut. Fasten knee nut with cap head. Add part four and hold in place against fixed dovetail. Offer up separate dovetail slide slide and fit for play and then install a dowel. I don’t think 1 dowel is good engineering as the part could rotate on that to the extent of the play in the screw threads holding the dovetail piece. What does part 4 look like? Do you still need to machine the dovetail in that? You could dowel the piece on now and re machine the complete saddle dovetail knowing that in the doweled position it is all nice and parallel. Then machine part 4 to suit. You will have to be able to remove the dowels for assembly. There! Clear as mud! Enjoy Paul

Richard, I think you are correct about the reason for the two piece set up. I think the fixing screws are at the front rather than the back. The marketing pictures show it thus. of course I may be misunderstanding everything that has been said, it wouldn’t be the first time. Cheers Paul

Hi Fred, I really like what you have accomplished here and I will be extremely happy if I can match your standards with my own build. You are just finishing and I am just starting out which is great for me as I can use your example (along with a couple of others belonging to builders represented on this very page) to inspire me along the way. Thank you Paul

Richard, You turned that around in fine style. As a hobby, there is no such thing as a mistake. It’s just another opportunity to practice. Can I ask what do you think of the wixey angle gauge. I’m still old school protractor here, but I can see the advantages. Thanks Paul

Having done my fair share of weathering I have to say “yes”. ”Yes” I would be extremely happy if this were my work. I think it’s superb and thank you for the entertainment Cheers Paul

Great result Rob. Those figures bring it all to life giving a real sense of scale. I’ll keep an eye out for your next build Thank you Paul

Every little bit helps. Congrats