Richard O

Sorry I meant to say chain saws, not skill saws. Chain saws are the norm now making framing inaccurate but meets code.

Rich, Great suggestions indeed. Thank you. I already bought the book and I'm reviewing it as we speak. I've built a couple of large RC ww2 true to scale ( true scale warbirds are very rare to find scratch built because true to scale are very difficult to fly for many reasons and to ground handle. Most so called scale birds are not true to scale warbirds ), large HO scale steam train layouts and some furniture. I think I have all the tools I need but if I need more, like a plank bender I'll get what I need for sure. The RC stuff I built involves working with hardwood, softwoods and balsa. Imperfections are apparent in the silk/dope finish and flying characteristics , however I've managed to create an almost prefect finish. I THINK I have the skills I need but then again I've been learning techniques since I was a little boy and will continue to learn. Looking forward to the challenge and making new friends here. I so agree with your comment on lost art. Framing is all being done now with skill saws on construction sites. Kitchens and cabinets for example are all pre made in a factory. Try to find a contractor that knows how to scratch build stairs. Good luck. I've seen contractors go from skilled carpenters to pre fab installers. Sad really. Unfortunately skills that we old timers appreciate are gone forever other than a few hobbies like this one. Even RC airplanes have moved to kits that can be assembled in a few hours and flown. Good luck asking the owner to modify it or repair it. Most RC airplane hobbyists don't know why airplanes fly or how to build one. It's really very sad in my opinion. Perhaps the reason I'm passionate about my hobbies that actually require SKILL????? Richard

Boys and girls! Bought my first ship kit based on my research and all the advice given here. Thanks again to all those that chimed in to help. Much appreciated indeed. Vanguard The Royal Yacht Duchess of Kingston 1778 was the winner. . Looking forward to starting her soon once it arrives.

I already started looking at planking on you tube and several internet sites. The methods I'm learning makes sense due to the curved surfaces. I'll be taking my time like I normally do with such things for sure. Isn't too complex just time consuming and one needs to follow a procedure to do it properly/accurately. It can easily go south if not done properly. I'm looking forward to the challenge. I think I'm going to get addicted to this just like I do with other hobbies Lol. I love the challenge and the fine details. It'll look AMAZING in my house well displayed proudly I'm sure. The help here has been great. Good people with good advice. When I get started I'll post for sure. BTW Chris from Vanguard Models was very helpful.

Boys and girls! Bought my first ship kit based on my research and all the advice given here. Thanks again to all those that chimed in to help. Much appreciated indeed. Vanguard The Royal Yacht Duchess of Kingston 1778 was the winner. . Looking forward to starting her soon once it arrives.

To everyone that has been so kind in helping me out. Thank you sooooo much to all you of. I'm always a bit taken back by all the help folks are willing to provide. This will be my first build and I'm pumped. At 57 I'm looking forward to taking the time to built it properly. My last 69" fully scaled Spitfire ( and can of course actually fly ) took 5 years. I'll keep researching my options but I do know I want a challenge as I've built just about everything else ( plastic models, large steam train layouts in HO with scratch built buildings and cars, large RC true to scale ww2 aircraft, minor wood furniture, ) but not a ship. It looks challenging for sure but that's the whole point. I'm not threatened by the amount of work or the patience and skills needed. I respect everyone's advise including the warnings. Thanks you. I just didn't want to spend 6 months to a year investigating it all. Hence the reason I asked the questions. Thanks again to everyone. A warm welcome indeed. Now let's have fun!

Hello. I'm new to this so please excuse me if I'm not posting properly. I'm looking for advice on my first build. I'm looking for a wood ship in around 36" long, give or take. Larger would be too difficult to display I would think. I'm 57 years old, semi retired as a building inspector with a lot of experience building highly detailed radio controlled ww2 aircraft ( large scale ) from scratch, highly detailed plastic model airplanes etc. I'm very familiar with working with wood and balsa and small parts. I have patience and good knowledge of materials and working with them. I've worked with silk and dope ( for those of us here old enough to know what that is ), and detailed spray painting I always wanted to build a war ship. One example I found was the Montanes Model Boat Kit – Occre (15000). It's a tad large though I find. I don't know very much about ships or the history of them. I'm building it for the pleasure of detailing it and the challenge. Less for historic reasons however I want a ship that's a war ship in wood with plenty of cannons and masts. I'm looking for advice on the best kit that would range between say $400.00 and $800.00 or more. I don't mind, in fact I prefer to add additional details to make it even more detailed. The look of the large sails and war canons I found very cool and looks like a lot of fun to build. Can anyone suggest a high end kit for me?