JDillon

I have just come accross modelers central's web site and i am astounded by the prices they are charging, see photos. please people be aware you can purchase these at less than half the price.

From the Occre Polaris build video, this guy makes it look so easy but trimming with my craft knife and a brand new quality blade it splits, doesn't cut easily. Im taking a guess that it may have been several times until they got it right, that or im a spaz a ship building 😂 Cathead, this is what i was following, please tell me following the manufacturers buikd videos are unrealistic in real life. 🤪

Thanks Cat, i will try your method, i dis use nippers but too close and sanding seemed to split it. I will have another go later after work.

Bounty

I've just started second planking and oh my god what a ball ache, first off the contact glue is a pain so switched to pva. Second i wiped excess pva off with a hardly damp cloth and the planks started to curl. Thirdly im trying to trim the tiny bits on the rear behind the rudder and they split or come off! im using a brand new scapel blade and its a pig to cut. Any ideas before i check out youtube? also i am amazed i got the hull done, it actually looks much better than the pictures, some learning has been made so il call it a win at this stage. thanks for everyones support. Joe

Thanks Cathead for your reply and i do fully understand its a big undertaking, to be honest i was hoping that someone would reply with "its all ready been done" and here is the link 😂 Although we could stick to the top 10 most common builds? As for what's best, yes i agree everyone will have an opinion. But if for example the Terror, the original ships wheel was 10 spokes, the kit is less so that would be a justified no arguments modification. Its mainly things like this, another example the capstan is too big. maybe just a this is missing or too big or too small and let the builds decide if they want to amend it. The main thing was just a heads up to say you may want to change or replace this, sort of thing. I think that would save any arguments. Joe

I have been advised to get a better hull planking wood (first hull) by another member on here for the Occre Terror. Its 2mm x 5mm x 600, i've also been informed this is not long enought for a full pass. would 2mm x 5mm x 1000 cover it? What wood should i use? Can't seem to fine Pear wood in them dimentions, if someone more experienced at this than me have a look at Cornwall Model Boats website and under Building Meterials, Timber, Stripwood and let me know whats good please, or Mantua Model Uk Ltd. Not aware of any other good supplies yet. Also the hull vaneer if the supplied stuff isnt upto scratch although it will be stained ebony like Keith S build - see Build Log. A Thanks All Joe

Hi Allen thank you for the reply. I have just added my progress pictures of the completed hull with sanding and filler. As you can see by the white filler the drop strakes as per the instructions were to small to get a bend and therefore dipped inwards, hence the filler. The Stealers came out ok, only needed 3 each side, I needed a small one each side on the bottom as I put my first plank to low at the stern. Not at home so cannot post a picture of the instructions to show the dop strakes required. I was tempted to shape each hull plank without using drop stakes but decided to follows the instructions. Lesson learnt. Joe

Thanks all it was just worth a try, I seemed to be fairing ok with things but finding that some parts that everybosy oreders from do not ship to the UK, Occre being one of them. I have found a few UK members that i can pester with questions about alternative items that are only available stateside. Im guessing our Australian brothers and sisters have the same issue. Joe

Welcome

Hi All, before I start I would just like to point out that I am a beginner and thus thought this idea would be benificial, feedback from members on here would be welcomed as to whether this would be a good idea or not. I appreciate this may take some time but it could be a work in progress with Admis approval. Also there may be a better member on here that could take the lead. I would like to compile a list of vessels currently available to buy as of today. It can be listed by manufacturer and broken down into Beginner, intermediate and advanced. Then with each vessel a log of what amendments where added / changed / removed in detail to improve the kits and replicate the origional vessel. Having to go into each build log is somewhat a daunting task. It would be nice if an experianced builder could then check and amend the log with their profestional opinion. We could start with the most common ships people build. For example, I found as a beginner I planked the deck of my Occre Polaris before it was attached to the frame, this made things easier and enabled me to indidually plank rather than attach whole strips and pencil in the joins, having the same grain run in lines. I know its a first build but by doing this I have learnt a new skill for future builds, than if I had attached it as per the instructions. Also the stealers were to small and straight when fixed to the bow, this required filling and sanding to round out the hull. Tips like painting items before fixture would be helpful. Another example was that (not in the instructions) sand the stern down as when the hull planking is added and sanded down half way it is still just slightly wider than the rudder. Advice like do step C4 before doing step B1 in the instuctions sort of thing. I appreciate these are just my first encounters into the hobby but I feel that we have such talented and knowlegable people on this site I thought it would be nice to consolidate such amazing workmaship advice. As another example my second build is the Occre HMS Terror, and trawling through Clearway and Keith S build logs for example (amazing and helpful as they are) i have found that in some comments they would do things a little different or would like to make amendments should they do it again. I would like to minimise this by having a general consensus on a build about best amendmants to make so we avoid any regrets. I am sure that in my future builds that i will come accross someone else's build and think, "bugger i wish i had added that" to late to change it now. I think i would never get a build finished if i had to trawl through 20 build logs to see what others had done different or learn what the pitfalls were with that specific build. Joe

Thanks Grandpa, dont quote me on this but im sure another experienced builder on here was going to do it and said the Erebus was longer which meant an extra bulkhead? im hoping your right. I will see how my polaris comes out first then start on my Terror and see how well i do with that before i think about anything else, it may turnout im usless at ship building and have to retire early 😂 Joe

Thanks Cato, being my first build i thought painting it black and white would match my Terror, my next build. It may also hide my mistakes but i will decide when ive finished the hull. White Bulwarks inside was also what i was thinking. Thanks for your comment. I might hide my joggling with a few well placed barrels at the bow 😂 Joe

Although new and on my first build (polaris) I have HMS Terror as my next build ready to go. It seems a popular ship and seeing Keith S and Clearways incredible improvements to the kit, i would love to build the Erebus also to sit alongside. They were the fated Franklin pair and the subject of many books, museum exhibits and documentarys , we also have the wrecks of both ships discovered. Im wondering if any other members on here feel thd same and if so could we let Occre know and push for a kit?

Thank you all. all sorted now

Iordered my polaris and terror from cornwall mb as well as a ton of accesories. im impressed with their delivery times. thoughts on castyouranchor? Syren ship models, can't see if they ship to uk as ordering is down for maintenance today. Opinions of painting my palaris black and white please?

Could somebody help a newbie ASAP, I am trying to find the location of a printable A4 sheet with the (dont know the name for it yet) the lined pyramid that you use to work out the hull widths tapering. Have seen this used on a few videos. Thank you all

Anyone know where i can get spare decking strips for this, in the uk i didnt reslise the bulwarks were also covered. needs to be the same wood as yhe deck strips. Occre dont deliver to the uk.

So for my first build i decided on the Occre Polaris as quite a few beginners have opted for. Just finished the decking but i made a pigs ear of it. I know its my first build ever but wanted to get this right first time. didn't want to pencil in joins so opted to plank the whole lot. joggling stuffed me.