Nixa Jim

Thanks for the info. I don't plan to sell any of my models, at least for now. It's just a hobby to keep me busy. 

I did purchase the Beagle and the sails came in the kit.

What type of glue has anyone found to be their preference and what glue not to use? I do have quite a bit of yellow wood glue available. Any reason not to use this? 

On 1/11/2023 at 11:54 AM, Jaager said:

OcCre HMS Beagle is 1:60.

Cotton is not a fiber that can come close to scale sails as a fabric at 60 times smaller.

No cloth fabric that is a practical choice will fit to scale.   You have to be willfully delusional to see the OcCre sails as scale realistic,  if academic and historically accurate is your standard,  but that is not the majority standard.

 

The paper that is used as covering on aircraft models - one brand is SilkSpan - is more realistic.

For a kit model, this is best done as a scratch addition.  It is not easily done well as an assembly line product.

The cost of materials probably comes closer to $5 per model, when spread over the number of projects that the minimum size of each component will serve.   Of course, the cost of your labor will exceed $50, even if  minimum wage is the basis. 

 

For most ship models,  if you do manage to sell it, the return would probably barely cover the cost of materials - if that.  It requires real artistic skill, an outside reputation, and ruthless efficiency plus economy to get any return on your labor.

 

Plastic models are far more focused on fine details and an exacting finish than with a model made of wood.  Because it is wood,  if the original subject was also wood,  doing much more than what is minimally sufficient for a finish is lost to view and overpowered by the natural material.

 

It sounds like I have to get a pretty good feel for ship building w/o sails and then hone my skills and start on sails. Thank you for the info.

On 12/24/2022 at 11:58 AM, RossR said:

I started with HMS Beagle from Occre.  Good instructions and about 130 short youtube videos to demonstrate various techniques.  I had no modeling experience and am pretty happy with the result.

 

Good luck

 

I checked this one out on Occre and it looks like the sails are sold separately for $48. Is this the norm with kits?

Hello everyone and thanks for all the information from you mates. I'm sorry about the slow response to all of your thoughtful replies the holidays go in the way. Many of the terms you all used is puzzling to me. ie, POB, POF, BB, YTB, YMS and DE?

I don't necessarily don't want to start with wooden ships, I don't want my ego shot down early in this venture. I understand baby steps, just like in building furniture. Plastic is okay with me. I don't have enough maritime knowledge to know what time period I want to delve into. I'm a WW II enthusiast, some thinking about maybe a plastic model from that vintage to get my sea legs in order.

One manufacturer crept up in your responses was Occre. I plan to check them out very soon. I'm intrigued with ships although I get sea sick in the bath tub. 

Clear sailing,

Jim

I'm 75 YO, I have extensive experience with woodworking, mainly furniture, etc. So I have no problem with following directions (except from  LOML😀). I don't think I need to start at level 1 or 2. Am I wrong with probably a level 3?  I'm interested in sailing ships but possibly a Navy battleship. 

All suggestions are welcome.

Thanks

Jim