catopower

I just finished Shipyard's Hanse Kogge Bremen 1380 card model kit. It's the type with all the parts provided, laser cut. 

Paper models are nice in that they don't cost as much to make, and as you say, they don't require many tools. They also don't need as much room to work on and there's not much mess with them. I like my wooden models, but I have found paper models to be a fun and interesting alternative.

That's a nice shopping site – appears to be in Germany. I've purchased from gpm.pl, which is in Poland, which seems to have a similar paper model selection. Also, Shipyard kits can be purchased through Cornwall Model Boats in the UK, as well as Ages of Sail in the US.

On 5/27/2021 at 9:59 AM, ccoyle said:

Plus, if the ship is moving at speeds approaching the speed of light, special relativity shows us that its length will contract in its direction of movement. 😮

But, their heights would remain unchanged!

Hello Salty Dog,

That classic basswood deck really does have a nice look to it, doesn't it?

Your progress looks very good. But, I think you should post in a build log, even if it's mid-build, it doesn't matter. It's just a place to check in on your build now and again – much better than trying to look for it in the General Ship Models Discussion section. And, I'd love to see the occasional update.

Wouldn't it also depend on what direction you're trying to travel, in relation to the wind?

Or the capstan is for all of the above, and any other thing that comes up that requires more power than can be mustered from just pulling on a rope?

I agree that it looks good. But, my thought was from the cartoon The Jetsons, where George Jetson worked for Spacely Space Sprockets and the rival company was called Cogswell Cogs 🙂

And, when I read your first sentence, where you wrote "front porch", maybe because it's your Woody Dog, I thought I read "front pooch"!

About those repairs, they're completely unnoticeable.

Your fix looks very good Chuck! 

And, I like the decorative trim on that stern castle. Looks very nicely done. 

Sorry I can't comment on applying the wipe-on poly over oil based stain. Have you tried it yet?

On 4/20/2021 at 1:15 PM, Keith Black said:

 The way this piece is cut I'm not surprised, it's almost like it's asking to be broken off. I'm sure it's fixable but it is a pain in the backside. 

 

That damaged keel wouldn't have happened if they left the keel in its sheet, rather than removing it from the sheet and packing it in the box. I guess it's a weight saving measure. Plus, as they shrink wrap all the laser cut parts together, it should be fairly well protected. But, clearly, that's not always the case.

Yes!

Dsmith20639, It helps a lot if you try to understand how a block works, which is what I think people are really getting at as they try to help you here.

The second hole is not exactly what I would call redundant, though, yes, you will only run a line through one hole or the other.

For one thing, a block with two holes looks more like a real block than ones with only one hole. Also, having only one hole can result in you stropping the block upside down – something I see a lot in beginner's models, and it looks silly once you realize what you're looking at (But, I can't bring myself to point out the error in people's models).

A block with two holes helps to prevents you from making that error since it's the same, whichever way you orient the block.

5 hours ago, Gregory said:

I just noticed that ModelSpace payment plan is 30% more than one time payment..  That is really some ugly interest..

I think it's partly because they have to make 12 special packages with instructions tailored to them. I guess they also look at the total subscription cost as the regular price, where they give you a nice discount if you just buy them all at once. Saves them all the trouble of keeping track of you and packing each month.

Plus, I imagine they must have to worry about having a bunch of miscellaneous left over stuff from people who cancel early. Everyone gets pack 1, but how many must cancel after about pack 2 or 3 when they realize how much they're spending on a kit they'll never finish?

Rob, 

As far as I know OcCre is about the only company that offers these "buy as you need them" packs, and they are only for the kits I listed. The only other company is Mantua, which offers their big Titanic model in 5 packs (actually, it's the only way it's sold), and the Albatross, which is their small Baltimore clipper kit. Though, I can't for the life of me figure out why they bother to make that one available in parts.

By the way, the OcCre Packs are only about 6-8% more expensive than the full kit. The biggest problem now, is that shipping from Europe has become a lot more expensive, so that drives the costs way up. Maybe by the time you're ready, shipping options will open up again and bring the cost back down a bit. 

Anyway, only you know what's best for you and your situation, so good luck with whatever you do!

With the completion of my Shipyard card model of the Bremen cog, I'm ready to get back to my Woody Joe Kitamaebune model.

First, here are some update photos of my Tonegawa Takasebune...

There's still a little more rigging to go, plus it not quite full of cargo. But, it's very close.

Meanwhile, I'm hoping to apply what I've learned about making the sail for this model to the Kitamaebune. Unfortunately, I'm about to start yet another attempt at making the Kitamaebune's sails. I've lost count of how many attempts this has been. This is the fourth, I think. The last set probably would have been okay, but I discovered I'd made the sail panels too narrow. Not sure how that happened, as I thought I had everything measure out.

To quote the famous Bullwinkle J. Moose "This time, for sure!"

10 minutes ago, BenD said:

https://www.model-space.com/gb/build-the-san-felipe.html

 

This link is from Model-space. The kit comes in a payment plan type thing, They sent a portion of the kit every month.

This is interesting. Every time I've checked Model-Space over the past several months, they've been out of stock on just about everything. Nice to see some of their part kit subscriptions available again.

Hi Robp1025,

I don't know of anyone who has a payment plan. The closest is to use a credit card and pay that off over time.

However, OcCre makes a few big kits that you can buy in parts. They're not as ornate as the San Felipe, but you can buy the "packs", as they call them, as you need them.

They have the Spanish 74s San Ildefonso and Montañes, which were both at Trafalgar, the 3-decker Santisima Trinidad, which was also at Trafalgar, and the 50-gun ship Nuestra Señora del Pilar, an early 18th century Spanish treasure ship. All of these are big kits. 

Hope that helps.

Skipper1947,

Unfortunately, the kind of subject you're looking at is more along the lines of what RC kit manufacturer produce. Those tend to have ABS plastic or fiberglass hulls. But, they often use some nice wood and brass parts for the details.

The steam yacht Medea comes to mind. Dean's Marine makes a kit. 

Another is the Amati kit of the 1930s yacht Dorade.

Or maybe Mantua's kit of the yacht Bruma.

Don't know if that's any help. But these are the only kits I can think of that are even close to what you might be looking for. 

5 hours ago, reklein said:

Another solution would be to display the model in front of a mirror...

I don't like that option as there's always some ugly guy on the other side looking at me instead of the model.

Thanks, Chuck. I guess it's only fair. since your build inspired me to get to work on mine.

When the NRG conference finally does happen at the Channel Islands Maritime Museum, maybe we will both have cogs on display?

Thank you Druxey. I just hope the wind doesn't seem to be blowing on the flags more than on the sail!

1 hour ago, Keith Black said:

 Sometimes one side is better than the other but the way I see most ships shown is bow on the right side as if the ship were sailing left to right. Is this because we read left to right? Are models predominantly shown with the bow on the left built in Middle Eastern countries, reading right to left?  

Does this mean my Japanese models should be shown vertically? 🙃

Here it is, May 1st, and the Hanse Kogge von Bremen is done!

The ship was officially launched first thing this morning after a final rigging session that took place yesterday, after I discovered a couple lines I'd left off. The last step was for me to repair and reinstall the rudder, which has been knocked off so many times that I've lost count. 

This morning, she set sail and I took the opportunity to take plenty of photos. I'll post some of them here, but the majority will be in the gallery in a little bit.

And so closes this chapter in ship modeling. 

This was my first card model that featured all laser-cut parts. My first card model was Shipyard's paper model of HMS Alert, which I thoroughly enjoyed, and was amazed at how it turned out. This model, I'm not so amazed by, but only because I now know what is possible from a card model. I'm very pleased with how it turned out, and impressed by this kit, which required no shaping of parts by me. 

Shipyard's technique for simulating wood by painting the white card stock work out quite well, though I couldn't follow their method exactly. You certainly learn with every model you build, and I learned or re-learned quite a bit with this project.

I could see myself taking on another card model in the future. But, for now, I have some wood projects to get back to, include a couple subjects from my incomplete build logs here on MSW. So, I'm going to work on finishing up my Japanese northern port coastal transport next, among other things.

Thanks everyone for your support on my Bremen Cog build!

Yep. Worst of the worst. I won't even repeat their name.

58 minutes ago, Jaager said:

Umm...  you sold a completed model of a kit that cost ~ $600 for $1000?    Working for the new minimum wage, if it took you more than 26 hrs,  you lost big time.

You lose nothing if you enjoy the build and find a good home for the model, where it's appreciated.

I have a friend who gives away every model he builds to friends and family. All big ships. He does it because he enjoys it. If you're in it for the money, then it become a business, and for many of us, that in itself steals much of the joy.

Hello Salty Dog,

The way I look at it, even if you didn't get a lot for your model, you found a home with someone willing to part with $1000. That's a chunk of money for most people, which usually means it's something they'll value, care for, and show off. Your model isn't gone, it's just being displayed in another location where more people can appreciate it.

And, you can use the money to help fund your next great work of art.

I voted for the Royal Caroline, only because it's one I've always wanted to build, and I already inherited a San Felipe kit from a friend. But, I wouldn't worry about popularity of the subject here. Build what would bring you the most joy!

Hi Moab, thanks for the nice comments.

I'm well into the rigging, but it's been a while since I've done any rigging work - Japanese boats have very little, if any. So, I'm not really accustomed to doing this kind of work these days. And it feels like the more I do, the more that's left to do.

Kind of reminds me of one of those school math problems: Joe owes Ted $50. Ted agrees to let Joe make monthly payments equal to half of the remaining balance. How long before the debt is paid???

You can probably see a few loose lines, unused blocks, etc.  There's still a little ways to go, but I kind of pooped out and didn't get anything done today. Still, we're oh-so-close to the end of this build!

The one thing that's conceivably out of place are the bright new flags at the stern, given how well worn the rest of the ship looks. But, the kind of material the flags are made from feel a bit like plastic, rather than simple paper. I didn't think I could "fade" them effectively. 

However, I can justify them by noting that the flags were brand new, just purchased by the captain for this voyage. Anyway, they're not like the sail, which has to be kept up in all kinds of weather. Flags can be washed too.

Won't be long now – stay tuned!

Hi Chuck,

I used to make my own model rope from linen line. I had the crudest ropewalk ever (I could have probably won a contest), but it worked okay for me. Also tried to build a fancy motorized ropewalk, but had problems with it. I suppose I'll just get Chuck's Rope Rocket at some point myself.

On wax, I tried conservator's wax, but I must not be using it correctly. It's Renaissance Micro-Crystalline Wax Polish. It goes on squishy and stays squishy, and it has a strong odor. I know people have been advising against beeswax, but it works well for me. And, so far, I haven't seen any model rigging degradation. The oldest model I have used it on is about 25 years old. So, I figure it will do.

Thanks Chuck,

Hey, are you planning to use the kit supplied rigging line? That's what I'm using here.

It's real linen line, but that makes it a little fuzzy, so I'm using a lot of beeswax on it. It also results in stiffer line, and I think the linen line is helping to keep the "twisties" to a minimum.

Overall, I kind of like the aged look of the rigging line. Or, maybe it just reminds me of my 'old days' of ship modeling, before Syren rope, morope, etc.