Beef Wellington

PART 2: How to Spot a Good Deal
 
Okay, despite what some people believe, there are still good deals to be had on eBay, if you know what to look for. In Part 2, we'll look at some potentially good deals.
 
CAVEAT: As some comments have pointed out in this thread, there are inherent dangers in shopping at online auction sites. I should have written in my lead-off post that I was writing under the assumption that you, dear reader, already knew about those dangers. But if you didn't, now you do. Back to the shopping!
 
Potential Good Deal #1
 
Here's a potentially great deal, especially for a new modeler.
 

 
There's a number of reasons why this could be a great deal. First, it's Artesania Latina's Swift pilot boat. It's not a particularly sexy model, but it is a great beginner's model, and there are a bazillion build logs of finished examples here at MSW. It's a model the average beginner has a high probability of completing. Second, the seller posted a lot of photos showing that the kit contents are all there and in good shape, plus a beginner's book is included. Third, the starting bid is only $20. Granted, shipping is also $20, but still -- $40 all together is a good deal. The point worth emphasizing with this example is that pretty much any beginner's model is going to set you back at least $50 if you were to buy it from a dealer, so getting it for less than that is good. If a bidding war were to develop over this kit, and the price were to go over $50, I'd probably let it go, because the Swift is one of the most common models sold on eBay, and sooner or later another deeply discounted example will turn up (in fact, I found several better deals on this same model while researching for this post).
 
Potential Good Deal #2
 
This next potential good deal is a candidate for essentially two reasons. First, it's a Midwest Products kit. Midwest is now out of business, but their kits still turn up frequently on eBay, and Midwest made the closest thing to fool-proof model kits as one could wish for. The first two wooden models I ever built were from Midwest, and there are literally dozens of examples in our build logs and galleries. Second, the starting bid on this kit is cheap, cheap, cheap. Assuming that the seller doesn't ream you on the calculated shipping charge, this could be a great bargain that will provide any newbie with valuable experience in working with wood.
 
Midwest kits are good examples of kits whose prices are low simply because there are a lot of them still in circulation. They're good kits regardless of the low price. Remember my warning from Part 1: the fact that a kit is claimed to be "rare" doesn't mean that the kit is inherently valuable.
 

 
Potential Good Deal #3
 
This next example is potentially a steal for a modeler who is feeling a little more ambitious and has a hankering for riverboats. Amati is a quality kit manufacturer, and the seller has set the starting bid at $150, with free shipping. Here's where doing the homework pays off: the MSRP on this kit is $439, so a buyer could potentially acquire this kit for up to 66% off the MSRP. That, my friends, is a deep discount. Whereas most sellers seem inclined to set their starting bids too high, occasionally a seller, like this one, will set the starting bid quite low. Knowing what the kit retails for is the key to spotting the deal.
 

 
Potential Deal #4 -- or Not (Toss-Up)
 
Whether this next deal is a good deal or not depends on how badly you want to save $5.00.
 

 
This example happens to be from an eBay store. No bidding is necessary -- you can simply snap this kit up for $168 plus $29 shipping, for a total of $197. Your model will be shipped from Russia, which means it ain't gonna arrive tomorrow. However, you can order the same kit from Model Expo using their current 25% off promo (as of 22 Dec 2018) and free shipping -- for $202. It's pretty much a toss-up. I mainly included this example because it shows that there are legitimate sellers on eBay who are not trying to bilk you. They're selling their wares at prices that are competitive with more familiar retailers.
 
So that's basically it. If you do your homework, know what to expect to pay in advance (and don't allow yourself to over-bid), and check listings over thoroughly, you can find some good deals on eBay. I found others besides the ones shown here, but they were essentially further examples of the scenarios already illustrated.
 
Have fun shopping!

PART 1: How to Spot a Bad Deal
 
Hey, there! It's Christmas time, and I am off work for two weeks. Hooray! I'm also out of town, so I don't have lots of time for modeling. What I do have time for is knocking around on the Internet, including doing some window shopping at eBay.
 
Ah, eBay ... once upon a time, not so very long ago, eBay (the Internet auction site) used to actually be a place where people disposed of unwanted stuff. It was like a gigantic yard sale. Back then, a person could find some real deals. But then someone discovered that they could make a lucrative career out of selling stuff on eBay, and now most sellers are either bona fide retailers or folks seemingly hell-bent on extracting retail prices (or higher) on yard sale merchandise. To borrow a line from Obi-Wan Kenobi, eBay has become a "wretched hive of scum and villainy."
 
Which brings me to the topic of this post. There are still a few good deals to be had on eBay, but you have to wade through a bunch of garbage to find them. Sadly, if you're new to this hobby, you may not know how to separate the true deals from the crazy efforts to simply part you from unjustifiable gobs of your money. So, I thought I would take some time and show you some real examples of the good, the bad, and the ugly of Internet auction site ship model kits. Are you game? Then let's get started!
 
1. First Things First: AVOID PIRATES LIKE THE PLAGUE!
 
Regrettably, eBay has become a haven for unscrupulous retailers with no regard for intellectual property rights. MSW considers these folks to be beyond the ship modeling pale (see topic here). The first thing to look for is the words "From China." If you see that phrase, then speedily move on!
 

 
2. Clueless Sellers
 
eBay is just chock-full of clueless sellers, i.e. people who are deeply ignorant of their kit's real value, as opposed to its imagined value. Have a look at the following example:
 

 
This seller is asking for a jaw-dropping US $1098.00 for a Constructo HMS Pandora. I happened to read elsewhere why this seller thinks that this kit is worth so much. They think that this kit demands a premium price because it is rare and out-of-production (OOP).
 
They are wrong.
 
If you're a newbie and interested in buying a kit off of eBay (or any online auction site, for that matter), you really need to do your homework beforehand. This seller didn't do his homework, and that's why he has attached a ridiculous price tag to this model. Here's some things you need to think about before hitting the bid button:
 
Is this a reputable kit manufacturer?
In this case, the answer is yes. BUT ... that doesn't necessarily mean that this is a good kit. Constructo makes kits, this is true, but they've never been considered one of the premier kit makers, and they're certainly not one of the innovators in our hobby, either.
 
WHY is this kit OOP?
If it's such a great kit, why did Constructo stop making it?
 
Consider this analogy: Chevrolet made over 2 million Vegas between 1970 and 1977. The Vega is now both OOP and (thankfully) rare. Chevy Vegas don't command premium prices because they are rare and out of production. Neither do Constructo kits.
 
3. Why Buy Used When You Can Get It New for the Same Price??
 
Some clueless sellers are easy to spot (like in the previous example) because they are asking way, waaaay more than what the kit is worth. Other sellers are clueless because they are asking the unwary buyer to pay as much for a used and possibly OOP or "new old stock" (NOS) kit as that same kit would cost new, like this one:
 

 
The first thing you need to know about this kit is that it is a Mamoli kit. Mamoli is out of business. The Mamoli line of kits, including Blue Shadow, is now being made and sold by Dusek. Word on the street is that the new Dusek versions are better than the old Mamoli versions. Worse still, this seller is asking for a starting bid of $175, which is about what a new Blue Shadow will cost you straight from Dusek (taking into account exchange rates and VAT), so why would anyone want to buy an older, lesser-quality version for the same price? Caveat emptor!
 
4. Yeah, It's "Vintage," But So What?
 
What do sellers really mean when they say that something is "vintage"? Vintage just means that something is old, but the word "vintage" has less of a pejorative connotation. Check out this example:
 

 
There's a reason why you don't see new Scientific wood model kits anymore: they're bad kits, comparatively speaking. Sure, they were okay back in the day, but kit design has progressed far, far beyond carved balsa hulls and printed or die-cut parts. Another reason to avoid "vintage" kits is that wooden kits don't age well like fine wines. Old kit wood gets dry and brittle. Old kits also usually have inferior fittings and instructions. Best to leave the vintage kits to the collectors.
 
5. Too Close for Comfort
 
Lastly, here's a sneaky example.
 

 
This one looks good at first glance. It's a current, well-designed kit from a reputable manufacturer. The "Buy It Now" price is $69 less than what the manufacturer, Model Expo, is asking for the same kit at their website. BUT ... Model Expo offers free shipping on orders over $150, and this seller doesn't. So the real difference in price (ignoring for now any promotions that Model Expo might be running -- they usually always have something going) is only $22.20. For that slight bit extra you'll get the peace of mind of buying direct from the manufacturer PLUS getting their iron-clad replacement guarantee for any missing or damaged parts. Suddenly that $350 price doesn't look quite so attractive.
 
So those are some examples of pitfalls awaiting unwary newbie modelers at eBay -- it's a dangerous e-commerce world out there! But fear not! In Part 2, I will show that there are still a few good deals to be found, even if they are now fewer and farther between.
 
Until then!
 

Happy Thanksgiving to all of those in the US!  Unfortunately the  shipyard has had to suddenly close due to a minor, but messy, health and safety violation involving a clumsy thumb and Xacto knife - nothing serious but plasters/band-aids preventing fine work.
 
Good opportunity to sit back and ponder gun rigging as I'll need to order additional materials from Syren.  Think I'm done with additional detailing on the cannons in the interests of sanity;
Monograms are from Syren, given a quick dash of 'dark iron' Cpaint and glued into place with CA Cap-square eyebolt made with wire and the cap square joint bolt is one of the smaller PE ring bolts.  
 
First mock up of potential rigging, as previously discussed, the breech rope is 0.88mm Syren line.  This line does make the half hitch a little more cumbersome, but think it can still work, even though they will be somewhat hidden even for most visible guns in the waist.  Going to live without the wheel lynch pin and cap square pin/chain.
 
Cannon rigging:
Breeching rope does require some dilute PVA to hold into position on the button.  Wanted to give the hauling tackle a feeling of 'weight', and have been experimenting assembling these off the model using a serving machine to get consistent spacing and also do the frapping.  Procedure still to be finalised…
 
Details as follows:
Block are 1/8" (3.18mm) single/double blocks from Syren Blocks are stropped with 0.012"(0.3mm) line Port tackle line is 0.008" (0.2mm) line Hooks are 4mm from Syren (these are black plastic which I ordered some time ago and don't think Chuck still offers them which is a shame as they seem easy to work with)

Happy New year to everyone!  First off my apologies for not being on the site as much as usual and checking in on everyone's progress, something I hope to rectify soon. 
 
My progress has been limited, some small steps have been taken, and problems encountered that stopped me in my tracks for a while.
 
Channel Brackets:
The kit supplies PE channel support brackets, unfortunately I found this unworkable as is as the profile impinged on the decorative molding, they're also a little wider than indicated on the plan.  The PE parts are scored pretty heavily at the bending points so trying to tweak these was not really an option.  The problem also identified by others is that there are not enough provided in the kit (per the AOTS there are 3 shown on the mizzen, 6 for main and 4 for the fore channel) and only 11 provided, so the kit is 2 short.  Further analysis suggests its likely 3 short as there are 2 brackets used between ports, and it appears that one is simply hidden behind the stock of the anchor on page 69.  I'm going to reflect 5 brackets on the fore channel.  Another slight complication is that the mizzen brackets need to be smaller to account for the lower position of the channel in the open rail configuration I'm following.  Basically I needed to make my own, and without any really good photos to follow went with my gut.
 

 
Not having any other suitable materials handy, my eye turned to one of the spare sets of PE from other CC kits I had purchased a while back.  Not sure which kit, but a little filing and cutting to length allowed the chains to be workable.  These also appear to be almost exactly the same narrower width as shown in the AOTS profiles.  The center portion of the Diana PE part was re-purposed to attach to the channel.  Exactly the same approach was taken for the mizzen, except that the top of the Diana PE part was used and different dimensions for the bracket supporter.  This was all rather fiddly and took rather longer than I'd care to admit... 🙂
 

 

 
Cannons....finally:
Once the channel supporters were in place I could then proceed with installation of the cannons.  These are now glued in place (using CA), I didn't pin these in place as this would have been a little problematic at this stage, and they seem quite secure as is.  Breeching ropes were attached off the ship prior to installation.  Another self imposed delay was decision to go with 'light brown' Syren line rather than the 'tan' used previously - this seems to have a tone that blends better with the colour palette.  The Syren line is very nice to work with and the usual trick of using dilute PVA was used to fine tune the final profile.  For these more obscured cannons, I used a simple eyebolt to secure the breach rope, for the more visible ones in the waist, I want to explore using ringbolt as per practice, but even using a simple eyebolt gives a satisfactory result to my eye at this scale.
 

 
And finally, the exterior shot...in retrospect I'm happy with the decision to install the channels and brackets first as I'm pretty sure there would have been collateral damage to cannons during installation.  5 down, 23 to go.

Lovely progress BE.  Your deck came out really well, I still can't figure out for the life of me how to 'calculate' the curvature of the deck planks other than eye-balling, there must be some sort of methodology.  The colours and details are really coming together now as shown in your last beauty shots.

So I've finally had some free time and completed the first planking (I also installed some new overhead LED lighting which are making a world of difference in lighting up the workshop).  I used my palm orbital sander to sand the hull down - it's a great tool that makes sanding much easier and quicker for jobs like these.  I need to do some touch ups and finalize the heights of the bulwarks, but figured I could do that once I had a better idea of how things were lining up with the gunports, rails, etc.  Wont need much filler at all, but I want to take another look at the top area near the stem, where the bulkheads seem to suggest a more vase-like curvature:

 
Before doing all that, I spent considerable time measuring and adjusting the bulkheads.  Part of the issue is that the replacement keel Euromodel sent me to replace the kit's warped keel was itself slightly warped with a very tiny twist beginning near the eighth bulkhead.  I thought I had largely resolved it (using blocks and wood brackets between the bulkheads), but when looking at the stern directly from the back I noticed that there was a slight lean about 2mm towards port.  That meant that the starboard side was too high and too far to the midline, and the port side was too low and and a touch too far to port.  So that required hours of measuring, adding/subtracting material, etc.  Everything now looks much more symmetrical and square.  It was a pain, but I'm glad I took the time.
 
I also had to make some adjustments to the quarterdeck area bulkhead tops.  As PiratePete notes in his very helpful build notes, BH 14 needed extra material.  I also ended up having to add material to BH 11 - BH 13 to varying degrees to get the proper slope to the quarterdeck.  I noticed, however, that one of the plans has the quarterdeck more level while another plan has it more on an incline.  I went with the latter and will deal with it once I am closer to installing the quarterdeck.  I also added material to the ledge where the rear balcony sits (just aft of the stern extensions in the picture below).  In part I needed to adjust for the twist in the keel.  The plans also suggest that the balcony is a touch higher than where the kit parts end up, but that might ultimately depend on how I build the balcony.  In any event, I can remove any excess height from that area when I figure out what needs to be done.

 
The plans can be somewhat inconsistent with one another which can be frustrating, but they are usually pretty close.  Much better than the Corel Unicorn where measurements differed by as much as 5-10mm amongst the plans!  I imagine this is one of the issues builders had to contend with when kit bulkheads were/are hand cut and plans hand drawn.  New kits probably are a lot more precise and consistent with laser cutting and computerized plans.
 
I'm pretty excited about how things are coming out - it looks more like a ship every day.  It's also got a lot of curves and some decorative elements that should make for a nice model.  It's been fun in the meantime as this kit, as I understand other Euromodel kits, bridges a little of the gap between pure kit builds and scratch builds.  It's also been fun and a big learning experience comparing notes with PiratePete, whose build notes are a real asset for people building this kit or other Euromodel kits.
 
Happy holidays!

Lots of good discussion regarding colours!   I seem to be in a minority not finding the 'new' colour to be anathema and the basis for determining it entirely reasonable.  I wonder what 'evidence' there is/was for the prior colour… other than years of public display of a colour that was itself possibly just speculation.  I would love to be in the alternate universe where the current/past colours are reversed - probably exactly the same arguments 🙂

Great result on the pumps Pat, and happy new year to you and yours.

And deconstruction of starboard side begins

So all redone on the port side

And one with the port open

Regards
Paul 

Thanks Albert and Mark and all for the likes
All steps now fitted and fenders and chesstree

Regards
Paul
 
 

Thanks everyone for the likes 
Four steps fitted, glued and pinned with copper wire

Regards
Paul

And the paint cue

Main guns, the aftermarket provides resin blast bags, barrels and metal backs. 

Starting on the bridge, formast and fore funnel 

I really lost the detail of the side armour panels. So I scribed them again and gave them a dark grey enamel wash to bring out the detail. 

Thanks OC. Now, next step, ruining a perfectly good paint job, chipping time. Grunge time next. . 

So, a couple of coats of chipping fluid then a base overcoat if Red Brown, and a highlight coat with Raw Sienna to bring up the highlights of the panels below the waterline. 

Cannons looking great OC!  Are you doing hauling tackles?  Must be pretty tiny at 1:72.

Good afternoon everyone
 
i hope to have the foremast completed today, but each time i put a line in the Longbridge book shows another, 





 

YES Wallace the running rigging came first, seams a long time ago now Aug 2016

Great result on the pumps Pat, and happy new year to you and yours.

Cannons looking great OC!  Are you doing hauling tackles?  Must be pretty tiny at 1:72.

Cannons looking great OC!  Are you doing hauling tackles?  Must be pretty tiny at 1:72.

Hi folks a small update.  These only stand 11mm tall and the thicker looking handles only 0.8mm - may change the handles as they look a little too thick but were supposed to be more substantial for two men to operate it.  The downton pumps are assembled with one dry fitted to the base/plinth n which it will stand on deck.  The next thing is to clean them up a bit and a final coat of white.
 
Wishing all a very merry and safe festive season
 
cheers
 
Pat