Referance Library (Modeling)

[ErRains]

As I’m just starting with Ship Modeling the first order of business is to build up my library. I’m sure this has been discussed here at length but I'm not having as much luck as I hoped in finding a good listing of modeling publications. If I missed this somewhere just point me in the right direction.

 

What I’m looking for are books that focus on aspects of Ship Modeling, such as Framing, Planking and Rigging…. that sort stuff.   Subject specific references I’ll collect as I chose my build subjects a bit later.  The exception might the “Anatomy of the Ship” series as these books look real interesting.

 

Using Amazon as jumping off point I’ve listed below a few books that might be what I’m looking for. So, everyone please weigh in and let me know the if these are any good, strengths and weakness of them and of course suggest any that I may have missed.

 

“Ship Modeling Simplified: Tips and Techniques for Model Construction from Kits”- Frank Mastini

 

“Ship Modeling from Stem to Stern”- Milton Roth

 

“Period Ship Modelmaking: An Illustrated Masterclass”- Phillip Reed

 

“Wooden Warship Construction: A History in Ship Models”- Brian Lavery

 

“Ship Modeler's Shop Notes Vol I & II”- Nautical Research Guild

 

“The Ship Model Builder's Assistant”- Charles G. Davis

 

“Planking Techniques for Model Ship Builders”- Donald Dressel

 

“The Art of Rigging”-George Biddlecombe

 

“The Arts of the Sailor: Knotting, Splicing and Ropework”-Hervey Garrett Smith

 

“Rigging Period Fore-and-Aft Craft”-Lennarth Petersson

 

 

Best Regards

Eric Rains            

Vancouver, Wa, USA

[mtaylor]

You might toss "Historic Ship Models" by zu Mondfeld on the list just because it's a good overall reference book and can answer a lot of gemerc questions. Yes it has errors and isn't complete but it does provide a good starting point for research of specific questions.  

[Pirate adam]

I also agree with the zu Mondfeld book.  It is the book that got me into the hobby after building some simple kits.  I also really like The Art of Ship Modeling by Bernard Frolich.

 

Adam

[ErRains]

Thank you Mark and Adam!

 

I'll add "Historic Ship Models" to the list. The Art of Ship Modeling definitely looks interesting but seem a bit harder for find. 

Thanks Again

Eric

[MEDDO]

The Mastini, Roth and zu Mondfeld books are a great start.  I really like "The Anatomy of Nelson's Ships" by C Nepean Longridge.  It was one of my first books and does a great job of detailing that build and it includes a bunch of fold out plans which is nice.

 

 

 

edit: The Art of Ship Modeling can be found along with many other great books at ANCRE some available in multiple languages.

Edited August 29, 2017 by MEDDO

[Walter Biles]

There is quite a bit of research information at the top of the heading banner under Articles Database.  That is a library of sorts of information that is free to use.  You would also find links to lots of information, calculators, and various other things there which could be of interest to your search.  

[mtaylor]

Frolich's book is wonderful.  I didn't mention it as it's geared towards French ships and many techniques and items are only applicable to those.  Still... it's an excellent resource for inspiration.  

[Richard Griffith]

The Roth, Petersson and zu Monfeld books are good basic books but contain errors and anachronisms.  If you are seeking accuracy, then double check other sources to coroborate the information.

 

The Reed, Longridge, Lavery and Frohlich books are excellent but don't get discouraged by their fantastic models; those models are in the 'master class'.  Dressel, Shop Notes, Davis and Mastini are very useful and will give you an excellent start.  

 

You won't need the Biddlecomb book unless you like reading lists of rope sizes for various classes of ships (I have a copy and rarely use it.  It is a very good reference for checking rope sizes for the larger models some of us build).  

 

Start with a handful and go from there.  As you read, you will develop a direction, a desire, which will point you toward the next few books.  You can quickly lighten your wallet on books but there are many excellent books to have and very good ones are being published by Seawatch, Ancre and others.  

 

BTW, be careful about the AOS books - it seems our Chinese brothers have decided to pirate those too.       Duff

[trippwj]

Let me offer a brief assortment that you may consider.  This listing contains both print and PDF verswions (with open-source links where available).

 

My suggestion is to seek out reviews on books of interest (some are more user friendly than others, some geared more for experienced builders than others, and so on).

 

Enjoy!

 

 

Model Shipbuilding Resources 20Mar2016.pdf

[ErRains]

Thanks everyone for the additional suggestions! 

 

 @Michael: Thanks for the link to "The Art of Ship Modeling", alittle pricy but I'll add to my list as a future purchase. 

 @Walter: The Articles Database is a great resource and I have been diligently reading through most of the material available there. 

 @Duff: excellent feedback on the books I have listed...Thanks Again!!

 @Wayne: Awesome list! I'll add this PDF to my files and start looking up the titles. 

 

 

[Roger Pellett]

Before spending a lot of money, I suggest that you spend some time deciding what you intend, and want to do.  Do you intend to build 18th century classic sailing warships, 19 th century vessels, 20 th century steel navy, or small craft.  Do you intend to assemble model kits or build from scratch?

 

Each of these choices involves different choices and different modeling techniques.

 

My advice would be to pick a project and to then buy the books to support this particular build.  I would lighten up on the "how to" books and to instead buy books that broaden your knowledge the actual subject that you are building.  As you progress you will develop techniques that best suit your abilities and the way that you like to work.  Limit your selection to high quality books. Charles Davis's book, for example will produce an attractive model of the brig Lexington but one that does not represent the actual appearance of the real ship.

 

Include the two CD set of Nautical Research Journal Articles on your list.  They contain a huge amount of material for building some really high quality models.

 

Roger

 

[ErRains]

Thanks Roger that is great Advice!! 

While looking some "How To" book I noticed it hard to understand much of what was being said as I have no real context in which to draw from. I'll switch to kit selection and then come back to my Reference Library.  I did come across the NRJ Articles and was wondering if that would be something to consider.

 

Thanks Again Sir! 

 

  

[trippwj]

1 hour ago, ErRains said:

Thanks Roger that is great Advice!! 

While looking some "How To" book I noticed it hard to understand much of what was being said as I have no real context in which to draw from. I'll switch to kit selection and then come back to my Reference Library.  I did come across the NRJ Articles and was wondering if that would be something to consider.

 

Thanks Again Sir! 

 

  

Some, yes.  Some, no.  The articles are of widely varied quality (historical perspective and how-to perspective).

 

While some of the "how-to" books are better than others, most contain useful advice.  If you are concerned with absolute historical accuracy, there are no books to guide you.  However, if you want to learn how to build a model, then many of the older authors offer great tips (people like Davis, McGann, Underhill, Hahn, & Longridge). They were writing for the home modeller mostly in the days before there were affordable kits. 

If you get one reference, get the NRG Shopnotes (okay, that would be 2 books now).

 

 

[Roger Pellett]

The NRJ back issues from the 1980's and  1990's contain some excellent articles written by such world class ship model builders as Harold Hahn, Eric Ronnberg, and Rob Napier.  Not only do they include modeling tips but also demonstrate the research required to produce a first class model.  The two disc CD is well worth the cost which I recall being about $40.

 

Roger

[kurtvd19]

Just a tip about the CD's.  The member's discount when buying both sets is significant ($42) and just abut pays for the membership ($50) and you get the next 4 issues of the Journal.  You can join and purchase the CD's with a call to the office.

Kurt

[ErRains]

Thanks Wayne, Roger, Kurt!

 

I do have a question regarding the NRG products and I understand that the CD sets will have more material and information then what is provided in the Shopnotes.  If I opt for the CD sets do/should i still pick up a copy of the Shopnotes? 

 

Thanks Again to Everyone for their Help

ER

[kurtvd19]

The shop notes books are compilations of some of the Shop Notes that were originally published in the Journals.  Shop Notes 1 (the original) is from the first 25 years of the Journal.  Each Shop Note was previously printed but spread out over 25 years.  The Shop Notes 2 is comprised of Shop Notes from 1981 to 2005.  There are no duplication between the books.  The great thing about the Shop Notes books is the information is in a book and one doesn't have to go looking for each subject covered.  If you want to see the Shop Notes on blocks they are all together rather than spread over 25 years worth of Journals.

 

Some consider the Shop Note books to be a must have for all modeler's libraries.  If your budget allows I would get the CD's and the SHop Notes.  I have them in my library and other than the member discount I paid full price for them - I considered them as essential information.

But, please, others pipe up here as this is only my opinion and others should give theirs.

 

Kurt

[MEDDO]

The biggest problem I have is both my desktop and laptop do not have drives in them.  Would have to scrounge up an external to use those cd's.  I agree with Kurt on the Shop Notes.

[ErRains]

Quick Question for Kurt (slightly off topic)

22 hours ago, kurtvd19 said:

You can join and purchase the CD's with a call to the office.

Regarding membership can this be done online or is the call mandatory? 

 

Thanks Again

ER

[Roger Pellett]

As far as I am concerned the two are apples and oranges, and I have both.  The shop notes are predominately technique.  In my personal experience, once I have studied them I have "gotten the idea" and seldom refer to them.

 

On the other hand, the CD's contain a record of several decades of modeling research, so you might think of them as project oriented and in my opinion the articles of 30-40 years ago are much more detailed than those in the recent journals. Eric Ronnberg's multipart series of the Boston Pilot Boat Hesper and Rob Napier's articles of the mid 19th Century sailing ship Sooloo come to mind.

 

If you will be satisfied assembling kits, you probably don't need the CDs but if you want to take this avocation further buy them.

 

Re; the lack of a disc drive When I needed a new laptop, I made sure that it had a CD drive.

 

Roger

[kurtvd19]

ER:

On line works for joining and for purchases.  Link to membership = http://www.thenrg.org/join-the-nrg.php

The NRG store has a link right from the MSW home page - upper right corner of the tool bar - on some themes it's under "other"

 

As to the lack of disc drives we are checking out USB Flash Drives.

 

Roger:

Thanks for pitching in.

 

Kurt

[trippwj]

10 hours ago, ErRains said:

Thanks Wayne, Roger, Kurt!

 

I do have a question regarding the NRG products and I understand that the CD sets will have more material and information then what is provided in the Shopnotes.  If I opt for the CD sets do/should i still pick up a copy of the Shopnotes? 

 

Thanks Again to Everyone for their Help

ER

Both the CD set and the shop notes are worthwhile investments.  They complement rather than duplicate each other. 

 

For me, having the "how to" tips in printed form is more practical- I can work over the guide, so to speak.  For the casual, hobbyist builder (rather kit or scratch), I think the shop notes can serve a very practical, long-term purpose.

 

I find I use the NRJ CD collection as a stepping off point for research on specific ships or topics.  For me, at least, I find a well documented article with a rich bibliography more useful than pretty pictures.  I use the references cited to dig back to primary sources when possible, rather than rely solely on the interpretation in the article. 

 

 

[MEDDO]

8 hours ago, kurtvd19 said:

 

 

As to the lack of disc drives we are checking out USB Flash Drives.

 

 That's great news Kurt. Honestly other than that short disk at the back of Legacy of a Ship Model book I haven't had a need for a disk drive in the last eight years. 

[tlevine]

Something else to consider for the library is the CD collections of Ships in Scale and Model Ship Builder.  The older magazines would have serialized articles, some spanning well over a year detailing construction of specific ships or kits.  This was the era before internet so these magazines were the ultimate build-logs of their time.  For example, the SIS series on Mantua's 1:98 Victory was detailed enough to be published later as a ring-fold-binder book and (although not completely accurate) was instrumental in my kit bash of that kit 20 years ago.

[ErRains]

Thanks Kurt for the clarification.

And Thanks to everyone else for providing their perspectives, it reinforces what I was leaning toward getting both the CD sets and the Shopnotes.   I'll look into the "Ships in Sacle" and "Model Ship Builder" collections as well.