Which Brand of Wooden ship model kit is better or worse.....? Take a poll and answer a few multiple choice questions.

[VTHokiEE]

11 minutes ago, Scottish Guy said:

Unfortunately I can´t see any results of this poll

Underneath the poll, next to the submit button click "Show Results" and you should be able to see the results.

[Scottish Guy]

39 minutes ago, VTHokiEE said:

Underneath the poll, next to the submit button click "Show Results" and you should be able to see the results.

 

cheers for that

[Scottish Guy]

Is it just me or are some of the instructions / plans are just more than crap? Taking in account that I noticed in the poll that Billing Boats is quiet... let me be blunt... rubbish about material quality but also about the quality of their instructions.

 

If the instruction lacks of some steps (not everyone was born a master) that is one thing, but when putting step 2 before step 1 and you start doing it the wrong way around... especially after the flimsy parts broke by trying to get them out of the stencils / sheets, then it becomes frustrating.

 

Like I stated in my LOG already, I accepted the challenge but it comes to a point that you think, give me proper blueprints / plans and I build the Skuldelev from scratch, might be easier than the so praised "beginner friendly" Billing Boats kit.

Not having a rant here but when the instructions make out you have to glue all parts of the keel together (after one of the parts just broke because it got stuck in the flimsy and woobly sheet) and then, in the next step just tells you to cut out the picture 1 and 1a to glue them onto a building board to glue each side of the keel (I was wondering why they use four parts to create ONE keel) and then stick on the bulkheads on each side. Unfortunately when they are all glued together (what the figure 1 makes out) it`s much harder to stick the bulkheads on (also separated in two parts - one for each side).

 

Now I´m in the dilemma that my keel is completely glued (already to support the broken part) and then it tells me to cut out the figures 1 and 1a to glue them onto the buiding board?
I´m really coming to the point to remake the four pieces (or even only one keel) and build a jig to place the bulkheads.

 

Sorry, rant over... but for what they deliver I think Billing Boats are way to expensive, just my humble opinion and they are definitely NOT beginners friendly.

 

Micha

[Cathead]

Quality instructions or not is a HUGE divider for kit manufacturers. There are only a handful that really bother to do it right. The rest are a sink or swim mentality.

[Snug Harbor Johnny]

44 minutes ago, Scottish Guy said:

Is it just me or are some of the instructions / plans are just more than crap? Taking in account that I noticed in the poll that Billing Boats is quiet... let me be blunt... rubbish about material quality but also about the quality of their instructions.

 

  Its a plus that there are 'some' instructions in the Roar Ege kit (I just peeked into my stashed kit and saw that there is a booklet included ... didn't open the plastic wrapper to check it out) ... the 'vintage' Vasa (sold in the 70s as Wasa) in 1:100 had none, apart from a few sketches on the plan, which was printed on both sides.  My Dad gave me the kit (fortunately he also bought the accessories kit that had cannons and fittings ... sold separately in those days), which was started through hull planking - on the 'assumption' that it was accurate (it wasn't then, but has been revised at least a couple times in the interim based on marine archeology).

 

  In recent years I've made some progress (and partial corrections) on the build (now suspended pending learning about rigging).  The BEST 'instructions' are the builds available for perusal on MSW - and there are several for the Vasa.  There are at least a couple for the Roar Ege, and no doubt if you study those you can avoid some pitfalls and also see what other builders have done to improve on what came in the box.

 

  As for text instructions from Einar Billing back in the day, a sheet (in several languages) was provided in my 'Wasa' kit.  It included: 

  "You are about to begin the exciting task of building a Billing Boat model, and I hope you will have many pleasant hours doing so.  The most important point is that this kit is intended to be built, and not merely assembled.  In consequence, you must not expect the parts to fit together perfectly - it will be necessary to exercise skill and imagination in the building of this kit.  ...  But thought and care should be exercised during construction ... after all, any child could put a puzzle together.  ...  I wish you a lot of success in building your model.  Yours sincerely,  Einar Billing."

 

  When life gives you a lemon, make lemonade !              Johnny