dooder85 Posted October 22, 2017 #1 Posted October 22, 2017 First build here, i read somewhere that the first kits have detailed instructions that build your knowledge base to know how to fill in the blanks when it comes to the less detailed instructions on the larger / more complex kits.. if that's the case I sure am glad i started with this little guy because i'm really struggling with the instructions! The miniature furniture kits / scratch-build tutorials i've worked off of have been drowning in detail. The build was going reasonably smoothly until I got the planking, where the instructions call for installing the sheeting, after rummaging through the kit a few times looking for a sheet of planks I decided it must be another name for strip wood. I didn't question this until i was securing the deck and the spacing between planks grew out of scale that I started second guessing and, digging through the kit one more time, found a pile of veneer strips - at this point i'm not sure if i've used my hull materials as planking or not! The images all appear to be strip wood, so i'm going to carry on and assume everything is fine. It's incredibly difficult to tell from any of the images online which wood was used, i seem to be the only one having this existential crisis. Yesterday was spent sanding / sealing the decks and today I will tackle filing down the ribs so I can start working on the hull. mtaylor, captgino, JohnB40 and 3 others 6 Quote
captgino Posted October 22, 2017 #2 Posted October 22, 2017 Great start! Nirvana and mtaylor 2 Quote Jean-Philippe (JP) Current build: Syren , HMS Victory Cross Section, Essex Please visit and subscribe to my YouTube Channel On Hold: Rattlesnake (Scratch built) Completed: Armed Virginia Sloop, Viking ship, The Flyer, Pilot Boat, Krabbenkutter, Marie-Jeanne, Sloup, The Smasher, Mayflower
mtaylor Posted October 22, 2017 #3 Posted October 22, 2017 So far, so good. As for the veneer, is it darker than what you planked the deck with? The pictures of the whole deck look pretty good from here. Nirvana 1 Quote Mark "The shipwright is slow, but the wood is patient." - me Current Build: Past Builds: La Belle Poule 1765 - French Frigate from ANCRE plans - ON HOLD Triton Cross-Section NRG Hallf Hull Planking Kit HMS Sphinx 1775 - Vanguard Models - 1:64 Non-Ship Model: On hold, maybe forever: CH-53 Sikorsky - 1:48 - Revell - Completed Licorne - 1755 from Hahn Plans (Scratch) Version 2.0 (Abandoned)
dooder85 Posted October 22, 2017 Author #4 Posted October 22, 2017 the veneer is quite a bit darker, i just found a build log where the deck was planked after being attached - that is what i would do next time, the gaps in the boards are just too big in my opinion mtaylor and Nirvana 2 Quote
mtaylor Posted October 22, 2017 #5 Posted October 22, 2017 Given the habit of kit makers, you probably have the wood in the right places then.. light colored decks and darker hulls. We all get gaps in planking at some time so just sand away the deck to get it smooth. Do NOT vacuum or dispose of the sawdust. Mix that with a 50/50 mixture of glue and water and apply as filler between the planks. Let dry and sand again. Repeat as needed. Derek C, JohnB40 and Nirvana 3 Quote Mark "The shipwright is slow, but the wood is patient." - me Current Build: Past Builds: La Belle Poule 1765 - French Frigate from ANCRE plans - ON HOLD Triton Cross-Section NRG Hallf Hull Planking Kit HMS Sphinx 1775 - Vanguard Models - 1:64 Non-Ship Model: On hold, maybe forever: CH-53 Sikorsky - 1:48 - Revell - Completed Licorne - 1755 from Hahn Plans (Scratch) Version 2.0 (Abandoned)
Nirvana Posted October 23, 2017 #6 Posted October 23, 2017 Off to a good start. Looking forward to see more. mtaylor 1 Quote Please, visit our Facebook page! Respectfully Per aka Dr. Per@Therapy for Shipaholics Finished: T37, BB Marie Jeanne - located on a shelf in Sweden, 18th Century Longboat, Winchelsea Capstan Current: America by Constructo, Solö Ruff, USS Syren by MS, Bluenose by MS Viking funeral: Harley almost a Harvey Nautical Research Guild Member - 'Taint a hobby if you gotta hurry
fnkershner Posted October 23, 2017 #7 Posted October 23, 2017 As to the quality of instructions. I would suggest they very more by who the manufacturer is than the cost or difficulty of the kit itself. I am not suggesting that the Swift is not a good kit for a first build, it is definitely that. It is more the fact that the Swift is built by AL. I would put them near the bottom of quality of kit and level of detail of instructions. I also suggest that you may find it easier on your next build if you go with a manufacturer who is a native English speaker. At least then you will not have to deal with poor translations. mtaylor and dooder85 2 Quote Current Builds - 18th Century Longboat, MS Syren Completed Builds - MS Bluenose, Panart BatteStation Cross section, Endevour J Boat Half Hull, Windego Half Hull, R/C T37 Breezing Along, R/C Victoria 32, SolCat 18 On the shelf - Panart San Felipe, Euromodel Ajax, C.Mamoli America, Its a sailor's Life for me!
JohnB40 Posted October 23, 2017 #8 Posted October 23, 2017 (edited) I agree with Mark,sand down and fill in the gaps in the deck. It has been a long time since I built the Swift.... If I remember correctly the hull is double planked. The first basswood layer makes it easier to rectify mistakes,once again filling and sanding to make a good shape and surface to glue the outer layer of veneer to. Take your time and don't get discouraged over mistakes. When you are done they won't be noticed.... It will be the over all look of the whole model your eyes take in. You will have learned a lot of how-to knowledge in the process. Edited October 23, 2017 by JohnB40 mtaylor and Robin Lous 2 Quote John Current Build: USF Confederacy 1778 by JohnB40 - Model Shipways - 1:64 scale HMS Unicorn Corel 1:75 HULKED Completed Builds: Golden Hind Scientific Models -- Swift 1:50 Artesania Latina -- Le Hussard 1:50 Artesania Latina -- Halifax 1:35 Robbe -- Armed Launch 1803 1:17 Panart
dooder85 Posted October 23, 2017 Author #9 Posted October 23, 2017 I read ahead in the instructions and they seem to refer to all strip wood as planks so I'm going to assume i did it correctly at this point lol. It does appear to be double hulled, so i will do the basswod layer and then the veneer over top - should look sharp mtaylor 1 Quote
ShipWrong Posted December 7, 2018 #10 Posted December 7, 2018 On 10/22/2017 at 12:10 PM, mtaylor said: Given the habit of kit makers, you probably have the wood in the right places then.. light colored decks and darker hulls. We all get gaps in planking at some time so just sand away the deck to get it smooth. Do NOT vacuum or dispose of the sawdust. Mix that with a 50/50 mixture of glue and water and apply as filler between the planks. Let dry and sand again. Repeat as needed. so simple, yet this escaped my thought TYVM Im looking forward to your build. I just got done with gluing 2-10 but the kit I have (same company) is different my I post a pic Quote
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