28 foot American cutter by druxey - FINISHED - 1:48 scale

[Roger Pellett]

Bob,

 

I’ll mention you in my will!🤣

[Maury S]

Druxey,

Are you planning on doing a book, similar to the one for the hospital barge?

Maury

[druxey]

Maury: Thanks for asking, but no, as it would not really add anything to what has already been published.

[K2Pete]

Oh my dear Gawd! I had to join to just leave a comment.

I post on a Plastic Modelling Forum and we had a visitor who's a member of this forum 'garyshipwright' IIRC. He posted an image of his ship model and it was gorgeous … and BIG.

 

I came back here after being told about it and have read every page, every post of this build.

 

I … am … a-STOUND-ed!

 

Taking into consideration its tiny size, what 8” 10”? … the detail, the WORKmanship, the Precise cuts … in WOOD! The skill demonstrated in this build is other worldly. The faithfulness of each … and … every …  small detail …   The grating … that tiny, PERFECT grating, the precisely cut top timbers ( hope I got that right! ) and myriad equally precise parts, every single part as a matter of fact, there’s no fudging, no guesstimating, no “close enough” ( like in MY builds )

 

I have the sense that I’m simply echoing what other members have stated, but druxey, you deserve all this high praise! Plus, the images of your progress, the lighting, the overall quality … My Goodness Gracious … is this an indication as to what I can expect to see on this forum. I shan’t be building, just viewing.

 

The terminology is baffling,     the techniques ( like antiquing Brass ), proper chisel usage, are enlightening and the research involved … all out-stand-ing!

 

Thank You druxey for demonstrating your skill and sharing your pure talent with the likes of me, a mere mortal. ’Tis a supreme pleasure to watch this marvel come together!

 

And maybe see it on video on TV? 

 

Okay, now get back to work everyone!  ;- D

 

Pete 

[bruce d]

Hello Pete,

Welcome to MSW, perhaps you will say a few words in the 'New Member Introductions' thread.

This build is a bit special, isn't it?  David has quite a fan club.

 

Regards,

Bruce

[druxey]

Thank you so much, folks.

 

Pete: I, too, was once in awe of other model-makers. Slowly, bit by bit, I kept improving and learning. You can do it too!

 

Pictured is the prototype for the 14' 0" oars. These are probably the smallest and most delicate I have made so far. I still have to add the binding on the end of the blade. One down, nine to go....

 

Edited June 11, 2021 by druxey

[dvm27]

And one wonders how you will display these ten little gems so as not to obscure all the minute details you've painstakingly included.

[Tigersteve]

He will find a way. 😀
Steve

[druxey]

Good question, Greg. The oars will be deployed in the same way as the Greenwich Hospital barge model.

 

Edited June 11, 2021 by druxey

[Bob Cleek]

On 6/8/2021 at 3:37 PM, rlb said:

There seems to be no end to the minutiae of this hobby/craft. 

Yep. It sure does beat memorizing sports statistics, doesn't it?  

[Bob Cleek]

On 6/8/2021 at 4:28 PM, Roger Pellett said:

Bob,

 

I’ll mention you in my will!🤣

I am deeply honored! 

[Bob Cleek]

5 hours ago, K2Pete said:

My Goodness Gracious … is this an indication as to what I can expect to see on this forum. I shan’t be building, just viewing.

It's a lot like sex: Everyone shares your initial reaction the first time they see it, but most quickly figure out on their own that "Just viewing" can't hold a candle to actually doing it.    

 

The biggest differences between a kit and a scratch built model are that 1) Scratch built models are unique and 2) people react to them the way you just have. (And, of course, if it matters to one, they're generally worth a lot more money than assembled kits.) Beyond that, the challenges and skills required are really no different than building a high-quality kit.

 

Experience starts when you begin. Start small and work up to the more complex stuff. Start with a less challenging, but high-quality kit or three. The only difference between assembling a kit and building a model from scratch is starting with plans instead of starting with plans and an expensive box of unsuitable wood, useless string, and poorly cast parts. (Except, of course, for the exceptional modern laser-cut kits offered by some of the advertisers on this forum like Syren Ship Models and Vanguard Models. See: MSW's Ship Model Kit Database for what's available: http://mswshipkits.ampitcher.com/)

 

Don't let the pros intimidate you.  A lot of the builders posting great stuff on MSW have forty or fifty years of doing it under their belts and it shows. You don't need to play like Arnold Palmer to enjoy golf. Most MSW members posting incredibly good work started back in the pre-internet days when it was really hard to even learn the basics of ship modeling. Now, with a resource like MSW, the learning curve has accelerated immensely and the beginning modeler can learn in a few years what it took the older generation decades to acquire. You can do it, too. 

Edited June 11, 2021 by Bob Cleek

[shipman]

K2pete, welcome.

Quite a gusher there mate, but Druxey and others here well deserve such praise.

[michael mott]

Well said Bob.

 

Michael

[Roger Pellett]

One thing that scratch building does require that kit building does not is a plan for building the model.  In my case this includes both how I am going to build it and in what sequence.  These are challenges that I enjoy.

 

Roger

[Roger Pellett]

Druxey,

 

Your oar is beautiful!

If I may offer a suggestion, I would gently round the tips.  We don’t want the crewman catching a crab in choppy water.

 

Roger

[druxey]

They are not complete yet nor bound with a metal strap to prevent splitting. All in good time, Roger!

[Keith Black]

11 hours ago, druxey said:

I still have to add the binding on the end of the blade.

 

 David, what is the thickness at the blade end? 

[druxey]

Keith: Theoretically 5/8", but they are actually a whisker thicker for integrity of the blade ends.

[shipman]

So....that's 5/8" thick 1:1.

How wide 1:1?

[druxey]

Shipman: Something in the order of 0.010" at 1:48 scale (I think that's was what you were asking!)

[druxey]

As a bit of light relief while making oars (five down, five to go!) I faux-painted a burlwood base for the model. There will be molding all the way around and a sub-base as well.

 

[wefalck]

Nice job on the 'wood-graining' !

[druxey]

All ten oars are now carved and ready for bindings and leathering. Work continues on the base and pedestals. The latter will be from ⅛" diameter acrylic rod, so as to be minimalist.

 

[wefalck]

How many did you need to make to get ten right ?... I don't want to be nasty, but just have a bit of consolation that others are also struggling with small and flimsy parts

 

[Hubac's Historian]

That burl graining looks fantastic!

[druxey]

Eberhard: I was lucky this time. I made 12 blanks and did not have to re-do any of the ten.

 

HH: Thank you. If you know the tricks of the trade, faux wood grain of all kinds  is not that difficult. A wonderful book on the subject is: Professional Painted Finishes, by the Marx brothers (not those ones!) Allen and Robert and Ina Brosseau Marx, Watson Guptill, 1991.

[BANYAN]

Very nice work on both the oars and the faux burle Druxey.  You say you got lucky but me thinks some experience coming through here   Did you use a jig to replicate the blades etc?

 

cheers

 

Pat

[druxey]

Pat: I simply cut rectangular section blanks for the oars, milled the shaft portions to 3" square, then cut, scraped and sanded the rest by hand and eye, also using a dial gauge for the finished dimensions.

 

Spent part of the day (when not doing remedial work on the house exterior) milling moldings for the base and sub-base and ebonizing them. More soon.

 

Thanks again for all the likes and visits, everyone!

[allanyed]

Creating the faux burl finish fascinated me so did a little research and found the following.  I have no idea if it is a similar process to what Druxey is using, but it explains at least one method in detail.   

https://www.google.com/search?q=How+to+make+Faux+burl+finish+on+plywood&oq=How+to+make+Faux+burl+finish+on+plywood&aqs=edge..69i57.7636j0j1&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8#kpvalbx=_LT3HYOiwI_CD_Qbap5HoCg15

 

Allan