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Posted (edited)

Hiya,

 

I'm a new member and I'm very interested in what I've seen here so far!

 

I'm new to models—at least as an adult. I did not particularly enjoy them as a kid, but as I've grown up I've developed a real interest in woodworking, art (painting and drawing) and doing crafty things in general. What I used to find tedious and frustrating is now calming and relaxing. Besides those interests, I'm a fan of Aubrey/Maturin—again, as a kid I found them tedious and frustrating and now I love it. I also love sailing real boats (and, unlike the other things, I have since I was a kid.) Last year, in the middle of a re-read of a Aubrery/Maturin book, I was googling some obscure sail reference and was searching for photos or diagrams of the HMS Surprise and thought to search for models as well... a few days later, my Instagram feed started showing me ads for Occre models—creepy, but highly accurate! Amused/bemused by the accuracy of the algorithm in knowing what I was interested in, I showed one ad to my wife and when my birthday rolled around, she and my kids proudly presented me with the Occre Polaris. 

 

And, as disturbed as I am at Instagram for leading me to the models, I've absolutely loved working on it. I started in January, took a break for the warm months and am back at it. I've completed the hull and am starting work on the deck and am vaguely dreading the rigging. I'm considering a log, but there's nothing particularly extraordinary about my build and I haven't documented it well thus far... but I will say that I'm finding the Occre Polaris a perfect thing to start with. It's much more challenging than any plastic model, but there is nothing that isn't doable, nothing that can't be done with tools that a reasonably well-equipped home handyman/hobbyist wouldn't have mostly on hand anyway, the instructions are clear and there is a YouTube series demonstrating everything.

 

I think one day I would like to build a small craft of my own—and while it's a lot more pricey and requires more space, I think some of the plans I'm looking at for that are actually less complex than the model plans I currently have. I'll wait until I finish this model before I say if I'll do another, but I'm thoroughly enjoying this one.

 

I've made a few errors, most of which I stressed over before discovering that they really didn't matter as they were easily patched or covered up in later steps. I've got quite a bit of work left to do, and I don't want to jinx myself, as I could always not finish it, but I do think the end is in sight (as in, it is very likely that the model will be finished). With that caveat, as a beginner still in the process, I would say a helpful piece of advice is to just keep plowing ahead—at least on a simple-ish model like Polaris, most mistakes seem pretty solvable by some sanding and paint. Oh, and I suppose an understanding that, while perfection is desired, it's okay if you don't get it all perfect on your first model. 

 

I, for example, botched the bow—I did not nail the sanding and shaping of the reinforcements under the hull that give the front of the boat the right shape. I got it pretty well—if it was a real boat, it would cut through the water, but when I applied the planking, the shape was off enough that it made the planking uneven and the gap for the keel piece at the front was ragged and very un-seaworthy. And since it wasn't a perfect fit at the front, the false keel didn't meet up with the sternpost perfectly at the back. But after some thought—and some impulsive stabs as well—I got it to fit pretty well... I pulled up some of the second layer of planking and patched in new pieces... It is definitely noticeable if you look at it closely, but sanding and varnish covered a lot of the sin. And, the other option was to not finish.

 

I've found all your models inspiring and your tips and suggestions for tools and supplies helpful. 

Edited by rmccook
Posted

:sign:

Start so you can Finish !!

Finished:         The Sea of Galilee Boat-Scott Miller-1:20 ,   Amati } Hannah Ship in a Bottle:Santa Maria : LA  Pinta : La Nana : The Mayflower : Viking Ship Drakkar  The King Of the Mississippi  Artesania Latina  1:80 

 

 Current Build: Royal Yacht, Duchess of Kingston-Vanguard Models :)

Posted

:sign:

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)         

         

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                

Posted

Howdy! Welcome aboard!

"The journey of a thousand miles is only the beginning of a thousand journeys!"

 

Current Build;

 1776 Gunboat Philadelphia, Navy-Board Style, Scratch Build 1:24 Scale

On the Drawing Board;

1777 Continental Frigate 'Hancock', Scratch Build, Admiralty/Pseudo Hahn Style, "In work, active in CAD design stage!"

In dry dock;

Scratch Build of USS Constitution... on hold until further notice, if any.

Constructro 'Cutty Sark' ... Hull completed, awaiting historically accurate modifications to the deck, deck houses, etc., "Gathering Dust!"

Corel HMS Victory Cross Section kit "BASH"... being neglected!

 

 

 

Posted

 Welcome to MSW. Glad to have you aboard. 

Current Builds:  1870's Sternwheeler, Lula

                             Wood Hull Screw Frigate USS Tennessee

                             Decorative Carrack Warship Restoration, the Amelia

 

Completed: 1880s Floating Steam Donkey Pile Driver                       

                       Early Swift 1805 Model Restoration

 

 

Posted

Welcome to MSW! :cheers:

Andrew
Current builds:- HM Gun-brig Sparkler - Vanguard (1/64) 
HMAV Bounty - Caldercraft (1/64)

Completed (Kits):-

Vanguard Models (1/64) :HM Cutter Trial , Nisha - Brixham trawler

Caldercraft (1/64) :- HMS Orestes(Mars)HM Cutter Sherbourne

Paper Shipwright (1/250) :- TSS Earnslaw, Puffer Starlight

 

Posted

Welcome to MSW from the UK.

🌻

STAY SAFE

 

A model shipwright and an amateur historian are heads & tails of the same coin

current builds:

HMS Berwick 1775, 1/192 scratchbuild; a Slade 74 in the Navy Board style

Mediator sloop, 1/48 - an 18th century transport scratchbuild 

French longboat - CAF - 1/48, on hold

Posted

Welcome aboard.

You'll not find a better forum or helpful group of people than here at the MSW.

I sent you a PM (private message).

Alan O'Neill
"only dead fish go with the flow"   :dancetl6:

Ongoing Build (31 Dec 2013) - HMS BELLEROPHON (1786), POF scratch build, scale 1:64, 74 gun 3rd rate Man of War, Arrogant Class

Member of the Model Shipwrights of Niagara, Niagara Region, Ontario, Canada (2016), and the Nautical Research Guild (since 2014)

Associate member of the Nautical Research and Model Ship Society (2021)

Offshore member of The Society of Model Shipwrights (2021)

  • 11 months later...
Posted (edited)

Oh, it must be model building season!

 

I don't know about you guys—I love my model, but somewhere around March, I suddenly stop finding it so fun and then somewhere around now, all of a sudden I notice it and I start spending every night toying with it. It happened last year too—got the model in January, toyed with it until March, set it aside, and came back to it about Oct 1.

 

I was wondering when I would be seized with interest again (I knew I'd come back to it), and I cleaned up my workshop a few weeks ago, moved all the summer projects and tools out of the way, stowed the garden stuff, etc. and have been eyeing the half-completed model, thinking about what needs to be done.

 

I stopped last spring just before starting the rigging, which seemed a natural stopping point, but I wasn't intending to stop for six months, and then the other night, not sure why, I sat down and started in on it again, promptly glued my fingers together, realized that six months ago I put some cleats on the wrong side of a mast—like I never left.

 

Anyway, we're off again!

 

Next step, of course, was to start posting here and begin browsing kit listings and imagining what I should do next before I finish what I've already started. Hope you all had a good summer!

Edited by rmccook
Posted (edited)

Hi and welcome to MSW. First, don't worry about mistakes. We all make them - the experienced builders just make more interesting ones! And wood is a very forgiving medium.

 

Second, if you haven't already started one, begin a build log. First we get to see your model under way, second you can get help and advice and ask questions about any problems you might encounter.

 

Best wishes,

 

Steven 

 

[Edit] I just noticed your original post was almost a year ago - I must have missed it. But on searching MSW I don't see a build log, so I think my advice above still applies. Start one - it's a good group we have here, and very helpful.

 

Steven

Edited by Louie da fly

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