For the Beginner Modeler

[kgstakes]

You know we all been talking about the power tools that we like and I got to thinking.  Honestly, when I first got into the hobby of building plastic kits, model railroading, really the only power tool I had was a dremel.  The other tools were all hand tools.  x-acto knife, scale rule, some clothes pins for clamps, some rubber bands for clamping, toothpicks for a glue applicator.  You all get the picture.

 

So, for anyone just starting out in the hobby, don't get all hung up on you HAVE to have all these power tools we're all talking about.  You can build some great looking models with just hand tools and a inexpensive dremel for cutting.  That's really all you need.  Then as time goes by and you want to buy some power tools, then go ahead.  But don't let all this talk about power tools keep you from getting into the hobby of building all kinds of models.

 

It's a great stress reliever and you may even find things that you thought you could never do really really enjoyable.

 

So give this hobby a try...  Ships, boats, cars, trucks, railroad, monsters, the list goes on and on.

 

Thanks again to everyone here, it's been a pleasure looking at all the fine builds you all do.  I keep striving to be a great of a modeler as you all are!!

 

What's your take on this?  Any additions? Subtractions?  Like to hear what everyone else has to say on this subject.

Edited December 28, 2023 by kgstakes

[kgstakes]

Here’s an idea that I adopted from Adam savage (yeah I watch some of his utube stuff).  Anyway he has a “first order of retrievability”.   I took his idea and made a carrying box that has all the tools that I use always when building.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited December 28, 2023 by kgstakes

[ccoyle]

4 hours ago, kgstakes said:

What's your take on this?

 

Back when I was a member of the Ship Modelers Association, a local club based in Southern California, I knew a member there (Randy Biddle) who built wonderful models without using any power tools. A lack of power tools doesn't make any modeling task impossible -- the tools just reduce the amount of time needed to do them.

[Staredge]

Prisoners used to make accurate models of square riggers from bone with no tools at all.  It’s all about time and willingness. 

[Bob Cleek]

1 hour ago, Staredge said:

Prisoners used to make accurate models of square riggers from bone with no tools at all.  It’s all about time and willingness. 

So the story goes and I suppose stranger things have happened, but the fact of the matter was that the Eighteenth-Century prisoner of war handicrafts, including ship models, were in many instances a rather finely organized production operation with all the contemporary tools suited to the task available to the prisoners building the models. It's been written that many, if not most, of the prisoner of war ship models, bone and otherwise, were built on a "piecework" and "assembly line" basis in much the same fashion as are today's commercially built ship models from Vietnam and Madagascar. (See: Model ship workshop „Le Village“ - MADAMAGAZINE and " Sail into the World of Handmade Model Ships" – OMHVN (vietnamshipmodels.com) ) It behooved the captors to supply the prisoners with the tools and to some extent the materials to fabricate items for sale to the general public because the proceeds of their endeavors provided the prisoners with an income with which they could to some extent support themselves, thereby reducing the cost of their keep which otherwise would have had to have been paid by their captors.  This was and is a long-established prison industry business model still practiced today. (See e.g., : About » CALPIA Website )

 

Although some remarkably accurate POW bone models have survived from the Napoleonic period, in general, the term "accurate" as applied to them remains a relative concept. They presented quite a range in terms of visual and historical accuracy, although all are true folk art treasures today. Many were entirely fanciful... and then some!  

 

Edited December 28, 2023 by Bob Cleek

[kgstakes]

Bob,

 that model you show, that’s made all out of bone?? The rigging course not but the ship cannons etc are they?

[GrandpaPhil]

I have two Dremels and a scroll saw.  
 

I’ve never used them for a model.

 

I hand cut all wood parts with a coping saw and/or a razor saw.

 

Most other shaping is done with a scalpel.

 

I do occasionally use an ordinary household drill for drilling mast holes, or holes for mounting points on models.

[allanyed]

15 hours ago, ccoyle said:

A lack of power tools doesn't make any modeling task impossible

This is a no brainer.   As there was no commonly available electricity, thus no electric power tools before the late 19th century, the beautiful models we see from the 17th and 18th century were done without electrically operated tools.   Team efforts or not, they produced better models than most of us will ever build.   

Allan

[Bob Cleek]

10 hours ago, kgstakes said:

Bob,

 that model you show, that’s made all out of bone?? The rigging course not but the ship cannons etc are they?

I believe so. I pulled the photos off of Google images, but they look like the POW bone models I've examined in various museums and these were made of bone, bovine, I believe. That would include the cannon and whatever other material is colored white. The rigging is sometimes made of horse hair, or so I've read.

[Bob Cleek]

7 minutes ago, allanyed said:

This is a no brainer.   As there was no commonly available electricity, thus no electric power tools before the late 19th century, the beautiful models we see from the 17th and 18th century were done without electrically operated tools.   Team efforts or not, they produced better models than most of us will ever build.   

Allan

True that, but the great models we see from the 17th and 18th centuries were built with human powered tools. They certainly had lathes and perhaps even pedal-pedal powered scroll saws. The Egyptians were using human-powered wood turning lathes in 1,300 BCE and fret saw blades were in use from the early 1500's. My comments regarding the POW bone models were in response to an assertion that, "Prisoners used to make accurate models of square riggers from bone with no tools at all."  

[mugje]

Well a disc sander with adjustable table (like the proxxon one) made my modellers life a lot more enjoyable. It makes it so much more easy. 

And a Dremel ofcourse...those two are my essentials...for now  

[N80FTY]

2 hours ago, allanyed said:

This is a no brainer.   As there was no commonly available electricity, thus no electric power tools before the late 19th century, the beautiful models we see from the 17th and 18th century were done without electrically operated tools.   Team efforts or not, they produced better models than most of us will ever build.   

Allan

Hey Allen,

As a first time builder I've tried to do my model all by hand this far. (Until I get my 2nd model, Amati or Caldercraft HMS Victory)

I've not used any electric power tools yet, apart from my plank bender for 2 bends near the gallery, which could have been done with hot water or in the old days a hot steam box and pegs in holes to get the angles needed. But I've only just built the hull so far. and my finger tips are nearly healed from the first sanding. lol. We are lucky this day and age with the advancements since 16-19th century. Until now I never really realised how much work goes into building a model. Tools I've used are, Swann scalpel, zona razor saw, small hammer, snips/side cutters, ruler, pin vice for marking and drilling, sand papers, wood glue, And most importantly a hell of a lot of information from all you guys on here.

[rvchima]

I use my Proxxon oscillating sander constantly. It's perfect for removing laser char, and attachment nubs from photo-etched brass. The sandpaper pads that come with it are terrible but I make my own with double-sided tape and my favorite sandpaper. I even use foam sanding pads to make tiny pads that will follow contours.

[Roger Pellett]

Equipping a workshop is entirely dependent on the type of modelmaking that you intend to pursue.  I will agree that assembling a POB kit can  be accomplished with a minimal collection of hand tools.  That’s one reason why people buy kits.  Moving into scratch building, POB, or even some POF models of classic age of sail vessels can also be built with hand tools if you are willing to use purchased metal fittings.  

 

Modeling iron and steel hulled vessels is a different situation, especially if you intend to meet 1a criteria (only chain and cordage purchased).  Here you can’t have enough tools!  

 

Our modeling world is by no means limited to Eighteenth Century Sailing Ships.

 

Roger