A newbe.... another one!

[bnw]

Hi you all, greetings from The Netherlands!

I am thinking of entering this beuatiful hobby of wooden ship building.

 

I am 52, but from childhood always busy with all sorts of craftwork, drawing, and so on. Plastic model kits, RC planes, electronics, etc. At home, I also do most of the maintenance and work myself. I work as an Industrial Product Designer and regularly make prototypes of my new designs.

 

So I am used to all kinds of materials, tools and different work.

But I am new in wooden Ship modelling and I am aware that I will have to learn a whole lot and will make mistakes when building my first ship (end second, and third....)

 

But I think I will manage to learn this great hobby! I also like to do small and precise work and my (first) project does not need to be finished within a few weeks, so I will not set deadlines! Just enjoy, learn and be amazed by the designs of great ships, build during the history!

 

I know, If I ask what the best beginners ship will be, several different opinions can lead to several different ships.

The last weeks I have read a lot of Forum threads, here and on other forums. I already learned a lot of that and I am sure, I'm sure I will use a lot of those threads and build  logs, when starting to build on my own.

 

I know it is important to start building a kit, which is doable, but I find it also important to build a ship which I like by design. Because that is one of the motivations to build it.

 

At the moment, I am looking for 2 or 3 kits:

- Mantua Arm 82

- Artesania Latina Bluenose II

- Artesania Latina Harvey

 

The Arm 82 is a nice piece of Dutch ship history. I have read several times, that this is a great kit to start with. The hull does not need to be planked. That will be a bit easier, but actualy I would like to learn planking also.....

 

Even if the Arm 82 is a great ship, I really like the design of ships like the Pen Duick and the Bluenose II more (I know, both are not exactly the same).

 

So I am also interested in the AL Bluenose II. It is not mentioned as a beginnersship, but I have read several build logs where this kit was the builders first one to build.

It has a double layer planking. So I can practice planking twice with this ship! And am I right that a double layer is a bit easier for the final finish because the final layer has a better surface (of course if you put enough effort in the first layer).

 

How do you feel about this?

Other alternatives with about the same design as the Bluenose, same kind of ship?

[Y.T.]

Age of 52 is too young for wooden ship building. 😊

[bnw]

12 minutes ago, Y.T. said:

Age of 52 is too young for wooden ship building. 😊

Haha, tnx!

On another forum they were only discussing that almost no young people do this kind of work/hobby, but with my age I cannot change that!

[Y.T.]

I was just kidding. Myself had started the hobby about that age.

[Jim Lad]

Hello, and a warm welcome to MSW from 'Down Under'.

 

John

[bnw]

1 hour ago, Jim Lad said:

Hello, and a warm welcome to MSW from 'Down Under'.

 

John

Thank you!

Thinking about it, centuries ago, we met new friends whole over the world by sailing the big oceans with nicely crafted ships, nowadays we make new contacts worldwide by contributing to a forum about building models from those same ships!

[ccoyle]

Welcome aboard!

[GrandpaPhil]

Welcome!

[palmerit]

Did you also check out Vanguard Models? Beautiful and great as a first model (the Novice kits). Great materials, detailed instructions, lots of build logs here. My first was their Sherbourne. 

[Ronald-V]

Welkom!

 

If you really like to have more answers about which ship would be good for a beginner, you should consider start a new thread for this. But it is always a bit of a difficult question to answer, because it depends how handy you are to begin with. 

 

I don't think you have selected really difficult subjects...and with starting a build log you get also help with questions etc. I think it's indeed important to select something you find interesting... that makes it easier to finish, instead of something you not really like.

 

Also try to find similar build logs for the models you have chosen...you get a good idea skipping through those if something is doable.

 

And yes...double layer hulls are a bit easier, because you learn a lot with the first layer, which you can correct with the second.

 

And I agree with Palmerit his suggestion. Vanguard Models is really good in terms of quality but especially their manuals.

But not sure if you like the subjects they offer.

 

Have fun here! 🙂

Edited October 27 by Ronald-V

[bnw]

Thank you all for your warm welcome!

 

I understand it is difficult to advise someone when you don't know hers or his skills.

And for me it is a bit difficult to estimate which ship will be doable because I have to build my first ship yet....

 

But all advice is helpful and the existing build logs are great.

 

And yes, when starting to build it may be wise to start my own build log.

Because the building will take some time, it can also take a while for new episodes in my build log, but on the other hand, I am probably not the only wo may take it easy and will take a lot of time, so I can learn and get the nicest result as possible.

 

But a building log will hopefully results in help from others and good advice. As others say: better ask questions first before gluing!

 

I will take a look at the Vanguard models if there is a model I like and if they are sold overhere.

Edited October 27 by bnw

[bnw]

Even before buying a kit, I was drinking a hot soup in a glass with a wooden stirring rod and suddenly, as I was looking closely to this rod...... I noticed I was practicing in bending planks unconsciously, without even realizing it

😁

 

[bnw]

Well, I have just ordered the Bluenose II from Artesania Latina!

 

I have found and read some more nice and very detailed build logs, some of them from people where this kit was also their first wooden ship project.

 

I surely will meet difficulties and challenges, but I will take enough time (no deadlines), will check the existing build logs and will ask for help on this forum, if I didn't find an answer somewhere.

I think, with this, and a lot of patience, I will manage to build the ship and most of all, I will also learn a lot!

 

Now, waiting for the kit to arrive and order the first missing necessary tools.

And of course, the right glue....

 

 

Edited October 29 by bnw

[bnw]

Now I am waiting for the kit to arrive (will take up to a week), I am inventorizing which tools I have to buy.

 

I don't think I will buy all the necessary tools right at the start. I want to begin with the tools I need for building the frame and planking the hull, and I will acquire the rest when I need them during the build.

 

What I already have:

• Steel ruler
• Several knives (Hobby blade, snap-off knife)
• Cutting mat
• Several pliers and cutters
• Marine Triangle
• Try Square
• Headband Magnifier

 

What I would like to buy to start with:

• Needle files
• Sandpaper (which grits?)
• Sanding block, sanding bars, any advice?
• Pin vise to hold the drills with several size drills
• Glue, any advice?
• Small glue clamps, other clamps, paper clamps, any advice?
• Other?

Or did I miss a sticky post with needed and adviced tools?

 

Are you guys interested if I start a build log, even though there will be quite some time between the updates/posts, because I expect to take my time?

[RossR]

For the pin vise, I would suggest one the uses a collet vs a chuck.  I find it holds small drill bits better.  
 

when I started I used CA for most things.  I thought PVA required clamping , but I recently built the NRG Half Hull and the instructions said to use PVA for the whole build.  I have since switched to using PVA for almost all my wood to wood glueing.  Holding for a minute our so and I have really good luck.   
 

 

[palmerit]

I use PVA for most things, but sometimes reach for CA (thin and thick). 

Buy blades by the 100 and replace them often - very often. It makes a big difference. I eventually “graduated” to using non-medical grade scalpel blades. 
 

Get a range of sandpaper. I cut some into small square. Sometimes glue pieces to blocks with rubber cement. I use 80-120 when I need to remove a bunch quickly, but carefully. 180-220 as a medium to turn to next. Then 320-400 for fine sanding. You don’t need anything finer unless you’re sanding coats of paint. 
 

I like using the thick emery boards used by manicurists. They have come with a different grit on each side. 

 

I have probably five different sizes and shapes of clamps. You can also turn binder clips into clamps to hold planks (google it). Rubber bands of various sizes are useful. Keep all the old wood from kits. I often cut them into pieces to use when clamping pieces down. You can never have too many clamps. I find it interesting seeing the creative ways people clamps things into place. 
 

A power drill - which most people already have - is useful as a makeshift lathe to shape and sand masts. I wrap paper around the end secure in the chuck to keep the end safe. 
 

Small paint brushes are useful not just to paint but to apply PVA glue. Sometime I use tooth picks to apply PVA. I use toothpicks or metal pins to apply CA glue. I never glue anything from a bottle. 
 

Just start a build log. It helps people who build a model later and folks might follow if it’s a model they’ve built and could pop in to comment or answer a question. I do build logs for me, trying to talk about challenges I had, giving caution if a model has an issue or a hiccup. Some build logs are very tutorial. Others like mine are verbose here and there but sometimes just a few photos since with some steps there is not much to talk about. 

Edited Sunday at 06:52 PM by palmerit

[bnw]

I have PVA glue, a fast drying one (4 minutes), but there is also a variant which takes a lot more time.

Is it advisable to use the fast drying glue for the planking? Or is it better to pick the slower drying one and give it  more time to dry?

[Ronald-V]

2 hours ago, bnw said:

I have PVA glue, a fast drying one (4 minutes), but there is also a variant which takes a lot more time.

Is it advisable to use the fast drying glue for the planking? Or is it better to pick the slower drying one and give it  more time to dry?

I have a faster drying one like you...Pattex if i'm not mistaking and that works just fine (waterproof). Sometimes in a difficult clamping spot, you can use your own fingers to hold the plank at the right spot and with the warmth of your fingers help drying it in a reasonable time (with the fast drying PVA) .Also a tip...sanding sticks are quite cheap to purchase at the drugstore like the Trekpleister or something like that. They use them for nail filing and work pretty good for our hobby.

 

Also handy at the drugstore.

 

Alcohol to dissolve PVA for fixing mistakes

Aceton to dissolve CA for also fixing mistakes or clean-up

Edited 21 hours ago by Ronald-V

[bnw]

48 minutes ago, Ronald-V said:

I have a faster drying one like you...Pattex if i'm not mistaking and that works just fine (waterproof). Sometimes in a difficult clamping spot, you can use your own fingers to hold the plank at the right spot and with the warmth of your fingers help drying it in a reasonable time (with the fast drying PVA) .Also a tip...sanding sticks are quite cheap to purchase at the drugstore like the Trekpleister or something like that. They use them for nail filing and work pretty good for our hobby.

 

Also handy at the drugstore.

 

Alcohol to dissolve PVA for fixing mistakes

Aceton to dissolve CA for also fixing mistakes or clean-up

Tnx, I have some fast drying glue from Bison, so I will try that one.

 

Good advice about the sanding sticks!