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Newbie wannabe!

Paul White

By Paul White
in New member Introductions

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Paul White

Paul White

Posted
Posted

Hi there,

 

I have toyed with the idea of building a wooden model ship for some time, but have always been put off by not knowing what tools to get. Getting a kit and all the tools at the same time always felt like a high cost of entry into the unknown. 
 

Anyway I bought an old model boat in an antique shop which needed a little fixing up. Nothing fancy and I just fettled with it really, but enjoyed doing so and ended up buying a couple of basic tools. 
 

Black Friday rolled around and after some reading up on starter boats I plumped for the Occre Polaris and ordered it and some more starter tools. Decided to see what I really need as I go along. Also wondering whether to do a really basic Viking boat before starting the Polaris, just to build skills. 
 

Anyway, looking forward to the journey and to learning much more here. 
 

Paul

Paul White

Rye, East Sussex, England. 

 

In progress: HMS Sherbourne - Vanguard Models

 

Completed: 32' Barge - Vanguard Models

 

 

 

barkeater

barkeater

Posted
Posted

Have fun.

Rich

On the workbench: The bomb vessel Carcass 1758. Nelson sailed on her in 1773 as a midshipman during England's first Polar expedition.

Completed scratch build: The 36 gun frigate "L'Unite" 1797. Nelson briefly commanded in 1801.

Completed scratch build: The armed brig "Badger" 1777. Nelson's first command

Completed kits: Mamoli "Alert", Caldercraft "Sherbourne"

Knocklouder

Knocklouder

Posted
Posted

:sign:

This is the place to be, good luck on your journey  

Bob  M.


  https://modelshipworld.com/topic/38763-add-your-long-signatures-in-here/#comment-1123657

on the build table:

        USCG Harriet Lane 

On Hold:    Twin Bluenoses

                   Astrolabe  1812

Finished:

     Twelve in our "Gallery "

Bob  M. 

Keith Black

Keith Black

Posted
Posted

 Paul, welcome to MSW. Wishing you great success with your Polaris build, glad to have you aboard. 

Current Builds: Billy 1938 Homemade Sternwheeler

                            Mosquito Fleet Mystery Sternwheeler

                            Wood Hull Screw Frigate USS Tennessee

                            Decorative Carrack Warship Restoration, the Amelia

 

Completed: Sternwheeler and Barge from the Susquehanna Rivers Hard Coal Navy

                      1870's Sternwheeler, Lula

                      1880s Floating Steam Donkey Pile Driver                       

                       Early Swift 1805 Model Restoration

 

 

 Perfection is an illusion, often chased, never caught

palmerit

palmerit

Posted
Posted (edited)
7 hours ago, Paul White said:

Black Friday rolled around and after some reading up on starter boats I plumped for the Occre Polaris and ordered it and some more starter tools. Decided to see what I really need as I go along. Also wondering whether to do a really basic Viking boat before starting the Polaris, just to build skills. 

While I haven't build an Occre model, I understand that the Polaris is intended as a beginner model from a good company. And there are lots of build logs here to learn from. I don't know if you can get more basic than that - except for doing something like a Dory and Pram from Model Shipways / Model Expo. What company is the viking boat from - avoid buying garbage cheap kits you might find on amazon. They'd be more of a headache and the opposite of a learning experience from everything I've read. Is the viking list listed as a beginner kit? One think I've learned is that size and the seeming simplicity of the finished model is not an indication of its difficulty. One of the kits I'm working on now is the Maine Peabod, just a little canoe, simple in form, and it has been the most difficult planking I've yet to do - I wasn't surprised by that, I got it because it used lots of little strip planks and I wanted the challenge (though I've seen some comment that maybe they would get that as their first model, which would be a serious mistake). Some viking boats might have clinker planking, which would add a whole other layer of complexity.

 

Make a build log. It can be as simple or complex as you want. I just post from my iPhone. Sometimes I write long entries. Sometimes it's just a brief progress report and a few photos to share. People who have built the Polaris before might click on "Follow topic" and then any time you post they will get a notification - so if you do hit a rough spot, someone who built the kit might be able to chime in with a suggestion. I tend to follow builds of kits I've built - not that I'm an expert by any means, but I just built some of those models in the past year and might be able to share a suggestion, or even commiserate if the instructions are confusing or a part does not seem to fit right.

Edited by palmerit

Current Builds: San Francisco Bay Scow Schooner (Midwest Products), Gunboat Philadelphia (Model Shipways), Zulu 'Lady Isabella' (Vanguard Models), Maine Peapod (Midwest Products), Sakonnet Daysailer (Midwest Products), Nonsuch 30 (Model Shipways)

In the Queue: Oseberg (Ships of Pavel Nikiten), Endurance (Occre), Syren US Brig 1803 (Model Shipways), Duchess of Kingston (Vanguard Models)

Completed Builds: Lowell Grand Banks Dory (Model Shipways), 18th-Century Merchantman Half-Hull Planking Kit (NRG), Norwegian Pram (Model Shipways), Endurance (Lego), Muscongus Bay Lobster Smack (Model Shipways), Grand Banks Dory (Midwest Products), Sherbourne 1763 (Vanguard Models), Ranger 1864 (Vanguard Models), Chesapeake Bay Crabbing Skiff (Midwest Products),

Baker

Baker

Posted
Posted

:sign:

Regards, Patrick

 

Finished :  Soleil Royal Heller 1/100   Wasa Billing Boats   Bounty Revell 1/110 plastic (semi scratch)   Pelican / Golden Hind  1/45 scratch  große-jacht / Yacht D'Oro 1/50 Corel

Current build :  Mary Rose 1/50 scratch 

Gallery : Revell Bounty  Pelican/Golden hind 1/45 scratch  große-jacht / Yacht D'Oro Corel

 

Shore leave,  non ship models build logs :  

ADGZ M35 funkwagen 1/72    Einhets Pkw. Kfz.2 and 4 1/72   Autoblinda AB40 1/72   122mm A-19 & 152mm ML-20 & 12.8cm Pak.44 {K8 1/2} 1/72   10.5cm Howitzer 16 on Mark. VI(e)  Centurion Mk.1 conversion   M29 Weasel 1/72     SAM6 1/72    T26 Finland  T26 TN 1/72  Autoprotetto S37 1/72     Opel Blitz buses 1/72  Boxer and MAN trucks 1/72   Hetzer38(t) Starr 1/72    

 

Cleaning the 1/72 military collection

 

Si vis pacem, para bellum

 
 
AJohnson

AJohnson

Posted
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

 

Admiral Rick

Admiral Rick

Posted
Posted (edited)

Paul as said numerous times before WELCOME. 
As far as tools I agree get what you need as you need them but make sure initially purchase a bunch cheap spring clamps. You can never have too many. When your hands won’t fill the need they will. I find just when I think I have enough I will be in a situation wishing if I only had one more. 

Also by joining MSW you have access to 1000s of years of experience available as needed. 
Welcome Best RVB (Rick)

 

Edited by RVB
palmerit

palmerit

Posted
Posted

One piece of advice: Buy blades (for a scalpel or hobby knife) in packs of 100 and change them often. 

Current Builds: San Francisco Bay Scow Schooner (Midwest Products), Gunboat Philadelphia (Model Shipways), Zulu 'Lady Isabella' (Vanguard Models), Maine Peapod (Midwest Products), Sakonnet Daysailer (Midwest Products), Nonsuch 30 (Model Shipways)

In the Queue: Oseberg (Ships of Pavel Nikiten), Endurance (Occre), Syren US Brig 1803 (Model Shipways), Duchess of Kingston (Vanguard Models)

Completed Builds: Lowell Grand Banks Dory (Model Shipways), 18th-Century Merchantman Half-Hull Planking Kit (NRG), Norwegian Pram (Model Shipways), Endurance (Lego), Muscongus Bay Lobster Smack (Model Shipways), Grand Banks Dory (Midwest Products), Sherbourne 1763 (Vanguard Models), Ranger 1864 (Vanguard Models), Chesapeake Bay Crabbing Skiff (Midwest Products),

  • 5 weeks later...
Paul White

Paul White

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Slight change of plan!

 

The company I ordered Polaris from (Premier Ship World) took 19 days to not dispatch it, so I cancelled that order.

 

In the meantime I had discovered Vanguard Models, and read many good reviews of the company and its models.  I thought that a small model would be the best introduction and bought the 32 foot barge.  Turns out this was probably more tricky than I expected, but it went OK and I immensely enjoyed the experience, and finished it today.  

 

I enjoyed the build so much that I also ordered HMS Sherbourne between Christmas and New Year and this was dispatched very quickly and is expected this afternoon!

 

I think I may be hooked - as long as it is too cold to go out in a real boat...

Paul White

Rye, East Sussex, England. 

 

In progress: HMS Sherbourne - Vanguard Models

 

Completed: 32' Barge - Vanguard Models

 

 

 

Knocklouder

Knocklouder

Posted
Posted

Paul you can't go wrong with buying a Vanguard Model  , they are simply the best.  I know what is like to get hooked, half way through my first build, I bought 6 more that I liked. Lol.

When your Sherbourne arrives start a log here ,I would like to see your ships.

Bob  M.   :cheers:


  https://modelshipworld.com/topic/38763-add-your-long-signatures-in-here/#comment-1123657

on the build table:

        USCG Harriet Lane 

On Hold:    Twin Bluenoses

                   Astrolabe  1812

Finished:

     Twelve in our "Gallery "

Bob  M. 

Paul White

Paul White

Posted
  • Author
Posted
2 minutes ago, Knocklouder said:

Paul you can't go wrong with buying a Vanguard Model  , they are simply the best.  I know what is like to get hooked, half way through my first build, I bought 6 more that I liked. Lol.

When your Sherbourne arrives start a log here ,I would like to see your ships.

Bob  M.   :cheers:

Will do!

Paul White

Rye, East Sussex, England. 

 

In progress: HMS Sherbourne - Vanguard Models

 

Completed: 32' Barge - Vanguard Models

 

 

 

Tecko

Tecko

Posted
Posted

Welcome @Paul White. 

I am a beginner myself. However, I do have a few transferable skills, like everybody else, which make this hobby quite manageable.

Those transferable skills play a significant role in terms of the required tools to do the job. You may find that you do not need many tools at all.

In my opinion, the main transferable skill is self-confidence. With it, any obstacle can be overcome. Anyone who thinks they would like to give this hobby a go already has the needed self-confidence to master it.

So settle in, and have fun mastering what you already know you can master.

Peter.

Current Build: HMS Beagle

Paul White

Paul White

Posted
  • Author
Posted
33 minutes ago, Tecko said:

Welcome @Paul White. 

I am a beginner myself. However, I do have a few transferable skills, like everybody else, which make this hobby quite manageable.

Those transferable skills play a significant role in terms of the required tools to do the job. You may find that you do not need many tools at all.

In my opinion, the main transferable skill is self-confidence. With it, any obstacle can be overcome. Anyone who thinks they would like to give this hobby a go already has the needed self-confidence to master it.

So settle in, and have fun mastering what you already know you can master.

Thank you!

Paul White

Rye, East Sussex, England. 

 

In progress: HMS Sherbourne - Vanguard Models

 

Completed: 32' Barge - Vanguard Models

 

 

 

Admiral Rick

Admiral Rick

Posted
Posted

To Peter and Paul I have been building model ships for years and I can’t get enough of it. I even find myself building in the middle of the night in my dreams running over what tomorrow may bring. It’s definitely an adventure an addiction and at times an affliction ( notice they all start with A). Both of you’s are starting on a journey that will give you great satisfaction pride and self-esteem.Good luck to you both on your journeys. 
Best Rick

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