Hi :
I have given this some real heavy thought since I made that previous post . Now that said .I have seen models that blow me away ! Yes , me ! I have built for companies for training and display , museums and done restorations of what used to be called " Museum Grade " Models .There is a difference . I did one resto and after cleaning and Prepping it for rebuilding I noticed some more lettering on the stern still buried in paint .After working very carefully I was able to uncover the original name .The ships equipment fortified the impact .I was holding and had on my bench hand made blocks ,belaying pins and deck hardware from a model that had resided in a museum forty years before I was born ! It had historic importance too !
Now , that said , I called the owner and asked if I could continue and bring it back to it's Original rig .When I explained why he agreed .So in a nice home ,in a space made for it , is a one hundred and some year old model of the " Amistad " . The slave ship that hed a mutiny of the slaves and resulted in one of the biggest boondoggles for our fledgling government in the early years ! I have NEVER really considered myself a " Pro " , in the sense of a steady job . In the sense I build accurate ,historically or present day correct models of ships for clients .
This takes some amount of talent .I feel that a pro is someone who does his homework ! ! Take Al ROSS .he's written books and done some big piles of ships over the years .I may not always agree with his finished product ,(this concerns ships I served on) ( The types ) And I Feel he missed the boat .That's my opinion .He's been working in the field a loong time .So If he does one is it a " PRO " build , You bet your sweet bippy ! Now if I build one in the medium I use and it's qualified to sit in a museum or boardroom of a shipping company , that makes me a pro too ! I wouldn't sell anything at " Bay "prices though !
My 1/25 model cars start at $1000.00 ! This includes working suspension , opening doors , trunk , Hood , working windows , steering and shocks and springs ! Plus , the paint comes straight from the dealers stock
! Now , on ships , if it's a Navy ship , I use paint chips and photos to get it right on the federal spec numbers . The equipment is fit for the era or when the customer was on board . These can go to some thousands of bucks . I work eight hours a day four days a week .I still don't make what they allow me to make while on Social Security ! Like most commission work by an individual , it's always between feast or famine . Occassionally I'll do one for someone based on verbal descri[ptions . I have one such Back in my shop notw .It seems my build as interpreted by me was somewhat incorrect .There is NOT much written on the vessel in question and only a few very poor photos exist .He had them and sent them to me after the ship was done . Now I am having to fit him back in the mix .He will get it back probably in a month or so . Price $ 50.00 .Why so low ? The owner is himself an artist and sculpter who gave a gorgeous piece to a very good cause .Could I do any less by him ? That said think about what I wrote and make up your own mind what makes a " Pro "