Lost on wood boat project!!!

G'day Danny,
The first thing is which kit of the Blue Nose is it? The big Billing, the small Billing or some other?
Getting the keel and frames at 90deg is probably the most important step in the whole construction. Get this wrong and nothing will be right. Get it right and most of your troubles will be small ones. A small engineers square is a great investment at this point.
As for other tools they can be purchased as/when/if required.
I, and the other Gents will be pleased to pass on any hints and advice that we can.
Remember the only stupid question is the one you don't ask!
Welcome to the REAL world of model shipwrightry.
Dai

I disagree with the prior posts... the absolute first thing you need to do is get on the phone and order at least a dozen roses.. maybe the giant Ecuadorian kind and count your blessings. After that you can take any of the above suggestions in any order.

I'd add my ideas to the pot... There are some really good books available on the Bluenose and fishing schooners in general. If your modeling pleasure is enhanced by learning about the equipment your are building and how the full scale stuff worked, look for:

"Bluenose II, Saga of the Great Fishing Schooners" L.B. Jenson $25 - 50 on ADDALL.COM - great drawings with details of rig and equipment

"American Fisherman" Albert Cook Church - under $10 on ADDALL.COM - incredible photos of fisherman at work

"The American Fishing Schooners", Howard I. Chapelle - $30-35 on ADDALL.COM
the technical bible on the subject


Have fun!

Schoonerbumm

Danny,

I'm working on my first wooden boat too.

This site can be exceptionally helpful: http://home.att.net/~ShipModelFAQ/

I found that working with wood is, in many ways, easier than working with plastic.

Regards,

I am also working on my first wooden model. The first time I open the box it was a little intimidating. My first step wa to obtain a couple of books on building wooden ship models. Without them it would ahve been a lost cause.

My "project" is the yacht America from Constructo. The drawings are pretty clear most of the time, but the instructions are not very detailed. Start with books and it will all start to come together. Aquiring carpentry skills is another story.

I think that the tools you have for plastic models should be a good start. Yes, a sander is a big help. I agree about Ben Lankford's book. Probably available on Amazon.com. As for paints, avoid gloss colors. Most ship models call for flat colors. I use Flo-Quil Poly Scale acrylic model railroad paint. There is a great variety of colors available and it cleans up with water.

A good rule is: "if all else fails, read the directions" But read them first. And tell your wife that it is a good idea to start with solid hull boat models from Model Expo or BlueJacket ShipCrafters. Both are on line.

Al Blevins

I suggest you visit the guys at www.drydockmodels.com. They are wooden ship guys with lots of good advice. The forum there can help you with tools, techniques, background information and even a little encouragement when needed.

The first thing you should do is pick up a book or two on building wooden ship models. The Neophyte Ship Modeler's Jackstay, by George Cambell is a great, inexpensive beginners' book. Ship Modeling Simplified, by Frank Mastini is a good one, as well.

I've also heard that Ben Lankford's "How to build first rate ship models from Kits" is good too. I'd say that www.seaways.com is a great resource for wooden ship modeling, too.

When starting out on wooden ships, you really don't need a lot of fancy power tools. The books I mentioned will give you a good idea of what tools you'll need.

-Bill
-Bill

If the wood is lazer-cut you could use a utility knife or a wood chisel. I like the chisel myself. As far as glue goes, it's your choice: two part epoxy , superglue or even a wood specific glue, (I like Tite-Bond). I actually use all three depending on how much working time I need.
The paint is once again up to you. I have used both enamel and lacquer (regular automotive type).
The patience part is the main ingredient. Break the model down into smaller models and don't look to far ahead. This will help you see progress. Pretty soon you'll have a completed model.
And then you can say, Honey , "How 'bout another gift"
Andy

A lot of patience, and some aspirine too...

A little TNT might help as well