Argh!!! We're Chock-a-Block with sailing ships!!!

vapochilled wrote:

I think it's a very personall thing, I'm, equally sure most modellers do something, even if it's just a name and date. I also think it's just a  ship model thing, perhaps because of the amount of time per build is many months if not years?

Not quite, I sign and date the interior of every model I build. Airplanes, ships, cars and the occasional target. A friend of mine puts a lock of hair from a member of his family and pets in the trunk area of each car he builds. And I know a guy in California that would write poetry on the inside of the fuselage of his planes.

mfsob wrote:

I HAVE to keep building models of steel ships ... how else am I going to get rid of all the lovely bottles and rattle cans of gray paint in a multitude of shades?

Well, it gets worse when you build both wooden and steel ships, for then you will find that instead of having a tackle box full of bottles of only grey paint, in many different shades of coarse, you will end up with another hundred of so bottles of every shade of brown, tan and stain.

Scott

devinj wrote:

Oh, never built a resin ship?  You're in for a treat.  I actually think them easier, better detailed, and I prefer them over plastic.  It is a different animal than plastic, though, and you'll find your procedures changing for a lot of the things you do (what you put together first, what you paint in sub-assemblies, adhesives used, etc), but they're great.  Everyone gripes about cost of the kits, but I'm fairly certain when you figure in the cost of aftermarket you have to buy for plastic kits - things that resin kits come with - prices aren't that different.  I know that with the Trumpeter Essex, two PE sets, wooden deck, extra aircraft sets, and L'Arsenal weapons, the price is almost what the old Tom's Essex resin kit cost. -Devin

I know that the price comparision between a plastic and a resin is not much different since many of the resin kits come with PE and are ready to build OOB.

Scott

I HAVE to keep building models of steel ships ... how else am I going to get rid of all the lovely bottles and rattle cans of gray paint in a multitude of shades?

devinj wrote:

I know that with the Trumpeter Essex, two PE sets, wooden deck, extra aircraft sets, and L'Arsenal weapons, the price is almost what the old Tom's Essex resin kit cost. -Devin

Tell me about it, I have one of those too!!! :-)

J

Oh, never built a resin ship?  You're in for a treat.  I actually think them easier, better detailed, and I prefer them over plastic.  It is a different animal than plastic, though, and you'll find your procedures changing for a lot of the things you do (what you put together first, what you paint in sub-assemblies, adhesives used, etc), but they're great.  Everyone gripes about cost of the kits, but I'm fairly certain when you figure in the cost of aftermarket you have to buy for plastic kits - things that resin kits come with - prices aren't that different.  I know that with the Trumpeter Essex, two PE sets, wooden deck, extra aircraft sets, and L'Arsenal weapons, the price is almost what the old Tom's Essex resin kit cost.

-Devin

After building a few small details in resin, and making some of my own parts, I too am hearing a full blown 1/350 kit in resin calling for me in the future.

Ahhh, the possibilities never cease.

Scott

Actually I have the Louisville that I'm going to dig out this weekend.  Same kit as Northampton, different name (or pretty darn close at least).  I ended up selling the Houston last year to someone who wanted it more than I did; money was too darn tight to pass up some cash. 

-Devin

Argh, I be hearin' a USS Houston a-callin' yer name Devin!! :-)

No worries amigo, I went downstairs last night and started looking at Mogami and Northampton. I've got a Houston, but didn't want to build the same thing you were!!

Jeff

Steel boats, you say?  Well, I have the aforementioned Trumpeter USS Essex in 1/350th well underway.  I'm finding that if I spend more time pre-sanding and dry fitting pieces that most of the seams can be removed with just sanding, no putty required, but of course that sanding removes detail so it still is an exercise in frustration.

I also now have a strange desire to start building a resin cruiser.  SOMEONE put the idea in my ear the other night over the phone, and now it won't go away.

I also have a tiny model of the new Battlestar Galactica underway, but that's for another forum/thread.

-Devin

I sir, cannot confirm nor deny that I've been in the employ of the US Government. :-)

But, I do know my prints are on record in the Hoover Building. No, not because I'm wanted in 23 states...it's because at one time in my life (back in the computer network engineering days) the company I worked for installed and maintained NCIC computer systems for law enforcement agencies. They like to know when civilians have access to information like that.

My strangest moment was when I was sent to repair a RAID array in the local FBI field office in Morristown, NJ. The agent in charge actually told me that "I didn't see anything here", even though all I saw was some desks and computers and a coffee maker. He said they liked to maintain a low profile, to which I asked him, "Then why do you have a big "Federal Bureau of Investigation" sign on the front of the building? He didn't think it was funny...but I did.

Jeff

vapochilled wrote:

That brings up a question Jeff! Who else puts "things" inside the boat? I sign and date the hull inside what do you guys add?

Fingerprints and there's probably a set to match in the bowels of the Hoover building from past employment requirements.

scottrc wrote:

Umm, that wouldn't happen to be a BB made by a certain Chinese manufacturer that also makes a 1/350 Essex class carrier which requires more Bondo than a car that has seen a dozen Wisconsin winters?

I'd sure be embarrassed to "toot my horn" by putting my label on such a poorly engineered kit.

robh wrote:

mabe stick a photo of my ugly mug in side as well just to act like a curse for anyone who breaks one of my models:)

... or perhaps you shouldn't.  It might become the cause for them breaking the model.  Someone takes a peek inside the model, sees the picture, quickly lets go of the model and screams. 

I typically sign and date my work as well, either the bottom of the base, or somewhere within the model itself. In the case of this clipper, I intend to add another letter to the inside of the hull indicating the restoration/preservation techniques I used on the hull, and detail the project with images. I just hope that 200 years from now someone will be able to read a CD-Rom!!!

The original letter was hand-written with a quilled pen. In fact, I sent it out to have it encapsulated (at the request of the owner) since it's disintegrating. Not exactly the ideal method of preservation, but the provenance of the model is more important than the actual document.

About 20 years ago, I was working on a house back in NY, and I was cutting an opening in a wall between the kitchen and dining room, with a nice oak mantle and arching the top, like you'd find in a nice Italian or French home. Once I had the hole cut, I took a section of the drywall and wrote a long, elaborate story about what was happening in the world, and how much I despised the obnoxious homeowner I was working for at the time. I remember listing who won the Superbowl, World Series, etc...and I stuck it in the wall between the studs.

Someday, when that place is remodeled or torn down, I hope someone finds that old board and gets in touch with me. I predicted that by the time someone did find it, it'd be easy to locate someone using computers (this was pre-internet).

Jeff

I suppose you have to have a lot of time and paitence to build a ship where as you can throw a 1/72 aircraft together in an evening:) well I have just dated put some info inside my current model of Belfast:)

I think it's a very personall thing, I'm, equally sure most modellers do something, even if it's just a name and date.

I also think it's just a  ship model thing, perhaps because of the amount of time per build is many months if not years?

what an interesing idea, I am an archivist by trade and you know I had never even thought of dating or signing the models I make. Well I think I shall have to start:) mabe stick a photo of my ugly mug in side as well just to act like a curse for anyone who breaks one of my models:)

vapochilled wrote:

Jeff Herne wrote: You guys are too much!! Of course you know I was just stirring the pot to wake up the iron-hulled guys!! Call it "motivational posting!" I must confess I'm actually restoring a vintage clipper model for a client, a 60" clipper from the tip of her bowsprit to her sternboards. I figure another year or two and she'll be done. The model was built sometime around 1890, judging by the provenance documents inside her hull. Jeff   That brings up a question Jeff! Who else puts "things" inside the boat? I sign and date the hull inside what do you guys add?

I also sign and date the inside. 
Add a bunch of clay mixed with loose pocket change for weight, don't ask me why, I just do.  Sometimes I might write down any thoughts or current events that are happening in my life.  I see a ship model kind of like a time capsule and I never may know when it might be broken into.

I have been doing this with models since I was very young and have been surprised with what I have found when a model I built 25 years ago gets broken up.
Scott

Jeff Herne wrote:

You guys are too much!! Of course you know I was just stirring the pot to wake up the iron-hulled guys!! Call it "motivational posting!" I must confess I'm actually restoring a vintage clipper model for a client, a 60" clipper from the tip of her bowsprit to her sternboards. I figure another year or two and she'll be done. The model was built sometime around 1890, judging by the provenance documents inside her hull. Jeff

 

That brings up a question Jeff! Who else puts "things" inside the boat? I sign and date the hull inside what do you guys add?

You guys are too much!!

Of course you know I was just stirring the pot to wake up the iron-hulled guys!! Call it "motivational posting!"

I must confess I'm actually restoring a vintage clipper model for a client, a 60" clipper from the tip of her bowsprit to her sternboards. I figure another year or two and she'll be done. The model was built sometime around 1890, judging by the provenance documents inside her hull.

Jeff

Ron Smith wrote:

Jeff Herne wrote: Although I haven't looked at their product lines, B-Resina, YS Masterpieces, and Delphis Models are also active in 1/700 stuff. I've seen exapmles of B-Resina and YS Masterpieces.....the second part of YS' name isn't just bragging, they are excellently cast. B-Resina isn't bad but rarely had such niceties as PE included. I haven't built either brand though since I don't do 1/700. My current project....read that like DIY plumbing, profanity practice....is a certain injected BB kit that is In My Not So Humble Opinion the worst engineered kit of the last 20 years and that group includes those wonderful eastern european tanks kits with each hull plate a separate part and the Tauro WWI tanks. I'm not even going to bother to try and fix the stacks on this build but all the weapons are getting replaced. After this I think I'll do a DML Tiger for a break.

Umm, that wouldn't happen to be a BB made by a certain Chinese manufacturer that also makes a 1/350 Essex class carrier which requires more Bondo than a car that has seen a dozen Wisconsin winters?

Scott

Jeff Herne wrote:

Although I haven't looked at their product lines, B-Resina, YS Masterpieces, and Delphis Models are also active in 1/700 stuff.

I've seen exapmles of B-Resina and YS Masterpieces.....the second part of YS' name isn't just bragging, they are excellently cast. B-Resina isn't bad but rarely had such niceties as PE included. I haven't built either brand though since I don't do 1/700.

My current project....read that like DIY plumbing, profanity practice....is a certain injected BB kit that is In My Not So Humble Opinion the worst engineered kit of the last 20 years and that group includes those wonderful eastern european tanks kits with each hull plate a separate part and the Tauro WWI tanks. I'm not even going to bother to try and fix the stacks on this build but all the weapons are getting replaced. After this I think I'll do a DML Tiger for a break.

Well Jeff, over the past 20 years, all I ever had was windjammers on my workbench, however, thanks to all you iron hulled builders on the net here, I have gotten the haze grey bug.  This year has been the first time where I have been building with PE and resin and am loving it.

Currently I am building:
1/350 Minihobby Bismark OOB with a bunch of PE goodies, however, it still looks like a bathtub toy.
1/700 Oriskany SCB27  modified from the Dragon Randolph.
1/350 Oriskany SCB27 modified from the Trumpeter Ticonderoga and Franklin kits.
And finishing up a 1/350 Arizona.

However, I also still have a model of the Thermopolae to finish the running rigging on and am still looking at starting back on the Constitution that was heavily damaged do to last summers flooding.

This site is so wonderful in that ship modelers of any interest can come here and spin yarns.

Scott

Currently have the "Big E" in the drydock! Wade

Hello Jeff,

If I can ever figure out how to post a message in one of these replies I'll send a photo of the perfect combination, the blackade runner CSS OWL, steel hulled, paddlewheel propulsion and schooner rigged. A little bit of everything. In the meantime, check with Amanda Bothe, I sent her a photograph of OWL.

Al Blevins

 

 

While still working on my second wooden sailing ship I still find time to relax with tin cans - just finished my old Airfix 1/600 HMS Ajax. Next one will be a Tamiya 1/700 Fletcher.

Just one comment on NNT: although I had not yet a chance to get a hand on one of their kits, modellers in Germany are very happy with their products! If you are interested, you can can find kit-reviews under www.modellversium.de - click "Kit-Ecke" (kit corner), then "Schiffe" (ships). Text is in German, but the pictures will give you a good impression on the quality. 

Jörg

 

  Well, occasionaly, a bit of late model steel pops up in the shop.

 

Ah but Jeff if there hadn't been the wind in the sails there would be no grey thingys on the waters today.HEH HEH HEH.

Rod