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Wooden deck sets; a question of scale.

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  • Member since
    December 2002
  • From: Norway
Posted by Finn on Monday, August 4, 2014 2:20 PM

I would say it is about the same as or slightly less than the depth of the steps of the ladder. 5" perhaps.

In 1/350 that equals 0.36mm and in 1/700 it is 0.18mm. Definitely unprintable in 1/700.

My opinion is that it would be a feasible solution to buy "stock" sheet of 1/700 decking and cut one's own for use in 1/350...

  • Member since
    May 2003
  • From: Greenville, NC
Posted by jtilley on Monday, August 4, 2014 1:33 PM

Stikpusher, it seems the photo didn't come through.  Could you try again?

Youth, talent, hard work, and enthusiasm are no match for old age and treachery.

  • Member since
    July 2004
  • From: Sonora Desert
Posted by stikpusher on Monday, August 4, 2014 1:27 PM

How wide would you guys estimate that the planking visible in this photo is? 6"? 9"? Even the more distant stuff on the stern is fairly well visible

 

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  • Member since
    November 2009
  • From: Twin Cities of Minnesota
Posted by Don Stauffer on Monday, August 4, 2014 8:42 AM

I think fit problems are a quality issue that depends on the brand. I have used two, one that came with an Encore kit and one from an aftermarket supplier called Pontos. Both fit extremely well. I have had friends who have had some fit problems with some other brands.

Don Stauffer in Minnesota

  • Member since
    September 2012
Posted by GMorrison on Sunday, August 3, 2014 3:07 PM

I've used two. Both scaled about 9" at 1:350 scale.

That's sort of acceptable- I'm not an expert on Chinese or pre revolution Russian steam ship decks. It seemed fairly close although I would suspect 6" would be closer.

I don't use the things for other reasons- mainly that they look like wood at 1:1 but not at 1:350.

Plus they cause all kinds of small fit problems.

AFA really thin material for stuff like gun tubs, I like clear plastic report covers. No longer acetate, they're easy to cut up and glue together, take hobby paints well and the cheapie ones are pretty thin.

 Modeling is an excuse to buy books.

 

  • Member since
    May 2003
  • From: Greenville, NC
Posted by jtilley on Sunday, August 3, 2014 2:25 PM

Short answer - no. A foot-wide plank would be extremely unusual - especially after the early nineteenth century.  Lumber that wide is scarce, especially in the kinds of wood used for deck and hull planking. A six-inch wide deck plank is believable; the more common width (especially in the twentieth century) would be more like four inches.

I haven't worked at all with the new pressure-sensitive wood deck sets. It's hard for me to believe that the planking seams on such parts in 1/700 scale are to scale. (The seams would be so small they'd be almost invisible.) On 1/350 I imagine making the seams to scale (or nearly so) might be feasible. It certainly could be done on 1/200.

When discussing subjects like this one quickly gets into the question of accuracy vs. impression. There's no way the raised or countersunk lines in a plastic kit can possibly represent wood planks to scale. (Trumpeter and Tamiya have come pretty close, though.) But many modelers, including me, think that an absolutely smooth deck doesn't look right. All sorts of things on a modern warship just can't practically be reproduced on such small scales. (Think how thick the plating on a gun tub ought to be in 1/700.)

My own opinion, for what little it's worth, is that impression matters. I'm pretty satisfied with the planking detail on the Tamiya 1/700 Missouri and the Trumpeter Queen Elizabeth. And I've seen pictures of some mighty impressive models with those pre-printed wood decks as well.  Ya pays your money (quite a bit, these days) and ya takes your choice.

Youth, talent, hard work, and enthusiasm are no match for old age and treachery.

  • Member since
    December 2002
  • From: Norway
Wooden deck sets; a question of scale.
Posted by Finn on Sunday, August 3, 2014 2:04 PM

If you measure the width of he individual planks in one of the currently available wooden deck detail sets that is made of wood; what would it scale up to?

It is my impression that they show planks about a foot wide. I that at all realistic or correct?

 

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