wooden models

Thanks for the replies. I'm glad to see that there is some interest here in wooden ship models. Yes, Al, the cutter is an attractive ship, and had an intriguing history. I bought the Alert Cutter book from the anatomy of ships series to help me with the build, although the Alert differs slightly from the Sherbourne.

Yes jtilley, Caldercraft/jotika seem a very good company. They're a godsend to modellers in the UK as it is the much-criticised European kits which seem to predominate. The plans are good, the Sherbourne having five sheets of them. One thing I would say though, is that, although this is sold as a good beginner's kit, the instructions alone are inadequate for an absolute beginner. It is unlikely that someone would build their first ship without reference to literature or internet, but I feel the instructions could explain techniques more, rather than merely listing them chronologically.

I'm registered with drydock forums Gleason. I received some good advice there about initial kit purchases, tools and tips on techniques. It's a great place to go if you're thinking of building wood models. There's nothing like doing your first ship though. I found much of the literature about planking difficult to grasp in the abstract. If you've never done anything like it before, and I haven't any experience of woodwork, then it's hard to envisage. The beauty of double planking is that you don't have to be too accomplished the first time, as long as you end up with a fairly even surface and correct shape after a bit of sanding and filling. So you can view it as a bit of a practise. I'm just about ready to start the second planking with much more idea of how it works.

thanks
Blighty

Hi!

Checkout the Dry Dock Models Forum:

http://forum.drydockmodels.com/index.php

and enter Sherbourne in the quick find window.

It will bring up 102 matches for Sherbourne.

There are also some photos of an excellant Sherbroune model by Chris Coyle

 in the Gallery section.

<Gleason>

Fargo, ND

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Are there any wooden ship modellers around? I'm just working on my first. - the Caldercraft Sherbourne Cutter. I've finished the first planking and I'm quite pleased. It resembles a boat! I'm really enjoying it. It's a long process, but a very rewarding one.

Along time ago, I bought the Blue Nose Schooner.  I got the hull planket up on it and then got the scuppers (most of them) cut out. I think the repeating and gruling process of getting the scuppers cut out, burned me out on this project. I wish I could pick it up again. I should have bought a more simple pre-done hull to start with, but at the time, I had no idea. I would say that I bought this about 10 years ago and every now and then I would get it back out and start cutting the lettle holes out again. I only have about 10 more scuppers to go, but the wood is quite brittle.
Best of luck, wood boats are great, I just picked out my first one too big.
Donnie  

  I have a kit by Mantua for about six years now...I pull out the plans now and again, get worked up, then sigh and fold them back up.  Maybe in 2006.  Right.

Another wooden ship model company has just announced their first model. A.J.Fisher has been reincarnated by Bill Partridge of Piel Craftsmen and has issued as their first model the Boston pilot boat DANCING FEATHER in, I believe, 1/64 scale. I built the prototype of this model for the late Bob Irwin of Fisher and also worked on the plans and directions for the kit. I am sure that Bill Partridge has put out a fine kit in the spirit of Fisher. You can find them on line at ajfisher.com. Bill has plans to issue three or four more models after the first of the year including the steam tug EDNA G.

Al Blevins

I've done a fair amount of work in wood too.  I really prefer not to think of myself as a "wood modeler" or a "plastic modeler," but just as a ship modeler. 

You picked an excellent subject to start with.  CalderCraft/Jotika is one of about three companies whose kits are designed to produce genuine scale ship models.  I haven't built a Calder kit myself, but I have the impression that the materials are of high quality, the plans are excellent, and the construction methods make sense. 

The two other wood kit companies whose products I can recommend are Bluejacket and Model Shipways.  They're American companies with a long tradition of serious, quality kits.

The big problem with the wood ship model kit industry, in my opinion, is that it's largely dominated by continental European companies whose agendas emphasize something other than scale modeling.  Their kits tend to be characterized by miserable (if not downright non-existent) research, lousy plans, mediocre materials, out-of-scale fittings, irrational construction methods - and outrageous prices.  It would be a mistake to generalize too much about this; I'm sure some of the kits by firms like Mamoli, Amati, Corel, Mantua, and their ilk are far better than others.  (I've seen some nice models that were based on them - by modelers who were willing and able to modify them extensively.)  But my first suggestion to newcomers is to stick with Model Shipways, Bluejacket, and Calder/Jotika.

Good luck.  It's a great hobby.

Hello Blighty,

By all means, there are a few of us around. The vast majority of my work has been in wooden vessels. The naval cutter is a very interesting and, in my mind, besautiful subject. I did one several years ago, a solid wood hull kit put out by the former Marine Models. As a matter of fact it was the first model I sold to a client. Keep in touch here and let us know about your progress.

Al Blevins