Forum

MV VELARDE

Have decided to build this ship as my next project, using a Deans Marine GF hull. Will from there on. The are very few details of this ship available on the net, probably because the vessel was built in Germany. Has anybody else built a model of this ship and have any advise or suggestions before I start to do the planning? Thanks

7 years ago by Rowen

Blog

20th Scale ELCO 80ft PT boat part 1

Just starting a of a 20th Scale ELCO 80ft PT boat most likely PT 109 at just over 48ins long and a beam just over 12in. Will try to construct with a combination of chine and planking construction (planking towards the bow) still need to finish of frames

6 years ago by CB90

Blog

Command Boat 90

Scratch built at 12th scale from pictures and profiles of the internet. The boat was originally built in Sweden a class of fast military assault craft originally developed for the Swedish Navy by Dockstavarvet Speed: 40 knots (74 km/h) Draught: 0.8 m (2 ft 7 in) Length: 15.9 m (52 ft) Overall; 14.9 (48') Complement: 3 (two officers and one engineer); Up to 21 amphibious troops with full equipment Armament: 3 × Browning M2HB machine guns; 1 × Mk 19 grenade launcher; 4 naval mines or 6 depth charges . The Model I was attracted to this boat due to its great performance and maneuverability, this was mainly due to the use of twin water jets as the main propulsion, this is a trade off with efficiency. So my start point was to collect as much information as possible about the boat this involved collecting pictures and profiles of the craft from various sources. http://www.dockstavarvet.se/products/combat-and-patrol-boats/combat-boat-90-h/specification/ Eventually I found some plans of sort :- http://laurell.today/boats/combat/plans.html My Dad was a boat builder in the days of wooden yachts, and had showed me how to make plans and frames from a line drawing. I went about this first by creating a prototype about 24 in long out of light ply. I then created full size plans of the model to be made. Pictures of small prototype finally painted plain green. The Main model Used my computer to print out the frames onto paper, cut them out and used them as templates for the ply ribs. The construction was simple chine style, with 1.5 mm ply. I tried to build jet drives but failed to produce a effective unit. So reverted to propshafts which worked out well with better control and the boat can spin on it own axis by putting one engine in reverse the other in forward and adjusting the twin rudders. That it for now, hope it was of some interest

6 years ago by CB90

Response

Basic hull construction completed

Hi Stuart - I'm ing a Swordsman, albeit larger than your Huntsman as I'm building at 1:12, so 33" long. I haven't worked on it for a few weeks but am at a similar stage with the hull in that I'm just about to sand the concave into the bow to form the flare. This is a stressful part and I might delay it and start on the superstructure! From the photos it's difficult to tell if you have overdone it or not due to the different materials breaking up the lines. it looks OK head on and from the side but when looking down towards the keel it does look a little excessve. I'm going to be building a Huntsman 31 as well soon but again at 1:12 so will be from plans, either existing or my own. I've got three Fairey builds on the go at the moment and another on the drawing board, well PC. Chris

5 years ago by ChrisF

Blog

Emily P III

This is another fishing boat. The hull is a models by design Cygnus GM33. 16th scale. This one will be a pure trawler. I am going for an aft wheelhouse this time! The prop shaft and rudder have been purchased but all other running gear will be shared with Emily P III.

6 years ago by GrahamP74

Media

105 PBR PIBBER.

U.S. Navy PBR 31Mkll. Patrol Boat River. This is a vessel that I'm building from scratch. To achieve accuracy I will be using a Tamiha 1/35 scale kit and scaling that kit up to 1/9th scale for the vessel I am building. it will measure up to almost 1 metre in length.

5 years ago by sandkb

Forum

Being Sociable.

"Why go to all that trouble of adding artificial engine sounds and smokers, when you can have it all and more, by installing a gas boiler and steam engine. When I think of the problems involved to find plans and a boat, why not go for the authentic look and fit a steam engine." 1. Cost. 2. Space available in the model. 3. Complexity of the engine and difficulty of control. 4. Fire risk, and not just to the model.😲 5. Shorter run times, longer 'steam up' times. 6. Unsuitabilty for many types of ships / boats. I.e. originals weren't steamers. If I read above posts correctly I thought you had already found at least two kindred spirits here. I'm sure that if you take the time to cull throught the hundreds Build Blogs and technical Posts here you will find others. Try using the Search function. See the panel on the left of the Home page. Good luck,😎 BTW: Nobody likes a fanatic! Don't get steamed up 😁

5 years ago by RNinMunich

Forum

Being Sociable.

I have the same issue...cost / budget. I enjoy mechanical devices and have though about steam for years. But cost is high and I do not have machinist quality tools to . Are there low cost solutions out there! Joe

5 years ago by Joe727

Forum

Being Sociable.

I really can't believe that considering all the members that use this website, that no one is interested in steam engines and what steam has to offer. Why go to all that trouble of adding artificial engine sounds and smokers, when you can have it all and more, by installing a gas boiler and steam engine. When I think of the problems involved to find plans and a boat, why not go for the authentic look and fit a steam engine. in the fifty years or so I have been involved in this hobby I have NEVER ever installed an electric motor in a boat. if anyone out there in the ether shares my passion for steam, kindly get in touch, I would appreciate not being completely on my OWN.

5 years ago by GaryLC

Blog

Paddle Tug Iona - the hull

So... here is a compressed build blog of my paddle tug Iona... and I'm playing catch-up as the vessel is 95% complete and has been sailed already, but there may be some interest in what I've done. Iona was scratch-built off plan and has turned out to be the cheapest build so far out of 3 I've made, mainly because I was able to source materials from the leftovers box! it's a 'mixed-media' boat 😜using traditional methods of plank on frame hull, with paddles made on my 3D printer, and other parts turned on the lathe. So starting with the hull, frames were drawn out, transferred to some scrap 9mm ply and cut out on my bandsaw, along with the keel. These were assembled on a build board with some right angle brackets / measuring tools and test fitted before being stuck in place with epoxy. This was quite difficult as the shape of the hull is critical and comes right at the start of the build. I did remake 1 frame to correct alignment. The deck stringers need to bend in 2 directions, so some steaming with a carpet steam cleaner attached to some tubes worked and the wood clamped in place to dry. Outboard sponsons (?) were fitted to make a frame for the paddle boxes to fit on. Then a large sheet of ply forms the bottom of the hull, and the only job left to complete was the (tedious) planking. This was my 1st plank on frame ship... and it took ages. I think it came out reasonably OK but I'm not a perfectionist and I know if I'd spent more time it could be better... but I didn't! Next blog will feature building the paddle boxes and superstructure.🤓

5 years ago by Harvey Kitten

Blog

PS Iona - paddles

I decided to build the paddles on my 3D printer, working off the plan rather than building in brass as this should be much quicker... should be! Feeling confident I designed ver 1 & printed it out... and scratched my head a lot to see how this was going to fit together. So ver 2 was much better and almost looked like it would work. Ver 3... same etc. Ver 4 👍 This would assemble looking like paddles. I decided against feathering paddles having talked to a few paddle steamer builders - it seemed more complicated, used slightly more battery power and in 1:36 scale would make little difference to performance. Having built one now I would probably make a few changes but it looks and performs ok. The assembled paddle is attached to a 4mm stainless steel drive shaft with brass bushes. I have recently added some pins to ensure they don't come loose on the lake.🤓

5 years ago by Harvey Kitten

Response

Build Finalized

Very nice, good details!👍 Great !👍👍

5 years ago by figtree7nts

Media

Thames cruise barge

total scratch built on fibreglass hull 127cm x24 cm,11 months to build 6volt system brushed motor,3blade 35mm brass prop.

5 years ago by markiee

Forum

Fairmile D 1/24 Scale Build

Sakibian, My friend Graham built his E-boat with a fibreglass hull but scratch-built everything else. He does magnificent detail work. For you to build this hull you first need to get the plans to the scale you want to build. 1/24 is good for these models. The cross sections are essential. You need to determine how many bulkhead frames you will require. You won't require as many as shown on their plan and photos - maybe less than half - as many as will enable you to support the stringers to give you a shape of the hull on to which you can fix the planking or skin. The frames you choose need to be at or very close to cross sections, so you can use them to mark and cut your frames. I use 5mm plywood. There is a photo of my Fairmile D frame earlier in this series of posts. One of my earliest posts on this website was a Youtube video with the E-boat and my Fairmile D in action with sound effects.

5 years ago by reilly4

Forum

Book on Sailing Barges

I have always like the English sailing workboats and have built some fishing boats. Now my interest turned to Sailing Barges, found this nice book - Sailing Barges by Frank Carr. It's full of etchings, photos and some line drawings. Think this will be helpful in ing a barge. Over 450 pages and found a lightly used copy for $18.00 USD, on eBay. Regards, Joe

5 years ago by Joe727

Forum

HMS Campbeltown 1941, 1/96 scale

My next project, just started, is (apart from the hull), a of HMS Campbeltown as she was in1941. I have very detailed drawings in the form of a book, Anatomy of the Ship. Unfortunately, these drawings are 1/256 scale. I have been told that if the percentage difference is calculated then the drawings can be upscaled to 1/96. I am completely incompetent at maths, but I have calculated that there needs to be an increase of 266 percent. (256 divided by 96 = 2.66). Am I anywhere close? Thank you Steve

6 years ago by cormorant

Forum

Mamoli Puritan yacht plans

What-ho chaps, hope you all had a merry one. I appear to have become the 'proud' owner of a Mamoli kit for the Americas Cup cup boat 'Puritan'. Everything is in the box with the exception of the plans, instructions and the keel and formers to build the hull. There is evidence the the owner had started to build the boat, some of the detail parts have been assembled, companion ways and the like, but all the hull planking appears to still be in its pack. I suspect he took the missing parts out to start the hull but got distracted. Sadly he died earlier this year but the kit is a few years old. Now this is where you come in, hopefully. Has anyone out there built this now out of production kit and still has the plans that came with it? If so can you send me a copy, I'll pay the copying and postage costs, or can you send scans of the plans?. The interweb has yielded a set of lines and I think I can get them into scale, having found the basic dimensions of the boat, but the actual plans might yield information to ease the build. Either way I hope to produce a build blog along the way - but I've set out to do that before and failed on a Type 21 frigate HMS Active built from scratch, got carried away building the boat. Thanks in advance Graham 'smiggy'

5 years ago by smiggy

Blog

Hatch & Tow Bitts

Last night I started on the large hatch that will cover the entire deck opening rather than several hatches, this is to keep with simple approach. The pilot house and whatever else I decide to add will be attached to this for easy removal and access for battery charging and maintenance. it's not as easy as a flat deck hatch as I curved the deck and wanted to curve the hatch as well. See photos, I cut curved sides, then I clamped it to blocks on the bench to bend , glued and let dry for 24 hours. While that's setting up I started on building some tow bitts. These I am making from styrene that I had from my railroad ing. See two small for aft and 1 larger at the bow that is in progress. In addition, I showed some shots of my Brooklyn Tug Bitts. These are heavy duty and were made of brass! Still enjoying this simple build..... Joe

5 years ago by Joe727

Forum

My other hobbies

Hello, I've seen others post their other interests, so I guess it's okay for me to do so here. Never know if others have question or need help with these of hobbies. 1. Narrow Gauge Scale locomotives and rolling stock: Narrow gauge railroads were used in the US west for both lumber and mining companies. The narrow trains allowed them tighter radius to get through mountainous areas. See images of some of my examples, I model HOn3 and On30 scales. 2. Vacumm Tube Ampliffiers: In WWII, my dad was in the Navy and worked in the sonar labs and also taught electronics to the enlisted. When I was about 13, he taught me Tube electronics and I scratch built my first amp, a stereo and guitar smp combo. This was back in about '64 when solid state was just starting to take over. Now I experiment, design and build guitar amps as musicians have discovered how much better they sound. I hard wire everything. More to come as I have more hobbies in addition to building boats. Regards, Joe

5 years ago by Joe727

Forum

Modern electrics

Hi all, Not been araound for awhile as I have been playing with aircraft as well, I have however found time to a Fairy Huntsman which I now want to upgrade to modern electrics, a brushless motor and esc etc, should I avoid lipo's due to the heat issues or can I use them ok. The hull is 42 inches long any suggestions on motor size would be appreciated, also esc size, the boat seems a bi on the heavy side. Any thoughts would be appreciated.

5 years ago by deltaman

Response

Cooling coil

Good to see another Fairey. What size is your Huntsman? I'm busy ing three different Faireys at the moment and the Huntsman 31 will be a future project. I've got one of the Precedent 46" but it's too big and heavy really. Chris

5 years ago by ChrisF

Media

Sea Fox

This Swede Johnson and his yawl and its captain, Popeye. Swede pasted away several years back, I wanted to post this in his memory. He scratch built all of his boats over the years and was well know for his leading edge designs like the US1 Meters and Marbleheads. He taught me to boats and sails. Yes, Popeye's arm moves with the acting tiller.

5 years ago by Joe727

Forum

steam water pump

Hi Rick, if you google TVR 1ABB steam engine, you will find a really neat and very good value for money steam engine. I'm afraid this is not cheap and around the £250 mark, mind it does have ball race bearings on the crankshaft. This comes as a kit of parts and you have to build it from scratch. when you have completed this task you will have a really good knowledge of exactly how a double acting slide valve engine works while putting this together, you can save up for a boiler to go with it, the instructions for building are very good almost idiot proof they must be as I have built several. Beautiful engine and powerful it will easily power a hull of one-meter length. Something to think about and Christmas is coming.

5 years ago by GaryLC

Response

Getting Close

Very interested in your experiences with this vessel - love to share more. I am currently ing one from the original kit plans but have used plank on frame construction and incorporated a detachable keel. Currently fitting the standing rigging. Photo of my efforts attached

5 years ago by alan20

Media

VB30

ing a barge for my tugboat Miss Doris to push. May deck it over to become a tank barge I used to push on the Delaware River. if i do deck it over, I'll hinge the deck to make use of the space for my RC gear.

5 years ago by Mariner85

Forum

Being Sociable.

Hi Rick, I am going to try to post you a bit of video of the steam plant in my latest not completed as yet tug, the Lady Jane from Mobile Marine, I don't really rate the kit, it is more of a using their hull. I don,t know what this websites M.byte limit is so maybe I'll be unlucky, mind a really nice steam plant using a TVR engine which is very efficient and runs well at 30PSI. Regards. (Sorry it won't allow me to upload it.)

5 years ago by GaryLC

Forum

Newby

Welcome John, I envy you youngsters, a scratch built boat to any standard is always the best way to get what you want, and this site is full of members with the knowledge and skills to help, sadly I have never been able to build from scratch, but I make lots of parts to repair or replace damaged or missing parts from the vintage models I have restored. Best advice is to ask specific questions to get the best help in the world at your fingertips. Happy modelling and cheers from me Colin.

5 years ago by Colin H

Media

Carina

Trying to learn to use this forum properly I am publishing a video that shows an experiment I did to find out how fast the stepper motor could turn. I am using in my model of the sailboat Carina 2 stepper motors like the one shown in the video to work as a winch to control the position of the sails in a system solution where I am realizing this my own way to implement the sheets as shown on the original sailboat Endeavour. This requires my sheet control system to control the length of the sheet of the mainsail i.e. over a range of 8.3 meters. This requires the drum which is turned by the stepper motor to make 21 full turns. Details will be published in my report from scratch of building my Carina.

5 years ago by Hellmut1956

Forum

new to steam

Hello All I'm researching a steam plant to put into a new build and looking at a Clyde Puffer to put the steam plant in build would this boat be good for live steam if not any suggestions on what might be a better build. Rick

6 years ago by Newby7

Directory

(Naval Ship) HMS Launceston Castle

Successor to Flower Class Corvettes. This Castle Class built from scratch. As my first scratch built boat I decided to build with "surf board" keel that carries all the ballast. Model handles perfectly with no "Nodding" and rolling like a toy in rough water. Keel acts as display stand when ashore. Took 2 years to build. Pic's taken at various stages of construction on and off the water. (ESC: Mtronics Viper Marine 15) (5/10)

6 years ago by Joburg-sailor

Forum

Landing Ship Tanks (WW2)

Hi Nerys, I think that was only scratching the surface. I found that lot in about 10 to 15 minutes. But then I've been used to trawling the WWW for specific info for as long as it's been possible. Gave me the 'Edge' I needed in my job. Don't want these skills to rust in retirement, and I never could resist a challenge anyway. 😉 Plus I was moved by your story and found it worth following up. If I can help again please let me know. Know just what you mean about too many projects 🤔 My Danish fish cutter restoration and conversion from static to RC has got bogged down until I solve the problem of getting the drive right down next to the keel, my PTB restoration and conversion to Kennedy's PT109 is shelved for the duration, re-shafting / re-propping Graf Spee and HMS Belfast, upgrading my Southampton tug are gathering dust🤔 Materials gathered for 1/350 Plastic Magic conversions of KGV (thanks Colin) and PoW battleships, HMS Hood, HMS Ark Royal, T45 Daring class (witnessed the building of the lead ship! Stitching the modules together was fascinating😊), USS Enterprise CVN65, RMS Titanic, etc etc!!! kits for a 1/96 HMS Manxman and a 1/100 Akula 2 submarine are lurking in the cellar as well. Not to mention the 1/24 De Havilland Mosquito as a memorial to my Dad. Whichever ship you decide to do for your Pa if I can help in any way I'd be very happy to. Maybe you can decipher from his personal records which ship was closest to his sailor's heart!? I'd love and be honoured to be able to see some of your Dad's drawings and cartoons. Bon chance with your current projects, All the best, Doug 😎

6 years ago by RNinMunich

Forum

Barnett Class Lifeboat Plans

Hi, I'm trying to get of some plans for a 52ft barnett class lifeboat to from. I have got some sections ones from the RNLI but they have closed their shop so I'm no longer able to get the other plans in order to build the hull (the one's that show the profile of the hull from the side). Any help would be appreciated. Robby

7 years ago by Robby

Media

ASR 64 ft RNZAF HSL W1. R/C vid 3

British Power Boat 64 ft RNZAF HSL scratch built 36" R/C model with twin systems including sound. Brushless 2000kv w/cooled (pump) in-runners, 30A car ESCs, 2200mah 2s LiPos remote lights etc. Started off in 1940, new with the RNZAF and had many modifications over the years till decommissioned, including machinery reduced to twin 671 Greymarine GMs (from the original 3x 500hp Napier Sea Lions) which were finally removed around 7yrs ago and replaced with a single 650hp GM Detroit 8v92T1 (still does 20 knots in its latest configuration ! - see this on the photo gallery of this model) This boat is in far better condition than the ex Phil Clabburn restoration of HSL 102 (he didn't have much to start with) and the hull has never had any major rebuild apart from being glassed to the W/L. Even today there is no way most people would pick it for 80yrs old. Those hulls never age! (ie some of the beautiful 'Whale Back' conversions still around)

6 years ago by jbkiwi

Forum

HMS Campbeltown 1941, 1/96 scale

Hi Doug Just had a look at Life Colour which on first sight would suit me better with the acrylic paints. Here is my first attempt at ing. Nothing glued down yet as I have still got plenty to do before I can put the deck in place. The funnels are cigar tubes and I have a smoker in 2 and 4. I decided to lash out on 3D printed main armament but I still need to make the gun shields. Thanks for your help and advice so far and best of luck with your 1/350 - hope you will keep me updated on progress. Cheers Steve

6 years ago by cormorant

Directory

(Other) RTTL 2769

As a direct result of refurbishing a scratch built 1960s 2754 ,and having the plans to hand,I decided to build two superstructures. 2754 was so impressive I have now built the hull and fitted Motors Drives and rudders. i decided on twin prop set up sit was truer to scale. (Motor: 2 x 540) (ESC: Chinese twin feed) (5/10)

6 years ago by Rex3644

Forum

LED Tug Mast Navigation Lights

Doug: I feel like a dunce for not noticing that anchor before. it sticks out like a sore thumb if you know where to look. That’s another thing that I’m surprised hobby engine didn’t add to the boat. I guess in the long run it was easier for moldmaking purposes to omit that particular detail. That’s another thing, however, that wouldn’t be all that hard to scratchbuild. All that’s needed is to cut an opening in the bulwark & build a sheet styrene box for the housing. it’s not exactly a high priority item, but I think it would go a long way toward adding realism. So far none of the photos of the Wyforce I seen show what the anchor enclosure looks like on the inside of the bulwark. Then again maybe some of them did & I missed that, too. I assume there’s an anchor winch, possibly below deck near the chain locker. I expect there’s a “drop/raise” button inside the pilot house. I’ll browse for a photo of the anchor & post it if I succeed. Thanks

6 years ago by PittsfieldPete

Forum

LED Tug Mast Navigation Lights

Hello, Doug: Out of curiosity, did you remove the molded-on plastic ladder rungs from inside of the mast to gain more space for wires? Seeing your finished mast has shown me that it’s best to keep the original nav light locations. Having all 6 lights on the main mast will make it look too cluttered. With all of the lights switched on it’ll look like a light saber is jutting out of the pilot house roof. Do you know if there are standards governing the horizontal spacing of navigation lights? There should be, otherwise I’d think the lights could tend to overlap & look like one big light, especially in fog. BTW, the cables you added to the mast antennas look great. The smooth curve of the cables & the weather boots at the antenna connections add a lot of realism. Well done!👍🏻 Speaking of details, do you know if tugboats carry anchors? if so, what type? As far as I know the US Coast Guard requires every powered vessel to have at least one anchor. I see no reason why tugboats would be exempt from this rule. I’m glad you mentioned using a Tamiya sanding sponge as a means of removing the factory-applied lettering. There’s a model railroad technique I’ve used successfully where an ordinary pencil eraser & window cleaner are used to remove lettering. I’m sure it would work on my boat but I might not live long enough to get it finished. Shortly after I got the boat I ordered a cloth American flag & scale Plimsoll markings from BECC. Sadly BECC has gone out of business. Another good supplier goes around the bowl & down the hole. Sad. Regarding the winch again, your comments tell me that I may have mislead you into thinking that my boat has a winch. it doesn’t, but I did say I’m planning to scratchbuild one. in fact, I’m going to sketch one out right after I post this message. Thanks, Pete

6 years ago by PittsfieldPete

Response

Pilot Boat

Thanks Doug and Mike. I will use this when I attempt a next year. I have added a picture of the hull frame in the setting jig. it is surprisingly strong. I removed it only for the pictures.😊

6 years ago by MouldBuilder

Response

Pilot Boat

Thanks Ed. I will have one more go and if that fails I will ask Cormorant.😊 mturpin013, The kit comes with a hull assembly base plate which aligns all of the formers in the correct position. I will add a picture with the hull in place tomorrow. I would like to see your picture though as I hope to do a in wood next year.😊

6 years ago by MouldBuilder

Forum

Mahogany in Scale

Nowhere near the interest required, Colin. I was once asked by the editor of Model Railway Journal to write some articles. I did and the editor had changed and he said, "Nobody makes anything any more". And he the editor of the one magazine for scratchbuilders! Nah, sod 'em. Cheers, Martin

6 years ago by Westquay

Forum

Mahogany in Scale

Maybe I should write one, eh, Colin? For the scratchbuilders among us. A treatise on brass bashing and woodwork. Nobody would be interested. I've just epoxied my Sea Hornet, which I'm modifying as a Chris Craft Custom Runabout. One cockpit, big hatch. Cost me 99p off ebay a few years ago. I just had to scrape all the old red paint off it as it wanted to fall off anyway! Then a huge rub down, a wipe with cellulose thinner and a coat of epoxy applied with a square of styrene sheet because I couldn't find an old credit card on the quick, just as good though. Next, rub down and 2 coats of cellulose primer surfacer, then the top coats. This one is to be one of the painted CCs. There were quite a few. But the deck will be veneered in the correct style and varnished. Martin

6 years ago by Westquay

Response

MTB741 Fairmile D

Awesome! Esp. for a 👍👍👍 Really looks the part.

6 years ago by RNinMunich

Media

SA Valour Class Frigate

My second . SA Navy "Spioenkop". 1:80 scale. 2 Mtroniks 600 motors on the scale 40mm (home made) props running on 6v and Hobbywing 860 brushed ESC. Jetdrive (also homemade) runs on a 550 motor (I think!) and a 1060 Hobbywing ESC running on 12v. Chopper is a heavily modified Hobbyboss RN Super Lynx. Hangar door opens as well as chopper moves on helideck with worm drive and magnets. idea is that this would happen sequentially ... but haven't managed to sort that out as I am "electronically challenged". Suggestions welcome!

6 years ago by Joburg-sailor

Forum

LED Tug Mast Navigation Lights

Hello, Doug: It looks like a total success! Outstanding work! Now that details for this job are just about finalized I’ve been putting a shopping list together for all of the components. 3mm LEDS should be just right for the Richardson’s mast lights. I’ll be able to easily scratch-build the mast light housings & mounting brackets from my spare kit parts bins. When it comes to the LEDs for this project, what do I need to look for voltage & current rating, brightness or anything else? Unfortunately I can’t see very well yet but I can use Siri on my iPhone to type what I say. if there’s anything offensive in this post, it’s Siri’s fault. I can’t wait for this plague to leave me! Thanks for your ceaseless generosity & patience. Pete

6 years ago by PittsfieldPete

Forum

Inspiration for beautiful boat builders ;-)

Hi Doug, A phenomenal place, the Deutche Museum. I visited it when I was working in Munich back in '87/'88. I agree with the views on ing. it's the difference between Model Making and model assembly. Although, I have to say that, although my 3D printing has been poo-pooed in this forum as non-traditional - is anybody out there still using horse-hoof glue and bamboo strip - most of the stuff I print is self designed. All the hulls I have built have been hand built. I do have one kit with a moulded hull - a Graupner Optimist- it's been in the garage attic unfinished since 1993. I must get round to it one day. But before that, there's this Ferret plan in the MB mag. That looks interesting.....

6 years ago by Delboy

Forum

Inspiration for beautiful boat builders ;-)

The wall of my work shop. 4 s & Totnes Castle on work bench. I have 4 others upstairs. 1 sold to a pub & 2 in museums. Oh yes & 1 kit, can I go on the list of ers please.

6 years ago by hammer

Forum

Inspiration for beautiful boat builders ;-)

Yes Martin I agree we are a dying breed in this Virtual Reality Throw Away Rush rush world. But also please don't forget that you are a professional model builder with decades of experience. BTW: my 1/72 HMS Hotspur was absolutely scratch built. My first ever ship model, I was about 13/14 when I started it, with extremely basic hand tools. Kits out of the question and there weren't nuffink like her around anyway. Built to plans drawn up by me on foolscap paper from measurements taken from an Airfix 1/600 kit with a plastic micrometer and scaled up with a slide rule!! Remember them!? Had just started technical drawing at school, very handy. My Type IA submarine, built 30 odd years ago, was a Krick 'kit'! Ha Ha! 4 20mm planks of wood for the hull, a big lump of steel bar for the keel, crude half shell vac-formed tower, and a bag of assorted brass rod and tubing for various fittings. Some brass sheet for the dive planes. 'Thanks for the cash the rest is up to you' sort of deal! A visit to the Deutsches Museum showed up many 'simplifications' in the Krick plan so all the corrections were 'scratch' as well. Notably- Correct hull shape, correct rudder assemblies with skegs, railings, net cutters, flooding slots, wintergarden etc etc. Looks like Gina 2 is going to be a scratch rebuild from the gunn'l up as well. Actually I just thought my post might create a little wonderment and some Oohs and Aaahs, not loose off such a debate. I'll know better next time. Now back to Pete's lighting. Ciao, Doug

6 years ago by RNinMunich

Forum

Inspiration for beautiful boat builders ;-)

Mike, to me ing is just that. You start with bugger all and end up with a model boat. if you start with a kit, you're kit building and if you have to modify it to correct it you're kit-bashing. All perfectly valid, especially if you are using scratchbuilding skills to make a good job of a kit, as I had to do when a client asked me to make up an Amati Riva kit. Biggest pile of crap I ever opened the lid on. Having already built two Rivas from a pile of plywood, a plank of pear and a set of stolen Riva works drawings I was able to kit-bash the garbage into something I could deliver, but never again! I wouldn't know how to share plans, but have em all here if you can inform me how. I have Gary Griswold plans...useful, but crap. You will be correcting the build as you go along, but it's no big deal, just time consuming and a bloody nuisance! I have also a pile (roll) of drawings from The Rudder magazine, an American publication from the 20s. These are of real craft, not models, but that's irrelevant, really, when sections are given. Cheers, Martin

6 years ago by Westquay

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Inspiration for beautiful boat builders ;-)

I used to aircraft 50 years ago and thought a kit might just ease me back to modeling (sorry Martin) however I'm doing a along side my crash tender, its actually a kit but needs a lot of mods as the plans are not as good as they should be so is near enough scratch. Can anybody tell me the difference between scratch and kit building? I think that a lot of s and kit builds may not be built to a "production standard" however they are built to the best of the builders ability, conversely there are boats (both kit & scratch) on this website that are built to exceptional standards with kits being modified from plan, I've never seen two "same models" that are the same. Each to their own. Any chance you could share your woody plans Martin?

6 years ago by mturpin013

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Inspiration for beautiful boat builders ;-)

Doug, I think compared with how it was relatively recently, there are, for argument's sakes almost no real scratchbuilders any more. I mean take, or preferably make a drawing and, using stock materials, make a model of something for which there are no kits. And there, the grain of truth is already branching out into a full tree. And that ain't gonna get any better when your own grandchildren, who have grown up watching you make stuff still can't conceive of working at a bench to make something they want, because they can't use their 'phone. I feel sorry for them on one hand and on the other I don't give a shit because I won't be around to see their despair when the power runs out and they wish they'd listened. My two twin granddaughters believe that a portable charger will always be able to charge their 'phones, wherever they are. Common sense has not even taught them to question where IT gets its power. OK, their education so far has been woeful and finally is improving now they've changed schools, but really, should that be necessary in the modern age? But that's a different topic altogether. On a better note, I have finally heard from someone local who wants to meet up for a coffee and a natter to discuss running model boats on the local river, a calm and canalised thing with almost no flow and a bridge to get both sides. Martin

6 years ago by Westquay