Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length.

[Buccaneer]

I am thinking about adding a couple of the Dumas range of boats to my dream sheet. Reviews are a bit sparse on line. Does anybody have any experience of building this make? How do they compare with the likes of Mount Fleet Models, Caldercraft or Model Slipway - my experiences to date. The pictures look good and the prices reasonable.

John

[inertia]

I am currently trying to build their Lord Nelson Victory tug. I'm afraid I can't put on here exactly what I think of the kit, which cost over £250. It's a family-friendly forum and I am certainly not a Dumas-friendly modeller after buying this. Let's stick to facts.
The planking supplied was the softest balsa strip I've handled in over 50 years of modelling. I can't think of a use to which it could be put - you only have to look at it and it dents. It wouldn't bend around even a slight curve without breaking. I reluctantly threw it away and used obechi.
The liteply used is more die-crunched than die-cut. This makes the edges rough and round, which means you can't make a decent glue joint to them - rather important when these edges are those to which you glue the planks. Try to sand them square and the part becomes too small.
There is no raised coaming around the deck opening. A major redesign of the superstructure is going to be required to make one.
Many of the superstructure parts are made of a high-density polystyrene foam sheet. This is difficult to bend and heavy, although it probably is easier to paint than wood.
The metal-cast fittings are dreadful. The moulds appear to have worn out a long time ago; remove all of the flashing and you're left with very little.
The prop supplied is a tiny 2-blade plastic racing thing of about 30mm diameter, rather than the 45 or 50mm 3-blade plastic prop which it really needs.
The prop shaft and tube are a close fit, rather than having some clearance with bearings at each end.
The "down home folksy" kind of written instructions are amusing but they cop out when it comes to some important detail e.g. all glueing operations are described as "cementing".
This build is going to take a long time, but for all the wrong reasons. I would not recommend this kit to anyone, certainly not when compared with the (British) kits mentioned in the original posting.
Dave M

[CGAux26]

I just started my first Dumas kit, the CG 36500 Motor Lifeboat.  I have previously built a Model Slipways Loyal and a Midwest Products Jim Wilder II. 


I can confirm some of what Inertia says.  I started assembling the keel and found the folksy warning that the plywood parts may be thinner than the basswood to which they are to be mated.  Yep, the plywood is about .215" thick and the ¼" basswood is about .270.  Spent 2 hours sanding the GD basswood, a bit more than the 5 minutes the instructions say.


The plywood parts are laser cut, with clean edges.  The white metal fittings are OK, but not as good as Model Slipways'.  I can't comment on the strip basswood yet, other than to say a few pieces are obviously narrower than they should be.  Midwest's balsa was better.


But I asked for work when I bought the kit..........   

[CGAux26]

For a complete build log of the Dumas CG 36500, go to


http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1572282&highlight=cg+36500


A very thorough build log, which resulted in a very nice model.

[roycv]

Hi, I started to build the American Beauty Dumas kit, like Inertia says the wood is a problem.  Perhaps things are better now?  If they use laser cut ply parts then the wood will have to be better quality.
Fittings were 40% unusable but I eventually traced the company down and they did replace them.
The fibre glass hull was good.
The under water fittings were an eye watering price so I made my own.  That was 6 rudders and 2 kort nozzles.  I bought 2 props for £30.   It took a week but I still reckon it was worth it.

I expect I will finish the boat but all the superstructure wood will need to be replaced.
The plans are fine, Dumas have just spoiled the whole thing with cheap wood and poor fittings!
I believe they have also been "advised" by modellers in the USA of the short comings.
I also have a matching barge kit, just a wood pack really.

There is an additional story here of stupidity from the USA and altruistic help on a 10 out of 10 scale by Perkins model boat importers who I cannot speak of highly enough.

If you want it I will post it!

regards Roy

[SailorGreg]

Although I have no experience of Model Slipway, Caldercraft and the rest, I am most of the way through building a Dumas kit - http://www.modelboatmayhem.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,46157.0.html .  No balsa in this one, and some good quality birch ply and mahogany planking.  However, as I mention in my build log, the plywood supplied for the frames is very poor quality and the fittings, although chromed as befits the boat type, are poorly cast and not cleaned up before chroming.

The overall design of the kit is good - it goes together well and builds into a fair and strong hull - but the instructions fall short in a few areas.  As with some other kits, a firm eye on price/profit has, I imagine, led Dumas to provide the cheapest materials they can get away with and there are precious few signs of any quality control.  Replacing the wood with better quality materials is perfectly possible - but given the price of these kits, is that a reasonable solution?

Overall, I probably wouldn't go for another Dumas kit.  From reading around, there are better quality products out there. But if they are the only source of the boat you want, they provide a sound base for a good model with a little extra effort.

Hope that helps!

Greg

[Buccaneer]

Hello Gents and thank you for your inputs. Unfortunately there seems to be a fairly common thread of disappointment. I had my eyes on the Brooklyn Tug but with an overall commitment getting on for £400, plus paint and some electrics, it is not a chance I am prepared to take. It looks like Father Christmas may have to go to Caldercraft this year.

John

[essex2visuvesi]

Its a real shame as Dumas have some nice looking models, especially in the Chris Craft Range.... Like you I'm a little dubious about laying out a fair wad of cash for what could be essentially kindling