Model Boat Mayhem

Please login or register.

Login with username, password and session length.
Pages: 1 [2]   Go Down

Author Topic: Three skysail yard 4-masted barque 32'=1"  (Read 7083 times)

Positive

  • Full Mayhemer
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 420
  • Location: Lancashire UK
    • Miniature Merchant Ships
Re: Three skysail yard 4-masted barque 32'=1"
« Reply #25 on: June 16, 2013, 07:08:02 am »

Thanks for replies.    I can build them quickly because they are small.       I have no knots to slow me down.     A single rigging line is just a length of copper wire.   It can be made straight by stretching it slightly.    Then the required length is measured on the model using a pair of dividers and the line cut to the correct length with a scalpel.    I pick it up in the centre with a pair of tweezers, dip each end in glue and place it in position on the model.       The ratlines are soldered on to the shrouds outside the model and glued on in one piece.   It takes about ten minutes to make a set of shrouds/ratlines for one lower mast.      I really haven't the patience span to take years over a model.
I think the Lord Ripon is number 161 since I started counting in October 1992.     Too many to keep, so I do sell them, but do not take private commissions.       I did private commissions until 2000, but it got too much for us.     At that time, we had 24 on order and it was all rather overwhelming.       They sell well enough because of their rarety value.      Model shipbuilders really do not like building them, generally either thinking or saying "I could never do anything like that!"      Another common statement is "I haven't the time!"     But then they seem to find months or years to build a kit!      Others say, I haven't got the necessary equipment!      The only fancy equipment I have is a samll Unimat lathe (purchased second hand in 1973 for £69), a small hobby two-wheel bandsaw, that cost about £150, a drill press that cost about £100 and a chop saw for cutting wood mitres that cost about £75.   That comes to a total of £394!     How much does a decent kit of Cutty Sark or Victory cost? :-)     None of the equipment is really necessary and when I was at sea, it was all hand tools, but these ityems do speed things up a lot!
I usually find the plans in old books, the David MacGregor series being very good for small sailing ship plans.     Old technical journals for steam and motor ships.   
I never make really famous ships as they are not collectable!        I prefer the obscure and semi-obscure.      I don't get anything myself when a model is sold.   My wife gets the entire proceeds for household expenses and we both get our allotted spending money each month.    The system works well as I am aware other modelmakers sometimes get a hard time from their wives for building large dust-catchers as well as spending money on their hobby! >:-o     My wife also paints the seas and is quite enthusiastic about it all. :-)
I don't only build model ships, I desgn and build small radios using valves rather than transistors.   I also do a lot of writing and have had several books published! :-)
From 1960 until late 1992, I was a radio officer in the Merchant Navy.       Got fed up of it in late 1992 at the age of 48 and took voluntary redundancy to become full-time ship model builder, writer and marine historian.     Retired seven years ago, but still carry on all these activities in order to have something to do.     Take a look at my website by clicking on the globe icon under "location" above left under my user name.
Bob
Logged
Regards
Positive

dlancast

  • Full Mayhemer
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1,859
  • Location: Bellingham, Washington USA
Re: Three skysail yard 4-masted barque 32'=1"
« Reply #26 on: June 16, 2013, 04:05:00 pm »

Bob, thank you for sharing.  I am pretty much in awe of what you have accomplished and what you are doing with your ship modeling skills.  I spent quite some time on your blog and visiting the links provided.... discovering this wonderful minature hobby of yours and other skilled folks.  I must say that you have inspired me.  As soon as I finished my current project (English Frigate).. which might complete by next Spring (I only model during the winter months... I build full size sailing skiffs during the summer months)... I just might take a crack at building one of these minature ships.  I also wanted to comment on how real your seas appear.  Now that, in my books is very difficult to achieve and have it come out looking real.  Don't know how you do it... but its all to scale and spot on! :-))


Thanks again for sharing... can't wait for the next one!


Best regards,


Dennis
Logged
Pages: 1 [2]   Go Up
 

Page created in 0.084 seconds with 21 queries.