# isit difficult



## jd0459 (May 28, 2007)

i would love to make models of ships and boats, but isit difficult and dose it cost a lot any info please. 
john


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## rickles23 (Oct 13, 2006)

*model boats*

If you click on Forums (next to the Home button) then scroll down to the Model Ships there will be someone to help there I'm sure.

I make model radio control model yachts and they are not difficult to make if you can follow a plan, in the case of a kit.

How about starting with a small plastic model first?

It is as expensive as you want it to be. For example my Marblehead class racing yacht cost me $Australian1500 to complete some ten years ago and since then all I have to do is to clean it and recharge the batteries.

I can race for six hours on a single charge of batteries and when the batteries are getting low the sail winch beeps, I kid you not!

Regards


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## 6639 (Apr 20, 2006)

I concure with rickles23, John. It is as cheap or as expensive as you want it to be.
A friend of mine who is a police motorway patrol officer, builds wonderful models completely from the scrap that he finds in skips, the most expensive ever built was £25.00. (excluding radio gear)
You can pay that same £25.00 for just one scale propellor.

It all depends on what you want to build and how you want to build it, and the experience and general knowledge of tools and such that you have.

a lot of model building is basic common sense.

If you would like to give us a clue as to what you want to build and your budget, there are plenty of members on the forum that could help you to steer in the right direction.neil.


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## Jim S (Jan 21, 2006)

I agree with the advice given above. Should you aim to build a working (sailing) model, tugs and fishing vessels are always a good bet as generally being "beamier" they tend to be inherently stable and there are many good kits on the market.
Warships can be tricky though and generally require a more skilfull/experienced approach in building as it all too easy to build a ship that is top heavy.


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## 6639 (Apr 20, 2006)

I might also add, John. you will find great help by joining your local model boat club, and talking to the members there to get a general idea of what is going on in the model boat scene.


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## Shipbuilder (Jun 30, 2005)

I feel a lot of people talk themselves into thinking ship modelling is difficult. I often hear the comment "I could never do that!" I always say that is half the battle, the half that is already lost, so it is best not to bother! A more correct attitude is "I don't know how he does that - but I am going to find out! Another controversail opinion is that I would never recommend starting with a kit. It is mainly someone else's work & you are just sticking it together at best. However, it is impossible to advise unless you say what sort of ships or boats you want to build. This is one of my favourite miniautres. The hull is only a few inches long & it was made from scrap. It took less tah a month. For further examples & infor, please click on Miniature Merchant Ships below.


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## 6639 (Apr 20, 2006)

I think, shipbuilder that you ARE being very controversial in showing such lovely models as your own and then advising a total newcomer to the hobby that you would never advise them to build a kit and that that a kit is a none starter. 

it may not be the way forward for yourself, and we have no idea as to what experience you had before you took up model ship building but to most newcomers who only have a very basic knowledge of tools let alone modeling, a kit is usually the best and only way to begin.

don't forget, (and I'm not talking about plastic kits ) that most model ship kits on the market these days are developed by model ship builders to begin with, and those designers have come up through the ranks of both kit and scratch building over their modeling lives before they have ventured out into model kit design. I know as I am one of those designers. 

We know what problems people have and try to design so that they can be built and usually by someone with limited experience, and as such the more basic and less detailed model can be built by the less experienced into quite a pleasing and satisfying model.

Put one of your models with it's finity in front of an inexperienced modeler, and it is no wonder that they would come out with the statements that you say. I would never tackle a model such as yours as it is totally out of my comfort zone.

I do believe that to dismiss kits is very tunnel minded and one sided, just as it would be for me to tell someone "never build a miniature, as you can't put a motor in and sail it". It's horses for courses, and we should encourage all newcomers by what ever method of modeling we can and not become elitist by saying such a statement as "don't build a kit, you are just building someone else's work and sticking bits together", as clearly that could never ever be called true.try saying that to some of the gold medal winners at the national engineering exhibition, as most of the beautiful steam engines, traction engines and railway engines, not to forget the model boats are built from other people's "kits" i.e. castings and such.

John,if you would like some advise on what you fancy building, please p/m me and anything I can advise I'll give.neil.


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## Shipbuilder (Jun 30, 2005)

I first began model shipbuilding in the 1950s, starting with a kit. I think it was SANTA MARIA or GOLDEN HIND or something like that. On completing it, my parents said they couldn't afford another one & gave me a few simple tools & told me to get on with it if I really wanted to build a ship model. I messed about for a few years producing nothing of any significance, but quite good fun nevertheless. Then when I could afford it (having gone to sea) tried a few kits which were never successful. In the end, I just started building them myself from plans & it went on from there. This was brought about by the Seafarers Education Service who put on board my ship two volumes of Plank on Frame Models by Harold A. Underhill (Still in print). Not long ago, I again tried a kit of the VICTORY that someone had given me, but was unable to get very far into it for the reasons already given - someone else's work! The advice I gave it sound & genuine as far as I am concerned. I have know a number of people who have taken up scratchbuilding & found it very satisfying. I take your point however, people should build what they want whether it is kits or scratch. The question was asked & I was giving my opinion in good faith - that is all. 
Regards
Bob


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