# Go on, have a go



## Steve Hodges (Feb 12, 2007)

Our friend Bob aka "Shipbuilder" is always urging us to try miniature models and has given us lots of downloadable resources via his own website. Ironically though, I think the excellence of his own models tends to dissuade some of us from trying, and this was the case with me. I am now about ready to start the running rigging and sails on my Billings "Will Everard" Thames barge at 1:67 scale; this is not my strong point so to be honest I have been putting it off for a while. I decided , as an experiment and a sort of limbering-up exercise, to try making a very, very small model of a spritsail barge, after which ( I hoped) rigging the bigger model would feel easier.
I chose a generic model of a bowsprit barge at roughly 1:400 scale, and made it from various scrap material that was to hand. Sails are painted single-ply tissue from a table napkin, rigging is all copper wire as per Bob's recommendations. I didn't actually buy any wire specially, I just pulled strands out of electrical flex and painted them. I'm sure I could do this better next time. Bolt ropes for the sails are fuse wire, hemmed and glued in. I only had to buy one thing especially. I was struggling to make a ships wheel that looked anything like convincing, when my son told me that from eBay you can buy packets of watch gears ( people make weird jewellery from them, apparently). I sent for some, and the first tiny wheel that came out of the packet was perfect! Now I have 49.99 grams of surplus watch gears... I will have to try making miniature winches.
Anyway, I was quite happy with the little thing given that it was my first attempt, and I would urge you all to read up Bob's advice and tips and have a go at a miniature. Progress is remarkably quick, and it's not as frustrating as you would think. Occasionally you drop something, or something blows away, and you never see it again (till you have made a second one!). The wire rigging secured with CA is much more robust than I expected. I have attached some photos - it is almost complete apart from an anchor , and if I can find some tiny o-rings I will put life rings on the mizzen rigging. I know that some of it is rather clumsy, and that the topsail is a bit too big, but I'm already thinking of learning from my mistakes and trying again.
Go on, you lot, give it a try.....


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## Frank P (Mar 13, 2005)

Nothing wrong with the first attempt, Steve............


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## makko (Jul 20, 2006)

A good first and learning attempt. I too took Bob's advice to use copper wire and use it to rig biplane models. As Bob told me, I pull it taut to make it straight, trim to the required length and put a drop of PVA glue on each end. The glue sets very quickly and dries transparent, so no damage to the paint. I just give it a quick pass of matte black to finish. It makes the finished kit "come to life"!


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## makko (Jul 20, 2006)

The I-15 (left) is 1:48 scale. It is finished in Spanish Civil War colours. The Heinkel He152 (right) is 1:72 scale. Currently building a Felixstowe F2A flying boat (1:72) which has a TON of rigging!
Rgds.
Dave


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## woodcarver (Mar 15, 2012)

Good day Steve, Please take care, one small model can soon turn into an obsession! Over 100 now!


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## Shipbuilder (Jun 30, 2005)

I have only just seen this post! I made this short Utube slide show up showing the building of a small collier brige in easy stages. In the text underneath the Utube vid, there is a link to a constructional download that contains full instructions on how to build the model, including plans. It does have a nominal charge of £1.49 on it, but as this is less than the price of a cup of coffee, it is a lot cheaper than buying a kit!? I am not a perfectionist, but more of the "poor man's modeller" using any material that comes to hand, and using special techniques that greatly simplified the operation. 



Here is a pictur of the brig.


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