# AMARNA - Moss Hutchison - Current Build 20'=1"



## Shipbuilder

Latest progress on the AMARNA - 18 inches hull length.
Finally beginning to look like a ship. 75.50 hours work completed and an estimated 46.50 hours left to do. In addition to the model, the carrying case has been completed. The display case is in the process of having the woodwork French Polished and the inner base has been made and is in the process of being French Polished.
Bob


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## Shipbuilder

I have now made some more progress. The boatdeck has now been fitted and the bulwarks and stanchions on each side. The E/R casing and the passenger deckhouse on the after end of the boatdeck is also fitted. The four samson posts are all poking up at strange angles simply because they have not been glued in yet. The next task is to complete the main deck structures. These are the deckhouses and the poop deckhouse & docking bridge aft. Then it will be down to the bits & pieces - ventilators, lifeboats, davits, mooring bits, warping winch, tonnage hatch, Nr 5 hatch, awning spars, navigation lights, masts, derricks, DF loop, radar scanner, ladders, rails - it goes on and on. It is a myth that building a model sailing ship is more complicated than a steam or motor ship! :sweat:

For simplicity - give me a square-rigger any day!

Bob


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## jerome morris

Very sweet Bob.


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## Shipbuilder

Have made quite a lot of progress in the last few days, but not a great deal of interest is being shown in this one from the image viewing figures.
It is all down to the bits & pieces now. The last major construction was the lifeboats that I made today. Will be glad when it is completed.(Cloud)
Bob


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## jerome morris

I still find her a lovely vessel.


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## Shipbuilder

Thanks Jerome,
The problem is that very few people can tell the difference between models I build now and ones I built say ten or even twenty years ago!
Each one is better than the one before and I don't seem to have "peaked" yet as far as quality is concerned. But making them better involves spending twice as much time building them as I am taking more care! And here is the crunch. If most people cannot tell the difference between ones I build now and ones I built years ago, they do not want to pay twice as much for them, so I am now getting far less than the minimum hourly wage and income tax takes 20 per cent of what is left. When I commented on this on a model ship forum, I was told that I was one of those "types" that knew the cost of everything and the value of nothing, simply because I sell them! But having built over 250 of them over the last 20 years, I really have no choice but to dispose of them some way. In the past, I have given some away, only to find them appearing in local shops or even in galleries in the USA for vast amounts of $!
Although I retired some time ago (I am 68), I still took on the odd private commission if the subject appealed to me. But really, it takes all the pleasure out of it when I know someone is waiting, even if they don't keep asking when it will be finished. 
So, _Amarna_ is the last one (private commission). From now on, I will be working much slower, probably at smaller scales and disposing of them via good old Ebay and making donations to charity from the proceeds to restore a "feel good" factor. In other words, I really want to turn it back into a pleasurable hobby again.
Bob


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## jerome morris

Well put Bob. And completly understood.
I currently have a ship to build though I look forward to the delivery and hearing the new owners reaction. Thats my feel good moment.
Funny thing is I won't make myself "rich" doing this but it really does make me feel good.


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## makko

She's looking very good, Bob! I really like the hull paint scheme. Just keep enjoying your pastime as much as I enjoy seeing the advances and finished product. I wish I had time to dedicate to my models. With my constant travelling and family time, I am on a really tight schedule!
Regards from Guatemala,
Dave


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## Shipbuilder

Thanks for replies. I am at last on the final stretch and am putting the last awning spars on at the moment. After that, it will all be straightforward. I have always found white hulls very difficult to get right, as they show up every fault or blemish, but am very pleased with the _Amarna_. The scale has been a bit too big for me though as I prefer either 32'=1" or 25'=1" and this is 20'=1".
Masting & rigging of a ship like this is more theraputic than difficult and I really look forward to completion of the deck details by the week-end.
After I complete the awning spars, I will put another image on.
Bob


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## Shipbuilder

Just completed the 'midship awning spars. Also, fitted the funnel and the boats.
The hull is eighteen inches long overall.
Bob


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## 40907

Bob, that is a stunning piece of work!


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## Shipbuilder

Thanks,
I have at last completed all the deck details. The next task is to complete and paint the masts and derricks and finally rig them. This is no great problem on a motor ship and will be more theraputic than anything else. The second picture shows the model on day 1 of the build, 30th April, last - come a long way since then!
Bob


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## Shipbuilder

Am now proceeding at "slow ahead!" Yesterday as I began to spray paint the masts & derricks, the spray paint can "seized" and defied all attempts to clear the nozzle. The problem seems to lie lower down in the can valve. The can is still 3/4 full and a new one will cost almost £7 - most annoying!
However - I pushed on today and completed the inner base and wire edging as well as the namplate front and back. Turned the brass pedestals & then completed the hull by rigging the lifeboat falls and making and fitting the oars. Finally, I put the exhaust pipes in the top of the funnel. 
Tomorrow, after I have obtained a new paint spray and painted the masts, all that will remain is the rigging. That should take 5 hours at the most, maybe less.

Growing really weary of it now, but the worst is over!

Bob


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## stores

*re paint can*

HI BOB, Maybe you do this also, when i sprayed my models, after i had finished useing the can , i inverted it, blew out the paint from the knozzle, but you can pull out the spray knozzle on some cans, refit one from an empty can. just an idea,


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## Shipbuilder

Hi Stores,
I do invert the cans to clear the nozzles after use, but this one still managed to seize up. The problem seems to be in the valve in the top of the can. I pulled the nozzle off and cleaned it to the extent where I could blow through it, so I know that is OK. I mainly use Halfords spray paints and they can be used right to the last drop, but this one is a modelmaking spray called Railmatch and the same thing happenned to the previous can when it was down to about 1/4.
Bob


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## tugboat

Hi Bob,
I haven't had to chance to visit here for a while but finally today caught up with your latest project. Amazed as usual to see the development of the model as you progress through the various stages and always impressed with the detail you achieve. Thanks for the enjoyment from someone who would love to be half as accomplished. Please don't stop! Best wishes for nimble fingers.


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## Shipbuilder

Thanks,

I will not be stopping building miniatures ships. Just stopping doing private commissions! But already I am getting "If you ever think of building......, I will buy it!" But that would just be a private commission by another name, so no suggestions will be taken up!

Today, I took the bunged up paint can back to the shop and they gave me another free of charge. Spray painted the masts & derricks at 1000 and they were bone dry by 1400, so I fitted them. Only the rigging left now, so should be finished the day after tomorrow - to be followed by a good rest!

Bob


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## Shipbuilder

I completed the _Amarna_ at about 1200 hrs today. It took 122.5 hours, spread over 49 days. Before I began, my estimated building time, based on a previous model (_Memphis_) of the same size and scale was 122 hours, so it came almost spot on!
Bob


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## 40907

That is a _beautiful_ thing!! How much would a model of that calibre fetch? For that matter, how do you go about pricing a piece of work like that?


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## Shipbuilder

Thanks,
They vary. sometimes at auction (before the recession), I would get £15 an hour profit or more, but more and more often recently it has been £2 or £3 per hour after deductions, so I have stopped sending them to auctions now. Worst case I got 1/2 p per hour profit.
Private commissions were dictated by what people were prepared to pay, but usually less than the minimum wage and even so, the income tax takes 20 per cent of what is left. _Amarna_ was final private commission - the last! When I do start again it will probably be smaller ones for Ebay, but feeling very much like a rest at the moment.
Bob


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## stores

*model ships*

truly a fantastic model, i used to put ships in bottles, national maritime museum used to buy them from me for peanuts, then they wanted to pay by cheque, so i stopped selling them, would have had the tax man after me, was 40 hours to build a full rigged ship,, keep them comeing.


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## Duncan112

Reef Knot said:


> That is a _beautiful_ thing!! How much would a model of that calibre fetch? For that matter, how do you go about pricing a piece of work like that?


Depends if you are a cynic or not for a cynic is a man who knows the price of everything and the value of nothing (Lord Darlington in "Lady Windermere's Fan" by Oscar Wilde)

The value of one of these models is, in my opinion, far greater than the price achieved, even in the pre recession days. 

Hope you find it in your heart to make some more after you have had a break from it - I only wish I had your skill and patience.


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## Shipbuilder

It is a matter of practicalities. As I usually make about 8 a year these days (it used to be 14 or 15), I can't keep them all - haven't the room. Also, as I get better at it, the problem gets worse. I am building them slower because I am taking greater care. But very few people want to pay an increased price for more hours work. I really don't like building private commissions - too much like work and it ends up dominating my thoughts all day and often in the night as well when I am trying to figure out how to make a certain part.

Also, I have very little patience. I like to see the job up and running in the first couple of hours work and finished within the month. I work faster when just building something I feel like building and have no-one hanging in the background waiting - even if they don't keep wanting to know when it will be finished!

Because of my mercenary approach, I have been told several times of late that I am one of those who knows the "cost of everything and the value of nothing!" (on a ship model website, not here!) But I really want to build them for the pleasure of building. As I said earlier, in the past, I often gave them away, only to sometimes see them appear for sale in galleries for huge amounts - often in the USA!

On one occasion, I made one for a young lady for £100 that she wanted to give her father for his birthday, as he was a model ship collector, mainly my models) It was completed, handed over and paid for, but within a few weeks he had sold it on for £350, and even told me this himself in great glee! That was in about 1983!

Bob


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## Duncan112

Bob,

My sincere apologies I made an unforgivable typo in my post #22, trying to do hold a conversation whilst typing is not recommended. I've edited the post!!

Duncan


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## Shipbuilder

Duncan,

I realised it was a typo or you wouldn't have expressed a wish to see more! 

I am not intending stopping making them at all. I am just wanting to turn it into a hobby again where I can just build whatever I feel like at the time.

Bob


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## 40907

Even I recognised the typo - nothing to worry about! (Thumb)


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## commander

Yet another masterpiece Bob.
Chris.


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## tugboat

I cannot help but sigh wistfully for the days when ships looked like that.


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## DermotReilly

As a young lad i remember seeing a beautiful builders model of the SS Irish Poplar on display in Dublin airport, of all places, . Would any readers have memory,s of this model or know if it ,s on display some where still, bare in mind i,m talking around 40 years ago . Regards, Dermot, former ISL, B+I.


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