Deon, the rigging is quite easy. for example, the Vanguard, the large 74 gun ship takes about three weeks. It depends on the instructions and plans. I draw them so that it is broken up into many stages. Most of the blocks are applied to the masts and yards before rigging begins, so it's just a case of 'joining the dots'
Old wooden kits can be a nightmare, as some give you blocks of wood for some parts (even for the ship's boats!) and expect you to carve them yourself! The kits I design are a world away from that. I try to make them as easy as a Tamiya kit, with every part (apart from the hull planking) being laser cut shapes.
in some ways, the models can be easier than plastic equivilents - Vanguard for example. If this were a plasic kit, you'd have a lot of moulded in detail, a nightmare when it comes to painting the yellow and black lines on the side and masking. however, you can add the paint before applying anything else to the hull, like here (Vanguard next to the Prince)
And how the finish is achieved is entirely up to you, just sanding and slight filling is required, nothing more - not unlike the conversions you guys do with the plastic kits - same principles apply - it is certainly no dark art.
Here is a set of pictures to show how easy some wooden models have become - and at the same time, more detailed. This is the Revenge (The actual build manual has hundreds of pics and drawings):
Even the tiller works, operating the rudder:
The side walls are laser cut plywood, but I sprayed them white, as the tops of them will be white when finished, and it's easier to get a base coat done at this stage:
Even added the lanterns - in photo etched brass:
So, when they're broken down into little stages, they're really not that difficult - I make a lot of mistakes when building, and I am not the cleanest builder in the world, but am quite adept at hiding the mistakes......
Once the hull is planked, then it becomes no more difficult than any plastic kit, as everything is pre cut for you - even the deck hatches are laser cut, and in the newer kits, the gratings photo etched to exact scale and shape - getting too easy......
Thank you for all of your compliments, as I said, I am just as in awe of a lot of the other work on these forums. Genuinely. I love plastic kits, but am a little 'rusty', as I haven't made any for years - can't wait to get started on the Mosquito, Mustang and Spitfire (Just had some new decals, PE parts and resin parts come today for the Spit and Mustang...)
Cheers,
Chris