ShipbuilderMN Posted December 9, 2014 Share Posted December 9, 2014 Here is the British India passenger liner Kenya, built to a scale of 32'=1" Completely hand-built. Bob 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShipbuilderMN Posted December 9, 2014 Author Share Posted December 9, 2014 And here is the general cargo liner Amarna, built to the rather larger scale of 20'=1" Bob 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Little Andi Posted December 9, 2014 Share Posted December 9, 2014 Absolutely marvellous .......................... Now, about those wires you were explaining to us?? .................. I cannot find wire anywhere near that thin - even stretched. And is it my understanding that 32'=1" is equivalent to 1/384 scale? Because I'm sure a lot of folk (like me) would be happy to accept that as pretty close enough to the standard(?) Ship scale. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mick Posted December 9, 2014 Share Posted December 9, 2014 excellent work Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keefr22 Posted December 9, 2014 Share Posted December 9, 2014 More absolutely stunning models Bob, really lovely. Speaking personally I much prefer ship models on sea bases, but that in no way detracts from just how superb they are! Keith Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gwing1500 Posted December 9, 2014 Share Posted December 9, 2014 only one word Stunning, it's good to. see merchant ships for a very welcome change Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShipbuilderMN Posted December 9, 2014 Author Share Posted December 9, 2014 (edited) I often build seascape models as well. Here are Cunard liner Carmania and troopship Dilwara, both at 32’=1”. (1:384) I get the wire from www.wires.co.uk mainly using 0.1mm black enamel, or 32 or 34 swg tinned copper wire blackened with a permanent black marker pen before stretching. Their website is a bit difficult to find your way around, so best to just phone them and tell them what you want. The wire is quite cheap on 50g bobbins that last for years! Edited December 9, 2014 by ShipbuilderMN 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bangor Lad Posted December 9, 2014 Share Posted December 9, 2014 Gorgeous models. These subjects are almost completely forgotten by mainstream manufacturers and modelled alike. Brilliant! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keefr22 Posted December 9, 2014 Share Posted December 9, 2014 Now those two - they're just absolutely fantastic! The sea is as lovely as the ships & just frames them beautifully! Thanks for posting, absolutely top modelling all round! Keith Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keefr22 Posted December 9, 2014 Share Posted December 9, 2014 Bob, could I ask where you get the plans from please? I don't think I'd ever be able to get close to your standard of scratchbuilding, but I'd love to have a go at some merchant ships, especially an old tramp steamer or two. I've found some plans on the net, but they're not particularly brilliant. Thanks Keith Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShipbuilderMN Posted December 9, 2014 Author Share Posted December 9, 2014 I get the plans mainly from old technical journals and books: Shipbuilding & Shipping Record - The Motor Ship - Shipbuilder - Shipbuilder & Marine Engine Builder - The Shipping World. Plans of tramp steamers in books like British Ocean Tramps Volumes I and II by P N Thomas. Find 2nd hand copies of these at www.bookfinder.com or get from local library as they are relatively recent. Bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keefr22 Posted December 9, 2014 Share Posted December 9, 2014 Thank you Bob, I shall have a look for those books. Much appreciated, Keith Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forlornhope Posted December 9, 2014 Share Posted December 9, 2014 That is a beautiful little collection you have going on there my friend. Thanks for sharing some pics of somehting a little different Cheers Callum Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drookit Posted December 9, 2014 Share Posted December 9, 2014 Realy nice ...well done Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martian Posted December 10, 2014 Share Posted December 10, 2014 Stunning models! Martin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Little Andi Posted December 10, 2014 Share Posted December 10, 2014 PS ................ followed your link - spoke to them and now have a bobbin of 0.1mm black enamel wire winging it's way, and I shall look forward to giving it a try. Might come in handy for my "Wingnut" forays too? ............ About 7 quid for a lifetimes supply (700mts) of bliddy thin wire, and that's to my door ..................... not at all bad! Looking forward also to seeing more of your work - SBS's and "Jolly how toos" .................. Keep posting Bob. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jockster Posted December 10, 2014 Share Posted December 10, 2014 Some more outstanding work Bob, some tiny detail work going on there and a joy to see! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edge Posted December 10, 2014 Share Posted December 10, 2014 Beautiful work, Bob. Sheer artistry! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan P Posted December 11, 2014 Share Posted December 11, 2014 Marvellous stuff, and a great example to those who despair at not having kits of their favourite subjects. Must be very rewarding to complete one of these from scratch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShipbuilderMN Posted December 11, 2014 Author Share Posted December 11, 2014 To me, scratchbuilding is freedom. Freedom to build whatever I like subject only to finding the plans. Fortunately, plans of merchant ships of the era I am interested in (About 1850 to about 1965) are very plentiful and inexpensive as there are loads of them in old books and technical journals. Years ago, merchant ship models were very popular, but these days, hardly anyone seems prepared to build them. With all the different sizes, types, varieties and colour schemes, there is always something fresh to build. I have built a couple of warships, but I really don't like the overall grey colour and all those fiddly things like guns and fancy radar antennas etc. Bob 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bootneck Posted December 11, 2014 Share Posted December 11, 2014 I get the plans mainly from old technical journals and books: Shipbuilding & Shipping Record - The Motor Ship - Shipbuilder - Shipbuilder & Marine Engine Builder - The Shipping World. Plans of tramp steamers in books like British Ocean Tramps Volumes I and II by P N Thomas. Find 2nd hand copies of these at www.bookfinder.com or get from local library as they are relatively recent. Bob I've got a pile of these on the floor beside me. The problem tends to be, with so much data, which ship to have a go at. Sometimes it is a bit like going into a restaurant that has a really extensive menu; too much choice. I'm currently bashing out the merchant aircraft carrier Empire MacAlpine to 1:350 scale, using the Empire MacKendrick plan from SB & MEB, but definitely not anywhere to your standards Bob. As you mentioned, it is the freedom and fun of scratchbuilding something different Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShipbuilderMN Posted December 11, 2014 Author Share Posted December 11, 2014 Mike, I know exactly what you mean. I have loads of these books, collected over many years, and it can be a real effort choosing what to build from them. Bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bootneck Posted December 20, 2014 Share Posted December 20, 2014 Hi Bob, I think you mentioned somewhere that you use Obeche wood. Is there a particular reason for this; finer grain, less chance of warping, easier to sand? Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShipbuilderMN Posted December 20, 2014 Author Share Posted December 20, 2014 I always liked obeche, originally getting it from model shops - quite expensive. Then, several years ago, a friend gave me a car boot load of obeche offcuts, and I have been using them ever since. With miniatures, it goes a long way. It can be obtained on Ebay. Bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bootneck Posted December 20, 2014 Share Posted December 20, 2014 Thanks Bob, I normally use styrene sheet throughout but thought I'd have a go with wood after reading your posts. Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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