Let's get more people into wooden ship building!

juansystem05 said:
Model shipways, Do you plan on bringing back the level 4 midwest kits? I have an incomplete endeavour kit, very incomplete actually.
I don't recall exactly why but I bought and build every single midwest kit available, except from the seguin
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We plan to bring all their kits. Next 2 should be San Francisco Bay Scow Schooner and the Chesapeake Double Kayak
 
Bu66l3s said:
Hello all I’m new to the forum thanks for approving my application. I have bought about a year ago a Corel Sloup to build thinking hey it’s a good deal and I have built model cars planes and even Mecha’s so how hard could this be. Upon receiving my precious new model and opening it up only to see (as so many who just jumped the gun buying a wooden model ship) all the sticks and slabs of wood metal and cloth and says hey this is not so bad. Then when you open up the huge sheets of schematics with no apparent begging or end and are like where do I even start. So now 4 boats in (unbuilt -new) I finally get a beginners model the Lowell Grand Banks Dory to start my journey which I’m sure won’t end till I get a stash of wooden ships comparable to my plastic models stash . Thanks again for accepting my application SOS.

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Welcome aboard! I am fairly new here and it is a great group of very helpful people. I stated with the Grand Banks Dory a few month ago and it was fun! There are several great building logs here to help you. The instruction manual is excellent. I would suggest you paint it with several coats of sanding sealer before you paint it. When I painted mine it really raised the grain.

Rob
 
here is a wild idea rather than sell a kit sell a project, here is how it would work

have a subject with a set of working plans that is including all the laser part drawings

a model builder can custom make their oun kit.

if all you want are the drawings you can cut out your own bulkhead set OR buy a laser cut set of bulkheads.

many model builders have a saw and tools so they can cut their own planking OR order a planking set from a selection of woods. Maybe someone wants to double plank the hull or plank the hull in Cherry or Basswood or Maple.

maybe the plans inculde a material list so a builder can select either a timbering set to make their own fittings or order a set of fittings.

maybe all you want is to build a hull and no rigging OR buy the rigging set.
 
Model Shipways said:
My pleasure, Bryian!
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I bought the PHANTOM almost twenty years ago from Model Expo under a similar program. Then, I got called to sea, returning six months later. So, I was unable to complete the build within the three months limit. Oh, well. It was a fun build. I've been building in wood ever since.

Bill
 
lobo said:
Hate to rain on anyone's optimistic view on reviving wood ship modelling. Todays youth are not building models. They do not fly R/C airplanes, (those that do are flying mostly prebuilt out of the box) and they most certainly are not driving R/C submarines. The "Tri State" R/C shows are dwindling, as well as the clubs! Even the heyday of R/C cars has come and gone!
I ask...how old is the youngest wood ship builder on this forum? I was modelling plastic kits since 4 years old, attempted my first Guillows balsa plane kit at 6!
Back in 1983 bought my first boat wood kit (dory) from a Model Expo add in Smithsonian via mail order. Yes, it hooked me! a few more builds along the years, and today I have 6 wood kits in the box, yet to be started, with a Mamoli Alabama on the workbench, hull planking & deck completed. At 67 now, will I ever get to the remaining boxed kits yet to be built? I think not!
Back in 1984 or so I visited Model Expo to buy my second kit after the dory build. Mr. Frank Mastini was behind a counter across the opposite side of the service counter. He was building a Bluenose as a demo. At the service counter, (I believe it was Marc), I was directed to Mr. Mastini for coaching on my second kit! Even back then, I was not waiting on line in the subsequent Saturdays I spent driving to NJ for Mr. Mastini's build coaching. I pretty much had his lessons all to myself!
Now, to be fair Model Expo was in a corporate park, and they were doing largely mail order, but the premise was easy to access with little effort and very well set up as a point of sale retail shop within the warehouse. Still, all that being said, I was surprised at how few people were taking advantage of Mr. Mastini's coaching!
All here will agree...this hobby consumes much time, yielding great rewards for the effort. How does one find the time in youth between work, social life & family? I largely put this hobby on the backburner until I was in my late 40's re-start...and that was slow going!
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I was a History Teacher in High School and ran a model Building Club after school. My typical membership was around 30, give or take a few depending on the year. We built wood ships, plastic, and the students loved it. I have heard constantly that kids today don't build models. They will if an adult takes the time to work with them as they learn new skills. The only reason they are plugged in is because we don't want to get involved with them.

Bill
 
juansystem05 said:
Model shipways, Do you plan on bringing back the level 4 midwest kits? I have an incomplete endeavour kit, very incomplete actually.
I don't recall exactly why but I bought and build every single midwest kit available, except from the seguin
Click to expand...
Hallo @juansystem05
we wish you all the BEST and a HAPPY BIRTHDAY
Birthday-Cake
 
Hi Guys quick question how do we go about getting this offer I don't seem to find where we send in our completed pictures for the build any assistance would be appreciated, thank you!
 
Just a thought! When I compare model (wooden) ship building to other forms, armor, aircraft, etc. it looks pretty generic. I'm old enough to remember getting our first color television, the excitement of going from "black and white". I have old ship model catalogs dating back to 1969 and product offerings haven't changed much with the exception of plank on frame kits. Entry, intermediate, and experienced level kits have been around a long time. Other modelling categories seem to add more options or accessories to challenge the imagination, figures, equipment etc...

Recently. I completed the Model Shipways Dory, excellent kit, but built it as a diorama. Granted I'm not a rookie but thought when I finished what if there was a small line of standardized wood kits, 1/24 for example with accompanying accessories that would generate additional modelling interest. One advantage, that don't take up much space when finished!

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Quint said:
Just a thought! When I compare model (wooden) ship building to other forms, armor, aircraft, etc. it looks pretty generic. I'm old enough to remember getting our first color television, the excitement of going from "black and white". I have old ship model catalogs dating back to 1969 and product offerings haven't changed much with the exception of plank on frame kits. Entry, intermediate, and experienced level kits have been around a long time. Other modelling categories seem to add more options or accessories to challenge the imagination, figures, equipment etc...

Recently. I completed the Model Shipways Dory, excellent kit, but built it as a diorama. Granted I'm not a rookie but thought when I finished what if there was a small line of standardized wood kits, 1/24 for example with accompanying accessories that would generate additional modelling interest. One advantage, that don't take up much space when finished!

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That is an awesome diorama @Quint just love it. Im looking to build a diorama as well your is just way above my paygrade for sure love the weathering and the strings attached to the thole pins that is a neat touch.
 
Interesting comment from Quint. I must admit I left model ship/boat building over 40 years ago as I found myself stagnant. I turned to model railroading since it provided a new challenge: movement. I "completed" my dream model railroad layout a few years ago and now find myself gravitating back to ship/boat building. BTW, my layout is in O scale or 1/48. I was able to blend both hobbies by building waterline models of ships and boats to add to the scene: see post 360441 -

Blending my 2 hobbies​

Pete
 
I like this small diorama very much - well done - real life on deck
 
Not sure if anyone else has already suggested it, but another avenue for consideration in a target demographic could be to veterans.
There are groups and programs that offer lessons to vets in music, cooking, dance, writing, etc. as a means of providing evidence-based therapy through building interest in a hobby, so there’s already widespread support for such application.
There are a few publications aimed at retired/disabled vets that would be prime outlets for advertisement through print or on their website, such as the DAV, VFW, and wounded Warrior Project to name a few.
Something to think about.
Paul
 
Quint said:
Just a thought! When I compare model (wooden) ship building to other forms, armor, aircraft, etc. it looks pretty generic. I'm old enough to remember getting our first color television, the excitement of going from "black and white". I have old ship model catalogs dating back to 1969 and product offerings haven't changed much with the exception of plank on frame kits. Entry, intermediate, and experienced level kits have been around a long time. Other modelling categories seem to add more options or accessories to challenge the imagination, figures, equipment etc...

Recently. I completed the Model Shipways Dory, excellent kit, but built it as a diorama. Granted I'm not a rookie but thought when I finished what if there was a small line of standardized wood kits, 1/24 for example with accompanying accessories that would generate additional modelling interest. One advantage, that don't take up much space when finished!

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Quint,

Great diorama! Did you sculpt the figures yourself, or are they modified from commercially available figures of the proper scale?

James
 
piezoman1 said:
Not sure if anyone else has already suggested it, but another avenue for consideration in a target demographic could be to veterans.
There are groups and programs that offer lessons to vets in music, cooking, dance, writing, etc. as a means of providing evidence-based therapy through building interest in a hobby, so there’s already widespread support for such application.
There are a few publications aimed at retired/disabled vets that would be prime outlets for advertisement through print or on their website, such as the DAV, VFW, and wounded Warrior Project to name a few.
Something to think about.
Paul
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That's an excellent idea! I'll study this subject right away. Best Regards!
 
Quint said:
Just a thought! When I compare model (wooden) ship building to other forms, armor, aircraft, etc. it looks pretty generic. I'm old enough to remember getting our first color television, the excitement of going from "black and white". I have old ship model catalogs dating back to 1969 and product offerings haven't changed much with the exception of plank on frame kits. Entry, intermediate, and experienced level kits have been around a long time. Other modelling categories seem to add more options or accessories to challenge the imagination, figures, equipment etc...

Recently. I completed the Model Shipways Dory, excellent kit, but built it as a diorama. Granted I'm not a rookie but thought when I finished what if there was a small line of standardized wood kits, 1/24 for example with accompanying accessories that would generate additional modelling interest. One advantage, that don't take up much space when finished!

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This is just...Amazing! May I use your pictures on our product description? Will credit you, of course.
I am sure modelers will love to see how far they can go.
Thaks!
 
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