Chinese Plank on Frame (POF) kits

Submarinerblue

Submarinerblue

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I’m new to the forum and I found it because I was looking for any review of Chinese plank on frame kits.
I’ve built two plank on frame ships from the Lumberyard, Rattlesnake and Halifax. And while those were good kits with high quality wood, they did not include fittings, mast materials, etc. On Rattlesnake I had to create all the futtocks myself...something I’m never going to do again. So I was intrigued to find full kits on eBay.
I ordered the Hannah model (I’ve found it very safe to order from eBay because they always protect the seller in any dispute).
Unfortunately, I was told by the seller (who appears to be reputable and has a 100% positive rating) that this model is now being upgraded by the supplier who I assume is ZHL. They’re not sure when it will be available again.
So, now I have to decide whether to get a refund and wait for Hannah or order another smaller model in the $400dollar range. La Belle is the only other one I would consider at this point. I’m not ready to pay over $1,000 for the higher priced ones right now.
Has anyone bought either of these kits?
I’d appreciate any suggestions or comments.
Thanks
 
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The La Belle is manufactured by CAF models. I see ZHL models is featuring it on their Facebook page and saying its available on special order as they don't make it themselves.
 
all the Russian and "from china" ebay kits are being made by 1 individual company. ZHL is the "not cheap Chinese junk" retailer most of us know of.

You should be able to find the plans online easily enough for junks and sampans, some are actually of easier construction then plank on frame or plank on bulkhead models.
 
all the Russian and "from china" ebay kits are being made by 1 individual company

Really? Thats interesting. How do you know that. Junks and sampans ? Not following exactly what you mean. The original request was directed towards helping the individual about reviews on POF models from ZHL type makers, etc.
 
Submarinerblue said:
I’m new to the forum and I found it because I was looking for any review of Chinese plank on frame kits.
I’ve built two plank on frame ships from the Lumberyard, Rattlesnake and Halifax. And while those were good kits with high quality wood, they did not include fittings, mast materials, etc. On Rattlesnake I had to create all the futtocks myself...something I’m never going to do again. So I was intrigued to find full kits on eBay.
I ordered the Hannah model (I’ve found it very safe to order from eBay because they always protect the seller in any dispute).
Unfortunately, I was told by the seller (who appears to be reputable and has a 100% positive rating) that this model is now being upgraded by the supplier who I assume is ZHL. They’re not sure when it will be available again.
So, now I have to decide whether to get a refund and wait for Hannah or order another smaller model in the $400dollar range. La Belle is the only other one I would consider at this point. I’m not ready to pay over $1,000 for the higher priced ones right now.
Has anyone bought either of these kits?
I’d appreciate any suggestions or comments.
Thanks
Click to expand...


G'day Submarinerblue, I have bought the La Belle kit but have not yet started building it, On page 14, post 266, of my Royal Caroline build log I show pics I have taken of the kit, I bought off the Aliexpress site for approx AUD $400, hope this helps you out,

best regards John.
 
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all the Russian and "from china" ebay kits are being made by 1 individual company. ZHL is the "not cheap Chinese junk" retailer most of us know of.

I heard this last summer from one large Euro kit distributor. What I did was send off a bunch of Emails to as many kit manufactures as I could find. I said in the E mail I wanted to do an on line article about the global manufacturing and marketing of model ship kits. I did not get all replies from everyone but the ones I did get said yes many if not most kit makers use Chinese model companies for various parts and pieces for their kits.
This makes sense a small company can not afford the cost of an industrial size laser so they job the work out to a company like ZHL who has 3 lasers and they sell cutting time.
It is far more efficient to send out work then try to do it yourself. an industrial laser can cut 10 kits in the same time it takes someone in their basement with a home/hobby size laser to cut one kit. Thus the cost in time and money is cheaper to have someone with the proper tooling to do the job. At the Lumberyard for model shipwrights I do exactly that, all our laser cutting is jobbed out I do not own a laser, as a matter of fact there are 4 different companies involved in the production of the Halifax kit.
I also found this out with casting cannons yes I can cast a few cannons but when I need hundreds and commercial grade master molds and casting equipment I look for a business set up to do that kind of work. Today it is instant access if I need 1,000 6 pound 1/4 scale cannons I go on line and have them custom cast and in 3 weeks they are at my door step. The business of model ship manufacturing is becoming more and more homogeneous it is all blending together and different companies use other companies for parts, research, design and plans etc. In the long run this helps the model builders because the technology of the "kit" is advancing faster and cost are kept down.
 
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when I saw a post in the pof mayflower thread, about a member here who was able to get it "special ordered" through ZHL, I tried to do the same thing to save a little cash on the shipping.
ZHL replied back that it wasn't doable because HE wasn't authorized to sell those particular kits as those companies were.

Hence there is an actual distribution for the Chinese kits. Meaning one, possibly two central makers. Unfortunately 30 guys on ebay selling the same kits are not companies making the same kit. GOing rthrough most of those ebay photos, the only actually difference is that there is "official" CAF model logoed instructions, and most use the same plans with the CAF logos removed.

The fact that in ebay ads for Russian made model kits, they are using the same identical instruction sheet set up, points to the same company doing the work for them.
 
Hi pocketshaver ,we are not investigating who manfactures what and who are the distributors,also this is off topic,Submarineblue asked where he can order the La Belle,I think he got that answer.

Zoltan
 
Pocketshaver,
so all in all, you are trying to find and purchase a POF Mayflower from any particular manufacture considering any worldwide source. Is this correct? Can anybody assist him? Zoltan, are you familiar with who would be selling the POF Mayflower from anywhere so he can choose what he wants.
 
Hi pocketshaver ,we are not investigating who manfactures what and who are the distributors, also this is off topic,

like I said in my post ya we know all the companies are working together in some way or another. It is kind of a big so what as long as quality kits are made available.
I agree with Zoltan we are not investigating who is who and who is doing what for who or who makes what parts or instructions for who. This all is part of the industry of model kit manufacturing and not really a part of the end results of the hobby of model building. We are focused on how to build the models and the zen of the hobby.
 
The La Belle kit is sold by a few sellers. Best to go for one who can provide the best after sales support.
 
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