POF SLOOP HMS SPEEDWELL 1752 - PROTOTYPE WIP - SYREN MODELLING COMPANY

Speedwell Carvings currently being developed. We have just begun the cad work but here is a sneak peek at where we are going with these. This project is officially underway. Be sure to check out the build log on Model Ship World. Our goal is to bring you a nice all laser cut, POF kit with beautiful CNC carvings. There are still lots of tweaking needed on these but I cant wait to show you finished carvings on the model.

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Not many, but then when you see like vanguard models POB Indy shipped to US is $1700, and the “cheap” but nice Chinese POF models are pushing $1200-1400 shipped from ZHL, there is not much in it IMO.
At least Syren allows you to buy by chapters, but then some like CAF and others are starting to do the same, they are all learning.
To me it’s all about the value you see in it.
I’ve never built a model in less than 6 months - I know guys that build 3 models a year!

This is such a diverse hobby that I try not to judge anybody’s efforts.

But I am what I am.
 
There are lot more out thsn ZHL ,also ZhL is a reseller,Modelship Dockyard ,Miniature Arts ,Caf ,Trident Models,and many others on the other note on a $2000 + kit POF I would like to see the deck frame notches ,hanging and lidging knees ,these are major PoF features that were omitted because takes forever to make them and they won’t be visible ?? Sorry but that is big nono for $2000 + kit ,I did not even mentione that if you send that kit to Canada or EU there are heavy import charges and suddenly the kit becomes $3000 + kit ,for that price you can buy 3 Blandford or Enterprize kit in 1:48 Scalw .
Just my 2 cents.
 
As I observed the quality of the ship images they were excellent. Then I read that they were laser cut, so my take is this now becomes an assembly, not construction. My intent is to keep to construction, cut my own pieces and fit my own cuts.
 
I fear the model shipwright industry is well on its way down the same slippery slope onto which the plastic model companies long ago wandered. Whatever the reason (and I'm sure it is not greed), the fact is that most mid- to top-rail hot injection-molded plastic or "mixed media" 3DP resin/PE kits nowadays are way too expensive (and far too challenging) for many adults, much less a complete novice in his single-digit or "tween" years. Granted, I'm going back half a century but I still recall being able to save the "tooth" quarters and chores-for-the-neighbors cash and that eagerly awaited weekly allowance dole in order to afford, for example, the $2.00 PYRO USS Olympia kit (with lurid box art no red-blooded boy of nine could possibly resist).
Purveyors of plastic and wood models alike need...DESPERATELY...to attract more of the young-folks demographic...and more young ladies while they're at it...not scare the living bejezuz of of them with kits priced at levels so astronomical kids and teens can't even afford to dream about building one. It's hard enough to get youngsters interested in anything that requires zen-like patience and solid manual dexterity to do well, without rendering such a hobby unattainable even if they are genuinely interested.
I wouldn't expect makers and purveyors of kits to actually lose money, of course, or to lower quality. But something has gotta give. As the song goes "But every year / More old men disappear" and if our potential replacements are being priced out and offered only Museum-quality "expert" kits, eventually there won't be any such hobby niche to fill. (Think I'm exaggerating? Fellow Baby Boomers, how many of the mom-n-pop hobby shops you patronized as a boy or girl are still around now?)
Alrighty, mates, rant over. And yeah, that is one GORGEOUS, kick-ass model package. I just wish I could afford it.
 
WDO said:
As I observed the quality of the ship images they were excellent. Then I read that they were laser cut, so my take is this now becomes an assembly, not construction. My intent is to keep to construction, cut my own pieces and fit my own cuts.
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... right, we call this type of construction - a scratch build!
 
Kilo66 said:
I fear the model shipwright industry is well on its way down the same slippery slope onto which the plastic model companies long ago wandered. Whatever the reason (and I'm sure it is not greed), the fact is that most mid- to top-rail hot injection-molded plastic or "mixed media" 3DP resin/PE kits nowadays are way too expensive (and far too challenging) for many adults, much less a complete novice in his single-digit or "tween" years. Granted, I'm going back half a century but I still recall being able to save the "tooth" quarters and chores-for-the-neighbors cash and that eagerly awaited weekly allowance dole in order to afford, for example, the $2.00 PYRO USS Olympia kit (with lurid box art no red-blooded boy of nine could possibly resist).
Purveyors of plastic and wood models alike need...DESPERATELY...to attract more of the young-folks demographic...and more young ladies while they're at it...not scare the living bejezuz of of them with kits priced at levels so astronomical kids and teens can't even afford to dream about building one. It's hard enough to get youngsters interested in anything that requires zen-like patience and solid manual dexterity to do well, without rendering such a hobby unattainable even if they are genuinely interested.
I wouldn't expect makers and purveyors of kits to actually lose money, of course, or to lower quality. But something has gotta give. As the song goes "But every year / More old men disappear" and if our potential replacements are being priced out and offered only Museum-quality "expert" kits, eventually there won't be any such hobby niche to fill. (Think I'm exaggerating? Fellow Baby Boomers, how many of the mom-n-pop hobby shops you patronized as a boy or girl are still around now?)
Alrighty, mates, rant over. And yeah, that is one GORGEOUS, kick-ass model package. I just wish I could afford it.
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Remembering back to my single digit and tween years insatiable urge for modeling (going back more than 70 years) I concur with and whole heartedly appreciated the wisdom and sentiments of this wonderful post! I remember waiting months to save up my allowance in order to buy a $14.00 wooden kit of a full-scale Kentucky rifle model (a wood and plastic hybrid) in order to replicate and have my very own "Davey Crockett 'Old Betsy'" style frontier flintlock long rifle with the beautiful maple stock. (I wasn't going to be allowed to get the kit until I had earned the money- ALL of it!) It took me at least a month to carve, assemble and finish under the guiding hand of my father. Fourteen bucks was a fortune for a ten-year-old in 1956! The model had pride of place on my bedroom wall until I went away to college years later.
Assembling kits and scratch building plastic and wood models as a kid was the direct impetus for my subsequent career as an antique restorer for 40 or more years as an adult.

Pete Gutterman
 
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One reason this model is so expensive is because of the large scale, 3/8, making a 31 inch model without rigging. A 1/64 or 1/48 version would use far less wood, be much less expensive and still produce an excellent and challenging model. The cost would have also been reduced if less expensive woods (cherry, pear) were used which would have been quite acceptable to most modelers. I don't understand why the designer chose to use a scale, type of wood and corresponding cost that would put it out of the reach of most potential customers. I was looking forward to seeing a quality POF model that was produced domestically. But, when I saw the cost I was totally disappointed. Spending that amount of money for a kit just seems wrong. Ship modeling should not be an elitist hobby that is only available to those with unlimited funds.
 
Submarinerblue said:
One reason this model is so expensive is because of the large scale, 3/8, making a 31 inch model without rigging. A 1/64 or 1/48 version would use far less wood, be much less expensive and still produce an excellent and challenging model. The cost would have also been reduced if less expensive woods (cherry, pear) were used which would have been quite acceptable to most modelers. I don't understand why the designer chose to use a scale, type of wood and corresponding cost that would put it out of the reach of most potential customers. I was looking forward to seeing a quality POF model that was produced by a domestic company. But, when I saw the cost I was totally disappointed. Spending that amount of money for a kit just seems wrong. Ship modeling should not be an elitist hobby that is only available to those with unlimited funds.
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This kit is Alaskan Yellow Cedar wood what is less expensive than Pearwood
 
Submarinerblue said:
但模型如此昂贵的原因之一是因为尺寸增大，为3/8，只需装配即可制作31英寸模型。1/64或1/48版本使用的木材要少指甲，价格也便宜，仍然可以制作出又困难的模型。如果使用比较便宜的木材（樱桃木、梨木），成本也降低，这对大多数建模者来说都是可以接受的。我不明白为什么设计师选择使用的规模、木材类型以及相应的成本，这会让大多数潜在客户无法承受。我很期待国产的优质POF型号。但是，当我这个价格的时候，我感觉非常失望花那么多钱买一套似乎是错误的。船舶建模不应该成为只有拥有无限资金的人享受的精英爱好。
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幸运的是，你可以买到它，只要有钱，
Fortunately, you can buy it if you have the money,
 
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WDO said:
As I observed the quality of the ship images they were excellent. Then I read that they were laser cut, so my take is this now becomes an assembly, not construction. My intent is to keep to construction, cut my own pieces and fit my own cuts.
Click to expand...
Jimsky said:
... right, we call this type of construction - a scratch build!
Click to expand...
I would call this particular model a wonderful scratch build. It is construction and not an assembly. As it is a prototype, the plans were drawn by the builder. He cut out the parts himself. He used a laser cutter to cut them but that requires a particular set of skills using both the computer and laser cutter, understanding how to best use that tool with different thicknesses and kinds of wood. He had to draw the parts to be laser cut and to make them fit properly needs to take into account the kerf of the laser and the fact that the laser cuts are not perfectly vertical. The fit of parts may require sanding to compensate for this. The design of said parts needs to take into account the need for sanding in order to make them fit correctly. Using a saw to cut out parts for such a build requires a different set of skills. either way, you are just using a tool to cut the wood.

The designer and builder of this model is doing a superb job of scratch building. Don't take anything away from his choice of tools. He is developing a kit, or a partial kit for sale. It is indeed an expensive kit for the most discerning of builders with deep pockets but the Model Shipways kit of the 18th Century Longboat can be had for about $60 and is by the same designer. I think we need to see the market develop at both ends. Easy models for the beginners and complicated, expensive models for the experienced builder. Scratch builders are beyond either of these in my mind. They are in a class of their own but it doesn't take away from those who buy and build kits or those that buy partial kits.
 
That was a wonderful letter and I could not agree more I've been building about 30 years and cannot believe the price increases
 
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