What to build next?

[Colin BishopModerator @colinbishop34627]

Looking through some recent posts prompts me to enquire what factors influence people's modelling projects. Building a model boat of any description entails a lot of commitment in time, skills and often money so I thought it would be useful to start a topic which explores why people are attracted to particular subjects.

Of our regular contributors, Dave Milbourn obviously has a very soft spot for the classic Fairey motor cruisers which have so much more character than the plastic creations we see in marinas today. Ashley Needham on the other hand prefers quirky subjects which entail a lot of practical research and development.

As for me, I prefer traditional merchant or non naval vessels with intrinsically attractive lines such as my Brenda fishery cruiser which is all curves and few straight lines. I also like to build models which are essentially unique in the sense that you are unlikely to see another example on the pond or at shows although it doesn't always work out that way given that several of my recent projects have been kit reviews!

So, what influences you in choosing your next modelling project? It will be interesting to see what the responses are.

Colin

[Colin BishopModerator @colinbishop34627]

How do you choose your next modelling project?

[Tim CooperParticipant @timcooper90034]

Colin

That's a good question!

Not sure I know the answer.

I think looking back that I have looked for something that stretches my skills a little more each time in some way. The Eezebilt PT Boat I'm building at present is a first model just from plans. A Revell Flower conversion to see if I could add more detail than the kit and add moving turrets etc. Next a Italeri S100 to see if I can get the guns to turn, flash and go bang. A Robbe Dusseldorf as it's fun to sail.

Tim

[harry smith 1Participant @harrysmith1]

Hi All

I like the classic looks of the older boats, but, I have a bit of a thing for speed !!!

The brushless motors have moved the old boats into world of the power(if not more) of the old IC motors without the noise and starting problems.

Also you can have reverse !!!

The ESCs can be program for very good low speed.

The new radios have programming onboard with reversing servo travel and linking channels together

e.g. I use a switch channel for changing the maximum speed of the boat for scale speed and to maximum speed or as Dave would say warp speed.

As Tim posted a boat which makes you push your skills to the next level and build a more interesting boat.

The SG&K 1920 Gentleman's Runabout has made me come up with a few things I have not seen in mags or forums.

Harry Smith

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

Colin is right concerning my modelling tastes, but the actual question.."how do you choose the next project" is somewhat more tricky, but in general, they just simply pop out of the blue.

Often the next subject comes along during research for whatever it is on the bench… a chance photo of something odd, or having some unusual mechanism in my hand (no smutty comments plse) I cast around for another application to use it in. The last few models have been along slightly similar lines as I explore craft with similar concepts….wheels, air props and so on.

The current big project owes itself to this train of thought, Victorian battleship with a bit extra. The Sans Pareil was a fill-in whilst waiting for materials and the long slog of making a hull, and is Victorian but as a feature, was chosen because I liked the look of it and it has a similar configuration to HMS Nelson (turret(s) forward AND could be made to the same scale for interest when sailing together. The smaller project running alongside the big one is something that has been on the wish list, but owes several features to the big one and hence its choice and its place in a similar thread..

The next after these two, eventually, is something found quite by chance whilst casting about for info on something or other and I am quite excited about it. The means for realising this as a model stems from carrying out repair work on another of my boats, and so it goes on.

Ashley

[Ray Wood 3Participant @raywood3]

Hi All

The scope of building what ever you please is the wonderful freedom and variety of modelling, I'm interested in most subjects that either float, fly, run on rails or tyres, fullsize or models, so some models maybe a unique concept as Ashley produces to copy say the Top Gear sailing Triumph Herald , or a prototype not modelled or published such as my recent Wild Duck plan, there are still some types of boats not produced as plans yet.

My latest boat project after my Cullamix tug will be a Spanish Fishing boat to Jim Pottinger's Design published in MMI some years ago, this is going to be brightly painted for my wife as she fancies the model in our lounge as an ornament too remind us of our holidays, Happy days this is a first for the Wood household

Keep dreaming & modelling Regards Ray

Edited By Ray Wood 2 on 27/11/2017 10:12:47

[Chris FellowsParticipant @chrisfellows72943]

As a beginner it's easy for me.

The first boat I bought was a Fairey Huntsman 31 at 1:8 scale (already built) and like Dave, Faireys have drawn me in.

I currently have Swordsman 33 and Huntsman 28 builds under way (well just started!) and will then build a Huntsman 31.

That will keep me going for awhile but after that who knows?

Chris

[Paul TParticipant @pault84577]

Colin

I am driven by the purity of design and engineering conundrums.

The first is easy to explain as is evident in my long running debate with DM about propshaft angles or the simplicity of design such as how the sharp edge of the foredeck on a barrel back melts into a barrel stern or exploring the geometry of hull in order to reduce a bow wave.

Dave might describe this search for perfection as an obsession ……..and he could be right.

The second is more difficult to explain but often starts with a ship or boat that doesn't seem to make sense, for instance the Mersey paddle ferry that didn't have any paddles link this type of influence always require a great deal of research and usually leads to some surprising results. In this particular case it raised the question of 'The birds in a lorry' riddle and it had me stumped for quite a long time

My Mighty Thor started out as a flash of inspiration at Ellesmere Port boat show when I witnessed model tugs trying to push a full sized narrow boat, I wondered just how much power could be produced from a model tug and went on to produce a battery crunching heavy weight that could tow a full size canal boat, it proved an idea could be both achieved and be completely impractical all at the same time.

When I design for other people I like to build strength and durability into my work.

Whats next? maybe a conundrum like the Hovertank, or the challenge of a 1:48 scale Queen Elizabeth aircraft carrier (drawings are already done) I just don't know

Paul

[BanjomanParticipant @banjoman]

Colin,

For my part, there are two main aspects to what I choose to build. One is emotional, the other (at least to some extent) rational.

The emotional factor is of course just simply that something or other catches my fancy more than usual: it migh be a type of ship or boat, or a shapely set of lines, or historical significance, or something I've read much about, or visited or seen, or … basically anything whatever it might be that makes a subject attractive to me. I haven't spent too much time trying to analyse and understand what "it" might be, but I always know it when I come across it.

The more rational part of selection has to do with variety, both of type of subject and of the challenges involved, be they of the build, propulsion and/or sailing variety.

On my current list of planned builds, once I've finished Moonbeam, are the following in (probable) order of build:

1. A 1/16 Fairey Huntsman 31 from the Dave Milbourn plans that I bought when they were first published; a brushless motor, ESC, and also a prop and propshaft were picked up recently at the IMBS in Leamington Spa. This will be my first experience with brushless motors, and also with a planing hull.
2. The Rother-class RNLB Alice Upjohn at 1/12; I bought the kit two years ago from Tony Green Steam Engines, and got better props (from Protean) also at the IMBS a few weeks ago. My first ever life boat build, which will also be my first attempt at twin motors and propellers.
3. A static model of the four-masted barque Moshulu, at either 1/96 or (if I dare attempt it) 1/48 from the Malcolm Darch plans, copies of which I bought last year from The Brunel Insititue collections; the 1987 Malcolm Darch build articles from Model Boats have also been collected. Here the challenge will be to maximise the amount of scratch building involved, and to attempt as true-to-scale a build as I can achieve.
4. A 1/6 steam launch based on H. Croker's Wide-A-Wake plans that I bought two years ago. Again, my ambition for this build is to go as scratch as I can, including the production of a Stuart D10 enginge from castings. Not to mention figuring out a way to produce a couple of thousand copper rose-head boat nails and fitting roves at scale size (alas, the 16 or 18 gauge ones recommended by Herbert Croker are no longer produced).

As both the final two are likely to be very time consuming builds, and will also require a better-equipped workshop than what I currently have, I might intersperse one or two simpler ones after the Alice Upjohn, and only start on the two big projects after I'm retired (hoping that that day will indeed arrive) …

Mattias

Edited By Banjoman on 28/11/2017 10:54:58

[BanjomanParticipant @banjoman]

On re-reading the thread and my previous post, I realised that I'd quite forgotten to mention the latest addition to my list of projected builds, which would be something from the immensly rich treasure-trove of classic motor boat designs from the hand of C G Pettersson (1876–1953; active 1904–1953)!

To give just a couple of examples, here are a couple of pages from the Swedish Maritime Museum, showing the Pettersson boats that they have in their collections:

**LINK**

and

**LINK**

(ignore the Swedish text and just scroll down for the photos).

So far, my preparations for this project has been limited to buying a second-hand copy of the 2004 book "Petterssonbåten" (**LINK**), but at some suitable point in time I'll go looking for copies of the original drawings (many of which have been preserved) of a suitable Pettersson.

The main challenges with this build would of course be the woodwork and figuring out how to scratch build a model from original drawings …

Mattias

[Dave MilbournParticipant @davemilbourn48782]

Mattias

I think it depends almost entirely on the degree of detail show on the original drawings. For example, if there are numerous hull sections and lines then you're 3/4 of the way there, but a lot of UK-built boats like these were done almost by eye and from memory. As these are open-cockpit boats you can flesh out the bones by looking at photos and mimicking the structures in the appropriate wood, which would probably be easier than re-inventing the structure to suit modelling conventions. If you use a reasonably large scale then there should be few problems in fitting a modern radio system and power train. Use of CAD would be very much recommended – let me know if I can help in that respect.

It was a pleasure to meet you at the recent show. BTW The beer is still settling in my (cold) workshop!

Dave M

[BanjomanParticipant @banjoman]

Dave,

I'm happy to say that from what minor research that I've done so far, there seems to be literaly many, many hundreds of Pettersson's original plans available in the collections of Sjöhistoriska museet (The Swedish Maritime Museum), and that many of these are proper plans complete with lines and hull sections; see e.g. **LINK** …

One option would of course be to select the Wiking X, linked to in my previous post, as subject, given that the real thing can be visited, viewed (and photographed) at the musuem. However, all that is still a number of years in the future, so I have more than enough time to mull it over. Furthermore, many other Pettersson boats have survived to this day, so if one is prepared to go to the trouble of contacting owners similar inspection of other boats might hopefully be arranged, should some other one catch my fancy …

And I'm even more happy to concur entirely and to say that I, too, found it a true pleasure to meet you at the recent IMBS! I am also curious to find out what you think of the beer in question, once it has settled and been sampled! And please note that it is of course perfectly fine not to like it … although I hope you will! Cheers!

Mattias

Edited By Banjoman on 30/11/2017 13:28:46

[BanjomanParticipant @banjoman]

Actually, the more I look at the plans I linked to in my previous post, the more I think that that is pretty much exactly the kind of Pettersson motor boat that I'd be keen on building a model of, while the plans are apparently made at a sacle of 1:10, and thus would be usable pretty much as they are, as that is more or less the sort of scale I've had in mind all along … Hmm. Food for thought indeed!

Well. As already mentioned, it is a project for further down the road. Based on my build rate over recent years, it'll probably be somewhere in the region of 20 years at least before I even begin to get the end in sight of the five projects listed above, so maybe in six or seven years time from now … ?!

Mattias

[Ray Wood 3Participant @raywood3]

Hi Mattias

What a super launch, plenty of joinery on show, should be a challenge to build, no P38 filler or paint ! and looks like it should go like an MTB, looks like there's enough information on the drawing to build it I'm quite keen on the American launches of the same style, plans published as extracts from "The Rudder" 1897-1942 by Anne & Maynard Bray.

Regards Ray

Edited By Ray Wood 2 on 30/11/2017 14:09:21

[BanjomanParticipant @banjoman]

Hello Ray,

Yes, those launches are absolute beauties, I find — C G Pettersson was a very talented constructor indeed!

My grandfather had a mahogany motor boat of similar vintage, but only about half as long, and (as far as I know) not a Pettersson design; it is still in the family (my uncle owns it these days), but hasn't been in the water since the motor (an outboard design, at a guess 1930s vintage; pretty similar to this one: **LINK**) broke down sometime in the 1960s. The motor has since been restored, and should in principle work fine, but the last I heard the hull was still sitting dry in another relative's barn loft …

Mattias

[Ray Wood 3Participant @raywood3]

Hi Mattias

My dad had a similar single cylinder 5hp British Anzani outboard on our first 13ft sailing dinghy in the early 60's I can still remember the dread of him winding the cord run the flywheel (Pre recoil starter days) and giving a mighty pull, the cord lashing us in the boat, and it not firing as we drifted backwards down the Thames at 5 knots !! Happy Days ?

Regards Ray

[Chris FellowsParticipant @chrisfellows72943]

Posted by Banjoman on 30/11/2017 13:40:14:

Actually, the more I look at the plans I linked to in my previous post, the more I think that that is pretty much exactly the kind of Pettersson motor boat that I'd be keen on building a model of, while the plans are apparently made at a sacle of 1:10, and thus would be usable pretty much as they are, as that is more or less the sort of scale I've had in mind all along … Hmm. Food for thought indeed!

Well. As already mentioned, it is a project for further down the road. Based on my build rate over recent years, it'll probably be somewhere in the region of 20 years at least before I even begin to get the end in sight of the five projects listed above, so maybe in six or seven years time from now … ?!

Mattias

As has been said, lovely looking boats and a challenge to build.

As regards using existing plans at the preferred scale don't make the mistake I made and assume the drawings have been scanned (If that's how you get them) at the original size.

I was working off drawings at 1:12 on the computer, which was what I wanted, and didn't realise until I printed out the hull that it was too short! Not a problem though as it was just a case of working out how much to increase the printing output by but I did have to reduce the thickness of timbers I'd added as they came out too thick.

I couldn't wait that long to build a beautiful boat like that! Go on, revise your list and put it at No. 2!

Chris

 

Edited By Chris Fellows on 30/11/2017 16:50:43

[BanjomanParticipant @banjoman]

Chris,

That's a very good point about verifying scale on scanned (or even copied) plans (and yes, I pretty much assume that a scan would be how the museum provides them); of course, a good copy shop can always run off a compensated print-out once any deviation has been found, but as you say, it needs checking!

As for the wait, that does not bother me at all: I like having things to look forward to even years in the future, and find the thinking, pre-planning and planning processes to be part of the fun, so I'm afraid that at least for the time being it stays as (a potential) No. 3 on my list …

Mattias

Edited By Banjoman on 01/12/2017 06:42:23

[Bob WilsonParticipant @bobwilson59101]

I will just start something on impulse. Sometimes because I have just obtained the plans, other times I will just spot something when browsing through my old maritime technical journals. They are invariably merchant ships these days, although I have built a couple of battleboats Always miniatures, and as I get older, I tend to prefer sailing ships as they are far easier than steamers or motor ships.(although I am always told otherwise). I haven't built this one yet, but will probably get round to it eventually, as I have always liked four-masted barques.

Bob

Edited By Bob Wilson on 01/12/2017 15:14:46

[Tim Ford 2Participant @timford2]

I,ve decided to model a Tyne class life boat for my first scale project, im using a David Metcalf plan with a blown plastic hull, when i decided to embark on this quest of a model i originally wanted to model one of the merchant ships i sailed on back in the 80,s, one of the OCL, container ships, but just couldnt find where to get drawings , theres a few good models around, one currently in chatham dockyard museum and one at the royal greenwich museum,so because of the lack of knowledge i looked at a tug boat and wow was i shocked at the detail these boats have on them so had to take stock of my own experience to produce a scale model.

My project has led me into research of the Ruby and Arthur Reed 2,ive contacted all kinds of people with a wealth of knowledge and each person has responded to my request for help.

knowing this build will take a huge amount of time ive made a tiny start,i have no sequence to this build so some thought has to play its part on which part to build and put into its place. i have already found some strange measu rements that are not lining up but will have to work round these and make some sense out of them.

Its my intention to have the boat running on two motors , working lights and rotating radar with as much detail as im able to add.

Tim

[Edward BoyceParticipant @edwardboyce88824]

Never quite sure when to jump in here. New to the hobby. Never built a model boat before, followed Bluebord's build log on the other site and have a 80% finished Swordsman. Started a Vic Smeed Guardsman, working on hull. I like the scratch builds and the vintage craft.

[Eddie LancasterParticipant @eddielancaster]

Having had a hip replaced in May this year I had to abandon my current model project, a half size traction engine, so recovering with my friends down at Broadstairs and getting bored I purchased a copy of Model Boats, the one with Varmint in. The plans were emailed to me as a pdf. a visit to the local print shop and I had two copies of the plan, one to use in my friends shed and the other to cut out the frame drawings to stick onto the balsa, using photo mount adhesive. My next stop was the local model shop for most of the materials and then back to the shed to start the build.

This was a satisfying return to boat building, as this is where I started my modelling activities over 40 years ago, This boat was soon finished and trialled at the Ramsgate club pond with one of their experienced members sailing it for me and then giving me instructions.

What Next? With Sarik not having their plans site up and running a quick look on the internet turned up the Racing Sparrow from New Zealand, A boat I liked the look of. By this time I was back home and mobile again, so a visit to my local print shop and model shop and a bit of online shopping and my second boat was well under way.

In the meantime I took Varmint out with my 11 year old Grandson to the local boating lake, this was fine but he could not get to grips with having to sail according to the wind instead of pointing the boat in the direction that he wanted it to go! So, what next?

A visit to the the Model Dockyard website found the late Vic Smeed's Moonglow plan and the same routine was followed with all the materials being delivered to my Daughter's as I was due back in hospital for my second hip replacement! 6 weeks later the hull is nearly finished ready for painting and all the hardware is ready to install.

Within less than 6 months I have gone from a happy steam modeller to an even happier steam and boat modeller with 2 radio sets ( one for my Grandson) and another hobby to fit into my busy retirement schedule.

What next?

[Dave MilbournParticipant @davemilbourn48782]

As someone once said, "The world is your lobster"!

You're clearly someone who likes to build from plans, so get hold of a plans catalogue or go on-line and view one, then just go for whatever takes your fancy. There's plenty of stuff for everyone's tastes. Try this one first **LINK**

Dave M

[Eddie LancasterParticipant @eddielancaster]

Hi. Dave, Ididn't want to go on for too long but in fact I have got the plans for my next two builds! Ardent from Sarik and Duet plans given to me br a Ramsgate member.

You are right I do like building from plans rather than kits, tends to keep the grey matter stirred, two of my last steamers were also built from scratch using illustrations from Burrells of thetford and my latest that I am working on I had a hand in the design a few years ago.

Eddie

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