I'll chime in, and being a new builder myself, and who is trying to get each minute detail spot on, I have my own thoughts on "museum quality". The ships I intend to build, although not as majestic as historic rigged sailing vessels (all the sails, planking, rigging, etc.), the Great Lakes freighters are much more generic looking, boring some would say, many look the same (essentially are, aside from name). What is museum quality to me...... it is what I strive for as I gain more experience. Here is a link to an article from the newspaper in Detroit (across the river from me). This is what I strive for in the near future.
https://www.freep.com/story/news/co...2/17/sam-buchanan-captain-mail-boat/95537910/
I follow him on a Great Lakes model builders group on Facebook - amazing work, and there are others builders too.
My problem is that I am limited to time, and tools, and funds right now too, so have to get by the best I can to come up with my builds. If you see the models in the article above, you'll see what I consider "museum quality". For anyone who has visited any of the museums on the Great Lakes - you'll know exactly what I am talking about.
I have one 95% complete build, which I think I posted some pics of already. Working on 2 others currently (same ship, 1:200 and 1:250 scales), plus I have blueprints for 3 other ones as well. I have my source for scale drawings (many are builders prints), I have an OK source for materials locally - can't find a balsa dealer that sells big enough blocks for my needs. I have quite a bit of patience as well. I also am very hard on myself for this though. I don't want to see glue marks, windows that aren't perfect, etc.
I am 48, and have just got started in a hobby I wanted to do since I was 10 years old.
https://www.freep.com/story/news/co...2/17/sam-buchanan-captain-mail-boat/95537910/
I follow him on a Great Lakes model builders group on Facebook - amazing work, and there are others builders too.
My problem is that I am limited to time, and tools, and funds right now too, so have to get by the best I can to come up with my builds. If you see the models in the article above, you'll see what I consider "museum quality". For anyone who has visited any of the museums on the Great Lakes - you'll know exactly what I am talking about.
I have one 95% complete build, which I think I posted some pics of already. Working on 2 others currently (same ship, 1:200 and 1:250 scales), plus I have blueprints for 3 other ones as well. I have my source for scale drawings (many are builders prints), I have an OK source for materials locally - can't find a balsa dealer that sells big enough blocks for my needs. I have quite a bit of patience as well. I also am very hard on myself for this though. I don't want to see glue marks, windows that aren't perfect, etc.
I am 48, and have just got started in a hobby I wanted to do since I was 10 years old.