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Beginner suggestion

  • Thread starter Thread starter MJN
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MJN

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Hi All,
I am wondering, can anyone suggest a ship model for a beginner into this venue? I've been plastic scale modeling for the past 15 yrs and want to explore wood ship building. I have mostly built WWII aircraft and war ships. I would like any suggestion on an inexpensive, (less than $100) to start with. I am looking for a quality set geared for a beginner. Any and all suggestions are appreciated.

Mark
 
a mistake many builders make is starting off with big projects

i would suggest the series by model expo starting with the Dory

Lowell Grand Banks Dory, First Ever Build

A few years into my retirement I have decided to attempt wooden ship model building. My first foray is the Model Expo Lowell Grand Banks Dory. I know my skill set would make the three-piece bottom fairly simple. However, as it is my first build I took the easy way out and chose the one-piece...
shipsofscale.com

Lowell Grand Banks Dory

I am new to modeling with wood any and all critiques are most welcme. I was excited to receive my kits from Model ShipWays I have to say they was very prompt and informative with thier ahipping of my kits. I am starting with the Dory as I want to make it enjoyable. When I was able to I opened...
shipsofscale.com

 
Hi Mark, and welcome aboard!

With 15 years of plastic scale modeling under your belt, especially in WWII aircraft and warships, you already bring valuable skills like precision, patience, and attention to detail to wooden ship modeling. That experience will translate very well as you make the transition.
For a beginner-friendly wooden ship kit under $100, I highly recommend the Model Shipways Lowell Grand Banks Dory, available through Model Expo. This Skill Level 1 kit is part of their Shipwright Learning Series and includes laser-cut plank-on-frame construction, detailed pictorial instructions, and even tools, paint, and glue in the combo version, providing everything you need to get started comfortably (in case you need some basic tools).

1753969008029.png

That kit is perfect if you want to experience true wooden ship modeling without getting overwhelmed. And once you’ve tried it, there are follow-up kits in the series (Level 2 pram and Level 3 lobster smack) that build your skills step by step.

Happy to help guide you further if you like!
Jim (aka Jimsky)
 
Thanks to all for the advise. I certainly will look into it.

Mark
 
Pepite 1/60 said:
Occre has some good candidates for starters, like this one:
occre.com

The Fishing boat Palamos | Wooden Ship Model - OcCre

Fishing wooden boat Palamos 1/45. Low-difficulty wooden kit⭐ 5 languages instructions. HD photos step by step. Video tutorials. 100% satisfaction or your money back. Lifetime guarantee with OcCre. +22,000 happy customers.
occre.com occre.com
Click to expand...
I agree with. They have an excellent TunaFish boat. , but many other beginning sets. But as we are around the world, it is difficult to suggest a manufacturer to another. Here in the EU there most of the main manufacturers are: Billing Boat in Denmark. OCCRE in Spain. you can download the models -even the instruction book -free of charge. The may be problems with prices in the future with extra tax for us buyers
el capi
 
Pepite 1/60 said:
Occre has some good candidates for starters, like this one:
occre.com

The Fishing boat Palamos | Wooden Ship Model - OcCre

Fishing wooden boat Palamos 1/45. Low-difficulty wooden kit⭐ 5 languages instructions. HD photos step by step. Video tutorials. 100% satisfaction or your money back. Lifetime guarantee with OcCre. +22,000 happy customers.
occre.com occre.com
Click to expand...
fully agree. I came live in Madrid not far away from the factory and most models were and are still sold by MODEL REYNA Madeid
 
If you can find any Midwest Productions early releases, those are great starter kits. Model Expo is currently producing their kits. I can’t speak to the quality of the new MWP kits, but ME’s own kits are much lower quality than they were 20-odd years ago
 
I also strongly advise you begin with the Model Shipways "beginners' series" of the three workboat models. Don't think of them as just three distinct model kits, but rather as a three-part apprenticeship guided by one of the world's most gifted modelers and most engaging instructors, David Anscherl.

There are a number of other advantages provided by this progressive instructional kit series that are particularly beneficial to beginning modelers in the United States.

The kits are made in the U.S., and their instructions were originally written in English. Foreign-made kits may have problematic English translations, if they have any translation at all. Just as even within English, nomenclature can become confusing to the uninitiated, e.g., "driving"="motoring," "hood"="bonnet," "trunk"+"boot," etc., deciphering foreign language maritime nomenclature frequently requires a specialized nautical dictionary with a "translator index" just to translate English, French, and German nautical terms which often bear no rational relationship to each other when translated verbatim. Also, many foreign-made kit instruction manuals are notoriously deficient, even for experienced kit builders. Beware of buying any kit before you've had a chance to thoroughly review the instruction manual. The good kit manufacturers will provide their instructions online at no charge, usually in their catalog entry webpage. If they don't, walk the other way.

See: https://modelexpo-online.com/assets/images/Dory instructions final.pdf

https://modelexpo-online.com/assets/images/MS1471_Norwegian_Pram/MS1471 Norwegian Sailing Pram instructions rev 3-29-21.pdf

https://modelexpo-online.com/assets/images/Lobster_smack-instructionpdf.pdf

I'm sure some will say, "Well ABC makes great kits with good instructions in English, and they're made in England." or "XYZ makes kits in China that are indistinguishable from American and British kits and cost a lot less.." (... because some Chinese manufacturers have no regard for others' intellectual property rights!) They are correct on both counts, but the problems remain for the beginner. The top end British kits are among the best in the world, but these are not kits at all suitable for beginners, at least as far as I'm aware. These are very expensive, top of the line kits with materials of the highest quality and instructions that are book-length. They demand an experienced builder and often have build times that run into years. As for the Chinese kits, and to a lesser degree all foreign kits as of today's news (but, as they say, "the story is developing,) the U.S. modeler will be paying what in most instances will be a huge tariff tax on foreign products. In the case of Chinese kits, the tax is now 55% and that money isn't buying you any more model than it did before the President imposed this tax. In recent times, we've also seen high inflation of international shipping charges which in some, if not many, cases, render the total cost of doing business with an overseas vendor unjustifiable. It can be very frustrating to find it taking weeks, if not longer, to obtain a broken or missing part for a foreign kit, even when its available or that the cost of shipping a product to the U.S. is greater than the cost of the item itself!.
 
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