Help!! What to build next the 1/64 Caldercraft Agamemnon or 1/48 Bonhomme Richard?

paulb

paulb

Joined
Aug 27, 2017
Messages
407
Points
313

Location
Provo, Utah
I'm getting pretty close to finishing the Phoenix (see pic) - I just don't have anything else to do as we are hunkered down here. I'm 70 and recently had heart surgery (my doc said don't get sick for a while) so I'm having a blast building all day!
I just sold my AL Surprise (I just stoped feeling the love) and I'm wondering what to build next - I like the Caldercraft Agamemnon and also the Bonhomme Richard sold by ZHL models in China. I would love your input - the good bad and the ugly, warts and all - gut feelings and prejudices.

Things I understand with this decision:
1 - Agamemnon is about 1/2 the cost
2 - 1/48 scale is easier on my eyes at 70.
3 - Ordering out of China right now is iffy.
4 - both are massive in size - I do have a place to display in a case.

Things I'm wondering about:
1 - which has the best materials
2 - pitfalls with either during build
3 - building pleasure - does one stand out above the other
4 build time

Feel free to emphasize any of the above and also offer alternatives to build._FPB7298PS.jpg
 
Built the Agamemnon last year.Magnificent but large. Because I had built the Diane the year before (similar but smaller) I decided to stop at shortened masts without rigging. I was also impatient to move on to other project. I would strongly recommend it. Good materials and plans and paints. Took me about a year at ave. 15 hrs a week
 
Any CC kits is great. The Bonhomme looks great.
With the current state of the world and the reactions from the US & EU, i would recommend at this stage going with something local if its really needed.
It not China that will be the issue, it will be local services that will be disruptive for a few months.

The Aggie is a BIG & complex build.

CC kits have the best plans & instructions of all the kits I have built so far . The wood is good, but rough finished sometimes on strips ( but they give you lots of spares), but its 1:64 not 1:48 ( but still huge !!) and I am amazed that Stuglo could finish in a year!, but I am 62 and still working.

Its' all cnc'd so expect no laser burns but mega amounts of sawdust in the box !

As to the Bonhomme full kit, you would have to ask the SOS member who built the whole shp. You will also need to check the language or you will be building of plans & images only. Ability to get replacement parts would also dependent on who you got it from ( ZHL closed at present).

If the worlds current state was not is such a mess i would say go with your heart.

As its not I IMHO i'd say

if Aggie you like best, then go local supplier
if Bon you like best, what a while till things settle back down ( 3-6 months).

Both these kits will tax and stretch your patience due to complexity, how ever compared to AL kits the CC kits will be a dream to work with.
I cannot comment on the Bonhomme kit.
 
paulv1958,
Thank you for your well thought out comments, much appreciated. The Admiral has counseled (not quite the right verb - lol) to wait a while as there is so much going on re the virus. Being of a lower rank, I must carefully consider (obey) her comments (orders). I'm actually in no hurry to purchase (my pitiful try to retain some honor).

In truth I can do what I want - I want to follow her wisdom.
In the meantime stay at least 2 meters away from me and stay healthy!!
 
Last edited:
Truthfully - I have full clearance to purchase what I want. My sweet wife loves my hobby and loves wood ship models!!! Given the world situation wrt to the virus I will probably wait a little and see how things go.
 
Kurt,
I've already built the Victory - see the above pic. I agree it's a beautiful ship and even though mine was built from a plastic kit I can't see building another one in wood. Having said that - the Caldercraft kit is wonderful!!! I want to get this choice right as I will have to live with it for the next 1 to 2 years.
 
Last edited:
paulb said:
DARIVS,
I've already built the Victory - see the above pic. I agree it's a beautiful ship and even though mine was built from a plastic kit I can't see building another one in wood. Having said that - the Caldercraft kit is wonderful!!! I want to get this choice right as I will have to live with it for the next 1 to 2 years.
Click to expand...
It's hard to go up from there!
 
Hey Paul, Maybe you have an interest in those ship models selling by our member?

For Sale: two Euromodel Ships, Falmouth and Ajax.

I have two models for sale from my collection. My interests have turned to scratch building since my Syren build. The two ships are the Euromodel Falmouth and Euromodel Ajax. Both are in sealed boxes, never opened. The pictures of the boxes are actual, they model images are from Euromodel's...
shipsofscale.com
 
I have built several kits from Caldercraft and have also the Agamemnon kit at home, so I know, that their quality, especially in manuals and drawings are very good.
Also the quality of material for kits are good.......

Kit review - HMS AGAMEMNON - 1781 - 64 gun ship - scale 1:64 - JOTIKA / Krick

Today I want to show you one of my favourite kits I have stored, hope to build it once. It is the scale 1:64 kit of HMS Agamemnon 1781, a 64 gun ship of the line of the Ardent-class, which is produced by JOTIKA Ltd. from UK In Germany and some other countries it is sold via Krick under their...
shipsofscale.com

But, building just in moment the Bonhomme Cross section

USS BONHOMME RICHARD - POF - Cross Section in Pear - 1:48 - by Uwe

Yesterday I started the first activities on my section model - in order to warm up At the end it should look like this a kit review you can find here...
shipsofscale.com

Kit review - USS BONHOMME RICHARD - Full rib Cross Section (Pear version) - Scale 1:48 - Unicorn models

Based on the extreme good quality I could see in the building log of @OlegM with his USS Bonhomme Richard from the same manufacturer https://shipsofscale.com/sosforums/threads/uss-bonhomme-richard-1779-1-48.3383/#post-66384 I was convinced, that this section model will be also a very good...
shipsofscale.com

and looking at the amazing work of @OlegM

USS Bonhomme Richard 1779 1:48 [COMPLETED BUILD]

Hi everyone, I thought maybe it's not bad idea to share my current build - I'm doing it since January 2018 and the hull is almost comletely finished, just some final touch-ups untill I move to masting... I will post photos from the beginning, maybe several times per week. I'm not very good in...
shipsofscale.com

I would state, that the difference in price is worth, due to the fact, that the quality of timber etc. is once more much better.
Choose the best quality of timber of the Bonhomme Richard and you will have months or even years fun with the model.
And the scale is 1:48 which makes it easier to add some more details....... my two cents

But at the end, independent of your final decision - It is more like a decision between a Rolls Royce and a Bentley, or Ferrari and Maserati -> you will enjoy both
 
Thanks Uwe,
So, which one has the better quality of timber? From what I've read it would be the Bonhomme Richard. Does anyone disagree, or have thoughts on this?
 
paulb said:
Thanks Uwe,
So, which one has the better quality of timber? From what I've read it would be the Bonhomme Richard. Does anyone disagree, or have thoughts on this?
Click to expand...
The Bonhomme timber quality is two steps better - I can speak definitely about the section model (POF) and I was choosing here the pear version - and here the timber quality is really 1.st class - but not only the quality of cutting and the dimension accuracy of the wooden strips etc.
 
Bon Homme Richard hands down . President of Fed Ex on TV said that shipments out of China close to 90 % back
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top