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It is not just the model with me

S

shipbuilder

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Jun 30, 2012
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With me, it is not just the models, or even the general history of them.
I like to learn about the life and times of such ships. I have never sailed in big square-riggers, but there are literally many thousands of photographs of them about, and countless autobiographies written by men who sailed in them. Being very old, they are out of copyright and available as free downloads suitable for Kindle e-readers or talking books from either Gutenberg (E-books) or Librivox (Talking books).
More modern books concerning steam and motor ships may be found secondhand online or Ebay Plans are available in either modern books, or old technical journals.
I find it extremely interesting to see the accommodation plans in these old ships, and read accounts of the many adventures that were had in them, right up until the early 1990s, when conventional ships had almost gone from the scene.
I was part of that life from early 1961 until late 1992.
Reading first had accounts of life in such obscure ships in peace and war makes a model far more interesting (To me at least), than the old worn out subjects.

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Sagamore 1957 copy.jpg
 
Closest I have been to sleeping on a real ship is eating meals on US Navy Aircraft Carrier in mid 70's.

Love the photos and the old ships, don't know if I could ever remember what all the different ropes for sails were for.
 
Thanks Allan,
As I have said before, I am finished with model shipbuilding now - too old, poor eyesight and allergic to glue fumes. I have put all my knowledge down in e-articles that have taken me years to write, so it is all available to anyone interested. Here is a build log on Utube - free.
I will probably do more writing and plan drawing, but it is more to give me something to do these days.
 
And a cargo liner build. Models of such ships have never been really popular with model builders as they were not intended for war, and the only glory most of them had was long life, and the safe transport of mundane cargoes.
The biscuits you nibble, and the joints that you carve,
Are brought to you daily, by all us big steamers,
And of anything hinders our coming, you'll starve!
 
Hope you don't mind a couple questions (for today :) )
Are your sails made of paper or some other material?
Are your blocks punched from cardboard like Lloyd McCaffery makes his?

Many thanks

Allan
 
Allan
The sails are airmail paper with lines printed on them in the PC printer. They are then cut to approximate shape, dampened and patted onto the surface of an ostrich egg. A handkerchief is placed over it and held tightly at the back, whist the sail is dried with a small heat gun. Trimmed down to the final size, glued to the yard or stay, and edged with fine tinned copper wire stuck on with contact adhesive. The blocks are blobs of white wood glue, coloured with a drop of acrylic paint, and applied with a paint brush.
Don't get me wrong about the popularity of the models and downloads, I have sold over 250 of the models over the past thirty years - collectors love them, although model shipbuilders are not so keen. The downloads trickle out and usually 10 to 20 will go in a month, but there is very little evidence that many people have tried building themselves, but the few that have tried, have been very successful - Picture - molding a sail, and example of a wind-filled sail on a model. Get an ostrich egg from Ebay -

Wind filled sails Miss Moris.JPG

Molding a sail around an ostrich egg (Large).JPG
 
Quality. The water on the displays is remarkable. At that scale even more so. Too bad age gets the upper hand at some point. Loss of talent in this arena is hard to replace.
 
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