Kingfisher 1770 1:48 POF

dockattner said:
Just a bit less than 8 hours spent with 80 grit sandpaper and a sanding block. Only got this far...:confused:

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Good morning Paul. Stunning. You have skills. The symmetry is perfect. As much as I love the finish of a boxwood model you have put me off it for life. 8 hrs with 80grit…..and not done… Hmmmm not sure I have this patience. Cheers Grant
 
GrantTyler said:
Hmmmm not sure I have this patience. Cheers Grant
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Patience Is A Flower That Grows

It takes a while for flowers to bloom
After we plant the seeds,
We have to give them loving care,
Like every flower needs . . .

They don't just push up through the sod
And blossom over night,
But when they do burst through in bloom,
That make a lovely sight!

Sometimes it's that way with us, too,
Some things take time, we find
So just be patient and keep faith
Till this is all behind!​
 
8 Hours is a small price to pay for the exquisite looks that you are eliciting from the Kingfisher's hull. This attention to detail (which is such a hallmark of your builds) is the differentiating feature between an excellent model and a truly exquisite one - and that your build is certainly shaping up to be.

So, my friend, no sympathy from my side for the 8 hours of sanding - if it took 3 times as long as that, it is still a bargain! :D
 
Thanks for all the nice comments and likes friends (and even a POEM!). It was actually a pleasant day (overcast and warm) for outdoor sanding. But what a mess! My three-year-old grandson was playing outside and he came over and looked at me totally covered in sanding dust and said, 'mommy is going to be mad'. Apparently making a mess is frowned upon at his house ROTF.

It's not terribly difficult work - a light hand is needed otherwise the frames break apart. It's mostly an exercise in patience and a willingness to address whatever isn't quite right yet.

I rarely offer tips or techniques (who wants to hear from a relative novice on how he does something) but I will offer some advice on a product here. I have discovered a sandpaper that puts all others to shame. I found this at a US big box store (Home Depot) and this stuff is the bomb!

www.homedepot.com

3M Pro Grade Precision 9 in. x 11 in. Coarse 80-Grit Sheet Sandpaper (4-Sheets/Pack) 26080PGP-4 - The Home Depot

1-Sanding Performance. 3-M Pro Grade Precision Faster Sanding Sheets with enhanced mineral technology resists clogging and sands faster. Fold once and the NO-SLIP GRIP durable backing grips together to
www.homedepot.com

Here is a listing from US Amazon - I think it is the same but the packaging is different so I can't be sure...

 
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dockattner said:
(who wants to hear from a relative novice on how he does something)
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Not sure what the time limit is for maintaining novice status however, I think we can all agree that time has expired for you, and your status can be elevated beyond novice. I for one listen when Paul speaks, or in this venue, writes.

When I am asked what is my favorite tool in the shop I always reply, “Sandpaper”. To me proper sanding brings to life whatever the project.
 
rtibbs said:
Not sure what the time limit is for maintaining novice status however, I think we can all agree that time has expired for you, and your status can be elevated beyond novice. I for one listen when Paul speaks, or in this venue, writes.

When I am asked what is my favorite tool in the shop I always reply, “Sandpaper”. To me proper sanding brings to life whatever the project.
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Thanks Ron. Sanding is an oddly satisfying undertaking...
Oh, I checked with my wife and she won't sign off on 'listen to what Paul says...'

Daniel20 said:
I totally agree. I would say expert at this time and if he ever monetizes his hobby then professional.
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You know, for the life of me I can't fathom how professional model builders turn a profit. The amount of time spent making these models surely exceeds what the marketplace would be willing to pay. NO ONE would ever pay what the Vasa would have to sell for if I wanted to earn a living from model building...
 
dockattner said:
Thanks Ron. Sanding is an oddly satisfying undertaking...
Oh, I checked with my wife and she won't sign off on 'listen to what Paul says...'

Sorry, can’t help you with that. :)


“You know, for the life of me I can't fathom how professional model builders turn a profit. The amount of time spent making these models surely exceeds what the marketplace would be willing to pay. NO ONE would ever pay what the Vasa would have to sell for if I wanted to earn a living from model building...”

Unless you have some very wealthy clients or choose to work for Pennie’s per hour, don’t give up your day job.
My wife was an avid quilter for 40+ years and occasionally someone would offer her a reasonable price. What was interesting is the “Bikers” bidding at charity auctions were very generous with their bids..
For the last twenty years she was focused on making charity quilts for veterans which she, along with her quilt quilt, would donate.
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Paul, it is not just the physical skills of building the kit into a finished ship, it's the knowledge of research and time to get details the most correct we can on scale ships and in those areas, your well on your way to being a Master!

I have been building ships for over 15 years on and mostly off, and working model railroad module and track building for 25 years or more, and still don't have some of your skills for details you show.
 
dockattner said:
Roughed in sweep ports (16x of the little ones) and their upper and lower sills:

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And then something really cool happened...

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The sides of the framing jig are removable! Now I can place the chocks/spacers that run along the vertical height of alternating frame pairs. Very clever design by Mr. Hunt (@lauckstreet)!
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So, what do you think, Paul? Another two years on this one? At least there won't be tiny figures to paint ad infinitum!
 
Daniel20 said:
I have wondered about this too. There are people in this forum who have been commissioned to build models though.
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Funnily enough we (the Admiral, daughter, son in law and myself) had an after meal discussion on just this topic. I guesstimate that I spend about 600 hours on my BN (and I am not finished yet). In real life that would be, against a rate of €40 (and that's rather cheap), €24000, roughly US$26000. How one can build models commercially is beyond me; I don't think it's feasible to be a commercial model builder. Especially when considering that even a price tag of €10000 on a model would be a hard sell. On the other hand, I have seen some videos of commercial model building in India; the price tag would be significantly lower than what I presented above.
 
I don’t think anyone can actually make a good living at building model ships. But I suppose that is subjective. I could only see that as supplemental income. And that’s if you are willing to give them up. So far I don’t have an attachment to anything, for the right price any of my models would be gone! ROTF
 
Dean62 said:
I don’t think anyone can actually make a good living at building model ships. But I suppose that is subjective. I could only see that as supplemental income. And that’s if you are willing to give them up. So far I don’t have an attachment to anything, for the right price any of my models would be gone! ROTF
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Good morning Dean true story. I’m pretty attached to my Victory, maybe because I may only get R10.00 at a garage sale for it. My business partner wants it for the company boardroom and it’s like no way. Redface. Cheers Grant
 
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