Hi all,
I have been building ship models for forty years. Since then the quality of materials in ship kits has steadily gone downhill.
Used to be planks were cut with dull blades. They needed much work just to be used let alone finishing the final preduct.
Now manufacturers are substituting one species of wood with another of "similar" chacteristics due to availability. The kits from reputable manufacturers are now using a soft white wood that was cut with dull blades and calling it walnut. They throw in a pack of water based walnut stain.
My last kit wound up being a box of garbage wood that I replaced with wood I bought on Amazon and milled myself. Unfortunately, the best quality kit I have ever seen was the Black From ZHL from China. The material was the best I have seen and worked with. Too bad it is so difficult to buy from them.
Kit manufacturers, European and American need to wake up and stop cheaping out with their quality.
Perhaps it's time to move on to scratch building so I can source quality materials on my own.
Anyone else have any input here?
