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Scratch building

Friends, let's all remember that the model does not care whether it is kit parts or built from scratch. We're splitting hairs here. 99.999% of the models here won't be judged at a model ship convention. Let's just enjoy the adventure of ship building and the community of builders here...

This is a truly inspiring hobby, and we all should be filled with this joy:
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My definition of scratch building is: “The creation of a unique ship and boat model from parts that you have made yourself.”

This means that you can build a model of an often modeled subject but you should build it in such a way that it’s unique. Not a fantasy but a well crafted unique model. Donald McNarry builds models of often modeled subjects but each is a unique artistic statement.

Roger
 
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Big Al said:
I’m trying to understand the definition of scratch building. I certainly wouldn’t put down anyone’s model, no matter how they describe the build, but for what it’s worth this is my idea of scratch building. The model would be built without any purchases of pre made parts. A plan would help and of course, photos. Every part should be hand made or any suitable odds and ends could be used. I have attached a few photos of a fishing trawler that incorporates my ideas of scratch building. Virtually everything is hand made down to the blocks in the running rigging. Some bits form around my workshop have been used if they fit into the build. I enjoy seeing everyone’s models and congratulate them on their work. I would like to hear you comments.View attachment 558796View attachment 558797View attachment 558798View attachment 558799View attachment 558799View attachment 558800View attachment 558801
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You spend a lot of time scratching your head and muttering the mantra, "WTH do I do now"?
 
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Friends, let's all remember that the model does not care whether it is kit parts or built from scratch. We're splitting hairs here. 99.999% of the models here won't be judged at a model ship convention. Let's just enjoy the adventure of ship building and the community of builders here...

Seeking the scratch builders and a definition have been around for years on many forums past and present, looking for an answer to what it is all about. Each competition, museums and collectors have their own definition and rules. The subject keeps coming up maybe because scratch builders are rare, only 1% of modelers. This kind of give them a mystique a sense of special esoteric skill how do they pluck ideas out of thin air, creating something from nothing or from basic raw materials. Are the scratch builders the trend setters, the movers and shakers the magicians who see it in their heads and create it with their hands maybe, but it comes down to the "so what" as Kurt said it "the model does not care" no one is being judged or a label slapped on them. Look at it this way the hobby of model ship building is a level field with everyone moving in their own direction with the skills and knowledge they have.
There are those who develop their skills and add to their knowledge and the goal is to be part of the 1% and others not so much. It does not matter to anyone except yourself.
 
In 1964, United States Supreme Court Justice Potter Stewart described his threshold test for obscenity in Jacobellis v. Ohio and explained why the material at issue in the case was not obscene under the Roth test, and therefore was protected speech that could not be censored:

I shall not today attempt further to define the kinds of material I understand to be embraced within that shorthand description ["hard-core pornography"], and perhaps I could never succeed in intelligibly doing so. But I know it when I see it, ...

So also is a scratch-built ship model described by an experienced, serious scratch-building ship modeler:

I shall not today attempt further to define the kinds of material I understand to be embraced within that shorthand description ["scratch-built ship model"], and perhaps I could never succeed in intelligibly doing so. But I know it when I see it, ...

:D :D :D
 
DARIVS ARCHITECTVS said:
Friends, let's all remember that the model does not care whether it is kit parts or built from scratch. We're splitting hairs here. 99.999% of the models here won't be judged at a model ship convention. Let's just enjoy the adventure of ship building and the community of builders here...

This is a truly inspiring hobby, and we all should be filled with this joy:
View attachment 560744
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Great point Kurt! What a wonderful hobby! Magic Mike
 
DARIVS ARCHITECTVS said:
Friends, let's all remember that the model does not care whether it is kit parts or built from scratch. We're splitting hairs here. 99.999% of the models here won't be judged at a model ship convention. Let's just enjoy the adventure of ship building and the community of builders here.
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The model doesn't care, but some of us builders do! :D It's all in the eyes of the beholder.

It's true that "99.999% of the models here won't be judged at a model ship convention." but some of us believe that creating a convincingly realistic replica of something that is 1/48th, 1/96th, or even 1/200th of its actual size is indeed the quintessential exercise of "splitting hairs" itself. Thus, it becomes an exercise in the pursuit of ever higher scores in a competition to beat our "personal best."

To continue with the "know it when you see it" pornography simile, even though it's only a representational art form, the closer to the "real thing" we can make a model appear, the more joy it provides us. :p
 
In my case, why waste time building something that isn’t accurate or is not representative of the real thing. I also enjoy building something unique and kits don’t offer that.

Roger
 
DARIVS ARCHITECTVS said:
Friends, let's all remember that the model does not care whether it is kit parts or built from scratch. We're splitting hairs here. 99.999% of the models here won't be judged at a model ship convention. Let's just enjoy the adventure of ship building and the community of builders here...

This is a truly inspiring hobby, and we all should be filled with this joy:
View attachment 560744
Click to expand...
I've given up trying to describe my HMS Medea build in terms of scratch or otherwise.

When I moved to a retirement village I decided to attempt to build a model of Medea. I downloaded a very low definition pdf set of plans of a sister ship, HMS Enterprise, and worked them up to 1:48 scale. I had harvested timber from my farm, chainsawed the logs into billets and air dried the timber for many years. Using only my own wood and rope and materials I might be able to make, I called the build a 'scratch build' and, because I had never build a wooden kit before, there were many mistakes and re-builds as I learned from this forum.

It doesn't matter to me now that I bought my cannon barrels. I made two brass ones on my mini lathe first. It doesn't matter to me that I bought my deadeyes and blocks. I made some of my own first. I bought a few hanks of rope then built a rope walk and now make all my own. So my build is a mix, but it is unique with all its faults and I'm satisfied with that. The definition of its building will never become an issue as it will either stay within my family or be scrapped when I'm gone. ;)
 
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