Plastic Models Magazines Article

A Beginners Guide to Building Model Ships

Many people are interested in putting together model ships. Some
people find building model ships as a way to relax. Some people
build model ships as a way to bond with their children or loved
ones. Others just build model ships to place the finished
product on their mantle. Whatever your reasons may be, building
model ships is a fun, yet tedious task. Before you build your
first model ship, there are some things you should know.

The first thing you should know is that model ships are built to
scale. Scale is defined as a proportion used in determining the
dimensional relationships of a representation to that which it
represents. An example: if you purchase a model ship that is
1:50 scale then the real ship it is modeled after is 50 times
larger than the model ship. If you are a beginner, it is best
to start with the smaller scale model ships.

Next, model ships are made out of various materials. Most model
ships are made out of wooden parts such as: spruce, beech,
walnut, etc. However, some of the easier to put together model
ships are made of plastic. Some model ship kits have the model
ship parts precut for easier assembly. However, most model ships
are not precut.

Model ships are made to look like ships that have either existed
in the past, or that still exist today. These can be: pirate
ships, merchant ships, schooners, war ships, or even cruise
ships. The quality of these model ships can vary. Model ships
quality can be determined as: high quality, supreme quality,
and museum quality.

Model ships are made for people of different skill levels.
These are: beginner, intermediate, and advanced. Model ships
for beginners are the easiest to assemble. These model ships
are often smaller scale, and less expensive to purchase. They
require simple hand tools and glue to put together. Beginner
model ships don\’t require you to have any prior model ship
building experience.

Model ships for intermediates require that you have built model
ships before. It is also good to have some working knowledge of
nautical terms. Intermediate model ships require cutting,
sanding and gluing of the model ships. They are more time
consuming and require more patience to put together.

Advanced model ship kits are the most difficult to put together.
You must have knowledge of nautical terms and you must have
built intermediate model ships before. The work involved is the
same... you must glue, cut and sand the ship parts. However,
there is much more of this involved as you must pay closer
attention to detail. You must have great patience for putting
together advanced model ships as these can sometimes take up to
1000 hours to put together.

These are the key factors you should know when you first begin
building model ships. Building model ships can be a fun and
rewarding experience. Be sure to take your time in selecting a
model ship that fits your experience. With a little patience,
you will soon be on your way to building exquisite model ships.