Hey yall

I have plans to start a 1/350 Titanic model. I'll be using a minicraft kit with the Gold Medal parts. Anyone here who's into this? I've been over to the Titanic Research and Modelers Association site, but havent gotten membership yet. They have some unbelievable models over there.

Jessica

Hi.
I could say I'm somekind of a modeler myself. I've made three Titanic models of cardboard and they were all over 2 meters long.
I used a little plastic model as a starter, but it was too small and i wanted to make a bigger one,( sounds just like mr Ismay)
Eventually they grew so big that the last one had to be done on our long corridor so that it could fit out of our house. (My parents didn't like that) I sank that one in a lake near our sommer cottage and it really looked like Titanic with her huge stern up in the air. Of course I collected all the trash away afterwards and burned it.
It was a day to remember...

Hi Goosegirl,
I am a ship modeller, many years ago I built the Entex Titanic. (currently I am scratchbuilding two Imperial Japanese Navy destroyers in 1/100th scale- naval ships are my current thing)
I am somewhat familiar with the Minicraft Titanic, it has a good reputation.
If you wish to make your model a little more accurate, there is a nice set of photo etched brass to replace items on the kit that are a little heavy for the scale (With injection molding, you can only make something so thin) such as handrails, lifeboat davits, and many other things.
The company is Loren Perry's Gold Medal Models, and he is on the web. (Loren has had a thing about Titanic for a while, he built a running moodel some time ago to 1/100th scale complete with sound system)
Photo etch really improves the look of any model, you should think about it. In 1/350th scale, the block and tackle for the lifeboats look scale using the photo etch set. He also includes deck chairs and benches and other what not-
He also has a book telling how to use his sets, and some useful links on his website.
The last time I was on Amazon, I also saw that there is a new book on modelling Titanic. I don't recall the title, but it should come up if you use titanic and modelling as key words on thier search engine.
I also recall a website called The Debris Field that might have something useful.
If you need any advice, feel free to contact me.
Jim
:pint:

Sorry, Goosegirl, I did'nt see you knew about GMM models-
I just looked up the new book on Amazon, "RMS Titanic, A Modeller's Guide" author is Peter Davies-Garner.
Available Jan 05 about $25.00US
Now is they would just reprint "The Shipbuilder, Olympic and Titanic...
Jim
:pint:

Good luck with the model!

Hi Jessica,
I almost forgot, a tool I find very useful for working with photo etched details is a surgical clamp (like a hemostat).
I cannot remember the correct name, but they make one without serrations in the jaws.
It makes it easy to make needed bends and hold small parts without making marks on the parts.
You should be able to find it through a surgical supply- if I can find a source, I will let you know (I got mine through a tool salesman at Arlington Airshow)
Jim :pint:

Thanks for your replies, and Thanks for the tips Jim! I do have some clamps on hand actually (along with other surgical supplies, I used to do wildlife rehab.). That's a great idea instead of using tweezers (hard to do without slipping). I do have all the gold metal sets, they came with the kit for 80$ on ebay. Everything is brand new. Sure can find some great deals on there. The main thing I'm concerned about though is getting the deck woods right. Not so much the colors, but actually finding real wood to put in the model. I imagine some hobby store should have it since there are a lot of people who build ships. Once I find the wood, I can just stain it different shades in the right places to look like the different woods used. Also, if I decide to, I'd like some tips on doing rivets steel plates. How to make them and what not. I havent decided whether I want to go that far or not.

Jessica

P.S.~ Icestar, that sounds really cool what you did.

Hi Jessica,
Re wood decks, you should look at some real ones, they are usually teak, and they are of fairly uniform color.
I might consider sanding the raised lines off the plastic decks and scribing the lines between the planks lightly with a pointed scribe.
After you paint the teak color, a wash of black oil paint thinned with turpentine would collect in the scribed lines and look like black caulking.
A coat of flat coat to seal it would finish it. (you might want to practice the technique on a piece of scrap plastic sheet before you try it on the model, but I have used it before to good effect-)
Remember the problem with using real wood in a 1/350th kit is the grain.
The grain is still 1:1 and on a 1/350th scale model, it may look huge by compairason with the other details.
Jim :pint: