tools to get started

[Dave Stevens (Lumberyard)]

i will select a corded tool befor a battery tool because as the battery loosed it's charge you loose power a corded rotery tool maintains power.

Harold Hahn built model ship with all hand tools.

Back in the early days i knew a model ship builder named Bill who father owned a wood working shop. Bill told me a story when an apprentice started he could only use hand tool. The reason was to teach the feel of how a tool cuts, control of using tools, how to keep tools sharp. Skill is learned from a tool in the hand rather than clamping something in a machine and pressing the start button. I think there is some wisdom in this old school way i build models with hand tools well pretty much i do reach for my Dremel now and then.

 

[Dave Stevens (Lumberyard)]

what can be done with hand tools and model building? take a look you don't see a lot of power tools



whos shop is this

David Warther Carvings Homepage - David Warther Carvings

David Warther Carvings Museum - We are preserving, promoting and exhibiting the artwork of nationally known maritime artist David Warther who has carved ships and vessels from Ivory and wood depicting the history of ships.

warther.org

and this is Davids grandfather who built trains with nothing more than a knife

 

[seadeep]

Well, the OP kicked the hornets' nest by creating this thread. lol Joking of course, but you can tell the topics of which folks have passionate opinions by the types and volume of responses that get posted in response to them.

And so, I'll add my two cents worth to the mix.

How many tools... the types... the quality... are hugely subjective and based on what the particular modeller is planning to tackle. When I first started out, I had a small rotary tool, a pin vice hand drill, a few x-acto knives, a needle threader I pilfered from my wife, a cutting mat and a steel straightedge ruler. Combining that with patience and a few grades of sandpaper resulted in my first completed kit. Since then, I've amassed a huge collection of modelling tools and jigs, and each kit I work on seems to result in me finding something else to make the process easier. In many ways, that's no different than my workshop or even my kitchen. There's always room for a new tool, be it a thickness planer or a pasta extruder. Simply put, start small and just add tools as you find a need for them. That also means you won't end up buying (a lot of) items you'll never end up using, or find to be unsatisfactory in performance. Along the way, I suspect everyone ends up acquiring at least one item they regret. Mine was a "loom-a-line". One of those things that sounds promising but ends up being pretty much useless.

 

[Jimsky]

Harold Hahn built model ship with all hand tools.

Yeah, I built some models with all hand tools too, in the past. This is mainly because I couldn't afford to buy power tools. But at the same time, you cannot expect the quality of processing materials with hand tools, also it is time time-consuming process. For a scratch builder, power tools would be a necessity if you are building a three-decker POF. For small boats, you probably could get away with most power tools.

 

[OlivierF]

Yeah, I built some models with all hand tools too, in the past. This is mainly because I couldn't afford to buy power tools. But at the same time, you cannot expect the quality of processing materials with hand tools, also it is time time-consuming process. For a scratch builder, power tools would be a necessity if you are building a three-decker POF. For small boats, you probably could get away with most power tools.

I’ve spent a fair bit of time visiting the woodwright’s shop in Colonial Williamsburg and talking with the craftsmen working there. It’s amazing the quality of work that they produce with nothing but hand tools. That said, it also takes years to become a master craftsman. The apprentices start out by learning to take care of the tools (well, they really start out by sweeping the floor…).
My point is that, certainly, power tools make the building easier and more expedient but I think some of the craftsmanship gets lost in process. Am I going to give up my power tools? NO! I just recognize that building is a process to be enjoyed and not an event.

 

[Jimsky]

I’ve spent a fair bit of time visiting the woodwright’s shop in Colonial Williamsburg and talking with the craftsmen working there. It’s amazing the quality of work that they produce with nothing but hand tools. That said, it also takes years to become a master craftsman. The apprentices start out by learning to take care of the tools (well, they really start out by sweeping the floor…).
My point is that, certainly, power tools make the building easier and more expedient but I think some of the craftsmanship gets lost in process. Am I going to give up my power tools? NO! I just recognize that building is a process to be enjoyed and not an event.

I agree, but...all the modern ships are built with new modern technology it is all pretty much automated. Even replicas are built with a diesel engine (just in case)

 

[dpktraf11]

What is great about model ship building is the personal nature of the hobby, each of us decides the worth of the hobby by what we get out of it based on what we put into the build. Some of us enjoy tools, electric or handheld. Some of us buy tools for the sake of the tool, and as the one gentleman expressed: if you can find them at a deal, second hand or other, you buy them. There are many tools that I have that I was able to find at bargain prices and have only used once or twice but for the particular item I was working on it was a need.

 

[Dave Stevens (Lumberyard)]

this is great to see this subject expand

two events i have experenced

long ago there was a woodcarving and woodworking club in my area that put on a big show and conference. i had a booth that was by the Great Lakes historical Society to introduce wooden model ship building. We took turns manning the booth and when it was my turn i was building a kit of the Berlin by Billings. People standing around watching, a guy said "is that a kit or you building it from scratch?" i said a kit the guy turns to his friend and says "don't bother it is just a kit, nothing to see here"

another time when i use to be a vendor at NRG conferences way back i was showing the first laser cut timbering sets. This must of been late 1970s anyhow, one member came over and we talked about computers, CNC and laser cutting 3D printing was unknown at the time. He said it was all very interesting but it has no place in model ship building because model ship building is an art form and what you are doing with your computer and CAD is destroying the age old traditions of the art, saying the admiralty models were built by hand with hand tools that were also made by the artisan. A true modelshipwright is a person who can achieve the standards of the admiralty models with nothing more than the hand tool he made. What you are doing is just pre-fabricated parts made by machines and that is not art nor can you call yourself an artisan.
ok then! to each their own

do we really have two completely different forms of model ship building? the true art of scratch building and the assembly of prefab parts.?

is using a computer, CNC, lasers, and 3D printing cheating? ya right you try to create STL print files or a couple 100 hours drawing a ship, convert it to laser cutting or CNC cutting files it is not that easy.

like i said i use power tools to mill down all my material but build by hand best of both worlds. i like the moment of Zen geiing into creating by the hand of man.

it is said it takes 10,000 hours to learn a skill what is your end game?

 

[Jimsky]

do we really have two completely different forms of model ship building? the true art of scratch building and the assembly of prefab parts.?

Both are the same form of model ship building, they are building models of ships! True Art Scratch building doesn't mean to use of only hand tools! If you can use CNC and design your files, why not? Why do I have to use planes and sandpaper to make boards for frames? Why can't I use the thickness sander, instead?

Don't you think that our fellow shipwrights use only hand tools simply because the machinery didn't exist?

 

[OlivierF]

Great discussion! My take away is, “Love what you do; do what you love.” I consider myself a fairly experienced woodworker (furniture, jewelry boxes, clocks… ) and I struggle to sharpen a plane iron or a chisel. As Dave said, I need 10,000 hours of sharpening practice to get proficient and don’t take the time to learn since I’m not very patient and therefore rely on power tools to make up my deficiency. When it comes to model ship building, I’m a complete novice and struggle to achieve acceptable results with hand or power but I enjoy the process nevertheless. Happy Holidays, all, y’all.

 

[Philski]

Great discussion! My take away is, “Love what you do; do what you love.” I consider myself a fairly experienced woodworker (furniture, jewelry boxes, clocks… ) and I struggle to sharpen a plane iron or a chisel. As Dave said, I need 10,000 hours of sharpening practice to get proficient and don’t take the time to learn since I’m not very patient and therefore rely on power tools to make up my deficiency. When it comes to model ship building, I’m a complete novice and struggle to achieve acceptable results with hand or power but I enjoy the process nevertheless. Happy Holidays, all, y’all.

You need the right tools for sharpening. I have waterstones, diamond stones and Arkansas stones, and several leather strops. But I hate the amount of time sharpening consumes. I want a SHARP edge all the time. So, I end up touching up my edged tools on a strop with jeweler's rouge to bring back a useful edge. I usually wait, if I can, to accumulate several tools needing attention then I go to my Torkmek system. Quick and SHARP!

 

[OlivierF]

You need the right tools for sharpening. I have waterstones, diamond stones and Arkansas stones, and several leather strops. But I hate the amount of time sharpening consumes. I want a SHARP edge all the time. So, I end up touching up my edged tools on a strop with jeweler's rouge to bring back a useful edge. I usually wait, if I can, to accumulate several tools needing attention then I go to my Torkmek system. Quick and SHARP! View attachment 412966

Thanks Phil.
i should say, I’m also cheap. I can’t justify A Tormek or even a clone. So I use various stones and glass plate with lapping film. Scary Sharp system. It works if I concentrate and take the time.
By the way great picture of you at Heavenly. I volunteer ski patrolled there for over 20 years!

 

[Jimsky]

i should say, I’m also cheap.

Hmm...cheap or provident?

 

[El Capi]

i think a lot depends on what you want to do in the hobby. If building kits are your goal you do not need a lot of tools to start. Just about all the wood is precut such as bulkheads, planking etc. you can build kits with nothing more than hand tools.
On the other hand if you are planning to build from scratch and do all the milling from rough lumber than you will need more power tools.

agree fully

 

[El Capi]

Hi Bandido, on one part I do not Agree with You want to buy the latest Lathe, Fraeser etc. Yes, then it can be expensive. If you have a look at the images below, this is more and less may tool during 50 years or more of building. The only electric Tools were Dremels- had 4 two were with Batteries, the one upside/down and the last horizontal
On the other side, you are right that you can find many tools and materials around you- paperclips, eiscream the wood pin
excellent for making smaller pieces, as the wood is first-class
I have needed to buy over the Internet, as in Spain the two Top shops for shipbuilding. The shop Model REyna allows you to buy nearly anything by amount of pieces or in grams.
Although not having built in the last 10 years - for space and health reasons, I still have my hacksaw and most of the X-knives

View attachment 412740

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View attachment 412744

agree. With these cheap tools, I built the Amati -Victori - with not a single wooden part laser cut. X-knives did not exist either, so from a niece- nurse - I got 500 scalpel knives meant for operation,-packet sterile and sharp as hell. They worked well although - the sharp were curved. It took more than 6 Months to cut out all the parts. the pic is from sometime later as here there and X-knives here. The ship was _as general with my build -only with one payer of pank for the hull

with these cheap tools, I built the Amati -Victori - with not a single wooden part laser cut. X-knives did not exist either, so from a niece- nurse - I got 500 scalpel knives meant for operation,-packet sterile and sharp as hell. They worked well although - the sharp were curved. It took more than 6 Months to cut out all the parts. the pic is from sometime later as here there and X-knives here. The ship was _as general with my build -only with one payer of pank for the hull

 

[El Capi]

I have always remembered that Harold Underhill wrote in his book that he built the “Leon” from scratch on a card table with a few knives, a fret saw and some files (paraphrased). I try and keep that in mind whenever I think I need a shiny new expensive tool!

Agree again. many of the tools I see here, to me are very much overdone. The only ELECTRIC tool I have had was DREMEL I only used Handboers to drill holes, but I had a good collection of X-knives, and for changing every minute to another I had about 8 shafts, each with a different knife. I did not use my time to sharpen different tools.
What I miss in all the images is what is numbered with a 1. DO NOT buy a cheap one. The Nº 2one was my Lathe


Finally " YOU WILL NEVER LEARN IF YOU DONT MAKE MISTAKES"

 

[El Capi]

As a follow up to FrankL514's message and those that mentioned Dremel, Harbor Freight has a cordless rotary tool that acts like a Dremel for the most part, but costs lots less.

8V Cordless Variable Speed Rotary Tool Kit, 40 Piece

Amazing deals on this 8V Cordless Rotary Tool Kit at Harbor Freight. Quality tools & low prices.

www.harborfreight.com

Of course, nothing there is as good as the tools I have from my father and my father-in-law, some of which date from 1930s. Family nostalgia adds value far beyond anything to be measured in dollars.

If you will use Cordless Dremels, buy 2, so you do not run out of juice, and be sure an extra battery

 

[El Capi]

i do get your point a basic tool like a good quality rotery tool like a Dremel is expensive, needle files, diamond burrs, razor saws etc start to add up.

what i was getting at is i remember back when builders were starting out in the hobby they were told oh! you have to have a $600.00 mini table saw and you can not do without a $400.00 thickness sander and on and on. This spooked new builders to the hobby. Much of my early tools were found at garage sales, rummage sales and on Ebay.

Do not agree. A Drenel - a big variety -find the one which shuts best -take into account that Dremels for shipbuilding are not that big. Hospitals, dentists, making sculptures and a large fin are the main users, so it is a question to find the one which is the best for you

 

[El Capi]

just visit our site on tools for beginners, page after page of tool suggestions, the site is very helpful, Ity has helped me resolve many building issuer

mine is there too

 

[El Capi]

i will select a corded tool befor a battery tool because as the battery loosed it's charge you loose power a corded rotery tool maintains power.

Harold Hahn built model ship with all hand tools.

Back in the early days i knew a model ship builder named Bill who father owned a wood working shop. Bill told me a story when an apprentice started he could only use hand tool. The reason was to teach the feel of how a tool cuts, control of using tools, how to keep tools sharp. Skill is learned from a tool in the hand rather than clamping something in a machine and pressing the start button. I think there is some wisdom in this old school way i build models with hand tools well pretty much i do reach for my Dremel now and then.

As usual very wise word from you. I must admit during my building period, I had two Cordless with an extra battery to each. then two with cord -mainly fixed -horizontal or up-side-down
I like very much your comments about Bill and his father. I am from 90% Ficherman and sea- mand family, the other % was that my father was a carpenter and has his professional toolroom, with what was on the market in 1950 70. I learned a lot here, and these can be seen on Karl Malches' "PRINZ" FREDERICH