My First Build- What to do?

Hey guys i have alot of spare time on my hands and am getting the urge to make somthing with my hands. I used to enjoy making models when I was younger .

I seen an add on tv for a big giant ship collect every week kind of thing but it would be very expensive to do that.

I was looking at match stick builds too but not sure if thats a good way to go for first build

Wheres the best place to look around for stuff to build?

Cheers

Hi Liam,

If you're thinking of building model boats or ships have a look at the Model Boats Magazine or

www.modelboatmayhem.co.uk forum on the web. Lots of good adviced there and a very friendly bunch too.

If you're thinking about Model Engineering and steam look at Elmers Engines ( Google it!)

Regards

Peter

Use the netty and hunt about

Big things wee things flying things static things

Thanks to the netty, In the entire history of humanity, It's never been easier

http://modelenginenews.org/

http://www.ffscale.co.uk/index.htm

How about a pulse Jet engine? The neighbours will love you

http://www.pulsejetengines.com/

Edited By Ady1 on 07/09/2012 16:41:14

When I was a boy in South Shields 60 years ago a netty was the outside lavatory!

Hello Liam, First of all I would not commit to buying that ship advertised on TV, over the period of building it will cost £800 or so and would take nearly 3 years to receive all the bits and by then I would be bored !.

Buy a few model mags. like model railway and Model boats and model airplanes. There is a Hobbies mag. in Smiths which is full of projects and suppliers of small tools etc.

Clive

If you continue to think boats have a look at the Springer section on Mayhem as linked above. This was designed as an introduction to boat building while providing a fun boat with good performance. If you can find an old fashioned drawer from a bit of furniture made out of real wood that is the ideal material - buying wood to make a springer is cheating.

Maybe go along to a local club to get advice. It is only 3 weeks to the St Albans and District MES show if you are within range which would be an ideal opportunity.

Hi liam,
As Clive advises do not go near that Telly ad boat, Gentlemen this is Liam's first posting and therefore welcome to the forum. Have you a model shop in your town/city if so go in and look at the wooden construction kits, They are fantastically made these days and you are not payying for an overpriced telly advert.. The shop owner will I am sure be willing to point you in the direction of like minded constructors. My father built some fantastic ships and one is still lurking in the Glasgow maratime museum.
Please enjoy whatever way you decide to go he allways said that I was a metal muncher, but I could not ever turn a spandrell to his scale.
Bob

There is no shame whatsoever in building a plastic kit neither. I have been doing that since I was less than 10 years old and now do it semi professionally. Its a good way to start modelling. The engineering bit comes with time.

I'v been out of the workshop for a few months with a crook leg, and am just getting back to it, so I started with something simple, a weather vane, in the form of a Cessna 185, this was the main aircraft type that I worked on, years ago. Now I'm getting back to my hot air / Stirling Engines. I don't, but you could, just to find out how they work, build one of the tin can hot air engines that you can find on the net, you then might like to build a machined version, or go to a steam/compressed air engine, plans of which may also be found on google.

I started modeling by making tap wrenches, and die holders, some for sale, some to keep, and before making any models, started making parts for vintage cars, and tractors. Ian S C

Hi Liam

I wouldn't dismiss Wolfie's suggestion of a plastic model out of hand. This can be a reasonably low cost option. Not too many tools required and reasonable assurance of a satisfactory result. It will require careful study of the plans, preparation of the parts, care with the application of adhesive and study of the techniques for good paint finishes and then the implementation of these. The level of complication in the model is down to your experience, taste and the depth of your pocket! You will learn care and patience in the process and, with care, will produce a pleasing result. You may then move on to other things but all you have learned will be of use in other diciplines.

I agree with others - don't go with the "collect over the weeks" project. I've not come across anyone who has finished one.

Regards

Norman

Good Luck!

Edited By NJH on 09/09/2012 19:38:18

Hi There

My sister in law did a collect over the weeks project, a dolls house.

They discontinued publishing it about 2/3rds of the way through so she now has several hundred pounds worth of firewood (and lots of paper to start the fire).

regards David

Edited By David Clark 1 on 10/09/2012 10:41:54

One of the more interesting plastic models that I'v built was the Visable Radial Aircraft Engine.

Stirling Engines on Google: (1) Notes on Hot Air Engines, by Robert Sier.

(2) Boyd's Tin Can Stirling Hot Air Engines.

(3) Lets Build Model Stirling Engines, by Koichi Hirata, this is a good site, with plans. Ian S C

Got ME no., 4438 yesterday, Davids got a good start for you in that, page 376 "Junior Engineer-A vertical Oscillating Power Plant" By Tony Wright, A design and build of a little steam engine. Ian S C