Hi, I think this question suit's Tomick, more than anyone, due to his build being further along than ours.

You mention in your official build that we get the gun port linings, in issue 34/35, can I ask what material were going to be getting for this?

Best wishes
David

I Have a funny feeling, the whole hull is Basswood? due to a delay in getting any answers? I hope I'm wrong though!

Thanks for replying Admin, much appreciate it!

However! is there a reason you have opted for this method? instead of using the recommended natural timber?

Will the decking timber also be Basswood?
What timber will be used for the fixtures and fittings for the upper decks?

For the attention of all, I'm not being difficult, just concerned that this is not going to be the model I once thought I had subscribed to, I need to know these things, before I commit myself further.

Best wishes
David

For me, the fun of the build is to scratch build and replace parts that can be made to look better. For those going for a natural finish, walnut or mahogany as opposed to stained basswood will look much better in my opinion.

Tom

I have been thinking the same, do i cut my losses and buy a decent kit. This started out as a museum quality kit or so Deag claimed. It seems to me they are cutting costs as much as possible but charging the customer the same amount of money. Every time i log onto the forum something else has been changed, i am sure i remember a post on this forum that stated we would be supplied with a darker wood for the bottom of the hull, we were supposed to get copper for the hull now it seems we will get copper paint, replacement of first 2 cannons as gone quiet. I know in there small print they will state that they can change things but changing this amount and to this extent surely is out of line. We are going to end up with a very expensive piece of basswood and yes i know i could replace parts myself but why should i, i signed up for a so called museum quality model.

Hi shipmates!

Yes you could stop now save up to buy a decent kit, but have you looked at the instructions on these kits if you are a beginner then forget it! you have to know what your doing first as they expect you to be an expert in model ship building. With this build the instruction are clear, even the mistakes have been found and posted on the forum.

All kits are a compromise of cost 'v' quality, this is only the first quarter of the build, your hull isn't finished and in issue 15 page 12 it states that "1. Wooden 'copper' finish If you choose to leave your model in natural wood, you may prefer not to simulate the copper at all. An alternative is to use a walnut wood stain to darken the planking on the lower part of the hull to give the impression that the area was covered in copper."


Your right their was a post by Tomick about the lower hull being covered in a veneer of hardwood, Admin corrected this single planking which could by stained and soon after Tomick posted the same information.

If you what to leave then go on, just remember we haven't started the upper decks fitting, rigging or any of the finishing touches yet!. A full part list would have helped a lot of people to decide if it was what they expected, but as this is the first time this part work was offered not all the parts were set so some changes have happened. The cannon design is a good example there was a problem and it is now sorted just waiting to get the cannons replaced as you all are.

Beginners can follow the easy instructions of this part work to make a great ship and experts can take it to a higher level far above most peoples skills, we all spend money to make a good looking ship and some spend more.

You make very valid points Son of Bulwark More points to consider!

Well you all make a good point. Deja vu coming on here.
Is it a full moon again?
Its aimed at beginners. Who know no different in terms of quality.
Wood is wood an all that.

I want to agree with you, as I have enjoyed the build so far, but after looking at nearly all the other manufactured builds of HMS Victory on the market, and finding that ours is the only one with a full basswood hull, with no clear explanation as to why DeAgostini have adopted this method, I started getting worried, that the upper decks fittings and fixtures will also be built from Basswood? we will end up with one of the most cheapest looking builds, with the highest price tag! but if they are only going to use Basswood on the hull, due to it's ease of use, taking the new builder in mind, then I have no issue, but I need to know if they will be using natural coloured timber for everything else?

Just a note, stained wood bleaches and fades quicker than natural timber, with age!



When I first started building model ships from wood, I was lost, but there are many books on the market that can guide you through each of the stages of the build, with confidence, Keith Julier does a few which in my oppinion are well worth the money, I still refer to then even now, when building.




Cost v Quality? OK consider that one of the best kits on the market is the Caldercraft version of HMS Victory, it's retail price is around £698.00 this is a fantastic build, where quality has not been compromised, yet our kit costs around £700? and we still haven't been told what were going to get, and with all the changes, this gets me concerned, but like I said before, if they can guarantee, that were going to get natural timber for the decking, fittings and fixtures, then I wont have a problem.



Why should we leave just yet, we have a right to ask questions of the build! seeing as we have committed so much money to this build, but I for one would like to know why this method has been adopted, and what guarantees were going to get that the whole ship isn't going to be made of Basswood, it didnt state on the video that you would have to use stain to produce the effect of walnut etc, but it did state that this would be of a museum quality? as for the cannons, if they had stuck with the one's that Artesania Latina had used, then there would not have been an issue, but your right, they did notice a problem, AFTER it was pointed out by us the members, and the cannons were changed, although we still haven't had replacements for the two that are now different from the rest.



If DeAgostini, had stated in the first magazine and DVD that you would be getting a full Basswood hull, and that you would have to stain it yourself to produce the desired effect of natural coloured timber, how many people would have signed up to this build?

I didnt want to turn this thread into a debate on loyalty to DeAgostini, or an argument, all I want to know is, what material are we going to be getting for the upper decking/fixtures and fittings, so that I can make a decission whether to stay with the build or cancel and buy a kit! but if DeAgostini can guarantee us that all timber/fittings and fixtures are of a natural nature, and dont require staining to achieve this effect, then I for one will be relieved and satisfied to stay with this build throughout its term!

Best wishes
David

I think deag have been able to move the goal posts so easily because they relied on the fact that we would not cancel at such a late stage. I too was under the impression that the lower hull was in a different wood, I would have liked to leave mine natural but as im new to this model lark, my planking leaves a lot to be desired so i will need to paint mine.