New to card modeling

**jjdesch** · #1 01-17-2011, 10:03 AM

Hi everyone,

I am new here and have moved somewhat from plastic to card because of a new interest in the great ocean liners of the 30s, 40s, and 50s. I have two JSC kits of the SS Normandie and the SS United States, and I am finding them rather daunting - the assembly instructions are largely text. Can someone point me to kits (and where I might purchase) that might have more clearer, detailed assembly instructions with more exploded assembly diagrams?

thx!

bagpiper · #2 01-17-2011, 06:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jjdesch

Hi everyone,

I am new here and have moved somewhat from plastic to card because of a new interest in the great ocean liners of the 30s, 40s, and 50s. I have two JSC kits of the SS Normandie and the SS United States, and I am finding them rather daunting - the assembly instructions are largely text. Can someone point me to kits (and where I might purchase) that might have more clearer, detailed assembly instructions with more exploded assembly diagrams?

thx!

Hello and welcome. This probably should have been in "The Welcome Desk" forum. No worries but you may have got answers before now.

Check out the download section in this forum and there are also many designers and sellers in here. Chris and AirDave to name but two have their own websites with paper models. Gremir is another. It can be daunting when you first start out with paper models. Many of us came from that background and it is a bit of an eye opener that's for sure.

So Check out some threads and look for links at the bottom of peoples signature blocks for places to buy. And check out the downloads section as well as the threads on what you are interested in. There are also build threads that help show you what is required for many of the models built.

Good luck.

Cheers
Jim

**ccoyle** · #3 01-17-2011, 06:27 PM

It is always a good idea to start with some easier models, even if they are not of the particular subjects you wish to model down the road. Look around for some free download models that suit you and use them to practice the techniques that will be required to properly tackle those big ocean liners.

HMV offer a considerable number of civilian ship models, everything from small working craft to ocean liners, and they have a good reputation for quality. I have several HMV kits, and although the instructions are in German (some might include English instructions) the diagrams are numerous and detailed. Schreiber and Wilhelmshavener are two other German publishers with many civilian ship models, but I have no experience building a kit from either firm. Paper Shipwright is another publisher with a good variety of subjects, and they offer a couple of free models on their web site.

Good luck!

**SCEtoAUX** · #4 01-17-2011, 06:47 PM

Currell Card models - free models has models of Titanic, Britannic, and Olympic. The Titanic instructions are used for the others with additions needed to convert to the other two ships in the specific ship instructions. The instructions included with the models from that site are usually very good with nice pictoral steps.

There are some nice airship models available too.

**Bionic Modeler** · #5 01-20-2011, 07:56 PM

I agree that you should start with simpler models and work your way up. Learn the techniques and tips found on this site and others. Then you can build almost anything with just a diagram illustration. But you have to have some experience first. I too was a plastic convert. Now exclusviely paper. Within a few months you will be surprised how much you learn and how good you will get.

**jjdesch** · #6 01-21-2011, 04:31 AM

Thanks for all the replies, everyone! I consider myself reasonably skilled in plastic. I also used to make architectural study models out of foam core in a past career, and have no problem reading detailed exploded diagrams of the overall project and major sub-assemblies, both of which are seriously lacking in these otherwise finely printed JSC models. Why leave so much to guesswork? Anyways, I guess these kits are inexpensive enough (certainly relative to plastic) to slog through a few bad builds. I do like a challenge (albeit with good documentation) - is that SS Bremen kit better documented once I finish a few simpler kits and these JSC's?

**doctormax** · #7 01-21-2011, 06:41 AM

welcome to the forum and yes instructions do leave a lot to be desired on some of the advanced kits why i have left them till now myself and i really only got into this hobby about two years ago but i have built a lot of models in that time learning the methods and in fact even when i am building something that has parts that i wanna get lookign good i will just do some free download model that has the same kind of part and build. then it works as well and sometimes that is just a wheel i print out to get the knack of doing the part i want good. So never be afraid to do little bits of things when buidling the real one besides you can just put it in the green bin anyway the practice parts and no wondering oh darn i wrecked the main model.

**peter taft** · #8 01-21-2011, 06:51 AM

Welcome to PM DOT COM. Like the other guys have said, you will find an abundance of information around here which will most certainly help you ! The models you have mentioned are truly not the place to begin your hobby, indeed, these can and do put would be paper modellers off the hobby before they step in properly. Go for simple and work up from there. Good to have you here

**PAPER FAN** · #9 01-21-2011, 04:43 PM

Welcome to paper modeling. I think the one thing you will find about this aspect is the selection of projects is unparrelled when compared to other mediums. I agree with the others as I have seen first hand what trying to build a larger complicated design first can do to even the best modelers when a former coworker of mine tried to start his first build with the USS Alaska. He simply got frustrated and gave up.

Digital Navy has a few really nice free downloads to work on, including the best free download of all time Lil Walenda.