This is my first post in this wonderful site, and I need the advice of the experts.
I am working in the Cutty Sark, Revell from 1968, scale could be 1/140 to 1/150, the preformed sails that comes with the kit are in bad conditions and beside that I don’t like this tipe of sails, looks unreal in a ship on a pedestal. I prefer to display the ship with furled salis.
Whar shall I use for the sails, paper, fabric?
Why the manufacturer don’t give the modeler the option?
Thanks for reading my post. (Sorry for my English, is my second language)
Welcome to the Forum! We can be a strange breed but we mean well!
Anyway, one method that I like is to roll tissue paper cut to size and shape (I use a light tan color), tie it off in the appropriate places, pull it to shape, then brush it with a water and white glue mixture and allow it to dry. I use water color paints to add texture and shadowing as appropriate. This method works well for me.
I am sure that others will offer different techniques that work equally well.
I have used the paper that comes with a new shirt to make tarps and sails in the past. It is finer than standard tissue, easier to cut to shape, but very thin and amenable to shaping with the various types of diluted white glue. You might be able to get some from the better men’s stores in your town. Here in the US I get mine from Brooks Brothers or Jos. Banks. WS
Juan - Welcome to the Forum! I think you’ll find a great deal of helpful and interesting stuff here. The people who contribute regularly are a slightly strange assortment of characters, but most of us are relatively harmless.
Please don’t apologize for your English. You’ll quickly discover that perfection of grammar and spelling are not requirements for participation in this Forum. Frankly, if the papers I get from the students in my freshman-level U.S. history courses were written as well as your first two posts, I’d be a happy man.
I hope that thread in which we discussed techniques for making furled sails will be of use. I’ll also pass on a suggestion I always offer to people who are modeling the Cutty Sark. One of the very best, and most accessible, sources of information about her is the set of plans drawn by George Campbell. (He was the naval architect in charge of the last big restoration she underwent, back in the late 1950s. He was also a distinguished ship modeler.) Those three sheets of paper show just about every conceivable detail of the ship. They in fact contain more information than you’re likely to need for a model on the scale of that Revell kit, but if you have any interest at all in how the ship was built, this is a great place to learn. The plans are available from the ship’s gift shop: http://www.cuttysark.org.uk/index.cfm?fa=contentShop.productDetails&productId=40&startrow=1&directoryId=6 .
Even with the shipping and currency conversion charges included, at the current exchange rate the price shouldn’t be much more than $20.00 (in the U.S.). These drawings constitute one of the biggest bargains in ship modeling. Highly recommended.
Thank for your words about my English, and for your welcome, is an honor for me that you answer my post.
I am working in my furled sails on my Cutty Sark, I have not much experience but still I noted thar many things are not on scale. but I like the Kit an I am enjoying it. Being an amateur I am trying to do my best.
Didn’t get a chance to jump into this topic until now; yes, definitely use the tissue. Just one suggestion; make the sails a little undersize. Remember, the material is not to scale thickness so it won’t furl to scale either. I normally shape mine prior to attaching them. Great responses all.
I already finish my Cutty Sark, by Revell, 1968, (scale unknown) It was a pleasure the kit is wonderful, but they are some parts that they do not fits.
Is good and your advice about the furled sails worked perfectly. Because is a small scale I used the paper tissue, colored with tea, after that applied white glue (and water), and the most important thing, work with the sail when it is WET, so it when dry looks like real.
I want to thanks Professor Tilley and all the great members of the forum for the advice, now I am going to show the ship, please if you can, write something about, because I am still an amateur an need your advice.
