Do we really need them? I do have some 1/350 and some1/200 ships with them and got to thinking , why ? The answer is simple.Nothing looks like wood ,but , wood. Well,in those scales I believe it complicates things . REALLY. WHY ? well once your little 1/350 ship is done how many folks,unless you tell them, are going to recognize the fact the decks are real wood?
I,m not saying we shouldn,t do it. I am just wondering,isn,t there a cheaper way to do it.I have a wood deck for a carrier I am doing and it is thicker than the plastic deck,what gives with that?Plus,the price wasn,t cheap.
I don,t expect to get one pre-made for pennies,but ,how much is enough.Good gosh , with P.E. and metal gunbarrels I have over two hundred dollars in a kit and I haven,t even started it yet !
Me thinks we all are blinded by perfection. No one model can be exactly the way we want it.So are wood decks an exercise in futility,if you have to tell folks it,s there ?? Oh,I know,you,ll know it. That,s a good point and I,ll leave it there. TANKER-builder
My last two ship models (the Encore Olympia and the Dreadnought with the Pontos accessory set) have both had laser cut wooden decks. The most common comment from people for both models is how nice the wood deck looks. They DO notice the decks!
Grain is out of scale in my opinion. Pretty but not accurate. Place a scale crewman on one and you can see how larger the wood striations are compared to correct scale.
Maybe if the wood came from a Bonsoi tree it would be accurate.
Depends on the brand and wood used actually, some are grainy…but some are not. I enclose a couple of pics of the Hasegawa deck I used on my Nagato, including a couple of close-ups. Deck is unaltered, except for application of some varnish. I considered the money well-spent on the deck, but its certainly a judgement call.
WELL ! I do say old chap ! That is one fine looking model.Yours does reflect that well built,displayed in a museum look. This is what I basically saying though.If it can be made to look right for scale and realism it should be used,if it can.t ,no. Beautiful Model that is. TANKER-builder
DON,you have to remember.I live in TEXAS.Even though the state has a considerable coastline ,folks here ,really DON,T notice wooden decks on model ships.Where you are now,"The land of the VIKINGS " I would expect that.
Folks in your state appreciate things like that.My gran-ma-ma lived in BUFFALO , N.Y. And there were folks that loved anything to do with water on LAKE ERIE.Those folks would definitely appreciate wooden decks on a model ship ! And besides,you don,t build half baked attempts at the shipmodel hobby either ! TANKER-builder
While I like the wooden decks, one thing that does bother me about the current wooden deck offerings are their fresh, pristeen condition. They look like the day they were applied. Now, ships weather rapidly, because they are exposed to the elements constantly. Most woods take on a grayish appearance after a few weeks. I haven’t done it yet, but maybe my next wood deck project will be treated to look a little older. I am thinking of either a gray wash, or a thin airbrushing with a light gray color.
I suppose decks that were holystoned daily might retain the fresh wood look, but they don’t do that with modern ships (or 20th century war ships), do they?
I have seen several wood decks on operational ships early in my US Navy career. They were kept in pristine conditions and looked nearly white. Few, if any, had the appearance that most modelers strive for with multi-weathered decks, different shaded boards, etc. None had any gray on them at all.
Again, these were on operational ships back in the 1970’s, when the WWII cruisers and other ships were being decommissioned. To my eye, the wooded decks currently being marketed look far more accurate than most painted decks, and I have received many comments about mine from family and friends. They are definately worth it to me.
Don, I am thinking of starting my USS Independence and a blue wood deck is available. I have read so many cons about them being hard to apply. You used them on your ships. how did you do it. You do not seem to have any complains.
Here’s my latest, using an aftermarket deck. It’s the Bronco Ting Yuen battleship in 1/350. I think KA made the deck, but it’s been so long that I no longer have the bag it came in.
All tha’ts left to do is the gilded decorations and the rigging.
I stained the deck with a diluted flat polyurethane stain that’s a driftwood color. Like it myself.
