Great tip, I think it will work on plastic kits as well. As a rule, I normally paint then use a stain to achieve different clours within the wood effect. I'll have to try buffing to see if it can bring out more detail.
Tom, you've given another great tip. I had been using watered acrylics also, but to get a light sheen, I've used olive oil over the acrylic and then buff -- it's ok -- but not as good and permanent as your technique. Love it!!
I've been using the felt discs but only for metal and for polishing clear plastic canopies on models but never wood. dunno why i never made the connection earlier. thanks Tom!
I tried that a couple of times back when I last built plastic warbirds, but I was too heavy handed (and too impatient) and started to burn right through the canopies. Be well, Claes. T
a great combination that works in my shop is seal with Minwax Ipswich Pine stain, then Airbrush with Valejo Acrylics....going to add this technique....to replace steam bending...
Just remember that this technique for bending works best on really thin stock (1/32" and under). Over that, when applying the pressure to impart the bend, you run the risk of snapping the piece. Slow and easy...
Ray, I didn't mean for you to worry. It was just a very busy time, a couple of months ago, and the videos had to go on the back burner. As I'm sure you've noticed I'm back and cranking out the vids. Thanks for your concern. Tom
That's because I haven't made it yet. For all those who have been looking for E.8, it's going to be a while longer. I'm in the middle of two large projects that are taking all my attention. There will be one video out shortly on a slightly different topic, so stay tuned.
@@shipmodelguy Hi Tom, I loved the video of your story. I felt that same way when some years ago I researched my Irish family roots. It led to the merritime museum and saw all the ship models. I immediately fell in love. I wondered why I love the sea, the nautical history of America, and of course, Guinness Stout! Fare Weather and Following Seas until then, A Christian and a Desert Storm Vet, John
A twofer... polishing and forming , who would have thunk it ? Brilliant ! Noticed on the close up of the model , the assimilated no slip decking. Did you ever discuss this technique? If so, please point me to the video. If not, would you mind sharing? It just can’t be simple stippling? Thanks in advance.
On the model of the Wianno Senior (the one in the opening), it is stippling. The deck color is applied with a brush and then immediately rolled with a 4" foam roller, which imparts the texture. For the little Beetle Catboat, the deck color is thinly applied to a piece of silkspan and when dry, it is glued on the deck. Two different models, two different approaches, one result.
Thanks Tom. This is a great technique I will employ on my first ever model (BlueJackets Mary Taylor) I am working on now. I have a quick related question. I am trying to achieve that deep orange-yellow of varnished mast and raw sienna does not seem to do it. Is there a suggestion you can make to point me in the right direction? Thanks again for your wisdom.
Raw sienna is what I normally use to get that effect. Keep in mind you want the colors to be scaled down and a bit less intense. Better to go lighter. You can always go deeper if you need to. Also, if you haven't seen my videos on scale and the compelling impression and painting for scale, you might want to give them a try. Those two talk about dealing with realist colors for scale models. Hope this helps.
Hi John, If you don’t need to color the wood at all, you can try just buffing it as I describe in the video. But, make sure you have sanded the surface down very well. If your habit is to sand down to say, 220 grit, take it down to about 400 before trying the buffing trick. You can also try putting one or two coats of shellac and letting it dry really well and then buffing, but the sanding to a finer grit is faster and you won't run the risk of heating up the shellac and smearing it all over your nice part.
Thank you for passing on your knowledge to amateur model makers like me. I'm working on a model using pear wood and wanted to know what you recommend for using as a wood finish. I've heard that tung oil works well with pear wood but I'm unsure about what to do.
The problem with any oil finish that it eventually dries out. Unless you can periodically apply a coat or two once a year, I'd stay away. Try a film finish like shellac. It's easy to apply, dries quickly and thins with denatured alcohol. One or two coats should be more than you'll ever need. Pro Tip: If you want your finish to have a bit of a warm, aged look, use the amber shellac, otherwise use the blonde or clear stuff. If you're using pear and leaving it natural to simulate mahogany or other dark red boat wood, two coats of shellac, LET IT DRY OVERNIGHT then buff as I describe in the video. You'll get a soft sheen and the bare wood will be sealed.
Hi again Tom, Thanks for the tip regarding the amber shellac. I had another question regarding scale. I am having a hard time sizing items to 1:50 scale. Specifically, I am trying to figure out what I can ad to the deck of my model in the way of interesting things like buckets, barrels, axes etc. anything else that may apply. Any help will be much appreciated. Thanks.
If it's an item you know the size of, it's simple: you just divide the actual size by 50 and you have the scale size. Example: if a water bucket is 12 inches tall, at your scale you would divide 12 by 50 and you would arrive at .240" or just a tiny bit under 1/4" and you go on from there. The most important thing is to know the actual dimensions of the thing you want to portray. Then, it's just a matter of dividing those dimensions by your scale factor.
Hi Tom, Great video as always. I noticed you had a nice texture on the deck of the cat boat which I assume was to simulate canvas decking. Mind telling me how you did it?
let me ask this question... when doing small pieces of wood, my balsa pieces seem to always have fuzz on the wood. when i sand them , they seem to get more fuzz, any way to calm that down at all ? is balsa a way to go ?
The only way to stop balsawood from fuzzing up is to stop using it. It's much too soft to be useful for almost any model-related application. The softest wood I use is basswood. Poplar is even better and it's usually available at your local lumber mill. Hope this helps.
Never heard of them till your comment. Went to their website and was not impressed. I suppose some of their fittings are okay, but the price-ouch. On their "About Us page", the fourth bullet point says "No matter where you are, you could receive the goods timely and safely after you pay for the order." You could receive the goods?, not you will? I'm sure this is just a language thing, but it still doesn't inspire buyer confidence. Understand, this is just my opinion based on their rather amateurish website and not the actual quality or scale accuracy of their product. Just sayin', I think you could do better.
Sorry… that ZHL is banned from the world’s largest ship modeling community because they routinely steal plans from other builders (many in North America), denying them the rewards they should have reaped for their creativity and effort. Alas. Best.
Tom ,sorry I missed your comments reguarding ZHL kits .I purchased the SAN FELIPE from them and was very impressed with quality of materials so far I haven't built one yet. Hope this helps.
Hi Tom, sorry to write you here because I didn't find any other ability for connetion. Anyway, I would like to build the HMS Victoriy ship without buying a kit box! Could you offer me a book for it?... With respect, Omid (Omid Raafatnia)
Hi Omid, If you don't want to reach me through RUclips, you can always go to the contact page of my website : tjlauria.com/contact/ HMS Victory is a very ambitious scratch building process. A good place to start would be www.rmg.co.uk/national-maritime-museum for a set of Admiralty Draughts. These probably won't be cheap. Then get copies of the, "The Anatomy of Nelson's Ships" and Steele's, "Elements of Mast making, Sail making and Rigging". You may be able to get these right through the Museum, as well. That should get you off to a good start. Just be aware that a project like this could drag on not just for years, but decades. The knowledge base needed for this size project is enormous and you never stop learning, even after the model is finished. I would recommend starting with the book about Nelson's ships first. It has lots of text and photos of the author's model, along with great illustrations. Thanks for writing and good luck. Tom
Great tip, I think it will work on plastic kits as well. As a rule, I normally paint then use a stain to achieve different clours within the wood effect. I'll have to try buffing to see if it can bring out more detail.
Gavin,
See Claes' comment, below
❤
Tom, you've given another great tip. I had been using watered acrylics also, but to get a light sheen, I've used olive oil over the acrylic and then buff -- it's ok -- but not as good and permanent as your technique. Love it!!
Thanks, Ariel. This will last a bit longer than the olive oil.
Awesome, game changing technique, tremendous opportunity to save time... Thanks Tom!
Glad you liked it!
I've been using the felt discs but only for metal and for polishing clear plastic canopies on models but never wood. dunno why i never made the connection earlier. thanks Tom!
I tried that a couple of times back when I last built plastic warbirds, but I was too heavy handed (and too impatient) and started to burn right through the canopies. Be well, Claes. T
@@shipmodelguy yepp, done that, it requires a light touch but saves a lot of work
a great combination that works in my shop is seal with Minwax Ipswich Pine stain, then Airbrush with Valejo Acrylics....going to add this technique....to replace steam bending...
Just remember that this technique for bending works best on really thin stock (1/32" and under). Over that, when applying the pressure to impart the bend, you run the risk of snapping the piece. Slow and easy...
Brilliant as ever Tom !
Thanks
That is a great tip Tom,thanks for that and yes I'm going to use that one.
Good.
Another great tip. Thank you for posting.
You're welcome!
Thanks for the tips Tom thumbs up.
No problem 👍
Really sincerely hope you are alright mate !
Come on ! I need you in my life !
Ray, I didn't mean for you to worry. It was just a very busy time, a couple of months ago, and the videos had to go on the back burner. As I'm sure you've noticed I'm back and cranking out the vids. Thanks for your concern. Tom
Hi Tom,
I love the tips on weathering!
I can't seem to find the 8th video on a whale boat.
That's because I haven't made it yet. For all those who have been looking for E.8, it's going to be a while longer. I'm in the middle of two large projects that are taking all my attention. There will be one video out shortly on a slightly different topic, so stay tuned.
@@shipmodelguy
Hi Tom,
I loved the video of your story. I felt that same way when some years ago I researched my Irish family roots. It led to the merritime museum and saw all the ship models. I immediately fell in love.
I wondered why I love the sea, the nautical history of America, and of course, Guinness Stout!
Fare Weather and Following Seas until then,
A Christian and a Desert Storm Vet,
John
A twofer... polishing and forming , who would have thunk it ? Brilliant !
Noticed on the close up of the model , the assimilated no slip decking. Did you ever discuss this technique? If so, please point me to the video. If not, would you mind sharing?
It just can’t be simple stippling?
Thanks in advance.
On the model of the Wianno Senior (the one in the opening), it is stippling. The deck color is applied with a brush and then immediately rolled with a 4" foam roller, which imparts the texture. For the little Beetle Catboat, the deck color is thinly applied to a piece of silkspan and when dry, it is glued on the deck. Two different models, two different approaches, one result.
Great tip! Thanks
Glad it was helpful!
Thanks Tom. This is a great technique I will employ on my first ever model (BlueJackets Mary Taylor) I am working on now. I have a quick related question. I am trying to achieve that deep orange-yellow of varnished mast and raw sienna does not seem to do it. Is there a suggestion you can make to point me in the right direction? Thanks again for your wisdom.
Raw sienna is what I normally use to get that effect. Keep in mind you want the colors to be scaled down and a bit less intense. Better to go lighter. You can always go deeper if you need to. Also, if you haven't seen my videos on scale and the compelling impression and painting for scale, you might want to give them a try. Those two talk about dealing with realist colors for scale models. Hope this helps.
@@shipmodelguy Thanks Tom. I did watch that episode and makes total sense in that context.
Very cool. Will give it a try. Was wondering what those white pads were for
Yeah. It only took me 40 years of owning Dremel to figure it out.
Tom what do you use on plain wood that is not painted? Great video keep then coming
Hi John,
If you don’t need to color the wood at all, you can try just buffing it as I describe in the video. But, make sure you have sanded the surface down very well. If your habit is to sand down to say, 220 grit, take it down to about 400 before trying the buffing trick. You can also try putting one or two coats of shellac and letting it dry really well and then buffing, but the sanding to a finer grit is faster and you won't run the risk of heating up the shellac and smearing it all over your nice part.
Thank you for passing on your knowledge to amateur model makers like me. I'm working on a model using pear wood and wanted to know what you recommend for using as a wood finish. I've heard that tung oil works well with pear wood but I'm unsure about what to do.
The problem with any oil finish that it eventually dries out. Unless you can periodically apply a coat or two once a year, I'd stay away. Try a film finish like shellac. It's easy to apply, dries quickly and thins with denatured alcohol. One or two coats should be more than you'll ever need. Pro Tip: If you want your finish to have a bit of a warm, aged look, use the amber shellac, otherwise use the blonde or clear stuff.
If you're using pear and leaving it natural to simulate mahogany or other dark red boat wood, two coats of shellac, LET IT DRY OVERNIGHT then buff as I describe in the video. You'll get a soft sheen and the bare wood will be sealed.
@@shipmodelguy Thank you for the info. I'll go to my local hardware store and try and get some. Do you recommend any particular brand?
@@teacher0517 They will probably only have one brand: Zinnser's Bull's Eye Shellac.
Hi again Tom,
Thanks for the tip regarding the amber shellac. I had another question regarding scale. I am having a hard time sizing items to 1:50 scale. Specifically, I am trying to figure out what I can ad to the deck of my model in the way of interesting things like buckets, barrels, axes etc. anything else that may apply. Any help will be much appreciated.
Thanks.
If it's an item you know the size of, it's simple: you just divide the actual size by 50 and you have the scale size. Example: if a water bucket is 12 inches tall, at your scale you would divide 12 by 50 and you would arrive at .240" or just a tiny bit under 1/4" and you go on from there. The most important thing is to know the actual dimensions of the thing you want to portray. Then, it's just a matter of dividing those dimensions by your scale factor.
Hi Tom,
Great video as always. I noticed you had a nice texture on the deck of the cat boat which I assume was to simulate canvas decking. Mind telling me how you did it?
Bad on me, I should have read the other comments first... thanks for the reply.
Glad you saw it.
let me ask this question... when doing small pieces of wood, my balsa pieces seem to always have fuzz on the wood. when i sand them , they seem to get more fuzz, any way to calm that down at all ? is balsa a way to go ?
The only way to stop balsawood from fuzzing up is to stop using it. It's much too soft to be useful for almost any model-related application. The softest wood I use is basswood. Poplar is even better and it's usually available at your local lumber mill. Hope this helps.
@@shipmodelguy it does , thank you very much , and I'll keep on watching your videos !!!!!!
Tom have you ever heard of ZHL model ships and if so what is you option of their kits ? Thanks buddy
Never heard of them till your comment. Went to their website and was not impressed. I suppose some of their fittings are okay, but the price-ouch. On their "About Us page", the fourth bullet point says "No matter where you are, you could receive the goods timely and safely after you pay for the order." You could receive the goods?, not you will? I'm sure this is just a language thing, but it still doesn't inspire buyer confidence. Understand, this is just my opinion based on their rather amateurish website and not the actual quality or scale accuracy of their product. Just sayin', I think you could do better.
George, I’ve learned at Model Ship World that ZHL
Sorry… that ZHL is banned from the world’s largest ship modeling community because they routinely steal plans from other builders (many in North America), denying them the rewards they should have reaped for their creativity and effort. Alas. Best.
Tom ,sorry I missed your comments reguarding ZHL kits .I purchased the SAN FELIPE from them and was very impressed with quality of materials so far I haven't built one yet. Hope this helps.
Hi Tom, sorry to write you here because I didn't find any other ability for connetion. Anyway, I would like to build the HMS Victoriy ship without buying a kit box! Could you offer me a book for it?... With respect, Omid (Omid Raafatnia)
Hi Omid,
If you don't want to reach me through RUclips, you can always go to the contact page of my website : tjlauria.com/contact/ HMS Victory is a very ambitious scratch building process. A good place to start would be www.rmg.co.uk/national-maritime-museum for a set of Admiralty Draughts. These probably won't be cheap. Then get copies of the, "The Anatomy of Nelson's Ships" and Steele's, "Elements of Mast making, Sail making and Rigging". You may be able to get these right through the Museum, as well. That should get you off to a good start. Just be aware that a project like this could drag on not just for years, but decades. The knowledge base needed for this size project is enormous and you never stop learning, even after the model is finished. I would recommend starting with the book about Nelson's ships first. It has lots of text and photos of the author's model, along with great illustrations. Thanks for writing and good luck. Tom
@@shipmodelguy As always thank you Tom for your answer and sharing your knowladge. I will do my best to build a model of HMS Victory, that's my wish