Customer Reviews

The Ship Model Builder's Assistant

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The only reason I didn't give this book 5 stars is due to the dated writing, which is sometimes distracting. If not for that, it's 5 stars!!

A must for you if you're just beginning, like me. The author explains everything very well. Not only how things work, but why they work. His specifics about construction are excellent, if only for those who are curious about sailing vessels. His charts are wonderful for answering questions about construction and cutting before the cut is made. He really gets down to the nuts and bolts.

I don't agree that this book is not for the beginner. I'm a beginner, and I have learned much from this book, and continue to reinforce that knowledge with the book. If you be a beginning builder, a student of sailing vessels, or just plain curious about the subject, get this book. Remember, it reads a bit differently then more current books, but you'll smile at that fact, and get the benefit of the knowledge imparted within.

After initial chapters on varying types of ship models, including the built-up model and wooden-sail models, the author devotes individual chapters to the masting of ships, mastheads, the standing rigging, the running rigging, foot-ropes, the blocks, steering wheels, the ship's galley, pumps, ship ironwork, copper sheathing, the ground tackle, gun ports, boats and davits. He includes as well invaluable tables and lists of data that offer opportunities to compare vital statistics on rigging, masting and more.

Charles C. Davis was a well-known naval architect, shipbuilder, master seaman, racing yachtsman and nautical chronicler. His lifelong love affair with the great ships of the past resulted in several classic works on ships and ship model building. The present volume is one of the latter, an extremely thorough, practical and readable guide to building ship models in authentic detail and in proper proportion. In all, The Ship Model Builder's Assistant offers a treasury of both descriptive and "how-to" information essential to model builders and highly enlightening for all fascinated by the great sailing ships of America's past.

If you ever want reference book that you can read, not just pretty pictures, this is it. It has extensive detail on all aspects of ship building and how it done before kits. It tells you the why and how of ship building.

Detailed sequential instruction on constructing the built-up ship model. Accurate lists of the various countries' mast rules, including tops, heads, trestletrees etc, and rope & block dimensions, ensure that your model will look like the real thing and not a misproportioned eyesore.
There are lots of hints and tips to making the rigging and the ground tackle (capstans, bitts, winches, anchors) look real, including correct proportions of gunports.

The book does assume that you have an accurate drawing to work from and with this in mind it is a welcome addition to anyone's library. My only complaints are that there should be more detail on planking, and some of the drawings are a tad small, obscuring the detail.

Invaluable guide offers detailed descriptions, drawings of masting, rigging and major fittings. I use this book when I have a question about anything and if my wooden boat model plans seem inaccurate. Many line drawings from different periods which are easy to understand. Lots of tips.

This is an old book and a "classic". A MUST have for the beginner

This is very detailed, jargon-filled discussion of the fine art of ship model building using descriptions of how "real" ships were built and rigged. It's not a book I'd read cover-to-cover, but use to make sure your have authentically duplicated a real ship's configurations. I'd say it's a book mostly for "from scratch" builders even though it's also educational for us beginners. Written in a kind of archaic style which for me meant re-reading some suntences over two or three times. The author assumes at least a fundamental knowledge of ship terminology. By studying this book's content very seriously I think you'd come away with a very complete knowledge of authentic ship-building and rigging techniques.

I read this book back in 1956. I refer to this book first when I have a question or need to see an example.

THIS BOOK IS MORE FOR THE SHIP HISTORIAN, NOT THE MODELER WHO IS LOOKING FOR HELP AND GUIDANCE WITH KITS. BUT NOT ALL IS LOST. THE RIGGING INFORMATION IS SOMEWHAT HELPFULL.