Wood Krafters Pirate Ship Kit by DSiemens

[DSiemens]

I started this log on MSW some time ago and never really completed it.  With the Scavenger commission I brought it back out to test some new techniques.  My object really was to take a kit that I received and build a really good ship in it.  At least better than what I think the kit makers intended.  Over all I like the Wood Krafters kits as beginning ship in bottle kits.  They are simple and their bottles are clear with huge openings that gives you a good idea on ship in bottle techniques with out it being overwhelming.  As far as historical or actual ship quality goes they aren't that great.  I think they are meant to appeal to kids.  In this case it's what the pirate reenactment community would call a polyester pirate ship.  IN any case I was given the kit and asked that I show it off when I completed it so that's what I'll do.  

 

Here's the kit and everything that comes in it.

 

  

 

I started by reforming the hull.  Ships in the early 18th century had a more rounded hull with pointed bowsprits.  I also widened the weather deck and added another deck on the stern.  This gives it a more East Indiaman look.  Probably a ship pirates liked to plunder more than sail but it fits the kit piece and falls in line with the polyester pirate theme.  Also on a side note has any one else noticed how many pirate ship build logs there are here?  I think it's a lot of fun.  Almost like an inadvertent community build.   

 

 

I then planked the ship using a new technique.  I had experimented with planking a ship with paper before and honestly it wasn't great.  A miniature model builder in my local club introduced me to a company call Cards of Wood that sells sheets of wood that are .015 to .025 inches thick.  Definitely thin enough to plank a ship this size with actual wood.  He gave me a few sheets and I did scribing for the deck planking and then stained the bulwark planking with a dark stain.  

 

 

More planking completed.  

 

 

At this point I started adding more details still using the cards of wood sheets I received.  I tried drilling through the keel to add the lashing to the bow and it ended up snapping off.  The wood in this kit is very hard and brittle.  It seems like pine to me but I could be wrong.  Any how I got a piece of bass wood and replaced the keel.  

 

 

For cannons I used wire out of an old cell phone charger cable.  They are about the right size and hollow if you pull the wires out.  I painted over them since getting the wire out turned out to be a real chore and no one looks that close to see hollowed out cannons anyway.  

 

 

So that's where I'm at so far.  

 

 

[Gwyl Blaser]

Nice build Daniel.  I like what you are doing with the card wood.  

 

Gwyl

[Lord Nelson]

Your doing a great job and I love what your doing but I don't understand your purpose in doing this.  Other then starting with their preshaped block of wood and their bottle and stand this is a regular experienced build.  I did a build of their America ship when I first started.  I remember the instructions used pins to secure the ratlines to the hull so instead I drilled 4 holes on each side and that was it.  As you can see because of the height of the bottle supplied the masts are too short in relation to the hull length for this ship.   

[DSiemens]

You make a good point and I'm finding it is a fine line between bashing a kit and using pieces of a kit to scratch build. I built this kit once very early on on ship in bottle building. I should see if I still have pictures. I don't think I had even found the forums or SIBAA at that point. So I guess my objective in building it again is using what I've learned to see how much better I can make it this time.

You are right about the bottles being to short I'm running into the same thing with this one.

[CharlieB]

Following this with interest. I have this kit sitting on a shelf in the garage.

[DSiemens]

Made some progress with this one.  Added hatches, masts, spars.  Still need to do something about the stern and windows and doors.  Maybe some other parts too.  I added some green paint for good measure.