Wooden decks for plastic kits

Gern

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Well, she arrived this afternoon despite the problems with the robots at ebay. I knew she's a big kit but it wasn't until I actually got the pieces in my hands that I realised just how big.


View attachment 105725



That's a 300mm rule (12" in old money).


The other wooden parts of the decks


View attachment 105723

View attachment 105724

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There's no way I'd be able to hand paint round all those fittings and I don't think I'll be around long enough to mask them all so it looks like I'll have to get a wooden deck!


There is some PE supplied and I've bought the Trumpeter upgrade set. Between them, that's about all the PE I'm thinking of using so that restricts my choice of wooden deck as some of them are supplied in sets with large quantities of PE and also large prices (Artwox and Mk1)!


I've found three decks which may fit the bill. They're by Pontos; Wood Hunter and Nautilus. Any suggestions which may be the best of these?

Bow deck.JPG

Foredeck.JPG

Overall.JPG

Upper deck.JPG
 

Gern

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Quick correction. Artwox make a deck set without all the PE so that's another option for me. All assuming of course that I can find someone that has some stock!
 
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Dave Garrett

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the one i got for my pow was wood hunter and it's easy to work with and is laser cut but like all of them you have to get it right first time just take your time and peel the backing paper back a little at a time and you'll be fine
 
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Graham D

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I use Wood Hunter decks for my Bismarck and Hood, they are very thin so do not leave a lip when stuck down. But it does make it more tricky to handle than the slightly thicker ones (Pontos and Artwox).
 
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Pigboy

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Graham D. How did the PVA glue work for you on the wood to plastic deck? Does it hold up for a long time? I'm having a problem with the glue the wooden deck came with and it's not holding it on to well and over time has come up in some areas on my build.
 
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Graham D

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Pigboy, the PVA sticks about everything, plastic to metal, plastic to wood.  I thin the PVA down a bit to help it flow better as PVA is a bit thick.  So far it has stayed stuck, but my models are only a few of years old.
 
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Pigboy

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Pigboy, the PVA sticks about everything, plastic to metal, plastic to wood.  I thin the PVA down a bit to help it flow better as PVA is a bit thick.  So far it has stayed stuck, but my models are only a few of years old.

Thanks for the quick reply. I'll have to check the local shops here in the states. If no luck they sell it online. Thanks again.
 

Ian M

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Any one got a good photo of these ûber decks. I might be tempted to find some for my HOOD project.
 
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John Rixon

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Before you drop the coin, Ian, spend a moment with a calculator and consider the scale of the planks and caulking lines. measure them than multiply by 200, I think you will be shocked! I was gonna put one on my (still unfinished) Dreadnought, when it arrived it looked lovely, then I measured it...


Settling on the moulded markings!
 

spanner570

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Spot on John. I've yet to see a stuck on deck that passes muster. From bad scale boarding and way too wide caulking (about 1/2" in real life) to awful heavy graining on the decking ( Most are far too heavy and don't run true with the boards) Even in 1/350, the grain would be all but invisible and the caulking lines would be virtually the same....down to small gaps around the various deck protrusions.......Not to mention the need to be absolutely spot on at the first attempt to stick the thing down.


No, Like John. I'll stick with the easy route and keep the excellent ( and in my opinion, far better) moulded deck markings.


The above is my own opinion and observations........to each his own, eh?
 
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I would agree with the above if any grain is showing which is 1:1 it looks wrong plus the joints wouldn't be visible at 1:350.


I plan on building a ship in the group build next year I don't think I'll be changing the deck 


Dave
 
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John Rixon

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Does anyone have any experience with this product? https://freetimehobbies.com/1-350-artwox-wood-deck-dkm-tirpitz/

Considering it for my 1/350 Tirpitz from Tamiya, which I'm about to start building very soon. Am I correct to assume this wooden deck is to be placed as a layer on top of the original, plastic one?
pretty certainly what it is, therein lies the problem, in my opinion. For a start, teak decking goes greyish brown very quickly, and on a RN ship, itll be scrubbed with a (old fart alert) powdered Vim-like product, which adds to the bleached out look. youre far more likely to achieve this with paint and washes, and it means that your deck fittings aren't obscured by what, scaled up, would be 6-8 inch planking!
 

spanner570

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Marius, stick with the moulded decks. Painted and weathered, they look far more realistic than any of the stuck on 'Wooden' decks.
 
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Graham D

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There is a new manufacturer of wooden decks http://www.scaledecks.com/. They are quite expensive, but, IMO, look better than some of the established manufacturers. They do not have glue backed, so you need to apply your own.
 
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