Unlike most hobbies, ship model making requires few expensive tools. Almost every household, no matter how small, harbors the beginnings of a fine model maker`s tool kit. The rest can be made, improvised and bought as the work progresses.

Most important of all tools to the maker of ship models is his knife. It may be anything from an inexpensive pocketknife to a high grade wood carver`s tool. Price and handle style are unimportant as long as its blade is sharp and strong and comfortable in your hand.

Now that you have the tools, you are ready to get started. When you have obtained the plans for your ship model, your first job will be to construct the hull.

If your model is to be a replica of the original, its hull, above all things, must be carefully shaped according to the accurate hull lines given in the drawings. To do this in the quickest and easiest way, you must follow some standard method of procedure.

Simplest of all standard methods of model hull construction is the "bread and butter method of lifts. This particular method gets its name from the fact that lifts of wood, cut approximately to the various horizontal sections of the hull, are placed one on top of the other and glued together. When first assembled, the side of a glued up "bread and butter hull resembles a series of narrow steps.

Once the "bread and butter lifts of your hull have been assembled, you are ready for the roughing and final shaping. However, do not pass over the cutting of your lifts lightly. The more accurate you are in cutting them to the exact lines of your plans, the easier it will be to get the finished effect that is necessary if your model hull is to look real.

Of course, it all depends on how much time you want to spend making your model sailboats as to how much detail you add.

You can get down to the smallest detail if you have the patience to do so. You can leave your model as a non working piece of art or go all the way and make it a fully functioning model sailboat, complete with rigging and pulleys. It is your model sailboat and you should enjoy making it.

After you have finished construction on the model sailboat, you will want to decorate and finish it. In applying the decorations and finishing touches to a model, the craftsman should be guided by the type, nationality and period of the ship. If your plans do not give the exact coloring, look up a historical description of the vessel.

To obtain a weathered effect on the sails, they can be dipped in coffee or tea or they can be painted or sprayed with a thin stain or lacquer. On models of very old ships, some model makers feel that it gives the rigging a touch of realism to slit the mainsail and neatly "repair the damage with a needle and thread. Such forms of decoration must be subtle, however, or they will ruin the entire effect of the model.

In any case, there are several issues to dwell on when making such a choice. Factors that must be accounted for include such things as the quality of the materials being used, the cost of materials and supplies, the amount of time neededto build a ship and the quality of workmanship that you wish the ship to be. All of these concerns should be addressed before making your decision to get started.

Things you will need

Patience will be your primary tool. Most model ships will have a considerably large number of exceptionally small pieces. This fact will become quite glaringly obvious with atall ship model. There will be a ton of tiny cannons, rigging material, a dozen sails, and literally thousands of small pieces of wooden planks.

Because you have decided to build your model tall ship, you might at well get started buying some of the other items that will be needed. You will need several types of tools to build your new model ship. The list will generally include a generous amount of various woods, such as teak, oak, or poplar, a few hobby saws, a large supply of hobby knives, sandpaper, small files, glue, any paints that will be needed, and do not forgetthe ship kit or detailed plans, in case your building the ship from scratch.

Now that you have the basic tools, you would want to look into several good books on model building, assuming you have not already bought those as well. Most books can be found at your local hobby shop, if you have access to one. If not, the internet is your friend and these can be ordered through an online bookstore, such as Amazon. Luckily there is also an extensive amount of information that is freely obtainable on the web as well.

If you are building your new tall ship model from a kit, then you may get off easy on building a ton of small parts. The ability to build your own parts will come in handy should you lose any parts, or if you simply make a decision to alter the ship in some way. If you are not building the ship from a kit, then building those small parts will be a fundamental component of your construction effort.

If by some chance you are a beginning model builder, then you may perhaps wish to practice your new skills on some other models before delving into atall ship model. Building a model ship from scratch will be a very rewarding experience and a great way to better your modeling skills; however, it might not be the best way to develop these abilities for the novice modeler.

Once you have all of your materials, plans and tools, you are ready to get started. Make sure you have lots of room to work, a place to keep it from getting disturbed, and plenty of light. Now you can get to work. Take your time, and do not rush or get overly frazzled at any point. It is now up to you. In the end, this will simply mean that the quality of yourmodel ship will be solely limited by the skills you possess and the amount of time that you are willing to put in to it.

Collectibles can be very rewarding. It is fun to collect items in a set, and it is rewarding to display them. Additionally, many collectibles look quite attractive as part of any home d?cor. Among the most attractive collectibles are model ships. Many of these, especially the models of old ships, are beautiful and graceful. And these collectibles come with an added bonus: you can build them yourself if you wish. This means that you have two hobbies in one!

Collecting model ships has a rather long history. They have been popular for centuries because of the beauty and satisfaction they bring into the home. It used to be that such models were only available to the rich, especially admirals and sea captains. But, thanks to the industrial revolution and techniques of mass production, it is possible for almost anyone to begin collecting model ships, so long as they are not old and rare models.

It is possible to purchase already built models. For those who like the look of model ships, but prefer not to build them, it is possible to find and purchase pre-made ships. These can be very attractive. You can get them either mass produced or hand built. The hand built model ships are more expensive than those that are produced en masse. The Internet is a great place to look for good prices on already-built collectible model ships. Local hobby shops also sell them on occasion. It is also possible to find antique model ships, although these are more expensive.

There is a variety of ways to collect and display model ships. One way is to collect models of famous ships. These can be bought already made or in kits that allow you to build the ship after its historical design. Many people like to collect old pirate ships, like Captain Kidd's ship. Others enjoy collecting famous ships like the H.M.S. Bounty or ships that were in service during the Civil War. Still others prefer to collect types of ships, including schooners, tall model ships, brigantines. Famous types of specialized ships like Indiaman ships or Man O' War ships are also fun to collect.

But it is not necessary to collect model ships that represent old ships. Many people enjoy collecting models that are more modern. Collecting ironsides or large battleships can be a fun pastime. Building these models can also be an extremely satisfying hobby. Frigates, yachts, cruise chips, and military vessels are also popular types of model ship to collect.

Finally, it is possible to collect RC boats that you can take out on ponds. These are fun model ships to collect. They come in all types, ranging from old-time schooners to ultra-modern speedboats. They can also be built in the house as a hobby. But you should be acquainted with wiring for some models. And, in many towns, there are RC boat racing events held during the summer. This is a fun way to show off your boat, and get even more satisfaction from your model ship hobby.

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Austin Market occupancy dropped 0.07 points over the month, however at 93.39%, occupancy remains 2.10 points higher than in April of 2005. Average rents are currently at $0.930 psf and are $0.002 psf higher than terminal month and terminal year's figures. Absorption dipped into the red this month, as -109 units were absorbed. Annual sorption stands at 3,589 units.

Dallas/Fort Worth Market occupancy is up 0.03 points over the month to 90.35%, and is 1.70 points above terminal year's level. Although average rents hit remained flat over the terminal few months at $0.867 psf, they are $0.003 psf higher than the rate seen at this time terminal year. Monthly sorption of 641 units brings annual sorption up to 13,575 units.

Houston Market occupancy fell 0.27 points to 90.73% over the month. Overall occupancy remains 4.29 points higher than April 2005's level. Rental rates inched up $0.003 psf over the month and are up $0.027 psf over the year to $0.824 psf, while monthly sorption was -323 units. Absorption over the terminal twelve months is at 24,542 units.

San Antonio occupancy, at 91.69%, gained 0.08 points over the month and 0.47 points over the year. Rental rates are up slightly over the month, $0.001 psf, to $0.817 psf, which is $0.012 psf higher than terminal year's figure. This is the third consecutive month of positive absorption, as 237 units were absorbed in April. Annual sorption totals 3,473 units.