Conversion bits - Pirate Ships from Toys

[Orctrader]

Those of you who do this, or even scratcbuild vessels - where do you obtain "bits and pieces" like decking, sails, rigging, etc?

Links to conversion threads would be helpful too.   

[Svennn]

M, the basic answer is anywhere and everywhere   Most will have a bits box accumulated over the years to raid but somewhere like Antenociti or other online model supply store would be your best bet.

Rigging could be Subbuteo nets, onion bags, wound picture wire etc. Sails paper, cotton tea towel, old t-shirt etc. Decking balsa, moulded plasticard, card etc.  I think you get the idea.

I do have a rather large stash of stuff if you want to pm for anything in particular

Svennn

[Orctrader]

I do have a rather large stash of stuff if you want to pm for anything in particular

Thanks.   

Not quite sure what I need yet.  Will have a better idea once the "toy" arrives.

[Mako]

As mentioned, there are various sources.

A good place to start is your local hobby, or craft store, for styrene sheeting (scribed is easier, or just plain so you can scribe your own deck), and/or balsa or basswood decking.  You can use mechanical pencils on the latter, to scribe the boards into the wood, with the aid of a ruler.

For masts and booms, you can just use wooden dowels, or barbecue skewers, cut and sanded to shape.

For specialist naval fittings, and cannons, you can either make your own, or purchase them from miniatures manufacturers, or those selling wooden ship kits.  The companies selling the latter do vessels in 1/4 and 1/8 scale (1/48th and 1/96th scales, respectively), as well as others, e.g. 1/64th scale.  Those equate to roughly 25mm/28mm and 15mm/18mm scales for minis.

Some people get parts from plastic sailing ship models as well, and use those too.

Cardboard and/or posterboard is a good material for making the sides and stern of the vessels, and can be pinned to a wooden deck, while the white/wood glue dries it all together. 

Of course, you can also use sheet styrene for the ship's sides as well, but it is a little harder to work with than the paper products.

[elysium64]

I have always used http://www.cornwallmodelboats.co.uk/acatalog/ship_fittings.html they have pretty much everything you could want and very good service.