Pirate Instructions Help

[Mesabi]

So, I've been looking for Custom Lego instructions lately, and I've come to the disturbing realization that there are almost no instructions for custom pirate ships.

I'm looking because I want to learn some new techniques, and maybe even bricklink a model.

Which leads me to my two problems. First, there's like no colonial era/pirate ship instructions on the web.

Second, the ones I found didn't have parts lists.

I don't mind buying instructions, but I won't if they aren't willing to tell me what I need to build them. I mean, lego is expensive, and I want to know how much I would have to spend to actually build the model. 

Can anyone help?

[Darnok]

We are not talking about any official Lego instructions, correct? As far as I know these are all available for free, at different places of the internet.

 

There are instructions for the Flying Dutchman from the PotC movies available for sale, but again I do not think that is what you are looking for.

 

I have no Pinterest account, so can not verify the usefulness of these: check this and this link.

 

Finally: if you find something useful: please share! I would be most interested.

Edited October 5, 2017 by Drunknok

[Legostone]

While they are in no way exact instructions, I think Captain Green Hairs "Build a Frigate" Thread from a while back is amazing, it helped me a lot on my first couple vessels. 
Sebeus also kinda provides instructions for his blue frigate - the build process and an LDD file. 

Both techniques can be applied to ships of different sizes off course - especially CGH's technique has been seen from tiny Brigs with two midsections to two decked Ships of the line on 6 midsections.

What parts do you need? Well, difficult question, mostly because most who build in those techniques build their ships to keep them - at least for a fair while, and then don't track how they take them apart, and once you have built a couple ships you get a feel what you'll need (or you are like me and ordered 10 times the amount you needed of certain parts...)

 

As well as that - @Capt Wolf, could you, at some point, build a 3 or 4 midsection Galleon like a tutorial? I think I could manage without one, but I think if you would make one I would probably put one together for one of my - already full - shelves as I like to "collect" ship building techniques...

Edit: @Drunknok I wouldn't buy those instructions, those are some very simple builds actually. You could probably put them together from the pictures alone...

 

[kurigan]

Ok mate, here's the complete and honest truth. You really not going to find them, not any that are worth the investment. Simply put there just isn't enough motivation for most builders to want to go through the extra effort of keeping track of all that, composing it and then sharing it around. Sure, there are more motivations in the world than profit but nobody really does anything without expecting something out of it. Really get into this and start developing your technique to the point that you're building model ships and you'll find put exactly how thankless the whole thing really is. It's been my experience there are only two reasons anyone ever bothers with one of these things. Either they have something to prove or there's just something stuck in their head they have to get out. 

 

What you need to build them is Lego, lots and lots of Lego. Not being a smart-ass here, that's just how it is. In general, I would advise putting together a lot of 1X bricks and plates as well as plenty of round things. Despite being supremely unique, Lego Shipbuilding is still just Lego building. I think the best advice I can give is to stop thinking "what can I do with this system?" and start thinking "how can I make this system work for me?" 

 

If you really want to figure out how other builders are doing what they do start counting studs. I mean it's all Lego, the ultimate in modular systems. There are only so many possible combinations of bricks. If you look closely enough you can just figure out what parts they used. 

 

It is my firm belief that the best Lego builds come from builders who are first knowledgeable of their subject matter rather than being experts on the medium. Trying to figure out how to build the ship in Lego is, IMHO, sort of backwards. Figure out first how a ship is made then representing it in Lego will make a lot more sense. 

 

Now I'm not sure what you mean by "colonial era". It's a painfully broad term that could refer to a rather wide swath of time. It's also a steadfast contention of mine there is no such thing as a "pirate ship". There were ships that were used for piracy but they were just ships until pirates made use of them. Is there a specific century or decade you're interested in and a particular motivation behind that focus? You'll find that the later in history you study the more information is available which is probably why you see so many 19th century ship models. Never underestimate the value of data. 

 

One final piece of advice from somewhere one who's tried to reinvent the wheel himself; start small and build up. Don't try to do galleons and ships of the line right out of the box. Pick something small, like a sloop or a cutter, for which you can find lots of information. Build it as a learning experience whether you intend to keep it around or not. There simply is no substitute for experience. 

 

Cheers mate! 

 

P.S. Not to plug my work, getting a little tired of doing so myself, but I have compiled something of a history of my works on my profile. You'll see lots of WIP shots, good for stud counting, and may find "Scorpion" of particular interest. 

 

 

[Capt Wolf]

21 hours ago, Legostone said:

@Capt Wolf, could you, at some point, build a 3 or 4 midsection Galleon like a tutorial? I think I could manage without one, but I think if you would make one I would probably put one together for one of my - already full - shelves as I like to "collect" ship building techniques.

Wow, I hadn't really considered that, in large part because I really don't think I use many advanced techniques at all, just some jumper plates to create the taper of the hull at the stern waterline on my larger ships. I really just use a whole bunch of slopes and wedges, which produces a very solid build. I'll keep making something of a tutorial in mind when I start my next one.

But as to Mesabi's question, kurigan has hit on the key to building ships:

14 hours ago, kurigan said:

It is my firm belief that the best Lego builds come from builders who are first knowledgeable of their subject matter rather than being experts on the medium. Trying to figure out how to build the ship in Lego is, IMHO, sort of backwards. Figure out first how a ship is made then representing it in Lego will make a lot more sense.

I studied a lot of pictures and drawings, tried to understand how things functioned, then tried to capture the key lines in my own drawings, and then to bricks with a lot of trial and error of various sections in isolation. If you're good at drawing/sketching, making a sketch of what you want to build will really help you figure out what's important in the shape and lines. Then building it with bricks kind of becomes a puzzle of finding the pieces that fit between the lines, so to speak. But understanding the subject really helps guide you. Study the kind of ship you want to build, and you'll hit on ways to build it in bricks.