Posted by Scott Andrews on August 29, 2000 at 11:15:56:
In Reply to: Get Both posted by Doug May on August 28, 2000 at 23:44:32:
: You really should by all of the sets from both Tom's and GMM. They are not identical, so you will be missing some items that either Tom carries or GMM.
: It may sound wrong, but you really should seriously consider every photoetch product made for your Titanic. Why? Well, if you are going to the trouble of putting in hours and hours to make your ship look top-notch, why scrimp a little and shortchange yourself just to save a few dollars?
: They might seem a little expensive, but the photoetch products add so much to your model, you might end up sorry you didn't purchase products from Tom's and GMM. I intend to buy them all. With some of the leftover items, you can use them to fabricate other things you need to replace the plastic pieces.
: If you don't have the money all at once, but a little at time, the ship won't be finished in a day, so you will have time to plan out which sets you need first.
: Tom and GMM both make terrific products. I say go for it, and make your ship look the best it can be!
Doug is absolutely right about this. While there may appear to be some cross-over on the sets supplied by the two manufacturers, each also has items that aren't available in the other's sets. For instance, TMW makes a window set, which GMM does not; while GMM makes a truely excellent full replacement for all of the ships lifeboat davits which is unavailable from TMW. There are also differences between the two sets which go beyond the basic questions of accuracy, etc. and the decision of what parts to use from which set is largely a matter of personal preference.
In addition to the P/E sets, you will also want a set of Bruce Beveridge's decals to really put the finishing touches on your model.
As Doug says, if you don't have the money all at once, buy a little at a time. You're not going to need everything at once anyway, as this project will occupy several months of your spare time even with some dedicated effort.
Scott Andrews