The Ship Model Forum

Another approach which I'm using on some 'slow' passenger liner projects is the following. I use it for waterline models but doing so twice (ie build an extra under water hull) can get you a full hull model. It is a combination of my own ideas and those of Maarten Schonfeld of IPMS-NL. Try to get hold of at least one transverse section view. Often I reconstruct one out of deck plans and pictures as many liner books contain deck plans + one side view which are quite accurate for small scale scratchbuilds. Cut out a 1mm thick side view (=longitudinal section) in styrene. If you're accurate enough in cutting styrene make the section .6mm short and .3mm lower than the original drawing. Cut out a transverse section in 1mm styrene, cut in in two parts in the middle while leaving off an xtra .8mm on both sides. Glue these parts at the place of you section, usually in the mid point or at the forecastle break (as in WW2 destroyers). Make sure these parts are in the right place and at exactly 90 degrees angle to the longitudinal section as these parts will be the central datum point for most of your carving. Place 4 exactly rectangular pieces of wood at the four corners you have just created. Make sure they are just a bit larger at the transverse section and the deck level but keep them exactly flat at the waterline. Only start carving/ milling/ whatever method you like once the glue of all 4 pieces is fully dry. Once in place they will serve to keep the alignment right. Draw in the waterline section at the bottom or fit a styrene baseplate. Carve/mill/ whatever the sheerline first , start working on the 4 sections after wards using pictures or (if available) transverse sections to check on your progress. Once you like the shape of your hull skin it with strips of .3mm styrene. If you like working with sanding sealer or CA infused paper you can skip the skinning phase (and not subtract the .3mm ans .6mm from your earlier phases; plan ahead!). I personally like to skin with styrene as I like to work on styrene more than on paper or sealed wood but this is a matter of personal preference.
Note this method becomes difficult with very complex shapes like those of french.
predreadnoughts. The advantage is that this is a very fast method; a liner hull can become a weekend project.
As this method depends on the modelers' 'eye' and 'feel' for this ship it helps if you have drawn the hull shape in freehand a few times. Warning; this may evolve into a seperate hobby.

shipkitnut wrote:I was thinking the better way this time would be to cut out the side profile several times and glue and clamp the pieces and go back and cut the overhead profile after it dries. Any opinion or thoughts on that?

If it works, do it! However, I have found it sometimes difficult to maintain good bilateral symmetry when constructing small-scale hulls built from vertical elements. My solution was to create a thin, waterline-level horizontal section of the precise shape and contour needed, from sheet.

Then, I glued pre-shaped strips of material onto the cut-out piece along its outer edges, thus minimizing the amount of material I had to remove later on. I then proceeded in "layers" this way, building upward from the previous work, to a point just below the weather-deck level. The weather deck itself, is cut in the same fashion as the waterline. After precisely aligning the weather deck sheet with that of the waterline one, I glue it down and then proceed to shape and contour everything between.

I'm not implying this is necessarily the best method, but it is a method that solved my symmetry problems, and has proven a success for me.
Whichever method you employ, I wish you good luck and a successful series of scratchbuilds!

while i have seen this done, it is more generally done from cutting the front/stern view rather than side view.... side view would be REALLY hard. Stack upwards, its alot easier!

Having been lucky / unlucky enough to have inherited a bandsaw, scrollsaw, belt/disc sander and spindle sander Im about to start making my own ships again. In the past I cut out the overhead outline of the hull and shimmed the top deck at the bow and filled the sides.

I was thinking the better way this time would be to cut out the side profile several times and glue and clamp the pieces and go back and cut the overhead profile after it dries. Any opinion or thoughts on that?