The Ship Model Forum

Indeed fine models can be built, as good as anything, by traditional methods. As with the Cruiser Variag a large scale (small numbers) makes this easier. Certainly 1:1 models can be very good by such methods. Song and EJ Foeth out there making anchor chain link by link in their mediums in a somewhat smaller scale. I did this for the APA, but fortunately it's hidden. If I go back to Missouri and Alaska I had originally used some home made resin parts and gone back and replaced them, but many linger as no improvement would be possible. Amongst those the bitts and chocks, MK 38 directors, Discone Array and numerous small items. I did on both ships replace my cast 5" twin mounts, which were quite nice, but with 3D I could add in place various rungs etc. On Alaska I did replace commercial light AA, 20 and 40 mm with home 3D printed items. These would at 1:192 required series production and assembly of quite tiny and complex units. The D7 Dozer I made as deck cargo for the APA at 1:120 with many interior and almost invisible details would be quite a challenge by traditional methods.

I could have made Caine's hull by traditional methods but as an experiment decided to see if I could print it. Not sure if it was either easier of better at this point, but I was able to do it.

Bruce's DD' he is working on currently (Walke) is a combination of such methods. For his magnum Opus, Song has included new materials. Poseidon is probably 95% traditional construction, the hull and bulk of the superstructure of basswood. But almost all of the "decorations" which is what you see as detail is 3D. I wanted to see what I could do with it.

Hats off to traditional workers, though that now includes styrene and PE.

Best regards: Tom

Part of the difference between traditional methods and 3D printing is the effect the builder is seeking. "Museum" models often have a lot of shiny metal and oiled wood parts, although they parts may have been painted on the real vessel. Valeriy's Variag is a good example, and You just can't replicate the look of Kieth's polished brass on Germania Nova with 3D printing (or at least I don't think you can print brass yet). And the Admiralty models were constructed to show details of wooden construction, and a 3D printed version would just look strange.

But when we are making models of more modern vessels where everything is going to be painted gray it really doesn't matter what method and materials we use.

You are right that it certainly is a lot easier and quicker to make tiny details with 3D printing! And if you need to replicate the parts 3D printing is a lot easier than cranking them out piece by piece.

Things like propellers are difficult to make in exact scale by most methods. The Okie Boat prop blades at 1:96 scale are only about 0.050" thick at the hub and just 0.012 inch thick at the edges. I took a lost wax casting class to see if I could cast them in metal and getting metal to flow into those long narrow cavities is quite problematic, even if you use rotating heated molds. And I doubt if I could make them on our NC milling machines at work - the thin metal would bend away from the cutting tool. But they were incredibly easy to make on an entry level 3D printer!

Phil

_________________
A collision at sea will ruin your entire day. Aristotle

Thank you very much,gentlemen!
I am old style modeller. But it go slow one step and one step.
Exhaust pipe of generator(?),stairs built from photo etching,and some added small items on the catwalk.
Song

_________________
Life is short model-warships is too many to make!!

Song:

Nice work as usual, with the masking it would appear you are approaching a major ships painting. Further and further details keep appearing.

Best regards: Tom

Hi,Tom!
You are right. I've painted freeboard and waterline. It's difficult to masking.
Best Regards; Song

_________________
Life is short model-warships is too many to make!!

Song,

That looks very good - an extremely hard part of the build - I'm at this stage also with my STODDARD project. Getting the tape placed properly and covering all the necessary items you don't want painted is a job to get correct. I only have a bit of minor touch up to do, but it took almost a week going back & forth between taping and spraying to get everything done correctly.

Your model is turning out exceptional!!!

Hank

_________________
HMS III
Mocksville, NC
BB62 vet 68-69

Builder's yard:
USS STODDARD (DD-566) 66-68 1:144, Various Lg Scale FC Directors
Finished:
USS NEW JERSEY (BB-62) 67-69 1:200
USN Sloop/Ship PEACOCK (1813) 1:48
ROYAL CAROLINE (1748) 1:47
AVS (1768) 1:48

Song:

At the size of this model, some of the usual difficulties are expanded, a very large flat surface is needed to mark the waterline, perhaps more than one person might be needed to position the model (upside down) and a large painting area required. All in all the result is quite spectacular. Waterline taping becomes difficult at points where the hull has considerable vertical curvature. The stern areas of my APA and the current DMS project were difficult to tape. Somewhere I had the flexible narrow Tamaya tape, which disappeared. That would have made things simpler!

Most excellent results! Tom

Another Song Jung Gun masterpiece!

When you started this project using materials other than wood I was curious to see how it would turn out. There was no question of your expertise with wood, but you have shown that the materials do not matter. Your craftsmanship spans all types of materials!

Phil

_________________
A collision at sea will ruin your entire day. Aristotle

Dear Hank!
Thank you very much! Yes it is very hard. I have used cheap masking tape so the result is some problems.
Some correcting work is needed.
Song

_________________
Life is short model-warships is too many to make!!

Dear Tom!
That's right it 's difficult masking turning upside down also.
I bought new masking tape from modelshop not stasionary.
Song

_________________
Life is short model-warships is too many to make!!

Dear Phil!
I also worried about using the other materials but I familiar with plastic metal wire photo etchings now.
Thank you.
Song

_________________
Life is short model-warships is too many to make!!

Hi gentlemen!
I've built several antennas during the paint on the freeboard is dry.
Song

_________________
Life is short model-warships is too many to make!!

Nice Job Song!

The simplicity of those is deceiving!

Best regards: Tom

Thank you very much Tom!
I've repainted hull red and installed base.
Best regards; Song

_________________
Life is short model-warships is too many to make!!

Song!

This is a very large model. Inverted it looks like some fantastic space station from "Starwars". I become slightly nervous when handling large models in such ways as complete disasters are possible.

Cheers: Tom

Dear Tom!
Yes It looks like spacewarship in "Starwars". Yes It is need to very careful.
Cheers; Song

_________________
Life is short model-warships is too many to make!!

Hi,all!
I've built RHIB boats and installed in both side.
Song

_________________
Life is short model-warships is too many to make!!

Hi,all I rebuilt dome antenna platform and installed runway center lights dn the stern.
Song

_________________
Life is short model-warships is too many to make!!

Hi,all!
I 've built stair cases on the catwalk.
Song

_________________
Life is short model-warships is too many to make!!

This ship would look absolutely authentic in dim light with all the lights illuminated, especially for an astern approach position in the "slot".

Regards: Tom