Suggestion for a good beginner project?

[scottrcsm]

Hello,

I am new to this topic but am a professional user of both SolidEdge and Solidworks. I am interested in joining here and look forward to starting a project but am looking for what would be a good beginner ship?

My goal is to work up 3D plans for a future project of the frigate USS Essex.

Cheers,
Scott

[Fritz]

Hi Scott.

No-ones replied, more than likely, because this is probably one of the toughest questions to answer.

What constitutes a good beginner model always depends on the existing skill set that a draftsman has. The tougher part of working with ships is always the hull shape. Fairing and lofting the lines and then getting a surface to smoothly and seamlessly follow those curves. Obviously the simplest ships to work with were ironclads: a basic raft with a cheese-box. However, this may be too simple, and not help with skill development in this area.

The best way to start, would be to work with a hullform that does not have too many tight or bumped buttock lines. As the Essex gets a little tight in the back end between the transom and skeg, in itself would not be a good beginner form.

My two suggestions would be these.

1) Work with a fishing schooner form. Curves for these vessels were very fair, and about the only difficult part would be working the aft part of the skeg, and its trailing edge into the solid, while maintaining the blends above.

2) Perhaps better, would be to start with one of the Essex's ships boats. This has a two-fold advantage. One: the skeg terminates with the transom so only one initial surface needs to be done per side. The lines are continuous and not broken till they get to the transom plane. The second benefit, is that when done, it can then be used to adorn the deck the final Essex model.

Hope this helps, and let us know if you have any issues. Specific questions, I think, we are a little better at answering.

[aleccap]

Because you say you like the 3-D type of thing, there are many people that build simple dioramas, these are as easy as you want to build them (size depends on the scale you're be working with) ie a two step diorama is quite simply that, a board of your size you require and a smaller board that will become the harbour wall, pick the sort of buildings, or litter it with some junk, a dab of plaster here and there, and that's very much the harbour sorted, the sea effect, again pick a colour, dark green (somewhere on this site I have a step by step guide) its the basic diorama, any ship to suite the size of board and you're on your way.
On my gallery in the next few days is my little 1-700 destroyer dio, it doesn't look to bad, and very simple to put together.

[Timmy C]

Alec, he means a project to model on the computer, not in physical reality

[aleccap]

Doh !!!!

[rtwpsom2]

Get one of the AOTS books and go to town.

[Roscoe]

Scott,

Since your already an experienced CAD user, why not just go with what you like, the Essex. If your not comfortable with modeling hulls at first, you can always start with doing the top half of the ship, and then move on to the hull later.
Or if you want something a little less detailed to play with first, like Fritz mentioned, Ironclads, Subs or even some torpedo boats are relatively easy to do.

Good luck with your choice, and I look forward to checking out your work.

Dean

[Guest]

Thanks for the replies, I needed a boost to get my train of thought rolling and away from "work" projects. I'm thinking of a Gato class sub, since there are a number of curves as well as angles, not so many sub assemblies that would drive me delusional.

My ultimate goal is to model a sailing frigate.

Regards,
Scott

[scottrcsm]

Forgot to log on for my last reply.

[mcg]

Scott, this hull tutorial was helpful to me. It is not SW but I think the principles and presentation are general. A quick readthrough might be useful. Michael

http://www.3drender.com/rhino/boathtml/index.htm