Dry dock keel blocks?

[pascalemod]

Hi!

Building my first dry dock soon (in 1/700 and in 1/350).

Question is - are there any good dry dock keels around for me to buy? Or what do you think would be the best thing to build them out of from?

I know one can be a long sprue in square shape but the issue is the cutting - how to cut them so perfectly and achieve vertical walls on each side. I dont know.

May be there are some preset thingies in variuos sizes that I could use? Wood matches also hard to cut without distorting one edges I suppose...

[Timmy C]

Do you have something like Northwest Shortline's Chopper? I use one to help cut consistent blocks out of a length of Evergreen square stock styrene. Authentic keel blocks are more elaborate than just a simple rectangular shape though, but I'm willing to forgo that since I don't bother making a full dry dock anyway.

[wefalck]

Not sure what sizes are needed, but one can find hard wood in many different dimensions in hobby shops. It can be easily cut to size with a fret-saw and then sanded square. So making keel blocks form stock should be easy.

[pascalemod]

Do you have something like Northwest Shortline's Chopper? I use one to help cut consistent blocks out of a length of Evergreen square stock styrene. Authentic keel blocks are more elaborate than just a simple rectangular shape though, but I'm willing to forgo that since I don't bother making a full dry dock anyway.

I might invest into this cutting tool - it seems like it would be useful often (for cable reels also) and so on. Thanks for the tip!

[Fliger747]

I am sure that keel blocks vary. The ones that I have seen are made from concrete, about 4' on a side. On top there are lifting eyes, Then on top of the block is a timber cribbing such that the hull plates rest on the softer wood.

[pascalemod]

I have both the Chopper 2 from the 1st link & the Chop-It XL from the 2nd link which is similar to the Chopper 3 in the 1st link. I use the Chopper 2 most of the time til I modify the Chop-It XL to use the same screw threads as what the Chopper 2 so can inter-change parts between the 2 Choppers.
http://nebula.wsimg.com/b9cf661ddc0e6ab ... oworigin=1
https://www.micromark.com/Chop-It-XL

'
I've bought the Chop-it XL based on the tip... I have rarely been so disappointed by quality of a product. Sitting at the table, looking at the poorly built chopper hand that wobbles a lot, that fails to cut straight, very cheap looking guides - my only feeling is that the only tool there is me, who bought it! This Chopit XL is not a tool, its a disaster. Look elsewhere.

[drasticplastic]

I've used a miter box similar to this for many years. This particular one is plastic or resin. An aluminium one from X-Acto is better.
https://www.micromark.com/Easy-Miter-Box-Deluxe.