The Ship Model Forum

Im trying to take on a project where I build the lower half of the hull for a WL only ship model.

So how would I go about it exactly? I imagine like this: get cross section scans of the ship, somehow figure out how to scale them to 98% (or thereabouts) and print them on paper, then transfer to plastic card, cut out, and build a skeleton. Then - whats next? Cover with some plastic strips? Cover with paper in hite glue? Cover in some copious amounts of putty and sand?

Anyone who built full hulls please give me your tips for a full process. I only need to be build the lower half, mind, I dont need top half. Also tips for bilge keel, for rudder, for propeller builds are appreciated.


This is in 1/700.

OR order from 3D printing? SO far noone is willing to take that project sadly. I asked.

When you have a facebook account, search for Chris Leddings (inside the armor). He's busy constructing a full hull. Otherwise you can print at 100% and use them as a gauge (negative form for the outside). Glue sheet styrene or something else till thick enough, sand in shape, and test the shape with the gauge. Sand/fill when necessary.

Meddings

What scale?

Darn autocorrect...

Know it's 1/350, but it was mere for the idea, think that's regardless of scale.

I thought it was just a typo

for 1/700 I don't think you need to make it so complicated, When I did a 1/350 destroyer I did it by laminating together layers of plastic card cut to fit the topography of the hull and sanding to shape. For the current one it was easier to make cross sections etc and skin it, but my new project: 1/350 suffren is nearly 30 cm long

You might find at a medium scale using a bread and butter buildup from sheet basswood a useful method. The wood can then be sealed and filled with thin Bondo and glazing/scratch putty or model makers equivalent, allowing a smooth blending with the upper.

One of the best hull constructors and amongst the most prolific is Song, check out one of his many scratch Battleships over in the scratch projects section.

Good luck!

I was about to provide an answer on how I'd make the hull using the plank on bulkhead technique, then I saw you specified 1/700 scale. I can't imagine doing anything precise from scratch at that scale. All I would attempt would be shaping a solid piece of wood and carefully shaping and sanding it after it was glued onto the upper hull. Rudders would be cut from index card. Perhaps the propeller disks also from card, but I don't see how to make individual blades that you'd like at the scale.