fitting lifeboats in 1/700 scale

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Fishermandave
Posts: 7
Joined: Thu Jul 02, 2020 7:58 am

fitting lifeboats in 1/700 scale

Post by Fishermandave »

Howdy all I have recently given 1/700 scale a try and doing ok at it except fitting the davits / lifeboats in place.
If I glue the davits to the boat then they don't fit the location holes, in the holes then they don't fit the boat ?
Any tricks or tips on how to get 3 pieces and 4 holes to line up ?

Thanks
MrTsquare
Posts: 62
Joined: Sun Jan 31, 2016 6:55 pm

Re: fitting lifeboats in 1/700 scale

Post by MrTsquare »

Tangling with some on the same issues. Currently working on the FF-1073. Looking at many pictures of the gig and p-boats for the class its obvious that the gig and the p-boat when stored should not extend past the sides of the ship. As the kit models them and their davits, they both hang outboard. Spending much time trying to modify the davits so that both the gig and pboat are inboard. Not easy.
On my kit, at least, I was able to fit the boats onto the davits after white-glueing the davits in place, letting the white glue set up a bit, drilling out the little mounting holes on the boats a little and the coaxing the davits to fit the boats.
Should probably put the PE railings in place after the davits are glued and set in place and then install the boats as one of the last items before completion.
Just my take.
T2
drasticplastic
Posts: 1439
Joined: Sun Aug 20, 2017 9:46 am
Location: Montreal, Canada

Re: fitting lifeboats in 1/700 scale

Post by drasticplastic »

I LIGHTLY glue the davits into their locating holes so that some movement is still possible. Then I use CA to glue one end of the boat to it's davit (CA so that it bonds instantly - otherwise it will just droop and fall off). Then maneuver the davits and boat until the rear davit lines up with it's corresponding locating hole on the boat. Sometimes the lifeboat is stowed parallel to the ship's axis, and sometimes they're stowed at an angle - so you have to take that into account. Then glue the assembly and reinforce the davit/deck joints with a tiny dab of styrene glue. But I usually replace the plastic falls with PE ones so that complicates construction slightly.
:wave_1:
Fishermandave
Posts: 7
Joined: Thu Jul 02, 2020 7:58 am

Re: fitting lifeboats in 1/700 scale

Post by Fishermandave »

Thanks guys I will have another go at it on my newest build.
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