The Ship Model Forum

Any idea where one can purchase (online) blocks of resin or plastic for scratch building hulls? I`m thinking of scratchbuilding Yangtze Patrol gunboats in 1/700. I can fashion all or most detail but will need to shape hulls from either plastic or resin.

I have no idea where you can purchase them online (I get my own thck plates of polystyrene from a nearby hobby shop) but I strongly advise you to work in plastic, not in resin. Polyurethane resin dust is much more harmful to your eyes and lungs when cuttig and sanding.

There's an outfit called TAP Plastic. They probably have a website.

Unless you're building in a very small scale, carving plastic blocks is going to be a very difficult and messy process. Have you considered using sheet plastic, cut to shape and layered, in the "bread and butter" method of hull construction? Here's a shotof a small boat kit on Model Expo's website that shows the concept; essentially using layers instead of frames.

he's doing 1/700 gunboats... i'm pretty sure they are going to be tiny....plastic blockswould probably work, or you could just use wood and then make a resin mold!

There is always "EVERGREEN" styrene , I use this all the time to make my masters from amongst other things, it is amazing what you can do with this stuff. It is a US company also.
Paul...