The Ship Model Forum

I just inherited a scrollsaw, bandsaw and belt sander and want to start using 19/32 plywood for some superstructure sections. But I dont have a truck so 4/8 sheets are out of the question. Any other sources for material that thickness in a more managable size?

Hi, 19/32 seems a little thick for any superstructure, wieght up top is not good in a sailing model, 1/4 ply is more than thick enough, I would use balsa, far better, some places will cut an 8x4 sheet for you, ARH

Oops, I meant 9/32. And I scratch static models

garyj36 wrote:Oops, I meant 9/32. And I scratch static models

It does not matter what the thickness is then.

1/8th inch ply is about the best if you are building a static model, as it is light and quite strong, personally, I would use 1/16th inch, but it will cost you more.

I was hoping to find a 9/32 material to be close to a scale '8 in 1/350

garyj36 wrote:I was hoping to find a 9/32 material to be close to a scale '8 in 1/350

What scale ship are you building, because if you are doing a 1/350 scale model, 9/32 plywood is far too thick for building superstructure, it would even be far too thick for a scale 1/72 model. 9/32 is just under 5/16 inches thick, which is just over 1/2 inch.

I think you need to understand different thicknesses of material. The main frames on my Marlborough are only 4mm thick, which is just under 1/4 inch. The Marlborough is scale 1/96 and is just over 6 foot long. Superstructure wood needs to be a lot thinner.

Im talking about using the thickness as the vertical height. Laying out the overhead brofile of the deckhouse and cutting it out. Then adding an .030 plastic deck above.Like I did on this 1/700 Helena with 1/4 balsa. In 1/350th its kind of crazy to worry about straight walls on deckhouses when I could just scrollsaw the deckhouse out of appropriate thickness material.

garyj36 wrote:Im talking about using the thickness as the vertical height. Laying out the overhead brofile of the deckhouse and cutting it out. Then adding an .030 plastic deck above.Like I did on this 1/700 Helena with 1/4 balsa. In 1/350th its kind of crazy to worry about straight walls on deckhouses when I could just scrollsaw the deckhouse out of appropriate thickness material.

Ah, now I understand what you are doing. This fact was not explained in the first place. The way you put it, it sounded as though you were building the whole superstructure with it, like we do on large scale models.

But I dont have a truck so 4/8 sheets are out of the question.

Almost every lumber yard I have visited has a panel cutting saw, for slicing plywood into bite size pieces. There is either a nominal fee, or sometimes they will do it for free. I have a van, but still take advantage of this, as cutting panels is a lot of work by yourself LOL

Kurt

...If only you could speak "metric" way....

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jmchaica wrote:...If only you could speak "metric" way....

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1200x 2400

ARH wrote:

jmchaica wrote:...If only you could speak "metric" way....

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1200x 2400

Hey...those are the exact size I�m buying, which is 2400x1200x8

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Here is a photo of 1/700 HMS Invincible, 1906
I use 3mm (0.12") plywood for hull and deck (nice look)






Jef

Ive tried that same construction method in plastic, but I always get it too tight end to end. But Im dangerous now. I have a fresh scrollsaw and stationary belt/disc sander!

garyj36 wrote: But Im dangerous now. I have a fresh scrollsaw and stationary belt/disc sander!

Wouldn�t want to meet with you, in a dark alley....

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