Wooden Model Boats

[eeboater]

Does anyone in here build model boats? If so, what kind do you suggest for an entry-person who is interested in getting into it? I'm thinking about giving it a shot but don't want to spend big bucks because I don't wan't to mess up something that was really expensive.<br /><br />In addition to that... what are good tools and accessories to have when building model boats? I have done the car model building thing... but I'd like to get into wooden boats (not battleships, there seems to be a large amount of those).<br /><br />Thanks for the input.<br />Sean

 

[gaugeguy]

Re: Wooden Model Boats

Hey EE, quite a few hobby shops have wooden model kits that the hulls are roughed out for you. All you basically need is sand paper.<br /><br />I have been working on a model of the USS Constitution for about 2 years now (it should only take a couple months, but finding time is tough). I have the hull completely done and mounted on the base and am ready to b=put the masts up, hopefully sometime after Christmas.

 

[eeboater]

Re: Wooden Model Boats

Thanks for the feedback gauge. I was thinking along the lines of an entry-level Chris Craft runabout similar to this: <br /><br /> Chris Craft <br /><br />What kind of tools and accessories did you find helpful when you were working on yours?<br /><br />Thanks again,<br />Sean

 

[mikeandronda]

Re: Wooden Model Boats

My step father used to build model ships like the one Gauge guy is building. He would spend up to 2 yrs on these models and go as far as painting the eyes on the little men on the ship. They were amazing. He told me he thought the hardest part was all the rigging. But to me that was the most impressive part as well. My sugestion to every body who is into a hobby with such detail (I painted miniture fantasy figures for years at 1/35 scale so I understand detail) is to take your time and do every thing slow and well the first time. If your anything like me if you do something that your not happy with your eye will be drawn to it every time you look at your model.

 

[JB]

Re: Wooden Model Boats

One of my Dad's hobbies was building working scale models of sailing vessels.<br /><br />He never bought a kit. He would find the hull lines in Yachting magazine, scale them up to the size he wanted and either carve a hull and copy the sail and rigging plan or build a hull up from the profiles in the lines plan.<br /><br />He didn't detail them, he sailed them.<br /><br />I still have a scale bugeye rigged Chesepeak Bay sharpie we built in the summer of 1948, and one of my nephews has the 3' scale model of the Atlantic, a three masted schooner, that we built the following summer. We never sailed the sharpie, but the Atlantic wowed everyone at the local park pond in Montclair, NJ.<br /><br />I still like the idea of starting with nothing but plans and finding materials and methods to duplicate them.

 

[gaugeguy]

Re: Wooden Model Boats

The base on that is very similar to mine.<br /><br />I do lots of woodcarving (I'd like to do more, just no time), so I am set up pretty good. I have a bunch of flex-cut gouges and chipping knives and even a dremel for power carving. But really, the kit that you will get the only thing you will need is sandpaper. A mini-drawknife may be of some use to you though.

 

[gaugeguy]

Re: Wooden Model Boats

Here's the one I'm working on, It doesn't look like this yet, but hopefully it will...<br /><br /> http://www.modelshipbuilding.com/images/constitution.jpg

 

[gaugeguy]

Re: Wooden Model Boats

That is very impressive JB. I know how much work is involved in just building the kit, I couldn't imagine building one from scratch. Got any pics?

 

[roscoe]

Re: Wooden Model Boats

Well eeboater, I think you have a few great hobby shops in your backyard.<br />(Oconomowoc, Waukesha, and Brookfield.)<br />They should be able to get you started.<br /><br /><br />I think you would enjoy a visit to the Maritime Museum in Manitowoc. They also have a real WWII submarine docked outside the building. You get to go inside of it. USS Cobia I think.

 

[SoulWinner]

Re: Wooden Model Boats

I am building the Main Lobster Boat offered in Tower Hobbies. It is a NOVI hull semi displacement type. Tools I recommend:<br /><br />Exacto knife set(the one in the case with handels and lots of different blades)<br /><br />Dremel Tool with cutting, grinding and sanding attatchments.<br /><br />A good light that you clamp onto your work table and can adjust.<br /><br />A big work table where you can work on parts of the project while other parts are drying.<br /><br />A shop vac for dust and debris clean-up.<br /><br />A radio. (so you can listen to music while you work)<br /><br />A good selection of sand paper in different grits from 60 to 400.<br /><br />Most important of all: A comfortable chair.

 

[gaugeguy]

Re: Wooden Model Boats

And if you do power carving with the dremel a face mask is a must, wood dust in the lungs will kill you faster than cigarette smoke

 

[neumanns]

Re: Wooden Model Boats

Where's JasonJ on this one, he showed us one of his awsome projects once...oh jason????