First scratch build ship started (now pics 3 and 4 added)

  Dan ---- I have recently started the S.M.S. KRONPRINZ in 1/200 scale and I am using .020 EVERGREEN sheet plastic . The thing is I am using the MODELIK (POLISH )papermodel for my plans and patterns . This ship has a completely different profile in the cover art than the actual ship model inside . The keel and frames go together just the opposite from the way you are doing your build . The frames slide in from the bottom . . For the edges of the frames I,ve laminated .020 on each side , giving me enough of a surface to glue my plates to . I would not recommend planking this ship as it may cause you some problems in getting a fair line to the hull . Measure from the centerline of each frame and then shape "plates " to cover the frames . You will accomplish two things this way . One, you will see the way plates have to be shaped to build a ship and Two , you will achieve a level of realism you didn,t think achievable especially when you start overlaying the armor belts . You will definitely be able to get the 45 degree slant to the tops of the armor belts . Good luck on the build and keep us posted ....tankerbuilder  P.S. be sure to stiffen the keel BEFORE you cover the frames with anything !!

  HEY dan -- just thought I would let you know that I have just started the S.M.S. KRONPRINZ in 1/200 scale . What I am doing is using the papermodel as my plans and , doing the frames and such like you , one difference theframes and keel are.020 plastic sheet . It is strong enough that I will be able to plate her , When she,s plated I will probably use .015 on the decks ,as I intend to overlay the plastic with .015 sheet basswood stained holystoned teak . I will try for some pics in about ten or fifteen days .   tankerbuilder

Hey DAN COOPER   That is an interesting start . If I didn,t know better I would say you got that idea from papermodeling , or cardmodeling as some call it . The extent of the navy you can have  using papermodels as patterns is immense. The use of the foam puzzles me though . How large is this model ??? The other question I would have is ,If you did the frames and keel of thicker material why don,t you just plate it then ?      tankerbuilder

Thanks for the advice, Ken, I'll sure try it that way.  That is, when I restart this project, as for now, due to other going projects, this one will have to wait in the fridge.

I do have UHU Hart at home for the wood models, it just hadn't come to my mind to use it for this project, thanks for pointing that out to me.  Next time I'll reduce the size of the styrofoam blocks a little and only glue them to the false keel.

Keep at it, Dan.  Your approach is fine you just may be a little off in execution.  It can be tricky working with card and white glue.  Water solvent glues cause paper to distort.  There are some glues for paper, UHU makes a good one, that are much like cement and do not warp the paper.

 I have seen a fellow build RC ships of large size out of cardboard.

http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=531343

http://greenseaships.blogspot.com/

If your blocks do not fit precisely, when the glue fills the gap and dries, it will distort the symmetry of the hull.  This is also a problem with wood and causes ship modelers to go to great lengths to prevent warps.  You can try not gluing the foam blocks to all the frames.  For example, only glue to the keel piece of the hull and not the frames.  Make the blocks fill the gaps snugly.  Try UHU Hart to prevent warping of the cardboard, if the glue will stick to the foam.  Sand the foam to fair the hull, ie get the proper flowing shape of the hull.  You can then plank the hull with cardboard strips and glue the planks to the foam, not the frames.  You may also try gluestick.  Once you have planked with cardboard, coat the planks with something like a polyurethane varnish.  This will give it a hard finish that you can then sand down and paint.  You may have to go over it a few times with filler to get everything smooth, but it will work.  Then just prime and paint.  You can use cheap water soluable craft paint.  I use that stuff all the time on wood models and it works well.  Brush on, sand lightly, add another coat.  Seal again with a clear finish and away you go.  Nice and cheap and you built it yourself without assembling someone else's plastic puzzle.

 

Ken

Update...... or rather backdate

As I have a lot of other projects going on, I had placed this project on hold for a couple of months.

However, when I picked up de hull today it seems that I will have to start all over.  The reason ?

The hull looks now like an iverted banana, for some reason (I presume I made the styrofoam blocks a too tight fit) the bow and aft are nom about 1 cm lower than the midsection.

In my next attempt I think I'll use a slightly different approach, but that's for later... 

Interesting approach.

Beats throwing them in the landfill.

 

Looks realy good with all of those bulkheads you got in there.

If you want you can try using the sheet metal from those soda cans, by cutting the ends off, and rolling the smooth into a sheet of metal.

After that you trim the edges to make them smooth from cutting them with scissors. After that you should have a rectangular sheet of lightweight metal.

I

I'm sure it will be worth the wait.

Don't worry peeps, the Duilio has not been put in the freezer yet, I just don't have much progress to show, due to other commitments.

Thanks for the replies, I knew I had forgotten something, the scale... it's 1/200

Looking great so far! I'll be following this thread with interest (I've only just noticed the Scratchbuilding forum, or I'd have posted in this thread earlier :) ) - I'm a great fan of ships from this era, and of scratchbuilding (just completed building HMVS Cerberus in 1/96)

What scale is your model? 1/350?

Lookin good Dan.

 

And here are the next pics of my little work in progress...

 

 

Most of the voids have now been filled with blocks of styrofoam, and even before finishing all of the voids, I couldn't resist starting to do some sanding, just to look if my idea was going to work, and as you can see, it's working

That's perfectly understandable.  I have the impression that the kit has only been available for a few days.  One of the Murphy's Laws of the model world is:  as soon as you finish a scratchbuilt model, somebody issues a kit for the same subject.

I'm among a fair number of Forum members who've spent quite a bit of time moaning and groaning about the lack of new sailing ship kit releases.  This is indeed a miserable time in the history of that part of the hobby; if the plastic sailing ship isn't dead, it's on life support.  But it's worth noting that we are in the midst of a great age of twentieth-century warship modeling.  Who would have dreamed, twenty or even ten years ago, that anybody would produce a kit (even a short-run resin one) for a pre-Dreadnought Italian battlship?

Thank you very much for the link mr Tilley, I had no idea there was a kit available

Here's a link that may be of interest:  http://www.steelnavy.com/DelphisCDuilio.htm

Thanks Ed.

Almost makes me want to start scratchbuilding now.

If only I had the space and not soo many other projects going.

 

mikepowers wrote:

I'm not sure if your going to plate it or fill it but it looks like it will work. I can see some resin casting being involved somewhere. Good luck. Mike

Looks good Dan.  You're on the right track.

Gentlemen, what you are looking at is the heart of the method that many resin ship model masters are formed.  If you look closely at the hull of the next resin model you purchase you may see the slight impression of the ribs and keel.   

From the point which Dan is at he can either skin the model with sheets of Evergreen or cover it with masking tape and fill the voids with poured resin.   Once the resin is hard - remove the tape and sand the resin back to the ribs.

Prime the resin sand and look for bubbles.  There will be some.   Fill, sand, and repeat.  You may also want to use CA as a filler and polish the resin well.   Then add applique details such as rub rails and bilge keels. 

Decks are simple,  even cambered decks.   Laminate your deck plans to a piece of Evergreen scribed stryrene and cut it out (perhaps just a bit oversize).  Align it fore-to-aft and cement in place.  Thin styrene bends easily to conform to the camber of the ribs.   Trim to fit.

Building superstructure parts is easy too, but youy need a bench mounted disc sander.  Get some sheet plexiglas of the desired thickness (height) and laminate the superstructure plans to it.  Use the disc sander to sand away the stock to the line.  The disc sander allows for a square-vertical surface.   You may need to piece together inside and outside angle cuts.   Again you will apply applique details.   Hatches, fire hoses and the like are most usually PE, such as from Gold Medal Models.   Drill shallow holes for portholes.   Be sure that your portholes are on a straight line and evenly spaced.  

I'm not sure if your going to plate it or fill it but it looks like it will work.

I can see some resin casting being involved somewhere.

Good luck.

Mike

mikepowers wrote:

Is this the way in which most scratchbuilt ships are constructed?

Probably not, this is my first attempt at scratchbuilding a ship, I think there are as many way to construct one as there are builders. Besides, for me this is an exercise, an experiment if you like, I have no idea if it will work or not

I understand now.

Is this the way in which most scratchbuilt ships are constructed?

I can see the hull would be pretty simple but it would start to get hard once you get to the deck and above.

Thankyou for the pics (and please keep them coming)  

I hope this next picture makes it a little more clear how things are done

 

 

I see.

That makes sense.

Keep the pics coming so I can keep bothering you with questions. 

Mike 

 

 

The bulkheads are complete bulkheads with a notch in the center (top-side) and they fit in notches on the keel, from down to top, they also have (each) two notches on starboard and two on board to facilitate the horizontal suppords that I still need to cut. My choice for the 2.5mm made it a little difficult cutting them out and in the future I would go for 1.5mm.

Sweet.

Are the bulkheads cut in half and glued to each side or is there a notch in the middle and it slides down into them?

Just curious, this is all new to me.

Very cool, thanks for sharing.

Mike 

As promised (allbeit a little later than expected), the first picture.

Mind you nothing is glued together yet and four structural parts of the "frame" are still to be made, so at the moment, the hull looks more like a flexible extra terrestrial worm than a ship

 

I am anxious to see the pics!!!--- tread