SEARCH FINESCALE.COM

Enter keywords or a search phrase below:

TRASH BUILT SHIPS

758 views
4 replies
1 rating 2 rating 3 rating 4 rating 5 rating
  • Member since
    June 2006
Posted by KennyB on Friday, April 17, 2009 5:06 PM

Years ago (about 20) when I was living on long Island there was a coffee shop that just about everyone stopped in across the street from my job. Hanging over the order counter was a magnificent model of what appeared to be a Chinese Junk. The owner of the store said that it was built by a customer who was a disabled Vietnam Veteran, and that he built it for them as a gesture of appreciation for all the things they had done for him and his family. They said the  whole thing was made out of wooden coffee stirrers, cardboard and paper. Painted brown, rigged with and had sails, hull about 30" long. The detail was unbelievable, a shame it was up there collecting grease and dust over the years. I wonder what ever happened to it. You really can build anything out of anything.

                                                                                            Ken

  • Member since
    January 2007
  • From: Richmond, Va.
Posted by Pavlvs on Thursday, April 16, 2009 1:12 AM
In my hobby dealing with the Warhammer world (cf. games-workshop.com), I've built diorama quality buildings with sprue, cereal boxes, plastic scraps and the ever valuable styrofoam. I opened a new computer and instantly saw the potential to build a firebase with the styrofoam shapes that held the components in the box. It came out beautifully btw.

I cannot agree more. There is raw material everywhere. Just know how to dee it and you become the ultimate recycler.

Deus in minutiae est. Fr. Pavlvs

On the Bench: 1:200 Titanic; 1:16 CSA Parrott rifle and Limber

On Deck: 1/200 Arizona.

Recently Completed: 1/72 Gato (as USS Silversides)

  • Member since
    May 2006
Posted by thunder1 on Tuesday, April 14, 2009 5:38 PM

Tankbuilder

 I don't know about utilizing sprue for building, say, warships, but I recall seeing a Star Trek "BORG STAR SHIP" made from sprue. And back many years ago(1960's) I used sprue to scratch build rail dragster frames with balsa wood bodies. Wish I had super glue back then, it took forever to build up frames with Testors glue in a tube.Cool [8D]  Remember the modelers code "Never throw anything out", even sprue!

  • Member since
    February 2004
  • From: Dillwyn, VA
Posted by In The Woods on Tuesday, April 14, 2009 5:32 PM

Also, there are lots 'n lots of odd bits and pieces of plastic scrap, coffee cup covers, blister wrap packaging (you know, the kind that you risk amputating a finger or two trying to open), and even heavy card stock, basswood, and other innumerable odds and ends lying around the house.

 

Enjoy!Smile,Wink, & Grin [swg]

 

with best regards,

 

Stephen S. Mack

Never put temptation in the way of a weak soul. Mrs. Dinkins' First Precept
  • Member since
    August 2008
TRASH BUILT SHIPS
Posted by tankerbuilder on Tuesday, April 14, 2009 3:50 PM
  No , I didn,t mispeak . Those of you who do a lot of scratch building won,t be surprised ,but , those of you who kit build ,you will be. I bet you,re saying "he,s nuts " .Nuha! This hit me like a ton of bricks . Well three boxes (large) of sprue. I couldn,t melt enough to make filler .HMMMM.... what to do .Gee ,look at that curved piece , it looks like a ship frame. Then I thought "why not ?" Just because we use evergreen and such , why can,t sprue be used instead ? Just think , all your sprue has a use and an ideal purpose . When you build the frames ,let them dry for a day or two, then , using the largest sprue make your keel . Hey , they use toothpicks and stirsticks ,why not sprue ? The sky is the limit . Think about doing it small scale first . The best boat to build in this method is a whitehall rowing boat . If you can do this ,you can do anything in a ship or boat . TRY IT YOU,LL LIKE IT !!!!! More later  tankerbuilder
JOIN OUR COMMUNITY!

Our community is FREE to join. To participate you must either login or register for an account.

SEARCH FORUMS
FREE NEWSLETTER
By signing up you may also receive reader surveys and occasional special offers. We do not sell, rent or trade our email lists. View our Privacy Policy.