AAARRRGH (masking off the waterline sections for a 'nam era shallow water PT boat)

great model/dio!
the flag could use a little bit of the "wave" look though

Apart from masking off the waterline sections, you may put the boat into the "water"
and make the wake around the waterline, like this :





More pics available at http://www.falconbbs.com/model10.htm

I have a jig I made to mark level waterlines. The model is set level on its stand or at whatever angle you want. The jig is a simple wood piece that holds a pencil horizontal and is set up to the base that the pencil is rubberbanded too can slide up and down and be locked at a given height with a bolt, washers and wingnut. The vertical adjusting point is mounted on a flat base with felt attached so the whole jig slides along the hull. Just set the pencil at your start point, tighten the wingnut and slide the jig around your hull. If everything was level your start point and end point should be on top of each other if one was higher or lower than you were not truly level. Erase and relevel.

Most PBRs and riverine craft were just sprayed over all OD after an incountry refit anyway.
If modeling a post 1970 period Pibber chances are it was overall OD. The Americans transfered most to the RVN and they found it too time consuming to paint boot tops or primer hulls so woosh any color as long as it's OD. The warm brackish brown water & high alge levels stained the lower hulls big time. So a greyish black color over a base OD below waterline would be correct. In many photos this looks like a dark hull primer when in fact it's stained OD.

hey oldhooker, I just reallized that you made the waterline thingy!
this was posted a long time ago so I didn't know

oh sorry, I switched my mind about the pic

Another good way to define the waterline of a ship model is to use one of the laser tools now being sold in hardware and homeowner stores. Sears has one for about $35.00; I notice MicroMark is selling one for less than that. Black and Decker also has one.

Such a gadget emits a laser beam in the form of a half disk, which shows up as an absolutely straight line on anything it hits. The manufacturers market these things as tools for lining up studs, hanging pictures, painting stripes on walls, etc., but they have several uses in ship modeling. Set the beam on horizontal, put the model in front of it, and it will shine a perfectly straight waterline on the hull. Set the beam on vertical and it will be a great help in lining up masts.

The only trick is that both the gadget and the model have to be level. The gadget has a pair of spirit levels built into it, and threaded adjusting feet. The model needs to be sitting on something solid that can be adjusted (with shims made from scraps of wood or paper) till it's level as well.

Which model are you building? The Tamiya PBR? If so, the waterline is already faintly marked for masking.

Paint the hull with white primer and dip the hull in a bucket of water with lots of blue dye. Give it a chance to color the paint. Pull it out eyeball it and if its good mark it with narrow tape, if not rince the dye off befor it sets and try it again. :)

QUOTE: Originally posted by jinithith2 yeah, that works very well, and if you don't mind, I'm using the instructional pic on my signature. thanks!

Glad this can be of help.... it's an great method of scribing accurate waterlines, regardless of the ship's angle.

Be my guest in using the illustration if you desire.

Take care,
Frank

QUOTE: Originally posted by oldhooker Hi jin, I waterlined a Revell Titanic to represent it being "Down at the Head with a slight list to Starboard" using the following technique... with very satisfying results. It's off the wall, but works really well. Take care, Frank

yeah, that works very well, and if you don't mind, I'm using the instructional pic on my signature.
thanks!

QUOTE: Originally posted by oddjob007 Hey jin!

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooook LOL
hope that didn;t offend anyone

Hi jin,

I waterlined a Revell Titanic to represent it being "Down at the Head with a slight list to Starboard" using the following technique... with very satisfying results.



It's off the wall, but works really well.

Take care,
Frank

The first step is to make the model sit so that the WL is a straight line. (block the model up fore and aft ANDside to side). Then pack up a pencil or scriber so that it touches the hull on the WL at bow and stern. Then scribe right around the hull and mask to that line.
Dai

Hey jin!

yep I just editted that.

Could you edit the title so it's not so long? It's screwing up the margins of the Fourm.

You could use regurlar masking tape (Tamyia or 3M blue tape work well). An alternitaive that would work in this situation is plastic lableing tape. You should be able to find that at any office supply store.