How does it stand ?

Lufbery wrote:

Does anyone have any tips on making keel blocks for models?

In most modeling scales which are in common use keel blocks are made of solid wood.   I just finished ripping some 1/4 inch oak boards into keel  blocks for use on a a whole hull USS Baltimore (Trump 1:700) on which I am working.  Rip, sand, cut to length, glue to the base, finish & attach the ship.    I've used the same method on 1:350 scale ships, perhaps using a thicker piece of wood stock.

I have made some fancy keel blocks by layering different kinds of wood or plastic sheet to provide a multi-colored effect. 

In larger ship modeling scales or detailed drydock dioramas you can built wooden blocks with appropriately-shaped crush surfaces.   Be sure to check your references for the docking plan and for correctly shaped blocks for your application. 

Actually, during construction and dry docking most, if not all ships rest on supports known as keel blocks (sometimes known as bilge blocks) rather than directly on the floor of the dock.  

Photos of USS Texas (BB-35) in dry dock for restoration, from http://www.usstexasbb35.com/

Bow support blocks

Underside support blocks

Ships as well as submarines do not rest on their bottoms when in drydock.    They rest on keel blocks.  Keel blocks are wooden cribbing which is designed to fit the bottom shape and support the weight of the ship.    All ships have as part of their design documentation something which is called a docking plan.   This describes where the keel blocks are to be placed for maximum support.   There may be multiple options of docking plans to allow for scraping the growth off the hull and for painting.   In addition to the keel blocks there may be timbers which project from the sides of the dock to the sides of the ship - steadying the ship on the blocks.

In the pre-drydock days, wooden ships were often careened on a beach.   That is they would have most of their top hamper removed and they would have a line rigged from a mast head to a convenient tree on the beach.   The ship would be pulled over on its side, exposing the bottom for maintenance.