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Other Stuff => Workbench => Topic started by: von der Tann on May 06, 2014, 01:34:32 PM

Title: Some "boat thing" that I tried to put together ...
Post by: von der Tann on May 06, 2014, 01:34:32 PM
Hey guys,

after a long time of lurking, posting more or less helpful and/or intelligent things on this forum, I have finally managed to convince myself to share a little project of mine.
I did this to learn about working with platic card, green stuff, masking tape, spray paint and so on, before I start to tackle the big project.
I found that cutting right angles and straight lines are not as easy for me as it seems for many others on the forum especially if the cuts need to be longer than what my "The Chopper" provides. The pics only hint at the "ramshackle" look you get with the real thing. :)
I also learned that I have to use thicker stuff than needle threads to symbolize rope. Plus I need to be way more careful and precise when trying to use thread to hold together stuff ...
As you can see the blue bindings at the wheel house are way to thick and not looking the same at all.

Also note that since I don't play tabletop games, the boat is not a waterline model. Enough talk - here are two pics:

(http://i486.photobucket.com/albums/rr229/BloodRavens/boat001_zpsd1b76a95.jpg)

(http://i486.photobucket.com/albums/rr229/BloodRavens/boat002_zps97fc902b.jpg)

What I have done so far is far from complete. The boat still misses the two main turrets (they are not completly build yet), way too many details (for example: handles on the doors of the wheelhouse, wheelhouse canvas cover, etc.), color of course and some stuff at the aft of the boat.

Comments are welcome and appreciated PLUS I would like to know your opinion on two things:

What to put on the aft section of the boat?
I was thinking of a machinegun, heavy bolter or something like that. Not a turret though. Which leaves the two spaces behind the wheelhouse and in front of the aft deck. Maybe a small funnel? I am not sure.

What color to paint the boat?
I was thinking of either camouflage or the white/yellow paint of warships at the beginning of the 20th century. Other colors like black (German Torpedoboote of WW I and the Weimarer Republik), grey or simple olive/green seem a bit boring. High seas camo of WW II era ships seems a bit redundant on such a small boat.

So what do you guys think?
Title: Re: Some "boat thing" that I tried to put together ...
Post by: 6milPhil on May 06, 2014, 01:45:15 PM
That's a brilliant model chum. I like the idea of early 20th century camo, perhaps even a dazzle pattern?
Title: Re: Some "boat thing" that I tried to put together ...
Post by: pocoloco on May 06, 2014, 01:45:29 PM
That's really fine work already, it will look splendid when finished!

Maybe add the smoke-screen generators?

From wiki:

In order to avoid return fire by the enemy ships, the PT boat could deploy a smoke screen using stern-mounted generators as they escaped and evaded the enemy ships

Cheers,

PL
Title: Re: Some "boat thing" that I tried to put together ...
Post by: von der Tann on May 06, 2014, 01:57:20 PM
Thanks for the kind words.

Smoke generators ... hmmm ... those should fit on that thing somewhere ... i like the idea ...
Title: Re: Some "boat thing" that I tried to put together ...
Post by: The Dozing Dragon on May 06, 2014, 02:11:11 PM
Looks great but you really need to waterline it  :D
Title: Re: Some "boat thing" that I tried to put together ...
Post by: von der Tann on May 06, 2014, 02:15:18 PM
Quote from: The Dozing Dragon on May 06, 2014, 02:11:11 PM
Looks great but you really need to waterline it  :D

I am quite sure I will ruin it through my incompetence when I try to waterline it. lol
I was thinking of maybe building a trailer for it as the normal stand is rather boring.
Title: Re: Some "boat thing" that I tried to put together ...
Post by: Legion1963 on May 06, 2014, 08:03:24 PM
Quite a nice model. Alas not for tabletopgaming.
Title: Re: Some "boat thing" that I tried to put together ...
Post by: former user on May 06, 2014, 09:06:43 PM
interesting

as it happens I bought the same model to do something similar with it.
waterlining is difficult, but it will allow for increased use.

what are the green rods supposed to be?
if You are going to put turrets on the aft deckhouse too, then fixing a deck gun would be a bit pointless - waterbomb racks are the choice

but the boat is pretty over-weaponized anyway
Title: Re: Some "boat thing" that I tried to put together ...
Post by: von der Tann on May 06, 2014, 09:20:29 PM
Quote from: former user on May 06, 2014, 09:06:43 PM
what are the green rods supposed to be?
A very lame attempt of a handrail. Mind that I am not sure if that is the correct English naval term ... heck, I am not even sure what's the correct term in German.
The ones on top will hold a canvas cover but I am sure you didn't talk about those ...

Quote from: former user on May 06, 2014, 09:06:43 PM
but the boat is pretty over-weaponized anyway
That was the idea, as it is a purely fictional boat and has nothing to do with reality. As it stands - the doctrine of this naval force seems to be "peace through superior firepower" ... :D
Title: Re: Some "boat thing" that I tried to put together ...
Post by: former user on May 06, 2014, 09:28:55 PM
Quote from: von der Tann on May 06, 2014, 09:20:29 PM
The ones on top will hold a canvas cover but I am sure you didn't talk about those ...

I was  ;)
the handrails are OK, try to get some lead foil from a Senftube to make the canvas cover, than You won't need that contraption
I would try to make it removable (btw, a bridge with a canvas cover on a gunboat with four turrets - where is the engine? - rather shouts: shoot here  ;))

for the aft deck - either waterbomb racks, a lifeboat or simply extend the deckhouse and make the bridge larger

as to the waterling - You could also glue on finns
(https://www.ansichtskarten-center.de/webshop/shop/ProdukteBilder/14148/AK_12073866_gr_1.jpg)
Title: Re: Some "boat thing" that I tried to put together ...
Post by: von der Tann on May 06, 2014, 09:37:42 PM
Quote from: former user on May 06, 2014, 09:28:55 PM
I was  ;)
the handrails are OK, try to get some lead foil from a Senftube to make the canvas cover, than You won't need that contraption
Ohh ... ok. ;D ...
Thanks for the advice on the canvas cover. I was raking my brains how to do that. All I could come up with was aluminium foil but that seemed way to flimsy. I will kill the next Senftube I come along and scavenge the lead foil.

Quote from: former user on May 06, 2014, 09:28:55 PM
(btw, a bridge with a canvas cover on a gunboat with four turrets - where is the engine? - rather shouts: shoot here  ;))
Noooooooo ... not 4 turrets. Just the 2 in front.

Quote from: former user on May 06, 2014, 09:28:55 PM
(https://www.ansichtskarten-center.de/webshop/shop/ProdukteBilder/14148/AK_12073866_gr_1.jpg)
Hmm ... a James Bond style gunboat. Interesting. As it is ... I got out my Dremel and waterlined another hull I had lying around. No deckhouse on it though, so I simply cannot show a picture yet. But I will keep the ""shoot here" comment in mind and I think I will make an armored bridge on that one.
Title: Re: Some "boat thing" that I tried to put together ...
Post by: former user on May 06, 2014, 09:43:05 PM
Tomatenmark is useful too
if You do not use either, I can send You some, I have plenty

if it is only the two forward turrets, then some AA deck gun should be useful and necessary. Funnels are only for steam propulsion - is it going to be steampunk?

have You tried Revell - Swift boat and Hobbyboss Landwasserschlepper ?
Title: Re: Some "boat thing" that I tried to put together ...
Post by: von der Tann on May 06, 2014, 09:50:21 PM
Quote from: former user on May 06, 2014, 09:43:05 PM
Tomatenmark is useful too
if You do not use either, I can send You some, I have plenty
lol ... I just took a look into the fridge and can confirm the possession of a Senftube. lol

Quote from: former user on May 06, 2014, 09:43:05 PM
if it is only the two forward turrets, then some AA deck gun should be useful and necessary. Funnels are only for steam propulsion - is it going to be steampunk?
Nah, steampunk ... I don't know. No, pretty sure it ain't going to be steampunk.
So far I like the idea of a AA deckgun and/or a liferaft (a lifeboat might be too big imho).

Quote from: former user on May 06, 2014, 09:43:05 PM
have You tried Revell - Swift boat and Hobbyboss Landwasserschlepper ?
2 sets of each lying around, waiting to be cannibalized and turned into something they were not meant to be. :D
Title: Re: Some "boat thing" that I tried to put together ...
Post by: former user on May 06, 2014, 10:00:44 PM
a liferaft capsule can do too

btw, when I run out of ideas I switch to something different. I started with the swiftboat, for it is the right scale and there is not much to do - just to make sure
Title: Re: Some "boat thing" that I tried to put together ...
Post by: Johnnytodd on May 06, 2014, 10:09:30 PM
Suggestion for water-lining:  Rather than cutting the hull away, try sanding it down.... buy several pieces of 8x11 coarse sandpaper + spray adhesive. Glue sandpaper to 1" thick wooden board (8x24" ideally); now "rub" the hull back and forth (while watching weekend TV marathon of your favorite show).

Suggestion for railing:  Use rabbit cage wire mesh (roughly 1cm), cut long strip and then trim away to resemble railing post and wire, like here:

(http://i1325.photobucket.com/albums/u639/johnnytodd46/P1020141_zpse8a8b1fd.jpg)
Title: Re: Some "boat thing" that I tried to put together ...
Post by: Connectamabob on May 08, 2014, 05:49:29 AM


Cutting straight lines in card without a "chopper" just requires a metal straightedge. Just mark the line with pencil, then use the metal straightedge as a guide for a scribing tool of your choice. The back of a #11 blade works fine. Main thing is not to press down as you draw the tool across the plastic, as that's what'll cause the line to wander off the guide. Once you've scribed the line maybe 1/3 the plastic thickness, you can snap it pretty clean over the edge of your bench/table. The "cut" will be a little rough to the touch up close, but perfectly straight (or as much so as your scribed line was, hence the metal straightedge), so it only takes one or two quick strokes of a sanding block to  make it perfect.

For waterlining, the trick I've seen is to mark the cut line first by floating some paint (or anything that will float and stick, I've even seen hot coco mix used) on the surface of some water in a tub or bucket, and carefully dipping the boat in. This gives you an even marking all around to act as a cutting guide, which is 90% of the difficulty in waterlining.

Once you've got the line marked, if the hull is hollow just rip along the line with a cutting wheel in your Dremel, then clean the edge with a sanding block.
Title: Re: Some "boat thing" that I tried to put together ...
Post by: von der Tann on May 08, 2014, 05:52:32 AM
Thanks alot Connectamabob, this will help alot. I will try the snap thing right away.
Title: Re: Some "boat thing" that I tried to put together ...
Post by: zizi666 on May 08, 2014, 06:33:53 AM
Easiest way would be to use one of these :

(http://static2.vdhbv.nl/images/0790748_large.jpg)

You'd only have to be able to get that boat standup straight and not move while inscribing.