Boat 'stanchions' needed

[The Dozing Dragon]

Does anyone know of a source for cheap stanchions - the bits that make up the 'fence' posts on ships? The Billings craft boat types are too expensive for my little pirate boat project so i may have to scratch build but would like a cheap alternative if possible....

[OSHIROmodels]

I get mine from here but they ain't the cheapest I'm afraid 

http://www.alwayshobbies.com/model-boats/model-boat-fittings/handrails,-bollards-$4-stanchions

cheers

James

[The Dozing Dragon]

Cheers James, I've been scouring the wonderful world of model boats but unable to find a cheap alternate......I think it's going to be pins and wire as a starting point....

[OSHIROmodels]

Not an easy nor forgiving thing to do so I gave up and bought them 

cheers

James

[Cory]

There is a brand of toothpicks that are flat on the end with two parallel grooves that might work. Not really artisan or anything, they come in a clear plastic tube at the grocery store.

[Daeothar]

Actually, I once found toothpicks that looked for all the world as if they had all been turned on a lathe; not just grooves, but with bulges and all. I've got me a small bundle for just these kind of uses.

But for the world of me, I can't remember where and how I got them.

+++EDIT+++ I just remembered: I got them at the restaurant of a convention center I regularly had to go to for work. They should be available everywhere I reckon...

++RE-EDIT++ These:

[SBRPearce]

http://www.amazon.com/Norpro-360-Pack-Ornate-Wood-Toothpicks/dp/B000RAFUIU

These look very similar.

[6milPhil]

Plastic rod and beads?

[snitcythedog]

Plastic rod and beads?

That was my solution too.  The other option being beads and straight pins. 
Snitchy sends.

[The Dozing Dragon]

Thanks all, much appreciated. I'll try the ornate ones......haven't touched the conversion in a few days as daughter is back from Uni so any spare time is spent with her or the munchkins after school........looking forward to spare time coming back!

[FifteensAway]

Those ornate toothpicks should be readily found in a grocery that caters to the asian market - at least true near where I live.  Very useful in many modeling ways.

[PortCharmers]

Yohoho and a bottle of rum,

what kind of pasty land-lubbers need a fence not to go overboard?

Back to the real model-world:
What sort of pirate ship are we talking about?
On a "classic" pirate ship, i.e. a wooden sailing ship, I'd go for solid bulwarks, perhaps crowned by a small wooden railing. So ornate toothpicks with a 2 x 4mm scale timber on top would look the part.
If you want a steel railing, I recommend brass wire. The top rail sits on top of the stanchions, the lower one (or two) behind them. Of course this does not look exactly like the real thing, but from the usual viewing distance you don't see much difference. Another advantage is that you are free to chose the height you want. So this is how I do it:

1.  Drill holes into the deck, protect deck with masking tape
2.  cut stanchions to length, file the top end flat and set them into the holes
3.  Lay the top rail onto stanchions (stick some clothes pegs on so it doesn't fall off sideways)
4.  Solder one stanchion after the other
5.  Lay the lower rail on wooden blocks of the correct height and fix it again with clothes pegs or whatever Comes in Handy
6.  Solder lower rail to stanchions
7.  Take to whole thing off, clean off flux residue, paint and glue to the deck
8.  Bob's your uncle!

It takes good practice at soldering, you need to be quick, otherwise previous solder joints will spring open again, and subsequent coarse language may occur. I found it helpful to have a bowl of water and some q-tips at the ready.
The result is quite strong and will punish anyone who steps on your model (apparently this happens sometimes, according to the less-than-brilliant-model-making thread).

This is how it Looks on my freighter:

The lower rails in this case are made from guitar-string, which I do NOT recommend, you can't solder it.

And don't be surprised if you feel a bit befuddled after making it all in one go.
Peter

[CompanyB]

tin-Soldier sells these in sets of 50 for $6.  The fit the bill, two holes pre-drilled/cast.  They are all cast metal.

http://www.tin-soldier.com/sfittings.html

[FramFramson]

Yohoho and a bottle of rum,

what kind of pasty land-lubbers need a fence not to go overboard?

Back to the real model-world:
What sort of pirate ship are we talking about?
On a "classic" pirate ship, i.e. a wooden sailing ship, I'd go for solid bulwarks, perhaps crowned by a small wooden railing. So ornate toothpicks with a 2 x 4mm scale timber on top would look the part.
If you want a steel railing, I recommend brass wire. The top rail sits on top of the stanchions, the lower one (or two) behind them. Of course this does not look exactly like the real thing, but from the usual viewing distance you don't see much difference. Another advantage is that you are free to chose the height you want. So this is how I do it:

1.  Drill holes into the deck, protect deck with masking tape
2.  cut stanchions to length, file the top end flat and set them into the holes
3.  Lay the top rail onto stanchions (stick some clothes pegs on so it doesn't fall off sideways)
4.  Solder one stanchion after the other
5.  Lay the lower rail on wooden blocks of the correct height and fix it again with clothes pegs or whatever Comes in Handy
6.  Solder lower rail to stanchions
7.  Take to whole thing off, clean off flux residue, paint and glue to the deck
8.  Bob's your uncle!

It takes good practice at soldering, you need to be quick, otherwise previous solder joints will spring open again, and subsequent coarse language may occur. I found it helpful to have a bowl of water and some q-tips at the ready.
The result is quite strong and will punish anyone who steps on your model (apparently this happens sometimes, according to the less-than-brilliant-model-making thread).

This is how it Looks on my freighter:

The lower rails in this case are made from guitar-string, which I do NOT recommend, you can't solder it.

And don't be surprised if you feel a bit befuddled after making it all in one go.
Peter

You never really went into much detail about your pulp boat there. I remember you put up a picture of it underway, as it's a working water-borne model, but not much detail. Was it scratch built from plans, or part of a kit? And where did you get those crane/hoist/winch fittings? Did they come with a kit or purchased separate from a model boat supplier? They look great.

[PortCharmers]

Hello there,

it's scratch-built following a plan of the Gowerian, an english coastal Steamer built in 1921. The raw build is according to plan, but I used ready-made details offered by several manufacturers wherever possible. For the winches i bashed a Graupner kit for an electric anchor winch. The basic frame is made from a cd-case, the shafts are brass tubes, the cylinders dowels. The conical drums at the sides, band-brakes and chain-nuts are taken from the kit, the gears from a small Tamiya gearcase-kit.
I had to make them myself because the wonderful winches by Calder Craft would have been to big. Besides, building myself resulted in the same level of stylization on the whole model.