Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length.

[PSSHIPS]

Cheer's Tom, this site is getting too PC! That was my point"!, Why go to the expense and trouble?

[dougal99]

Cos he feels like it!

It's what he wants to do

Why not?

He who dares wins (Maybe )

[PSSHIPS]

OK, what ever floats the boat and all that!

[PSSHIPS]

One for Splodger though, if sailing on a lake while I am sailing my 12 footer, you will need to put plenty of water between your boat and my SHIP! >:( ::)

[Pointy]

I do not have the skill or tools, space etc to build a hull from scratch- this is something I'd like to learn in the future.
As for repainting, well its like I wrote a bit earlier- this was my first ever build and I can see so many mistakes in it and things I would like to do in a different way- the failure of the paint is just the icing on the cake for me. In order to repaint it I'd have to dismantle a lot of it anyway- buy new paint etc.... I'm not sure its worth it as I made mistakes of a fundamental nature. For example I've never been able to make it sail straight- I now realize that the rudder is slightly crooked. Yep I can hear the laughter from here. I spent ages detailing the bridge interior which is also waisted effort as the glue I used fogged up the plastic windows which I can't get access to now. I would like to start from scratch again and re-use parts of the old model. By lenghtening the hull of a new one it would let me use quite a lot of material from the old one.
To be honest I'm wondering if I'm better off just picking another boat to build but I love the subject of modern merchant ships. I've been looking at the Deans range but they are unknown quantity to me- the car ferrys interest me alot but both are more expensive than another Slipway kit. I know Model Slipway quality and instructions so trust them. Just don't know if I've got the abilty to pull this off or the spirit to break up something that took me such hard work to build but yet...

[bigford]

i had a guy build me a smit nederland hull in glass and strech it 7 '' in the middle she now 40''

[justboatonic]

Q. Is this possible?
A. Yes, I guess so.

Q. Is it a good idea?
A. No, I dont think so.

[bigH]

   I just don't believe this forum on times, Pointy asked a question, what he got was a lot of WHY's and some nasty insinuations.   It's none of our business why he wants to do it, if he wants to do something then, as most of you said, "  Good luck and here is my advice etc;.  you never know but he may come up with an answer to other problems which will help all of us.   I think Martin was right in moderating this thread.  bigH

[bigford]

http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?p=6955357#post6955357
pointy read this post from rc group about streching my smit nederland
boatfox did a super job with the hull

[farrow]

I am not a skilled modeller as you chaps, but as a seaman who has seen real ships increased in length, beam and height. I would say some worked BUT I know some which became cranky for stability reasons, stretch a hull etc beyond it's design specs and well ? usually a lot of reseach work go's on before a hull is altered. But it has been very interesting reading your comments from which novices like me learn from.
David

[Pointy]

Where can I get fibreglass/resin and gel coat from?

[omra85]

The two usual suspects are
Glasplies and Polyfibre - both do mail order.
Danny1

[freelance 1]

Hi there, the Royal navy cut submarines in half  and added another 20ft seemed to work out ok, The S/M Andrew was one of them.
  ::)

[Pointy]

Well guys I'm going to go for it, new kit on order......

[Pointy]

Okay, I now have two halves of a coaster. At least the cut was dead straight in the middle and what a feeling doing that was!.
I'm going to make the new section from fibre glass and want to use the method suggested by Kaymen.
I do have a question- If I use polythene or sheet styrene etc on the outside of the hull gap in order to give the fibreglass the shape I want- how on earth do I then get the polythene/styrene off once the fibre glass has set?

[kayem]

I do have a question- If I use polythene or sheet styrene etc on the outside of the hull gap in order to give the fibreglass the shape I want- how on earth do I then get the polythene/styrene off once the fibre glass has set?

That won't be a problem, at least as long as you've used polythene and not some other kind of plastic, definitely not styrene, as the resin will attack it. Very few materials will stick to polythene, so once the resin has hardened, it will just peel off. Don't try to rush what you're doing, allow plenty on time for everything to harden properly, and let us know how it goes. PSSHIPS and probably a few others seem to think you're mad for even thinking about this, and I think you're quite brave, but as long as you take it one step at the time and don't try to rush things, you should be OK.

[Model_Slipway]

Kayem

Lawrie has used styrene without any problems. This hull is quite easy to lengthen.

Jackie

[big-geoff]

Pointy

I Admire you for having a go, we all had to learn in this hobby, we only learn through trying.

My advise is just this:

You will have 2 weak points in your hull once you have finished, what I have done when I did this some years ago was to add strength to the keel by fitting a steel U channel bolted and resined to the keel, this will help stop the hull from hogging or sagging.

Keep us posted on your progress.

Well done for trying.

Big-Geoff

[tobyker]

Go for it pointy - I too only build models that probably won't work as its more fun that way. I built a plastic ORSV when I had a broken leg and basically you just followed the instructions and...... it worked. Yawn. I know a lot of people make very lovely models starting with styrene mouldings and love doing it, so good for them. Whatever floats your boat - even if it sinks! it's all part of the learning process.

[Pointy]

Thanks a lot guys for your support (including PSSHIPS who offered to help me in a PM), its good to know I'm not nuts. Model Slipway have superb customer service and have been very supportive as well.

Will let you know how it goes......

[hobbyman]

Hi Pointy
Why dont you use the old model hull as a base to make a mould ,if you cut it in half you can then use them to form the front and back,sorry ,bow and stern ,add a middle bit in timber and then make a mould the length you want ,you then have a mould to make another if you want to ,

[kayem]

Pointy

I Admire you for having a go, we all had to learn in this hobby, we only learn through trying.

.... you will have 2 weak points in your hull once you have finished .....

I agree with the first line, but not the second. If you bevel the cut edges on the inside, then take the new glass a further inch or so over the original hull, you won't have any weak points. Also, Slipway's Laurie is a very skilled modeller, but I'm not too sure that Mrs Slipway (Jackie) has read back through this thread. All the styrene I've come across is attacked to some degree by polyester resin, so it isn't a suitable material for moulding onto. Lengthening a cut hull by glueing in a styrene section would be quite different of course, though never as strong or easy to finish as an all-fibreglass job.

[Model_Slipway]

Kayem,

Lawrie did read the postings and this is what he says:

You are correct, resin will attack styrene, however this is how he proceeds:

He uses a sheet of styrene as a support for the matting, resin etc.  He clamps it to the hull on the OUTSIDE, then applies a release agent to the styrene on the inside of the hull, then gelcoat, then matting, resin etc. When all has hardened he rips off the styrene sheet; the outside surface will be lumpy and horrible, he then uses car body filler and elbow grease to smoothen the area.

As you say there are several ways of lengthening a hull, this is his way and it works.

[kayem]

Kayem,

Lawrie did read the postings and this is what he says:

You are correct, resin will attack styrene, however this is how he proceeds:

He uses a sheet of styrene as a support for the matting, resin etc.  He clamps it to the hull on the OUTSIDE, then applies a release agent to the styrene on the inside of the hull, then gelcoat, then matting, resin etc. When all has hardened he rips off the styrene sheet; the outside surface will be lumpy and horrible, he then uses car body filler and elbow grease to smoothen the area.

As you say there are several ways of lengthening a hull, this is his way and it works.

As you say, there are several ways of doing this, and we all have our favourite methods, so each to his own.

".....the outside surface will be lumpy and horrible....."

Well, certainly no surprises there.

I rest my case.

[Model_Slipway]

Robin, whats your problem?

No need to come over all 'anti', are we not on the same side?

All I said was that I HAVE on several occasions lengthened hulls using styrene sheet as a mould medium, I know full well that its not ideal, but I've done it & it works, of course it comes up 'horrible' , but 'horrible' can be fixed.
Yes, polythene is better, but we don't all have access to it, thin ply, alloy sheet etc. can also be used, but polystyrene does as well. In other words, your particular method isn't necessarily the ONLY way of coming to the same end. 
Remember that this isn't a kit that is being 'correctly' (factory)  converted, but simply one way of a modeler altering his/her model & thus exploiting his/her skills, Isn't this what its all about???

Lighten up!

Lawrie