Model Boat Mayhem

Technical, Techniques, Hints, and Tips => Detail Work, Rigging, Fittings, Figures Etc. => Topic started by: BarryM on July 03, 2007, 09:09:36 am

Title: Plating and painting
Post by: BarryM on July 03, 2007, 09:09:36 am
My next project will be based on an original with an iron-plated, riveted hull and my intention is to show both plating and riveting. I am undecided yet whether to produce another plank on frame hull or go into fibre glass production. Whatever, at the intended scale of 3/4"=1', the plating thickness will be 1/32". I don't see a particular problem in applying the plating whether to a planked hull or a fibre glass plug. However, it occurs to me that after a few coats of paint, that 1/32 will almost (entirely?) disappear and thus ruin the whole effect not to mention the effort put into achieving it.

How have others approached this?  Over-scale plating? I'm sure that plenty of others have had the problem but what's the answer?

Thanks to all,

Barry M
Title: Re: Plating and painting
Post by: MikeK on July 03, 2007, 02:11:33 pm
I think there is a theme somewhere on this and one solution mentioned is making the plates from thin plasticard and show the rivets by running a dressmakers spiked wheel along the reverse side, thereby giving rivet type bumps on the surface.

MikeK
Title: Re: Plating and painting
Post by: Bryan Young on July 03, 2007, 05:42:24 pm
I have used 1/32 "catering grade" card for years now to simulate plating. I have always applied the plates to the plug rather than the mould or the hull. One or two good reasons for this;
1. You do not need to be too precise with the fit of the planking on the plug...the plates will cover the gaps.
2. Much easier to get reasonably scale rivet marks on card than on anything other than lithoplate. As I mentioned ages ago on another but similar thread, I make my rivets "in reverse" (i.e. indented for the final hull) as, really, the human eye does not really differentiate between "in" and "out" at this scale..remembering that a rivet head is only about 1" in diameter. Also, if the final hull needs rubbing down you do not lose the rivet marks..not to mention that the marks are "sharper" this way.
3. Using card plates on the plug protects the mould during the removal process...if the plates come off and stick to the mould they are easily peeled or soaked off
4. If you make a mistake, card is easily and cheaply replaced...easily cut to shape and (with a bit of care) reasonably easy to mould around such stuff as prop bosses etc.
    I use the "catering grade" card because of its high gloss finish on one side (outboard) and a nice "rough" finish on the other that sticks nicely to whatever the plug is made from. (I have banged on about the advantages of double-sided tape too often to go into it again!).
At 1/32 scale it is quite easy to make the lines of rivets in 1,2,3 or even quadruple rows...as they were, but you need either a shell expansion drawing or riveting data to get it right. If you want more guff on this drop me a PM and I'll send you some drawings. BY.
Title: Re: Plating and painting
Post by: BarryM on July 05, 2007, 02:04:11 pm
Mike/Bryan,

Thanks for replies but perhaps I didn't explain it too well. I don't have a problem with applying the painting or rivets; it's what follows that concerns me. After completing the hull, I'm going to have a surface with steps of 1/32" height on it. Those are very small steps and, after painting, they are going to be even smaller as the paint will act as a filler at the faying surfaces (where plate overlaps plate) and turn corners into radii.  How do I avoid this effect?

Thanks,

Barry M
Title: Re: Plating and painting
Post by: Bryan Young on July 05, 2007, 08:13:43 pm
I have found that a "self-coloured" gel coat gets rid of that problem. A good gel coat combined with a decent mould will reproduce everything from a cats hair and a speck of dust. Usually, I make the hulls with a gel coat that matches the final colour...that way the normal bumps and bangs you can get do not look so obviously in need of a repaint. With regard to the plate edges on the final hull I would suggest that after spraying (?) you just run a smooth riffler file down the seams to take off the excess paint. The underlying hull gel coat will then take care of the edges. Hope this helps. Cheers. BY.