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Maritime Modelling Supports and Clamps


Walter Wombat

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My first post so please be gentle…..😀

 

Getting back into modelling after 30+ years and really enjoying it. I'm planning to concentrate on maritime plastic models and am currently building HMSC Snowberry. My question for you guys is - Does anyone have any great techniques they use for supporting the model so as you can work on it easily and safely, without scratching the finished surfaces. I've looked at various shop bought clamps, investigated using fare-cut foam types, PCB jigs and numerous other possibilities in an effort to come up with some form of jig.

 

Any ideas gratefully received.

 

Thanks in advance.

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Afternoon WW,

I don't have a solution for you, but if you can wait a few days I'll have a word with one of our members and see what his 'tricks' are.

The gent I refer to is Peter Hall who own's Atlantic Models and when they were running, did all the etch for White Ensign.

 

Paul

 

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It’s been an age since I last made a ship model.

I like to display full hull on wooden bases, and to facilitate this I drill holes in the bottom of the hull before I attach the decking. I’ll epoxy a small nut to reinforce the hole, or build up the area I’m drilling into with some thick scrap plastic sheet.

 

 To aid in building I use these same holes to temporarily attach the ship to a scrap of wood a bit bigger than the model. It protects the model during building and acts as a useful way of holding the kit.

 

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Mart

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Morning Walter, had a chat with Peter yesterday.

First question was, will the model be full hull or waterline?

If waterline, once the hull is to the depth you want it, attach to a rigid base slightly longer and wider than the hull and your good to go. If you intend full hull, slightly more difficult, seeing @dnl42idea, above, it would work well, apart from the increase in your mortgage to bring it in from the USA!

Quick fix would be to go into an electrical retailer and ask if they have any unwanted high density foam packaging, not expanded polystyrene, that they would be willing to let you have. If that fails, you can buy sheets or rolls from the internet, have a look at

https://www.thefoamshop.co.uk/page/151/FOAM-GRADES-EXPLAINED it's the packaging foam towards the bottom of the page.

HTH

Paul

Edited by PhoenixII
Correcting web address.
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Hi Paul,

 

thanks for getting back back to me. I’m thinking the solution provided by @dnl42 is probably the way to go. I did contact the retailer and it’s around £25 including postage from the US. My one concern is the size. I may well try the eBay store to see what’s available. I’ll let you know which option I go with and how successful. 

 

P

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FWIW, on my smaller models, like a 1/72 HUNLEY or 1/35 YMS, I've done the same as @LotusArenco. Problem is that the model is sometimes at an inconvenient attitude. A couple of times, I put the base in a Panavise to enable better positions, but, that only works for those smaller model. I bought the foam cradle during this build because it will work larger models.

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