Carving Ship Model Hulls

Carving Ship Model HullsLaminated and Machine Carved Hulls

Pete Jaquith

09 June 2015

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Topsail Schooner Eagle 1847

• Topsail schooner rig

• Built in Arrowsic Island, ME in 1847

• 3/16” to the foot, 1:64 scale

• Model characteristics

– Scratch build

– Laminated solid hull

– Upper hull planking recessed

– Built up bulwarks

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Topsail Schooner Eagle 1847

• Tools

– Building board

– Drawknife

– Gouges/chisels

– #49 Pattern Makers File

– 60 Grit sandpaper w 1.5” dia dowel

– Sanding sticks

– Dial calipers

– Disk sander

– Drill press

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Topsail Schooner Eagle 1847

• Templates (laminated on artist mat board)

– Stem profile

– Stern profile

– Stations

– Deck camber

– Deck fore end

– Bulwark fore end

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Topsail Schooner Eagle 1847

• Laminated hull block

– Bass wood laminations

– Tilebond glue (brown)

– Transom a separate assembly

• Layout profile, deck shear and camber

• Stem / stern profile

– Shape stem profile

– Shape stern profile

– Shape transom (disc sander)

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Topsail Schooner Eagle 1847

• Deck shear / camber– Shape fore desk shear

and camber (drawknife)– Fit transom assembly– Shape poop deck shear

and camber (drawknife)

• Layout deck centerline, stations, deck at side, mast holes– Drill mast holes (drill

press)– Shape tumble home aft

(disk sander)– Shape deck at side fwd

(disk sander)

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Topsail Schooner Eagle 1847

• Lower hull– Shim hull block to hold

waterline level

– Screw hull block to building board

• Carving lower hull– Shape deadrise

(drawknife)

– Rough out stations (gouge)

– Rough fair between stations (gouge/chisel)

– Fair between stations (pattern making file/sanding sticks

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Topsail Schooner Eagle 1847

• Carving upper hull recess

– 3/64” recess for upper hull planking

– Layout inner surface on deck at side

– 1/16” wide grove at bottom (1/8” below copper line)

– Vertical cuts with gouges/chisels

– Finish with sanding sticks

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Topsail Schooner Eagle 1847

• Stem, keel, stern post, and rudder

– Fit stem, keel, and stern post

– Dry fit rudder

• Mounting pedestals

– Drill pedestals holes (drill press)

– Dry fit pedestals

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Topsail Schooner Eagle 1847

• Hull block complete and ready for:

– Deck planking

– Poop bulkhead

– Bulwark framing

– Upper hull planking

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Topsail Schooner Eagle 1847

• Built up bulwarks

– Timberheads recessed into hull block

– Every 3rd timberhead recessed (recommend recessing all at bow)

– Recesses cut w razor blade and 1/16” chisel

– Covering board used as template

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Topsail Schooner Eagle 1847

• Bulwark and upper hull planking

– Bulwark planking recessed 1/32 “ from upper hull

– Upper hull planking flush with lower hull

– Upper hull planking extends 1/8” below copper line

– Lower hull will be coppered

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Topsail Schooner Eagle 1847

• Hull, deck, bulwark, deck furniture, hull fittings complete

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Brigantine Newsboy 1854

• Brigantine rig

• Built in Owls Head, ME in 1854

• 3/16” to the foot, 1:64 scale

• Model characteristics– Semi-scratch built from

old Model Shipways kit

– Machine carved solid hull construction

– Upper hull planking recessed

– Lower hull coppered

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Brigantine Newsboy 1854

• Templates (laminated on artist mat board)

– Stem profile

– Stern profile

– Stations

– Deck camber

– Deck F/A ends

– Bulwark F/A ends

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Brigantine Newsboy 1854

• Initial assessment

– Establish key reference lines

• Buildup required

– Bottom amidships

– Stern post and counter

– Main deck shear and camber

– Bulwark tops

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Brigantine Newsboy 1854

• Reference lines

– Center line

– Keel half siding

– Stem and stern profile

– Stations

– Deck at side

– Bulwark top (inner and outer lines)

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Brigantine Newsboy 1854

• Lower hull– Shim hull block to

hold waterline level– Screw hull block to

building board

• Carving lower hull– Shape stem & stern

profile– Shape deadrise

(sanding block)– Rough out stations

(gouge)– Rough fair between

stations (gouge/chisel)

– Fair between stations (pattern making file/sanding sticks)

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Brigantine Newsboy 1854

• Carving upper hull recess

– 3/64” recess for upper hull planking

– Layout inner surface on bulwark top

– 1/16” wide grove at bottom (1/8” below copper line)

– Vertical cuts with gouges/chisels

– Finish with sanding sticks

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Brigantine Newsboy 1854

• Stem, keel, stern post, and rudder– Fit stem, keel, and

stern post

– Dry fit rudder

• Mounting pedestals– Drill pedestals holes

(drill press)

– Dry fit pedestals

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Brigantine Newsboy 1854

• Hull block complete and ready for:

– Upper hull planking

– Carving inner bulwarks

– Deck framing

– Deck planking

– Bulwark framing

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Brigantine Newsboy 1854

• Bulwark and upper hull planking

– Bulwark planking recessed 1/32 “ from upper hull

– Upper hull planking flush with lower hull

– Upper hull planking extends 1/8” below copper line

– Lower hull will be coppered

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Brigantine Newsboy 1854

• Inner bulwarks– 1st exterior planking

installed with Tilebond wood glue

• Carving inner bulwarks– Layout inner cut line on

bulwark top– Vertical cuts with

gouges/chisels– Finish with sanding sticks– Control thickness to with

dial calipers– ~1/16” total thickness

(1/32” + 1/32” planking)

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Brigantine Newsboy 1854

• Inner bulwarks

– Finish with sanding sticks

– Control thickness to with dial calipers

– ~1/16” total thickness (1/32” + 1/32” planking)

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Brigantine Newsboy 1854

• Deck framing

– Deck framing built up from basswood strip

– Used to establish correct deck shear and camber

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Brigantine Newsboy 1854

• Mast holes

– Drill mast holes (with drill press)

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Brigantine Newsboy 1854

• Deck planking and bulwark framing

– Typical deck planking, waterways, covering board, and bulwark framing

– Bulwark framing fwd based on figures in The American-Built Clipper Ship by William L. Crothers

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Brigantine Newsboy 1854

• Hull, deck, bulwark, deck furniture, hull fittings complete