"Converting Plastic Models to Waterline?" Topic

I'm building a 1/600 sailing ship, and it occurs to me that I would love it a lot more if it were waterline (because then I might somehow get it in a miniatures game!).

But the task seems daunting. How hard is it to cut the bottom off a plastic sailing ship?

A dremel cutting disc should work, as will a coping saw.

If you are really brave, you can also try a table saw or chop saw…

You can build a jig or a set of "third hands" and scribe a level line (the horizon or desired waterline) then use a dremel cutter to cut the plasitc. Most of what I've read on the topic has the hulls glued together before scribing the line. Use a pencil or a marker, rather than scribing the plastic. Once that's done, you can sand the waterline flat by placing sandpaper on a flat surface and removing imperfections. You can also glue a piece of plastic card to the base of the hull to give it some rigidness, then sand to shape.

It isnt hard. Score the hull slightly below the waterline. Make successive light cuts slowly scoring the plastic then deepening the score until you have a deep enough cut to snap the bottom pieces off. You will nee to put some bulkheads insde the hull to stiffen the structure. You now have a model with a bit more plastic below the waterline than you need. The next step is to get a large squae of sandpaper which you tape to a flat surface. Then rub the bull onthe sand paper in a circular motion checking frequently to get an even bottom. The circular motion tends to make for a more even bottom. When you have the hull sanded down to the waterline or slightly below it you are done. The trick to this whole process is not to rush it. If you leave just a bit of plastic below the waterline you can mount the model on a base and produce a water effect using gesso or similar medium bringing the water and waves up to and in some places slightly above the waterline. This is the process I find hardest. I cant make decent looking waves. You can also sand to the waterline and then cut a piece of flat plastic for a bottom plate using the shape of the hull to draw the outline. It will require a bit of filling with plastic putty after you glue the plate on.

Good luck,

Al

I score the hull as well. Then I generally just snap it off. I do this before it is glued. I then use hot glue to affix it to it's base.

Thanks,

John

the trick is to get an even waterline.take your ship and put it firmly in a pan..get some realy cheap paint and pour it in the pan til you get the correct height on the waterline. Remove…let try. get a dremel diamond disk and cut round the hull; and there you go. I have cut down resin wood and all sorts of horrid things..works every time. WEAR a bloody mask. A little sanding and there you go.

The methods described by my peers differ from mine in the way you cut off the bottom. Coping saws and dremels work fine if you have them and speed the process. As I said you just have to work slowly.

Al

naturally you could just go with 1/700 since they are almost all waterline

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Can you assume the keel is parallel to the waterline?

I've used several techniques, all following the same "make a rough cut, then sand" format. It's a lot of work, but it's worth it.

I even used scissors on one kit to cut through the hull halves prior to gluing them together.

Can you assume the keel is parallel to the waterline?

NO/// most boats come with a stand that makes the whole thing "level"..put it on the stand when you pour the paint..ALSO drill some BIG holes in bottom otherwise your boat will FLOAT in the paint!!

I'm not so sure about the paint idea – how do you account for the meniscus (water getting drawn up very slightly along the surfaces of what contains it or what is immersed in it)?

Regardless, the keel may not always be parallel to the water line – sailing vessels could be loaded and trimmed such that they 'sloped' to some extent. Indeed, the waterline was not constant, either, depending on how fully-laden a vessel was.

Otherwise, many of the ideas above are right-on. For more ideas (or some confirmation of the ones mentioned above), look here:

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I use a belt sander. I build the hull and deck, then sand'er down from the keel up.

No, you cannot assume the keel is perpendicular to the waterline. Fast schooners for example, often had a keel that was much deeper astern than forward.

BTW Bill, what kit? There are very few exact 1/600 sailing ships.

I'm not so sure about the paint idea – how do you account for the meniscus (water getting drawn up very slightly along the surfaces of what contains it or what is immersed in it)?

The paint mark will still be level, though. Your ship might just end up slightly lower in the water than you intended.

The paint mark will still be level, though. Your ship might just end up slightly lower in the water than you intended.

TRUE…indeed I have found that a lower waterline does nothing to detract from the lools of the ship…see these; all of which were waterlined/:
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I put this together a few years ago. I now have 75 of the Airfix HMS Victory and about a20 of the Pirateology ships all as waterline for wargaming.

Building a 1/600 scale fleet.

I originally got the idea from "Virtual Scratch Builder site virtualscratchbuilder.com Using the Airfix HMS Victory in 1/600 scale you can make just about any ship from a 28 – 130.

After getting your ship, first assemble parts 1, 2 and 3. This is the two sections of the hull and the deck. Use a few rubber bands to give some pressure so it set up tight. Using standard plastic model glue, let it set for a few hours to become hard.

Then take a fine tip marker and mark were you will make your cuts. Once marked make all of your cuts. You may use a hobby knife, or as like me I use a "DREMEL Motor-Tool."

Bringing the ship down to water line is the easy part. Simply cut below the gun ports that are closest to the water line leaving about 1/16th of an inch space. This is done if you are building a 1 2 or 3 Decker.

In the area of the stern of the ship you will make a cutout of the hull were the rudder would be. I take piece #16 the (nameplate) for the stand and cut it and place it in that location so you have the area below the stern windows filled. You do not have to do this on a 3 Decker as it cuts perfectly as per the original kit.

To make a ship shorter or longer then the original kit you must remove or add a section from the hull. These changes are best made before the ship is cut to water line.

To make a ship shorter remove the section between the Cargo Hold and the Middle Mast. Then glue the two sections back together.

To make a ship longer insert a section from a ship that was made shorter by putting it behind the Middle Mast. Then glue the three sections back together.

Below is a list of different numbered gunned ships and what you need to make them.

1. 28 – 38 gun Frigate, 1 deck and remove a section.

2. 44 – 50 gun Frigate, 1 deck.

3. 64 – gun ship of the line, 2 decks and remove a section.

4. 74 – gun ship of the line, 2 decks.

5. 80 – gun ship of the line, 2 decks, add a section.

6. 98 – 100 gun ship of the line, 3 decks.

7. 110-120 gun ship of the line, 3 decks, add a section.

8. 130 gun ship of the line, 3 decks, add a section, add a 4th deck from a previous ships 3rd deck being removed.

9. Merchantman, 1 deck, and remove a section, sand down gun port if you like.

Once the ship is reassembled give it a good primer coat then finish assembling, painting, rigging, flags and mounting your ship on base.

As per painting and rigging your ships there are many good references out there.

On the "Yahoo groups" "WoodenWalls" in the files section there is a very good article NAVAL.xls Napoleonic Ships Painting Guide by Roy Trochim