"Basing Ships?" Topic

I seem to remember recently someone posted that they had used the plastic used on florescent lighting for basing ships.

They cut they plastic sheeting to the size needed then painted it the appropriate colors. Leaving the smooth side down. And with the textured side up.

Any one remember this post or know of a link to a site that has info like this?

I am planing to re base my 1/600 scale Napoleonic ships from Balsa wood to this type of bases so I am looking for any info on this type basing. What works best to cut the plastic? (Dremal Motor Tool).

Thanks in advance.

Bob Henry

I haven't heard of that way of basing – it sounds interesting.

I have been useing textured vinyl floor tiles..
Dry brushing on wakes

I recall someone mentioning this but do not recall that they actually did it. The work needed to provide a smooth spot for a ships hull in the textured plastic strikes me as too labor intensive.

"The work needed to provide a smooth spot for a ships hull in the textured plastic strikes me as too labor intensive."

I think it should work, as I will simple use glue along the point were the hull and the base meet. Then when painting this will look like a wake or the water being pushed away from the ship in its forward movement.

The labor intensive part will be removing 100 plus 1/600th scale ships off of there old bases.

Bob Henry

Here´s what I did, certainly not as fancy as fluorescent colors, but makes my ship independent of the playing surface:

link

Earlier version with handwritten names:

Basically using a transparent PVC base from waste package with a white label from a label printer for the name of the ship. The enhanced option is to add transparent silicone to emulate waves and just drybrush them with a whitish color, as you can see on the test pic with the Royal Navy ship.

Hi bob,
His name is Ed, on-line name "Gunner" on the Sails of Glory Anchorage site. You will have to hunt for the thread as I cannot think of it. Hope this helps.
Be safe
Rory

One of the guys on the AAM War at Sea forumini does this, but I'd have to look his name up.

Thank's devsdoc and jdagee.

Do you have links to the sites there on?

Thanks in advance.
Bob Henry

Hi Bob,
sailsofglory.org/content.php Find a post from "gunner" and click on his avatar for list of his postings.
Be safe
Rory

Hello Bob. This guy uses the bases you are referring to.
ucs.mun.ca/~tmarshal/aos

Thanks all.

Bob Henry

I glue the ships on first, then sculpt the waves/wake on and paint.

I use steel band material (can be had from ULINE): 1/2" for 1:2400 DD and smaller cruisers, 5/8" for larger cruisers and small capital ships, 3/4" for large capital ships. I paint the bases in ocean colors, add wakes, and use a dip pen to paint ID codes on the base in bright yellow acrylic.

I use those 3-drawer (about 8-1/2" x 11") plastic cabinets (Sterilite in the U.S.), drawer bottoms lined with magnetic business cards, for transport.

I know you're asking about Napoleonic ships, but since you cross-posted to WWII, I'd like to add:

The basing scheme I saw that I liked the most involved 1:2400 ships glued to large tongue depressors. The depressors were painted blue and had a label at the very stern that id'ed the ships. The ships themselves were glued up near the bow of the depressor, and had wakes painted behind them.

Sure, for smaller ships over half of the stick was empty, but it gave a really great look and made it very easy to ID and move ships around.

Here is an example of how I now base my ships:

The base is a 1/8" thick basswood strip. It's 3/4" wide for my WWII and WWI battleships. I crosscut them on my bandsaw.

They are painted with a sample blue latex I got at Lowes. The names are printed in Adobe Illustrator against a background color that matches the paint. The names are in boxes that are 3/4 inch wide. I cut the name out and glue it on with white glue.

As you can see, the model is secured with white poster tack stuff. (I'd call it Blu-Tack but it isn't blue).

The thick wood makes it easy for players to pick the base up rather than the model.

Here is were I saw what I was looking for. 2' x 4' textured Acrylic Fluorescent Light Cover

TMP link

It runs for about $6.00 USD a sheet at Lowe's or Home Depot.

I have replaced all of the bases with these type of base and they look so much better then painted balsa wood. There very low profile.

And they take paint well.
I gave it a primer coat of gray spay paint.
Then paint a coat of Dark Blue Acrylic paint from Walmart.
Then while it was still wet I mixed some medium colored Green in with it to give it a green tint in areas.
Let it dry.
Then I glued the ships down.
Let them dry overnight.
Then dry brushed the ships wake and a few white caps.
Then put a label to Identify the ship, using a Medium Blue colored paper.

All ship bases are 1½" wide.
Ships of the Line 130 – Frigates of 44 Gun have bases 5" long.
All other Frigates, Corvettes, Brigs, Sloops, Schooners, Merchantman and Xebecs: 30 -10 Gun have bases 4" long.
Gunboats, Dhow Felucca and Small Merchantman have bases 3" long.

When I started I was cutting the bases with my Dremal tool. But I was losing a lot of base with the cutting wheel I used. I found I could cut just as fast and very little lose of plastic base by using a pair of scissors. Just mark the cut line you want and slowly cut along it and your done.

I have 142 ships in 1/600th scale so it was a large project but well worth the trouble.

Works great.

You can paint the bottoms of the bases, or not, as desired (the latter is done so your water terrain color can show through).

I have painted the tops of my base.

They look great.

WORD OF CAUTION: These sheets will break if you breathe on them too heavily, so handle them carefully. The lovely woman at the checkout counter was very careful about moving it around, as was I, but sure enough, as soon as I (carefully) set it in the back of my truck, snap! Broke off an 8" section off of one corner. She was kind enough to let me exchange it without having to pay for a new sheet.

Certainly is worth repeating. Cracks can spread in the most annoyingly random directions, as well.

You'd think the results will leave you pieces large enough, but no guarantee.

However, the use of scissors sounds so impossible given the hard/thickness of the stuff, I may have to give it a go just to prove myself wrong. ;->=

Doug

Well up to 146 bases and I may be done. Yes the scissors works much better then the Dremal Tool. Just take your time and cut slowly. Not had any break after cutting.

Note I did this project the correct way.
I redid all the Textured Acrylic Fluorescent Light Cover in the wife's Kitchen. They were old and yellowing. So it took about one and quarter sheets to do the kitchen and the wife is happy as can be. She can now see what she is doing in there. And I got my ships re based all at the same time.

I will try to get some pictures taken of them on there new bases in the near future.

I've gotten bases cut to any requested size from Litko-Aero. They primarily use a very nice 3mm-6mm hardwood, laser cut. Can also get clear or colored plastic bases.