"Making some 19th century whaleboats" Topic

I'm working in a pretty small scale 15mm. The boats should be @ 20mm wide and 70mm long (historically 6x30 feet). I'm planning on making these boats by cutting cereal box cardboard laminating layers together. Getting the rough shape then refine it. The boats will be mounted on oval bases with 2 part epoxy putty seas around them. But I'm hoping to pull off some dynamic placement on the sea bases; rolling pitching, etc. so what bits I will need to refine will vary by placement. Some my have exposed keel bits. Fortunately whaleboats are pretty simple structures.

At 15mm I suspect a bottom boat layer, two (three?) layers of rowing benches and with the hull layering up and out then one or two layers of gunnel and bow and stern decks for the harpooneer and coxswain to stand upon. I'm not sure of the layer count till I have the figures in hand, to scale the boat. But I'm assuming I'm going be less than perfect on my layer outlines thus finishing the final external shape.

The figures in the boats will be magnetically attached as they have to be removable as part of the game mechanics.

My issue is how to stabilize the cardboard so that I can sand and paint it with without it delaminating. I have had trouble before working with the edges of cardboard.

Would coating it in white glue help it hold its shape so you can sand it?

Have you considered some ready made plastic boats as your "base"..
The hulls of many toy boats would be just the job.
Also ships boats for larger scales than 15mm might be good too.

martin

It sounds to me like you might be reaching for too much detail, especially for 15mm. Remember the 2 foot rule.
But once you have the boat's sides built up as planned, you might try covering them with DAS modeling clay. Once that's dry, you could etch the planking.
Or do the boat in clay from the start.

If 4" is not too long (certainly more than 70mm), we have Longboats in 15mm scale available via this link

Scroll down a mite to see the steam launch version.

TVAG

No one loves making things than me, pondered trying to cast some but haven't tried yet. But picked these up at a train store years ago, plastic. Have used them in a few games and thought to make pontoon bridge with them but haven't done that yet