Building first ship wooden hull (with lots of help from Don) and I was looking for input as well as personal experiences on what type of Glass weight and such as well as Resins and brands.[?] Thanks
Wait a second... if you're building a WOODEN hull, why do you need glass? The whole point of wooden hulls is to avoid fiberglass! Plank the bottom with 1/8" hardwood strips. It takes one helluva gun to shoot through 1/8" hardwood planking sealed with two-part marine epoxy.
Actually, the point of building a wooden hull is 1)Build one not available in fiberglass 2)Just because It is a really good idea to glass the bottom of a wooden hull, they last longer, and depending on which group you're in, BBs can easily shoot through 1/8" of hardwood. Also, the 'glass adds strength, which is always nice. Powder monkey, I like West System Epoxy. It seems pricier than using the tubes of epoxy Lowes or Home Despot sell, but at the end of a ship project, you are looking at probably half the cost if you go with West System. It's one big jug of epoxy, and a smaller can of hardener, and they have presized pumps for them that all you gotta do is put one pump of each liquid into a cup and stir. It's automatically the right proportion to work properly. It's also 100% waterproof (being designed for use on the hull of boats), which most of the epoxies in home improvement stores are NOT. The MAS system epoxy is essentially the same as the West system, so it could be used, too. They were both designed by the same chemist, so I'm thinking brand doesn't matter a lot between the two. If you count submarines, I've built 5 wooden hulls, only one of which is online right now (the twin Vanguards in the article on the MWCI how-to homepage). I highly recommend 1) glassing the bottom, and 2) "painting" the ribs with the epoxy. Use cheap brushes to do it, it'll last a long time that way.
Thank you I think every one pretty much has the same thought on the west system my decision is made there now I’m looking at what type of glass to use cloth I am assuming and yes this is for BB IRCWCC 1/144 Fast Gun Rules so i need the strength thank you all for your input
I have tried many different kinds of cloth; hobby store light, medium, and heavy grades, and then I've tried the auto-patch type sold at Napa or other parts places. The Napa brand is nice and heavy, but really flexible. It's also cheaper than the hobby store ones. For glassing the bottom of your wooden ship, I recommend that. Get the ribs don, and mounted on the keel/keels/baseboard, and go ahead and mount the subdeck and deck (some people call it a caprail and deck, whatever floats your boat Flip the boat over so the bottom is pointing up. Plank it with the wood of your choice. I have come to enjoy using 1/32" balsa for the underside, as it'll be strong enough when it gets 'glassed. If you want to use 1/16" or 1/8" hardwood there, go for it. I'll be the last one to tell you to build light vice feeling comfortable with the strength of the hull. Balsa is nice because it's easy to make it conform to the wierd curves.
I've used what home depot has for sale... what is it? Bondo I think? It seems to be doing quite well. Just don't get it wet while its drying as it will pucker. I spilled a little on my porch when I was building the Iowa, which is 100% handmade (by me) fiberglass hull, and it has held up to the michigan rain, snow, and my girlfriend trying to remove it for 1/2 year now. I would say its plenty good enough for boat making.
Powder Monkey, yeah it's the cloth from Napa. I've moved around a bunch in the military, and there's always been a Napa nearby with that cloth. Justin, Bondo is a filler compound, not really an epoxy If you are from my beloved state of redleckland... i mean, Georgia, some cars are more bondo than steel/aluminum/fiberglass. Where did you get the Iowa plans?
Actually, Bondo is a brand.. & they make fiberglass. However, looking at the bottle; that's not what I used either. I have no idea what I used!! Visit this site Why do Iowas only have 3 props? [] I actually got them free from the internet. There is a [file] floating around out there with part of the original blueprints which has ribs, sides, & deck specification in it. Don't ask for the document, because this [file] was locked with a [major company's] "special" locking algorithm & therefore didn't allow me to modify the document or print it. It took me almost two days to find a way to get around it; don't ask me how, I won't tell. In fact, I didn't hack it; nope, not me... I bought the plans... Of course because I could print the "bought plans" off at any percentage I wanted & my printer could only print 8.5x11; I had to do some serious trial & error to get it just right. 108' = 9" = 81% of 11"... Then print the whole thing off... Does it meet specification? no? try 81.5%... Quite a nightmare, but I think it turned out quite nice & when I'm done I can say I have created the whole boat from literally scratch.
I didn't delete it & I'm the only one with access to delete in this forum... Sure you pressed submit reply?
The jist of it was, I wasn't asking for the plans, I drive mighty axis ships, not the namby-pamby goody-goody allied barges
When I was Allied, mine was a Lion-class BC that liked to catch fire, a Vanguard with only one rudder, and n I-boat that had radio issues (but only when other ships were around). Since going Axis, everything has gone right, even my teeth are whiter. Banzai.
LOL Bring your Bah-sten around Gneiss Guy We'll see! German steel will make clam chowder out of it! So what ship are you going to scratchbuild?
I'm actually building a Liberty ship with and for my 8 year old I got the ribs, keel and plans from Don Fisher I have a Hull kit coming from Barnstormers of the USS Boston Baltimore class Heavy cruiser towards end of February[]
