help building lifeboat for tugboat.

[rtropp]

The model I am working on has thin, extruded plastic, lifeboats.  (see photo) I would like to try to make one from wood.  The lifeboat itself will be mounted with a cover tarp so only a portion of the outside will be seen.

I dimly remember a posting, or article, that showed building a lifeboat from a mold. I searched but could not find the original posting or article. If anyone could give me a link or reference, I would appreciate it.  

 

So far, I tried filling the plastic lifeboat with wood filler. After it dried, I removed the molded lifeboat and next I will sand to fine tune the shape. Then I planned on trying to plank it in some way.

I could also use the actual plastic form that came with the kit but not sure how well that can be planked.

My last resort is to just trim and paint the form and use it on the model. This would not be my first choice but after a number of years away from modeling (Syrene was in progress) the ideas was to reacquire my building skills so I really want to finish off this model Tug so I can quickly get on to sailing model.  

I would appreciate any advice or a lead/link to existing demos, posts or articles.

Thanks

Richard

 

Edited July 22, 2023 by rtropp
grammar

[mtaylor]

I'm not sure I've seen just a build for a ship's boat.    You might do a search using "ship boat" as a search term.   They do show up in quite a few build logs for ship's themselves.  Also, several kit manufacturers make kits for ship's boats.

[Dziadeczek]

I am not sure about your article, but I am building all three boats for my French 74 gun ship 1:48 (right now finishing the third one - a cutter), pretty closely following the advice in a chapter from the book on modeling by B. Frolich. They are all built on wooden plugs (carved from a soft basswood piece according to the profiles given and triple painted with polyurethane to make them smooth and shiny) and then mounting on them all individual ribs, the keel, sternpost and stem, and planking with individual planks. Meticulous work. I am making mine from cherry.

Here is my second boat finished - a barge.   Post # 89.

 

But, you have to have a small precise table saw to be able to precisely cut all pieces. I have an old PREAC.

Edited July 23, 2023 by Dziadeczek

[rtropp]

Mark, I am starting to find examples.  thusfar they are bread and butter, but I can keep looking.  Thanks

 

Dziadeczek, thank you for your reply.  I do not have the Frolich available and I cannot find Post #89.  I searched for your build but again came up empty.  I guess I am not very good at searching.  Can you tell me the title of your build or direct me to Post 89.  I am very interested to see it.

Thanks for the help,

Richard

Edited July 23, 2023 by rtropp

[Roger Pellett]

Richard,  

 

I don’t know when your Tugboat was built, but If it was any time during the 20th Century, I believe that USCG regulations required at least one lifeboat on engine powered vessels to be of metal construction.  If your goal is a realistic model, the vacuum formed plastic shells would be a better choice than building wood hull ones.

 

Roger

Edited July 23, 2023 by Roger Pellett

[steamschooner]

Richard,My build log for the John Cudahy shows my small boats that I built using the wood plug method. plank were edge glued. if enterested on page 4, 5, starting at post #116-#125 in scratch building  logs.

Steve

[Dziadeczek]

6 hours ago, rtropp said:

Dziadeczek, thank you for your reply.  I do not have the Frolich available and I cannot find Post #89.  I searched for your build but again came up empty.  I guess I am not very good at searching.  Can you tell me the title of your build or direct me to Post 89.  I am very interested to see it.

Thanks for the help,

Richard

Richard, you have to click on the link I gave in the previous post - where it says "At a Glance..." and scroll down there to post # 89. I don't have my own build here.

[rtropp]

Dziadeczek,

Those boats on at a glance are beautiful. I am inspired to try those no matter what I do with the tug. 

 

Roger,

the Canute was built in 1931 in Denmark.  Not sure if it used wood or metal and I may well end up painting the plastic to simulate metal as a quicker solution.  But, I am trying to scratch build wood lifeboats/ship boats as a practice for a period warship I have on the shelves.  From what I have seen of others work, building wooden ships boats could well end up as a much longer-term project. 

Thank you all for your help.

Richard

[rtropp]

Steam Schooner,

your lifeboats are along the lines of what I am trying to accomplish.  Mine should be much easier because they will be covered by tarps so the inside will not be seen.  My first try is to fill the plastic boats supplied with wood filler, than shape it and plank it.  We'll see how it turns out.

Richard