Display case wood

[Senior ole salt]

Been thinking about the case for my model Whale boat. I like the look it has on an old beat up looking board like where I took this image:

 

 

 

 

It will be elevated by plain brass posts as the instruction book suggested.

 

Has any one here tried this approach in displaying their models ?

 

If so do viewers agree with this kind of "look" ?

 

Thanks S.os

[mtaylor]

S.o.s.

 

I wouldn't worry about what others have done.  Do what pleases you.  We've had models using a rock, a tree carved like the sea with a whale's flukes, old planks, etc.  And they all looked good.

[JPZ66]

That's a model ? Thought I was looking at a real whale boat on some old giant pier ! Nice !!!

 

- Joe

[augie]

You're the Captain, SoS.  She'll look pretty ....... salty!

[mgdawson]

Hi SoS

 

Going on your weathered timber theme, how about getting some recycled / distressed timber with rusty nail marks etc to build the case. (maybe you could grab the plank it's sitting on in the photo    )

 

How are you treating the brass mounting posts ? Bright & shiny may look a little out of place depending on how you do the case, perhaps some 'aged' timber blocks with a prop under one gunwhale to stop it rolling over, the boat doesn't have to be perfectly upright after all. For that matter you could angle the boat within the case, something a little different to the boat being perfectly square.

 

Something else just occurred to me which could fit into your weather timber theme or might appeal to someone else, how about a very simple diorama, beach scene, below the high water mark would make the sand nice and smooth, you just need a furrow where the keel has been pulled up the beach. If you wanted to take it a bit further, make some footprints with a toy soldier to give it a human touch and perhaps an anchor out onto the beach or a painter around a tree.

 

Mark D

[Senior ole salt]

Thanks mark for your suggestions. They are good ones for sure.

 

My intention is to have it look like it is ready to hunt whales. That is one harpoon at the ready.  Also to enable the viewer to have some eye candy and to see the various boat gear, which is quite numerous.  The oars will have to be in the locks but the blades extended past the gunnel. To give the viewer a sense of scale, the ships cat will be somewhere in the boat stalking a rat (also aboard) this will give the viewer a reason to scan the innards of the boat. I'm thinking this will add a little fun to the display.

 

If I build the Bounty's launch, the beach idea would be a good one as the good captain Bligh did land on the great barrier reef and also on the Island of Tofua.

 

S.os

[Senior ole salt]

Well I found, at least for me, the ideal hunk of wood for my weathered looking display case base.

It was 12"x3'. Now 8 1/4 W. by 28" L by 7" H.

 

I think it's cherry and surprisingly sound under all that grey.  I had to rip 45o cuts all around to reverse the pieces and glue them back on to preserve the weathered look. The short ends needed a veneer of 3/32 glued back on. The boat is elevated 1 3/8" by means of a 6/32 FH steel bolt in a brass sleeve.

I reinforced the inside of the bilge and drilled and tapped it to receive the bolt. The floor board will cover the bolt end.

 

I had on hand an imitation Sperm Scrimshawed whale tooth that I decided to be in the display. 

I drilled into the base and tapped it out to receive a 2".. 10/24 steel bolt, which holds it erect on the base.

 

A local plastic shop cut the pieces for the case (not shown). I glued it together with little trouble doing only one side at a time.

 

Now all I have to do is to finish the model. Mostly the small whale hunting gear and figure a way to impart a grungy look to the furled sail.  Maybe just wipe up the shop floor will do it.

 

 

 

S.os

 

 

[JPZ66]

Looking good ! Very artistic. A weathered brass oval nameplate, engraved with info would go nicely in the space between the boat and the scrimshaw....

 

As for the sail, perhaps some washes of a thinned out watercolor paint...this way you can control the depth and tone of color. If you have excess material, you can try thinned out oil or acrylic as well. My inclination is a light full wash to impart a slightly yellowed look. Then a quick thin wash a bit darker to accent the stitching or seams.

 

You can also use a slightly less thin paint for spot stains or other distressing. Experimentation on scrap is key !

 

Cheers,

 

Joe

[Modeler12]

Sos, if you are wondering where to display this masterpiece, I have a suggestion:

 

My office would more than welcome it.
This could be a nice companion with the piece of whale bone (with a salmon mounted to it's top) that is hanging on my wall.
It came from Juneau.

 

Or do you have other ideas? In any case, WELL DONE MY FRIEND.

[mgdawson]

Where dat puddly tat ?

[overdale]

Sos,

I generally use a bowl of strong tea from a couple teabags to dip the sail material in.  As the stain comes from Tannin in the tea, a natural dye, I find it looks the most realistic.

 

You can experiment with some scrap cloth to determine how long to leave the sail soaking to get the amount of color you like. If you go too far on the actual sail, then just wash it out with detergent and start again.

[Senior ole salt]

Joe , good idea about the name plate but I may go with a fancy shiny brass one .. a bit of contrast i think.

 

Thanks Jay for the offer but this model has a promised destination.

 

Overdale, I tried the tea solution on the sail and it worked OK . Now I'm going to figure a way to soot up the furled sail, like smoke from the try works got on it.

 

 

Mark 

 

Here's one putty cat but he;s too big.  It looks like I'll have to whittle one.

 

 

Thanks all for your interest.

 

S.os

 

 

 

 

[augie]

Love the scrimshaw tooth.  Ship's leopard could use a bit of downsizing

[overdale]

"Now I'm going to figure a way to soot up the furled sail, like smoke from the try works got on it."

 

Get yourself a black pastel crayon and a piece of fine glass paper. Rub the pastel against the glass paper over the furled sail about six inches above the sail and allow the dust to drop onto it, enough that it's just noticeable, not too much. Then get a soft brush and rub it gently all over the sail to smudge the black out . It looks just like soot.

[Senior ole salt]

Get yourself a black pastel crayon and a piece of fine glass paper. Rub the pastel against the glass paper over the furled sail about six inches above the sail and allow the dust to drop onto it, enough that it's just noticeable, not too much. Then get a soft brush and rub it gently all over the sail to smudge the black out . It looks just like soot.

 

Wow that a good idea. I just recently got a weathering kit from a local hobby shop. It contains the soot you mentioned.

 

I'm gonna try it the way you outlined.

 

(Trial sail first)

 

Thanks

 

S,os