- Dry Dock Modeler

Welcome to Dry Dock Modeler

Would you like to find a local Ship Modeling club in your area? Click on a club logo below

Atlanta, Georgia USA
New Jersey, USA
Philadelphia PA USA
Virginia, USA
United Kingdom
Illinois, USA
Ontario, Canada
Canberra, Australia
Germany
Denver, Colorado
Western New York, USA
Ostend, Belgium
Westerville, Ohio
Deltaville, Virginia
Czech Republic

Ships in Scale - Latest Issue
September/October '26

Naval Cutter Alert 1777 by serikoff – 1:48 – Two Hulls: skeleton PoF and fully planked and rigged (based on TridentModel hull)

Really wonderful progress Sergey.

By AnobiumPunctatum · 1 hour ago1 hr
Bateau de Lanvéoc by JacquesCousteau - 1:32 - Ancre Monograph

After some adjustments, I think that the stern looks all right.

The bow didn't quite look right, though, the run across one frame looks bent out of shape from the side.

But not from below, though. It shows the need to consider the run from different angles.

So, I narrowed things down quite a bit at the bow. I think it looks a lot better, I'll look at it with fresh eyes tomorrow though.

By JacquesCousteau · 5 hours ago5 hr
Proxxon DH 40 Planer

I have one already but can confirm it is a wonderful addition to the workshop. Unfortunately, no one in the US is certified to change the blades according to Proxxon. Mine still has the original some 20 years later and it still cuts fine.

By dvm27 · 6 hours ago6 hr
Bateau de Lanvéoc by JacquesCousteau - 1:32 - Ancre Monograph

Thanks, all!

Next up, lining out the garboards. I'm using black thread for this, secured with a tiny dab of white glue on each frame. The white glue loosens enough when dampened that the thread can be moved a bit. I began by figuring out the width of the garboard amidships and at stem and sternpost based on the plans, marking it, and adding the thread.

I then adjust to get a smooth line when viewed from multiple angles. In the photo below, the left is still awaiting adjustment, while the right has been adjusted (although upon viewing the photo, I realized that it needed to be moved out slightly amidships).

My plan is to get it aligned tonight, leave it overnight, and check again tomorrow with fresh eyes.

By JacquesCousteau · 7 hours ago7 hr
HSM Bellona 1760 by SJSoane - Scale 1:64 - English 74 Gun - as designed

This is going to be quite a masterpiece when it's finished. I'm enjoying watching the process = that stern balcont railing is a delight to the eye.

By Tony Hunt · 8 hours ago8 hr
HSM Bellona 1760 by SJSoane - Scale 1:64 - English 74 Gun - as designed

24. The Head 2
Moving on the catheads, I added many parts to the failed bin trying to get the angles right on these. I finally realized that they also twist where they bend. This is because the angle of the cat beam upon which they rest is aligned with the deck sheer, while the catheads themselves are aligned with the sheer of the hull. Here they are ready for cutting the slots into the hull.

I tried several ways of cutting the holes for the sheaves. Drilling mortises came to an abrupt end when I realized I did not have a file thin enough to clean up the holes.

So I set up a very dangerous saw on the mill, and cut horizontal slots.

These were then filled with spacers. I don't like the color contrast, although this is now less apparent as the wood darkens over time. The sheaves were cut on the lathe from ebony.

I cut the lion heads with the Russian chisels. I temporarily glued the blanks onto a piece of plywood, clamped in the vise. I built a little hand rest at the same height, to help with the carving.

And the lion heads.

The following photo was taken more recently, after I began working on the upper deck (to be discussed in a later posting). But it shows the hooked scarphs in development. These needed much filing and fitting, using graphite paper to test the fit.

And now fitted, with painted panels.

Mark

By SJSoane · 8 hours ago8 hr
Cl-53 USN San Diego by KevinM - Very Fire - 1/350-Finished

Last Pics

By KevinM · 8 hours ago8 hr
Cl-53 USN San Diego by KevinM - Very Fire - 1/350-Finished

Thanks Mike!

I am calling this one done she came out OK and I might give another Very Fire kit a go.I would not use this model for rigging as the way to do things so many drawings and interpretations and few up close pics exist if they do just what I have learned over time.😉

The ship in question in 1944 very clean even the anchor we'll say mine is late 44 early 45🤔

By KevinM · 8 hours ago8 hr
Proxxon DH 40 Planer

Heres a pic showing the voltage

By chrislbren · 9 hours ago9 hr
HSM Bellona 1760 by SJSoane - Scale 1:64 - English 74 Gun - as designed

23. The Head 1
Moving forward, I began work on the cheeks. These will eventually need beads scraped in the fore face, and this face will bend almost 90 degrees from the hull to the stem. To keep the wood grain roughly parallel to the scraper, I fabricated the cheeks from two pieces.

These were tricky pieces to hold while shaping. Here is one way that helped, using a GRS vice.

Fitting to the hull was also challenging. The arm on the hull needed to fay to a curve, while ensuring the arm on the stem would fall at the correct angle on the stem. I clamped a small piece of wood to the stem at the location and angle of the lower edge of the cheek, to ensure that the test and cut, test and cut, always put the piece back at the same location. Once the upper edge came to its final shape and the part was temporarily pinned in place, I could cut the lower edge to its final shape.

The lower cheek could now serve as the base for the decorative panel around the hawse holes.

This then provided the guide for the upper cheek, shaped in a process similar to the lower cheek.

And then the hair bracket, with its dramatic upward sweep. These were also held in the GRS vise to shape.

As I began fitting these, I realized that the shape of the stem knee, cut 30 years earlier, was not correct. I had also failed to provide a center piece to which the hair brackets would attach. So I performed some careful surgery on the stem knee, now adding a new piece with both the correct curve and also the center piece for the hair brackets. The join between the original knee and the new piece would be hidden by the upper cheek.

And the result.

And everything begins coming together. Here is my first dummy figurehead, used for checking clearances.

Mark

By SJSoane · 9 hours ago9 hr