...a static display stand that appears to be a slice of the ocean? I want to set my ship in a stand that makes it appear to be at full sail at sea. Keep in mind that this is a rather large ship 1:24 and the slice of ocean will need to be around 6" thick.

Robert

Hi Robert

I have just read about mounting models in the " Manual of Ship Model Making" by Popular Science

" A hole is cut in a piece of plywood to match the water line contour (healing or plum) of the hull, a plastic wood composition is moulded into wave shapes, and arist,s oil colors are applied to furnish the color. Small wisps of cotton glued around the hole at the bow of the ship will give the effect of spray"

You might want to build a stand/support for the keel to hold the boat in position so not to rely on the cutout to do the supporting.


Regards

"Pride of Baltimore" John

Thanks John...I have thought of something like that but really want something more 3 dimensional. I envisage something like a slice of water that is sort of transparent so that you can almost make out the hull. Sort of like taking a cube of blue/green jello and setting the ship in it. I wonder if you can do that, and after it sets remove the ship and coat the jello with something like clear resin to make it hard?

[:-]

Robert,
Somewhere, I've seen/read about making static display stands! (It had to have been in the last two or three months, my memory isn't much longer than that anymore.) Unfortunately, I can't remember where, typical. I do remember that the builder used either a 'putty' of maybe plaster, rolled a large ball across it to make the wave troughs, then did some creative painting to make the spume/foam and various shades of water. Laid out a cross section of the hull on the stand bed, cut out to the appropriate depth/shape for the models hull, then used more 'putty'/plaster to simulate the 'mustache' around the bow and the wake. The artical didn't say what he used to keep the stuff from sticking to the hull, maybe a mold release agent (Saran Wrap)??

Your idea about the 'clear' water to see the hull is 'neat'! Why not a resin with some kind of coloring agent? LOTS of release agent on the hull and just plop the boat down in the stuff till it sets. To simulate the waves, add additional layers when the 'base' is solid, different dye in the new layers for foam, etc.? Embed a few fish, weeds? Maybe sand/dirt/rocks for the sea bed? (This is getting a bit out of hand, isn't it ? LOL)
Have fun, and I'll take two when you figure out how to do it...
- 'Doc