Scratchbuilt O scale Fishing Boat

[robert goslin]

I need a couple of fishing boats for my mini Mexican layout, so will scrachbuild them from foam and card for the hull and also balsa and styrene.

So I cut the deck to shape first, from a sheet of balsa, then used it as a template for cutting the foam hull


Then I clad the sides with card. Above the deck the card is a bit flimsy, so I laminated another layer of card to the inside to stiffen it.
Then used some left over planking from another boat build to strengthen it even more and add a bit of character.

[ACL1504]

Robert,

Great start. I'll be in the front row on this build.

Tom 

[Bernd]

I'll be watching too.

Bernd

[tom.boyd.125]

Rob, like to watch scratch building projects too and will watch your progress...Tommy

[deemery]

Of course, the styrofoam interior would add needed buoyancy for the boat...  

dave

[robert goslin]

Thanks Tom, Bernd, Tommy and Dave

yes Dave it probably would float, but I don't think the cardboard sides would last long.
Luckily my ocean is just painted MDF. 

[robert goslin]

I've added some ribs to the inside, and cut out and added the gunwale around the top edge.  Used 1mm card for tat
Then got the hull painted.  Just plain white with a reddish stripe for some colour.
And I scribed some plank lines on the deck, with the back of an Exacto blade





Next up will be building the cabin, using styrene.

[Philip]

great work Rob!

[robert goslin]

Thanks Philip.

So up next is the cabin.  I'm making this from scribed styrene, laminated to thicker plain styrene.

So made up the four walls first and scribed some grain into the styrene with an Exacto blade.


Then assembled the walls and added framing for the front windows, and some other detailing.


Next up I undercoated it in grey primer to stop the walls glowing when lit, then painted it in white & red to give it a distressed look.

[Philip]

  Oh yeah!

[Mr. Critter]

This is bleedin' marvellous.  -passes the popcorn bowl around-

[robert goslin]

Thanks again Philip,  and Mr Critter (sorry I don't know your real name)
I'm very happy with how the rough paint job on the cabin came out.

[robert goslin]

I added the roof to the wheelhouse.
And as I want to add lights to this boat, I added the LEDs before gluing the cabin down. The battery will be on the bottom of the hull, so the wires got fed down through the deck.
And Murphy's law, all the lights worked when first testing, then I glued the cabin to the deck, then when testing again, one of the LEDS didn't. Broken wire.
Pried up the cabin again, changed out the LED. Second attempt all went well.

First put in a sub roof.


Glued the cabin to the deck




Now the lights are working


I also made the hatch. Glued stir sticks to a piece of 3mm thick balsa, and added a (styrene) metal frame around it and then weathered it.
Rust was added with a sponge


Added some shrouds around the navigation lights.
Glued the hatch in place.
Then did some heavy weathering on the hull. I've overdone it a bit, so will repaint some of the lower portion in white again to take it back a bit.

[ACL1504]

Robert,

The boat looks fantastic. Excellent build and weathering in my humble opinion.

Tom

[Bernd]

Looking good Bob.

Bern