how to build ship model

How to Build Ship Model

With time, patience, and proper steps, you can easily make a model ship at home. Read the Buzzle article to find easy-to-follow steps that will help you turn this activity into a hobby.

  • First of all, buy an old model from a yard sale or flea market. You'll save a ton of money that way. Choose whichever type of model you want to recreate. There are various models to build like a wooden pirate ship, a titanic replica, navy ship, etc.
  • Take out any broken sails, railings, and other parts that may be coming off. Since you bought the model from a yard sale or flea market, chances are there might be some holes you need to fix or a hull to modify. You can strip off the old paint, and use some balsam wood to mend the holes. The glue will work perfectly for this job.
  • With the utility knife, you will need to carve out minimum 8 square gun ports on both sides of the ship. Also, another large gun port will be needed for the stern of the ship (if it's a galley). Take the dowels and cut out 3 inches off it, and take metal black color to paint it. The ends will stick out of the ports, and will look like guns and canons.
  • For the hull, cover it with some water-resistant paint. If you want the model to have an old, antique look, use water-resistant stain instead of paint. You can also use gold paint on the galleys which gives it a 1600s appearance.
  • Now for the broken masts, you can add new ones with the dowels that can imitate the existing one. Use a sandpaper on the top of the new mast till it's similar to the old one.
  • To repair the lines and halyards (the rope used to raise and lower the sail or a flag), take a fine jute and glue it in place. If your model is a working model that has hoisted sails, then avoid using glue for the jute on any moving parts.
  • It's time to paint your pirate/titanic replica/navy ship. Choose colors that will suit your model, and name the ship with white paint. You can be as creative as you want as you're selecting colors and emblems for your ship.
To give the ship a fiery look, take some cotton balls, and paint them red and yellow. Glue these as flames on the guns and canons. This will make your ship seem as if it's in middle of a war. Be careful once you're done with your model as it is fragile and needs to be kept in a secure spot.

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