1/96 Scale Uss Iowa-Class Battleship

[Razgriz]

Hey Ya'll, remember me? I'm the guy who always started projects and never finished them!



Well, I be back now, and I have another project on my hands. The only difference between this project and my armor project is this is a model ship. I actually have had success in completing model ships (3' Fletcher class destroyer and a 1/96 scale, 4'6" Glover class frigate), but each of those were kits. My current ship, a 1/96 scale (112") Iowa class battleship (the definition of kick-ass), is being scratch built and I have some interesting ideas for it.



http://s13.photobucket.com/albums/a266/magicalbeans333/?action=view&current=DSCN1053.jpg



From the start of this build, I've planned on molding and casting the hull to make duplicates. Originally, I was going to do plank on timber construction (as you can sort of see), but I have since thought of something else.



In tradition of my obsession with self-expanding foam, I was thinking the following: What if I filled the area between each rib with self expanding foam, cut and sanded down the excess, then spray it with a protective coat of some sort while I make the mold to stop the foam from dissolving?



http://s13.photobuck...nt=DSCN1055.jpg



The area between these ribs would be filled with the foam. After putting some sort of protective coat over the foam (be it a THIN layer of bondo or some sort of safe spray that will not dissolve the foam), I'd mold and cast it like a piece of armor.



Sound like a plan, or am I just crazy?

 

[Dark Fang]

i liek your idea but i think making foam skeleton and making a the skin out of styrene will work better

 

[SPARTAN II]

Hey Raz! Long time, no see



I gotta say, dude... that's awesome! Will make for a helluva imposing, large-scale model (I'm big on scale, no pun intended, lol)



Personally, I think your plan for filling in the spaces between the ribs, carving it to shape and sealing it with a protective coat for molding/casting is a good idea.



If I may make a suggestion, for the molding/casting process... since you'd mentioned wanting to mold/cast it like a piece of armour, perhaps you should make the castings out of fiberglass?



It would be a lot lighter, and more durable, that way. Just a suggestion, anyway :cool

 

[Razgriz]

Hey Raz! Long time, no see



I gotta say, dude... that's awesome! Will make for a helluva imposing, large-scale model (I'm big on scale, no pun intended, lol)



Personally, I think your plan for filling in the spaces between the ribs, carving it to shape and sealing it with a protective coat for molding/casting is a good idea.



If I may make a suggestion, for the molding/casting process... since you'd mentioned wanting to mold/cast it like a piece of armour, perhaps you should make the castings out of fiberglass?



It would be a lot lighter, and more durable, that way. Just a suggestion, anyway :cool

Heh, right right (And thanks for the welcome back )



Yeah, I was thinking I'd use a THIN layer of casting resin, then re-enforce with fiberglass resin+cloth. The casting resin would be for the shape and the fiberglass would be for the strength.