Ship Model Tools

Assembly is the fitting together of manufactured components into a complete structure. Some of the parts are provided with the ship model kit while others have to be assembled by the ship model builder in order to build the ship model. A number of assembly tools are available to the ship model builder that will aid in this endeavor as well as improve the efficiency of the build.

These tools are a must if you require small, intricate cuts for your ship model build. To drill a satisfactory hole in any material, the correct type of drill bit must be used and used correctly.

Precision cutting for model ships can be a trial if you don't have the right tool.

Sandpaper is a paper covered on one side with abrasive material (as sand) glued fast and used for smoothing and polishing. For heavy sanding and stripping, you need coarse sandpaper measuring 40- to 60-grit; for smoothing surfaces and removing small imperfections, choose 80- to 120-grit sandpaper. For finishing surfaces smoothly, use a super fine sandpaper with 360- to 600-grit.

Clamps are practically indispensable for ship modeling. Use them for holding small parts that are being adhered together or attach them to the end of the rigging line youâre working with-the weight will take the slack out and keep the line out of your way and tangle-free.

Regardless of the base of the paint (water or petroleum product), all paints will raise the grain of the wood. Therefore, you want to rub down the wood to as smooth a texture as you can achieve. 400 grit sandpaper or a sanding cloth or pad will do the job for you quite nicely. Use a 1" or so paint brush and a vacuum cleaner to get off all of the sanding dust. If you have a compressor, use it to blow out all the nooks and crannies. Canned air will also work. Lastly, rub down the surface about to be painted with alcohol on a lint-free cloth. Now, youÃre ready to start painting!

Most ship model kits come with two sets of planking for the hull, 1.5 or 2mm for the inner base layer and .5mm for the outer finish layer.

Base Layer The first layer of planking is used to give both structure and form to your model. Keep in mind that planks tend to creep up at the bow and fan out at the stern and that they are never tapered half their length. Some planks need to be twisted to compensate for the angle of the stern. Any ridges need to be filled with wood filler and sanded smooth. Start planking at the water line and move either up or down the hull alternating between port and starboard. When the first planking is complete, sand smooth to provide support for the finishing layer.

Finishing Layer Use the same technique as you did for the base layer. If you wish to install trenails, you can use the bulkheads as a guide to where the line of nails will go.

Use to hold small objects tight while grinding, drilling, filing, hammering, sanding, shaping etc.

Rigging model ships involves maneuvering string-like "lines" around other "lines" and tying knots in almost totally inaccessible places. Ship Modeler's Rigging tools makes rigging faster and easier.