Notes on model making
I am not a model maker... don't really have the patience and my fingers seem to be too big... but I have done it... a long, long time ago in a galaxy far, far away...
Mr. Hurd's description is similar to what we do to make mock-ups of hulls. However, when I made my model, I did it the same way as I would build the full size boat. Like Mr. Hurd, I used the plan drawings as patterns. I made my model 1" to the foot scale (same as the plans.. I had an electric outboard that was 1' = 1' scale). Today, with the new copy machines, if you want a different scale, you can use a copy machine to copy the drawings to a larger size. This would require multiplying all longitudinal and other dimensions by the same percentage.
The drawings shown on this page are from the Stiletto plans (1" = 1'). The drawings above are of Frames 3 and 4 from Plansheet 4 of 4.
I traced the drawings above onto balsa wood with carbon paper and cut them out. The next step was to make the building form and set up the frames per the Building Form drawing on the plans.
From this point, I used the instructions and plans to install longitudinals. These were "faired" using sandpaper, then the balsa planking was glued to the hull. The resulting model looked like the real thing and because you use the construction methods detailed on the plans, it is a great way to get experience before building the full size boat. Some of the smallest plans and the stitch and glue designs do not have 1" = 1' drawings, and a few use a 1 1/2" to the foot scale. If you wish to build a model from a set of our plans, check first to make sure the necessary drawings are included. Plans and instructions (without patterns) can be purchased for half the plans and pattern price on most designs. A few plans are included on the pattern sheet and are not available separately. ...brw