All donations are securely managed through PayPal. Amounts donated are not published online.
Many thanks for your kind support.
Model Boats Website Team
Donation History
January 2019: 10 people December 2018: 6 people November 2018: 11 people October 2018: 9 people September 2018: 13 people August 2018: 5 people July 2018: 8 people June 2018: 8 people May 2018: 7 people April 2018: 23 people
Is there a way to build an adjustable base board that would suit boats of sizes 24" to 60" ( not sailing boats).
I have plenty of room to store it, but not sure how I go about building one. All suggestions gratefully received.
Hi Granpa, that's a 'skirting board' in UK! 😉 Colin means a Building board. Like your own model slipway. Though I'm not sure what is to be adjustable!? 😲 Cheers Doug 😎
Young at heart - slightly older in other places 😉 Cheers Doug
Thanks, Doug. I am sure with the volume of skilled builders in the U.K. and on this site, someone will be able to engineer a solution. But yes a better understanding of the design problem will help to find a solution. Perhaps a sketch...before and after. Pictures I always told my students save a thousand words.
Hi Doug, the building board I was thinking of needs to be usable for all types of boats from tugs to fast patrol boats in varying sizes, but also usable for repairs and renovation work. I saw something in my old job that would have been perfect, it was a 6' by 18" cast iron machine bed with t slots at 3" centres lengthwise. It was used for jigging the prototypes I had to build.
But where would I get something like it, I tried to make one from 25mm MDF but the t slots kept breaking away.
Any ideas.
Cheers Colin.
Hi Folks, I don't know if it would work, BUT Balsacraft used to market a building jig for aircraft that used "T" nuts on the reverse and sliding plastic brackets on the surface. Could that be modified for boats?
Colin - it's a difficult one as obviously it's a completely different matter working on a build compared with a completed boat i.e. you don't have anywhere to grip/attach to a completed hull etc.
I was looking at a building board/jig for my builds (over a smaller range compared with your builds i.e. 23" to 33") but decided in the end that it was better to just use a good thick MDF board and temporarily fix the keel and a temporary spine along the top of the frames to it.
But it sounds like you have already found what suits your needs but it needs making out of some stronger material? What about making it out of thick aluminium or even getting it cut out by an engineering company? Would be worth the cost if you are going to get a lot of use out of it?
Have explored having it made, but cheapest quote was £300+ vat. That was just for the base board/ table.
And as I'm a pensioner way out of my reach.
I was hoping to make it myself, I have most tools that would enable a self build. Lathe, Mill, Routers, band saw, jigsaw, bench drill, plus all the usual hand tools and air tools.
Cheers Colin.
what about using a work mate ,they are very adjustable with the plastic peg things ,you could fit longer boards to still allow for width opening if the boards were drilled to take the pegs then custom pegs or brackets cut to suit the hull shape could be fitted ,if i get a minute i will do a drawing /rough sketch a.Cheers Marky
Hi Marky. That sounds interesting, I have a couple of them laying in the back of shed. Rough sketch might get my brain going again, I was used to working with ideas on sketches when I was a prototype engineer. I think I just need stimulating. Cheers Colin.
quick sketch for build boards that can either clamp or screw to work mate ,holes to take workmate pegs or custom built holders to suit hull shape ,boards can be of any length and width with holes whatever spacing desired don't know how well the sketch will show up . Cheers Marky👍
Thanks Marky, that is exactly the idea I needed, its obvious really, with the shaped grips it's perfect for my restorations and repairs. Very grateful.
Cheers Colin.
My benches aren't actually workmates but just as good, one has 90degree tilting surfaces. I've got some 18mm plywood that will do to make the main boards, and I've also found a box of 100--m5 anchor inserts for wood. So will have to start sorting through my stockpile for other goodies to use.
You sure got my thinking processes started, will let you all know how I get on.
Cheers Colin.
The sketch from Marky started me thinking.Looks like I'm going to build one.That will work on the regular workmate and the table top one too.Could do a couple of sizes of board depending on the size of the boats.
29th Dec 2017 20:52
