Metal Hull Making

[sunworksco]

I am getting ready to build a hull out of metal sheet.
Anyone else making a boat out of metal sheet?
Giovanni

[ancoaster78]

Hi Giovanni,

Very much hoping too soon. Have a couple of other projects to finish first, but have started research for construction techniques to build from metal my next scratch build.  Tin plating on brass frames.

Not yet sure if it will be possible, the weights etc, but the idea is in motion, a pile of tinplate and bigger soldering iron already purchased for the practising, might have a go at building a tug hull out of metal first, to practise, as I did when learnign to build a wooden hull, see how that goes, weigh it etc to calculate if it will work on the paddle steamer....

How far have you got? very keen to learn/share any thoughts!

Cheers,

Andrew 

[andy]

Hi,
I made some models of brass plates. But first one with a frame was too heavy, so I changed to a construction ovr a gipsen model of the hull. Brass thickness 0,3mm half hard or soft (rear end of the ship). Plates fitted with nails (wide head) onto the gipsen model and then soldered together with tin.
Here a look to my little steamer SCHONDORF. Only 5,5kg including engine and boiler.


http://picasaweb.google.com/a.heene/ModellDampferSCHONDORF02#

Andy

[R.G.Y.]

 I have met a man of the cloth, ( don't know what persuasion) at several shows with hulls constructed from aluminium. He used special welding rods. I think the rods are expensive but went a long way. All his models where successful.

[Barry]

The book 'Scale model warships' edited by John Bowen has a detailed chapter on building a tinplate warship hull. It was printed in 1978 by Conway Maritime Press Ltd. and by Mayflower Books Inc in the USA. ISBN 08317770208

[sunworksco]

It is much easier to build with 316L stainless-steel  sheet. It is very malleable, soft/hard solders easly and silver solder matches the s-s color. It solders very well to copper or 260 brass metals. I use silver soldering paste that comes in a syringe, making clean-up a breeze. I use 316L s-s where the marine vessel is prone to abuse because the 316L s-s is more durable. It has 10 times more tinsel strength than copper or 260 brass, so it can be lighter gauge than tin or brass sheet. You can also glass bead-blast the s-s surface after soldering to give a satin finish for chemical-staining a colored finish.
I just bought a brilliant torch set-up for hard silver soldering with the accuracy of a laser.
It is made by MiniFlam and uses non-hazardous highly filtered oxygen and propane/butane bottles.
The bottles are not banned from normal parcel shipping or use in public spaces. They can be permissively operated at show exhibits.
The torch tip and handle are small and pencil-like with the mixing valves located at the bottles, so no obstructions when using the torch.
I'm building a USS Holland submarine and also my avatar in 260 brass/316L stainless-steel sheet.
Thanks,
Giovanni