Prefabricated models of ships made of wood with their own hands. Description of work, drawings

Some people have a strange, but very remarkable and colorful hobby. It is called assembling ship models from wood. What does it take to make such a beautiful thing. It is not so easy to create a model from a tree. From this article you will learn how to create from wood with your own hands. And we will also make a short digression into history.

Francis Drake

Many history buffs know the name "Iron Pirate" England was his homeland. He became the captain of a sailing ship at only the age of 16. At first he was a ship's priest, and then a simple sailor. But his fame really thundered when he became a brave and very formidable pirate. In the 16th century, he made quite a few voyages and took part in a considerable number of battles.

Golden Doe

At the dawn of fate, several sailing ships arrived at his property. His main flagship was the Pelican. This ship was a five-deck three-masted ship. On board there were 20 artillery weapons. All sorts of maritime stories rarely tell us that a ship that already has a name can be renamed, but it was with the "Pelican" that such a story happened by the will of fate. In 1578, Francis Drake changed the name of this ship to "Golden Hind" (in Russian, this name sounds like "Golden Doe"). It was under this second that it was inscribed in sparkling golden letters in the world history of navigators. Francis Drake did quite a few dizzying deeds on it, which were later told in history and adventure books.

It is such wonderful ships that make many people assemble ship models from wood with their own hands. Drawings of many such structures can often be found on the Internet. So, inspired by the ancient history of navigation, we will learn from this article information on how to do something similar.

Do-it-yourself wooden ship model: from the beginning to rainbow horizons

In fact, the history of modeling consists of several stages. Moreover, each of these stages is associated with several features. A fan of miniature shipbuilding may need to be able to modify the available materials. It is also important to expand the choice of modeling objects. After it develops enough, then it can have mass production of models. The next step will be the development of poster exhibition modeling from those sets that he already has. Subsequently, you can develop to the formation of individual segments. It can be anything - from ship models and in the flesh to copies of individual motorcycles, trucks, as well as all sorts of other cars.

Do-it-yourself wooden ship models: drawings, instructions, tools

So, well, let's start creating such a ship. Carving prefabricated ship models from wood is not an easy task. You will need many tools for this. Among them are: a knife, a chisel, a hammer, a bar (and, if necessary, a saw), a thin cloth, superglue, a long wooden spire, a rope, a drill. In addition, you will need two more very important parameters. Firstly, it is time, and secondly, an important quality of those people who are engaged in creating prefabricated models of ships from wood is patience.

carving of a ship from wood

First you have to work with a chisel. You have to file everything and remove the old bolts that have a flat head. It won't take you much time - just two minutes. In these two minutes, the pre-finished block will later become a boat. Now you need to clear the bar. You should carefully scrape off the bark. Hold the bar itself directly towards the tool. Let's take the standard design as an example for our small ship models, which we will build according to the principle below. Take a pencil and sketch a preliminary sketch on the bar. Following this, process the bar with a sharp knife. The tilt of the blade itself should be at an angle of approximately 10 degrees. When planing, keep in mind that this is not the easiest job, so be patient. You should not forget that if for any reason you make a mistake, then it will be quite difficult to correct everything. Remove the chips layer by layer, while you should try and process the original bar as smoothly as possible. It is important that the top and bottom should be parallel.

Please note that you do not have to throw out the chips at all. The fact is that, in principle, it can be used as an additional material as a mulch.

Carving of the front and sides of the ship

Well, now we need to draw the front, bottom, as well as the back. We will cut them out in exactly the same way as above. It is necessary to make these parts even. In order for you to get the bow of the ship, you will have to saw off a piece from the front. Following this, you must round the saw cut with a knife. When you make the nose, try to tilt the knife blade itself back. It should be directed towards the stern.

Drilling holes and subsequent installation of equipment

You should have several spiers. Therefore, drill a number of holes, they should be slightly larger than the beams themselves. It is important that there are not too many holes. Otherwise, you may develop a crack. And because of the crack, as you know, a severe disaster can occur - go to the leak. Do not use glue! If you do this, then further work will be much more difficult.

Setting the sails on the model

Decide, for starters, exactly how many panels you want to get on your final vessel. Let us take as a condition that we will have four panels for the first mast and the second, and three for the last. Following this, take a few wooden spiers and cut them. Cut the fabric into a trapezoid shape. Then start gluing them. Make notches on the branches of the sails, fasten each branch with a corresponding notch. Then glue the middle of the edges to the sails. Repeat the same for all masts. It is best if you build the rear mast first, then the middle one, and then the bow one.

Now let's install the upper flying sail. Cut out a kite shape from the fabric. Take the thread and attach it to the opposite corner of the cloth. Leave ends on either side for all corners. Glue a small piece of thread exactly on the top of the boat. It should be slightly higher than the bow of the boat itself. From the opposite corner, measure up to the middle of the lower branch of the sail on the forward mast. Then cut off the very thread that you measured and glue the tip to the appropriate place.

On each side, you should leave a few threads. Pull them back and glue them straight inside the boat. Then you can cut off the excess rope. Create and attach the back panel in the same way. It must be attached to the back of the rear sail. Measure, cut, and make sure it fits over the two lugs. Then glue them on the corners.

Well, now you have learned how to make the simplest ship models out of wood. And although everything in this article is described only in general terms, we hope that it will help you in your future career as a "shipbuilder". Unless, of course, you are interested in it. Trust me, it's worth it!

To the 28-gun frigate Shtandart.
(Archival reconstruction of the original draft of the work of the historian Viktor Krainyukov)
On the modern reconstruction of the frigate, there are no railings and balustrades shown on the drawing on the quarter-deck and poop bulwarks.
Material from the site Sailboats

Drawings and diagrams

The drawings, according to which the modern version of the frigate was recreated, are the property of the authors and have not yet been published anywhere in open sources.
Therefore, in addition to the above drawing, the following were used in the construction of the model:
1. Scheme of sailing armament of a ship practically identical in this respect to the "Standart", with recalculation of the dimensions of the sails in accordance with the difference in the dimensions of the hull of both ships.

2. Drawing of the hull structurally and in size of a similar frigate "Peter and Pavel", built in Holland in 1697 with the direct participation of Peter I during his famous "Great Embassy" to Europe.




3. Schemes of the hull of the modern version of the frigate, provided by the site Project "Standart" ,

4. calculated according to the book by K.Kh. Marquardt spars, rigging and sails of ships of the 18th century.
5. Photos taken on board the modern version of the frigate, taken from the site

We offer to glue one of the light models paper sailboat. Creating a three-masted sailboat will be an interesting activity for you for several hours.

The level of complexity of the model is average, however, even a beginner can glue it together. The main thing is to carefully read the instructions and, in order not to get confused, glue the parts sequentially.

  • You can use both black-and-white and color printers to print sailboat detail diagrams. It won't really affect the look. In which case, you can paint the sailboat with pencils.
  • Schemes can be printed on thin cardboard or a sheet of whatman paper. However, if you decide to print the diagrams on photo paper, then your sailboat will be able to swim in the water for a while, and then, of course, become limp.
  • Use sharp cutting tools, scissors, or a utility knife to cut out the pieces. Then the parts will have smooth and neat edges.
  • To create rounded parts, use a pen or pencil by wrapping a paper part around them and giving it a rounded shape.
  • Make the masts of the sailboat from paper tubes created from paper wrapped around a pencil.
  • When making folds of parts, use a drawing ruler and a sharp sticker. Place the ruler along the fold line, draw the sticker along it so that the indented line remains and bend it.
  • You need to cut and glue the parts sequentially, this will allow you not to get confused in the manufacture of a sailboat.
  • When gluing parts, try to use a moderate amount of glue.
  • Use paper towels to dry your hands while gluing, otherwise dirty finger marks may appear on clean paper.

Schemes of details of a paper sailboat

Paper sailboat - parts diagram No. 1

Paper sailboat - parts diagram No. 2

Paper sailboat - parts diagram No. 3

Paper sailboat - parts diagram No. 4

To make it easier to glue a paper sailboat, we suggest downloading the instructions

For lovers of modeling, sheets of pressed and glued wood veneer have always been one of the most sought-after materials. They are easy to cut, perfectly processed, drawings of ships made of plywood are easy to find on the net, and therefore many craftsmen begin their acquaintance with the modeling of various ships with plywood patterns.


Making models with your own hands is a very difficult task, requiring a significant amount of knowledge and a certain skill. In the article we will talk only about the most basic techniques, and you will hone your further skills yourself.

Work materials

If you want to make a small ship model, you will need the following materials:

  • Wood - cedar, linden, walnut or other wood, preferably soft and not fibrous. Wood blanks should be smooth, without knots and damage. Wood can be used both as a material for the main elements of the model (hull, deck), and for fine detailing.
  • Plywood is perhaps the most sought after material.. For ship modeling, either balsa or birch is used, since it is these types of wood that provide the minimum number of chips when sawing. Model ship plywood, as a rule, has a thickness of 0.8 to 2 mm.

Note! Sheets of beech veneer of small thickness are sometimes used as an alternative to birch veneer: although they are inferior in strength, they bend much more easily.

  • Veneer - thin plates of natural wood of expensive species. As a rule, it is used for veneering, i.e. pasting of a surface from inexpensive material.
  • Fasteners - thin chains, laces, threads, brass and copper studs.

In addition, we will definitely need wood glue, cardboard and tracing paper for transferring templates, etc. Fine detailing is made of metal casting. As an alternative to metal, colored polymer clay can be used.

Making a souvenir boat

Preparation for work

Any work begins with preparation, and modeling will by no means be an exception.

  • First we need to decide what we will build. If you have not dealt with ship modeling art before, then we recommend downloading plywood ship drawings on the net: as a rule, they contain all the necessary information and are understandable even to a beginner.

Note! Kits are available for sale that allow you to assemble a vessel from finished parts. For beginners, such kits will be interesting (although the price of most of them is very significant), but it’s better to master the technology from the basics.

  • After analyzing the drawing, we check whether everything you need is available. In principle, if something is missing, then it will be possible to buy it a little later, because building a ship (albeit a miniature one) is not a quick job!

  • After printing the drawing, we make templates for the main parts.
  • Transferring templates to .

Cutting and assembling parts

You can cut blanks both with the help of a manual and with the help of an electric model jigsaw.

The latter is more expensive, but with it you are less tormented when cutting out small details:

  • We make a starting hole in the plywood sheet, into which we insert a file or a jigsaw blade.
  • We cut out the part, trying to move exactly along the marked contour.
  • We process the sawn workpiece with a file, removing small chamfers along the edges and removing the inevitable chips and burrs.

Advice! Working on one element (deck, sides, keel, etc.), we immediately cut out all the parts necessary for assembly. So we will spend much less time, and the work will move faster.


When everything is ready, we start assembling our ship.


  • First, on the longitudinal beam - the keel - we put on the transverse frames. In the lower part of each frame, a groove is usually provided for fastening to a plywood keel.
  • For connection, you can use standard glue, or you can use special glue mixtures designed for ship modeling.
  • We attach the upper parts of the frames to the deck. For simple models, the deck is a single sheet of plywood, while for complex ones it can be multi-level.
  • After the glue on the frames dries, we begin to sheathe the sides with thin strips of plywood. The thickness of the material should be no more than 1.5 mm, because only in this case we will be able to bend the skin without the risk of damaging it.
  • For bending can be heated and humidified. After that, the material will bend without difficulty, and over time it will acquire a stable shape.

Note! The case for painting can be pasted over with a solid sheet. But to imitate plank sheathing, it is better to use strips up to 10 mm wide (depending on the scale).


  • We fix the glued plywood with clamps and clamps and leave to dry.

Finishing

By and large, this is where carpentry ends and art begins.

When the case is assembled and dried, we need:

  • Make from thin plywood and fix deck superstructures.

  • Increase the sides so that they protrude above the deck plane.
  • Paste the deck surface with wood veneer or draw it with an awl, imitating plank sheathing.
  • Make and install all the small parts like the steering wheel and steering blade.
  • Fix the masts with all additional devices (the so-called spars), set the sails and stretch this entire structure with the help of rigging threads.

In conclusion, all plywood parts must be stained and varnished. This will provide our souvenir with at least a couple of decades of safety.

Conclusion


Almost everyone can make a simple boat out of plywood with their own hands - enough patience and minimal skills in working with a jigsaw (read also the article). But if you want to implement a complex drawing with many small details, then you will have to work hard. That's why we advise you to start with the simplest models, gradually increasing your skills!

In the presented video in this article you will find additional information on this topic.

Similar content

In modeling, plywood is the most popular material. This is due to high quality indicators, as well as ease of operation. Plywood sheets are very easy to cut, quite simply processed. Using a suitable scheme (drawing), you can make ships out of plywood with your own hands.

Plywood is a versatile material that can be easily cut and processed in various ways, so it is recommended to start your acquaintance with modeling with plywood patterns.

Building a ship on your own is quite an interesting activity. But in order to start performing complex models, you need to practice on easier ones.

Materials and tools

To create stucco patterns on board the ship, you need to prepare a composition yourself, from which reliefs can be formed. For the solution, it is necessary to prepare the following tools and materials:

  • wood dust;
  • PVA glue (on average, one ship model can take about half a liter of glue);
  • plasticine to create small irregularities and patterns;

Materials and tools that are used during ship modeling:

Birch plywood will ensure a minimum number of chips when sawing.

  • plywood of the required thickness;
  • Super glue;
  • sandpaper for surface treatment;
  • kapron thread;
  • jigsaw for cutting parts;
  • construction knife;
  • mast wood. It is better to use pine, as it is much easier to process;
  • dye;
  • small brushes;
  • Chinese sticks;
  • fabric for sails;
  • a thread;
  • pencil ruler.

Modeling wood should be soft, not fibrous. The most popular option is cedar, linden, walnut. All wooden blanks must be perfectly smooth, without knots and damage. It can be used as an additional element to create decorative pieces. Also, wood can be used to create the main elements of the model, such as the deck, hull.

Plywood in modeling is the most demanded material. In such a direction as modeling, birch or balsa plywood is most often used. This is due to the fact that these types of wood practically do not give chips during sawing. To make a boat out of plywood, you need to use sheets with a thickness of 0.8-2 mm.

A simple diagram of a plywood ship model.

Veneer is a sheet material, very thin, made of precious wood. In most cases, veneer is used as a facing material. They paste over products that are made of inexpensive material.

Fasteners will perform not only the main task of fastening parts, but also perform a decorative role. To create a boat model, you need to prepare thin chains (several sizes can be used), laces, threads, copper or brass studs. In order to transfer the drawing from sheet to plywood, it is best to use tracing paper and a pencil. So the drawing will turn out detailed. Glue must be used to fasten the plywood parts. Fine detailing can be made by metal casting, using polymer clay, or independently preparing a solution from wood dust and PVA glue. After complete drying, such a mass is very durable, and it can be painted in the desired color.

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Preparatory work

If you are modeling a plywood ship for the first time, it is recommended to purchase kits in which all the details are already cut and processed. But its cost can sometimes be quite high. Therefore, with great desire and diligence, experience can be gained in the process of assembling your ship. Modeling, like any other type of work, necessarily begins with the preparatory stage. The first thing to start with is what kind of ship will be modeled. To begin with, it is worth looking at various drawings and finished works, this will greatly facilitate the choice of model.

Having studied the drawing completely, it is worth checking the availability of all the necessary materials and tools to complete the work. Modeling ships is a jewelry business. It takes a lot of time and perseverance.

At the preparatory stage, it is necessary to make paper or cardboard templates for all the details. After that, they are all transferred to plywood. At this preparatory stage of work can be considered completed.

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Parts manufacturing

In order to make all the details, cut them out of a plywood sheet, you must use the appropriate tool. You can use a manual jigsaw for work, but if possible, it is better to use an electric model version. Using the second option will significantly reduce the time to manufacture all the elements. This is especially true for the smallest details.

Sawn blanks are processed with a file, removing chips and burrs.

In order to cut the part, a hole is made in the plywood into which the jigsaw file is located. It is worth cutting out all the details very carefully, while observing all the contour boundaries, since inaccurately cut details can then spoil the appearance of the entire ship. Each sawn workpiece must be processed with a file from the ends. In the process of such cleaning, it is necessary to remove a small part of the chamfer where chips and burrs have formed. When cutting, this moment cannot be avoided.

It is necessary to assemble the ship when all the details are cut out and the ends are processed. This will allow you to do assembly work without being distracted by cutting out the missing parts.

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