Building a model of SF36 ... Update It's Finished

[yorklyn]

Wow! Awsome Work!

[albergman]

I built this model for a friend who has this very boat (just bigger). I spent about 2 years on it but had long breaks where I worked on other models.

Everything is hand made in my little workshop using all kinds of scrap aluminum, stainless welding rod, black plastic from a welder's mask! and the hull was built up using off cuts from a neighbour's new deck. He was using this new synthetic wood and I found it great for shaping the hull.

There are a lot more pictures in Photobucket and you might be able to see them at ...

http://s1275.photobucket.com/user/alber ... t=4&page=1

Enjoy

Frank Smart

PS I'll never do another one so don't ask!!

[prowlersfish]

Fantastic work !

[The Dog House]

Amazing! It definitely looks like you put two years of work into it.

[kevinz]

I would love to have one built of my 350 exp!! Looks great.

[rossjo]

Nice?

Did you build it from scratch?

[albergman]

Thanks for all the complements. Now I just have to hope my buddy likes it when he finally sees it tonight!! Might be on EBay tomorrow.

Yes, it was built from scratch ... every last bit of it.

I couldn't find any proper drawings of the boat so I scoured the web for shots at good angles and converted them to line drawings (available if anyone wants to have a go). I spent a lot of time aboard Honey Bear taking hundreds of photos and measurements too. Took me a long time to get the hull correct as there's a lot of tricky shapes built into it.

Made all those 60 and 90 degree fittings that hold all the railings.

Somef pieces were turned on a little lathe using Exacto blade handles ... it's a fairly soft aluminum and made the air horns, seat supports and windlass.

Used silver solder to make the ladder to the bridge ... that was fun!!! Ordinary solder works but is too weak and blackens quickly.

Found that the dark plastic used in welders masks was perfect for the windows ... not too thick and dark enough you can't see the mess inside the hull.

Made all the decals (boat name, registration numbers etc) from photos and printed on decal paper.

Bowsprit and swim platform glued up from many thin strips of mahogany.

Anyway, you get the idea ... need to be creative when scratchbuilding. I've built a lot of model racing cars, Flying Scotsman loocomotive, several sailboats including our own Alberg 37 (below) ... yes I'm a sailor!!

Frank

[lawyerdave71]

WOW!!!!!!

The detail is IMPECCABLE!!!..

Great job!! I LOVE IT!!!

[Stripermann2]

I'm speechless! Very detailed...looks beautiful. Thanks for sharing your work!
But, I don't see a spray rail! The 36's had a spray rail...

[albergman]

Spray rail? Where would that have been?

Frank

[lawyerdave71]

Oh come on - we all know the spray rails are a pain in the butt to maintain!!!!!!!

[albergman]

OK, checked my collection of reference pictures and I see a strip at the stern and wraps slightly around the transom ... that it?

His boat doesn't have them. An early 70's model.

I just know you're now going to ask me "where's the little ladder on the swim platform?"

F

[lawyerdave71]

The subject of the awesome model does not have spray rails.

They would be on the port and starboard sides from stern forward above the black stripe.

[Stripermann2]

Right above boot stripe. Over the years, they bust up, crack or owners may have removed due to maintenance...?

[rossjo]

Very nice.

I would love a set of the line drawings. AutoCAD or whatever ... DXF?

Might use that as a base to make F32 drawings (in the winter).