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[tizdaz]

Hi guys,


What's a good solid way to put the waterline on the hull to mark where to mask etc.


My hull will be 3 colours so I'm going to need to put 2 waterlines, my hull is large (1/12 scale - 1.8m TID).


I know we can buy a tool for this but cheapest i found was around £40-50!! but I've heard of people making there own jigs that holds a pencil etc? any info much appreciated!




:)

[tonyH]

Re: "Envoy class HMRT Enigma" is a thread from Radiojoe in 2014, so if you do a search for it there's a photo of one he made.

[Umi_Ryuzuki]

Yes, make your own jig. 
 This one was made using the frame cut outs.

[tizdaz]

that looks simple enough! :) Thanks buddy

[Fred Ellis]

Squires Model & Craft tools used to do one http://www.squirestools.com/home.htm

[RST]

Hi,


The recent trend is to use a laser level or mini "dumpy" laser to mark a waterline though I've never seen a post how it works or the advantage over the simple "pencil" on a block method (I have such a laser which I used for work but can't see how to use it for models as it doesn't remove the need for marking up).  That said, on very large models maybe it's more practical to get a reference?


The old techniques used to be:

• Place in the bath and ballast correctly, sprinkle talc and let the water out.  As the WL should normally always be above to account for real-life, measure a uniform distance above when applying markings or masking
• Pencil (or whatever) on block and move it around, or the model on a flat base
• Just measuring offset from a  known point enough to string up a line of tape

...There's not much need to complicate it.  MK 1 eyeball Always applies when applying the line from front to aft and from side to side.  I used pencils on blocks for 30 years -I guess that's been used in a form for 300 years or more.


Since we can post .stl files now, if you feel a reluctance to tape or glue a pencil to a block, feel free to use my waterline marker if you know someone with a printer and I used it a couple of times absolutely OK.  It uses about 50p of materials (excluding a couple of M3 or M4 bolts and nuts plus the pencil!) but design time is obviously the expensive part so your price seems OK to me for a retail item, it does no better than a pencil on a wooden block as in the modelling books.  My laser level cost me £30 without batteries if you prefer that for a bigger hull, I've never tried to use it on a model.


...I know you're splitting posts up rather than following your build thread but please bear in mind your other question regarding painting sequence it's worth bearing in mind curvature of the parts and masking off also.  For a good result use thin tape (such as Tamiya) and pay attention whether it's best to mask upwards or downwards according to the curvature.  Where possible apply a thin or dry coat of the same base colour over the tape edge to seal it and let it try before applying the next colour.  This is basic model painting stuff you can check on youtube etc.


Hope it helps,


Rich

[RST]

Picture attachment won't work which is unusual but not the first time I've had this in the last few weeks for other reasons, the usual file compression methods won't reduce file size.  See if this works...

...Nope (bring back MS picture manager -it just worked!!!).

Hmm, try again (imported to powerpoint, re-saved as a .jpeg), bingo:

[tonyH]

I haven't seen it mentioned if you're going to make a "pencil holder" type but beware of gluing the pencil in place. You'll find that the stern can be a "b****r to mark unless the pencil is pointing uppishly(?), otherwise either it can either slip, or the pencil can stray off the intended line. Obviously, if the hull is upside down, the pencil will point downishly(?)

[tizdaz]

Hi,


The recent trend is to use a laser level or mini "dumpy" laser to mark a waterline though I've never seen a post how it works or the advantage over the simple "pencil" on a block method (I have such a laser which I used for work but can't see how to use it for models as it doesn't remove the need for marking up).  That said, on very large models maybe it's more practical to get a reference?


The old techniques used to be:

• Place in the bath and ballast correctly, sprinkle talc and let the water out.  As the WL should normally always be above to account for real-life, measure a uniform distance above when applying markings or masking
• Pencil (or whatever) on block and move it around, or the model on a flat base
• Just measuring offset from a  known point enough to string up a line of tape

...There's not much need to complicate it.  MK 1 eyeball Always applies when applying the line from front to aft and from side to side.  I used pencils on blocks for 30 years -I guess that's been used in a form for 300 years or more.


Since we can post .stl files now, if you feel a reluctance to tape or glue a pencil to a block, feel free to use my waterline marker if you know someone with a printer and I used it a couple of times absolutely OK.  It uses about 50p of materials (excluding a couple of M3 or M4 bolts and nuts plus the pencil!) but design time is obviously the expensive part so your price seems OK to me for a retail item, it does no better than a pencil on a wooden block as in the modelling books.  My laser level cost me £30 without batteries if you prefer that for a bigger hull, I've never tried to use it on a model.


...I know you're splitting posts up rather than following your build thread but please bear in mind your other question regarding painting sequence it's worth bearing in mind curvature of the parts and masking off also.  For a good result use thin tape (such as Tamiya) and pay attention whether it's best to mask upwards or downwards according to the curvature.  Where possible apply a thin or dry coat of the same base colour over the tape edge to seal it and let it try before applying the next colour.  This is basic model painting stuff you can check on youtube etc.


Hope it helps,


Rich

Hi Rich,


Yeh i have a laser level, but its not brilliant but that's probably because its a pretty cheap one i picked up few years ago! So im going to go down the route of using the pencil/holder as its pretty much fool proof, thanks for the tip regarding a thin layer of previous colour over the masking to seal it before next colour! ... I've never done this over the years when spraying my bodyshells, but then we spray them from the inside etc so its a different method, spraying boat hulls is a whole new ball game to me! The bath tub method is definitely a no go for me as i don't have a bath tub that size!


Regarding your device, what's the max height it can reach? as my 2 waterlines need to be around 10cm & 15cm?


Thanks buddy

I haven't seen it mentioned if you're going to make a "pencil holder" type but beware of gluing the pencil in place. You'll find that the stern can be a "b****r to mark unless the pencil is pointing uppishly(?), otherwise either it can either slip, or the pencil can stray off the intended line. Obviously, if the hull is upside down, the pencil will point downishly(?)

Thanks for heads up! ..yup i was wondering about this section as it does look like it maybe trial & error til i get it just right!!

[tonyH]

"Regarding your device, what's the max height it can reach? as my 2 waterlines need to be around 10cm & 15cm?"


It's all a matter of "wobble". Whether it's a laser line or a pencil on a stick it's got to stay stable along the length you're marking, so it doesn't matter whether it's wedged up or on a pile of books

[Peter57]

It might be worth looking at Cornwall Model Boats site. They advertise two markers at between £10-11. I bought an Amati marker which works fine.


Regards

[Charlie]

How do people do this? I was thinking of making some kind of height gauge, but any suggestions are most welcome

[dougal99]

I eventually bought an Amati tool do do the job but I have used wood blocks anf tins of the appropriate size. The tool is infinitely adjustable and saves me searcing hte workshop for something suitable.

[John W E]

hi there


I made a gauge up from scap pieces of plywood and use a pencil clamped to the gauge to mark the waterline.


Thing to remember is - mark your bow and stern heights correctly and make sure they are levelled off (check this on a flat surface) and then draw your line around the hull.


I have also, in the past, read where people have filled a bath full of cold water and then sprinkle talcum power on top of the surface of the water and then place the hull in the water so that it is at the correct depth and when removing the hull from the bath water, the talcum power leaves a line around the hull at the correct level.    I haven't tried this idea myself, but, there are also numerous more methods out there.


No doubt someone else will come on here with an ingenious one.


Here are a couple of pics.


1,   Of the gauge I made


2.   The hull which I have previously marked off with this gauge and masking tape - and - it is now ready to be painted.


John

[Colin Bishop]

John's method is simple,cheap and has always worked for me.

Colin

[Mike S]

I've actually used the 'talcum powder in the bath' method. It was a tip from the late, great Vic Smeed in a copy of Model Boats magazine way back in the last century. It is especially suitable for complex hull shapes, and produces a very accurate result. The only drawback being, of course, that you have to clean the bath before one's 'significant other' returns home!




Cheers,


Mike

[mrlownotes]

I use a self levelling laser level on a camera tripod by the side of the workbench.

1. Mark the waterline at either end of the hull.
2. Place short spirit level across the beam for port/starboard accuracy.
3. Adjust height of tripod/laser to line up with front and rear waterline marks.
4. Trace along laser line with soft pencil for an almost perfect result.

Obviously not the cheapest option, but I already had the laser in my household toolkit and the tripod for my photography.

[Charlie]

Thanks for the replies. It’s been so long since I did this that my mind just went blank! Tomorrow I will knock something up out of scrap wood.

[Umi_Ryuzuki]

Level the hull  on nice flat surface.
Then build yourself a T-stand and glue the pencil where you want it to meet your hull.
 
 
 

[Backerther]

Hi Charlie;
I post here my case of drawing a line of 1/96 HMS Fencer for your reference.To get the best result,the following procedures and sequence were carried out seriously and done successfully in one time.

1;I used a dining table as the working base after checking the surface.
2;I used this tool that I bought for RC planes,however, home-made tool will do sufficiently.
3/4;I set the hull seriously to get her horizontally and vertically sat using as many level gauges as I had and fixed her properly.
5;I measured the height.
6/7/8;Started to draw a line to the stern,and successfully met the line at the stern with a line of opposite side, nearly "just meet !! "


Wishing a very good result in your boat as well!!


Kiyo

[Charlie]

So i knocked this up this morning. This should do the job

[Geoff]

One thing to consider is that often waterlines are not flat but have a slight rise at the bow and stern - makes it even more fun!


Geoff

[Colin Bishop]

Yes Geoff is right that waterlines are not always quite level. A slight rise at the bow is common as otherwise you can get an optical illusion that it is curving downwards slightly as the hull narrows.

Colin

[John W E]

seek and ye shall find   I knew I had an image of my water line gauge in action


it actually comes from my build of the fishing vessel Frederick Spashett  - and here is a shot of her on the water.   If you notice how the water line isn't parallel to the keel and you will see this in the drawing.


Aye


John

[roycv]

Hi appreciate all the above, I love the talcum powder idea.  I use a coloured felt tip pen which only has to touch to leave a line.  I use the type that rub off afterwards with a damp cloth.
Regards
Roy