Hollow-hull construction is difficult and time-consuming and therefore avoided
by many model ship builders. This construction
method requires the artists to use heat to bend
narrow planks and nail/glue them one by one onto a
frame to form the accurate,
unique curves of the ship's hull. We hope that the
following photos will illustrate the technique well
enough for your comprehension.
Making the planks itself
is tough. The video
shows the lengthy process of making them (starting at 3:30.) Plank-on-frame
hulls are much more time-consuming than solid
hull carving but model ship experts still use
it because it is the foundation of a great
model.
The Ship Model Classification Guidelines of the Mystic
Seaport Museum in Mystic, Connecticut is specifically against
solid hull for large ships.
To
avoid the strenuous process of a plank-on-frame
construction, many carve ship hulls from wood
logs. After several years of experimenting, we
finally discovered a method in 2020 to make good
solid hull for small models. However, no
matter how hard we tried, the newfound method
doesn't work on large hulls. We pass the cost
saving for making a solid hull instead of a
plank-on-frame hull to your model.
Tip: to
make sure your model is of high quality, look to see if
a merchant offers any work-in-progress photos in his web
site. It's easy to claim a hull is made of exotic wood
such as mahogany but in reality, it's Gmelina.
Ask seller for pictorial proof.
