Britain's bergship: A 1/350 scale HMS Habakkuk "ice" aircraft carrier.

[seadude]

It's been well over a year and still nothing more has been done on this model project.
I'm starting to get depressed about this project.
I don't know whether to try and continue it somehow or to just give up and throw in the towel so to speak. 
The following options:
1. I don't own a 3D printer and can't afford one.
2. I have no place in my small apartment to set up a 3D printing station.
3. Getting the main hull pieces made from a local plastics company was too expensive. I think I remember saying in past posts about $300-400 just for one hull piece.
4. I don't know of anybody in my area that does 3D printing.
5. Making the main hull pieces out of wood or other material is out of the question. I don't own any power tools and don't know of anybody who could help build the main hull pieces.

So what else is there? I want to continue this project. It's been a dream of mine to create a better, bigger, and more accurate representation of a Habakkuk vessel.
But I just don't know how I'm going to move forward.
For the last few days, I've just been getting down about this project.
I'm open to any questions, tips, suggestions, hints, techniques, and just plain "moral support" if anybody has any ideas on what, if anything, I should do about this project.

[Andrew Gorman]

 Extruded Polystyrene foam! Or rigid urethane foam.  An insulation material that is easily cut with a sharp knife or a home made hot wire cutter.  Sawing it will create  a lot of static cling dust, so avoid that. Stick it together with epoxy.  Rigid, stiff, has a smooth surface, Available in large sheets and it's inexpensive- here's a 10 second web search link:
https://www.dupont.ca/en/products/styrofoam-brand-sm30.html
Lots of how-to videos on modeling with the stuff on youtube. Used a lot by railroaders, wargamers and diorama builders. Get that Habakuk in commission!

[Rheged]

I concur with Andrew;  rigid foam is a possibility .

Much more importantly, whether or not you choose to proceed further, you have shown a true whiffmaster's imagination in even contemplating this great work  and for that you deserve considerable credit.  I am very impressed and offer bucketsful of moral support!

Have you considered, purely as an interim measure, building a 1/1200 scale Habakkuk  as a "proof of concept" sort of thing?  It would sit very comfortably with the new Airfix  "Sink the Bismarck"  set, or any number of other 1/1200 models .

Whatever you do decide to build next, remember that you have the full support of the whole Whiffworld community.

[seadude]

Extruded Polystyrene foam! Or rigid urethane foam.  An insulation material that is easily cut with a sharp knife or a home made hot wire cutter.  Sawing it will create  a lot of static cling dust, so avoid that. Stick it together with epoxy.  Rigid, stiff, has a smooth surface, Available in large sheets and it's inexpensive- here's a 10 second web search link:
https://www.dupont.ca/en/products/styrofoam-brand-sm30.html
Lots of how-to videos on modeling with the stuff on youtube. Used a lot by railroaders, wargamers and diorama builders. Get that Habakuk in commission!

And even "IF" I were to use that type of material, how well can plastic styrene sheet, rod, tube, strip, etc. and/or regular model parts be glued to that material? What glue would work best?

Have you considered, purely as an interim measure, building a 1/1200 scale Habakkuk  as a "proof of concept" sort of thing?  It would sit very comfortably with the new Airfix  "Sink the Bismarck"  set, or any number of other 1/1200 models .

I'm generally of the belief in the phrase "Go BIG or go home." as it were.
Building smaller just doesn't suit me. I want to build big as it allows me to show more details on a model. If I were to build smaller, I can't.
The only way I'll build smaller is if it was my very, very, very last resort. And I don't see me being at that point yet.
Below is a chart I made up long ago showing different sample sizes for a Habakkuk model.

[Andrew Gorman]

For glues, I haven't used this material much, but epoxy, wood glues, polyurethane glue, craft "tacky glue", and foam safe contact cements and spray adhesives seem to be popular.  Anything that won't eat the foam AND will make a good bond to the styrene sheet skin.  Once the styrene skin is on, whatever you usually use.

[Rick Lowe]

Is there anyone nearby that can laser-cut plywood or MDF?
Once you have the templates, the actual cutting is simple and construction is with wood/PVA glue.
Super accurate, and if you need more parts, the file is always there.

HTH

[seadude]

Is there anyone nearby that can laser-cut plywood or MDF?
Once you have the templates, the actual cutting is simple and construction is with wood/PVA glue.
Super accurate, and if you need more parts, the file is always there.

HTH

I only know of 1 person that does "laser engraving", not laser cutting. Not sure if that's the same thing or not? Anyway, he makes award plaques for model contests as a business. I doubt he'd be able to help as he gets a lot of business for awards.

[Rick Lowe]

I found these.
Commercial firms:

https://www.lasercuttinginc.us/laser-cutting/

http://www.madtownlaser.com/

And a Q/A on Farceplant:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/nerdygurdybuilders/posts/6982614955187054/

There are probably more, this was just from a Quick'n'Dirty search. 

HTH

[seadude]

Thanks for the links. I'll check them out more tomorrow. Maybe contact one or two later next week.
What I'd really like is for the main Habakkuk center hull section (minus the pointy ends) to be made of acrylic styrene sheet, similar like the Evergreen or Plastruct styrene plastic sheet stock found in hobby stores. I find working with acrylic styrene sheet to be easier than trying to work with wood or extruded foam. As for the pointy ends (Bow and stern) of the ship, I haven't quite determined yet if I will build those myself or if I will have a company or other person make those for me.
Anyway...........for now, I'm just doing more future research and trying to write a large document about everything I've learned about Project Habakkuk.

[Rick Lowe]

I agree plastic is easier to work with, but I'm not sure anyone will laser cut styrene: heat+plastic=lots of flame and smoke...
Would cladding the ply/mdf do the job? You could glue the ply onto the styrene (20 thou or so would do the job and be easy to trim), then cut it to shape once dry.

[Hobbes]

Yes, styrene can be lasercut. I've done this, using a laser cutting service in the Netherlands that offers this material.
In the US, e.g. SendCutSend offers a variety of plastics, though not polystyrene.

[seadude]

Or maybe I'll just wait till AIRFIX makes a 1/350 kit and I can modify it to my liking. 

[Rick Lowe]

Yes, styrene can be lasercut. I've done this, using a laser cutting service in the Netherlands that offers this material.
In the US, e.g. SendCutSend offers a variety of plastics, though not polystyrene.

Interesting, I did not know that.