Model Boat Building as an Activity Workshop

[Alex BeardParticipant @alexbeard43203]

[Alex BeardParticipant @alexbeard43203]

Hi All, I wonder if you would be able to give me some advise. I work in a local museum and we are going to have a small exhibition on boat building in the local area in a few months time. To tie in to this, we thought it would be fun to run a model boat building workshop. Members of the public could come and see the exhibition and build a model boat. Could you advise an easy / inexpensive kit that novices would be able to assemble in an hour or so? Or even better any examples of an expert leading such a workshop. We are in the greater London area. Any advice would be very much appreciated. Thanks, Alex

[Dodgy Geezer 1Participant @dodgygeezer1]

If you have only an hour (including glue drying?) you are best off with a little block catamaran like this:

This is basically made with balsa, sandpaper and glue, so is quite safe.  And cheap…

If you want something more sophisticated, here is a site which has free plans for starter model boats… **LINK**

 

Oh, and where are you in London?  South, North…

Edited By Dodgy Geezer on 13/01/2017 17:59:58

Edited By Dodgy Geezer on 13/01/2017 18:01:49

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

I wonder if Airfix would sponsor such an activity, and supply some HMS Victory kits (the small ones that is!!!) ?

A quick `net surf has shown that redtedart.com/boat-craft-ideas has a few good things….rubber band powered paddle boats from margarine containers and so on.

inspirationlaboritories.com also has a good range of easy boats.

​Thinking of the victory, small "Victories" could be easily made from a balsa block (or something else, Styrofoam) with BBQ skewers as masts and paper sails…sides detailed with felt pens.

Wooden Date boxes used to be a favourite but alas they are all plastic packed now!!

What age range are we thinking of here?? (as where is the event)

​Ashley

[Alex BeardParticipant @alexbeard43203]

Hi Ashley and Dodgy Geezer,

Thank you for your kind replies. We are in Kingston in South West London. It will be adults of all ages I think.
Great, suggestions I will have to have a think about what would work best.

Long shot but if there's any volenteers to help run the workshop we are all ears.

Alex

[David Marks 2Participant @davidmarks2]

If you want to be very basic there is always the Blue Peter approach. Two empty plastic bottles strapped together with tape. For the motor……one of those hand held, battery powered fans from the Pound Shop. Extras such as a rudder from plastic cartons such as margarine tubs. More for children but possibly an idea.

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

Alex. I am in Molesey, PM me. Ashley

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

Have been PM`d, and awaiting a chat and poss visit to see the boat shed, not that any of them are an hours job, but a squint at the various types of boat may be useful, as would be a discussion over materials, all of which will be loafing in the shed. Unfortunately the BEST material will not be suitable as it needs a big saw to cut it up…….

​The brief as stated is quite broad, and although there appears to be a small budget, it is amazing just how much you have to spend on a "cheap" boat.

​For instance… making something at home uses materials that happen to be on hand, such as glue, tape, cutty things, sticks, balsa/foam/polystyrene plates…..etc.

​As soon as you say….I want to build 10 cheap boats, the costs suddenly escalate. Consider also that you might be doing the activity at a scout hut (for instance), and EVERYTHING you need has to be purchased, and just two tubes of glue may be a fiver… Sticky tape, paper, polystyrene all have to be bought…..also for an hours project, the simple boats are just too easy, and how long does the glue take to dry for several gluing operations?? What about decoration….felt pens and paint all add up.

Obviously there has to be the right vessel out there but its tricky.

​I think the boat to be built hinges on what the activity wishes to achieve…just a bit of fun, or an appreciation of why boats work, and how….why a yacht needs a keel and so on.

​Funny enough, a common line of conversation opened up when Trevor was round the other day…all the odd small and unmarked motors in my motor box. Why do we keep them?? well…it seems that just such an occasion may have presented itself, AND I have a big bunch of push-on props I will never use, all of which could be donated to the event. AA battery holders WITH on/off switches (I did not know they existed!) are cheap enough on e-bay…..propulsion sorted out.

​I dare say Molesey refrigeration centre has any amount of expanded polystyrene from the packing that appliances come in, easy enough to cut to useable size on the bandsaw. Possibly just a couple of balsa packs and 5 min Wilkinson's epoxy needs to be bought to furnish 10 or so boats??

​Ashley

[Dodgy Geezer 1Participant @dodgygeezer1]

Hmmm… of course, buying the material to make 10 boats soon adds up…..

I wondered how much it would cost to do 10 of the little catamarans I illustrated above. Looking on Ebay, I found that you could get big balsa blocks for £7.70, which would make 9 half-hulls – so 4 would make 9 cats… costing:

 

Balsa Block 30.80 (4 x 7.70)

Balsa Sheet – 10.99

Ply – 1.50

dowel mast – 8.99

glue – 5.69

tape – 0.99

Paint – 3.89

sail plastic bag – free

 

Sorry about the strange links – this web site seems to have a few glitches… 

I make that £61.45 – though since it's all from ebay with postage included, you could drop the price a lot by going to a pound shop, or getting donations in kind. perhaps down to £45. Making one of those cats will take around an hour if you use contact adhesive – maybe 1 1/2 hours if you want the paint to dry.

That would be £5 per boat in materials…. perhaps I'll put a few together for the local fair in the spring…

 

 

Edited By Dodgy Geezer on 30/01/2017 17:35:40

Edited By Dodgy Geezer on 30/01/2017 17:36:37

[mike farrellParticipant @mikefarrell21522]

Hi Alex ,I wonder if any of your acquaintances have access to a computer with knowledge to raise a (Giving Page ) . With some self help I think you could get a lot of donations .

Some of these might get you a start to a great project .I for one donate to it .Will watch where this will take you

Good luck Michael

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

It is a right minefield. There are loads of avenues to go down regarding what to do.

​For instance a 1200×2400 (4×8) sheet of Wickes 25mm polystyrene sheet is only £8, which is a lot of boats.
BUT polystyrene demands a certain type of glue (one which wont melt it).

​​Ashley

[Bob WilsonParticipant @bobwilson59101]

I would forget all about kits – that introduces cost immediately! Depends what you want to build, a static model or something that moves. If you want something that moves, I would suggest a "Pop-Pop" boat that can be made out of bits of rubbish or even card. There are loads of instructions on U Tube on how to produce a number of designs, and they are as "easy as pie" to make. Here is a link: **LINK**

Sadly, one often comes across the "I could never do that" brigade, but these little projects are real easy and fun as well.

Bob

[Ray Wood 3Participant @raywood3]

Hi Bob

You are surely aware this clip should carry a Government Health Warning ? or is it a spoof Elastoplast commercial ? I particularly like the drilling of the hole in the circular lid for the pipe where is gets away and he is lucky not to get his fingers slashed. My grandson and I regularly make semi lethal weapons as featured on these type of youtube clips I'm not sure its really educational. He has made a fine circular saw with a 400 size motor and a serated beer bottle top (that was fun ) Using a sardine tin to make a tock tock boat is not really the way to promote our hobby to anybody ?

Best Regards Ray

[Bob WilsonParticipant @bobwilson59101]

Ray

You are quite correct, of course! It is probably far too dangerous for a 21st century young adult to undertake! But I was looking at it from my own 1944 vintage where I was doing things like this when I was 7! Different era

In fact, the whole world of Model Boating (Or in my case, Model Shipbuilding), is probably far too dangeous, as it involves knives, saws, drills, hammers, pliers, scissors, snippers, toxic glues, electricity, steam, high speed propellers etc etc.

I will try and think up something a bit safer for the!

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

There are indeed lots of things to think about. Pitching a project at just the right level is an art and as I said, I need to speak to the man to get some goalposts (to use a horrible corporate term).

However, I like the pop pop video and might just make one myself!

Ashley

[Bob WilsonParticipant @bobwilson59101]

Well, there are plenty of design to choose from, and they are all good fun. Let us know how things go!

In the meantime, I will try to think up something a bit safer!

Bob

[Ray Wood 3Participant @raywood3]

Hi Ashley

Airfix do I know produce the series 1 aeroplane kits in a bag of bits with instruction & transfers minus the box etc at a nominal cost for schools and events they sponsor like the War & Peace show down here in Kent, they may be willing to do the same some of there small ship kits, Its always good publicity for them

Regards Ray

[Bob WilsonParticipant @bobwilson59101]

Something like this is very simple and doesn't cost much as it is made from bits of scrap wood. The rigging is just short lengths of wire glued on, so no knots! Most people could make something like this without much trouble, but then again, most people would take the attitude "I could never do that!

Bob

[Byron Rees…(Ron)Participant @byronrees-ron]

One of the projects I set for my 14 year old pupils in the summer term was a One Hour build a boat using all recycled materials. We had a swimming pool at the school but a paddling pool with a few inches of water in it would be enough for testing.

I used to get the kids to bring in clean recyclable materials like foam packaging, plastic bottles, carrier bags and so on. I used to collect all the dead Biro pens and felt tips to use as prop shafts and supplied fuel tubing for couplings, a tiny dc motor, two cell battery box and wire. (Component shop) Radio Active Manufacturing supplied their little 3 bladed 2mm props at trade prices although we made a lot of props from tinplate circles, cutting like orange segments, nail punch through the centre and hot glue to hold it onto the centre ink refil of a biro.

All the gluing was Hot glue gun and Gaffa tape. We had loads of fun, no injuries and some of the boats went amazingly well. It reallyis astounding what some people can make out of rubbish.

Just heavy duty scissors for cutting (Tullens), glue guns and junior hack saws and a soldering iron, which was also used for drilling holes!….were the tools supplied.

Worth a try and a good fun project for boys of all ages (and girls, in fact the girls were the best at doing it!!)……………Regards..Ron Rees.

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

Ron. I have had a preliminary chat to Alex, and the session is for adults (age unspecified!!!).

​With an approx. 1 1/2 hrs session limit, I am thinking a slightly more structured build may be required. Also I do not yet know if a chat on model boats is required, provision of some models to look at/discuss and so on.

At some stage Alex will pop round to see the collection and this may formulate his idea more, depending on what he likes, and we will take it from there.

​It would be nice to test the constructs after but the river next to the site is small and fast flowing…… Possible a builders cement mixing plastic tray thing filled with water would do simply to prove they float and move.

Keep the ideas coming chaps.

Ashley

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