Project Log: Wild West Exodus Harbor, Part 7

This project log focuses on a Wild West Exodus themed harbor that I am building for Warcradle Studios– The board is a harbor featuring a large ship pulled into its berth. Last time, I built the bridge, engine and smoke stacks. This week, I tackle the paddle wheels and the main deck...

 

There are a lot of interesting shapes in the concept art I was given. The best way to achieve these was to shape the core of the ship with layers of insulation foam and then cover them with styrene plastic card "plating." The arch for the front door was made by wrapping plastic card over a 1-inch PVC pipe, Then the framing plate was placed around it, with its bottoms flaring out to the front. The sides were layered over each other, and then the curved "skirt" was cut to fit around the bottom.

 

 

I added some square rod for detailing. This helps hide any imperfections in the seams, as well.

 

The paddle wheel covers were made from layers of thick card, with the details cut out of each layer, and hex-rod bolts added. These fit over the foam circles, and the paddle fins were added later.

 

The cowling around the wheels were constructed with foam core board. I made a series of evenly spaced cuts to curve the foam around the wheel.

 

Next, it was a matter of building an under-structure, over which I could layer the styrene card.

 

 

 

 

The overlaying card was punched with rivets and scored with panel lines. I made some vent cut-outs, and layered decorative plating over top. Here, you can also see the fins on the paddle wheel.

 

The walls were detailed with plastic strips and the portholes and doors that I had made in the previous post.

 

 

The decks were covered with basswood panels scored with boards. The cargo bay doors were engraved into the plastic card, and L-strips were used to build the frame around it.

 

Finally, small details like the brackets and the hatches were added.

 

On the aft wall, I attached more portholes and a door, and built the pillars by splitting a styrene tube lengthwise, and gluing each half to the wall. A section of larger tube was glued over top at the top and bottom of each pillar.

 

The deck walls were made with foam core, scored and curved around the hull, then covered with styrene card. The center piece serves as the mount for a flag.

 

I made the flag by heating a piece of thin styrene with a heat gun to get it to curve like it was blowing in the wind. I also heated it and bent the end tabs around the flag pole. The pole itself was made from bits of a model railroad street lamp.

 

 

 

I finished up the front deck wall the same way.

 

All that remains is the bow and stern hull plating.

'Til next time!