# Submapalooza



## Brent Gair (Jun 26, 1999)

I'm posting a group photo from my submarine modelling period. None of these builds are new but the photos are fresh.

The sub at the top is the very first model I ever scratchbuilt. Good starter project because, as you can see, it's not the most complicated vessel ever built. It's the submarine Thresher. The 688 class BATON ROUGE (second from the bottom) is also scratchbuilt.

The kits themselves are pretty much out-of-the-box builds. The display bases are probably more interesting than the kits in that case. I made all of the bases from oak and they represent minor variations on a theme (different edge treatments, some finished with oil, some with polyurethane).


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## Y3a (Jan 18, 2001)

Which one is the Seaview?


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## StarshipClass (Aug 13, 2003)

Cool subs!

Where are the windows on the front? How do they see to navigate those things underwater?

:jest:

(You wouldn't believe how many people ask those types of questions when visiting real submarines.)


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## Steve244 (Jul 22, 2001)

There's a lot to be said for diesel boats. Much more menacing visually.


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## Y3a (Jan 18, 2001)

Yep! The oil slicks and exhaust smoke can be frightening!


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## roadrner (Jul 21, 1999)

Brent,

Some nice lookers there, especially like the stands. :thumbsup: :thumbsup: rr


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## Brent Gair (Jun 26, 1999)

Yeah, it's funny how the stand construction seems to have supplanted model construction as my main strength.

Honestly, I'm building fewer and fewer models. But, when I feel the urge to build something, I'll do a stand!

These stands are the earliest steps in the evolution of my display designs. I started building display bases after seeing a magazine article with some great submarine models on the most gosh-awful (can I say that?) pine board bases. The models were on boards that were flat sawn at the edges with saw burn marks visible. the author of the article even apologized and said he'd fix the problem when he got a router.

I figure, if you have to include an apology for the appearance of the display, you better address the problem as soon as possible. I knew that if I looked at somebody else's model and was distracted by poor display stands, then other people would look at my models and also notice the same problem. My modeling talent only goes so far. I'm not the world's best detail guy. If wanted to improve the general appearance of my work, I beleived that improving the always neglected display stand would be a place where I could make a difference.

The above models are several years old. The Thresher dates to 1993 and the Typhoon is even older although it's base is newer than the sub. I haven't done a ship or sub in years but I'd like to try a couple just use some new ideas for display bases.


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## StarshipClass (Aug 13, 2003)

I'd be interested in seeing or reading how you did those stands. They do look incredibly good.


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## Just Plain Al (Sep 7, 1999)

I've seen similar bases, with the exception: instead of the series of blocks there was a row of dowels 1 to 1.5 inches in diameter with the tops contured to match the keel. I've toyed with the idea myself but don't build very many ship/sub/boat models.


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## Brent Gair (Jun 26, 1999)

The bases are fairly simple.

The main part of the base is just cut from a board...oak in the ones shown. Most home stores have a separate display of short, high quality oak boards for hobby and craft use. On average, the oak I use is 3/4" thick and 3" to 4" wide. The Thresher at the top is about 18" and the Baton Rouge (second from bottom) is about 21" long so you can get an idea of the length of the board.

As you can see, the length of the base is closely (not perfectly) matched to the length of the model. It's my opinion that this is the most pleasing arrangement.

The board is edged with a router. In my case, I use a router table which is a bit easier. Routers used to be expensive but now they are very affordable. I saw a Black and Decker plunge router in a flyer this morning for $49.99CDN. Three of the sub bases are edged with a "Roman Ogee" bit. However, I've come to prefer a simple, slightly rounded over edge seen on the Typhoon and Baton Rouge models.

The stylized keel blocks are cut from a sheet of 1/4 thick oak (also from the home stre). I say "stylized" because they are obvioulsy taller than real keel blocks would be in that scale. They are about 1" wide.

Three of the bases are finished in glossy polyurethane which is very nice but can be difficult to work with. I now prefer an oil finish which isn't as glossy or deep but can be done with no danger of fisheyes or dust in the surface.

The only slightly tricky part is making a pair of "main" keel blocks which actually tie the submarine directly to the base. I take two keel blocks and drill 1/8" diameter holes through them from top to bottom. Then I drill matching 1/8" holes in the base and in the bottom of the submarine. I pass a 1/8" diameter brass rod through the two drilled keel blocks into the wooden base. The other keel blocks are just superglued to the base...they don't actually carry a load so strength isn't important. The sub model is then pressed onto the two bass rods which project out of the base and through the two main keel blocks.

It's a very solid method of construction. The bases can be turned upside down and the sub modesl will stay in place.


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## terryr (Feb 11, 2001)

I see you made some submarines to put on your stands.
Great models. When I was a kid it was all about submarines and dinosaurs. My first scratch build was 'the big fish' from Joe 90.
Coincidentally, I saw Destination Tokyo on TV yesterday. Pretty good submarine miniatures, that were probably used in other movies later.
( but their jargon needed work. at one point someone calls out 1000 fathoms, and the captain is looking out the periscope! )


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## Brent Gair (Jun 26, 1999)

So, maybe they had a REALLY tall periscope!

At one time, I was a very, very serious sub modeler. I even had a couple of big RC subs. I still have one of them (1/48 scale Dallas, 90" long 125lbs. submerged displacement),fully equipped but hasn't been in the water for a few years. In fact, I also have the empty hulk of my first RC sub (63" long Scorpion) which sufferred a catastrophic explosion and sank.

I used to be very current with all the terminolgy and technology but I've been out of it for quite awhile and I'm rather rusty (which befits and old sub modeler). Of course, one problem is that there aren't a lot of sub kits to build and not that many good sub plan sets available. So, after you've been at it for awhile, you tend to run out of easy subjects. It's not like the model airplane guys who can build a kit a week for their whole lives and still just barely scratch the surface of available subject matter.


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## Greyhound (Aug 12, 2006)

Nice Sub models


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