New at modelling ships!

[Cees Donker]

Hi guys,

I'm new at ship modelling. I started because I want some Dutch ships in my rendition of Holland May 1940. I'm modelling in FSDS 3.51. Here's what I've got so far. My first question: how do you model the railing? Thanks in advance for any help!

:salute:

Cees

[Collin]

What sim are you modelling for?

Collin:ernae:

[Cees Donker]

Hi Collin,

FS2004.....


:salute:

Cees

[Cees Donker]

My problem is now: I can make lines in FSDS 2.2.4, but I can't do that in FSDS 3.5.1. The last version doesn't export these lines to the sim (I can't see them!). The first version doesn't let me make a scenery mdl.

:isadizzy:

Cees

[Collin]

Dunno which way you have been trying but have you tried this....

measurements are in feet.

create a tube with 3 sides .2' diameter 4' long in axis Y. Place this near the bow and make a copy and place this about 15' astern of the first, now continue to do this along the deck edge on one side all the way to the hull break or the stern, make sure they are accurately placed.
Save model.
Create new folder entitled Misc Parts.
Create new model file and paste into it the a single upright you have just made, save as "railings".

Go back to your original model and make all the uprights joined into 1 part. Save!!

Now, make a tube .1' diameter 3 sided along Z axis which goes from bow to stern ( the bow end should jut out further then the bow by a few feet and the stern should end at the tip of the stern).
Save. [Copy this and paste into the new misc file "railings", save, and go back to the original model.]
Make a series of cross sections on this new part and each cross section goes into an upright, do this the whole length. Railings usually have 3 horizontal lines so copy and paste this new part 2 more times and place them equal distance apart below each other but going throught the uprights, the bit at the bow can now be moved via the end cross section on each horizontal to go into the decking making sure it doesn't come out through the hull. When you are satisfied with this, join them and make 1 part. Save.
At this point you can join both the upright part and the horizontal together, copy and paste. With this new copy invert X and you should find that you can move across to the other side of the ship and form the railings there, now both parts can be joined as one and labelled railings.

The simple railings file you created earlier, can be used time and time again by copying and pasting into new models or used on the superstructure. All the new parts you make like lifeboats/rafts/guns/radar/ etc , save a copy to the misc folder and it will save you having to make them again or sorting through the parts of an old model to reproduce them.

regards Collin:ernae:

[Cees Donker]

Thanks for the explanation Collin! Once you know how to do it, it's a piece of cake!

Cheers,

Cees

[PSULLYKEYS]

Thanks for the explanation Collin! Once you know how to do it, it's a piece of cake!

Cheers,

Cees

Collin is the BEST!:guinness:

[Cees Donker]

I can't figure out what has happened here! The hull is turned around and placed above the supertstructure! I divided the hull before for the paintjob, and asembled it again. Can this be mended? FSDS 3.51

:isadizzy:

Cees