Model making scheme for maritime rescue ship

Model making scheme for maritime rescue ship
1、 Material selection (basic guarantee)
Prioritize the use of environmentally friendly and easy to process materials during production, while balancing cost and restoration:
Main structure: choose hard foam plate with moderate thickness (light and easy to shape, simulating hull contour); If pursuing texture, it can be replaced with lightweight wood panels (which need to be finely polished and suitable for professional level models).
Detail components: Use metal sheets (such as copper and aluminum) to make lifebuoys, railings, etc; Organic glass (transparent/colored) is used to create portholes and lifeboats; Thin iron wire (or metal wire) simulates small structures such as cables and antennas.
Coloring tools: Prepare acrylic pigment (strong coverage, long-lasting after drying), water-based soil filling (filling gaps), spray pen/brush (coloring tool), sandpaper (polishing rough surfaces).
2、 Production process (step-by-step restoration)

1. Main body shaping: shaping the hull
   Paste the foam board into the hull foundation outline with hot-melt adhesive, refer to the streamline structure of the real rescue ship, and focus on shaping the characteristics of sharp bow and narrow and long hull.
   If light wood is used, it needs to be sawed into a ship frame first, and then sanded with sandpaper to ensure smooth and burr free edges.
2. Detail production: restore functional components
   Lifeguard: Wrap a metal wire around it and knock it flat to simulate the rounded texture of a real lifebuoy; Or use organic glass to saw and polish smooth, with rounded edges.
   Railings/handrails: Cut metal sheets into strips and paste/weld them along the edges of the ship (metal sheets can be fixed with glue, and lightweight wooden hulls need to be punched and glued), simulating the protective structure of a rescue ship.
   Lifeboat: press molded with plexiglass (refer to the arc of the real lifeboat), or cut and polish with foam plate, and then paint with acrylic paint (such as red and orange, matching the identification color of the rescue boat).
3. Structural assembly: Integrating components
   Stick the lifebuoy, railing, lifeboat and other components in proportion to the corresponding positions on the hull, fill the gaps with water-based soil, and ensure that the overall structure is firm and the details are not missed.
   3、 Post processing and coloring (texture upgrade)
4. Surface polishing: eliminate roughness
   Use sandpaper (from coarse to fine, such as 100 mesh → 200 mesh → 400 mesh) to polish the surface of the hull and components, remove burrs and joint marks, and make the model feel smooth.
5. Coloring process: restore the true color tone
   Base color spraying: First, apply a layer of light gray primer (water-based soil can also be used as primer) to the hull, wait for it to dry, and then use acrylic pigment to apply the main color tone (such as orange and red commonly seen on rescue ships, refer to the real rescue ship identification color).
   Detail description:
   Port window: Cut and paste transparent organic glass, then stroke the edges with black acrylic paint to simulate the texture of glass.
   Text identification: Use red acrylic paint to handwrite the words “Rescue Ship” on the side of the hull, or use stickers to paste pre printed text to enhance recognition.
   Aging treatment: Lightly apply dark brown acrylic paint to the edges of the ship, lifebuoys, and other areas to simulate wear and tear after long-term use, enhancing realism.
6. Transparent layer treatment: enhances texture
   Apply a thin layer of transparent acrylic pigment (or varnish) and dry it to make the surface of the model smoother while protecting the color from fading.