Hello everyone

CT Ertz · 15 Feb 2011, 21:07

Hello,
I actually like designing ships, mostly Civil War era ironclads. Always looking for better ways to do it. I am rather computer dumb, so it takes me a while to get things.
CT

Dave R · 15 Feb 2011, 22:27

Welcome Corey. Have you gotten started with SketchUp yet?

What do you do with your designs of ships? How are you designing them now? Are you the guy who designs the paper models?

Rich O Brien · 15 Feb 2011, 22:32

@unknownuser said:

I am rather computer dumb

You'll fit right in

CT Ertz · 16 Feb 2011, 00:09

I love Sketch up. Every time I use it I learn something new. I use a manual version of Waybe to "unfold" my digital models onto a flat plane and then export them to Gimp. I can then print them into card models, and build the 3-d ship. I have not found a good way to do the hulls yet, so everything I have done has been waterline models. I will attempt to post pics.

This is my 1/250 scale model of the CSS Ashley. I did not build this model, but I e-mailed the PDF to a friend who built it. I designed and unfolded the digital, and did the graphics.

This is my sons attempt at Sketchup. He is seven and made this for his pinewood derby design. Then we unfolded it for a pattern.

Here is some shots of my CSS Palmetto State. I am still working on it.

I really need to learn compound curves...
CT

CT Ertz · 16 Feb 2011, 00:22

I will try some more pictures. Again for my Palmetto State "kit" I am attempting.

The last shot is of my first try at 1/250 scale. The new model is way more detailed and will be 1/72 scale.
CT

Gaieus · 16 Feb 2011, 08:23

Hi Corey and welcome!

Nice ships there (and I agree Rich that you will fit in nicely here)

Anyway... You may get to learn those more compound curves (there are some really good plugins for that) but be prepared that it will be much harder to unfold those...