Copying hull lines for frames/bulkheads?

[Drobie]

Can anyone give me a tip on the following...

I have an ABS offshore cat hull and would like to make some frames to stiffen the sponsons, which have many complex angles.

I do have some rubber mold material that I have used. I pour it in, and when it cures, I can then slice it with an exacto. However, it's liquid form allows me to only get a very thin coat to adhere to the vertical surfaces.

Is there some sort of putty that I could press in, which would then harden to produce a template?

Any other ideas on how to make bulkhead templates from existing compound hulls?

[Climate]

We have used thin lead solder with good results. Any soft wire will work.
Simply bend the wire to the inside or outside contour of the hull at the point you want to add the bulkhead, and then use it as a trace to copy the shape to the wood or other material used for the bulkhead.

[JimClark]

There is a tool you can get at most haredware or woodworking stores that has a whole lot of wires in it side by side. You slide the wires into the area and it will conform to the shape. It is made just for the purpose of duplicating shapes.
Jim Clark

[Avenger]

y dont u try one of thoes thingys that u can get that u can put on your face and it makes a copy of your face, but yeah i know the tool that u are tlaking about i get a small tools catolog and it is always in there! -Jeff

[Drobie]

Originally posted by Jim Clark
There is a tool you can get at most haredware or woodworking stores that has a whole lot of wires in it side by side.

I have one those "contour jigs", but with a thin ABS hull, it doesn't really do the job acurately.

Anybody ever hear of or use Milliput? It's a product I saw in the Micro-Mark catalog.

[Doug Forrester]

Doug
You don't really need any fancy tools or tricky high tech materials to arrive at a pattern for internal bulkheads for your cat. Peter's tip about using soft wire to layout a pattern is quite workable.
Chances are that if its a cat hull, your cross-section is comprised of straight lines. It's also a simple matter of gluing up a series of balsa sticks against the inner surface and then transfering their outline to a piece of paper. Remember you only have to find the profile for half the hull section. The other side will be symmetrical. Just keep cutting and trial fitting heavy paper or cardboard bulkheads until you arrive at an accurate one. It really doesn't take long to do - it takes longer to describe the process.

[Drobie]

Originally posted by Doug Forrester
It's also a simple matter of gluing up a series of balsa sticks against the inner surface and then transfering their outline to a piece of paper.

Doug, I'll volunteer a big "duh" on that tip. Sometimes the most practical and obvious solution is right under my nose. In this case, I think that is it.

I was looking for the more complicated way. (SHEEPISH GRIN)

Thanks.