Once you have a plan at the right size, the next job is getting the shapes of the keel, frames and bulkheads onto wood accurately. Small errors here show up later as lumps in the planking or a hull that is not quite symmetrical. This guide covers the main ways to transfer model boat plans to wood, from the simplest paste-on templates to laser cutting, plus the adjustments that bulkhead patterns usually need before you cut.
Before you transfer: prepare the drawings
- Work from copies. Keep the original plans clean for reference. Most transfer methods damage or consume the paper.
- Check every copy for size. Measure the scale bar and a known dimension in both directions. Photocopies and prints can stretch slightly. Our guide to scaling model boat plans up or down covers how to check for distortion.
- Make all copies on the same machine at the same settings so parts from different sheets match.
- Decide your materials before you start: the thickness of the keel, bulkheads and planking all affect the final templates.
Method 1: Paste paper templates directly onto the wood
This is the quickest and most widely used method.
- Cut out each part from your copy, leaving a small margin of paper around the line.
- Arrange the parts on the wood to make good use of the sheet, keeping any visible parts with the grain running the same way.
- Fix them with a temporary or repositionable spray adhesive, or a glue stick.
- Cut out the parts through paper and wood together.
Cutting out individual parts and arranging them, rather than gluing a whole sheet down, usually wastes less wood. Grain direction matters most on parts that will be visible after varnishing, where mismatched grain can be obvious and hard to correct.
Method 2: Trace with carbon or graphite paper
Place carbon or graphite transfer paper between the plan copy and the wood, then trace over the lines with a hard pencil or a stylus. This keeps the plan copy intact, but it is slower and the traced line is usually less crisp than a paste-on template, so accuracy depends on careful work. Graphite paper is often preferred on wood because it is easier to erase than carbon.
Method 3: Pin-prick and join the dots
For curved shapes, lay the plan over the wood and press a pin or fine awl through the line at close intervals. Remove the plan and join the marks with a ship’s curve or flexible spline. This works well for long, gentle curves such as keels and stems, and it does not use up the plan, though it does leave small holes in it.
Method 4: Make reusable card or plastic templates
If you will cut the same shape several times, or want to check parts as you shape them, transfer the shape first to stiff card or thin plastic sheet and cut that out carefully. You can then draw around the template as often as needed. Section templates are also useful for checking the shape of a carved or bread-and-butter hull: cut the template as a negative and hold it against the hull at each station.
Method 5: Digital files and laser cutting
If you can scan the plan and trace the parts in drawing or CAD software, the resulting files can be laser cut or CNC routed. Some makerspaces and commercial services offer laser cutting. This takes time to set up, but it produces very consistent parts and is particularly worthwhile if you will build more than one model from the same plan or share parts with other builders. Check that the machine can cut the material and thickness you plan to use, and allow for the width of the cut (the kerf) in your drawing if precise fits matter.
Adjusting bulkheads for planking and keel slots
Before cutting, check whether the bulkhead outlines need adjusting:
- Planking thickness. Plans drawn for modellers often show bulkheads already reduced for planking, but plans taken from a ship’s lines may not. If the drawn section is the outside of the hull, reduce each bulkhead outline by your planking thickness all around. If you use two layers of planking, reduce by the total. Our guide on how to read a model ship lines plan explains how to tell which surface the lines are drawn to.
- Keel slots. Draw the slot to match the real thickness of your keel material. Kit-sized or scaled-up slots may not match what you are actually using.
- Deck allowances. If the deck is laid on top of the bulkheads, the bulkhead tops may need lowering by the deck thickness.
- Building board tabs. Some builders extend bulkheads with tabs or a straight top edge so the frame can be built upside down on a flat board, then trim them off later.
Mark reference lines on every piece
Before cutting, mark each part with:
- The centreline, so bulkheads can be aligned with the keel.
- The waterline or a reference line, so heights can be checked during assembly.
- The station number, so parts do not get mixed up.
- Bevel indications, if you know which edges will need bevelling to suit the hull curve.
These marks make it far easier to spot a bulkhead that is out of line before the glue sets.
Symmetry: make half-templates and flip them
A body plan usually shows only half of each section. To make a symmetrical bulkhead, trace the half section onto folded paper with the fold on the centreline, then cut through both layers, or trace the half, flip the tracing along the centreline and trace again. Either way, both sides come from the same line.
Cutting and fairing to the line
- Cut just outside the line with a scroll saw, fretsaw or coping saw, then sand or file back to it. Cutting exactly on the line leaves no room for correction.
- Keep the saw blade vertical so edges are square, unless you intend to bevel later.
- Use a sanding block or drum sander to bring edges to the line smoothly.
- Test fit slots with an offcut of the real keel material before assembly.
Removing templates and checking the frame set
Once parts are cut, peel off paper templates. Repositionable adhesive usually lifts cleanly. Stubborn paper can be sanded off or softened with a little of the adhesive maker’s recommended remover, used sparingly so it does not soak into the wood.
Before assembly, lay all the bulkheads in order and sight along them. The outlines should change smoothly from one to the next. A bulkhead that stands out is easier to correct now than after the hull is framed, and a smooth set makes fairing the bulkheads much quicker.
This step fits into a wider workflow. For tugs, torpedo boats and balsa hulls, see our guides to free model tug boat plans, model MTB plans and free balsa boat plans, or start from our main guide to model ship plans.