How It All Started

I have been scratch building models of boats off and on since the 60's. I started building half models sometime in the 90's.  My first models were built by the traditional lift method in which the model is built up as a series of layers of solid wood and then carved to its final shape.  I quickly discovered that I am a lousy carver, so I switched to building plank on frame models.  Until the late 90's model building was just a hobby.  Then I decided to retire early, move to Maine and spend most of my time sailing.   That worked out very nicely until the end of November of my first year of retirement.  That was when I put the boat away for the winter and found myself with little to do.  So, naturally, I built a half model of my Allied Princess 36.

The model of my Allied 36 led to another model of an Allied 36.  I followed those models with half models of a Hinckley Bermuda 40, a Hinckley Pilot 35 and then a Friendship Sloop in teak.

Over several months I found my hobby turning into a business.  For the first year I built only simple half models.  Then a customer asked if I could build a model with the cockpit and cabin.  I said sure and found my niche in the half model business.

The Details Of The Business

"Todd Dunn MicroYachts" is a one person business.  With the exception of making the engraved nameplates,  I do everything associated with the business myself, including building and maintaining this web site.  A typical day might include buying materials, cutting out or varnishing a mounting board, researching and drawing the lines for a model, planking a hull, fiberglassing a model, painting a deck, machining a winch, photographing a partially built model, building a louvered companionway board from teak, or maintaining this web site.

I approach each model as a new challenge and try to build a better model than I have ever built before.  Consequently, in my attempt to improve my models, I am always adding new skills to my repetoire.  Building a typical model involves the following stages:

1. Document the boat - If the boat is nearby I head over to it, take pictures of everything and measure all the details.  I may make several trips to a boat as construction procedes to make sure I get everything right.  If the boat is some distance from me, I ask the client to provide pictures and specific measurements.

2. Acquire/generate the design drawings - My first step is to search the internet for pictures and drawings of the boat.  If the builder/designer is still in business I contact them to see if the drawings are available.  If the builder/designer is not still around I check out museum collections (Mystic Seaport, Peabody, etc.) to see if drawings are available.  I prefer to work from original drawings, but they are often not available because the builder/designer won't release them, has lost them, or is long out of buniness.  When I can't get original drawings I use the information I have accumulated (pictures, outline drawings, specifications) to draw my own lines for the boat.  I almost always do my own deck drawings, since they are seldom available.  I use a CAD program to do the drawings.

3.  Build the hull - Once I have the drawings I loft the plans at the construction scale and build the hull.  I plank all the hulls I build in 1/16" balsa and then overlay the hull with fiberglass.  This produces an accurate, strong and light model.  The final stage of hull construction is filling and fairing the surface in preparation for painting.

4.  If the model will include the cabin house and deck details, I plan the construction based on the level of detail and the required sequencing.  For example, sometimes it is necessary to build the toe rail/bulwark before building the cabin house in order to be able to adequately sand the toe rail/bulwark joint with the deck.  I also decide how I am going to build the cabin house and cockpit to get curves right.

5. Once the cabin house and cockpit are finished I start painting the model.  This generally involves applying several different colors and types of paint.  I generally use marine finishes (one part urethane or Awlgrip) for hulls, boot stripes and decks and enamels for non-skid contrast.My choice of paints is based on providing the best color match to the real boat and on the client's preferences.

6. Once the model is painted I install any on-deck wood.  In every case I use the same woods used on the real boat (i.e., teak, mahogany, etc.).  I cut the wood to scale from rough stock and mill my own shapes and planks.  When a model includes a laid teak deck, I build that before adding any other wood. If I can build and varnish a piece of wood before installation, I do that.  However, when I have to laminate toe rails or cockpit coamings, I generally install the teak and then varnish it in place.

7.  The final stage in building the model itself is to build the other deck components such as winches, pedestals and wheels, anchors, windlasses, blocks, etc.  I hand craft all these pieces in my shop from stainless steel, bronze, aluminum and brass, as appropriate.  I use a variety of equipment to build detail components including a lathe, milling machine, welding/soldering torch, casting equipment, and a wide variety of hand tools.  Metal parts are precision machined from drawings of the actual components.  Multi-part pieces like stainless steel wheels are assembled using silver solder for strength and joints that look like TIG welds.  Parts like blocks and turnbuckles are fully functional.  I think I build particularly nice anchors.  The danforth anchor below is built from brass and is silver soldered together.  All the parts move just like the real anchor

8.  During construction of the model I also work on the mounting board or display stand.  I build all mounting boards and stands from solid hardwood.  No plywood is used.  I apply anywhere from six to ten coats of varnish to get a yacht quality finish.  Backs of mounting boards receive at least three coats of varnish too.

During the Summer of 2005 I built a new shop building for my model building.  You can see the construction pictures at this link:  Building My New Shop