Longship from A3 card

Description

Longships were long elegant craft used by The Vikings to cross the North Sea, first on raiding missions and later to explore and settle in Engand, Ireland, Iceland and beyond. They were a wooden construction with a shallow Draft which meant they could be rowed up shallow rivers as well as across the sea, powered by oars and their large square woollen sail. They could also land on beaches and were light enough to be carried when necessary and tipped upside down to use as a temporary shelter.

Making a Model Longship

A good size model Longship can be made from a single sheet of A3 Medium Card.

Avantages:

• The shape of the hull, the figurehead and the tail can all be cut together;
• The sides may be cut separately with scissors or together by folding the card first;

Disadvantages:

• Stronger scissors may be needed if cutting through both thicknesses of card together
• The Hull will either need to be covered with plastic packaging tape, or plastic laminated 'shiny' card used, to make it water-resitant.
• It will need a support stand to display it.

Marking out the hull shape

The model described is based around a sheet of A3 Card and 10mm square Stripwood (some dimensions will need to be adjusted if 8mm square is used).

• Start by designing the shape of the Hull and transfer on to A3 Card in Landscape orientation as shown (click on image to enlarge);
• The Figurehead can be kept simple or used as a design activity in itself - the object is to create a 'Dragon Head profile;

Making the hull

• Cut two hull shapes out of Medium Card either separately or by folding the card in two first (it might be difficult to cut together).

• Construct a Deck Frame to separate the two Hull sides using square Stripwood and reinforce with Medium Card triangles;
• Glue the two hull sides to the Deck Frame and leave to dry;

• Pull the two ends together and temporarily hold with Masking Tape, Pegs or Clips;

Completing the Longship

• Add a Mast by 'stepping' a length of Dowel into a MDF or Ply Disc and glue to the Deck Frame;
• Add a Main Spar by fixing a length of Dowel across the top of the Mast either by lashing with string and glue or by cutting two holes at right angles into a short length of PVC Tubing;
• Make a Sail out of Thin Card, paint as required and glue along the Main Spar;
• Design and paint Viking Shields on MDF, Ply or Card Discs and glue along the sides of the Hull;
• Add Oars made by squashing the end of Art Straws or Drinking Straws.

DT Online Buyers' Guide

Notes:

• MDF Discs which are pre-drilled are most useful if available, otherwise this might be done as preparation before using with younger children - alternatively a Hand Drill Stand could be used (if neccessary, adults or older children can cut them out of strips of MDF or Ply using a Holesaw).
• Dowels 4mm, 5mm, and 6mm are useful sizes for axles.
• Florist Wire is easily bent into shape whereas stiff wire, such as Brass Brazing Rod, is more suitable for connecting rods.

• See also Stripwood Components Buyers Guide and Stripwood Tools Buyers Guide

---

MDF and ply discs	Wood Dowel Rod	Wooden Clothes Pegs	Wooden Matchsticks for Craft	Wooden Lolly Sticks for Craft	Wooden Cocktail Sticks and Skewers for Craft	Unpainted Wooden Beads	Polystyrene Balls	Florists Wire	Brazing Rod
Cotton Reels	Wooden Spools	Copper Foil Tape	PVC Tube	Assorted Cable Ties	Hook and Loop Stick On Tape	Coloured Card for Craft	Greyboard	Cotton String	Elastic Bands