Computer Decking for MPC Ships
We have our final article from Billy Hill. This time it how to do Computer Decking for MPC Ships. It is a great idea for the MPC ships.
How do Computer Decking for MPC Ships
I have a number of both types of MPC pirate ships, both original and repop, obtained from several different sources. Due to the shape of the hull, the ships will only hold a limited number of figures.
One of the iterations of this ship came with the Toystreet Pirate playset that was released in the 1990s. The larger ship in this set came with a diecut cardboard deckpiece that ran around the gunwales, leaving the center clear. At first I just decided to replicate the original diecut deck for my other ships, but then I thought ‘why not make full decks so I can crowd the decks with pirates?’
I scanned the original deckpiece into my computer and used MSPaint to fill in the space in the middle. I printed this out on a sheet of label paper and stuck the image on cardboard to give it more rigidity. Then I decided that the deck looked sort of empty, so I added a grating and chocks for the MPC ship’s boat. The grating was made from plastic canvas and the frame and chocks from balsa and styrene plastic. I think it adds a lot to the look and the ships will hold a lot more figures for your boarding actions. The ships are currently available from CTS and are a relatively inexpensive way to enlarge your fleet.
Nice Job, those printers of your and Billy’s are coming in handy !
Hi Billy
Great imagination & use of materials.
Your work reminds me a lot of the work my late father put into his toy soldier collection & into mine when I was a child.
Thank you very much for sharing.
This is a great idea! I have about 40 of these ships. God, I’m going to be busy for a long time…….
Like all your work, Billy, this is wonderful! Could you please post the actual scans you use to cut out for the decks that we see in the 5th photo?
The pictures provided are from different angles and sizes or parts are obscured.
I don’t think I could get my hands on the Toystreet set for the original either. If it is not violating Toystreet’s copyright, could we have the scans?
Great work, Billy! I did something similar last summer. I took the original light cardboard piece, and printed out copies on my color printer. This is for the larger ship. I used double sided tape from the narrow dispenser and attached it to cardboard. The I did the cutouts with scissors and used an Xacto knife to cut out the tight corners. They make a nice addition to the ship. I asked my daughter how she had done some posters and she had used the double sided tape.
I hadn’t though of using label paper. It would have been so much easier! I also like the additional features you added. Am I going to have to add these. I also have the smaller boat on which I may have to use your deck idea! Thanks for sharing this.
I save a deck planing image for future use. Thanks, Billy!
*planking (I see so many of my spelling errors when I re-read the posts, and try to figure out what I meant!)
On the larger of the MPC ships, those are the exact mini-cannons I got. I’ve seen them sold as BMC buy some dealers; not sure who really makes them. I also like the small Pressman cannons for this ship. They fit to my liking and look nicer.
Is anyone making swivel guns now like Barzso did? I could really make use of swivel guns on all my ships! They make great bow and chaser guns. (I type this while looking at the big ugly swiveling cannon on one of my PlayMobil ships!)