Brig Ship Skeleton – Pirate-Style Model Base

Start your next shipbuilding project with this laser-cut wooden skeleton modeled after classic 18th-century brigs — the fast, agile ships favored by merchants, navies, and yes, even pirates.

Measuring approx. 16" (406mm) from stem to stern and 3.25" (83mm) at its widest point, this framework includes the keel and bulkheads needed to form the sturdy base of your model, perfect for applying your own planks, decks, and sails.

⚓ Inspired by historical brig and pirate ship designs
🪚 Interlocking tabs for easy, precise assembly
🛠️ Great for hobbyists, educators, and makers
🧱 Comparable to 3mm (1/8”) plywood, MDF, or acrylic
📏 Approximate scale: 1:72 (adjustable as needed)
🎨 Print and Ready to be painted, customized, or detailed
Bring your nautical vision to life — from merchant brig to battle-ready privateer. Whether you're crafting a centerpiece or building a fleet, this frame sets the course.

Start at the bow with rib 1 and work your way back. You’ll need something to press the ribs into the keel. The full keel is 16" long and about 3.25" wide at the beam, so you may need to slice it to fit your printer. Everything is scalable. Created from a laser-cut file thanks to a real shipwright nicknamed Pirate Rob — this is a skeleton frame model great for hobbyists and shipbuilders alike.

This model started with a simple act of giving. I was giving away some old tools when a man named Rob came by to pick them up. As we got to talking, I found out he wasn’t just any hobbyist—he was a shipwright who works on real ships... and, according to him, a “former” pirate. Naturally, I had to hear more.

"Pirate Rob," as he introduced himself, told me he also builds model ships and asked if I could help bring a laser cutter file he had to life as a 3D-printed model. I was all in. A day later, I had printed the first prototype from his design. The original layout had laser-cut numbering that didn’t translate well to FDM printing, so I went back in and created a second version—this time with larger, embossed numbers for easier assembly.

And that’s how Pirate Rob and I ended up collaborating on my very first laser-cut-inspired model ship skeleton.