colinmaclock

It was a great learning experience watching your meticulous restoration process of this fine builders model. As usual, you have exhibited those fine masterful skills I have always admired in you. Cheers old boy!

Colin

Michael, would you need to install handles on the sides of the crate for moving it around or is it too heavy for that?

Mott old boy, a fine job on the ports, nav. lights, davit blocks and life boats.  The "Albertic" is almost complete I see. I am sure you will go into a state of post restoration shock when it's done. You will find yourself wandering around that empty spot where the ship was for days. I might have to fly up to Edmonton again, this time with a bottle of 18 year old single malt to help debrief you!

Cheers,

Colin

p.s. I went up to Qualicum Beach last week to take some pics of the Princess Marguerite I restored a few years back and thought of how more detailed your restoration of the "Albertic" was compared to this. (I still have to have it returned to my shop to finish the upper railings, lines to blocks on davits and boats, rigging, funnels and final finish on wheel house & top deck etc.).

Funnels look great, spot-on old boy! The hull repairs look good too, you matched the surface and colours well, a challenge indeed!

Now comes the fun part, attaching all that rigging (you made some up if I recall).

Nice spray booth set-up Michael, can't wait to see those funnels back on the ship.

Colin

Great Michael, sounds like you know this process well. Keep in mind those three colours you are using are already blends of pigments. Bring in some others as well, lets say another orange or yellow, mix tiny amounts in with what you have plus a very tiny bit of black and see what transpires.

Cheers,

Colin

Michael,

Do you have a colour wheel or chart? sometimes the oddest combinations of primary, tertiary and secondary colours work out what you want. Choosing the right base colour to start with is the work half done. Most importantly, in your type of work, use natural light to do you paint matches! Do no trust indoor lighting, even if it is colour balanced.

Cheers,

Colin

Hi Michael,

It is hard to determine weather the original paint on the hull is lacquer based or enamel. To apply a final clear or semi-gloss finish over your paint may help blend in the luster. Caution though, do a small isolated test area in case of a reaction causing blistering. This occurs sometimes when using different brands with different bases. I found that using an old piece of nylon stocking to burnish a finish to match old and new painted areas can work as long as the new paint has had enough time to cure hard.

Cheers,

Colin

Mott old boy, matching the paint and finish below the waterline will be a challenge indeed. You are doing a magnificent job, glad to see you back at it again. 

The short boom with block and tackle leading up to the small roof could be for lowering and stabilizing the ladder over on the side of the hull in an opposite direction because of wind and wave change. Maybe?

On ‎2018‎-‎01‎-‎02 at 8:53 AM, michael mott said:

Hi Colin

Happy new year to you Sir.

Colin I have just finished reading a a fair bit of information regarding the ship and shipping lines that are associated with this model.

Turns out that it was a rather interesting. source information from Wikipedia

1. keel laid in Germany in 1914

2. halted construction during WW1

3. launched in 1920 as München

4. handed over to the British as a war reparation before entering service

5. she was immediately sold to the  Royal Mail Steam Packet Company

6. She was renamed the Ohio and began service in 1923

7. in 1927 she was sold to the White Star Line , and renamed the Albertic

8. she served the north Atlantic route between Britain and Canada from 1927 until 1930

9. The Albertic was laid up in the River Clyde

10. she was eventually broken up for scrap in japan in 1934

 

One of the things i am curious about are the flags that were on the model, the masthead flag on the foremast although almost completely faded to white appears to have been an American flag

the one at the masthead of the aft mast was the disintegrating blue flak of the white stare line, although the white star lines official flag appears to have been red

The flag on the small staff off the aft mast was a very faded blue ensign

and the flag on the stern flag post is a red ensign that does not appear to be of the correct proportions

 

My guess is that all these flags have been put on this model during various repairs by well meaning people to make it look "good" I somehow doubt that this combination would have been carried out by Bassett Lowke, but I could be completely wrong in my hypothesis.

 

What to Do?

Michael

 

Michael,

A number of years ago I worked on a water damaged builders model of the Carmania. Upon close inspection of the name plate I could see where a larger nameplate was there before. Those faint impressions revealed the name; Royal George. 

On ‎2017‎-‎12‎-‎14 at 8:47 AM, michael mott said:

Druxey thanks for the clarification on the top.

After a lot of tries with the various threads I am leaning towards the off white Guttermann C Ne 50 the colour match is close enough I think I just need to deal with the fuzz that was not apparent until I looked at the close up picture.  so no work with coloring at least for this area, I take notice of the issue with the tea though Druxey, so thanks for that.

 

Here is the first attempt, I have a whole new appreciation for all you folk who rig a three master. I don't know how you do it!

The line on the left is the Guttermann

 

 

The top line is original the falls are mine

 

 

Michael

Michael, I usually run a small flame quickly along the line to remove the "fuzz". A bic lighter at a low setting works. Careful not do this with poly, it will melt. Only use this method on cotton,hemp or linen threads. Weak tea may bleach out with time, I would recommend a very diluted water base stain.

Hi Michael, Yes, this was the TEV Princess Marguerite. The restoration required taking nearly all the super structure off and start from there. It was an unfinished model to begin with so it made that part easier. It had no details like stanchions, railings, rigging and anchors etc. plus the davits and lifeboats needed overhauling. The fenestration needed framing and all areas of the hull and decks required repainting and refinishing. The model was 5' 6'' in length and built with yellow cedar strip on frame and considered a primitive, although a high end primitive. The chap who originally built it was an engineer on the original Princess Marguerite that was torpedoed off Malta in the 2nd WW and was a chief engineer on the Marguerite II.

Mott old boy, I appears you are coming along nicely with the restoration of the 'Albertic". You are a master of jigs and tool improvisation, the two important things you taught me 49 years ago! But I understand when the undertaking of professional model ship restoration sometimes reduces your profit margin to something like 15cents and hour, I've been there! Cheers.

Michael and Johjn,

It has been my experience that shipping lines usually have their builders models featured in their head offices or ticket offices, occasionally when a ship gets decommissioned, sold or sunk, the model reverts it's name to a sister ship or given a new name altogether. It would be interesting if the two names you refer to are indeed the same ship. Just a thought.

Colin

Mott old boy,

Yes, I would like to see your progress on the "Albertic".

I have been quite busy on some smaller ships this past year, haven't had time to put anything on my MSW page yet.

Cheers,

Colin

Great restoration underway Mott old boy, your meticulous professional approach will soon have this wonderful builders model back on display.