Bob Cleek

It helps a lot if you make sure you don't take it out of the bottle before it stops spinning!  

I would suggest you first try a good strirring to see if you can break up the clumps. The commercial electric model paint strirrers reportedly work very well.  https://www.micromark.com/Cordless-Mixer-for-Model-Paints  I simply use a bent piece of wire chucked into a Dremel for the same effect. Others swear by simply placing a few "BB" shot (ammo for BB guns) in the bottle, capping the bottle, and shaking well. Breaking up the clumps in that way usually works fine. If all else fails, straining is the final solution, but it's a particularly messy one.

Everything written about shellac that I've ever read contains the caveat that it has a limited "shelf life." I'm sure at least some of these articles have been written by experts. I've always used Zinsser's "Bullseye" brand pre-mixed "orange" (amber) or "white" (clear) shellac in quart cans. All I know is that I've never perceived any deterioration of the product over the passage of time and, in some instances, it took me several years to consume a quart of the stuff. I've certainly had it thicken a bit due to the evaporation of the alcohol solvent, which is easily resolved by simply adding more alcohol, but I've never seen any of the Zinsser's Bullseye shellac "go bad" sitting on the shelf. As this stuff probably has to set on the shelf in the store for a long time before it's sold, perhaps Zinsser has found some additive that solves the short shelf life problem? I don't know.
 
What i do know is that shellac is one of the handiest materials I know for modeling. It dries very quickly. It's easily thickened by just letting a small amount sit in the open air for the alcohol to evaporate. Thinned shellac is an excellent wood finish that can provide the entire range from matte to high gloss, depending on how thick you wish to apply it. It's also one of the most moisture resistant coatings available. It can be hand-rubbed to a perfect finish ("French polishing") or, applied thin, can serve as an invisible matte sealer beneath any other coating. It can also be used to stiffen rope to form catenaries in rigging and seal rigging knots which can later be easily undone if needed. Thickened shellac is an excellent adhesive. Shellac is archival material that will last for centuries and is easily dissolved and removed with common alcohol. It's also non-toxic (except for the denatured alcohol its dissolved in. Shellac is used in confectionary making to give a gloss to candies such as jelly beans.) And, last but not least, it's readily available in paint and hardware stores and relatively inexpensive.
 
I can't see what's not to like about the stuff. 

In fact, both of the above observations are obviously accurate to one degree or another, but more often not likely a seaman's first choice. While I can't provide a citation to the historical record, I believe that in the Age of Sail, as often still today, the common response to nature's call for "number one" for the men aboard, nature having equipped them conveniently with the means, was simply aiming to leeward at the rail in fair weather and to a convenient corner below in foul weather. I read somewhere once upon a time, where I can't remember, that, particularly in heavy weather, the bilges served as the first choice of refuge when nature called for "number two."  Consequently, "mucking out the bilges" at refitting time was an especially disagreeable task! Those keen on absolute accuracy might be well advised to include the latter detail when "weaathering" their fully-framed half-planked models.   

In fact, both of the above observations are obviously accurate to one degree or another, but more often not likely a seaman's first choice. While I can't provide a citation to the historical record, I believe that in the Age of Sail, as often still today, the common response to nature's call for "number one" for the men aboard, nature having equipped them conveniently with the means, was simply aiming to leeward at the rail in fair weather and to a convenient corner below in foul weather. I read somewhere once upon a time, where I can't remember, that, particularly in heavy weather, the bilges served as the first choice of refuge when nature called for "number two."  Consequently, "mucking out the bilges" at refitting time was an especially disagreeable task! Those keen on absolute accuracy might be well advised to include the latter detail when "weaathering" their fully-framed half-planked models.   

In fact, both of the above observations are obviously accurate to one degree or another, but more often not likely a seaman's first choice. While I can't provide a citation to the historical record, I believe that in the Age of Sail, as often still today, the common response to nature's call for "number one" for the men aboard, nature having equipped them conveniently with the means, was simply aiming to leeward at the rail in fair weather and to a convenient corner below in foul weather. I read somewhere once upon a time, where I can't remember, that, particularly in heavy weather, the bilges served as the first choice of refuge when nature called for "number two."  Consequently, "mucking out the bilges" at refitting time was an especially disagreeable task! Those keen on absolute accuracy might be well advised to include the latter detail when "weaathering" their fully-framed half-planked models.   

Everything written about shellac that I've ever read contains the caveat that it has a limited "shelf life." I'm sure at least some of these articles have been written by experts. I've always used Zinsser's "Bullseye" brand pre-mixed "orange" (amber) or "white" (clear) shellac in quart cans. All I know is that I've never perceived any deterioration of the product over the passage of time and, in some instances, it took me several years to consume a quart of the stuff. I've certainly had it thicken a bit due to the evaporation of the alcohol solvent, which is easily resolved by simply adding more alcohol, but I've never seen any of the Zinsser's Bullseye shellac "go bad" sitting on the shelf. As this stuff probably has to set on the shelf in the store for a long time before it's sold, perhaps Zinsser has found some additive that solves the short shelf life problem? I don't know.
 
What i do know is that shellac is one of the handiest materials I know for modeling. It dries very quickly. It's easily thickened by just letting a small amount sit in the open air for the alcohol to evaporate. Thinned shellac is an excellent wood finish that can provide the entire range from matte to high gloss, depending on how thick you wish to apply it. It's also one of the most moisture resistant coatings available. It can be hand-rubbed to a perfect finish ("French polishing") or, applied thin, can serve as an invisible matte sealer beneath any other coating. It can also be used to stiffen rope to form catenaries in rigging and seal rigging knots which can later be easily undone if needed. Thickened shellac is an excellent adhesive. Shellac is archival material that will last for centuries and is easily dissolved and removed with common alcohol. It's also non-toxic (except for the denatured alcohol its dissolved in. Shellac is used in confectionary making to give a gloss to candies such as jelly beans.) And, last but not least, it's readily available in paint and hardware stores and relatively inexpensive.
 
I can't see what's not to like about the stuff. 

I have nothing to suggest about why your polyurethane will not polymerize. 
 
I do not think lacquer is an appropriate clear finish for any ship model that is not a toy.  It is out of scale in thickness and is used to build up a thick layer and is usually glossy.  Glossy is not scale appropriate for 1:60.
 
Polyurethane has more who favor it than eschew it here.   I am firmly in the eschew camp.
It is a modern synthetic plastic.  It is great for bar tops and wooden floors. 
I see anything plastic (except for PVA) as being against the spirit of a wooden vessel built before 1860.
A traditional clear finish that is easy to use, allows extensive control, and is compatible with almost everything is shellac.
I can be applied using cloth or a brush.  It has an excellent reverse gear. Ethanol (95%) or isopropanol (100%) (91%?) or Methanol (if you can get it) makes it go away.   I am betting it is not so easy to remove sticky polyU.
 
Premixed shellac comes as "clear" and amber.   Shellac flakes do also, plus there are darker shades - shades that are not dewaxed or slightly dewaxed.   If it is not enough, traditional varnish, poly, lacquer, both types of paint can be used to coat over it.

Not necessarily ship modeling but maybe of interest to modelers looking for scale figures.
 
Imrie Risley Miniatures is back in business.  For many years this company produced metal scale model figure kits; mostly military subjects and most 54mm (1:32 scale). They also offered some Naval and period civilian figures.  Like many hobby related companies the sole owner passed on and his widow sold off inventory while looking for a new owner.
 
Last night I stumbled on to a new website for the company announcing new ownership.  They are again accepting new orders.  The website is irminiatures.com
 
Disclaimer:  I have no interest, financial or otherwise in this company.  I don’t know the owner and have not placed an order with the new company yet.
 
Roger

They were called  mantlets  as the article says, it also states that they were woven rope, not hanging rope and intended to stop projectiles and at Gibraltar flame from setting off unprotected powder. The hanging ropes in the original photo are not mantlets and would fail to stop shot or flame. When I was doing a lot of archery, to extend the life of my backstop bales of hay, I would hang a piece of old carpet, about a 6' X 6' piece, in front of the bales to stop the arrows, they never reached the hay. Was shooting an 80 pound compound bow, the arrows would strike the carpet and as it was free hanging from the top, it would rise and bunch up absorbing the energy, much as a true manliet would do. Replacing the target area was a simple matter of attaching another piece of carpet over the shot up main carpet.

It helps a lot if you make sure you don't take it out of the bottle before it stops spinning!  

I would suggest you first try a good strirring to see if you can break up the clumps. The commercial electric model paint strirrers reportedly work very well.  https://www.micromark.com/Cordless-Mixer-for-Model-Paints  I simply use a bent piece of wire chucked into a Dremel for the same effect. Others swear by simply placing a few "BB" shot (ammo for BB guns) in the bottle, capping the bottle, and shaking well. Breaking up the clumps in that way usually works fine. If all else fails, straining is the final solution, but it's a particularly messy one.

I have started experimenting with shellac and I like working with it. I have both a spray can (wasteful) and flakes, both clear and dewaxed.
 
It seals the wood nicely with a mat or satin finish that I like, and it doesn't stink. I have also painted over it with acrylics with good success.
 
One caution about shellac. After it is mixed it has a limited shelf life of only a few months. That is why many modellers get the flakes and mix them in alcohol (95% ethanol, available cheap as a fuel) when needed. Allow a day or two for the flakes to dissolve completely.
 
There are extensive discussions about shellac and how to mix and use it on the Forum.

If using a battery powered mixer, place a toilet paper roll over the bottle of paint before mixing. Sure keeps thinks neater.

Have you looked at Badger's In bottle filter I've used on for years

What you have there is a "decorator's model" from the first quarter of the 20th Century, or thereabouts. It appears to be remarkably good condition. As of its one-hundredth birthday, it will be a genuine antique. Many of today's modelers turn their noses up at such models because they lack any historical importance (often being simply "impressions" of generic ship types) and, by today's modeling standards, are crudely built. That said, these models, built in Europe, often Germany or Spain, on a production basis for export as home decorative pieces, have become, or are now about to become, collectable antiques. It probably won't get you a starring role on Antiques Roadshow, but if you clean it up, taking care to preserve the patina it's earned over the last hundred years or so, you should end up with a nice example of this type of "decorator" model that anybody would be happy to display in their home library or "man cave." Mind you, it's not a six-figure museum piece, but in another hundred years or so, it should start to appreciate on the antiques market.  
 
I submit that the better examples of these "decorator" models, if they've lasted this long now, have earned the right to enjoy some measure of respect from the ship modeling community. They do have a certain "folk artsy" charm that should be appreciated. I think it should be noted that this is true of many ship models, dioramas, half-models and the like that are approaching the century mark. While they may not interest today's museum administrators, there are a lot of amateur and sailor-built unique scratch-built pieces from the first half of the 20th Century still in circulation that are, or will soon become, collectable in their own right.  

What you have there is a "decorator's model" from the first quarter of the 20th Century, or thereabouts. It appears to be remarkably good condition. As of its one-hundredth birthday, it will be a genuine antique. Many of today's modelers turn their noses up at such models because they lack any historical importance (often being simply "impressions" of generic ship types) and, by today's modeling standards, are crudely built. That said, these models, built in Europe, often Germany or Spain, on a production basis for export as home decorative pieces, have become, or are now about to become, collectable antiques. It probably won't get you a starring role on Antiques Roadshow, but if you clean it up, taking care to preserve the patina it's earned over the last hundred years or so, you should end up with a nice example of this type of "decorator" model that anybody would be happy to display in their home library or "man cave." Mind you, it's not a six-figure museum piece, but in another hundred years or so, it should start to appreciate on the antiques market.  
 
I submit that the better examples of these "decorator" models, if they've lasted this long now, have earned the right to enjoy some measure of respect from the ship modeling community. They do have a certain "folk artsy" charm that should be appreciated. I think it should be noted that this is true of many ship models, dioramas, half-models and the like that are approaching the century mark. While they may not interest today's museum administrators, there are a lot of amateur and sailor-built unique scratch-built pieces from the first half of the 20th Century still in circulation that are, or will soon become, collectable in their own right.  

What you have there is a "decorator's model" from the first quarter of the 20th Century, or thereabouts. It appears to be remarkably good condition. As of its one-hundredth birthday, it will be a genuine antique. Many of today's modelers turn their noses up at such models because they lack any historical importance (often being simply "impressions" of generic ship types) and, by today's modeling standards, are crudely built. That said, these models, built in Europe, often Germany or Spain, on a production basis for export as home decorative pieces, have become, or are now about to become, collectable antiques. It probably won't get you a starring role on Antiques Roadshow, but if you clean it up, taking care to preserve the patina it's earned over the last hundred years or so, you should end up with a nice example of this type of "decorator" model that anybody would be happy to display in their home library or "man cave." Mind you, it's not a six-figure museum piece, but in another hundred years or so, it should start to appreciate on the antiques market.  
 
I submit that the better examples of these "decorator" models, if they've lasted this long now, have earned the right to enjoy some measure of respect from the ship modeling community. They do have a certain "folk artsy" charm that should be appreciated. I think it should be noted that this is true of many ship models, dioramas, half-models and the like that are approaching the century mark. While they may not interest today's museum administrators, there are a lot of amateur and sailor-built unique scratch-built pieces from the first half of the 20th Century still in circulation that are, or will soon become, collectable in their own right.  

What you have there is a "decorator's model" from the first quarter of the 20th Century, or thereabouts. It appears to be remarkably good condition. As of its one-hundredth birthday, it will be a genuine antique. Many of today's modelers turn their noses up at such models because they lack any historical importance (often being simply "impressions" of generic ship types) and, by today's modeling standards, are crudely built. That said, these models, built in Europe, often Germany or Spain, on a production basis for export as home decorative pieces, have become, or are now about to become, collectable antiques. It probably won't get you a starring role on Antiques Roadshow, but if you clean it up, taking care to preserve the patina it's earned over the last hundred years or so, you should end up with a nice example of this type of "decorator" model that anybody would be happy to display in their home library or "man cave." Mind you, it's not a six-figure museum piece, but in another hundred years or so, it should start to appreciate on the antiques market.  
 
I submit that the better examples of these "decorator" models, if they've lasted this long now, have earned the right to enjoy some measure of respect from the ship modeling community. They do have a certain "folk artsy" charm that should be appreciated. I think it should be noted that this is true of many ship models, dioramas, half-models and the like that are approaching the century mark. While they may not interest today's museum administrators, there are a lot of amateur and sailor-built unique scratch-built pieces from the first half of the 20th Century still in circulation that are, or will soon become, collectable in their own right.  

Here, again, there's lots of information about wood sourcing in the forum section "Wood Discussion:" 
 
 
Answering "Where to find wood" depends upon whether you are looking for milled wood or not.  If you are looking for "strip wood" and "sheet wood" milled to modeling sizes like that sold in a lot of hobby stores (usually low quality basswood,) you will have to purchase it from one of the few (and dwindling number of) specialty vendors, most all of whom are online. (Two of the best are listed on the right side of the forum homepage as sponsors.) It's expensive, relatively speaking, but if you are only purchasing small amounts, the purchase price and shipping may not be a consideration for you. You can expect that most of the wood provided in all but the top-end model kit brands (e.g. Syren, Vanguard, etc.) will not be of particularly high quality. For this reason, many serious kit builders will buy after-market wood to replace some or all of the stock provided by the kit manufacturers.. 
 
Most modelers who "go over to the dark side" and build from scratch to one degree or another, which is something of a natural progression if one stays with the hobby after a few kit builds, mill their own modeling lumber. This requires investing in a bandsaw (preferably a 14" model often available on the used market, a good modeling table saw, a thickness sander (e.g. Byrnes Model Machines products: https://www.byrnesmodelmachines.com/ ) and perhaps a small chainsaw. Acquiring the machinery is an investment, but the savings realized from being able to mill your own modeling lumber will pay for the machines over your years of modeling and if you or your heirs no longer have a need for these machines, they hold their value well, so some, if not all, of the purchase price can be recovered upon resale. 
 
Bottom line, good modeling wood is where you find it and it's usually easier to find it for free or at low cost and mill it yourself than to buy it milled off the internet. Finally, the ability to have the wood you need on hand can't be fully appreciated until you find yourself needing a half dozen strips to finish planking a hull and have to wait a few weeks to get some more by mail order, and praying it will match the wood with which you started the job!
 
 

There's more than one way to skin a cat. Here's a different solution. It still requires a portable vise and a Dremel tool, but those aren't expensive. One of the advantages of ship modeling is that there isn't anything that can't be done with hand tools and ingenuity.  The forum's "Articles Database" (at the top of the  forum's home page) is a goldmine of information.  See: Microsoft Word - Mast-making Revised.docx (thenrg.org)

I suppose the arrangement you describe would be sufficient, but I suspect you were never a Boy Scout. 
 

 
The friction at the tailstock center would likely cause the wood to burn. The smoke from pressure treated wood is probably poisonous, I sure wouldn't chance it.
 
If all you are interested in doing is round and taper spars, the simplest technique is to place your drill motor upside down in a vise and mount your dowel into the drill motor chuck. Turn on the drill motor. (Most have a little button on the bottom of the handle that can be used to keep them running when you take your finger off the trigger.) Wearing gloves (because it will get hot,) run a doubled sheet of sandpaper up and down the spar, applying pressure with your fingers to both sides of the down.  This will round and taper the dowel. Measure with a calipers to ensure accuracy. Wrap sandpaper around a flat block of wood and use the flat to taper the dowel to a straight section, if need be. Your hand holding the sandpaper will keep the dowel from whipping when it spins.
 
It's always fun to consider these sorts of things, but I think one sometimes "over-engineers" it all. What you are contemplating building isn't much more than a very simple wood lathe, but it isn't even going to do that well beyond tapering spars. You would be far better off to invest in a real lathe and enjoy the vast number of things a real lather can do. I don't know how much your time is worth, but most people who have the option to put in a little overtime could save up for a really useful modeling lathe in as much time as they would spend reinventing the wheel, or lathe, as the case may be.
 

 
17" Lathe - Sherline Products $728 base price new, or $250 used:; sherline 4000 lathe | eBay
 
 
 
 

 
SIEG C3 7x14 Mini Lathe | Miniature Lathe | LittleMachineShop $799
 
Expensive machines, to be sure, and you can easily spend as much more on tooling and attachments, but the lathe is the only machine that can make any  other machine as well as itself. These are certainly overkill if you are only looking to taper spars, but if you plan to stay with the hobby for any length of time, you may start saving your lunch money for something like these.
 
 
 

Here, again, there's lots of information about wood sourcing in the forum section "Wood Discussion:" 
 
 
Answering "Where to find wood" depends upon whether you are looking for milled wood or not.  If you are looking for "strip wood" and "sheet wood" milled to modeling sizes like that sold in a lot of hobby stores (usually low quality basswood,) you will have to purchase it from one of the few (and dwindling number of) specialty vendors, most all of whom are online. (Two of the best are listed on the right side of the forum homepage as sponsors.) It's expensive, relatively speaking, but if you are only purchasing small amounts, the purchase price and shipping may not be a consideration for you. You can expect that most of the wood provided in all but the top-end model kit brands (e.g. Syren, Vanguard, etc.) will not be of particularly high quality. For this reason, many serious kit builders will buy after-market wood to replace some or all of the stock provided by the kit manufacturers.. 
 
Most modelers who "go over to the dark side" and build from scratch to one degree or another, which is something of a natural progression if one stays with the hobby after a few kit builds, mill their own modeling lumber. This requires investing in a bandsaw (preferably a 14" model often available on the used market, a good modeling table saw, a thickness sander (e.g. Byrnes Model Machines products: https://www.byrnesmodelmachines.com/ ) and perhaps a small chainsaw. Acquiring the machinery is an investment, but the savings realized from being able to mill your own modeling lumber will pay for the machines over your years of modeling and if you or your heirs no longer have a need for these machines, they hold their value well, so some, if not all, of the purchase price can be recovered upon resale. 
 
Bottom line, good modeling wood is where you find it and it's usually easier to find it for free or at low cost and mill it yourself than to buy it milled off the internet. Finally, the ability to have the wood you need on hand can't be fully appreciated until you find yourself needing a half dozen strips to finish planking a hull and have to wait a few weeks to get some more by mail order, and praying it will match the wood with which you started the job!
 
 

There's more than one way to skin a cat. Here's a different solution. It still requires a portable vise and a Dremel tool, but those aren't expensive. One of the advantages of ship modeling is that there isn't anything that can't be done with hand tools and ingenuity.  The forum's "Articles Database" (at the top of the  forum's home page) is a goldmine of information.  See: Microsoft Word - Mast-making Revised.docx (thenrg.org)

There's more than one way to skin a cat. Here's a different solution. It still requires a portable vise and a Dremel tool, but those aren't expensive. One of the advantages of ship modeling is that there isn't anything that can't be done with hand tools and ingenuity.  The forum's "Articles Database" (at the top of the  forum's home page) is a goldmine of information.  See: Microsoft Word - Mast-making Revised.docx (thenrg.org)