Model ship restoration

[Avnips]

Just recieved 2 model ships from my grandfather and would like to try and restore it. Would love any tips on cleaning, finding or making new parts, painting, etc... Any tip on any part of restoration would be much appreciated.

[druxey]

Perhaps we can advise you better if you can post some photos of their condition to begin with.

[Avnips]

If a better angle would help just let me know

 

 

 

Edited March 23, 2019 by Avnips

[Bob Cleek]

They are mid-Twentieth Century "decorator models." These were made on a production basis for export to the U.S. They were sold as household decoration. At this point, they are interesting as a type that are becoming scarce because most have been discarded. Yours have a connection to your grandfather and are worth preserving for that reason.

 

Dust and clean them as best you can. After the dust is blown off, clean them using cotton swabs dampened with water and a bit of mild dishwashing detergent. (Not so much that it will leave a sticky residue when the water dries.) Some museum curators advocate using saliva to wet the "Q Tips" because it supposedly has chemical properties that clean better than water alone, but given that you probably have no idea what's in the dust that's collected on them over the decades, I'd hesitate to try that myself.

 

The sails may be impossible to clean, although, if you can remove them without destroying them, you might try soaking them in warm water and handwashing them. Always test a small area of anything you clean to make sure it is stable. For example, if the printing on the sail fabric is water-based, washing them could make a mess of that.

 

Find what parts you can that are broken and glue them back together using a good white or yellow wood glue or "Super Glue." Try to figure out where the "strings" that are broken were attached. (The length of the end of the loose string is usually a good clue to where it came from.) Replace the broken strings with new material as close in appearance to the original as possible.

 

It's a worthwhile project and if you take care of them, you can leave them to your grandchildren, too!

[druxey]

Well, Bob is almost correct; but once you lick the cotton swab, you don't put it back in your mouth again! Or, if you do, you will only do it once....

 

I would only add that if you take the time and trouble to restore the model, put them in cases; or they will simply get dusty and damaged again.

Edited March 23, 2019 by druxey

[Bob Cleek]

5 hours ago, druxey said:

Well, Bob is almost correct; but once you lick the cotton swab, you don't put it back in your mouth again! Or, if you do, you will only do it once....

 

I would only add that if you take the time and trouble to restore the model, put them in cases; or they will simply get dusty and damaged again.

Yeah, I thought that not putting the swab back in your mouth was a given, but then I remembered the "Darwin Principle."

 

[Keith Black]

 Welcome to the rabbit hole, this is how it starts.

 I'll just restore this ole ship, how hard can it be? Well, that old rigging is rotten, need to remove and replace that. Oh geez, a couple of the blocks disintegrated when I removed the rigging, need to order some of those. That fitting is broken, can't find one, gonna have to make that. Gotta strip everything away from the model where I can get to every little place with that saliva coated Q-Tip (I'm going to disagree here with my more learned colleagues. As dirty as your vessels are, unless you can spit like a camel, I suggest you use paint thinner sparingly applied with Q-Tips. Do a small test area first that's not seen unless standing on your head. I've used paint thinner with no ill effects.) As you progress you'll find you need to know how to do certain things so you'll be searching NRG's site and get caught up in build logs that had absolutely nothing to do with your original search but, wow what beautiful work! Then you start thinking, I'd like to build a ship (my current state) and here you are, "mezzanine, watch your step"

 Avnips, go for it! Honor your Grandfather's memory and have something you're proud of that was his. You'll not be sorry if you have an interest in ship models which you obviously do. There is a wealth of information within the NRG site, in fact so much so, that like a great book, it's hard to put down. Ship modeling is a great hobby, it'll teach you patience, give you a sense of pride, and take you down roads you never knew existed. 

 Welcome aboard...........Keith

 

[Jenmack37]

My father purchased a Fragata XV11 but is looking for some kind of instructions on how best to take apart and repair the sails. Anyone have any instructions out there? This is his first time with a project like this. Thank you

[Louie da fly]

Hi Jenmack,

 

Probably the best thing would be to put this question up on the "Masting, Rigging and Sails" section. You'll have more specific answers and it won't get lost among answers to Avnips' posts. I take it the Fregata is an already existing model that you father wants to repair?

 

You might also try using the search function at the top of the page and search for "restoration" or "restoring", and then see what advice has been given on other, similar projects.

 

Good luck with it!