Fairland by portchieboy - RESTORATION - old wooden model presumed to be Clipper from late 19thC

[portchieboy]

After a few months,  I have now completed the Victory,  so am ready to move on to the Fairland. I intend to clean up the decks and masts, tighten up the rigging and then restore the deck areas. I can then move up, add to the standing rigging and start the spars etc. Any ongoing help and comments much appreciated. 

[Keith Black]

 Mike, welcome back. In my humble opinion you need to strip it all the way back to the bare hull and proceed with the restoration from the ground up. All three mast need to be removed and rebuilt. Taking down the mast means removing the shrouds and ratlines. It's that old saw, if it's worth doing it's worth doing it right. 

[portchieboy]

Thanks Keith. Totally appreciate what you say, and why. However,  I am doing this on behalf of a friend of mine. We had a chat much along these lines, ie based on whether this was purely a restoration with minimal interference, or a rebuild. The ship has deep family and sentimental roots to him. If it were to be dismantled and completely rebuilt, he feels it would not hold the same memories. Also, I know from the general condition that by dismantling, the masts would not survive complete, neither for example the ratlines.

Hence why I am generally cleaning rather than sanding and repainting, and putting back the jigsaw puzzle 'along the lines' of a contemporary ship, but still with 21 spars for example, as supplied to me. 

 

Thanks again, everyones comments and suggestions are valued. 

[Keith Black]

 Sorry Mike, I forgot that this is a friends model and not yours. And now I remember past conversations. 

[portchieboy]

Some more work finished. I have tidied up the hull painting, I have filled and mended all 3 masts, though the  mizzen mast has a slight kink. Nothing to be done, it will be hidden in due course by the 7 spars! Have cleaned up and re oiled the decks, again have not sanded right down so as to keep the spirit of the original. 

 

I must now look at the deck furniture, rails and general bits and Bob's.

Edited January 29, 2023 by portchieboy
Mis spelling

[Keith Black]

 Looking good Mike. 👌

[portchieboy]

Getting on, now looking for the correct placement of the deck. I have placed the parts I would think to be correct, and in pic 3 have those left over. On top of that, there are both the remaining rails, a lot of which will need re making. 

 

I now would like please confirmation or otherwise of my thoughts, and any other comments.

[Keith Black]

 In the last photo the two objects far right, just below what looks like a chest, are the port and starboard side running lights. I'm not sure about the paired object below the running lights unless it's supposed to be a bollard or possibly a pump? Regarding the stanchions, I count 18 with would be 9 per side, I don't think that is enough. You need to separate each one from the rail cap pieces and place them in the holes and see how many are left wanting and where they go according to their respective height. And the object that looks like a chest, I've not a clue as to its placement unless it goes on the forecastle which doesn't seem right?

 

 Regarding the stanchions, this maybe a case where you have to deviate from the original and purchase wood stanchions from one of our listed suppliers. I'd be better able to direct you in that regard if I knew your location.  

Edited January 31, 2023 by Keith Black

[KeithAug]

On 7/2/2022 at 2:35 PM, portchieboy said:

Thought you were a'talking of my trouble and strife

i assume she doesn't follow your log. She may however start in the future!😀