Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length.

[Rottweiler]

Having purchased this lovely model, and brought her home,I realised there was much more work to do on her than I thought.
The hull,made from 1/16th ply,was cracking and splitting in very many places.This showed up even more when stripping the years of grease grime and old paint off.
Even the glue used originally was breaking down and failing.
It was immediately decided to sheathe the hull,in fibreglass,and to remove the superstructure for a major rebuild
Here she is,as I bought her

[TailUK]

Got a similar job to do on a Queen Mary!

[Rottweiler]

Efforts at cleaning off the paintwork, which consisted of grease grime and many layers. I tried using paintstripper, but was very worried about the effects it would have on the glues in the plywood, which were already in a bad condition. So it was a matter of very gentle scraping, and sanding. I used an electric sander where possible. As I have a lung problem I had to wear a mask, and this made wearing my specs impossible because of steaming up! The red below the waterline, I am 100% sure was real antifouling, and as the model is over 50 years old, this would have been the now banned toxic stuff containing TBT and whatever else! So care was needed. The glues on the superstructure are also breaking down badly, so a lot of work yet!
I have managed to get the paint off to a reasonable standard that will allow the hull to be fibreglassed.

[Rottweiler]

a couple more photos of stripping down

[Colin Bishop]

Caronia was a beautiful ship and a very well balanced design. The four shades of green on her hull and upperworks contrasted with the distinctive Cunard red of the funnel to give her a very elegant appearance. I saw her on more than one occasion at Southampton and she made a deep impression on me.

I do have a 1:1250 collectors waterline model of the ship which really shows off her lovely lines. They don't make 'em like that anymore.

Colin

[Rottweiler]

Showing the damage to the stern area upper decks
She really is very fragile

[Rottweiler]

slightly different

[Rottweiler]

Almost made me weep
but we press on

[Stavros]

Looking good watching this with interest 




Dave

[derekwarner]

Bit of a time warp here Rottweiler   ...is this image from your current re-build or a 50 year old snap 

How about .."the 1957-69 Hoover Walk on Air Vacuum Cleaner"  .....

Derek

[Rottweiler]

Hi Derek,
Well spotted! Yes tiz an original Hoover Sputnik.I have a complete set of tools with it,and it still works!I also have a spare motor,and carbon brushes.The hose is perished though,and I cant get a spare one.
But I think the model will go to the scrapheap first!
Things are not going well at all,she is so very fragile.
Wait till you see the electronics I took out of her! They certainly wont be going back in!
Mick

[Rottweiler]

Todays instalment.May be of interest to my friend Inertia!
These are some of the electrics I took out of my Caronia model.I have never seen anything like them before,but as the model is around 50 years old,Im not surprised! Look at the size of the two tiny motors!
Mick

[Rottweiler]

I feel a little more confident now about the refurbishment,as the plans I ordered from America arrived today.Although very small,and not what I expected,they are very worthwhile having for reference.
Mick

[Colin Bishop]

To what extent is it possible to use the damaged areas such as the rear superstructure sides in your photos as templates for replacement plywood parts?

Colin

[Rottweiler]

It wont be easy Colin,but I will get round the problem somehow.
I have as carefully as I could,extricated the decks at the stern,repaired the damage by gluing them back together,and will be able to use these as templates.I will be using a type of plasticard for the replacements,and individually planking these with real wood.
Incidentally,the colours on my plan are not to clearly defined,as it says
 below waterline--red
Hull-- green
decks-- wood colour.
as you can see from the photos of the decks taken out,they are a very dark colour,which I am sure is incorrect,so I shall be planking in a much lighter colour.

[Rottweiler]

Inside of the hull coated with many coats of Bonda Seal, hoping it will keep the plywood together,to save from further splitting,and to give it a little strength