At long last, now a bit of space has been created in the "workshop" I've been able to bring c/s "Norseman" home from its damp locker. The "top half" at least ( after a bit of huffing and puffing from "Nemesis"). But the poor thing needs more like a re-construction than a simple refit. To be honest, I don't really know wher to start. Since I built her around 20 years ago I'd like to think my model building has improved a bit. So have the materials, paints etc. that I used then.
I'm inclined to remove the masts and associated rigging first...mainly to give me better access to the deck clutter...but also for another reason that I'll come to in a minute. When I built the model I had to overcome the mast height problem. On the real ship the masts were 120' high, which at 1:48=30". To get over that I made the lower masts spring loaded so the topmasts could be slotted in seperately, but this method, although successful, made maintaining even tension on the rigging difficult. But nothing is "easy" in the scratch-build world, is it. So now I'm tending to the idea of "fixing" the lower masts and fitting non-flexible standing rigging...still have to dream up a way of fitting the topmasts,though. It would be simple if the lower and topmasts were "in line", but as she was built as an auxiliary sailing ship the masts were stepped accordingly (topmasts mounted ahead of the lower mast).
But then will come the "cleaning" phase. The white,dusty mouldy stuff seems to come off the wood parts OK, but as I used a lot of "litho-plate" in the superstructure construction ...well, the poor thing is suffering from surface (and deeper) oxidisation. No indication of the litho coming off though.
Now to a question.
Assuming most of the superstructure is pretty well sealed, would spraying the thing with something like "Mr.Muscle" clean it up without causing damage? Or is that too strong? Obviously I'd be usiing a similar water spray to wash it off. Ideas?
Until it's cleaned I can't tell what bits will need repainting. A lot of the "white" has discoloured to a dirty sort of cream colour. All Humbrol. Once the rigging is cleared away I'm thinking of buying a battery powered toothbrush (Mrs.Y.rather selfishly refuses to lend me hers) to use as a deck scrubber. No lewd comments about "scrubbers", please.
Who knows, I may find this job as interesting as building a new one....as if.
The first pic is "how she was".....and the others are as of today.