# sailing ship model cleaning



## Old Se Dog

hello

my dad built a model 25 odd years ago and when he crossed the bar - i had it stored in a storage locker - which i now have back at home

a friend has offered to clean the model for me -as i have the shakes - ( Parkinson) - i am wary to clean the model myself - my question

what can he use for the sails - cloth - and the rigging ? i do have small painters brushes for the general work - image attached shows the model is still in overall good shape - kindest regards


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## Stephen J. Card

I believe you can remove dust from rigging by using a small 'artist's brush' and dampen and run down the rigging. For the sails, probably by a artist hog's hair brush. Stiffer and brush it down... but no water.

Failing that... leave outside on the porch for a Force 8!

Nice model.


Stephen


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## Ron Stringer

Computer and model shops sell aerosol cans of compressed air for blowing dust away. Will remove dust but probably won't get dirt out of sails.


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## Old Se Dog

Ron - Stephen - thank you for the advice


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## Farmer John

A glass case for when it is cleaned would make it look fabulous and probably only cost either one arm or one leg.


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## stein

A custom made glass case would probably be expensive. There are cheap clear plastic sheets to be bought, these can be cut and glued together to make a box. And, here in Norway at least, you can buy profiled wood to cover the glued edges.
To get rid of dust on the rigging I use a soft brush and blow with lungs and mouth. 
I have got Parkinson's as well, first diagnosed as such ten years ago, but I do not shake much. A constant problem when dealing with such things as model rigging is that I forget to pay attention when removing my hands from where a bitterly fought battle to put something small in place was fought. So 90 percent of my accidents resulting in damage to models comes after the really difficult operations are done. And I guess that is typical - it is the automatic moves that fails with Parkinson's sufferers.


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## Old Se Dog

*ship glass case*

farmer john - stein - i have already decided to have a case to fit the model made similar to the one in the attached image - thank you for the advice though - - i would like to have the top removable though - to maybe clean the model on a yearly basis - as i stay in a farm environment


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## Farmer John

If it's under glass it should keep clean. My barograph is many years old and remains clean, apart from where some inky person blobbed ink. Any model will look so much more imposing.


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## Victor J. Croasdale

I build models but not sailing ships.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/vjc_models

I usually clean models with an airbrush spraying water and washing up liquid, then rinse by spraying with clean water. A cheap external mix airbrush can be had for about $10, if you don't have a compressor get can of airbrush propellant. Do the sails first as all the dirty water will drain onto the deck.


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## stein

When it comes to non-synthetic thread and cloth I would go easy on the water, as those materials generally loosen when wetted, and shrink when dried following this. This particularly so if the thread is not properly waxed, and if not then you might get a rather fluffy rigging, even if the shrinkage does not result in any damage. Of course wood is not insensitive to water either, and one never knows about the strength of old time glue.


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## jerome morris

Yes, Old time glue may be hide glue which is water soluble even after all these years.
I've used water sparingly on restorations and had numerous deck fittings come loose because the were attached with hide glue. easy enough to reattach them but still.
Opt first to use a soft brush from the top down, and then mop up the decks last with again a soft brush slightly dampened to clean up the dust and grim on the decks. Once that is done do the same on the hull, from the top down. I always give a quick blow off with compressed air right before putting it in a case. And please secure the cradle to the case base.(I brass pin the cradle to the base) Many a model gets broken when the case is moved and the models slides around inside the case, SNAP goes a spar or bow sprite.


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