Old Chinese Junk

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Old Chinese Junk

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3 June 2013 at 23:44 #41407
Ronnie Fowlis
Participant
@ronniefowlis79370
Hi, I'm completely new to forums and model boats. I have acquired an old model of a Chinese Junk and would appreciate any information that anyone can tell me about it and also any advice on how to put it back together.
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3 June 2013 at 23:44 #2267
Ronnie Fowlis
Participant
@ronniefowlis79370
5 June 2013 at 08:11 #41415
ashley needham
Participant
@ashleyneedham69188
Ronnie. Interesting project.

Where to start?? depends how much work you want to do on it really. The obvious big jobs can be glued up with PVA or superglue, and the small stuff..repaired or replaced. May be difficult in matching up the varnished bits, or you can sand back so all the repairs match.

Hull finishing.. either a simple rub down and repaint ,or strip..assume it is a static model?

Masts and so on, up to you but the whole thing looks very stylised and I would go for the sort of look you see in books on old Chinese prints (if you see what I mean) and copy that. I would fancy slatted bamboo sails (Chinese place mats!!!) and the minimum of rigging. Did it have masts? are there deck positions for masts??

Need to do something about the stand initially as this does not look to be contemporary with the boat…or is it?? in any event it is only touching on 4 points and usefully you could do with something more supportive while restoring.

A trip to Soho in London would be good later on to "accessorise" it with Chinese knick-knacks!!

Ashley
5 June 2013 at 09:04 #41416
LARRY WHETTON
Participant
@larrywhetton68737
Hello Ron,

nice load of junk ,……whats it built from a plan……go for a bamboo type sail rig……..

Waverley models have plans ,…….they have web site,,

you just add some fixed sails … and fit a small motor for drive ….

best of luck Larry..
5 June 2013 at 09:23 #41417
LARRY WHETTON
Participant
@larrywhetton68737
This help….
5 June 2013 at 19:28 #41424
Ronnie Fowlis
Participant
@ronniefowlis79370
Hi Ashley,

Yes, it is a static model. I like your suggestion of using chinese place mats for sails and minimum rigging. One of the original sails is usable but other two are pretty tatty. I appear to have five masts but only three holes for them on the model. However, living in central Scotland and not being a lover of travel, I don't think I'll be visiting Soho!!. There is, or was, a real Junk at Eyemouth which isn't too far away.

Ronnie.
5 June 2013 at 19:38 #41426
Ronnie Fowlis
Participant
@ronniefowlis79370
Hi Larry,

I will check out Waverley's website later, thanks. I think the model might be 70-80 years old and I'm not sure a small motor would be appropriate. I haven't even tried it on water to see if it will float. I'm not sure if I can accurately restore it or whether that would matter. I am a panelbeater/paintsprayer and like to get things back to how they were. I liked the colours so they will be kept much the same.

Ronnie.
6 June 2013 at 17:25 #41443
Ronnie Fowlis
Participant
@ronniefowlis79370
Hi Ashley, Larry.

Do you think these would make good sails?

Ronnie.
6 June 2013 at 19:29 #41444
LARRY WHETTON
Participant
@larrywhetton68737
Hi Ron ,

answer is no , see sail drawing i posted…….

you get a simler item in pound land………Larry…
6 June 2013 at 20:02 #41445
Ronnie Fowlis
Participant
@ronniefowlis79370
Hi Larry,

Thanks for that. I'll look for a pound land at the weekend.

Ronnie.
7 June 2013 at 08:01 #41447
ashley needham
Participant
@ashleyneedham69188
Ronnie. I would get an idea of what look you want and troll around the shops. Bamboo place mats, or bomboo lookalike place mats are everywhere in shops that sell place setting stuff and crockery/whatever..

A visit to a large haberdashery (cloth) shop can be an eye opener, and you may even find some sort of rough woven stuff that looks attractive.

I dont know where yopu are, but a trip to London Soho would furnish you with something great, there are loads of cloth shops nearby as well. Shops that sell incense and "new world" sort of mystic gear will have something as well.

Ashley
7 June 2013 at 09:32 #41448
LARRY WHETTON
Participant
@larrywhetton68737
Good morning Ron,

I have add look at your pictures ,

if its not going on the water, use art paper used for water colors,

and use bamboo skewers for masts and cross mizens……

try a few tests of model ,

i use decorators lineing paper. or parcel wraping paper well crumpled…..

Ashley last time i visted Soho in the sixtys ,

whent to Jerome st for chinese , and then to Ronnie Scotts ,……for the best jazz in town

and was offered some French lessons.. cheers LARRY..
7 June 2013 at 18:05 #41455
Ronnie Fowlis
Participant
@ronniefowlis79370
Hi Ashley.

I thought the bamboo placemats on Amazon was the look I was after but Larry say no. I will hopefully find the ones he means tomorrow in Poundland. There is a guy in the unit next to me that does up old furniture and I will see what he has if I can't get something suitable in bamboo. I Googled Kinross to London after reading your post and it is 436.2 miles away and would take 5 hours and 56 minutes to get there.(Probably nearer 4 hours, the way I drive!).

I've learned how not to get a good finish on a model boat. Late last night, in the corner of my room, I thought that it looked pretty good but in the sunshine today, it doesn't look too clever. I will put the latest pictures up in a short while.

Thanks again for your suggestions.

Ronnie.
7 June 2013 at 18:26 #41457
Ronnie Fowlis
Participant
@ronniefowlis79370
Hi Larry.

I was hoping to take the Junk to the local loch over the weekend to see if it would float okay. I guess it would have been wiser to have done that before painting it but I was very keen to see the boat painted once I thought the repairs were finished. I imagine that Ashley and yourself are better disciplined, judging from the fine models that you have both produced.

There are 5 masts and quite a few other wooden battens in bags that I got with the Junk.

I've used fine lining tape on the Junk because I keep it in stock. (I'm a self-employed panelbeater/spraypainter) Do you mean to use the 'parcel wrapping paper well crumpled ..' for masking?.

There are 5 Poundland shops in a 14-17 mile radius from where I stay so I should find the bamboo placemats you are meaning.

Your advice is appreciated.

Ronnie.
7 June 2013 at 20:49 #41458
LARRY WHETTON
Participant
@larrywhetton68737
Hello Ron,

Ihad short spell in HONG KONG while in the mob ,

and the junks i saw there where aptley named they are working boats so dont put yuor self down

about finish, i like a bit of weathering , as for sails , they are a bit of patch work item .

some of them used old tarpurlins, thats why i surgested crumpled paper for sail cloth ,

if you intend to sail you will have to have a rethink , most junks have motors fitted to get across Hong Kong harbour and to dodge revenue boats , kkKeep up the good work Larry

Edited By LARRY WHETTON on 07/06/2013 20:50:08
8 June 2013 at 09:40 #41462
ashley needham
Participant
@ashleyneedham69188
Ronnie. Sorry dint see that you were that far `oop North!

How about laying the masts and bits out so we can see what you have?

Ashley
8 June 2013 at 12:03 #41463
Ronnie Fowlis
Participant
@ronniefowlis79370
Ashley

The 4th and 6th photos show the masts and sails that I got with the Junk but I've just added some more.

Larry

I went to Poundland this morning but they said that they didn't have 'anything like that', so I had a look in a corner shop and bought the 2-person table set for a couple of quid. I'm still not sure what to look for. Do you think they will do?. I have a friend with a Malaysian wife so they will probably end up with them.
8 June 2013 at 18:40 #41470
ashley needham
Participant
@ashleyneedham69188
Ronnie. having seen what you have got, and that there are LOADS of masts, it may be that the bamboo sails MAY be a bit…. heavy for this model. That would not stop ME using them mind you, as it would look very distinctive.

I think a trib to a haberdashery department is in order, to see if there is anything in the rolls of cloth that you like the look of? I might like the look of some oriental print cloth, for instance or something flowery in the chinese style. Not original, but….

Nice work on the hull…looking very good. I would not worry about a perfect finish, I doubt the original was particularly well done, as a commercial item.

Ashley

Edited By ashley needham on 08/06/2013 18:41:44
8 June 2013 at 21:09 #41473
Ronnie Fowlis
Participant
@ronniefowlis79370
Hi Ashley

I texted a friend who repairs old furniture after thinking that the bamboo placemats might not work. He gave me a large chunk of coarse cotton which I feel could be easier to cut to shape with Larry's plans or using the original sails as a template. Also, it is an off-white and I was thinking that I could dye it bright orange, red or green. I've read that traditional Junk sails are Chinese Red (made by mixing red,white and black) or green but I haven't seen any pictures with the green sails. Strangely, I looked at a bright red with gold floral patterned pillowcase online at lunchtime today and thought that it would make a nice and unusual sail. It might be worth trying.

I didn't have time to go to the local loch, so I tried the Junk on a small burn. It floated very nice and evenly.
9 June 2013 at 18:45 #41483
ashley needham
Participant
@ashleyneedham69188
Ronnie, isnt your house fitted with a test tank??? most are.. or it may not be big enough?

Unfortunately, if you were wanting to float this as a radio control item, it is bound to need a keel, as wind on the sails is bound to push it over. This will obviously be ..of a certain weight… and so the waterline will be higher as a result. As larry says, most are fitted with motors, so motorising yours would be a quite acceptable avenue of propulsion.

I have a Viking Drakkar, made to show off some Viking soldiers I have. It is nothing much (so no pictures!!) however I think it look OK, or even good.. especially filled with lusty Nordic types, and to boot, it floats very nicely. I wondered about making something to be radio controlled..the gear could be hidden in the centre tent.. and if I was to do so.. I thought the sail could be made from some sort of mesh..muslin or netting..to let the air out. If this was screen printed with strong coloured stripes or a dragon (or something), the relative transparency of the sail would go unnoticed, and so I would not need a keel as the sail would not be exerting too much force on the mast. Do you get my drift here?? A method of providing sails without the penalty they incur on the water..

Ashley
9 June 2013 at 22:02 #41488
Ronnie Fowlis
Participant
@ronniefowlis79370
Hi Ashley

I just found out the other night that our house is built where there used to be a pond. Somehow they forgot to fit a test tank, possibly because there is a 13 square km loch three miles away!. Originally, I only wanted to restore the hull, as I thought that was all there was. You and Larry have been making me think more and more about it's possibilities.

I've just googled Drakkar because I hadn't heard of them before. I had only heard them called longboats. I'm not that nautically-minded. I did a lot of canoeing when I was younger but apart from that, I've only been on a ferry once.

Been away all day at a vintage tractor rally so no work on the boat sails. I've bookmarked a few silk cushion cases with a Chinese theme and read up on the five main colours that the Chinese used in their daily lives. But, I would like to make them in the cotton first which I'm not all that confident about doing myself. I would love a big dragon on the middle sail because I think that all I'm going to use the Junk for is for photographY, maybe on different lochs all over the country.

Appreciate your suggestions, though.

Ronnie.
10 June 2013 at 08:57 #41497
LARRY WHETTON
Participant
@larrywhetton68737
Hello Ron,

Came across some water color paper with wood chip testure looked just right ,

may be diy wood chip be the same worth alook,

do you intend to rig these sails to power the boat ifso how are you going to control sails ..?..

Larry…

Edited By LARRY WHETTON on 10/06/2013 09:22:33
10 June 2013 at 08:57 #41498
LARRY WHETTON
Participant
@larrywhetton68737
Larry…

Edited By LARRY WHETTON on 10/06/2013 09:28:26
10 June 2013 at 17:27 #41513
Ronnie Fowlis
Participant
@ronniefowlis79370
Hi Larry

Love the shape and colours of the Junk in the bottom photo.

In my reply to Ashley, I said that I thought I was only getting a damaged hull to repair. I thought about it for a week and it was only when I went back for the hull that the guy gave me the sails, masts and some other pieces.

I don't think that I'll ever try to motorise it or get it to sail. I'm quite happy with how the hull turned out. (even with the brush hairs in the paint and the marks in the woodstain).

You didn't mention if the bamboo placemats I got on saturday would do the job but I'm guessing no, as you've suggested the water colour paper with wood chip texture. I asked a female friend today for some help on sewing a hem on cotton and she said she could do it 'in minutes' if I cut the shapes with a quarter inch extra.

I got a reply back from worldofboats.org regarding the Junk in Eyemouth which you might find interesting. It was " Yes we do have a Chinese Junk moored up alongside the Eyemouth Maritime Centre and although not an original, she is a faithful reproduction built in Hong Kong and sailed over for a film set."

Ronnie.
12 June 2013 at 19:58 #41551
Ian Jopson
Participant
@ianjopson21383
I know I'm coming in a bit late, but – if the model is from the late 30s to early 50s and built from a plan, it could possibly be from a Modelcraft plan. They had a Chinese Junk approximately 13 inches long. Plans over 6 sheets. I think I may have them 'somewhere'. If they are about, and any use, wether for sizes, layout, rig, etc., I could probably get them copied. Let me know
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