Old Chinese Junk

[Ronnie FowlisParticipant @ronniefowlis79370]

Hi Larry,

You're very welcome to the book. E-mail me your address and I'll try to get it in the post tomorrow. I hope I'm allowed to give you it here!. [email protected]

I can't believe I'm in this early on a monday evening. Still, I will get the three sails cut out , three in linen and three in cotton and decide which to use when they're sewn. IF, they're sewn. I was experimenting with 3M 06506 Refix Tape last week to do the hems but it's £9 a roll. There's Copydex and Wonder Web out there for those of us that can't sew very well.

Almost got my stencil cutting refined enough to do the upper boards and get this dang thing finished!.

Ronnie.

[LARRY WHETTONParticipant @larrywhetton68737]

HELLO Ron,

PM sent thank you..Larry…

[Ronnie FowlisParticipant @ronniefowlis79370]

Just thought I'd try the iron on transfer paper again and the red silky stuff to see what it would look like. I have to say that it looks pretty good for a quick-ish mock up but the photo doesn't do it justice. (I paid a lot of money for that camera too!)

Anyone know why superglue hates me so much!!.

Left eight sails (3 white linen, 3 off-white cotton and two orange) to be overlock stitched by a highly recommended pro which were copied from original sails. She hopes to have them ready tomorrow but it may be saturday.

[Amy jane SeptemberParticipant @amyjaneseptember49770]

I think that's looking pretty good too. Super glue and I don't get on too well either…(Unless of course I meant to glue my finger to my eyelid!)

[Ronnie FowlisParticipant @ronniefowlis79370]

We need an intelligent superglue Amy Jane, one that knows which two surfaces to stick!.

Ronnie.

[Ronnie FowlisParticipant @ronniefowlis79370]

I used to be indecisive but now I'm just not sure!!. I think these sails look okay, good size and colour but I'm not going to trim the excess string and wood for the moment. All my mates think the red silk ones were 'smart'. I had hoped to put it back to how it was because I would like to donate it to the maritime museum but I do like things to be smart so I keep changing my mind, something I rarely do in the real world!!.

[LARRY WHETTONParticipant @larrywhetton68737]

Ron,

Yuo are at it again beating your self up,

i would stain the white sails with cold tea then call it a day,

if you are giving to museum, they wont care, i have donated to to diffrent, outlets as brick a brack,

so now i take the money and run , still it looks ok so well done….Larry..

[Ronnie FowlisParticipant @ronniefowlis79370]

Hi Larry,

Is that plain old tea or tea with poster paint and two sugars????

No harm in trying something….

[Ronnie FowlisParticipant @ronniefowlis79370]

Hurrah!!. Last day on this project.

Not too keen on the distressed sails, think I might have overdone it a bit. Either going to bleach the front sail and give it a drink of cold tea…….or…cut some more red silk and go for the executive look!!.

[LARRY WHETTONParticipant @larrywhetton68737]

RON , ITS OK LEAVE IT…..LARRY.

[Ronnie FowlisParticipant @ronniefowlis79370]

Hi Larry.

I have replaced the front sail with the original. Still not all that pleased with it but I am going to leave it. I will try to get in touch with the Maritime Museum again next week. It would be good if they wanted it and I could have a look at the full size Junk they have moored down there.

I would like to thank you, and the others, for all your tips and suggestions. I'm going to look for an easier hobby, like rock-climbing or maybe go back to white water canoeing!!.

Cheers, Ronnie.

[Ronnie FowlisParticipant @ronniefowlis79370]

If there's anyone still there and interested…..I got some more info on the label under the gargo hold cover

The 2 columns of characters are read right side first, then the left side.
Right side states the place. 威海, pronounced Wei Hai, is a city in Shandong province of China. 衛刘公岛, pronounced Wei Liu Gong Dao, is an island under the charge of Wei Hai city.
Left side is the name of the company. There are 5 characters, should be 6. "益华中西木工" missing the "工". Literal translation is "beneficial to Chinese eastern and western wood works"

Also, had two three-figure offers for the model.

Ronnie.

[LARRY WHETTONParticipant @larrywhetton68737]

Hello Ron,

nice work , put it in to auction room special sale with a reserve larry

[Amy jane SeptemberParticipant @amyjaneseptember49770]

Well done Ron, a nice end result, and a most enjoyable thread!

Amy jane

[Ronnie FowlisParticipant @ronniefowlis79370]

Hi Larry, Amy Jane.

After we came back from a long, very enjoyable, hill climb/walk last sunday we had a look at the Junk and agreed…..it looked s***e. (rhymes with bright!).

I'm not really bothered about the two offers for it because I know that they just hope to make some money on re-selling it. There is someone, who is more expert in this field, going to have a look at it next thursday. Even if he says it might be worth more, I would still hope that the maritime museum would take it. I don't need the money.

I took advantage of having a fairly easy week to try and make the Junk more presentable. I continued the white round the front and re-painted the front board. I made the piece that was missing from the rear upper boards. Also got the red/white 'squiggly' design a bit better. I fitted the back-up sails today, much more tidy even though the skewers aren't painted on the rear one. I'm not sure about the panels with the red dots, they don't really add anything, in my opinion. So, now got to do the mini 'squigglies' on the lower rear panels.

[LARRY WHETTONParticipant @larrywhetton68737]

Hello Ron,

Looks ok , have you sold yet..?..

sails look good but a little to clean….

have had look at my junk post,

all built from left overs builders skips, and odds and sods box……cheers Larry….

[Ronnie FowlisParticipant @ronniefowlis79370]

Hi Larry,

Very impressed with your Junk. Nice job.

It feels like months since I was on here. I got back into my usual social life but didn't completely abandon my Junk. I like it now that it's more the way I hoped it would turn out. I haven't made any effort to sell it although there is someone keen to part with quite a lot of money for it.

I had hoped to take some photos of it in the water with the Forth and Tay Bridges in the background. Also, the local 14th century castle but the state of the water in the loch has ruled that out and I haven't had the time to visit the bridges yet.

There may be another surprise coming but I'll wait until I have some photos to post.

I haven't made any effort to contact the Maritime Museum in Eyemouth either as a result of the new developments.

Ronnie.

Edited By Ronnie Fowlis on 31/07/2013 17:58:33

[Ronnie FowlisParticipant @ronniefowlis79370]

Finally, there is no more to be done to the Junk……other than to decide which set of sails gets the number one slot. A lady-friend took a few weeks to make the red silky set and I felt that I should fit them to see how they looked. I marginally prefer the cotton white/orange combo but most of my mates think that the red ones look better. I think I've achieved my aim of getting it back to a presentable condition and feeling pleased with the way it turned out.

Ronnie.

[Amy jane SeptemberParticipant @amyjaneseptember49770]

Well done Ronnie, just put you feet up and admire her for a while, but not too much or you'll start seeing "improvements'!

[Ronnie FowlisParticipant @ronniefowlis79370]

Thanks Amy Jane, I do enjoy looking at her now.

By the way, I think I mastered how to apply superglue on the red set of sails. I got a bottle of industrial strength superglue and dipped a very thin screwdriver in to dab on the thread to stop it unravelling. After every five or six dabs I scraped the excess off with a stanley knife blade.

Ronnie (retired model junk restorer)

Edited By Ronnie Fowlis on 16/08/2013 18:05:36

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