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repair help needed

Dave Stevens (Lumberyard)

Dave Stevens (Lumberyard)

Sponsor: dlumberyard
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if anyone is interest in helping PM me and i will put you in contact with her

Hello Dave,

I found your website online and am reaching out to you to inquire about repairing a ship model. The “News Boy” was made by my mother in 1994 as a gift for my son. It was damaged by the moving company when they relocated to California.

I would appreciate any suggestions for where they might get it repaired. They are willing to ship it I will enclose a few photos and a video. Please let me know if you would like more photos or information.


View attachment Video (1).mp4
 
I would love to help, but California is a long way from me. I am sure someone will rise to the challenge.
 
This is a model of the hermaphrodite Brig N e w s b o y (1854). Likely built from the Model Shipways kit. It was produced in their early "yellow box" solid hull era and later in (I believe) a "knocked down" plank on bulkhead version (AKA an "IKEA kit.") I am uncertain whether Model Shipways still has their N e w s b o y in production. They should most likely have the kit instructions available still. (See: https://modelexpo-online.com/model-shipways-historic-model-ship-kits and https://modelexpo-online.com/parts)

1749585361369.png

1749585396138.png
(See: https://www.ebay.com/itm/167545427768?mkevt=1&mkcid=1&mkrid=711-53200-19255-0&campid=5338678874&toolid=20006&customid=783fbf8866ec1fcdcda5d7c0eb68dfc1||&gclid=783fbf8866ec1fcdcda5d7c0eb68dfc1)

The French ship model kit company, LeClerc, also produced a N e w s b o y kit with which I am not familiar:

1749586497112.png

N e w s b o y is a particularly attractive model, providing at 1/8" scale a lot of interesting detail as she was only 111' long in real life. Her foremast provides the interest of square rigging without cluttering the overall presentation of the model with complex square rigging on both masts.

The damage is extensive, although hopefully all the broken bits and pieces remain with the model. It is possible, perhaps to repair the broken spars by drilling exactly down the center of the broken ends of the spar and inserting a metal pin and gluing with epoxy. This is a tedious exercise although a drill bit guide can be made to slip over the broken spar ends and ensure centering of the bit when drilling for the pin. It is not a job that can be done freehand as the pin must be perfectly aligned in the center of both parts to be joined so that the jagged broken ends can be joined exactly. There is also a fair amount of re-rigging to be done, obviously, although the if the spar repairs are done with care, it may be possible to do that with the rigging remaining fastened to the spars to some extent.

Without question, the cost of a professional restoration of this completed kit model at any reasonable hourly rate would greatly exceed the value of the model itself, excluding the sentimental value of this family heirloom which appears to have been exquisitely constructed by the original builder. I do not know if the moving company that caused this damage by obviously incompetent and negligent packing and handling is insured for this loss. Responsible professional moving companies often require an upcharge for special handling of delicate items and exclude responsibility for damage unless particular arrangements are made in their contract. If an insurance valuation is required, I do know that American Marine Models recently sold an identical N e w s b o y model and Michael Wall of that gallery may be able to provide a professional appraisal of the model's value. (See: https://www.shipmodel.com/acadp_listings/newsboy/)

This is a sad example of what happens when models are 1) not properly cased, and 2) consigned for handling to carriers who do not possess the necessary skill and experience to pack ship models properly for shipping and provide "fragile" handling. This sort of damage is commonly seen when an uncased model is simply placed in a cardboard box with newsprint paper stuffed around it, or, worse, filled with "packing peanuts," and not otherwise handled with great care. I presently have a similarly sized antique heirloom model of a tern schooner in my shop with very similar damage. It was "professionally packed" by Fed Ex for a relative. They placed it in a box filled with packing peanuts and, predictably, when handled by Fed Ex's "loading dock gorillas," the box was turned upside down and the model settled in the loose peanuts on its top hamper. All three topmasts and the bowsprit were snapped off, leaving a similarly tangled mass of rigging, broken spars, and sails. We had the same experience with my late mother-in-law's antique German porcelain. It was a valuable service for twelve containing everything an early 1900's formal China setting could contain. My sister-in-law, who was handling the estate, had her local "handyman" pack it for shipping. The idiot simply placed it all in boxes stacked up as it would be on a shelf without packing each piece individually wrapped and cushioned as professional movers would. When Fed Ex dumped the boxes on our front porch and we opened them, all that was left of what was once perhaps as many as a hundred pieces of beautiful cobalt blue and real gold filigree German porcelain were one bread plate, one teacup, and a fingerbowl. The rest was nothing but shards. I feel your pain!
 
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Perhaps you may want to contact the Nautical Research Guild.

Nautical Research Guild - Vendor and Resource Directory

thenrg.org thenrg.org
They keep a current listing of model builders that could repair this model of Newsboy.
If you can’t find somebody on this list get ahold of the guild.
They maybe able to find someone closer that would take it on.
I can repair it but I’m in the state of Maine.
Shipping both way can be done safely but it comes at a steep price.
Inquire to me if interested.
 
Jerome said:
Perhaps you may want to contact the Nautical Research Guild.

Nautical Research Guild - Vendor and Resource Directory

thenrg.org thenrg.org
They keep a current listing of model builders that could repair this model of Newsboy.
If you can’t find somebody on this list get ahold of the guild.
They maybe able to find someone closer that would take it on.
I can repair it but I’m in the state of Maine.
Shipping both way can be done safely but it comes at a steep price.
Inquire to me if interested.
Click to expand...

well i cannot contact the NRG because they have a black list of people they will not respond to and i am on that list.
but i can pass on the information to the owner of the model and perhaps she can contact them.
 
Ooooo.
Ouch!
The black list….hmmmmm
Sorry.
What can I say.
So yeah,
Have her contact them and we’ll hope for the best for Newsboy.
 
Dave,
If it can be of any help have her get ahold of Craters and Freighters shipping company.
They have locations throughout the US.
They could ship it to me (04862) and I could ship back via the same way.
Not a clue what shipping could be.
The repair looks fairly straightforward.
If she’s interested I can give a cost to clean and repair.
 
Jerome said:
Dave,
If it can be of any help have her get ahold of Craters and Freighters shipping company.
They have locations throughout the US.
They could ship it to me (04862) and I could ship back via the same way.
Not a clue what shipping could be.
The repair looks fairly straightforward.
If she’s interested I can give a cost to clean and repair.
Click to expand...


i sent you a PM
 
Ooooo.
Ouch!
The black list….hmmmmm
Sorry.
What can I say.
So yeah,

no need for the sorry i am fine with it SoS has everything i need or will ever need
 
Dave Stevens (Lumberyard) said:
well i cannot contact the NRG because they have a black list of people they will not respond to and i am on that list.
but i can pass on the information to the owner of the model and perhaps she can contact them.
Click to expand...

Now, that is indeed a very elite group of model ship builders and one to which many are proud to belong! ROTF
 
Now, that is indeed a very elite group of model ship builders

was not is anymore

and one to which many are proud to belong! ROTF

i was a member for many years and attended many a conference. until i got banned and black listed for supporting SoS and breaking so many rules. They have a lot of rules
 
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They definitely made a mess of it. Did you file an insurance claim? When I moved from Japan to NZ two of my ships were damaged. I filed a claim and the insurance company even found a local guy who did the repairs because my tools were somewhere on the high seas.
 
NRG has a lot of rules! Unfortunately they don’t tell you what they are until you’ve broken one. Maybe they’re making them up as you break them.

Roger
 
A Brig is not difficult to rig, although what I have seen of the model, most parts look OK , it just needs the
running rigging dismantled,some broken peices fixed,
reassembled in place and rerigged.Someone hopefully
not far from your destination should be able to help
you and at very little expense to you.Best of luck
In finding such a person.The model certainally looks
worth keeping and being repaired.
 
I recently discovered that I am part of an elite group myself, 80 next week and still taking no medication. So long as you don't count nicotine, strong tea and the occasional whisky.
 
I recently discovered that I am part of an elite group myself, 80 next week and still taking no medication. So long as you don't count nicotine, strong tea and the occasional whisky

i am only a few steps behind you however medication. is part of my daily routine. i am part of a make believe elite group because i scratch build models and create artistic pieces of all sorts. i learned years ago the power of "so what" you cannot knock me off a high horse that exists only in you head
 
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