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As you can see, the mast is completed and glued into the hull. Is there a way to repair this break or do I need to drill out the mast and start over? TIA
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HELP! Can I Repair This?
- Thread starter SilverSurfer57
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As you can see, the mast is completed and glued into the hull. Is there a way to repair this break or do I need to drill out the mast and start over? TIA
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Hmmm. Unfortunately, I wasn't patient enough to wait for a reply. I used a brass rod, but I used a tiny amount of JB Weld, which I'm hoping will offset the flexibility of the brass. It's in a spot that is difficult to see, so I'm not worried about the gray glue color. The brass rod gave me the ability to make adjustments so that the mast would be straight.
I hope it works out for you. Regards.
That will probably work fine. Another approach that I have used to repair breaks of this sort, including larger ones like chair legs, is:
- Choose an appropriate dowel or, in this case, a toothpick to join the two pieces
- Drill holes in both pieces a little larger in diameter than the dowel (this will allow adjustments to the alignment)
- Use epoxy glue (like JB Weld) to fasten the joint
- Support the joint in the appropriate alignment until set
The standing rigging should hold the mast in the correct position. Just make sure that the rigging is evenly tensioned on all sides so it doesn't lean to one side.
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Thanks. I'll keep that in mind for the future. Fortunately, my idea worked and the mast is very solid. JB Weld is a lifesaver.
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I think I would do exactly as the OP has... with the exception of using a piece of steel rod, or a long finishing nail with the head cut off. I do have brass rod that is extremely stiff, so depending upon what type of brass rod was used, it too should be okay. The key, as noted by others is to brace and clamp till set to assure straightness, and then to carefully manage the tension of standing rigging to ensure it doesn't get pulled out of alignment. I too would be heartbroken if that had happened to me, but I think you found a good, workable solution. I wish you success in the rest of your build.
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An advice:
Never glue the masts to the holes.
Surround them with strips of cardstock until they fit snugly.
Then with the rigging, they won't move.
You can make two small holes with the DREMMEL and insert a piece of
piano wire of the appropriate thickness, which will also serve as a drill bit.
Then glue with Titebond or similar
Regards
Never glue the masts to the holes.
Surround them with strips of cardstock until they fit snugly.
Then with the rigging, they won't move.
You can make two small holes with the DREMMEL and insert a piece of
piano wire of the appropriate thickness, which will also serve as a drill bit.
Then glue with Titebond or similar
Regards
Hi, are you referring to stepping the masts in the deck? If so, I agree, that gives you flexibility in assuring everything is properly aligned.
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I mean all the masts, even the bowsprit, because if they break, they are easily fixed and aligned well, tightening here and there.
I prefer using wood in lieu of metal for this type of repair where feasible, as described in my earlier post (#5). This eliminates the concern with the metal pin bending, as well as making alignment easier. Of course the wood pin has to be strong enough to withstand the forces of the rigging. With the joint glued with epoxy, this is seldom an issue.
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The piano wire, in addition to having several gauges to choose from, is stainless and does not bend, it only gives or flexes and then recovers.
It also serves as a drill bit with the same caliber.
try it
It also serves as a drill bit with the same caliber.
try it
I had the same experience when lifting the glass case over one of my models. Unfortunately I did not lift it high enough and clipped the mast. I considered most of the repair solutions described above but finally decided to sleeve the two pieces. I fashioned a tube from mast coloured wrapping paper, making a tight fit on the two mast pieces. The tube was 1 thickness of the paper liberally coated with thin CA. This produced a thin but rigid tube which slipped over the lower part of the broken mast, providing a socket for the upper broken part The tube allowed a certain upward adjustment to be made, if needed, when re-rigging. the joint was finished off by the application of CA when the upper part of the mast was adjusted to its required height. When finished the sleeve/ tube repair was virtually invisible and gave a joint which encircled/encased the break, providing a very strong repair
This gives the basic outline of the repair. No great difficulty was encountered. Possibly worth a try. Points to watch-colour of paper to match mast; thin but rigid sleeve. In your case some adjustment of the the tops would be necessary - a bit fiddly but doable.
Good luck
This gives the basic outline of the repair. No great difficulty was encountered. Possibly worth a try. Points to watch-colour of paper to match mast; thin but rigid sleeve. In your case some adjustment of the the tops would be necessary - a bit fiddly but doable.
Good luck
i hate when that happens! as im working on rigging now, for some reason t keep breaking the rear boom and the bowsprit exactly at the same place. finally instead of just gluing them as i have been doing many times, i drilled each side slightly over sized to accept a metal shaft of a fishing hook. i used epoxy and adjusted everything to center till the epoxy set. its not a weak spot anymore... plus i have red tape on the tips to remind me to avoid getting too close to them. so far no breaks in 2 years.
good luck with your repair.
good luck with your repair.
Some time ago I bought a bag of mixed tube and rod offcuts which can be useful for putting a sleeve over a broken spar. I have mended a bowsprit this way. Painted black, the bodge can pass as an intended fitting. These would not help in this posted case because there are not two stubs but they are useful to have.
.![20240715_192612[1].jpg](https://shipsofscale.com/sosforums/data/attachments/443/443177-6f9c3136c48c1b1b9424939b4a881d72.jpg?hash=b5wxNsSMGx "20240715_192612[1].jpg")
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Snapped spars are a common repair task. I, too, have found that a metal pin works well. It's the "orthopedist's solution." I would only add that I have found it extremely helpful to build a very simple drilling jig which permits my drilling the hole for the metal pin exactly in the middle of each broken end of the spar pieces, thereby ensuring that the repaired spar parts are perfectly aligned when rejoined. Making this drill guide is a lot easier to do that it is to explain in writing, but here goes.
Take a small piece of wood or plastic as thick as the length of the pin you want to use to join the broken spar ends (~four times the diameter of the spar at the break, minimum, allowing pin insertion of ~twice the diameter of the spar at the break into each piece of the broken spar) and secure it in your drill press vise or similar holding device, preferably with the grain vertical, if it's wood. Chuck in a bit the same diameter or a smidgen (i.e. a very little bit to accommodate a slip-fit) larger than the metal pin you are using and drill down all the way through your piece of wood or plastic. Then without moving the piece in the drill press vice, remove the pin-sized drill bit. Then measure the diameter of the spar at the break with your calipers and chuck a drill bit that size or a smidgen larger and drill a hole into a block of wood (parallel to the grain, if you can) exactly on top of the first "pin hole" and exactly half the length of your pin (or, again, a smidgen more.)
Now you've got your jig. You slip the "big hole" end over the end of one of the broken pieces until it "bottoms out" on the spar. Then, using the drill bit that drilled the "little hole," you place that drill bit into the "little hole" on your jig and, needless to say, carefully, using the "little hole" as your guide, you drill down the distance equal to the depth of the "big hole" on the jig. The depth can be measured by simply leaving the overall length intended outside the end of the cuck jaws so that they fetch up against the drill guide when the desired depth is reached, or otherwise by placing a piece of tape around the drill bit shaft or marking it with "machinist's bluing" or a felt tipped permanent marker. (I don't know if the still make "machinist's bluing" anymore, actually.) Repeat the drilling operation on the other broken end of the spar.
Because the majority of the spar breaks encountered will be at point where there will be shrouds laid over hounds or other fittings in the way. Perhaps as much as half the time you will only be able to just slide your drill guide jig over a small length of the end of the broken spar, rather than sliding it on the full depth of half the length of the pin, but usually there will be enough "meat" available to permit at least sliding the guide over enough of the broken spar end to permit getting the drill bit started straight into the end of the spar enough that the resulting partial hole in the spar will serve as a guide for the rest of the depth of the hole with the jig removed. This spar drilling should be done slowly with a sharp bit, removing it as often as necessary to clear the bit flutes and the hole of waste, especially as the hole deepens. Let the bit do the cutting, rather than forcing it downward so that the bit is not inclined to drift off true center. I drill spars with a bit in a pin vise, rather than use a rotary tool or drill press, which I find are too aggressive and, should a bit catch, are liable to break the spar further.
This accurate placement of the "orthopedic pin" permits a perfect joining of the spar at the break. A bit of adhesive applied to the pin and the face of the break will hold all together. The adhesive doesn't need to be anything special, really, because the strength of a pin of proper length should exceed the strength of an intact wooden spar in any event. To be properly archival for a valuable model, the pins should be at least hardened tool steel, and preferable stainless steel, monel (surgical wire), or hardened brass. Copper lacks the rigidity required, and less noble ferrous metals pose the risk of rusting.
I save my broken small drill bits and prefer to use the broken drill bit shanks for pinning. These can be easily cut with a ceramic abrasive disk in a rotary tool. Don't ruin your good diagonal cutter edges trying to cut hardened steel drill bit stock or piano wire with them! I do a fair bit of restoration work and, if a quick count from memory is accurate, I presently have three broken topmasts, one ensign staff, one jack staff, and two broken bowsprits awaiting repair in the shop at the moment. Some time ago, I found myself using the same bits when making these little "spar center-drilling guides" and so I started making them out of nicer material and size-labeling and saving them. Now, when I need one, I check to see if I've already got one on hand that suits the job. The advantage of a perfectly centered and fitted pin hole is that it permits a perfect juncture of the rejoined ends of the spar that often results in a near-invisible repair which doesn't require clamping if an epoxy adhesive is used, and the job can often be done with the spar in situ while avoiding large amounts of otherwise necessary deconstruction and consequent re-rigging.
Take a small piece of wood or plastic as thick as the length of the pin you want to use to join the broken spar ends (~four times the diameter of the spar at the break, minimum, allowing pin insertion of ~twice the diameter of the spar at the break into each piece of the broken spar) and secure it in your drill press vise or similar holding device, preferably with the grain vertical, if it's wood. Chuck in a bit the same diameter or a smidgen (i.e. a very little bit to accommodate a slip-fit) larger than the metal pin you are using and drill down all the way through your piece of wood or plastic. Then without moving the piece in the drill press vice, remove the pin-sized drill bit. Then measure the diameter of the spar at the break with your calipers and chuck a drill bit that size or a smidgen larger and drill a hole into a block of wood (parallel to the grain, if you can) exactly on top of the first "pin hole" and exactly half the length of your pin (or, again, a smidgen more.)
Now you've got your jig. You slip the "big hole" end over the end of one of the broken pieces until it "bottoms out" on the spar. Then, using the drill bit that drilled the "little hole," you place that drill bit into the "little hole" on your jig and, needless to say, carefully, using the "little hole" as your guide, you drill down the distance equal to the depth of the "big hole" on the jig. The depth can be measured by simply leaving the overall length intended outside the end of the cuck jaws so that they fetch up against the drill guide when the desired depth is reached, or otherwise by placing a piece of tape around the drill bit shaft or marking it with "machinist's bluing" or a felt tipped permanent marker. (I don't know if the still make "machinist's bluing" anymore, actually.) Repeat the drilling operation on the other broken end of the spar.
Because the majority of the spar breaks encountered will be at point where there will be shrouds laid over hounds or other fittings in the way. Perhaps as much as half the time you will only be able to just slide your drill guide jig over a small length of the end of the broken spar, rather than sliding it on the full depth of half the length of the pin, but usually there will be enough "meat" available to permit at least sliding the guide over enough of the broken spar end to permit getting the drill bit started straight into the end of the spar enough that the resulting partial hole in the spar will serve as a guide for the rest of the depth of the hole with the jig removed. This spar drilling should be done slowly with a sharp bit, removing it as often as necessary to clear the bit flutes and the hole of waste, especially as the hole deepens. Let the bit do the cutting, rather than forcing it downward so that the bit is not inclined to drift off true center. I drill spars with a bit in a pin vise, rather than use a rotary tool or drill press, which I find are too aggressive and, should a bit catch, are liable to break the spar further.
This accurate placement of the "orthopedic pin" permits a perfect joining of the spar at the break. A bit of adhesive applied to the pin and the face of the break will hold all together. The adhesive doesn't need to be anything special, really, because the strength of a pin of proper length should exceed the strength of an intact wooden spar in any event. To be properly archival for a valuable model, the pins should be at least hardened tool steel, and preferable stainless steel, monel (surgical wire), or hardened brass. Copper lacks the rigidity required, and less noble ferrous metals pose the risk of rusting.
I save my broken small drill bits and prefer to use the broken drill bit shanks for pinning. These can be easily cut with a ceramic abrasive disk in a rotary tool. Don't ruin your good diagonal cutter edges trying to cut hardened steel drill bit stock or piano wire with them! I do a fair bit of restoration work and, if a quick count from memory is accurate, I presently have three broken topmasts, one ensign staff, one jack staff, and two broken bowsprits awaiting repair in the shop at the moment. Some time ago, I found myself using the same bits when making these little "spar center-drilling guides" and so I started making them out of nicer material and size-labeling and saving them. Now, when I need one, I check to see if I've already got one on hand that suits the job. The advantage of a perfectly centered and fitted pin hole is that it permits a perfect juncture of the rejoined ends of the spar that often results in a near-invisible repair which doesn't require clamping if an epoxy adhesive is used, and the job can often be done with the spar in situ while avoiding large amounts of otherwise necessary deconstruction and consequent re-rigging.