Owning a sailing boat or a ship is a dream for many people. Although one cannot afford to buy or maintain a real ship, it is easy to buy a model ship and use it to enhance the dcor of ones home or office. Several types of model ships are available in the market. You can find models of famous ships from history, models of pirate ships or custom designed models of ships to suit your fantasies or dreams. A historic model ship is, however, one of the most popular types bought and sold in the market. A historic model ship not only keeps you in touch with history but also fulfills your dream of owning a famous ship.
Historic Model Ship: The Building Process
All historical model ships need to be perfect replicas of the original ships. This requires the devotion of a lot of time and attention to the original ships blueprints and adequate research about the tiniest details.
A historic model ship is generally made of wood. The process involves the purchase of wooden logs that are cut down into very fine planks and than treated. Customers can choose the type of wood they wish to use for their model in case of customized orders. Wooden frames are then cut and shaped according to the chosen ships blueprints and then mounted on the keel. This means that the basic skeleton of your historic ship model is ready. The selected wood is treated with oil and varnish to ensure that it lasts for long and is protected from natural wear and tear.
The interior of a ships hull is made up of wooden frames on which finely cut planks are pinned to make the model strong and durable. The sizes of the wooden planks can be decided on the basis of the customers requirements and the level of details preferred. The choice of single or double planking depends on the size of the ship ordered.
All the stern galleries, figureheads, decorations, ship guns, etc., are hand carved or shaped and then varnished before being mounted on the model. The next step involves making the deck ready and placing all the appropriate items on the deck. Once the ship is polished by very thin sand paper, it is ready for varnishing. The historic model ship is kept for drying after the first coat of varnish has been applied. Once the second coat of varnish is done, the ship is ready for the placement of masting, rigging, shrouds and channels at their respective places.
A lot of time and effort goes into the making such models because of the importance of recreating the real ship. Available in various sizes, a historical model ship is an ideal decorative piece for your office or home, and will make an excellent gift for boat and ship lovers. Some of the most popular and historic models are:
- The Endeavour
- The Titianic
- The Large Cutty Sark
- The HMS Bounty
- The USS Harriet Lane
- The CSS Virginia
- The Endurance
- The Pride of Baltimore
