"metal fatigue" Topic

I have several 1/1200 SOL that are 30 to 35 years old. The masts have collapsed just above where it is glued to the ship. I assume it is the weight of the sails that caused it. Looking for any tips on how to repair it?

Were the mast glued into a socket of flush to the deck? If the mast material itself fractured, it probably corrosion. If the glue fractured, then I would expect drying induced embrittlement. It's unlikely to be fatigue unless the models were sitting on rapidly vibrating machinery or someone made of habit of repeatedly bending them back and forth.

Hi Doug
Au contraire, it is exactly likely to be metal 'fatigue'- the exact same thing that has and does plague the model railway locomotives for 40 odd years since 60s (mostly but also frames etc.) hobby. AKA lead rot.

"uses a zinc based alloy called Zamac. It's used because of its characteristics when molded in a die. It doesn't expand as it cools; it shrinks very controlled and known amount. It was developed for tool and die makers to make "mock-ups" of castings. Zamac" is/ was? the trademark brand. but there are generic equivalents by now. It makes very precisely sized castings, so little or no machine work is needed on the parts. It's also relatively cheap, and that's important too, and it melts and molds at low temperatures for metals. Great for toys and models, not so much for longevity"

The general consensus was that its a certain blend of and/ or failure of some elements in lead making that cause it. It has shown up on some of the US made models I had from the 80's too.

To fix similar problems, tho not on ships masts, I'd add a steel reinforcing pin (yes literally a piece of your mothers stainless steel sewing pins); drilled holes in each section and CA/ superglued together. If that cant be done due to size limitations, perhaps a piece of tubing (thinking out of the box, cut from a ball-point pen nib?).

Good luck,
davew

Thanks for the responses. I'd been off line for a couple of days. My description could have been better. The masts are bent over right above the deck as if someone pushed them over with their finger. I think I'll try to fix these with supports and on future ships see if I can put the base of the mast in some type of tubing to strengthen it.

That sounds like someone bent them over. Do you have kids? Metal fatigue is when the molecular structure crystallizes due to bending and rebending then the metal cracks, like when you pop the tab off a beer can by bending it back and forth. Zamac cancer is caused by impurities in the alloy when it is cast. I can't think of any wargaming figures made of zamac, though I have a few model railroad cars with it (from the 50's and 60's) but I have heard of wargaming alloy figures that oxidized (a white dust appears on the metal). A coat of paint prevents that.

Nope they are in boxes no one would have touched them. I just think it is 30-35 years of the weight of the lead sails that bent them. When I straightened them out within a day or so they are bent over again. I don't want to keep going back and fourth or the end result will be that they do break completely.

Seems like replacing the masts with wire is your only option. Rigging them with piano wire might work, but I wouldn't bet on it.