1/700 Artwox Ship Accessories

Artwox: Premium Naval Model Accessories from China

Artwox has established itself as a premier manufacturer of aftermarket accessories for scale warship models, specializing in laser-cut wooden deck sets and precision masking solutions that address the most visible and challenging aspects of naval modeling. Based in China with distribution throughout the global modeling community, Artwox combines traditional craftsmanship with modern laser-cutting technology to produce accessories that dramatically enhance the realism and historical accuracy of plastic ship kits. This 1/700 collection showcases the company's expertise across multiple naval powers and time periods, with products designed for specific vessels rather than generic applications. The wood deck offerings include complete sets for German battleships like the DKM Tirpitz, Japanese battleships including the IJN Nagato 1933, IJN Nagato 1942, and IJN Nagato 1944 Leyte Gulf configurations, British warships such as HMS Warspite 1915 and HMS Renown 1942, and French vessels like the French Battleship Jean Bart 1955. Complementary masking sets include products for the Japanese Battleship Mutsu, Japanese Battleship Fuso 1941, Japanese Battleship Ise, IJN Battlecruiser Kongo 1914, and the Japanese Navy Battleship Kii. Each product demonstrates Artwox's commitment to research-based accuracy, with deck patterns that reflect the specific plank layouts, caulking lines, and deck fittings of individual vessels at particular points in their service histories. For additional ship modeling accessories and kits, Tamiya offers comprehensive naval model kits and detailing products.

Wooden Deck Sets: Authenticity Through Natural Materials

Wooden decks represent one of the most distinctive features of World War II era battleships, and replicating them convincingly separates amateur models from serious naval representations. Artwox's laser-cut wood deck sets address this challenge by providing pre-cut wooden planking that adheres directly to kit-supplied plastic decks, replacing the molded plank detail with actual three-dimensional wood grain and texture. The sets utilize thin wood veneer, typically basswood or similar fine-grained species, laser-cut to precise dimensions that match the deck outlines of specific kit manufacturers. The laser cutting process creates clean edges and accurate plank spacing, with individual planks sized according to the scale thickness of full-size teak decking used on actual warships. The wood arrives pre-stained in appropriate colors, from the natural teak tones of Japanese and British ships to the distinctive blue-gray decks of some French vessels, though modelers can further customize colors through staining, weathering, and sealing. Installation involves carefully removing the wood pieces from their backing sheets, test-fitting them to the plastic deck to ensure proper alignment, then adhering them with white glue or specialized wood adhesive. The self-adhesive backing on some sets simplifies installation, though traditional gluing often provides more working time for precise positioning. Once installed, the wood deck accepts weathering techniques including dry brushing to highlight plank edges, washes to emphasize caulking lines, and pigments to simulate wear patterns from foot traffic and equipment movement. The natural variation in wood grain ensures that no two decks appear identical, adding organic realism impossible to achieve with molded plastic or printed decals. For modelers working in larger scales, our 1/350 Artwox Ship Accessories collection offers similar products with increased detail resolution. Trumpeter produces many of the ship kits that Artwox accessories are designed to enhance.

Deck Masks: Precision Painting for Complex Patterns

Deck masking sets complement wood deck installations by providing pre-cut vinyl or paper masks that enable precise painting of deck areas, anti-slip surfaces, and demarcation lines without tedious hand-cutting or risky freehand painting. These masks prove particularly valuable when modeling ships with complex deck patterns, multiple deck colors, or intricate anti-slip textures that would be nearly impossible to replicate accurately through other methods. The masks arrive as sheets of adhesive-backed material with deck outlines and detail areas already cut to match specific kit configurations, eliminating the measuring and cutting that traditional masking requires. Modelers simply peel the masks from their backing and apply them to the model's deck surface, ensuring complete coverage of areas that should remain unpainted while exposing sections requiring color application. The low-tack adhesive prevents paint seepage while allowing repositioning if initial placement proves imperfect, and removes cleanly without leaving residue or pulling up underlying paint. Common applications include masking wooden deck areas while painting surrounding steel decks in hull color, protecting deck details during overall painting, and creating crisp edges for anti-slip surfaces that appeared on turret tops, walkways, and working areas. Some sets include multiple mask layers for multi-color deck schemes, with each layer protecting previously painted areas while exposing the next color zone. The precision of laser-cut masks ensures that painted edges align perfectly with kit panel lines and deck features, creating professional results that hand-masking rarely achieves. Combined with Artwox wood decks, these masks enable modelers to create complete deck treatments that accurately represent the complex surface patterns of actual warships. For additional 1/700 scale ship detailing options, explore our Tamiya, Trumpeter, and Hasegawa ship accessories collections. Hasegawa is another leading manufacturer of ship model kits and accessories.

Building Authentic Naval Models with Artwox Accessories

Integrating Artwox wood decks and masks into ship model projects requires planning, patience, and attention to historical detail, but the results justify the additional effort through dramatically improved realism and visual impact. Successful installation begins with thorough preparation of the plastic deck surface, including removal of molded plank detail through sanding if the wood deck will sit too high otherwise, cleaning to remove oils and contaminants that might prevent adhesion, and test-fitting of wood sections before committing to permanent bonding. The specific vessel and time period being modeled should guide decisions about deck treatment, as warships underwent modifications throughout their service lives that affected deck layouts, colors, and fittings. The multiple Nagato configurations in this collection exemplify this evolution, with the 1933, 1942, and 1944 versions reflecting the ship's progressive modernizations including changes to deck structures, anti-aircraft armament positions, and surface treatments. Modelers should research their chosen subject through photographs, deck plans, and reference books to ensure that selected Artwox products match the intended configuration. The wood deck installation process typically occurs after basic hull assembly but before adding superstructure, armament, and small details that might interfere with deck work. Careful trimming of wood sections to accommodate kit-specific details like anchor chain pipes, deck hatches, and ventilator positions ensures proper fit, while strategic use of deck masks during painting prevents overspray on completed wood areas. Weathering should reflect operational conditions, with heavily worked areas showing more wear than protected spaces, and environmental factors like salt spray, rust staining, and sun bleaching creating realistic color variations. The combination of natural wood texture, accurate plank patterns, and thoughtful weathering transforms plastic ship models into convincing miniature representations of steel warships. Whether you're building a single flagship for display or assembling a task force of multiple vessels, Artwox accessories provide the foundation for creating museum-quality naval models that honor both the ships and the sailors who served aboard them.