GLakie

Hello J T
 
The plan sheet for the Constitution lists the rope sizes on the rigging plan. I just used those measurements and scaled the rope to those sizes. 
 
There are many ways to measure line diameter. The one I chose was a simple digital caliper that displays you your sizes in inches and mm. You have to find a way that works for you. You and I would probably come up with different sizes depending on how hard you squeeze your caliper. 
 
 I feel making my own rope gives me a more realistic look than just using the kit supplied few sizes. Plus the fact I want to get into some scratch building and figured this would be good practice for that.
 
Hope that helps and thanks for your interest

Nice work on the hooked-scarfs Ed!  You're a true craftsman! 

Looking good Sal! Thanks for sharing your techniques. 

Is this the one you're moving into?  ....... just kidding those windows came out real nice !!!
 
Frank

thank you very much John and Michael.  I bought a pack of colored markers......I plan to color in the small areas of the netting.  I'll see how close to stained glass I can get 
 
thanks Patrick..........I'm going to see how it goes....but that's what I'm shoot'in for.   I'm going to make the roof removable.  I can store the battery packs in there........more to come,  I'm sure 
 
 
I got the starboard windows cut out........still got to fit them better.   got some pictures here for ya 
 

 

 

 
looked into the top to get this one.......
 

 
didn't think it was close enough to show the interior..........stuck the lense of the camera in the port side opening...and fired one off 
 

 
thanks for the fine comments and the likes 

gee.......I have some time to myself........now,  what do you suppose I oughta do ?   by george........I think I'll do a little play time!   I did try my experiment with the Testor's Window Maker........this time I used a board {seen earlier,  I think}.   after painting some more netting,  I used plastic wrap to act as the barrier.   I know........the window maker will stick to it........I'll try to remove it after,  but if it don't come off.....so be it.   it will be fine    icky-may!   the netting was stretched over it.......as best as I could get it.
 

 
I used up almost the whole bottle.........just as well,  it's pretty old.   I did find out that it's water soluble....washed my brush out after I was done    I'll get a fresh bottle in the near future.   there is a little bit of wrinkling......but not as bad.   you can see how clear it turns........this is still a little tacky.
 

 
well......anyway,  I couldn't wait.  I still had to make the windows for the port side,  but I took all of the other windows down cellar and gave them a primer coat.  
 

 
to insure that the wrinkles wouldn't be a bother,   the two front windows were cemented down in a position,  so that they would flatten them.   I took a piece of 1/8 flat stock and clamped it on top of the windows to act as sort of a pressure plate.
 

 
as for the door knockers.......they were cleaned up a little,  stuck on a piece of tape and painted flat black.   after they were dry,  they were dry brushed with gold
 

 
the clamps were removed........I gave it an hour or so.......and this is what the windows looked like.  the white glue did activate the glazing......they were stuck to the table {not too bad}........but the table has a Formica top and they came up easily
 

 

 
I like 'em........can't see through them.   it would have been cool to do some interior work.........perhaps I'll do something down the road  [i'll do a mock up with the window maker later and show you all what it looks like}.   as a matter of fact,  I gotta start thinking of a roof  {wouldn't be a warming house without one}.  anyway......here's what the windows look like now in a dry fit.
 

 
I have one more process to do to them........I told the admiral....and she told me I wuz nutz!   as I was doing this stuff,  I sent the stern window to the press........here's what it looks like.
 

 

 
I have today off as well.......gonna try to get some more done,  but I have Christmas shopping to finish up on.   the starboard side windows went to the press next.   I have enough here to do the port side windows.
 

 
I also have to look at shingles...........not the itchy kind either  {not any fun at all}........I have an idea....you'll see very soon     oh........before I forget..............my son bought me an ornament this year.   it was fine when he first showed it to me,  but when I took it out to put on the tree,  the bow lights had come loose.   a quick tie with some thread and some CA took care of the problem, and it now hangs in the tree 
 

 
hope everyone's holiday is running according to plan    ENJOY!!! 
 
 

John, great looking close up. What camera did you gift yourself with?
 
regards
 
J

Geoff how do you measure the dia. of your line & how do you determine the correct scale (dia.) to use for each application?
 
best regards
 
J

Hello, I'm back in the shipyard. I should get started on the Braces tonight. My Christmas gift to myself is a camera that can take Macro close up pictures. Somewhat late for this project, but - who knows? I'm posting a picture of the Foremast and yard to see how it works and if the resolution is correct for this format.

Geoff, If I remember there was a discussion about rigging line and Egyptian cotton was recommended.  Have you tried it out?  Just thinking about making the job a little easier.
David B

Looks good Pop...how close are you to the big finish

Ed,
 
Just discovered your build log. I'll be back (keeping my espresso machine hot) to visit your log from page one. I WON'T key like 100 times+ but will press it "here" As has been said-  beautifully amazing and skillful work.
 
Regards,
 
Michael

As you have probably learned by reading these posts choice of tools is extremely personal, which I guess is what makes this avocation so fascinating. I received a Dremel type rotary tool as a gift many years ago and almost never use it. On the other hand, a small Jarmac disc sander on my workbench is used constantly.
 
If your project requires accurate drilling of holes square to a surface you will need a drill press, and I see no point to buying a minirature one. Inexpensive pin vices are available to allow tiny wire sized drills to be used with a full sized Chuck.
 
I mill my own woods whenever possible. For this I find a jointer essential to get a flat surface that the table saw will accept. A full sized table saw with a heavy duty motor is essential. Dull blades and an underpowered saw are dangerous. Although I have a 12in portable planer it is noisy, and dirty, so I am not sure that I will go thru the hassle to drag it out doors to mill the fourth surface flat on a batch of pear wood. This same operation can be done on my table saw.
 
A number of years ago I built a thickness sander from NRG plans. Cost was almost nothing- a pair of bearing blocks a d a piece of cold rolled steel rod. I had a spare motor and everything else came from scrap.
 
I like old power tools. They are generally of more robust construction and easy to repair. My bandsaw is 40 years old, the company that built it is long out of business, yet I rebuilt it last summer with new urethane tires, a new tension spring, and new "cool" guide blocks. No plastic and all screws are std us threads available at the hardware store. Old used tools are often for sale cheap- overlooked by those that want tools with all the electronic gadgetry.
 
Roger Pellett

Hello David. Hope you are feeling better.
 
As for bringing it to the meeting I am putting some construction pictures on a flash drive and Kurt is showing it to the members with the projector. Works out well and no hassle in transporting.
 
So far I am happy with the cotton line. A little fuzz, but just don't look too close

Here are two photos. 
 

 

 
The top photo looked to clunky to me so I redid it and second photo is the result I am happy with.  Both rigging lines are the same and served with the same thread. The only change is I used a smaller size line to seize them to the mast. To me one little change made a big change in appearance.
 
That's what I mean about experimenting George.  
 
To me the bottom photo just looks cleaner and more to scale.

I agree on the wipe-on giving the planks a nice color contrast. Much better than the same color over-all. Nice work Mark! 

Tedious maybe, Bob, but your execution is superb.

One of my lathes, older than me by three years.

Right up to your usual standard, Bob.
 
John

It'll take the crew a week to unlash that boat, mate!
 
John

Hello George, thanks for your interest.
 
I basically use Coats and Clark 35 wt and 30 wt cotton thread. Gutermann 50 wt cotton thread, sold at most fabric stores. Lizbeth 80 wt and 20 wt thread, and DMC #5, #8 and #12 both sold at Hobby Lobby. I also use Aunt Lydia's #10 and #3 cotton thread also sold at Hobby Lobby. All my thread is cotton.
 
For my Conny build I chose to use only single, three, and nine strand rope. 
 
At single thread this material gives me 10 sizes for thread. If I choose to serve the thread I get another 10 sizes. Some of the threads are close to the same size, but they do differ slightly. Then if I use my rope walk and make three strand rope I now get 10 more larger sizes of scale rope, and if I choose to serve it I get another 10 sizes of scale rope. Moving on, if I use the three strand rope on the rope walk I now have 9 strand rope in 10 different sizes, and can serve them and get another 10 more sizes. And so on and so on. So out of 10 single strand sizes I can well over 30 different sizes. Some of the sizes may only vary by .001 or so in diameter. 
 
The best thing to do is experiment making rope in the scale size of your model. 
 
I will be posting a few pictures in the future that will show one of by do overs and show how much difference a smaller size of serving line made.

I concur, you're a master of the aging process...superbly done    

Matt; great build and progress. Very, very helpful! Milo

Looks real nice Denis.......... Did you finish the Goth??
 
Frank

it's been a while..........the ship's boat has been on the table long enough.   I didn't have any 2 mm blocks on hand......just what they gave me in the kit.   I used what I had.   I had stained some rope  {thread} to give it some age.......didn't think that white lashings would look right.   it's done in rope and tackle.....one on each side,  in kind of a cris cross style.   I added a couple of cleats to the hold to tie the lashings off.  these first two pictures aren't that great.......I did this on my desk,  since there was no room at either table.
 

 
this is what I started off with........I made up more rope as I went along.    really have to build up my inventory of blocks.
 

 
one side done and tied off to the cleat.  after both sides were done,   a couple of rope coils were made to hide the end of the rigging at the cleat.
 

 

 
from here,  it was cemented on the main deck.   there is a little more that needs to be done,  and then the masts can be set in place.