Chuck

Erik
 
That is correct.  I use a simple knot appropriate for the job.   It is very rare that I will need to use glue.  At the very most I will use some diluted white glue on the knot or hitch afterwards.   They key is not using rope that is too slippery and difficult to secure without slippage.  For example,  the nylon stuff that comes in many kits is too slippery and this would work.   Many synthetic materials will be too slippery to simply use a clove hitch or granny knot to secure.  They come undone on their own without much help.
 
But its not a problem with the cotton/linen rope I am using.  No slippage or undoing of knots at all.  For the deadeye lanyards above the deadeye....this is one instance where I would apply a dot of watered down white glue.   Not enough to be permanent but enough to lock the granny knot in position just in case.   Its not under any tension if you can believe it because the deadeyes hold the rope pretty good once you have them all rigged in every hole.  Again...a slippery rope material wouldnt behave like this  however.

Thank you for the kind words guys.
 
The lower backstays are completed so next up was to make the sling and then add the mainstay.
 

 
The sling for the lower yard is served its entire length.  I used .035 dark brown rope.  It has a thimble seized to it with a hook made of 22 gauge wire and eyes formed on each loose end.  After determining the length for the loose ends I formed the eyes and you can see how the eyes close up the sling by being inter-twined.  I originally thought it would be easier to make the sling off the model.   Which it was.  BUT there were trade-offs.  This meant that I had to unhook all of the blocks on the mast to get it in position.  That wasnt too bad BUT afterwards I discovered that the sling wasnt long enough to get around the forward spreader.
 

 
This was bad.  I either had to cut the sling off and make another one...rigging it in place.....OR, try to carefully remove the forward spreader.  I ended up removing the spreader without any damage.  BUT I wouldnt recommend this to all the Cheerful builders out there.  Best to rig it in place.
 
The main stay was rigged from .054 dark brown rope.  It was served around the masthead only down to about 1/2" below the splice.  Thats right....a splice rather than a mouse.   This was very common on cutters of the period and appears much more often on contemporary examples than the one or two found with a mouse.
 
  
 
The other end of the stay had the 5-hole deadeye turned into it.  The lanyard was rove through it as usual but the loose end was taken up around the stay once and then finally seized to the stay as shown.  I used very fine fly-tie thread for this.  It finished it off nicely.
 

 
Now that the main stay is completed I can go back to all these loose ends at the belaying points and re-tension the lines.   After that I will cut off the excess and add rope coils....
 

 

 
Next up....ratlines!!!!!

That is something I would not recommend.   Eventually they will get brittle and break.   Its just not something you see on ship models and it would adversley effect the look and texture of the rope.

Erik
 
That is correct.  I use a simple knot appropriate for the job.   It is very rare that I will need to use glue.  At the very most I will use some diluted white glue on the knot or hitch afterwards.   They key is not using rope that is too slippery and difficult to secure without slippage.  For example,  the nylon stuff that comes in many kits is too slippery and this would work.   Many synthetic materials will be too slippery to simply use a clove hitch or granny knot to secure.  They come undone on their own without much help.
 
But its not a problem with the cotton/linen rope I am using.  No slippage or undoing of knots at all.  For the deadeye lanyards above the deadeye....this is one instance where I would apply a dot of watered down white glue.   Not enough to be permanent but enough to lock the granny knot in position just in case.   Its not under any tension if you can believe it because the deadeyes hold the rope pretty good once you have them all rigged in every hole.  Again...a slippery rope material wouldnt behave like this  however.

Thank you for the kind words guys.
 
The lower backstays are completed so next up was to make the sling and then add the mainstay.
 

 
The sling for the lower yard is served its entire length.  I used .035 dark brown rope.  It has a thimble seized to it with a hook made of 22 gauge wire and eyes formed on each loose end.  After determining the length for the loose ends I formed the eyes and you can see how the eyes close up the sling by being inter-twined.  I originally thought it would be easier to make the sling off the model.   Which it was.  BUT there were trade-offs.  This meant that I had to unhook all of the blocks on the mast to get it in position.  That wasnt too bad BUT afterwards I discovered that the sling wasnt long enough to get around the forward spreader.
 

 
This was bad.  I either had to cut the sling off and make another one...rigging it in place.....OR, try to carefully remove the forward spreader.  I ended up removing the spreader without any damage.  BUT I wouldnt recommend this to all the Cheerful builders out there.  Best to rig it in place.
 
The main stay was rigged from .054 dark brown rope.  It was served around the masthead only down to about 1/2" below the splice.  Thats right....a splice rather than a mouse.   This was very common on cutters of the period and appears much more often on contemporary examples than the one or two found with a mouse.
 
  
 
The other end of the stay had the 5-hole deadeye turned into it.  The lanyard was rove through it as usual but the loose end was taken up around the stay once and then finally seized to the stay as shown.  I used very fine fly-tie thread for this.  It finished it off nicely.
 

 
Now that the main stay is completed I can go back to all these loose ends at the belaying points and re-tension the lines.   After that I will cut off the excess and add rope coils....
 

 

 
Next up....ratlines!!!!!

Thank you for the kind words guys.
 
The lower backstays are completed so next up was to make the sling and then add the mainstay.
 

 
The sling for the lower yard is served its entire length.  I used .035 dark brown rope.  It has a thimble seized to it with a hook made of 22 gauge wire and eyes formed on each loose end.  After determining the length for the loose ends I formed the eyes and you can see how the eyes close up the sling by being inter-twined.  I originally thought it would be easier to make the sling off the model.   Which it was.  BUT there were trade-offs.  This meant that I had to unhook all of the blocks on the mast to get it in position.  That wasnt too bad BUT afterwards I discovered that the sling wasnt long enough to get around the forward spreader.
 

 
This was bad.  I either had to cut the sling off and make another one...rigging it in place.....OR, try to carefully remove the forward spreader.  I ended up removing the spreader without any damage.  BUT I wouldnt recommend this to all the Cheerful builders out there.  Best to rig it in place.
 
The main stay was rigged from .054 dark brown rope.  It was served around the masthead only down to about 1/2" below the splice.  Thats right....a splice rather than a mouse.   This was very common on cutters of the period and appears much more often on contemporary examples than the one or two found with a mouse.
 
  
 
The other end of the stay had the 5-hole deadeye turned into it.  The lanyard was rove through it as usual but the loose end was taken up around the stay once and then finally seized to the stay as shown.  I used very fine fly-tie thread for this.  It finished it off nicely.
 

 
Now that the main stay is completed I can go back to all these loose ends at the belaying points and re-tension the lines.   After that I will cut off the excess and add rope coils....
 

 

 
Next up....ratlines!!!!!

Thanks OC.   
 
Major disfunction today...  cutting the cradle pieces, the power supply and possibly the tube died on the Deathstar.   Definitely the power supply though.  HMS Visa is slowly sinking by the bows....

Insert some wire the same size as the I.D. of the tube.  Then roll an xacto blade over it.  See this video even though they didnt stick a wire into it.....thats the best way though.
 

I am going to try and carve one of the blanks from Yellow Cedar.  Its beautiful stuff and I just got some from my supplier.  In case you want to try it check out his site.  He also mills boxwood and a whhole bunch of other stuff.  His prices are fantastic.  So far I am more than happy with the quality and respoinsiveness of this guy.   Hopefully once he gets his site up and running it will be even easier to place an order.n  As far as I know, he is the only supplier of milled yellow cedar on the web.  
 
http://www.woodprojectsource.com/
 
Right now he doesnt have any items listed on his site as in stock because he is just finishing it up.  It should be real soon because he never had a website before and I convinced him to build one.  But you can contact him at any time because he is open for business.  But thanks to some prodding from me he is starting off by adding the woods we prefer.  But he mostly caters to local wood carvers which apparantly there are a lot of.
 
Here is an example in Yellow Cedar of a carving and my test build of the barge.  Compare with teh cherry version behind it.  I really like it for what we do.  Its softer than box but harder than basswood yet the color is beautiful and since I took this photo the color has deepened and it looks almost identical to boxwood although a bit more yellowish....but not an obnoxious yellow at all.
 

 

 
Chuck

These two pieces were done with just #11 blades.  No finish applied on the top one yet.  They are about 1/4" wide and just a few inches long.....only 1/32" thick.   I think a large chisel would obliterate them.
 

Insert some wire the same size as the I.D. of the tube.  Then roll an xacto blade over it.  See this video even though they didnt stick a wire into it.....thats the best way though.
 

Thank you for the kind words guys.
 
The lower backstays are completed so next up was to make the sling and then add the mainstay.
 

 
The sling for the lower yard is served its entire length.  I used .035 dark brown rope.  It has a thimble seized to it with a hook made of 22 gauge wire and eyes formed on each loose end.  After determining the length for the loose ends I formed the eyes and you can see how the eyes close up the sling by being inter-twined.  I originally thought it would be easier to make the sling off the model.   Which it was.  BUT there were trade-offs.  This meant that I had to unhook all of the blocks on the mast to get it in position.  That wasnt too bad BUT afterwards I discovered that the sling wasnt long enough to get around the forward spreader.
 

 
This was bad.  I either had to cut the sling off and make another one...rigging it in place.....OR, try to carefully remove the forward spreader.  I ended up removing the spreader without any damage.  BUT I wouldnt recommend this to all the Cheerful builders out there.  Best to rig it in place.
 
The main stay was rigged from .054 dark brown rope.  It was served around the masthead only down to about 1/2" below the splice.  Thats right....a splice rather than a mouse.   This was very common on cutters of the period and appears much more often on contemporary examples than the one or two found with a mouse.
 
  
 
The other end of the stay had the 5-hole deadeye turned into it.  The lanyard was rove through it as usual but the loose end was taken up around the stay once and then finally seized to the stay as shown.  I used very fine fly-tie thread for this.  It finished it off nicely.
 

 
Now that the main stay is completed I can go back to all these loose ends at the belaying points and re-tension the lines.   After that I will cut off the excess and add rope coils....
 

 

 
Next up....ratlines!!!!!

Insert some wire the same size as the I.D. of the tube.  Then roll an xacto blade over it.  See this video even though they didnt stick a wire into it.....thats the best way though.
 

Thank you for the kind words guys.
 
The lower backstays are completed so next up was to make the sling and then add the mainstay.
 

 
The sling for the lower yard is served its entire length.  I used .035 dark brown rope.  It has a thimble seized to it with a hook made of 22 gauge wire and eyes formed on each loose end.  After determining the length for the loose ends I formed the eyes and you can see how the eyes close up the sling by being inter-twined.  I originally thought it would be easier to make the sling off the model.   Which it was.  BUT there were trade-offs.  This meant that I had to unhook all of the blocks on the mast to get it in position.  That wasnt too bad BUT afterwards I discovered that the sling wasnt long enough to get around the forward spreader.
 

 
This was bad.  I either had to cut the sling off and make another one...rigging it in place.....OR, try to carefully remove the forward spreader.  I ended up removing the spreader without any damage.  BUT I wouldnt recommend this to all the Cheerful builders out there.  Best to rig it in place.
 
The main stay was rigged from .054 dark brown rope.  It was served around the masthead only down to about 1/2" below the splice.  Thats right....a splice rather than a mouse.   This was very common on cutters of the period and appears much more often on contemporary examples than the one or two found with a mouse.
 
  
 
The other end of the stay had the 5-hole deadeye turned into it.  The lanyard was rove through it as usual but the loose end was taken up around the stay once and then finally seized to the stay as shown.  I used very fine fly-tie thread for this.  It finished it off nicely.
 

 
Now that the main stay is completed I can go back to all these loose ends at the belaying points and re-tension the lines.   After that I will cut off the excess and add rope coils....
 

 

 
Next up....ratlines!!!!!

Insert some wire the same size as the I.D. of the tube.  Then roll an xacto blade over it.  See this video even though they didnt stick a wire into it.....thats the best way though.
 

Insert some wire the same size as the I.D. of the tube.  Then roll an xacto blade over it.  See this video even though they didnt stick a wire into it.....thats the best way though.
 

Insert some wire the same size as the I.D. of the tube.  Then roll an xacto blade over it.  See this video even though they didnt stick a wire into it.....thats the best way though.
 

Insert some wire the same size as the I.D. of the tube.  Then roll an xacto blade over it.  See this video even though they didnt stick a wire into it.....thats the best way though.
 

Thank you for the kind words guys.
 
The lower backstays are completed so next up was to make the sling and then add the mainstay.
 

 
The sling for the lower yard is served its entire length.  I used .035 dark brown rope.  It has a thimble seized to it with a hook made of 22 gauge wire and eyes formed on each loose end.  After determining the length for the loose ends I formed the eyes and you can see how the eyes close up the sling by being inter-twined.  I originally thought it would be easier to make the sling off the model.   Which it was.  BUT there were trade-offs.  This meant that I had to unhook all of the blocks on the mast to get it in position.  That wasnt too bad BUT afterwards I discovered that the sling wasnt long enough to get around the forward spreader.
 

 
This was bad.  I either had to cut the sling off and make another one...rigging it in place.....OR, try to carefully remove the forward spreader.  I ended up removing the spreader without any damage.  BUT I wouldnt recommend this to all the Cheerful builders out there.  Best to rig it in place.
 
The main stay was rigged from .054 dark brown rope.  It was served around the masthead only down to about 1/2" below the splice.  Thats right....a splice rather than a mouse.   This was very common on cutters of the period and appears much more often on contemporary examples than the one or two found with a mouse.
 
  
 
The other end of the stay had the 5-hole deadeye turned into it.  The lanyard was rove through it as usual but the loose end was taken up around the stay once and then finally seized to the stay as shown.  I used very fine fly-tie thread for this.  It finished it off nicely.
 

 
Now that the main stay is completed I can go back to all these loose ends at the belaying points and re-tension the lines.   After that I will cut off the excess and add rope coils....
 

 

 
Next up....ratlines!!!!!

Insert some wire the same size as the I.D. of the tube.  Then roll an xacto blade over it.  See this video even though they didnt stick a wire into it.....thats the best way though.
 

Insert some wire the same size as the I.D. of the tube.  Then roll an xacto blade over it.  See this video even though they didnt stick a wire into it.....thats the best way though.
 

Thank you for the kind words guys.
 
The lower backstays are completed so next up was to make the sling and then add the mainstay.
 

 
The sling for the lower yard is served its entire length.  I used .035 dark brown rope.  It has a thimble seized to it with a hook made of 22 gauge wire and eyes formed on each loose end.  After determining the length for the loose ends I formed the eyes and you can see how the eyes close up the sling by being inter-twined.  I originally thought it would be easier to make the sling off the model.   Which it was.  BUT there were trade-offs.  This meant that I had to unhook all of the blocks on the mast to get it in position.  That wasnt too bad BUT afterwards I discovered that the sling wasnt long enough to get around the forward spreader.
 

 
This was bad.  I either had to cut the sling off and make another one...rigging it in place.....OR, try to carefully remove the forward spreader.  I ended up removing the spreader without any damage.  BUT I wouldnt recommend this to all the Cheerful builders out there.  Best to rig it in place.
 
The main stay was rigged from .054 dark brown rope.  It was served around the masthead only down to about 1/2" below the splice.  Thats right....a splice rather than a mouse.   This was very common on cutters of the period and appears much more often on contemporary examples than the one or two found with a mouse.
 
  
 
The other end of the stay had the 5-hole deadeye turned into it.  The lanyard was rove through it as usual but the loose end was taken up around the stay once and then finally seized to the stay as shown.  I used very fine fly-tie thread for this.  It finished it off nicely.
 

 
Now that the main stay is completed I can go back to all these loose ends at the belaying points and re-tension the lines.   After that I will cut off the excess and add rope coils....
 

 

 
Next up....ratlines!!!!!

Thank you for the kind words guys.
 
The lower backstays are completed so next up was to make the sling and then add the mainstay.
 

 
The sling for the lower yard is served its entire length.  I used .035 dark brown rope.  It has a thimble seized to it with a hook made of 22 gauge wire and eyes formed on each loose end.  After determining the length for the loose ends I formed the eyes and you can see how the eyes close up the sling by being inter-twined.  I originally thought it would be easier to make the sling off the model.   Which it was.  BUT there were trade-offs.  This meant that I had to unhook all of the blocks on the mast to get it in position.  That wasnt too bad BUT afterwards I discovered that the sling wasnt long enough to get around the forward spreader.
 

 
This was bad.  I either had to cut the sling off and make another one...rigging it in place.....OR, try to carefully remove the forward spreader.  I ended up removing the spreader without any damage.  BUT I wouldnt recommend this to all the Cheerful builders out there.  Best to rig it in place.
 
The main stay was rigged from .054 dark brown rope.  It was served around the masthead only down to about 1/2" below the splice.  Thats right....a splice rather than a mouse.   This was very common on cutters of the period and appears much more often on contemporary examples than the one or two found with a mouse.
 
  
 
The other end of the stay had the 5-hole deadeye turned into it.  The lanyard was rove through it as usual but the loose end was taken up around the stay once and then finally seized to the stay as shown.  I used very fine fly-tie thread for this.  It finished it off nicely.
 

 
Now that the main stay is completed I can go back to all these loose ends at the belaying points and re-tension the lines.   After that I will cut off the excess and add rope coils....
 

 

 
Next up....ratlines!!!!!

Insert some wire the same size as the I.D. of the tube.  Then roll an xacto blade over it.  See this video even though they didnt stick a wire into it.....thats the best way though.
 

Thank you for the kind words guys.
 
The lower backstays are completed so next up was to make the sling and then add the mainstay.
 

 
The sling for the lower yard is served its entire length.  I used .035 dark brown rope.  It has a thimble seized to it with a hook made of 22 gauge wire and eyes formed on each loose end.  After determining the length for the loose ends I formed the eyes and you can see how the eyes close up the sling by being inter-twined.  I originally thought it would be easier to make the sling off the model.   Which it was.  BUT there were trade-offs.  This meant that I had to unhook all of the blocks on the mast to get it in position.  That wasnt too bad BUT afterwards I discovered that the sling wasnt long enough to get around the forward spreader.
 

 
This was bad.  I either had to cut the sling off and make another one...rigging it in place.....OR, try to carefully remove the forward spreader.  I ended up removing the spreader without any damage.  BUT I wouldnt recommend this to all the Cheerful builders out there.  Best to rig it in place.
 
The main stay was rigged from .054 dark brown rope.  It was served around the masthead only down to about 1/2" below the splice.  Thats right....a splice rather than a mouse.   This was very common on cutters of the period and appears much more often on contemporary examples than the one or two found with a mouse.
 
  
 
The other end of the stay had the 5-hole deadeye turned into it.  The lanyard was rove through it as usual but the loose end was taken up around the stay once and then finally seized to the stay as shown.  I used very fine fly-tie thread for this.  It finished it off nicely.
 

 
Now that the main stay is completed I can go back to all these loose ends at the belaying points and re-tension the lines.   After that I will cut off the excess and add rope coils....
 

 

 
Next up....ratlines!!!!!