Jump to content
New Publication - Ship Modeler's Handbook - They're back in stock! Thank you for your patience. ×

Overworked724

NRG Member
 View Profile  See their activity

  • Posts

    1,253

  • Joined

  • Last visited

 Content Type 

Everything posted by Overworked724

  1. Overworked724
    75% complete on the ratlins...good grief, what a chore. A couple challenges: 1. I note that the shrouds over time have relaxed since the day they were initially installed. Not certain what this is from...perhaps the miniature rope relaxed over time. They did not relax to the point of being slack, just not as taught as the first day. The lines were waxed...if that means anything. In future, will plan to do the shroud/ratlins more closely to make the install of the ratlins a bit easier. Looser shrouds make ratlin install a MUCH longer chore...and not a fun chore since the shroud tends to kink, and the ratlins tend to more easily pull or distort the angle of the shroud. 2. Ratlins should be installed to be parallel to the ground (sea). This can be a bit of a problem as your eye tends to drift or tilt to be parallel to the deck. So I found myself really needing to focus the knot placement...and a little bubble level might be useful in future models!!! Moving on. Trying to be consistent!!!
  2. Overworked724
    Please let me know when your taking orders!!!!!!! looks awesome!!!!
  3. Overworked724
    Awesome! If you can throw in a cutaway for a pipe holder, that would be great!!! (Kidding - I don't smoke)
  4. Overworked724
    Hehe! Well, I’m out of the country for business next week, so maybe I’m starting to miss the shipyard in advance! And thanks for for the kind words, Lou! It’s certainly been a learning experience!
  5. Overworked724
    Anchors are on! Don’t care about historical accuracy! I love the look!!! Moving on to main mast ratlins!!!
  6. Overworked724
    NOOOOO! Why ruin it by putting in a propeller? Are you going to offer the plans both with and without the propeller? =-)
  7. Overworked724
    Just a fun pic. Went to the shipyard with my coffee this morning as I was getting ready for work and saw the morning sun lighting up the bow of my ship model. Was so so relaxing....ahhhh...Java!!! Moving on!
  8. Overworked724
    OK...it's spelled 'hawser'. However, I think the appropriate term I should be using is 'anchor rope' or 'anchor cable'. Not certain! But it is a bit confusing since it comes out of a 'hawshole' in the ship's bow. A hawser is a rope used to tow, secure, or moor a ship. So...I'm not certain if this applies to anchor cables.
  9. Overworked724
    Having fun with the anchors after the catheads led me in that direction. Decided I’ll forego the bouys that we’re typical (and mandatory in many cases) in those days. I can always add them later, like the jolly boat. Found a nice reference in Mondfled’s book on how hausers were tied to the anchor. May not be perfectly historically accurate for this class of ship, but it gave me a good reference point and got me past the builder’s block! Decided I’d set one side up to see how it looked. I am using the cathead as one point of attachment and a knighthead for the flukes as the other point. I liked the end result. Trying to get the hawser to lay down was fun. A couple of tiny touches of CA was the ticket... Out for the evening. It was a fun weekend!!!
  10. Overworked724
    Experimented with making blocks with hooks. 😁 The brass pins in the kit are easily bent and shaped to form a nice hook With an eye. A bit of blackening and they turn out pretty decent. (SAND YOUR BRASS BEFORE BLACKENING!!!). Invest in a really small gauge wire bender...it makes making tiny hooks a breeze. I used quilting thread (heavy gauge black nylon) to form the strop...experiments are fun...and made sure there was a friendly groove in the bottom of the block to allow room for the hook. Voilaaaa!!! Decided to go ahead and set up the catheads. A needle threader made things easy here...just moved very slow. Before threading the blocks, I double checked that the hooks comfortably fit into the ring on the anchors. Also, I double checked that I can easily thread the 0.035” rope I bought from Syren which I’ll use to rig the anchor into the haus holes...and it does...no problem. So I can run my anchors after I’ve set up the other two stays which attach to the bullseyes on either side of the foremast. Moving on to the main mast shrouds!!! Shipyard weekends are fun!!!
  11. Overworked724
    Just out of curiousity...plank on bulkheads are always a bit of a challenge around the rabbit. Is the keel wide enough trim down to allow a single plank to fit nicely into the rabbit that needs to be shaped without making the keel piece overly thin?? I had this problem when I started the Amati kit for the Lady Nelson. Not certain if it was just me, but a few shipmates at my club said it was a bit of a problem with the kit.
  12. Overworked724
    Hi Ron, Many thanks! You are absolutely right. I see the errors, rather than the impression from a first time viewer. The admiral was stunned at how nicely they turned out. But I did learn a lot on my first two shrouds...hoping the next two will turn out as nice. One key lesson is that ratlins can’t be rushed. They really are eye magnets, so getting them right is both a cumbersome task, and a patience marathon. I can’t imagine how the folks who make fully rigged first rates manage this task without going bonkers!
  13. Overworked724
    Installed the Fore Stay and Inner Jib Stay. Nice result, I think. We shall see how the rest of the rigging goes! The shrouds are difficult. I did my best, but they do tend to pull out of alignment due to ratlin line tension. But overall, not bad for my first shrouds!!!! Moving on....!!!!
  14. Overworked724
    Right!? Better yet...since the Sultana plans are open source, I would start your own company with a competitive kit. The MS kit is a piece of flotsam. The only way to do the MS kit is to ignore everything but the solid hull...I think a laser cut plank on bulkhead would be BRILLIANT!!! 👍🏽👍🏽👍🏽
  15. Overworked724
    Well...my first attempt at ratlins was a moderate success. I was actually afraid to start for fear of screwing up. But I made a couple decisions to give me some leeway. The video above helps!! First, I didn’t put CA on any knots until I was done with the entire shroud. That allows for last minute adjustment and you will need it. Second, I found having a sheet of paper helps tremendously. I now have a better feel for how the ratlin thread (too much or too little) between the shrouds can impact the finished shape of the shrouds once the ratlins are installed. You can’t notice without the paper background, but the outer shrouds actually bulge out very very slightly from the ratlin thread tensile strength pushing very slightly outward. Something I’ll be careful of for the next three shrouds. Moving on...
  16. Overworked724
    Ok. Word to those who may be doing this for the first time. The mouse needs to be threaded BEFORE you attach the close heart at the end of the Fore Stay!!! I stupidly unthreaded the bullseye and then attached the heart. Yeah...I was not happy...had to rinse and repeat. In doing so, found a good length of 0.025” rope so decided to make the Fore Stay per Chuck’s recommendation since I needed to start over anyway. Also, since I knew I could, I rigged a mouse for the smaller 0.018” rope for the Inner Jib Stay. That’s actually still historically accurate, and seemed to be a reasonable deviation. Below are the pics for the Fore Stay (thicker and shorter) and Inner Jib Stay as they should look BEFORE you put them on the ship. And make sure you thread the bullseye to the mouse BEFORE you measure and attach the closed hearts. You’ll note the closed heart for the Fore Stay is slightly larger than the heart for the Inner Jib Stay. This is because I had a few options for the hearts since I made extras. It seemed the slightly larger heart looked better (but maybe not completely historically accurate) on the thicker rope for the Fore Stay. Okay...time wasting. Time to suck it up and jump into the ratlins!!! Damn the torpedoes!!!
  17. Overworked724
    Ok. It’s been a long week and I’m ready to attack ratlins. However, I wanted to take my time with those over this weekend, so opted for a side project. Making the Fore Stay! Chuck’s practicum had him using 0.028” rope as was used for the shrouds. Well, I ran out and my alternate rope sucks. Besides, I checked against the 0.035” rope I plan to use for the anchors and I think the 0.018” rope will suit nicely and not overwhelm the look. Not historically accurate...but it’s my ship and I’ve deviated so much, what is one more deviation!!! The thinner thread make it more difficult to make the mouse...but I had a plan. I decided to use a toothpick!!! My favorite material.... I chopped off the top of a tooth pick with a razor blade, drilled in a hole into the top of the now shorter toothpick, chopped the hollowed piece off which seems to match the look of the mouse, threaded it (the right direction) onto the rope, siezed the bullseye at the other end, wrapped the wooden mouse skeleton in black thread...taaadaaaaa!!!! My fore stay awaits. I’ll sieze the closed heart tomorrow. Moving on...to bed. 😁
  18. Overworked724
    I agree! That removes a ton of guesswork done by eyeballing. Also helps inexperienced modelers (me) from over shaping!
  19. Overworked724
    Now...if only I knew what a DXF file was...can I open this in Microsoft Office? 😕
  20. Overworked724
    Made my own rigging pic tool based on a really good YouTube video on ratlins. No way am I sticking my fat fingers into the rigging again...time to start thinking like a surgeon!!! Thanks to David Kump! note: redid the tie on the sheer pole on the foremast starboard shroud. Muuuuch better.
  21. Overworked724
    I think the idea ofusing a lateral piece to lock the angled frames in place is a interesting idea...it’s probably useful to do this anyway along the entire length of the ship. It would further reinforce the structure of the squaredframes. Really neat ideas! Enjoying this blog.
  22. Overworked724
    I think the disadvantage to the angled frames is that it would not provide the same support and rigidity for both sides of the ship as a single piece frame. The single frame is also easily squared against the keel or center frame assuring symmetry on both sides. Another advantage to squared frames is they allow installation of filler blocks much more simply. The angled frames, once glued in place, could more easily slip or bend out of position, making filler blocks almost a necessity. Just my two cents. But agreed, they do look cool!
  23. Overworked724
    Love It! A toast to that happy day!
  24. Overworked724
    You taking orders yet? I’m sold....
  25. Overworked724
    Photos always magnify imperfections. 😣 I need to redo one tie on the sheer pole for the starboard side foremast shrouds. Thing looks like it’s hanging by a thread...pardon the pun. 🤣

About us

Modelshipworld - Advancing Ship Modeling through Research

SSL Secured

Your security is important for us so this Website is SSL-Secured

NRG Mailing Address

Nautical Research Guild
237 South Lincoln Street
Westmont IL, 60559-1917

Model Ship World ® and the MSW logo are Registered Trademarks, and belong to the Nautical Research Guild (United States Patent and Trademark Office: No. 6,929,264 & No. 6,929,274, registered Dec. 20, 2022)

Helpful Links

About the NRG

If you enjoy building ship models that are historically accurate as well as beautiful, then The Nautical Research Guild (NRG) is just right for you.

The Guild is a non-profit educational organization whose mission is to “Advance Ship Modeling Through Research”. We provide support to our members in their efforts to raise the quality of their model ships.

The Nautical Research Guild has published our world-renowned quarterly magazine, The Nautical Research Journal, since 1955. The pages of the Journal are full of articles by accomplished ship modelers who show you how they create those exquisite details on their models, and by maritime historians who show you the correct details to build. The Journal is available in both print and digital editions. Go to the NRG web site (www.thenrg.org) to download a complimentary digital copy of the Journal. The NRG also publishes plan sets, books and compilations of back issues of the Journal and the former Ships in Scale and Model Ship Builder magazines.

Our Emblem ®

Modelshipworld - Advancing Ship Modeling through Research

Nautical Research Guild ® and the NRG logo are Registered Trademarks, and belong to the Nautical Research Guild (United States Patent and Trademark Office: No. 6,999,236 & No. 6,999,237, registered March 14, 2023)

×
×
  • Create New...