Mark Allen

I am building the San Marcos by OcCre.  The plans show 2 rigging lines tied to 1 belaying pin several times.  I have followed the plans but wonder, is this authentic?  Did real sailing ships tie more than 1 rigging to a belaying pin?  I ask this because the line is bulky on the pin and I wonder if it was confusing and cause tangles.

Thanks,

Mark

Cool, mtaylor or is it Bilge Rat?  I do have another question you may know the answer to.  So, my build is the San Marco by OcCre.  The plans show 2 rigging lines on 1 belaying pin... several times.  I could imagine this creating a bit of a mess when working the yards etc.  Is this authentic?

Wow, thanks everyone for the info.  The picture supplied by 'anon' shows what I was looking for exactly.

That's it allanyed, well done!!!  That's exactly what it looks like as you have to drill a hole in ti and glue a belaying pin in it.  That's exactly what it's for, lowering the cannon barrel.

Thanks so much, now I can place it correctly on my model.

I am building the OcCre San Marcos.  Can anyone tell me what a gun spile is used for?  I know it is used for the deck cannons, but the pictures supplied in the instructions do not show where they go.  I think they are like wheel chocks for aircraft, but that's just a guess.  Can anyone enlighten me?

Thanks

Hi Bilge Rat.  I was trying it in one go.  Then I tried to soak it a second time and bend.  I was planning on doing a series of soak and bend.  I too am a bit slow.

Hi Jaager.  I did use an easier piece to bend, and that's what is on my model.  But you know... I hate being beaten by a piece of wood... no pun intended either.  So, I will try again some time in the future.

Can either of you tell me what a 'gun spile' is?  I have them for the cannon on the deck, but the pictures supplied do not show exactly what they are.  I think they are like chocks for the wheels of aircraft.

Hi Y.T.  Sorry I've taken so long to get back to you.  My first observation of bending African Walnut was that it had worked.  On closer examination it had not.  It was still fracturing.  I don't know whether I was too impatient in the bending or not.  I used a soldering iron with two sockets from a socket wrench set to dissipate the heat, so the wood wouldn't heat up too much and burn too quickly.  I will experiment with the African Walnut some time in the future.  I have my doubts now as to the video and whether he in fact had success with it.  However, I have been watching John Aliprantis on YouTube as he had built the OcCre Santisima Trinidad.  When he comes to the rubbing strakes he bends Africn Walnut with a soldering iron, but warns it breaks very easily.  But he had done it.  Have a watch.

I used the method in the video Dziadeczek directed me to yesterday and what a success!  I soaked the African walnut for 24 hours and used the bending technique in the video and I couldn't believe how easily it bent.  Thanks again for the post Dziadeczek.

Thanks for that Dziadeczek, that video has given me an idea on how to use my homemade plank bender (soldering iron with two sockets on it to dissipate the heat) in a different way that just may do the job.  I will practice on some old hard wood piece I have and let you know how it goes a little later.

Thanks for the replies again.  The African walnut was supplied in the kit.  I have been able to bend some ramin wood, supplied with the kit as the hull planks.  They fit the sweeping 90 degree bend well.  So, I'm tossing up whether to use ramin for all the hand rails and painting them mission brown.

What I neglected to tell everyone is that the radius is a sweeping one of 90 degree and not a sharp one.

Thanks everyone for you advice.  To clarify, the wood strip is to be bent so it forms a 90 degree radius for the hand rail.  I have used a softer wood and bent it successfully, but it is a light coloured wood which I was planning to then paint a dark brown.   I had been toying with the idea of soaking the African walnut in very hot water and then trying to bend.  I must admit, I have not seen the Aeropiccola plank bender before.  I just have the one that resembles a pair of scissors; which finally broke the other day.  I will buy some extra strips when I get the chance and perform different techniques as suggest.  I tried to find a video on Youtube, but I couldn't find any on such a hard wood.

Thanks again for all your advice.  This is only my fourth ship and I am still learning heaps.

I have African walnut 2mm X 6mm strips for the hand rails on an Oc Cre models the San Marcos.  I need to bend the strips for a 90 degree bend.  I tried bending by soaking and then applying heat and using a plank bender, but it will not bend.  Can anyone advise me on how to bend the hardwood strip?