Bill97

Ok anybody that can supply some advice. I have reached the point on my Cutty Sark where I start rigging for sails. When I built the Revell USS Constitution the instructions went two different directions. One way of rigging if I was adding sails, and another way of rigging if not adding sails. The instructions for the Cutty Sark are not that way. The only reference to any difference in assembly is position of yards on the mast. Up higher for sails, lower for without. I have several pages of rigging instructions remaining. Some rigging appears as if it would not be possible if sails were on the masts but nothing instructs otherwise. I uploaded the remaining pages. Obviously the ones showing sails is with, but do any of the steps pertain to a without sail assembly?

A few days since my last update. Have been able to spend some quality time in my Cutty Sark. Have have finished the Backstays and Forestsys. It is hard to imagine how long the actual back stays are on the ship, especially on the main mast. Those are some long ropes. Now beginning the running rigging. As you all know this is where things get tedious. It is always so tricky to make sure no lines are crossed or twisted as they are fished down through the ship other rigging to its appropriate pin. I like to use a small level to make sure the yards are all rigged level. 

Same here Robert. As I mentioned it had been about 50 years since I built one of the models (I am 68 now). Kids, work, life in general just did not provide the luxury of being able to devote so much time to a hobby. Now that I am back at it my first was the USS Constitution, then the Cutty Sark I am building now, and then I have the Man O War and Heller HMS Victory ships unopened. This should cover me for a few years. With each build and the help from this web site, and people like you, I learn so much. Hopefully by the time I get to Victory or Man O War I am good enough to do them justice. 

I  love building these ships but I know I still have so much to learn. With each build I have that “oh that’s how they do that moment!” Yesterday I had to take down a fair amount of standing rigging I determined I did wrong after studying the instructions more. Will fix it right today. I am not the sort with being happy with just leaving it wrong, even though I am the only one that would know. 
By the way my private jet is landing at Inverness airport to pick you up tomorrow morning. Could not get clearance for Edenbourgh!  😀

That is what I was thinking on which rigging. I have not started the running yet, which I knew is tan color. Should finish the standing soon, then going to set the ship aside while I practice the different handmade sail techniques to see which I can do the best. 

Thanks Robert. I really like your sails and adding the block at the bottom corners. Are you still hand sewing them?  In that one close up where you show the block, your stitching is excellent!  It looks like you have two rows of stitches along the bottom edge, and maybe the sides also. Is that where you add the 3mm wire on the sides?  I like the wood color blocks as well. Still not sure if Ravell included enough of the plastic ones in the kit to rig the sails that way but if not I have a bunch left over from previous builds. I will just use them rather than buy new custom wood or metal ones. However I will paint them wood color instead of the standard Revell brown plastic. I am still studying the pictures in the instructions to determine the different lines in relation to the sails. It is hard to tell if the sails between the masts and at the bow are hung on the previously installed standing rigging or if a second line is run for the sail. How about you fly over here from Scotland and help me rig this thing? 😀

Thanks Robert. That is what I thought I understood. My instructions are not real clear on if there are blocks tied or sowed to the bottom corners. May just be thread tied directly to the bottom corners. There is extremely limited text explaining anything. You just have to study the picture. See what you think. 

Ok Robert I am going to start practicing making your sail technique later this week. I have to get my 3 mm modeling wire. You said you only sew it into the sides of the sails, not top or bottom, right?  I am going to wait to sew in the lines until after I see if my practice sails come out. Will sew the lines in the ones I actually make for the ship. 

Yes I was tempted to try the haggis! Once was often enough. Luckily it was after, and then followed up by some fantastic Scotch Whiskey and beautiful golf!

I am in Kentuck, USA. May have heard of Kentucky Derby. Track close by my home. Love Scotland. Spent some time in the north. An area called Dornoch, I believe. And of course looked for Nessie!

Good morning Robert, or morning where I am. By the way, where on this beautiful planet might you be? I think your wire and cloth method is the first way I am going to try. I also learned how to sew from my mother many many years ago. Of course machine sewing would be faster and more uniform in stitch spacing. But what the heck. I am sure the original sails were hand sewn back in the day. 

Thanks again Robert. The wire idea does seem less messy than the white glue “paint” on the sail to form it to the molded matching one. 
 

Thanks dmv27. I wish I had the space to incase it and the others I will eventually complete. I now have 4 in the 1/96-1/100 scale. One done, one in progress, and two yet to be opened. I have  limited space to display them but may try to figure out a way. I am thinking of furled sails at the bottom yards and unfurled on the upper yards. 

Hello OC. Thanks for he compliment. I am definitely a new face on MSW. Just a few months. Have found it to be extremely helpful and enjoyable. 

This is my Constitution without sails. 

No I have not. Many years ago (over 50) I built the he USS Constitution and Cutty Sark. I put the molded plastic sails on it that came with the he kits. Now that I am retired and have more free time I recently decided to get back into it. I finished the Constitution a few months ago and decided to leave the sails off so as to fully appreciate the rigging. I think the molded plastic sails don’t really look that good. So when I started the Cutty Sark I was doing some research and stumbled on this web site. Through it I have read of quite a few builders making their own sails. I think all I have seen look really good so I thought would try it. Watched YouTube videos and read instructions from builders like yourself. Anxious to try my hand at it. 

Robert it is the Revell 1/96 scale. Yes the Cutty does have a lot of sails to hand make!  We will see how I do. 

Appreciate it Robert. Believe it or not I also have the Heller 1/100 HMS Victory to assemble some day. Family surprises me with model kits for birthday and Christmas celebrations. Will have to toss a coin to see if next is Victory or Man O War. Will probably be around November-December time frame I think unless sail making for Cutty takes longer. 

Thanks again Robert. Again looking at your Man O War it is obvious that large portions would have to be hand painted. Impossible to airbrush unless you did a crazy amount of masking and unmasking. I really appreciate your thoughts and advice. It is fascinating reading the building blogs of different highly talented builders and seeing how each feel very strongly about their preferred way of doing things.  As I am honing my skills my mind is fully open to all techniques and methods. I will be making my own sails for my Cutty Sark. This will be my first attempt. I like your cloth sails and I like Ron’s (Great Republic) paper sails. Going to experiment with both methods to see which, if either, I can pull off convincingly. 

Robert do use acrylics or enamels, or a combination of both?

Bill

Absolutely beautiful work on the painting. I was wondering how you got the billow n the sails. Modeling wire is the secret. Great idea. 

Robert I just keep looking back at your build log. I am so impressed with your work. It is making me want to get to my Man O War build. I still have a ways to go on my Cutty Sark and need to be patient. I have so many questions and I hope you won’t mind me asking. If you do, please say. In the first part of the log you show all the hand made cloth sails. Are those the same ones you show later on the ship?  Also was the ship painting a combination of airbrush and hand painting?  I saw you holding a brush in one photo and I expect some areas are so detailed it has to be hand painted. Other areas look so smooth and even it looks like airbrush. 

Lou that looks incredible!  Are you building it from wood?  It looks way to sharp and clean to be a plastic model, or my skills are needing some work. 
One thing I noticed on your Cutty Sark, and have noticed in photos of other builder’s ships, that I am curious about. It looks as if you used a tan thread to make a the lower deadeyes. I like the looks of that and wanted to paint the molded rope in the plastic deadeyes on my Cutty Sark a rope tan color. Everything I read says the standing rigging was all black. Is it just a preference thing and OK to do it that color?  

Thanks Robert. I will go with the more or less. At least once it is completed and I display it on a shelf I don’t have to tell people it is just a pretend ship like something from Disney. Even though there was not an actual British Man O War the ship’s design and structure replicates a Spanish gallion. I can live with that. 

Good morning Robert. I just received this Ravell kit as a very pleasant surprise. Will be starting it in the Fall. Currently working on the Revell 1/96 Cutty Sark. I guarantee I will be referring to your build log as I tackle the project. Excellent job!  I am curious about your sails. What technique did you use? Are they cloth or paper?  Very realistic. Paint color scheme is fantastic as well.