marktiedens

Update - 

  All the ratlines are now done. A real test of eyesight & patience. Next up will be the stays.

Mark

Thank you very much,Jason.

Mark

Thanks Popeye.

Mark

Thanks Frank!

Mark

Thanks Greg & Don. Rigging is not my favorite thing to do - very slow at it.

 I don`t know why the rope looks a little fuzzy in the last picture - it`s Chuck`s rope & there is no fuzz on it. May be an artifact from my cheapo camera. The first two pictures are a little blurry - they were taken in my camera`s "no mans land". Too far for the close-up setting & too close for the normal setting.

Mark

Thanks Michael,your comments are appreciated.

Mark

A little update - taking a break from doing ratlines,I installed the topgallant shrouds. Still more ratlines to do.............

Mark

Wow - what a great find. Are any of the parts laser cut as in the newer kits? Is the wood in good shape yet?

Mark

Thanks Greg - you are so right. Still have more to do.

Mark

Thanks Ken - your thoughts are much appreciated. Thanks also to those of you just looking in.

Mark

Thanks Pete. Sometimes I am my worst enemy by being too picky.

Mark

Hi everyone - the lower shroud ratlines are now re-done. I am now happy with them & will continue upwards as soon as I get my eyes un-crossed.

Mark

Looks good ,Vince. Thanks for the reference to my build.  I never thought I would pass everybody up when I started mine. Looks like Ken may pass me up before too long!

Mark

Haha - it`s just one of those things that would keep bugging me if I didn`t "fix"them.

Mark

A little update - I was unhappy with the ratlines - line is a little too large & many of the knots did not look so good - especially near the top of the shrouds where they are very close together,so off they came. I am re-doing them with smaller line - about .018 inch. The clove hitches are now much tighter & neater looking as you can see in the picture. Gotta love re-do`s.

Mark

Very interesting, although none of the ornamentation seems to be shown. Maybe Pete would know something about this.

Mark

A beautiful little ship you have built. Just one question - would the ship`s boat be stored on deck where you show it? Seems like it would be a bear to work around taking up one whole side of the deck.

Mark 

Thanks Pete - as I go upwards the shrouds get smaller & closer together,testing my eyes & patience.

Mark

Update - all lower shrouds are now ratted. I will probably get the topgallant shrouds installed  next to take a break from tying all those knots.

Congratulations on a beautiful job

Mark

Looking good ,Ken. Bending those thicker metal parts is a bit tricky. I ended up using a hot air gun & was quite pleased with how I could control the application of heat to bend those thicker parts.

Mark

Thanks Popeye.  I need to find a shorter table or higher chair pretty soon - this thing is really tall.

Mark

Thanks Pete - I actually try to have a slight sag in the ratlines between the individual shrouds.

To answer your questions - 1.only my eyes - I have done so many ratlines in the past that I have gotten fairly good at it

                                        2.I am using diluted Elmer`s white glue on the knots - about a 70 to 30 glue to water ratio. Any thinner than

                                           that & the knots will not stay put. It`s still thin enough to disappear when dry.

Mark 

Thanks Ken - at the pace I`m going you will probably pass me up before too long.

Mark

Thanks everyone for your overly nice comments. Thanks also to everyone looking in & hitting the like button. Rigging is always the first thing people notice,so I try to do the best I can.

Mark