jim_smits
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Everything posted by jim_smits
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Thanks Jason! It took far too long to get the catharpins in place! I kept making the length about 5mm too long and then had a senior moment (only 34....) and then made one 10mm too short.... The deadeyes at the top of the futtocks are basically the same as the shroud deadeyes ie wrapped 0.75mm thread aroud deadeye and siezed using 0.25mm thread, cemented and trimmed down. I had to sand the gaps in the platform a little bit and it was a tight fit but then threaded the thread through the gap and pulled the deadeye down to the platform. The shroud was then wrapped once around the bar and siezed to the main shrouds. I'll do the port side tonight and take some images during the process so you can see. -
Well I've managed to fit the catharpins in place on the foremast shrouds. Seriously fiddly job with fitting them in place and i'm not entirely convinced that it's the neatest job but they're in. Created the catarpins themselves by threading 0.75mm thread through itself to create a spliced loop on each end. Used a sewing needle to pierce a hole at the required point in the thread. Pushed the needle though halfway. Then threaded the needle with the thread end. Pulled the thread through itself. Repeat for the other end, glue the joints with Cement, and trim down the thread a bit. Once cement is fully dry then complete trim back. I then fitted three of these between the shrouds using a couple of loops of 0.25mm thread. Once in place I then started work on adding futtock shrouds.
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Ok. Question time! I have added ratlines at every fourth line to help keep the shape of the shrouds, and I have worked my way up to the bar that the catharpins are rigged against. I have glued the bars in place with a bit of CA. Now my query is how have people gone about rigging the catharpins in place? The plans would seem to indicate that they are wrapped around the bar and then seized in place. However, upon trying this it is damn difficult to get the tensions correct without seriously warping the shrouds and also actually getting the seizing to work without it all looking massively out of scale. The rigging book I have has shown that catharpins would actually be created by splicing a loop at each end just short of the bar and the seizing through the loop to the bar with some thinner line. Recommendations would be most welcome!
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Hi Jason, I haven't installed any cleats as yet. I guessed there would be some somewhere but haven't encountered them on the plans as of yet. I hope they shouldn't be too bad to install if required. For the 1.25mm line I stained the natural line with watered down black paint. Took a couple of 'dips' as it were but came out ok. Slightly stiffer than before but nothing that is at all noticeable. The mouse was a bit of a cobble together. I tied a knot in the line at the required point (trial and error for position) and then got some 0.75mm thread and wrapped it around, a bit like seizing it I guess. First one wasn't brilliant but went with it and the second one was a little better. I think for my main mast stay I will just attempt to seize a thread around the stay a couple of times and then glue into position. Anyway, thanks for compliments!
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No sarcasm at all! You said please and everything. I'd recommend putting them in sooner! My masts were in and shrouds attached before I realised making it a very delicate process....!!
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Seeing as you asked nicely..... These weren't very obvious from the plans and the eyelets around the main mast clashed with the pumps according to the drawings I had so I made a guess. It may or may not work but we shall see....
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Couple more ratlines done. I hope I get better, faster etc at this otherwise I may go mad before i'm done.......
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Completed the main mast shrouds and have now added first two pairs to the mizzen mast. Just need to add the two single shrouds. In addition I have made my first attempts at ratlines. I created a template for the port side of the foremast, using a piece of paper to draw in the positions of the shrouds and ratlines spaced at even intervals of 5mm. My first attempts were less than satisfactory with too much slack between the shrouds. Eventually managed to get a line that I was happy with. I'm trying to tie in using cow hitches at the ends and clove hitches in between.
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Bit more progress. Added the first four pairs of shrouds to the main mast. Just need to make up the two single shrouds and add them. Also added the stays between the foremast and the bowspirit. Getting the loop and the 'lump' (I don't know the term!) in the right place was quite tricky and ended up being a process of trial and error......
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Jason - I think the book Rigging Period Model Ships is probably best used as guidance where the Snake instructions are not clear. I would think that generally rigging is fairly similar and therefore anything that doesnt make sense could be clarified by the book. That said the instructions are a pain in the butt when you discover you needed to add an eyelet to the hull and this is only when you infer it to be there due to the way the rigging seems to be displayed. I know of a few eyelets that I now have to add. It is odd because the basic plans shows some eyelet positions, but not all of them. Trying to make sure I go in very careful order at the moment. So put in place lower mast sections. Add shrouds and then stays. Check forward for any other rigging that must be put in place before the next mast sections are added. Once i've finished my shrouds etc, I may try and sit down and map out the rigging myself......
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Great looking build so far! Nice to another Snake build to join the club. Will be following with interest.
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Quick update. I really wish the plans had a bit more structure to them. The masts require a series of cleats towards the base, but this is only indicated on plan sheet 3 within the plan of the belaying pin markers. It would be more helpful to have added on sheet 2 which details the construction of the masts themselves. Cue some slightly awkward drilling and glueing on the fore mast. Anyway, added the shrouds to the foremast and got a good system going now so more happy with the process. Second grumble. One of the two stays between the fore mast and bowspirit is indicated as 1.25mm black hemp, but this is not included in the kit. However there is a packet of 1.25mm natural thread included and listed in the plans. Is this a mistake on Caldercrafts part as I can see no place where the 1.25mm natural is actually used.....? On the assumption that this is a mistake I have cut an appropriate length of 1.25mm natural and am proceeding to stain it black.
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I followed the plans which state that Boomkins should be 4mm at the base tapered down to 2mm at the ends.
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Remaining work so far this weekend has been to start adding the foremast stays. Cut a length of 1mm black thread and added a loop halfway along by lashing with 0.5mm thread. Fitted the loop over the main mast and threaded the ends down through the platform. Lashed deadeyes onto each end of the thread. The length to lash to was determined by using a 15mm spacer between the deadeye to be fitted to the stay and the deadeye fitted to the channels. I found lashing the deadeye to the stay really tricky. Best method I have found is to form a loop around the deadeye and the tie a single lash using thinner thread to secure the loop tight to the deadeye. A second lash secures the end of the stay against itself. I have purchased some GS Hypo cement, and used this to glue the threads permanently in place. Once dry the ends were trimmed back. Added the first two pairs of stays to the Foremast and added deadeyes as above. Then added the first lanyards. Followed the threading directions as per plans and a copy of 'Rigging Period Ship Models'. The final lashing around the stay was glued in place and trimmed back once dry.
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NormanH, thanks for the images. Appreciate the assistance. Got the main mast platform to an angle I am happy with.
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Glued the bowspirit into place and gammoned to the bow rails. This took a good long time to thread the gammoning in and around the bow rail structure but got there in the end. Threaded the end in place and then glued down with watered down PVA. Added some rigging to the bowspirit, to form the martingale rig, and added the four lines from the bow onto the deadeyes on the bowspirit. Also added the first set of rigging lines to the boomkins. Massive learning curve dealing with rigging lines. If anyone has any recommendations for websites or books that have a good description of modelling techniques and tricks I would be grateful.
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Busy on the build again. I put the bowspirit together a little while ago as a distraction whilst doing the Carronades. Reasonably easy to put together, I cut the main dowel to length and cut and sanded the end to an angle to fit the deck and slot into the forward bitt. Slightly tricky and tedious part was fitting the bowspirit cap. Having to file the two holes to allow the correct angle to fit the bowspirit and the jibboom took a while. Once complete this was glued in place and filler used to smooth the joint. Added the jibbom saddle and the slotted the jibboom through the bowspirit cap and glued into place. Then added the gammoning to the bowspirit and jibboom and secured in place with some watered PVA. Next was the dolphin striker and the stay bee. Pretty straight forward, although have to be very careful with the striker as I imagine would be very easy to break. Also, added a pin on the bottom to attach the spar later on. Finally, fitted the blocks and deadeyes. This took a fair while to work out how I was going to attach all the blocks. In the end I decided to tie the heart block onto a length of thread and then attach the deadeyes using separate threads tied around each. Worked ok I think.
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Yes, thanks for the detail on the rope coiling. Tried rope coiling myself using a different method and just couldn't get it to work, so this is really useful! Build looking fantastic and certainly picking up ideas and techniques for next build. Diana possibly.....!
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Great work Jason! Inspiring!
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Main mast has now been adjusted and does look far more sensible. I will update with images this evening.
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Thanks for that. I figured a parallel platform was most logical but seemed to be at odds to the plans given for mast construction.
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Hi all, I've queried this on my build log but thought I'd ask again here. I am building HMS Snake and the plans show the main mast with a platform set perpendicular to the mast. However the mast is to be raked back by a few degrees. Therefore the platform would not be parallel to water level. To me this doesn't seem right? What would be correct? Perpendicular to the mast or parallel to water level?
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Got a question regarding the main mast and hopefully someone can help. The plans show that the platform that is attached to the main mast is attached perpendicular to the mast. However, as the main mast is raked back a few degrees, this means that the platform will not be parallel to water level. What is the correct orientation? Parallel to water level or perpendicular to the mast? Cheers in advance.
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Hi Jason, In answer to your question - very slowly! I had already planed down two surfaces on opposite sides for the cheeks and bibbs. after that I used a sharp modelling knife and shaved down the remaining two sides, constantly checking the orientation. Any divergance was corrected as I went until the correct angles were attained and I then sanded down to correct size. The really hard work was on my work on the Gallant for the fore mast. That has two square sections on either end. Had to be very careful to make sure that the two squares line up and weren't 'twisted'. Did all of that by eye but took a fair while. Sure if I had any proper machining tools this would have been a lot simpler but it is all by eye, knife and sandpaper...!
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Deep breath and onto the next daunting steps - the masts and rigging. First step, I added in the Boomkins. Cut from dowel, and then I simply used sandpaper to sand down a taper into the Boomkins. Then added 1mm brass wire into the end and pinned into the bulwarks. Next step was to make a start on the Fore Mast. This took a lot of time and patience. As per the plans, I cut 8mm dowel to length and then proceeded to plane the mast down to accept the cheeks and bibs. Also then shaped the top of the mast to fit the tressletrees and the mast cap. Put the tressletree together and used it to test the shape of the mast tops. Gradually iterating until the tressletree was able to rest on top of the bibs. I then put together the Mast top and gunwale and careful marked up and glued on the battens as per the plans. Once complete this was then glued to the tressletrees. Then added further detail with the rail at the rear of the platform, and single 3mm tackle blocks underneath for the bow spirit rigging. All parts were painted as appropriate. I have gone for yellow ochre for the masts with black for the detailing and platforms. Did a quick check of the mast orientation. There was a distinct lean to the right from the front view. Quickly sanded down the bottom and added a shim to straighten it out. All good! Added the metal bands to the mast using black paper cut to 2mm width and glued down with slightly watered down PVA. Just need to repeat for the main mast now.
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