Dziadeczek

I found something like this online: Main Gaff Rigging - The Suburban Ship Modeler Would it help? (Sorry for intruding into your conversation). 😕

Thanks,David! 😀👌

David, where did you get the kit from? Thomas

Hull - pear (if available) or cherry, deck - holly, beech (for texture).

Dziadeczek, are you running a build log anywhere? I ended up here because of your ‘at a glance’ entry and I’m keen to have a closer look at your sails! Kevin, I answered you privately.

Years ago I learnt a neat trick from the now defunct Seaways' "Ships in scale" list, on how to finetune your small table saw (if the fence/blade is adjustable), like the PREAC saw or similar. I believe this was posted by Phil Krol. This should be done with the saw disconnected from power. First raise the blade to its maximum height. Then bring the fence close to the blade. Place a strip of paper in between the blade and the fence in the place where the blade rises (during the operation of the saw) from underneath the table - this place is further away from the operator. Place another strip of paper between the blade and the fence - closer to you, where the blade goes down under the table (where the actual cutting is done). Bring the fence tightly close to the blade, so that the strip closer to you, (where the blade goes down under the table) cannot be removed without tearing it. The other strip should be however removed quite easily, no tearing necessary. Obviously, in this setup, the fence and the blade ARE NOT perfectly paralel! The extra tiny space between the blade and the fence further away from you prevents kickbacks and allows cutting done more easily, without burning the blade's edge next to the fence.

I have this type of a ropewalk I built long time ago. I use it all the time and it never fails me. It is simple to build and to operate. It is powered by a small 12 Volt DC reversible motor. To avoid constantly moving from center to center to check and correct (if necessary) the process, I have a cable (~15 ft.) connected to a remote trigger push button. One other difference I employed, is the double fishing line stretched between centers, a cone is travelling (sliding) on. This allows me to twist quite long ropes, at least ~ 25-30 feet, If I need those. Also, the distance between centers can be adjusted gradually by winding the excess of this fishing line rails onto a spool behind the static center, unlike the version with a cart and fixed length rails on which it travels (I assume, the idea borrowed from model railroading).

Amazon has some very good looking "surgical" grade (and inexpensive) tweezers. Google it. I am going to get me a pair too. Thomas

Ibex planes are great. I use my 8 mm one for shaving the edges of planks (for spiling) for planking the hulls. I got mine (used) years ago for cheap (about 5 or 8 bucks, I remember) on one of the ship models exhibits from one of the exhibitors. You can get them used on Ebay or similar, very good, perhaps all you need is to sharpen the blade a bit, if necessary.

I once learnt how to plank from Jim Roberts' brochure "Planking the Built-up Ship Model".

If you are asking about traditional rigging tools, it is easy to make your own, using a couple of large needles and fixing them into wooden dowels, or even a couple of handles from old brushes. See the attachment. I am just in the middle of rigging of my French 74 gun ship model (1:48), [geez, what a pain! 😬], and constantly using my three DIY rigging tools - I find them indispensable!

Awesome!!! What scale is the lion in? (Judging by the size of your hand holding it, I am guessing it might be in 1:24 or even 1:12...) Wow! 👍

I have the Vanda Lay thickness sander for more than 20 years now. It still works like when it was new, I only from time-to-time exchange sandpaper. Mine is attached to a handheld drill, instead of a separate motor.

I don't know if you guys are aware that there is a free and very simple focus stacking program online. Focus stacking online - free online focus stacking software Only two steps required.

Richard, you have to click on the link I gave in the previous post - where it says "At a Glance..." and scroll down there to post # 89. I don't have my own build here.

I am not sure about your article, but I am building all three boats for my French 74 gun ship 1:48 (right now finishing the third one - a cutter), pretty closely following the advice in a chapter from the book on modeling by B. Frolich. They are all built on wooden plugs (carved from a soft basswood piece according to the profiles given and triple painted with polyurethane to make them smooth and shiny) and then mounting on them all individual ribs, the keel, sternpost and stem, and planking with individual planks. Meticulous work. I am making mine from cherry. Here is my second boat finished - a barge. Post # 89. But, you have to have a small precise table saw to be able to precisely cut all pieces. I have an old PREAC.

I "painted" them to the canvas with diluted white glue (Elmer's) and a small brush, and gently "persuaded" them to hung down until glue dried. Once glue is dried, it is invisible. My model is in 1:48 scale.

A while ago somebody (I don't remember his name) has posted this image of the HMS Victory (along many others)...

Check this (post nr. #4). Also see this : Gebhard Kammerlander shows edge bending from ~ 3:15 onwards.

I always pre stretch my ropes right after I remove them from the ropewalk. Some time ago I got a large spool of linen thread from Barbour, if I remember. The thread is snow white and too stiff to make ropes from. I don't think one can get appropriate linen thread anymore. Who knows, maybe polyester instead of cotton, after all. But I found that polyester is even more "springy" and has this undesirable tendency to suddenly unravel once you cut it... 😕

I would simply replace the planks with, say, cherry - it is a bit "stronger" wood specie, similar color, although with slightly more pronounced grain. If you cut new planks on a table saw, you can carefully select better areas from your board and make your cuts along the grain and not across it or at an angle. Cherry is a pretty common hardwood, so you should not have any troubles locating it in hardwood lumberyards in your area.

Actually, in my case, the cotton ropes get tighter when the humidity goes up (~70%) and the temps get down (~60 F). When the humidity goes down (~40%) and ambient temps go up (~75 F). the lines get loose and are sagging. As I promised, I did a little experiment out of the model. I stretched three pieces of rope (each ~ 18 inches long) and treated them with three different substances: Shellac, Wipe Poly satin and Testors Dullcote - these are what I had handy around the house. (I avoided any substance which is water based, since I thought it would not insulate the ropes well enough from moisture). After the first coat (brushed on), I noticed that the treatment has helped somewhat, but not enough. The ropes were still stretching and shrinking, albeit not so much. So, I repeated the same applications. Right now, I am waiting for the results, when the weather gets dryer/warmer (which is more normal for this area). I also noticed that shellac gave some shine to the rope - a bit undesirable... 😬 Wipe poly looks shiny and whitish. No... 😬 But after two coats of Dullcote (petroleum-based product), the third rope looks virtually indistinguishable - no shine and no color change!!! 😀 So, i think I will opt for this Dullcote for my rigging. I attach three pics of each rope treated with the above (in the same sequence). Notice that these pics are large enlargements of the original ropes, so the effects are somewhat exaggerated, when compared with the original lines.

Your attention to detail is mind boggling! 😲

Many thanks, Druxey and Bob Cleek, for your advice! I too was thinking about clear shellac, since white PVC glue, when dry, would still absorb moisture, soften up and allow it to penetrate into the ropes, and thus the situation would continue... Shellac should seal the ropes and stop the expansion/shrinkage phases, in relation to changing humidity. At least, in theory. I certainly will try it on a length of rope stretched outside of the model, and let you know the results. If it doesn't work, the model aircraft dope will be next. Thanks again! 🙂 Thomas