How to prepare rigging rope?

[ChrisLinden]

Hi

 

I am soon starting the rigging of my ship. Someone told me I need to prepare my rope by making it wet and leaving it hanging weighted for a week or two to remove the stretch. Is this common practice? ive not come across similar advise before. It was as he said to avoid the rigging to loose tension over the years and going saggy.

 

Advise is welcome !

[robnbill]

I think it depends on where you got your rope. Some rope, that Chuck's (Syren Ship Model Co) do not require stretching. Other rope does need it. If you are unsure, you can test a section of it. The main thing is you want the rope to be set so it does not stretch when rigged. 

[amateur]

Are you using the kit-supplied stuff, or are you making your own?

Your own willl stretch, the kit-supplied stuff will not (or far less)

I did not strtch mine, and it is still resonanbly tensioned.

On the other hand, there is always some stretch. So I did not fix my shrouds directly, i set them up, and did increase the tension after a couple of days.

Only my stays (whcih I made myself) had a tendency to lose tension over a period of weeks.

 

Jan

[ChrisLinden]

Hi Jan

 

I have the rope from the Mamoli kit.

Its un labeled so I can only guess the quality.

 

I also purchased some Mantua rope.

 

If there are better materials you can recommend let me know where to buy it. I will not make my own rope.

 

Thanks!

[mtaylor]

In the past, I used kit supplied and after-market Amati line for mine.  I always "painted" the rigging with a 50-50 mix of white glue and water.. After it dried a few days, I would re-tension it.  The nice thing about the mixture is that it also allows me to set some nice sag in the lines where needed.  What while also help with sag, etc. is to keep the model in a case in (if possible) a reasonably controlled environment as far as temperature range and humidity.

 

I'm going to start making my own which will be a new learning curve and experience.... 

[GuntherMT]

 

If there are better materials you can recommend let me know where to buy it. I will not make my own rope.

 

Thanks!

 

I highly recommend Chuck's rope (Syren Ship Model Company - http://www.syrenshipmodelcompany.com/miniature-rope.php)

 

It's really great to work with, and I have no interest in making my own.

[shiloh]

Rope stretches when tension is applied. The rate of stretch slows over time but it will continue to stretch until it fails. Not much tension put into a model while being rigged so any stretch caused by rigging may remain undetectable for years, if the building environment remains constant over the model's lifetime. Wetting and hanging with a small weight won't hurt a natural fiber rope, nor will hanging under tension, harm a synthetic or composition rope. Some rope may not display stretch quickly, it was mentioned a water-glue mix being applied to the rigged composition line with good results.

Pre-stretching will do no harm unless overdone, might be good insurance.

jud

[ChrisLinden]

Ok thanks everyone for the advice. Much appreciated! 

[pompey2]

I do similar to Mark with the PVA/water mix.

But I do mine before I rig.

I moisten my fingers and pull the thread through, then hang with a weight to tension.

This also flattens the stray hairs.

 

Nick

[robnbill]

I know there has been debate on beeswax back and forth but I ended up using a combination of beeswax and turpentine on my rigging. It soaked into the rigging well and left a matrix of wax throughout the thread structure once the turpentine evaporated. This left the thread slightly stiff but pliable. This also worked on soft materials such as the cloth I rolled for the hammocks.

 

Bill

[RichardG]

I also like Chuck's rope. You might want to read this post though http://modelshipworld.com/index.php/topic/8678-how-to-pre-condition-your-syren-ship-model-company-rope-before-using-it/#entry257903

 

Richard

[Landlocked123]

I know there has been debate on beeswax back and forth but I ended up using a combination of beeswax and turpentine on my rigging. It soaked into the rigging well and left a matrix of wax throughout the thread structure once the turpentine evaporated. This left the thread slightly stiff but pliable. This also worked on soft materials such as the cloth I rolled for the hammocks.

 

Bill

Hi Bill,

 

I'm going to start rigging my schooner in the next week or so. I too, was planning on using the beeswax and turpentine mixture on BlueJacket rope. My question is; Will using the mixture affect my using either diluted PVA or CA to fix the rigging where necessary?

 

Any and all advice is welcome and appreciated.

 

Best,

John

 

PS Do you think I will need to stretch the rope after I apply the beeswax mixture? Thank. J.

[robnbill]

Hi,

 

Sorry to not get back to you sooner. I am actually on a ship south of Tahiti and headed for Auckland at the moment. I have not found the beeswax and turpentine mixture to keep glue from holding the knots. The thread is still porous so there is still teeth for the glue to hold. I do use CA to lock knots. I use a needle to apply a very small amount to it. Perhaps it will fail after 20 years or so.

[dgbot]

The hanging a weight to line that you make is to not stretch it but cause the fibers to set into each other.

David B