Joe Lane by ahb26 (Andrew Bodge) - FINISHED - Marine Model Company - Scale 1/8”=1’ - Revenue Cutter - Inherited kit, novice modeler

[ahb26]

I am almost embarrassed to ask, but how the heck does one strap (or strop) a block?  My efforts so far have not worked.  I am using the sewing thread that came with the kit, and one of the 3/32" blocks from Syren, for my trials.  I have the block rather tenuously anchored to a board using a thin wire through one of the reeve holes.  I tried tying a loop in the thread, passing the loop through a thin tube, pulling the loop tight around the block, and tying a lighter thread around the loop at the end of the block to secure it - that didn't hold tight enough to get glue on it.  I tried tying an overhand knot in the thread, dropping the loop around the block, and pulling it tight, but I couldn't get the knot where it belonged.

 

Part of the problem is that the block doesn't hold still; it pivots around the wire and rides up and down it.  A second wire might help.  Also, the thread is springy and perhaps a bit slippery.  I could try the lighter-weight thread from the kit.  But whatever I do, it seems like a very fiddly business with these tiny blocks and my fat fingers.  Obviously, modelers figure out how to do this or they would go insane trying, but I sure could use a tutorial, and I haven't found anything like one on this site.

 

Thanks for your help in preserving my sanity!

 

Andrew

[Shiphile]

Hate to admit but, stropping a block in this scale is a daunting task.  Hopefully someone will step up and answer your question better than I would.  We both will benefit.

Wanted to show you what your build thread got started.........!

So impressed with your build, just had to jump in with a Marine Model Company Cutty Sark.  Bought 2 kits on eBay to have 1 complete kit.  I have 2 hulls, one untouched in their up grade mahogany.

And the one pictured.  Am still fairing the hull and correcting what was done already.

Rick

[ahb26]

Rick, the hull is a thing of beauty just as it stands.

 

What I need is a 3/4" tall able seaman to strop these blocks!  Failing that, I will have to devise some sort of fixture and perfect a technique to get the results I want.  I'm just hoping that someone can provide a few tips to speed the process.  It is so fundamental to the craft...

 

The Mastini book suggests using fine black annealed wire, rather than thread, at the smaller scales.  I may try that, although I haven't seen many examples of wire-stropped blocks on the site.

[EJ_L]

I've been reading a lot about people using fly fishing line for rigging extremely small elements. I have not used it myself yet but I think it would work better than wire as it is far more flexible yet still very strong.

 

Let us all know if you find those scale able seamen! I've been looking for those myself for years!

[ahb26]

Well, I think I have the beginnings of a process.  I bent a thin wire into a U shape to fit through the reeve holes in the block.

Inserted the ends of the U into two holes drilled in scrapwood, then ran a length of my thicker thread around the block and secured its ends in a saw cut in the edge of the wood.

Looped a length of my thinner thread around the thicker thread and tied a reef knot, and secured everything with a dab of dilute white glue at the knot and at the other end of the block.

Finally, I wound one end of the thin thread around the thick threads several times to simulate seizing, tied it off, and secured it with another tab of glue.  With the end of the seizing thread trimmed off, I ended up with a reasonable facsimile of a stropped block!

There are refinements to be made, but I think I can work with this - might get pretty good at it after I've done 50 or so.

[Tigersteve]

Nicely done. 

Steve

[Blue Ensign]

You're doing a great job on that vintage kit Andrew, and I think you will achieve your ambition to produce a model that is pleasing to your eye (and mine)

 

Regards,

 

B.E.

[Shiphile]

Hey, great idea there.  Hope if you do not mind if I emulate your process for stropping  a block.  Thought I would also show you another shot of where I am at.  Ready to spakle the hull and working on deck parts.

Looking forward to more of your build.

Rick

[ahb26]

So, I thought about this technique some more.  Since the stropping thread does not have a knot, the security of the strop depends entirely on the dabs of glue.  I stress tested my two prototypes by pulling on the strop, as would occur during rigging.  One held, the other did not.  Time for a rethink.

 

The new jig is similar to the old one, but includes a piece of 1/32 wood with a notch cut out for the block.  This helps secure the block and also makes it easier to fit the strop to it by preventing the line from sliding under the block.  I tie an overhand knot in the thread, slip it over the block, and pull tight.  To my surprise, the knot stays tight while I complete the second part of the reef knot.  I wind one leg of the thread around the other (which is held tight in a saw cut) to simulate seizing, secure with an overhand knot, and add dabs of glue before snipping the extra "seizing" thread.

This approach is simpler and more secure than my first try.  I need to work on the "seizing" and also work on adding a becket.

 

The real key to this task is devising a jig that will hold the block securely while the thread is tied to it.  I used a narrower piece of wood for the base in case I need to add saw cuts on the sides to hold the thread after the initial overhand knot has been tied.

 

Rick, if this helps you or anyone else, I will be delighted!  Keep up the good work,

 

Andrew

[ahb26]

After much procrastination, I have finally started to furnish the spars with blocks. I stained the spars with a natural stain after masking areas to be painted later, leaving the yards unstained until I can sort out the jackstays.  I'm starting with the most numerous blocks, the 3/32" single blocks.  I stained a string of them using a Minwax dark stain (English Chestnut) - the boxwood took the stain well, but I didn't wipe each block thoroughly so the results are a little uneven.  With some trepidation, I started stropping and tying.  It was frustrating at first, but I'm improving and as the productivity goes up, the frustration goes down.

This is the topgallent band of the foremast, with three blocks tied on and four stays to be attached later.  I have had trouble getting tight knots when tying the blocks to the mast - I have settled on a single overhand knot, which will stay tight long enough to get a dab of glue on it.  There is a video on here that shows a really slick way of tying blocks to spars, but my dexterity isn't up to it yet.

Fore topmast, with blocks tied on and ready to trim.  I drilled the sheaves earlier.  I also made up an organizer for the spars.  For some reason, the fore topmast is made of a darker wood (or a darker part of the same wood) than the other spars, and the natural stain accentuates the difference.

I have far to go, but at least I've made a start!

[ahb26]

I have been working on the mainmast.  I glued on the hounds and the diecast tops assembly, then realized that I couldn't slide the cap over the topmast because I had attached the blocks to it.  Had to remove them, and will have to remove many more on the fore topmast.  Finally got the topmast and cap into place.  At this point the castings have been primed, and most of the necessary ringbolts are in place.

I painted the assembly, then tied blocks on at the various attachment points.  I bent up some thin wire bails and attached them to the cap, and tied the shrouds over the top of the mainmast.  (This would have been easier to do before the topmast was installed.)

Next up are the futtock shrouds and topmast shrouds, and touch-up painting.  The fittings for the lower part of the mast are ready to install when the time comes.  Kelly the cat continues to take great interest in the proceedings, and has contributed some of her fur to the rigging as can be seen in the close-ups.

[russ]

Andrew:

Your making very good progress. Good work.

 

However, rigging and cats are a recipe for disaster. Please beware.

 

Russ

 

 

 

 

[ahb26]

So far, Kelly has not attacked the ship, but she does get in the way and I generally banish her from the work area.  (I hesitate to call it a "shipyard" - it's just my desk where the light is good.  If I keep up the hobby, I'll build a proper workspace.)

 

I purchased some deadeyes stropped to chainplates from Bluejacket, not knowing quite what to expect. They are cast in Britannia metal, easy to work with but they don't hold paint very well.  I am using them in conjunction with thin wire to form the futtock shrouds.  In this era, futtock shrouds might well have been made of iron rod with a turnbuckle, and probably no chainplate.  In any case, here are the back and front of a futtock shroud.  The wire is glued to the back of the chainplate with a bead of CA.

After painting, the chainplate is glued to the arms of the tops, with the wire fitting into a notch in the end of the arm.  The hooks go through an eyebolt on the futtock band.  A lot of the paint has already chipped off.

I'll do the topmast shrouds next - my first experience reeving lanyards through deadeyes and tying ratlines.  Can't say that I am looking forward to it.

[russ]

Bluejacket sells a chemical toner for Britannia metal and they might also sell a paint primer for it, but I am not sure. If painted, they will need some sort of primer so that the paint will have something to attach to.

 

Russ

[ahb26]

After negotiating some steep learning curves, I have the topmast shrouds in place (but not yet rattled down).

I realize that this is a bit of a mess compared with most of the work I have seen on this site, and I can still do some touch-up paint and trimming.  (I will prime and spray-paint the Britannia metal parts from here on out.)  It took several frustrating sessions before I was able to turn the shrouds around the deadeyes with any consistency.  I made up a jig to hold the top deadeye in place relative to its mate, but it took a good deal of fine-tuning to get the jig just right. 

 

The reeving was also difficult at first but got easier.  These 3/32" deadeyes are right on the limit of what I can see with powerful reading glasses. (Looking at the bottom photo, it appears that I might have run the lanyard twice through the same hole on the bottom deadeye - it is almost impossible to tell by eye, even with the glasses.)  The shrouds are not as tight as I would like, but tight enough.  The deadeyes for the lower shrouds are 5/32" and should be much easier to work with.

 

The good news is that tasks which seem impossible at first rapidly become easier.  I just have to stick to it.  The foremast should go much more smoothly.

[ahb26]

Working on the foremast, incorporating lessons learned on the main:

• Prime and paint with a couple of coats of spray enamel.
• Install the shrouds (and in this case, the lower yard sling) before fitting the topmast.
• Hold off on the futtock and topmast shrouds until the other fiddly bits are done.

Painted - the cap is just loose on the mast.

Shrouds and sling tied in, topmast in place, eyebolts ready for blocks, and bails installed.

I'll finish the foremast, then return to the mainmast to redo the topmast shroud lanyards and clean up whatever else I can.

On a related topic - About the same time I started working on the model, I began binge-reading Patrick O'Brian's Aubrey-Maturin series.  The two activities complement each other: Studying Joe Lane's rigging gave me a better understanding of what Aubrey and his crews were doing, and the descriptions of their activities provided insight on the construction and layout of the ship.  I figured I would run out of books before I ran out of model, and sure enough I completed the series (20 novels and one unfinished) about a week ago.  More time to work on the model!

[EJ_L]

Masts are looking excellent!

 

Those are great books! Been reading them myself though I am still a long way from finishing the series as I read one then read something else in between each book. They do make understanding the ships rigging easier just as the models give a clearer picture of what is happening in the book. They go hand in hand a make an enjoyable experience. 

[ahb26]

I decided to work on the yards before I go too much farther with the foremast, to be sure I don't paint myself into a corner.  I fitted the diecast truss and yokes to the yards, and prototyped a jackstay.  The truss and yokes are fixed to the yards with short pins, so I needed to drill holes in the yards.  I haven't glued them in place yet.

I have put a lot of thought into how to do the jackstays, and even bought Xuron needlenose pliers and a flush cutter specifically for this job (although they have been very useful generally).  After all that thought, the prototype went together pretty easily.

I will have to make about 50 of the little eyebolts and drill holes for them.  It should go pretty quickly once I get a little more practice.  I still need to stain the yards and put all the other stuff on them, but that should be a bit more routine.

[ahb26]

It has been a while since the last post - various things going on in my life, and some indecision on how to proceed with the model.  I wasn't comfortable with the size of wire (28 ga) I was using for the eyebolts and jackstays, so I got some 32 ga wire and started over.  I also reduced the eyebolt spacing to 1/4" so I needed more of them.  Here is the eyebolt factory in operation (and I found a use for an old contact lens case):

I drilled 57 holes for the eyebolts and glued them in:

I made up stirrups for the foot ropes from the same wire, and glued the Britannia metal saddles to the two upper yards.  It's a little hard to see but there is also a pin under the saddle to help secure the yard to the mast:

I added the foot ropes and Flemish horses (wife: "What the [unladylike noun] is a Flemish horse??"), threaded the wire through the eyebolts to form the jackstays, and added blocks for lifts and braces:

I will experiment with ways of stiffening the foot ropes so they drape correctly (I'm thinking very dilute white glue).  The plans show the ends of the Flemish horses magically attaching to the tips of the yards.  According to the Text-Book of Seamanship, they attached to "Pacific irons," fittings at the yard ends.  I used left-over eyebolts to serve the same purpose:

With the yards finished, I can get back to preparing the foremast and hopefully be ready to attach the yards and start with running rigging soon.

 

Making and inserting the jackstay eyebolts is the most repetitive task I've encountered so far, which simply means that I haven't done any ratlines yet!  For me, each task is a new learning curve; I eventually got pretty good at making eyebolts and they went quickly.  I am hoping for the same experience with ratlines.

[ahb26]

Back at it.  Shortly after my last post, I started to tie the ratlines on the topmast shrouds.  The first two were so frustrating that I rebelled at the thought of how many more I had to do, and simply walked away from the model for a couple of months!  (In fairness, there was a vacation and other activities in that period as well.)  I finally forced myself to start up again, and started to get the hang of it. I am still having trouble consistently getting the knots where I want them (resulting in some slack ratlines), and I use a shameful amount of thread to create a 1/4" ratline, but at least I can tie them without tearing my hair out.

This is my first set of ratlines; the second set is better.  Eventually I will get to the main shrouds and their ratlines, hopefully by then it will come a bit easier.

[EJ_L]

Ratlines are almost everyone's least favorite part of rigging. They are simply a pain no matter how experienced you are. They are also exhausting due to the sheer number of them. What kind of knot are you using to tie them? If you are not already doing so, a clove hitch knot is great to use for ratlines. They allow for easy adjustments when needed and are really quick to tie once you get the hang of it. The other advantage is that they tend to do a better job of keeping the lines straight instead of pulling upward. 

 

Regardless of how you are doing it, it looks like you are getting the hang of them. Just keep pushing through and I promise they will end! In fact, finishing ratline is one of the biggest sighs of relief that you will feel! Good job, keep it up!

[ahb26]

Thanks for the encouragement, E.J. I completed the topmast shroud ratlines for both masts and I'm ready to move on to the next step (doing as much rigging as I can on the masts prior to stepping, I guess, and the bowsprit).  I used simple overhand knots.  I have read through several threads on ratline tying, and I'll try using cow hitches and clove hitches once I get to the lower shrouds.  This thread and the video it links to were the most helpful.

 

It's good to be making progress again, especially as the weather turns cold and indoor activities become more attractive!

[ahb26]

I decided to install the chain plates and deadeyes at this stage, since it requires a lot of manipulation of the hull.  Earlier in this narrative, I tried making up chain plates using wire and the deadeyes supplied in the kit.  I also built low-profile channels onto the rail caps, and notched the channels and the sheer plank (on the hull below the rail cap) to receive the chain plates.  At some point I decided to use prefabricated chain plates/deadeyes instead and ordered them from Bluejacket.  They are cast from Britannia metal.  The first step was to drill them for bolts and cut them to length.

Next, paint: etch primer followed by flat black, leaving the back side of the plate bare.

The notches I cut previously were too narrow for the new chain plates, and the alignment with the shrouds wasn't exactly right.  I widened the notches and took the opportunity to correct the alignment as best I could, then glued the the chain plates to the hull and channel using CA.

I thought for a long time about what to do for bolts.  I considered pins, but the heads are too large and I had no way to cut them down (no Dremel).  I finally decided to use 22 ga wire, glued into the hole drilled in the hull and cut as flush as possible with the surface of the chain plate.  I will paint the exposed wire ends with flat black, and call them bolts.  I think they will handle the shear forces exerted by the shrouds OK.

Finally, I glued a strip onto the low-profile channel to capture the chain plates.  This will also be painted flat black, and I'll touch up elsewhere as needed.

The deadeyes for the lower shrouds look larger than they should, and they are larger than the deadeyes supplied in the kit.  The plans call for 5/32" deadeyes and that is what I ordered.  They are more like 3/16", exclusive of the strop.  At least they will be easy to rig.

[ahb26]

A bit more progress. I tried to figure out which rigging lines were self-contained to each mast, i.e., originating on the mast or its spars and belaying to the fife rail (actually a fife ring at the bottom of the mast).  I'd like to do this rigging before stepping the masts, if possible.  The foremast provides the most opportunities since all the lifts belay to the fife rail, so I attached the yards to the mast and installed the portion of the halyards that reeve through sheaves in the mast.  (The lower halyard is a fixed line to the truss.)  The spars are fairly loose on the masts (I was unable to glue the saddles to the mast) so I will need to square them using the lifts and braces.  View from forward (the large black lump in the background is our male cat, Izzy):

View from aft, showing the topsail halyard emerging from its sheave:

Detail of the attachment to the mast. The kit instructions suggest a couple of turns of thread from the saddle around the mast, which seems a bit lame.  I repurposed beads from a dreamcatcher we were sent as a charity thank-you to make the parrels. I don't know if these are correct to this (or any other) period but I like them.  I'll use the same treatment for the main boom and the two gaffs - I have plenty of beads!

Next, I'll start working on the running rigging.  I need to blacken the brass belaying pins supplied with the kit, and get some sense of how difficult it will be to belay to them.

[ahb26]

I see that this log has been up for just over a year.  It's been an interesting learning curve, with starts and stops and occasional reversals.  I've started a new phase: running rigging.  This has been more - I was going to say fun, but satisfying seems more appropriate.  Good ratio of effort to progress, although I have had to rework a bunch of mistakes already.  All part of the learning curve.

I have done as much rigging on the foremast as I think is wise before stepping it: the lifts, the gaff, and the main staysail downhaul.

I was able to belay many of the lines that go to the fife rail (ring), with just three jib halyards that will have to wait until the mast is in place.  I still need to touch up the lifts to get the yards a bit more square.  Belaying is a pain but I am getting better at it.  I made up a tool with a forked end to make it a bit easier. 

I think I redid the gaff rigging about three times due to mistakes, knots coming undone etc.  The throat and peak halliards belay to pins along the rails, so they are loose for now.

The end is not exactly in sight, but closer than it was.

[ahb26]

Thanks, Bob.  I know it can be better...

I rigged the mainmast to the extent possible: the gaff, and the boom with its topping lifts.  I took some pictures of the ship with the masts set in place. It's great to get an idea of the finished product, but after Christmas I'll remove the masts to their building stand and get to work on the bowsprit.

 

[ahb26]

Progress on the bowsprit.  First task was to assemble the diecast bowsprit, the diecast cap/whisker boom/dolphin striker assembly, and the wooden jibboom.  I used epoxy to be sure everything stays together.

Next, I glued the bowsprit into the hull (pins incorporated in the casting secure it) along with the diecast buffalo rail/cathead pieces.  The part sitting on the board is the diecast figurehead and trail boards.

The instructions gave no guidance on how the figurehead and trail boards should be finished, so I got out my wife's artist acrylics and went to town.

That's supposed to be a golden eagle.  I'm working on the rigging, which has required more improvisation and fettling of the kit parts.  Stay tuned for updates.

 

[ahb26]

On this ship, the bowsprit rigging is tensioned using bullseyes. The kit supplies cast metal bullseyes about 3/32" in diameter.  I had to remove casting flash and deepen the groove around the outer circumference.  The bullseyes are similar to deadeyes in that one is stropped to a plate and its partner to the stay being tensioned, and a lanyard is reeved through the holes.  I started by tying a thin wire around one bullseye:

I had some left-over small deadeyes with long plates, which I could use for the bullseye plates:

I cut the plates to length, drilled a hole in the ends, and painted them.

 

The bobstay runs from a bracket at the waterline to the bottom of the cap.  The plans were unclear about how to attach the line to the bracket, so I used an extra bullseye.  A pair of bullseyes at the other end allows for adjustments.  In this case, the wire wraps around the top of the dolphin striker.

Finally, I added the back ropes, for which the bullseye plates attach to the hull and the martingale, and the martingale stay from the end of the boom to the martingale.  (The plan doesn't show any tensioning arrangement for the martingale stay.)

This photo shows how the bullseye plate is pinned to the hull - it's also secured with CA glue.  The pins will be cut off and painted to resemble bolts.

 

The three stays from the foremast run through the jibboom (or bee seat of the bowsprit) and back to bullseyes secured to the hull.  Those will happen when the masts are in place.

 

[Overworked724]

Awesome progress!   Watching this log with interest. Great job so far!  (Love the eagle!)

[ahb26]

Spent the last week-plus getting everything ready for mast installation.  I wanted to do all the rigging I possibly could, especially the lines belayed to the fife "rails" (actually rings) since access to them will be very tight once the masts are in place.  I also wanted to finish up all work on the hull that might be more difficult with the masts in.

• Cut the three foremast stays that pass through the bowsprit and laced them to the hull with bullseyes but left the lanyards loose.  Once the stays are secured to the mast, I'll take up any remaining slack with the lanyards.
• Installed the downhauls for the two jibs and the fore stays'l, and belayed them to their pins in the bow.
• Cut the halyards for the jibs and fore stays'l, belayed them to their pins on the fife rail, and reeved them through their blocks on the mast.  I'll finish rigging them once the masts are installed.
• Installed eyebolts and blocks on the rail for the vangs and the topsail halyard, and a cleat for the main sheet.
• Rigged the fore tops'l and t'gallant halyards to the extent possible with the masts off the ship.  (I should have done this a long time ago.)
• Put rope coils on all the belayed lines, and did touch up painting.  (There's always more of that to do.)

So here we are:

I will take a deep breath and carefully glue the masts in place - no turning back after that!  I considered not gluing them, but once they're rigged it will be impossible to remove them anyway - gluing will assure that they aren't yanked out or turned by accident, with dire consequences.  I look forward to the next rigging steps, although I'm sure there will be setbacks and frustrations along the way.