UK Supplies of good blocks and rigging line

[JRB9019]

Hi all.

This is a UK based question.

I see many of the top modellers replacing thier kit blocks and rigging line, for example in Rafine's Granado build.

I also read of critisim of Caldercraft's line and blocks being too large/cumbersome etc. and are also replaced.

 

So, my first question is - are things really so bad?

And my second question if these items are to be replaced to achieve top results, where are they sourced from in the UK?

The company that crops up time and time again is the US Syren model company, trouble is, shipping costs are triple the cost of the item being purchased.

E.g. 25 2mm rigging blocks cost $6.75 but shipping costs are $14.50 or £5.45 for the blocks plus £11.69 for the shipping.

 

I guess my last question is - why aren't top companies such as Caldercraft not providing this quality in the first place? After all we pay enough for the kits in the first place don't we....

 

Anyway, any advice gratefully received.

 

Many thanks

John

[MarcM]

Hi,

 

There is also a Swiss company selling very nice blocks.

But why not making them yourself ?

[JRB9019]

2 hours ago, MarcM said:

Hi,

 

There is also a Swiss company selling very nice blocks.

But why not making them yourself ?

Really MarcM?

 

I'm not very good at this modelling as it is!!

I just can't see myself starting to make blocks as well - anyway, I wouln't know where to start and of course it all comes back to the same question - where would I get the correct wood from.

The question about rigging line is still there - and no, I can't see myself starting to attempt making my own line,

 

Bye the way, do you know the name of this Swiss company???

 

Thanks

John

[gjdale]

John,

 

I understand your pain re shipping costs - we have the same issue downunda. My only advice is to order everything you need as a bulk order to defray the shipping costs - then it doesn't hurt quite as much. Work out what sizes and quantities you need for all your rigging line, and all your blocks, add a margin for error, then place one order with Chuck (Syren). You won't regret the decision, and you'll be commending yourself for doing so long after you've forgotten the cost.

[Nirvana]

There is a company in Sweden making blocks.

I have bought from them and the quality is high.

The company name is Eskader located in Stockholm.

Click the link and you have the blocks.

 

[KeithAug]

John

 

Although I make my own you can buy nice wooden blocks and rigging line (and a lot of other fittings) here - Uk based supplier:-

 

http://www.modellingtimbers.co.uk/1.html

 

 

 

 

[JRB9019]

23 hours ago, gjdale said:

John,

 

I understand your pain re shipping costs - we have the same issue downunda. My only advice is to order everything you need as a bulk order to defray the shipping costs - then it doesn't hurt quite as much. Work out what sizes and quantities you need for all your rigging line, and all your blocks, add a margin for error, then place one order with Chuck (Syren). You won't regret the decision, and you'll be commending yourself for doing so long after you've forgotten the cost.

Thanks Grant, I'm going to have to do some calulations here! Right now, I'm building Pickle, and even that small model needs approx 130 blocks of various sizes. That's a lot of money over and above the cost of the kit. So, I've calculated that if I purchase from Syren, it will cost my $60 (£48) which for me is loads at the moment!!

 

My next kit will be Granado which will no doubt have even more.

 

So, perhaps I'll just have to stay with what has been provided and enjoy what I can make with those..

 

Thanks anyway.

John

[Gregory]

You ask:

 

Quote

...why aren't top companies such as Caldercraft not providing this quality in the first place?

Now that you see what the really nice blocks cost, you have an answer to that question..

If the kit had cost $60 more, and included the blocks from Syren, would you have purchased anyway?

 

The kit provided blocks can really be improved upon, if you take the time with a file or emery board, to round of the corners and edges, and deepen the grooves a bit..

[Steve 12345]

Hi john regards rigging line on my first build I spent a fortune on kit brand lines in ten meter rolls then it occurred to me it is not magical ship rigging line its just thread so instead I searched ebay for thread manufacturers and can now buy 300m spools for very little cost that suits me cause I normally use a 1 meter piece of line to tie a line 30mm long

 

it took a bit of experimenting but finaly got right colour and size ,from memory I think they where sized in the thread industry in the  uk as follows

0.25 is known as size 40

0.5 is known as size 20

1.0 is known as size 10

don't quote me  exact sizes I chucked the packaging when  they arrived 

 

hope this helps

 

steve

[MarcM]

Hi John,

 

This is the company for the rigging blocks:

 

http://clasicmodel.com/shop/index.php?route=common/home

[Tadeusz43]

Hi,

The Cornwall Model Boats offers big choice of ship model accessories in resonable prices.

http://www.cornwallmodelboats.co.uk/

Tadeusz

[JRB9019]

Many thanks to all of you for your very useful contributions.

Certainly a lot of food for thought though.

Fine-tuning the blocks I already have seems a good way forward for now.

 

John

[gjdale]

A block tumbler would be a very useful thing if you are going to use the kit blocks. Very simple to make with short section of postal tube, some wooden dowel, and some sandpaper. I posted my method for making one in my HSM Victory log. Link below takes you to the correct page. Description starts at post #161. I made mine to be powered by my lathe, but you could equally use an electric hand drill for power, or even a hand crank. The tumbler can turn really crappy looking blocks into something half-way reasonable in fairly quick time.

 

Hope this helps.

 

 

 

[AntonyUK]

Hi

As anyone used this company before ??

10 hours ago, MarcM said:

Hi John,

 

This is the company for the rigging blocks:

 

http://clasicmodel.com/shop/index.php?route=common/home

 

The quality looks OK. 

If so ..Do they accept PayPal ?.

Many thanks.

Antony.

[maltbyguy]

Hi just a thought about ordering blocks from non EU countries you will have to also pay VAT  and import costs much to my cost !

Syren ship models blocks are well worth the extra expense maybe some enterprising chap could buy them in bulk from Chuck (if he can supply bulk orders) and sell them in the UK ?

maybe it would make them a bit more affordable  

[Gregory]

13 hours ago, AntonyUK said:

Hi

As anyone used this company before ??

 

The quality looks OK. 

If so ..Do they accept PayPal ?.

Many thanks.

Antony.

They do..

[pompey2]

Hi John

 

I get your pain with buying extra parts to supplement a kit.

But if you go with the kit blocks there are things you can do quite easily to improve them.

I would very strongly suggest you look at making yourself a barrelling pot that will turn your square edged kit blocks into rounded smooth ones.

It is a very simple thing to make, there are a variety of posts on the site with examples.

Or if you are having trouble I can show you how I made mine.

A small round plastic pot with a good lid, a piece of dowel and some trimmed pieces of sandpaper is all it needs apart from a dremel or similar to run it.

 

Nick