Charles W Morgan by texxn5 - FINISHED - Model Shipways - 1:64

[texxn5]

Hi Frankie, I understand, but I also have learned it takes 2or3 sets of eyes on these things. I need all the help I can get and really do appreciate when someone bothers to let me know something isn't quite kosher. Thank you for enduring the pain to let me know it didn't look right.....lol. The .008 rope from Chuck is working good. Even with it's smaller size though, it still is a bit large in the upper rigging, but I think it'll be ok, especially on the lowers. Please don't hesitate to speak out if you see something...thanks

John

[Piet]

Hi John, well, "stuff" happens and I can sympathise with Frankie regarding having a hard time being on the receiving end of criticism.  When I looked at the ratboards I thought that's the way they were supposed to be.  Hey, what do i know about old sailing ships - - - being an airplane guy 

I have bought a spool of sewing thread that's EXTREMELY small, cotton wrapped polyester.  When I unwrap the cotton from the polyester I wind up with a very - very thin polyester and cotton thread.  I daresay that they are slightly thicker then a hair.  Gwen agreed with me when i showed it to her.  I used that to tie the antenna wires of the O19 to its support cable.  I don't know if they still sel cotton wrapped polyester sewing thread but it may be with your wile to check. 

 

It may even be thinner then Chuck's cable and may scale up or down great for your ship.  Just a thought.

 

Cheers,

 

 

[Blue Ensign]

You've done the right thing John in re-doing those seizings, lucky it is the smallest set of shrouds you were working on. There can't be many of us who have not had to take a step or two backwards at times during our builds.

 

B.E.

[gjdale]

Good for you John! The hardest part is making the decision to re-do. After that it's easy. I know you'll be very pleased you made this decision once the re-do is complete.

[JerseyCity Frankie]

The thinnest thread I have been able to get my hands on is Fly Tying Thread intended for fly fishermen who make their own lures- the kind with little feathers and stuff lashed onto them. This thread is very very fine and comes in many colors but it has some drawbacks. Its not made of an organic vegetable fiber and has a lot of 'memory" meaning it won't drape and lay across the deck, its like an uncoiled spring that has to be glued into position. The clothing and sportswear company Eddie Bauer is where I found mine, the two retail shops of theirs which I have been into each had a fishing department in the back and they stock this thread.

Here is a photo I found of a guy lashing ratlines. Note the relative thickness of the tarred marline he is using. I can't imagine the seizing material ever needing to be thicker than this.

In fact the finished seizing is put on very tight and viewed from a distance its really only noticeable due to the color contrast. So maybe you could get away with simply gluing the ratlines on then painting the lashings with a contrasting color?

Edited February 25, 2015 by JerseyCity Frankie

[texxn5]

Thanks for all the input guys, Frankie, Piet, Grant, BE, I really appreciate your input. I'm trying Chuck's .008 line right now and it's not bad. I'll post some pictures later this morning for comments. If I have to tear it out again, I'll have to probably redo the shrouds for the Mizzen Port side. I'm not close to any fly fishing stores, so if I have to switch again I'll probably have to go online and find it. Thanks for the picture Frankie. Piet, I've already been through Diane's sewing basket and the smallest I could find is nice, but bright yellows and reds. It also seems to be pretty stiff. Oh well, marching on and hopefully Chuck's will look ok. Thanks for everything guys.

John

[GMO2]

John, In tying knots and lashings with very fine lines Ihave some long keen tweezers that I have learned to use as substitute fingers.My fingers on my prime hand were injured and are clumsier than normal, requiring me to adapt.Learning to tye fine knots at a distance using these tweezers took some practice,but now it works better than my fingers ever would. Ihave to get the hang of again each time a ship rigging episode comes along,but it gets easier each time. Sort of like eating with chopsticks,eventually you get to where you can pick a grain of rice up with them.

[popeye the sailor]

I agree with Frank.......it's so hard to be constructive,  and not sound critical.   it's the nature of the beast.   I feel the same way whenever I point something out........but it's one of the best way to share experience and knowledge.   it shows that your a constructive person John,  and that's a very good trait to have     your build is too good,  to let anything slip by    soak up the sun and have fun!

[texxn5]

I do have some long thin tweezers and use them, my problem is usually dealing with the memory of the thread, which is a good thing about Chuck's it lays well and doesn't twist. My fingers do pretty well, but the eyesight can be tricky. Thanks Gary

[texxn5]

Thanks Dennis, I appreciate that.

[popeye the sailor]

I like to think we're all friends here     .......even us crazy ones

[texxn5]

Hey Dennis, if it wasn't for us crazies there wouldn't be a forum....

[GMO2]

I use a pair of tweezers one clamps when relaxed and the other has tiny interlocking fingers on the end for reaching thru and grabbing the loose end. You re right about the memory of string. Its amazing how a short length of sewing thread can act more like stiff wire. I think when I get to the rigging stage on the Morgan I will do what Longridge did and build an adjustable frame to rest my forearms on as I work up the masts. That should really help with repetitive work like rat lines.

[texxn5]

I have some of those too for holding things in place when I tire out. I guess it's getting pretty bad when we have to build jigs to hold "us" in place instead of the parts we're working with....lol, however, not a bad idea..

[GMO2]

Iwas in earlier times heavily into homebuilt experimental airplanes. Ill just paraphrase what a friend once said about those who build flying machines in their basements.~~Those who spend years building intricate shipmodels are poorly positioned to criticize idiosyncratic behavior on the part of other people~~~.

[texxn5]

Very well said...

[GMO2]

Any technique to help maintain patience, and thereby a certain level of decorum in the workroom. It seems that blasts of Coal Mine Creole upset the Memsahib to no end.

[NenadM]

Very well constatation - soft things when they are in very small pieces become elastic and hard. Little bit of acrylic paint - dry in a minute. To glue only dot with CA you have only few seconds, etc etc

 

Spice of our hobby. But this makes things more interesting, isn't it?

Edited February 25, 2015 by Nenad M

[texxn5]

Thank you Nenad, good points and definitely makes this an interesting as well as insane hobby, but we do what we have to do.

[texxn5]

OK, here's the redo. I think this is going to have to be it...I'm not sure the shrouds or me could survive another rip out. It is still a little bit large, but I think it might be acceptable. One option could be to paint the bottom rope wraps black so they are not visible against the black shrouds. The bottom iron served Ratboard has the lashes painted black. Open for opinions...

Edited February 25, 2015 by texxn5

[GLakie]

Speaking for myself John, I don't know how exactly they're supposed to look. But they look fine to me!

 

Cheers

[texxn5]

Thanks George, I appreciate your observations...

[texxn5]

I have learned to tie the lashings tighter and closer together to create less of a footprint as well as that the shrouds from the Mizzen tear out seem to cause the lashings to be irregular in how they tie to the ratboards. I do think they are looking better, and that is also why I started on the Port side Mizzen which will be my least noticable area.

[Piet]

Ah yes, John, much, much better!  That looks rather acceptable to me, great job.

 

Cheers,

[lesterpalifka]

that looks alkot better John.. it will be worth the re-do....great job...

[texxn5]

Thanks Piet and Lester I think it looks a lot better and yeah, it was worth doing. I'm just lucky it was caught early in the game....I think if it had already been completed it would have gotten a match....lol

[GLakie]

Does look a lot better in the last pic. Like the lashings shrunk a little after the cement dried.

 

Cheers

[md1400cs]

John,

 

Yes, nice redo - now looks excellent and in scale.

 

Certainly worth the effort, had you not done the fix, it would have probably gnawed at you everytime you looked at it, given how much attention to details that you have given to other areas of this great build.

 

MIchael

[texxn5]

While waiting for the order from Syrene Ship Model Co., I had enough .008 line for a few more Ratboards, so I moved to the Mizzen Starboard side, served the bottom iron bar and installed enough ratboards to add the green Starboard Running Light. The order from Syrene should be here tomorrow and the port side main and fore masts will be completed.

Edited February 26, 2015 by texxn5

[lesterpalifka]

that is excellent John.. spot on the running light.. really looks good....you should post some of the pics of the real one so people can compare and see where you got your info...