Rattlesnake by JSGerson - FINISHED - Mamoli - 1:64 - Using Robert Hunt’s practicum

[JSGerson]

If I knew then what I know now, a better choice would be to thread the blocks as soon as the blocks were installed and have them coiled up with a clip until it's time to actually rig the lines. I was/am trying to work by the rule of rigging from the inside and working my way outward and from bottom to top somewhat in the manner of how the actual ship would be rigged. Others opt to build the masts and their associated rigging as much as possible off the model. Each method has its pros and cons. In this case, pre-rigging the blocks would have been better.

 

Jon

[JSGerson]

Mainsail Yard Lifts

 

My first thought was to install the cross jack yard next and work my way forward to the main and fore masts installing their topsail yards. But checking the plans I decided to install the mainsail yard lifts first. Starting at the main mast, the 3 mm blocks that should have been installed when the masts were being assembled (am I being repetitive?), needed to be installed on the mast cap. They were a bit awkward to do, but they got done. The lift line went from the cap block just installed to the top block of the double blocks at the tip of the yard, back through the cap block and down to, through, and tied off at a kevel. The only problem -  no kevels were installed in the location indicated on the plans.

 

Back when I was following Bob Hunt’s practicum exclusively, he stated there were 8 kevels that needed to be made and installed. I did as he instructed, but he was wrong, there were 10. The missing kevels (Mamoli No. 121A port and starboard) located at the start of the aft upper deck had to be put in now. Not only that, but the Mamoli plan No 8 has an error – the diagram showing the front view of the main mast has the lift line going to kevel No. 89A instead of No. 121A. Kevel 89A is for the foremast.

 

Making the kevels was no problem, installing them was quite another. Due to their location; I needed a pair of right angled tweezers due to the interference of the stays, ratlines and the inward lean of the bulwarks. Not like forceps, but more like a “Monkey” (Spanner) wrench concept.  The closest I found is sold by Micro Mark. But even if I did have this instrument, I don’t think it would have done what I wanted in this situation.

 

MicroMark Ear Polypus

 

My first attempt resulted in disaster as I dropped the kevel and it fell into the bowels of the model never to be seen again due to the model’s open planking. Another kevel was made. My first attempt was made with CA glue which required a good flush contact immediately. That didn’t happen. My second attempt, I used PVA glue which allowed me to adjust the position once I made initial contact with the bulwark. The second kevel was installed was just as tricky but without incident.

 

What really kills me is that I knew the kevels were missing for quite some time and could have installed them earlier and possible made my life a bit easier. I knew because while reading someone else’s Rattlesnake build log (forgive me, I’ve forgotten whose it was) this very problem was discussed. I failed to act on it quickly and it slipped my mind. The fore mast main yard and Cross jack were installed very similar. In hindsight, I could have hung the Crossjack first without any problems.

[JSGerson]

Topsail yards

 

Before any more rigging could be installed to the Main yards, the Topsail yards had to be hung next. They were installed also in the same manner as the main yards but with a few differences. The Mains had two heavy lines through blocks each to suspend the yards. They also had lines wrapped around the yards to hold them against the masts which were tied down at the deck. The topsail yards were held with a single line that went through the mast and split into separate lines that went to the side rails through a series of blocks. To hold the yard against the masts, the Mamoli kit just looped rope around the yard and mast and lashed to ends together. The MS kit plans showed parrels. According to David Antscherl, the parrel ribs are 14” long or 5.5 mm at 1/64 scale. I chose to go with the parrels and used the 6 mm parrels (close enough) sold by Amati.

[JSGerson]

In order to rig the topsail yards lifts and halyards I had to first install double 3 mm blocks from the crosstrees (which should have been installed earlier, etc. but I’m repeating myself…again).

 

BTY: When constructing the cross trees, both the Hunt practicum and the MS plans showed two “wings.” Those are the supports perpendicular to the beam of the ship. However, Mamoli ‘s plan showed two and three wings depending on which  sheet of the plans you were looking at. I only noticed it now!!??

[JSGerson]

What I liked about the Mamoli rigging plans is that it breaks up the rigging so that you can see the different types of lines. One sheet shows the stays, another shows just the lines that hold and manipulate  the yards, etc. as opposed to the MS plans which shows everything at once albeit the running lines are in red. I found the MS very hard to read with all the overlapping lines.

 

Be that as it may, as hard as it is to understand what the lines are for, what they do, and where they go, plus how they terminate so I can install them properly (I’m a novice remember), the Mamoli plans threw  me a few curve balls. On sheet 8 I found a least three errors.

 

Now I am a very visual person, I tend to look at a diagram and build from that as opposed to reading the instructions (yes, I’ve gotten in trouble for that). Looking at the Mamoli  rigging diagram seemed pretty much straight forward but the some of the items were mislabeled. After intense cross checking I think I’ve got it straight.

 

The first one I’ve already mentioned, a kevel marked as 89A should have been No. 121 (This was also caught by Mr. Hunt in his practicum). The Main topsail sheet line was marked to terminate on shroud 326A. I could not figure out what the “A” stood for because Mamoli uses the nomenclature “Shroud Group # / line #” (e.g. 326/2°, shroud group 326 2nd line counting front to back)). As it turned, the line is supposed to terminate at bit No. 98A. Then I spotted the line for the Main Topgallant Sheet which was marked to terminate at shroud 326 / 1°. It should be shroud 326 / 4°.

 

As it turns out, the printed rigging instructions detailing each line’s path on the plans was correct and was corroborated by the detail diagrams found on the detail diagrams. I wasn’t totally ignoring the printed instructions, but using them as a check list mostly to insure I installed all the lines. I guess I will have pay a bit more attention to those.

 

If however, you look real close to the MS plans, one finds details not shown in Mamoli plans. One of these is some of the lines now being installed are required to terminate on the stays. On some of those stays, the Mamoli plans just indicate the shroud number and line as I just mentioned no explanation as to how they are tied off there. The MS plans indicted that shroud cleats were required. I used Syren’s  5 mm shroud cleats. They had to be finalized by carving the final shape and putting a concave groove along the back of the cleat. They were first glued into place with a very little dab of PVC glue and the tied at the side wings and at the center pre-cut groove.

[JSGerson]

Other than going nearly blind trying to follow a single line as I install it through the mass of lines accumulating on the model, pulling out lines because they got twisted in some other line, or I terminated it at the wrong spot, progress is being made. I even took time off to visit Mom in Florida for a week. I won’t mention my fumble fingers bumbling into unseen lines and in some cases breaking them, trying to get some light into an area only to have my hands cast a shadow where I need to work. You know, the usual stuff… Oh, I guess I did.

 

The sheet and clue lines above and for the main yards for the Main and Fore mast were completed once the topsail yards were installed. The sheet lines couldn’t be installed because blocks needed for them were suspended from topsail yards.

 

Note: The Practicum called those clue lines but as I read it, according to Petersson’s Rigging Period Ship Models they are identified as sheet lines.

[DocBlake]

Hang in there, Jonathan!  For me, rigging is tedious, and not having to rig my POF AVS has been a blessing.  I may stick to non-rigged admiralty models for this reason.  I'm actually not serious about that, but it is how rigging makes you feel!

[WackoWolf]

Have to agree with Doc, I feel the same way.

[JSGerson]

I'm not really complaining, just venting a bit. This is all new to me so each step is a step into the unknown. If I knew what I was doing, rigging wouldn't be so bad...tedious but not bad...I think. 8-)

[KenW]

You're doing a great job.

I'd advise that you not tie off lines permantly until all lines in a certain area are installed. You don't want lines to touch each other, or rub together. Even if it means, for example, switching lines amoung shroud cleats, etc.

Keep up the good work.

[scott larkins]

Wasn't it just a peach trying to get those cleats tied to the shroud lines?  I absolutely hated it.  I got them on, but they were not fun.  How did you manage it?

[JSGerson]

Scott - Those cleats were a bit tricky initially. I found that if I applied just a tiny bit of PVC into the grove I made on the backside of the cleat, it would hold the cleat in place. Because the cleats face inward, the PVC glue allowed me to maneuver cleat into position before the glue dried.

 

Then I was able to tie fine thread through the center notch of the cleat and around the stay a couple of times. This would hold the cleat tight against the stay. No additional tying was necessary for mechanical strength at this point. But, since in the real world the cleats were also tied to the stays at their base "wings," I added those as well.

 

Jon

[Martin W]

Hey Jon -- I feel for you -- the rigging gets so very complicated at this stage, and everything under the mast tops is crowded, and you repeatedly realize that you should have done something earlier.  But it will come together, and look fabulous (then you can worry about the knots coming loose, or your cat knocking something off ).

 

I remember the problem with the kevels, and I had to add some myself just as you did.  Like you, I learned a lot from Bob's practicum, but in the end felt that I could learn more from MSW, NRG, and FFM -- how's that for a list of acronyms?

 

Cheers,

 

Martin

[GuntherMT]

Wasn't it just a peach trying to get those cleats tied to the shroud lines?  I absolutely hated it.  I got them on, but they were not fun.  How did you manage it?

 

I did the same as Jon, I glued the cleats to the shrouds and then tied them with thread.  I believe that I used a tiny drop of CA glue though.

[DocBlake]

I used CA on those cleats, also!

[JSGerson]

Another milestone: the last stick of wood (as far as I know), the fore top gallant yard has finally been installed. All of the rigging lines for the individual masts and yards have also been installed. Thank goodness because right now my model looks like a spaghetti factory run amok due to the fact that I left all the belayed lines with excess rope for finally adjustment. 

[JSGerson]

The only thing worthy of note was that the top gallant halyards on the Main and Foremasts required a block in the mast tops as well as one on the deck. The lines go from the center of the yard, through the mast, and terminate at a block. The block starts a line which goes to a block on the top, back up again to the halyard block and then down to the deck block and finally belays on a mast cleat. Luckily, I had the forethought to pre-drill the holes for the eyebolt stropped blocks prior to installing the masts and the tops. The blocks were stropped to the eye bolt and then strung onto the line. It was just a matter of pushing the eyebolt stems into the pre-drilled holes.

[JSGerson]

At this point all that is left is sheet 9 of the Mamoli plans which is the rigging between the masts. But before I jump into that, I have to tighten up the existing rigging, clean up all the spaghetti, and add a bazillion rope coils. If I don’t do that now, the additional rigging between the masts will interfere getting to the inner spaces of the model.

[scott larkins]

Coming along great.  Looks like you'll be done very soon.

[JSGerson]

"Soon" is a relative term. I've been working on this model since 2009. I do however see the the light at the end of the tunnel. When I pop out of the tunnel depends on Mr. Murphy and his laws. 8-)

 

Jon

[Martin W]

Jon -- This is when the slow and steady build really starts making the builder feel good!  Nicely done all around.

 

I went through the same business as you with those t'gallant hallyards -- that's when I really had to develop the skill of using long tweezers to reach through all the rigging.  Congratulations on getting through that challenge without pulling off other lines!!!

 

And I like your workbench well.

 

Cheers,

 

Martin

[JSGerson]

I’ve started to clean-up the “spaghetti” and add pin rail rope coils. The coils that hang on the belay pins are not just coiled around the pin; many times the pin is just not large enough to hold all the rope. The coil his hung from the side of the pin. The same is true for cleats. I found this diagram some time back (don’t remember where) which hopefully is self-explanatory. I also added my own crude drawing.

[JSGerson]

On a model, this is done in two parts; the line terminates at the pin/cleat and then a separate coil is attached hiding the excess free ends of the line. To make a pin coil that looks like the real thing a jig is required; mine consists of three pins in a piece of wood. The block of wood has a piece of plastic on it so the line won’t stick to the wood block. It makes the hanging loop and the coil from one piece of line.

 

First the line is soaked in water for a few minutes. A dab of PVC glue is placed on my fore finger and thumb. The wet line is pulled through my pinched fingers coating the line and drawing off any excess glue.  Using the jig, the line comes in, loops around the middle pin, crosses over itself and rounds the top pin, then down to the bottom pin. It continues around the top and bottom pins a couple of times. 

[JSGerson]

Once the glue has set, the pins are removed and the coil pops off the plastic with a little coaxing from an X-acto knife. The short loop at the center of the coil is pulled through the coil. The excess line is trimmed and the loop is then hung on the belay pin with the coil hanging straight down. Ta-da!!

[KenW]

Good lesson for all of us.

Thanks.

[DocBlake]

Thanks for the tutorial, Jon!

[Martin W]

Terrific set-up, Jon!  I'd have to guess you've got a mind geared toward problem solving. 

 

You might find in some places that if you shape the coil with a bend at the top, you'll be able to fit it over the pin -- assuming you have a set of very fine & long tweezers, a steady hand, and a considerable amount of patience (remember to breath!). 

 

Cheers,

 

Martin

[JSGerson]

Wow, has it been almost 6 weeks since I last updated my log? Well the progress I’ve made really does not reflect the lapsed time period (as usual). In order to add the belay pin and cleat rope coils, I first wanted to tighten their respective lines. In doing so I found that some lines went to the wrong pin or cleat and others were twisted around other lines. That all had to be corrected before the coils could be added. 

[JSGerson]

In addition I went to the NRG Convention in San Diego CA. The hotel was a couple of blocks from the waterfront where the nautical museum was as well as other activities, so it was well within walking distance. The weather was perfect, the convention was great, and I was exhausted by the time I got back to South Carolina. Unfortunately I had to take the” redeye special” flight (no other choices) so I was up for 36 hours from the time I got up Sunday morning till I arrive at home Monday around 11:00am. I tried to get some shuteye on the plane but those seats are not designed for sleeping.

 

I next wanted to add rail netting to the mast tops before I continued with the rigging. Neither Mamoli’s nor Model Shipways’ instructions addressed this so I had to wing it based on what I saw some other builds. Using the same black tulle I used on the bowsprit netting, I made some aborted attempts trying to figure out how to attach it to the railings.

 

What I finally came up with seemed to work. First I made a netting template for each top as each was slightly different from each other and cut the tulle to shape for each. Tulle is very flimsy and does not hold its shape well; it will distort at the slightest tug. I had noticed on actual ships where netting was used, the netting had a boarder, be it rope or canvas or something, where the lacing was attached for support.

 

Using masking tape, I taped the long edges of the tulle, flipped the tulle over and taped again matching the first tape now on the now underside. Then I trimmed the tape so that only a thin strip remained all the while matching the shape and size of the template. The tape strip was then painted black.

 

Finally the netting was slipped into place and glued with GS Hypo Fabric Cement. It has the consistency of “airplane glue,” dries transparent, and is flexible.

[DocBlake]

Outstanding work, Jonathan! Great job on the netting. When I built my battle station I couldn't find tulle in the right scale for the hammock netting, so I made my own! My log shows the process.

Edited November 10, 2016 by DocBlake