rigging methods

[Dsmith20639]

When I am rigging my models and I add a new line and make it taut I sometimes make a line that was previously added loose, which I cannot retighten without replacing it as it has already been glued. Sometimes I even end up slightly bending a mast out of line particularly near the top. Is there a proper method (i.e. order) in installing the lines or method of maintaining connections without gluing until all or most of the lines have been installed.  My outcome generally looks OK, especially to the uninitiated viewer but is not as near perfect as I would like it to be.

[barkeater]

Do all your lines to a particular mast or yard. Wrap them around their appropriate belaying pins leaving a small tail in case you have to adjust. When all lines have been placed with good tension glue using pva to the pins. Add your rope coils and your done.

[md1400cs]

barkeater is right - don't pre-glue any lines.

I have found the following method to be very practical. pre insert your coil. run the line under the pin rail. leave lots of extra rope. put in pin - don't glue.

 

Then later you can remove the pin as needed to adjust lines, then add a bit of CA to pin. lock into position. cut excess rope. add coil over the top.

 

Hope this helps

 

 

 

 

[Dsmith20639]

Thanks for the advice, I've been running the line thru the pin hole from the top, thru the bottom seems more correct now that I think about it, though much more difficult to accomplish.  What about lines that don't terminate at a belaying pin?

[wefalck]

A ship's rigging is not like a WW1 aircraft rigging or stringing a musical instrument. Ropes would sag under their weight in a natural 'catena' curve. OK, to many beholders that might look like shoddy work, but gives you an indication of what to aim for. So the only tension you need is to make the rope run smoothly without bends.

 

Don't glue, bad strategy. Use dilute shellac solution or dilute nitrocellulose varnish. With a drop of solvent, you can soften any belaying point should it need adjusting. Once done, put on another drop of varnish.

[Dsmith20639]

Sounds like a good idea, I'll try using shellac.  I had not thought about the weight of the line inducing a catenary curve to the span of the line.

[md1400cs]

On 4/29/2021 at 9:00 AM, Dsmith20639 said:

Thanks for the advice, I've been running the line thru the pin hole from the top, thru the bottom seems more correct now that I think about it, though much more difficult to accomplish.  What about lines that don't terminate at a belaying pin?

Yes and no - a technique I use; at the tip of any line for about 1/4" or so, wet the end of the rope with Gorilla Gel CA - then wipe away the excess with a cloth (thumb and index finger) the result will be a very hard straight tip - easily inserted through the bottom of a pin rail - or anywhere else for that matter.

Edited May 1, 2021 by md1400cs

[amateur]

Needle threaders can also be very usefull, especially for the from bottom to top at the pin rails. Threader down the hole, line through the threader, done. Especially at the pinrail where you have a rather large hole. Does not always work for blocks, where the hole should be the same size as the line itself, but sometimes it also works.

 

lines not ending at a belaying pin: same story: don't tie off before having attached the whole lot. All lines and somewhere, and have to be fixed there.

 

I found it helpfull to do first all the standing rigging, gave the lines some tension (not to much, just enough to keep them straight), fixed all the knots. The stays needed some additional tension, as in my case the braces are attached to the stays, and you don't want the braces to pull the stays in all directions.

Next the running rigging was done, mast by mast, from top to bottom. As soon as the standing rigging looses its tension, you know that you are overtensioning the running rigging. (Generally the case: as soon as tensioning a line causes slack in another, just ask yourself: does this line need that much tension?) Overtensioning gives the risk of masts ans spars deforming, or knots coming loose. (Murphy there: always the one you can't reach, or redo without a lot of additional trouble)

 

Jan

Edited May 1, 2021 by amateur

[popeye2sea]

A word regarding tension and my two cents on the subject.  The only lines that should be tensioned are in the standing rigging. Running rigging should be only be hauled to the point that they have done their job, i.e. hoisted the yard, sheeted home the sails, etc. There should be no extra tension put on any running rigging. Once your standing rigging is set up you should not have to worry about pulling anything out of alignment with running rigging.

 

Regards,

[md1400cs]

One last thought - per you question how to fix lines that don't go to pins?  cathead with rails and or blocks on deck - loop and knot the line leave extra per what would be needed for a specific line.

 

 

 

Yes needle threader is also good - remember that line would double in width as you pull the threader out - then return to a single width - sometimes making the result too small and "out of scale" 

 

Didn't mean to take over this thread - but I learned all of this from other members (especially images)  - helped me a lot with the Vasa.

 

Regards,