Thoughts on plastic deadeyes and blocks

[LucienL]

Hey there, I'm just wondering what everyone's thoughts on plastic blocks and deadeyes are? I'm currently building the Beagle by OcCre and am debating replacing the plastic blocks and deadeyes with wooden ones. This might be a little pricy and would mean undoing a lot of work as I've already added all the plastic deadeyes to the channels. Is it worth replacing them or should I just live with it? Is there anything that can be done to improve plastic deadeyes? They are quite glossy, could I coat them in some matte coating?

 

Edited May 7, 2021 by LucienL

[Ian_Grant]

Plastic deadeye usefulness depends on their molding method. If they don't have the groove round the perimeter it is very very difficult to seize the shrouds onto them; just ask any Heller Victory builder 🙄.  But it looks like your lower deadeyes did have the groove for the strop.

 

Are you blocks a step above the Revell blocks with their molded loop for a strop?

 

If you're happy with the colour of the plastic parts, just coat them with "matt varnish" Humbrol or such.

 

Ship looks great BTW

[Dziadeczek]

If your deadeyes look similar to those I had to deal with (building my Norske Love from Billings), throw them away and replace them with wooden ones. Check the link here:

Norske Love by Mike Reader - Billing Boats - 1/75 scale - - Kit build logs for subjects built from 1751 - 1800 - Model Ship World™

If however you bent them properly (wire around each deadeye and into a chain plate), they should be strong enough and you can use them. (I cannot see yours close enough on your photo).

Thomas

Edited May 7, 2021 by Dziadeczek

[LucienL]

9 hours ago, Ian_Grant said:

Plastic deadeye usefulness depends on their molding method. If they don't have the groove round the perimeter it is very very difficult to seize the shrouds onto them; just ask any Heller Victory builder 🙄.  But it looks like your lower deadeyes did have the groove for the strop.

 

Are you blocks a step above the Revell blocks with their molded loop for a strop?

 

If you're happy with the colour of the plastic parts, just coat them with "matt varnish" Humbrol or such.

 

Ship looks great BTW

The blocks are fine, they are essentially just like wooden blocks in shape but happen to be plastic. My main concern with them is more the material, I'm worried that it will just cheapen the whole model as they are very obviously plastic.

 

7 hours ago, Dziadeczek said:

If your deadeyes look similar to those I had to deal with (building my Norske Love from Billings), throw them away and replace them with wooden ones. Check the link here:

Norske Love by Mike Reader - Billing Boats - 1/75 scale - - Kit build logs for subjects built from 1751 - 1800 - Model Ship World™

If however you bent them properly (wire around each deadeye and into a chain plate), they should be strong enough and you can use them. (I cannot see yours close enough on your photo).

Thomas

I think the deadeyes are fine, they work similar to the way you are describing.

 

After sleeping on it, I've come to the conclusion that it would always bug me if I did not replace them. It will only get more difficult to make this change as more blocks are added. Thank you for the comments. Looks like it's back to wire bending for me...

[wefalck]

The material as such is not important, but what they look like in the end. Plastics or metal can be made looking like wood with the right painting technique. Sometimes plastics can be a better choice than woodt, particularly when one does not have access to very fine-grained hardwood.

 

I noticed on your deadeyes that they do not have the grooves that leads the lanyard smoothly out of the bores. If it all possible, you should file this in. It will look a lot better.

[brunelrussell]

Brunelrussell here; I recommend the blocks and deadeyes made by the Syren company; they are boxwood and very good.  I intend to use them on the Great Eastern model I'm working on.