allanyed Posted February 29 Share #121 Posted February 29 At your scale, the method of assembly of the ratlines themselves makes sense but how do you secure/wrap the shroud pairs around the mast? What is the spacing from ratline to ratline? Many thanks Allan Quote PLEASE take 30 SECONDS and sign up for the epic Nelson/Trafalgar project if you would like to see it made into a TV series. Click on http://trafalgar.tv There is no cost other than the 30 seconds of your time. THANK YOU Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admiral Beez Posted February 29 Author Share #122 Posted February 29 2 hours ago, allanyed said: At your scale, the method of assembly of the ratlines themselves makes sense but how do you secure/wrap the shroud pairs around the mast? What is the spacing from ratline to ratline? Best I can tell there is no wrapping, instead the top of the shrouds are glued in place beneath the top platform. I might add a little rope to appear that it's wrapped over the mast head. The spacing from ratline to ratline is about 2.75 - 3 mm, which at 150 scale would put them at about 41 - 45 cm apart at full scale. My one concern is getting the bottom of each shroud to line up with the matching line in the chain-whales, as they don't seem to line up with the holes, though the dead-eyes may hide any issues. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admiral Beez Posted March 1 Author Share #123 Posted March 1 (edited) Shucks, I cut the top off the shrouds at the wrong spot, so there’s not enough material once I put the lowest rat line above the ship’s rail. Also I don’t like the alignment of the shrouds to the chains. Before I glue it again I’ll confirm the alignment. So, we start again. That’s okay, I call this the Learning Ship. Edited March 1 by Admiral Beez Mr Whippy 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomRigg Posted March 1 Share #124 Posted March 1 Maybe too late into your build with the masts made up. But looking at the way that machine works could you do both sides at once? E.g. Lower mizzen shrouds onto mizzen mast looped over at the top . Then fix fighting top and topmast. Then repeat for topgallant mast. Tom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admiral Beez Posted March 2 Author Share #125 Posted March 2 16 hours ago, TomRigg said: Maybe too late into your build with the masts made up. But looking at the way that machine works could you do both sides at once? E.g. Lower mizzen shrouds onto mizzen mast looped over at the top . Then fix fighting top and topmast. Then repeat for topgallant mast. Tom I was thinking that too. I have to cut the top in order to separate the two sides, but I can tie it together at the mast head. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomRigg Posted March 2 Share #126 Posted March 2 If you don't cut at position 'Z' in the instructions and loop that through below the fighting top would that do it? Tom Admiral Beez 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admiral Beez Posted March 3 Author Share #127 Posted March 3 17 hours ago, TomRigg said: If you don't cut at position 'Z' in the instructions and loop that through below the fighting top would that do it? Tom I shall give that a go. Before I string in the horizontal threads I will first check alignment with the holes in the chain whales. TomRigg 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admiral Beez Posted March 8 Author Share #128 Posted March 8 (edited) Before I try the shroud tool again I've decided to install the deadeyes to the chain whales, so that they'll serve as a guide for shroud alignment. The deadeyes are all painted and clear coated. The outward face has simulated rope, the backside is flat. My plan is to glue the shrouds behind the deadeyes (as per the Heller instructions) and then paint the portion between the deadlines with the tan colour used for running rigging (see HMS Victory below). At this scale I think I'll be happy with that. Edited March 8 by Admiral Beez Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admiral Beez Posted March 11 Author Share #129 Posted March 11 (edited) Deadeyes now in place. I clear coated them and added a black wash to bring out the rope look. Edited March 11 by Admiral Beez Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admiral Beez Posted April 26 Author Share #130 Posted April 26 (edited) I’ve decided to not use the Heller shroud tool and instead thread them myself. Here’s today’s update. Disregard the forestays, those are just temporary to prevent the shrouds from pulling the masts backwards during installation. Edited April 26 by Admiral Beez robdurant, ccoyle and shipman 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admiral Beez Posted April 29 Author Share #131 Posted April 29 (edited) Proper stays now installed. I was looking at the shrouds and thinking how to keep them spread for the ratlines. I then realized this kit does not include the lower futtock shrouds and catharpins needed to spread the shrouds and to secure the top platform deadlines from below the top. I suppose Heller didn't see these as necessary since their shroud tool does the job. So I can fabricate these myself. Edited May 5 by Admiral Beez robdurant and ccoyle 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admiral Beez Posted May 4 Author Share #132 Posted May 4 (edited) Fabricating the futtock shrouds using 0.4 mm chord and 1mm carbon rod. I tied them at the bottom near the deadeyes, and then pushed them up to just above the first ring on the mast, matching the blueprints. I then CA glued the knots to the shrouds, and trimmed off the excess chord. Edited May 5 by Admiral Beez GrandpaPhil 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admiral Beez Posted June 24 Author Share #133 Posted June 24 (edited) Ready to begin the upper shrouds. The rigging around the tops was tricky, and when I had the window open in the rain, the damp caused all my lower shrouds and stays to droop. Thankfully when the weather improved they tightened again, but this made me think of the men on the high seas having to constantly adjust line tension with the weather. My ship will live in a sealed plastic case, so the weather outside shouldn’t impact the lines. Edited June 24 by Admiral Beez ccoyle 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admiral Beez Posted July 21 Author Share #134 Posted July 21 (edited) Topmast shrouds now complete. Ratlines are next. I’m considering using the Heller shroud loom for just the horizontal lines to create the ratlines without having to tie hundreds of tiny knots. If it works, I’ll CA glue the hardened horizontal lines to the shrouds. Edited August 1 by Admiral Beez chris watton, TomRigg, rybakov and 2 others 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admiral Beez Posted August 1 Author Share #135 Posted August 1 (edited) On 7/20/2024 at 11:38 PM, Admiral Beez said: I’m considering using the Heller shroud loom for just the horizontal lines to create the ratlines without having to tie hundreds of tiny knots. If it works, I’ll CA glue the hardened horizontal lines to the shrouds. No, it did not work - it was just a mess of broken lines and a waste of thread. I therefore today ordered this tool to help make the ratlines https://houdinimodels.com/harp/ It's made for the 1/150 scale Heller model I'm building, and the videos online look easy enough. On the plus side, my stays are coming along nicely. Notice the last picture where I have placed a long carbon rod with a green tape flag at the end. That's to prevent me from, once again, breaking off the jibboom with my "jimmy hand" as I move around the model. Edited August 1 by Admiral Beez Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admiral Beez Posted August 22 Author Share #136 Posted August 22 Alrighty, we've today received the ratline tool. I realize now that I should have waiting before tying the line between the port and starboard shrouds as now I must cut something to fit the ratline tool. Anyway, I shall report back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admiral Beez Posted September 3 Author Share #137 Posted September 3 (edited) The ratline harp tool didn't work for me, perhaps because my shrouds are too wide at the top. If someone else would like this tool and would pay for postage you can have it. So, here's what I'm doing for my ratlines. I've taken the original Heller shroud tool, cut out the middle piece and then wrapped around this 0.25mm horizontal lines (the 0.4 mm vertical lines are already on the line). Then I coated all these lines with clear craft glue diluted with water. Then using a wide paint brush I covered the lines with the glue/water mixture and left it to dry overnight. In the morning I repeated this treatment, leaving it again overnight. On the next day the lines were now stiff with glue. I then cut these off and basketweaved them around the vertical shrouds, followed by each intersection get a dab of clear craft glue with an old paint brush. So far I am happy with the look and am pleased to have finally found a method that works for me, helping me to overcome the procrastination that's delayed this project for a year or more. Edited September 9 by Admiral Beez Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admiral Beez Posted September 11 Author Share #138 Posted September 11 (edited) Some progress. Just eight more sets of rat lines to make. The white paper structure is to prevent ratline trimmings from falling into the waist. Edited September 11 by Admiral Beez TomRigg and schooner 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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