Bluenose by PopJack - Model Shipways - 1:64

[bhermann]

Popjack - like you I noticed the internal stropping of the blocks. I decided to try drilling holes for the hooks and eyes that needed to be added to blocks.  I used a #74 drill (or thereabouts) with a pinvise and CAed the hardware into the block.  I have been able to do this with all the sizes of blocks included in the kit.  I am using 24 gauge galvanized steel wire at the moment although some of my early attempts used the brass wire included with the kit.

 

After getting the hooks on the blocks and hanging them on their eye (or bail or whatever) they kept annoying me by falling off with almost no provocation from me so I decided it was time to mouse them.  My first attempts were  pretty clumpy looking but I kept at it until I liked the look.  I used Coats and Clark cotton-poly blend thread and took the strands apart to get a single filament line to use for mousing.  I think my later results look pretty good.  Here is a photo of the foremast top with several blocks moused in view.  (If you don't want me to clutter your log with photos, let me know and I'll pull this one.)

 

 

I think I had the mousing process documented in the MSW1 log, I'll have to add it to the new version if I find I haven't done it already.

 

Bob

[PopJack]

Thanks to both for the replies.  Please leave the photos- I am sure they will be helpful not only to me but to others who may follow. 

 

I have never used galvanized wire- so off to the hobby shop tomorrow to pick some up to play with.  I told SWMBO last night that the next ship I modeled was going to have all brass hardware because of I was tired of having to paint or treat every piece of metal.  Perhaps I spoke too soon.

Edited March 28, 2014 by PopJack

[PopJack]

I moved to installing the shrouds today.  There is a lot to do before I had to go there, but i enjoy standing up some- so its all good.

 

I had a lot of trouble getting the specified thread through the holes in the deadeyes.  I tried drilling the holes out and ended up breaking two of the teardrop ones.

 

In the end I discovered that using a smaller drill bit I could enlarge the holes SLIGHTLY without destroying them.  After a lot of experimentation I discovered (or, perhaps I should say "rediscovered" since I'm sure many have done this) that if I twist the rope between my fingers so as to tighten the winding as much as possible, and then while holding it, dip it in CA it will freeze in its compact shape.

 

There is a certain amount of wiping the excess off, which is why I'm nervous that I may mistakenly glue my index finger to the "h" key on my keyboard.

Edited March 30, 2014 by PopJack

[PopJack]

Here's a funny one.

 

The way I figure it, the only person I can safely laugh at is myself, so why not share the mirth?

 

So, I'm happily working along today with my magnifiers on and my tweezers making lanyards.  I'm thinking, these look pretty good!  The left most in the photo is the top mast shroud that I'm working on.  It goes to a smaller deadeye and when it's tightened up, should pull just about perfect!

 

 

SWMBO comes in and I start showing here what I was working on when I realize that stepping back is sometimes a good thing. 

 

The Main Top Mast Shroud on this side passed from near the top of the mast, through the end of a spreader and then .... ooops.... wraps around and then passes BEHIND the other shrouds before coming to its dead eye.

 

DANG.

 

Edited April 14, 2014 by PopJack

[captainbob]

Thanks for letting me know what to watch out for. 

 

Bob

[dgbot]

Making internally stropped blocks that size or smaller is a pain.  I made them the same as you.  I would use a #80 drill in a foredom and drill the hole then a reamer then a piece of fine wire.  Keep up the good work.

David B

Edited April 1, 2014 by dgbot

[PopJack]

A bit of catching up.

 

First, I have completed the metal work on the two booms.  I'm particularly tickled with the "drilled toothpick fairleads."  Turns out this ship has a lot of fairleads, and this technique has worked well.

 

 

I was finished up the shrouds for the main mast- minus the ratlines.

 

I am not happy with the "puffy" look of the lanyards at the bottom of the shrouds.  Since the lines are tight I thought at first they might stretch out, but so far no luck.  I'm thinking of putting CA glue on the lines at the deadeyes and then using hemostats to hold the lines against the deadeyes until they stick.  Ideas welcome, of course.

 

 

Finally I followed advice found here and diluted the brass black stuff and tried it on my belaying pins.  It worked much better.  I'm actually going to dilute it more so that the blackening takes even longer and will hopefully be more consistent.

 

[russ]

The metal work looks great. Your belaying pins look good as well. Very nice work.

 

On the deadeye lanyards, I have had good results applying slightly diluted Elmer's white glue to the line and then drawing it into the deadeye hole. Hold for a bit and then move on with each hole. This will keep them tight looking, but without the CA. That said, if you can get it to look good using CA, then give it a try. I prefer the white glue in these situations because CA tends to result in brittle, stiff areas in the line.

 

Russ

[captainbob]

comming right along and looking great.

 

Bob

[bhermann]

Nice work on the blackening - and the shrouds.  I'm sure I'll be running into the same issue with the lanyards when I get to that point and will be watching for your results.  The only additional thought I have is filing a grove on the deadeye that follows the path the lanyard will take.  With the deadeyes already installed that may not be advisable - and I don't really know if it would do any good.  Just some thinking aloud here.  I tried to remember to do that when attaching blocks, until something is actually rigged I'll have no idea if it did any good.

 

Bob

[PopJack]

 

I'm sure I'll be running into the same issue with the lanyards when I get to that point and will be watching for your results.  The only additional thought I have is filing a grove on the deadeye that follows the path the lanyard will take.

That is how it was done on the real ships I looked at, each deadeyes had carves channels for the ropes.  In this case, however, the rope supplied with the kit is rather stiff (very stiff when scale is considered... hum "scale stiffness").  Even with some substantial tension it doesn't want to bend sharply.  In other words, I don't think it would follow the carved channels unless you glued it in.

 

I kept hoping that sustained tension would 'shape' the rope, but so far, no joy.  I'm sure I'll be able to address it with some glue and judicious use of hemostats.

[bhermann]

 the rope supplied with the kit is rather stiff (very stiff when scale is considered... hum "scale stiffness").  Even with some substantial tension it doesn't want to bend sharply

 

I've noticed that stiffness when rigging the bowsprit.  Putting tension on with weighted hemostats and using simulated splices did the trick there.  Not an option for lanyards, I'm afraid.  The stiffness was the main reason I purchased a bunch of Chuck's rope - haven't tried it yet but I'm hopeful for better results.

 

Bob

[chompsalot]

Very nice work Popjack

[popeye the sailor]

you could try stretching and steaming the thread, especially if it looks like good grade thread. I use a beading thread......got some serious kinks in it, but when I pull on it, it straightens out quite nicely. it doesn't get fuzzy either.

[dgbot]

Popjack, have you tried putting your thread in some fabric softener and letting it sit? This removes the memory and stiffness from most line.

David B

Edited April 15, 2014 by dgbot

[PopJack]

Can anyone direct me to some hints on Baggywrinkle?

 

I tried a couple of searches but came up dry.  For all I know there is another word for them.

[popeye the sailor]

I have no idea Popjack........but I think you just gave me a new term for the sags under my eyes :D

[Dimitris71]

Hello Popjack, wonderful work , she is really great. I'll follow your log with interest.

Cheers

Dimitris

[fnkershner]

Are you asking what they are or how to make them? You have the term correct. They are the fuzzy wrappings on lines that protect the sails from chafing. Somewhere on this site there is a picture of them in use on a ship similar to the Bluenose. There are several ways to make them for our purposes. 1 suggestion is to use small lengths of pipe cleaner. Some have commented that this is not to scale. Search this site.

[trippwj]

Here is the thread on Baggywrinkles

http://modelshipworld.com/index.php?/topic/1133-baggywrinkles/?hl=baggywrinkle#entry21330

[PopJack]

Wow- two months with no update.

 

Before starting, I recall that I read about sailors creating crafts in their spare time.  They took scraps of rope and made decorative macrame, made ship models, etc etc.  I work with linemen and I discovered that some take the scrap clippings from skinning and trimming wires and make things out of them.  This scorpion was made from one underground transformer installation's clipped ground wire.

 

 

On to my toy boat.  I have finished all of the metal work.  I decided against trying to form hooks on all of the blocks, but have made them for a few of the bigger more prominent ones.  The others I'm tying on.

 

I started making sails.  This is how I did it.  I wanted 1/4" extra materials on all sides to that I could make a 1/8" casing for the cue lines.  (The casing is folded twice).  So, I carefully measured on the plans and marked the intersections of the 1/4" extended lines.

 

 

Then I laid the fabric on the plans and using a disappearing fabric marker and drafting techniques laid out the sail on the fabric.

 

 

Then, it was off to the sail making department where skilled craftswoman turned my sketches into reality.  (SWMBO or Admirable).

 

 

I installed the first sail and am generally happy.  I plan on using glue water and gravity to finish it up after the others are installed.

 

[DBorgens]

Looking good! The sails are the heart of this schooner. Hat's off to your seamstress and your own drafting abilities. I just hope the scorpion doesn't attack the ship or it's builder.

 

Dave B

[popeye the sailor]

very nice popjack! I have some sails to do as well {for a friend}. I'm on my own.......your a very lucky guy!

[depayne]

.

 

Step 1: Move away from the model.  CHECK

Step 2: Gripe on the computer.  CHECK

Step 3: Have a glass of wine.  WORKING.

Step 4: Forget about it for a day or two.  PENDING

 

Oh my god did this make me laugh.....

[hexnut]

Really nice work!

 I don't know if you already have all the info that you need on baggywrinkle, but here are a couple of more links:

http://www.schoonerman.com/sailingterms/baggywrinkle.htm

https://www.flickr.com/photos/mathersteve/8590317899/

http://writeonthewater.com/?p=10633

[PopJack]

Just a note to say this project isn't dead.  Life just got in the way.

 

I am putting the sails and rigging on and its a slow process.

 

I also tried to use the rigging to hold the booms and gaffs in places.  This turned out badly when my hooks straightened out, imagine chaos.

 

I now drill a small hole and put a pin in the mask and in the clapper on the boom.  I used a brass pin to take the stress of tight sails and ropes and it is working much better.

 

I made some baggy wrinkles which look okay from a distance.

 

Photos in a few days.

[PopJack]

Making a bit of progress again.  So I was experimenting with a way to make baggywrinkles that were somewhat realistic for the scale and not impossible to make.  I looked at pipe cleaners and a couple of other options but nothing struck me.

 

The idea came when my wife talked about "felting" wool knitted items.  To felt something, you knit it first from wool and then wash it in hot water in the washing machine.

 

The problem is that wool yarn isn't strong enough to support the weight of the rigging, I therefore laid a thread along the yarn I had chosen and made a series of running stitches (where you make a loop and pull another loop through it over and over again).

 

Instead of washing, I boiled the yard in a soapy mixture into which I had added some baking soda.  This, of course, had to be done when SWMBO was not at home. After boiling for 45 minutes I hung the yarns to dry overnight. I then tied them on regular rigging.

 

The yarn I used didn't "felt" as well as I had hoped.  I think it wasn't actually wool.  The idea seems reasonable though, so I thought I would go ahead and post it with some photos of how well I did.

 

Current Boat Progress:

 

Tieing thread and yarn.

 

 

 

 

And how she looks.  Not bad for the first experiment.  I think there is potential here.

 

[DBorgens]

Baggywrikles are one of those things where we all seem to find our own way. Yours looks fine from the photos. Maybe the important part is how much fun we have discovering new ways to make them. Keep up the good work.

 

Dave B

[bhermann]

That looks like a decent approximation from what I can tell.  Interesting process you came up with here.

 

Bob