Frayed lines

[Dindsy]

Hi all,

I am getting close to the end of my cross section San Francisco and now notice that the lines all look frayed. I don't know why this happened. Any ideas?

What can i do to prevent it in the first place or fix it up now.

 

I ran my was stick across some of the longer ones and that seems to work but it requires quite a bit of force to grab the line and slide the wax along, so i'd never be able to do it on the smaller lines.

[Gregory]

Perhaps if you go over the lines with a brush using diluted white glue or clear/matte acrylic it will make it look a lot better.

I would dilute about 4 to 1..

 

Your model looks really great for a first time build.

Edited May 20 by Gregory

[ferretmary1]

On 5/18/2024 at 11:08 PM, Dindsy said:

What can i do to prevent it in the first place or fix it up now.

Hi Dindsy,

Sorry to say, you may want to redo the rigging.  You won't be able to properly treat it with anything while the rope is on the model, and even with treatment, it may appear lumpy.  Bob is right that you may want to invest in rope from Ropes of Scale.  They have excellent rope and it is properly dyed so the colors are smooth and even.  I have handled a lot of their rope and have never had problems with it turning fuzzy or fraying.  They are an MSW sponsor, so you can reach their website by going to the MSW homepage and looking for their banner ad on the right side of the page about halfway down.

 

Mary

 

PS - I didn't mean to exclude Syren in my recommendations.  They are the best in the US for blocks and rope, but Chuck is so busy that you might get the rope faster from Ropes of Scale.

[Roger Pellett]

While the flame treatment might work, a ship model with all of the flammable stuff on board, wood glue paint, etc is a fire just waiting to happen.  You could be left with a pile of ashes or worse.

 

Re rig it!
 

Roger

[paul ron]

what kind of wax did you use? are you sure its the wax?

 

ive never seen anything like that, aside an old dusty ship ive ignored for 30 years.

 

dont flame it. i can picture you blow torching it to ashes.

 

maybe put it in a warm place or in the sun the run a brush over the lines. another thought, perhaps using a solvent on a soft brush run over each line that can remelt the wax?

 

 

Edited May 20 by paul ron

[Snug Harbor Johnny]

  Bob offers much good advice.  Once I learned how to use the Syren 'Rope Rocket', I became hooked on making my own line because I can control the color by the use of material, and the thickness by varying the number of strings used in the layup.  3 threads (one on each of the three hooks) make 0.010" line (1" rope at 1:100 scale), 6 threads (2 per hook) yields 0.020" line, and 9 threads (3 per hook) yields 0.030" - very convenient at 1:100 scale.  More threads or using already laid rope on the hooks can accommodate larger scales.  OR - you can by scale rope from sources mentioned in earlier feedback.

 

  You put so much time and effort in a project, so why not use better scale rope.  The same goes for blocks.  True, it adds some cost - but the results are worth it.  My early rope batches used Mettler poly thread, but there was some 'fuzz' (not as much as 'kit rope'), and my flaming process used an old-fashioned alcohol lamp with 90% isopropyl alcohol (for the lowest heat level compared to other fuels) ... and a QUICK hand, for any slowness and the poly line would part.  BUT, the thread to use is Gutermann - which has almost not fuzz - so no flaming was needed, and the scale rope suppliers use Gutermann.  Also, a 350 degree treatment of the hanks on a cookie sheet for 5 -7 minutes 'sets' the rope, and (unless worked) does not ravel on its own.  Scale rope suppliers have already tempered their line.

 

   Listen to Roger - don't let any flame get near your model !

 

  I like using shellac for a variety of applications.  If the rigging already in place were not waxed, slightly thinned (experimented first) amber shellac might have darkened the ratlines and deadeye laces, and lessened fuzz at the same time. 

 

  

 

  

[paul ron]

looking close at the picture i notice only the tan lines are fuzzy. the black lines appear clean. 

 

is that correct?

[ferretmary1]

34 minutes ago, paul ron said:

only the tan lines are fuzzy. the black lines appear clean.

I noticed that, too.  If the white lines are cotton, they could be moth eaten, whereas the dark lines, being stained, were not affected.  I have never seen such bad lines!

[dvm27]

I'm afraid you're in a world of hurt Dindsy. I would treat one of the lift lines with a 50% white glue/water solution and see what it looks like after it dries. But I'm not optimistic. Being a cross-section, re-rigging it should not take much time at all and I would use the opportunity to upgrade the blocks and rigging line to Syren Models products. Your second effort will look far better and you'll be much happier in the long term.

 

Now, take a scissors and cut the main shrouds across the middle and you're committed to ship modelling excellence!

[glbarlow]

It’s your first model, cut all that junk line off and re-rig it with better line and blocks from Syren or Ropes of scale. The practice and second run through will be good experience. There’s no hope for what’s on there now.