Ranger 1864 by palmerit - Vanguard Models - 1:64 - Barking Fish Carrier

[palmerit]

Olha Batchvarov has a nice demonstration of attaching a block to an eyebolt (I see now that I should have added the block to the eyebolt before adding the eyebolt to a mast or yard or bowsprit). 
 

It’s Ep. 17 of her Lobster Smack build (yeah it says “PAINTING” but she also dies masts and blocks) starting around 1:13:16. 

 

[Kenchington]

11 hours ago, palmerit said:

Does this have a name?

The "loop" is a "becket" and the block would be known as a "single block with becket". In the case of Ranger, the blocks are rope-stropped (rather than built around a metal structure), so the becket (by which the standing end of the tackle is attached) and the eye (by which the block is fastened to the bowsprit) are both made from a single loop of rope. In full-size, that should be a grommet, made by laying up a single strand to make a loop, but at scale you will, of course, tie it off as you would any other block.

 

Full-size, both the becket and the eye would have thimbles in them to prevent chafe of the grommet. Whether you want to go that far at scale is up to you!

 

 

Trevor

Edited Thursday at 01:21 PM by Kenchington

[Kenchington]

8 hours ago, palmerit said:

Wouldn’t a gaff use parrel beads?

Yes. Maybe not always in a small boat but, in a  vessel of Ranger's size, definitely yes.

 

Trevor

[palmerit]

For simply attaching a block to an eyebolt, Olha simply ties a knot at the bottom of the block (adding some thin CA, and later some shellac, and cutting the loose ends flush). She does add seizing between the eyebolt and the block.

 

I found this as another (likely more challenging approach thanks to @Thanasis. Maybe someone like this would work allowing for a becket (loop) below the block, adding seizing between the block the the loop at the bottom and a seizing between the block and the loop around the eyebolt at the top.

[Kenchington]

I would try middling the line (that is to become the block's strop) around something like a thick needle, then catch the two ends together with a series of half-hitches in fine thread (representing a seizing). Add a dab of glue if necessary, then slide out the needle. That leaves your becket.

 

Place the block into the crotch between the two ends of the strop and either tie those with a half knot (half a reef knot) held with a dab of glue or else apply another "seizing". Then lead the free ends through the eye of the bolt and tie in place, trim the ends and hide them under more "seizing" if you choose.

 

That way, all the fiddly stuff is done away from the rest of the model, while all the mess is hidden between block and eyebolt, where the full-size vessel will have had sister-hooks or shackles or some such -- all of it too complicated to replicate at 1:64 but giving every excuse to represent with an excess if thread.

 

Trevor

[Keith Black]

 Or you could strop your blocks with wire. Here's how I do it, page 12, post #352.

 

 

[Loracs]

Absolutely...  I have attached all my blocks using this approach. Once you get the hang of it, it is very tight and clean final look.  Here is one example which can be applied everywhere, like fixing blocks to ropes and spars.  A very versatile knot.

 

For the Sizing:  I now do a variant that look like the real thing BUT easier to do:  1/2 square knot in front the 1/2 at the back of the rope. At each step, tie smugly.  Repeats 3 times and finish with a full square knot.  Look like below, which was done the traditional way of sizing but easier to execute in thigh area, like on the ship itself.

 

Note: I even don't use the needle anymore.  I use the tip of a fine forceps in the hole of the block for positioning.

 

Edited Thursday at 04:11 PM by Loracs

[palmerit]

Here’s a useful page for illustrating a way to strop blocks with a becket:

https://www.modelboatyard.com/stropping.html