Tips for making lines look loaded

[Cast Off]

Hi,

 

I fairly new to this and I am working on the Model Shipways 18th Century Longboat, 1:48. It's a really great little kit 🙂 

I bought some upgraded lines and blocks from Chucks' Syren company and they are absolutely beautiful. Great detail in them. The first line I was rigging was the topping lift for the boom and the line hangs nicely, but there is no load or resistance in the topping lift to force it to be a nice taught line. I looked at a bunch of posts and it seemed like the technique is to make a 50-50 mix of white wood glue and coat the line under a bit of tension. I tried that and it seems like I lost a much of the definition in Chuck's nice ropes and a bit of fuzz was raised up. Have others seen this, and is there a better way to make a line appear to loaded, or even to artificially create some (permanent) sag? I tried to take a photo, but my phone didn't do close ups very well.

 

[Dziadeczek]

Some guys twist their lines with a central core from thin (copper?) wire on a special type of a ropewalk that allows this operation.

I tried to do it - for me it worked better on a 4 strand rope than on a 3 strand one.

A wire allows you to shape your line in the shape that is exactly you want it to be, i.e. sagging a bit or bent to shape.

I remember someone wrote about it extensively long time ago on the now defunct Seaways List forum...

Edited 20 hours ago by Dziadeczek

[popeye2sea]

There is also the fact that all these lines work as part of a system. Where one line is pulling upwards or outwards, an opposite line is pulling downwards or inwards.  You get your tension set up automatically that way. For instance, your boom probably has a sheet line at the end of it that will add a downward pull.

 

Also, if you can arrange it while prepping for your build.  Try adding weight to the parts by incorporating metal inserts or fittings. That might just add enough weight to snug up a line.

 

Regards,

 

Henry

[Cast Off]

@popeye2sea Good point about the opposing lines... I was thinking I would have the boom vang slack, since it will be off to the side of the tiller, but if I made that taught it would tighten the topping lift. 

[Dziadeczek]

6 hours ago, Dziadeczek said:

Some guys twist their lines with a central core from thin (copper?) wire on a special type of a ropewalk that allows this operation.

I tried to do it - for me it worked better on a 4 strand rope than on a 3 strand one.

A wire allows you to shape your line in the shape that is exactly you want it to be, i.e. sagging a bit or bent to shape.

I remember someone wrote about it extensively long time ago on the now defunct Seaways List forum...

I meant to say that the line (rope) is made from cotton, linen, polyester or silk, or similar, and only the central core is made of wire.   😏

Edited 13 hours ago by Dziadeczek

[wefalck]

I soak the lines in organic solvent-based quick-drying varnish. While the solvent evaporates, I coerce the line into the desired shape. A drop of acetone will reverse the process, if needed.