Rope-thread? - moved by moderator

[jabef]

Hello all,

 

I am new to the wooded model ship building hobby. I have a question for the experts. What type of thread/cord do you use when you make the ropes (as in using a rope walk)? What are the three threads, etc in pictures of rope walks I see??  Many thanks for all the great information and tips.

 

Jabe

[Ulises Victoria]

Hello Jabe.

You will get many different responses here.

 

I just use Gütterman 100% Polyester threads to make my ropes. I'm happy with the results. Other's opinions may vary.

 

Cheers!

[allanyed]

Jabe

The three threads are the strands used to make the rope itself.  Thread is,,,,, well, it's  thread.  It does not look like rope except maybe at the tiniest sizes.

Allan

[jabef]

Thank you to all who responded. I was merely wondering if it was plain ordinary thread or some specific model thread I needed to purchase. Thank you for the prompt replies.

[BANYAN]

The type and quality of the stock thread is important when it comes to making scale rope - there are some Cordenet crochet threads, that at some scales looks OK off the spool for small scale stuff, but if you are making up scale rope, there are a few considerations for you to ponder.

 

You need to minimise stretch so a lot of users go for cotton or linen for this; if you use poly you need to stretch the rope a bit to 'set it' after it is made up to remove the elasticity otherwise it will 'change' tension on the ship with use and humidity etc.

 

You should also try to find a thread that has little or no fuzz to it, not just off the spool but also after working it.

 

You also need to find the right lay stock.  You need LH lay to properly make up RH lay scale rope.  If you cannot find the right lay, some modellers will find smaller stock thread, make up the appropriate lay and then remake that into the rope desired.  You need to do a bit of experimenting to find what stock size you need to get the final dimension of the made up scale rope.

 

Don't let this put you off as once you have found good stock thread, and experimented a little it is actually reasonably easy to make the scale rope (with an appropriate rope walk that is)

 

I have used Gutterman, YLI and Cordenet 100% cotton for stock and each produces good end results.  Personally I stay away from poly as while the resulting rope looks really good and has a nice 'feel' to it; the amount it stretches causes me some problems  - but I stress that is a personal choice.

 

If making scale rope is a little too fiddly for you at this stage of your hobby there are a couple of good after-market suppliers - you need look no further then Chuck's rope available from his Syren shop for example (no association etc....) - there are several plaudits to his rope in the various build logs.

 

Good luck

 

Pat

Edited May 8, 2014 by BANYAN