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Model Forum / General / Models / January 2006Rigging J. O'brien
Someone in the group suggested that I not do running rigging on cargo spars, but have them stowed. Boy, I wish I had listened. I figured, hey, I have rigged a number of sailing ship models, so why should I be afraid of the rigging. The answer is that those were 1/96 or 1/192 scale, not 1/350! It is an awesome problem doing rigging in 1/350. The eyelets on the PE blocks from Toms had holes just about the same diameter as the thinnest thread I could find. Problem no.1. More important, that thread is far stronger than the wimpy little spars and 5 mil blocks. Trying to pull thread taut breaks stuff :-( Related issue- in not being able to put much force on thread, the thread is too stiff for size and strength of parts, and "bows" out around blocks when it changes direction. I even wet down the thread before rigging blocks, but that didn't help. It is like trying to rig with piano wire! You bend a 180 in the blocks to make it a functional block, but that 180 bend weakens the part, and it will break if you pull too hard on the thread. Hey, I even pulled open one of the eyelets (good thing there are extras in the Tom's set. Anyone building that kit, I'd recommend doing what that poster recommended, and not having spars up and rigged. Standing rigging was okay- do the mast support cables (shrouds?), but keep spars down and do not do running rigging unless you are a confirmed masochist. There is a LOT of running rigging, and it is a real challenge in that scale. > Someone in the group suggested that I not do running rigging on cargo > spars, but have them stowed. > > Boy, I wish I had listened. I figured, hey, I have rigged a number of > sailing ship models, so why should I be afraid of the rigging. Have you tried using Lycra thread. Its pretty stretchy so it goes taut without having to pull it really tight. Its also less prone to "drooping" with time (unlike the rest of us.lol) I have a huge spool of the stuff that I got out of a skip (umm! Dumpster) so if you want to try it drop me a line offlist and I'll mail you some. > Have you tried using Lycra thread. Its pretty stretchy so it goes taut > without having to pull it really tight. Its also less prone to "drooping" > with time (unlike the rest of us.lol) I have a huge spool of the stuff that > I got out of a skip (umm! Dumpster) so if you want to try it drop me a line > offlist and I'll mail you some. Even lycra won't work well, it's too complex and you'd have to balance the elasticity across too many lines. The problem is nothing is scale weight, strength or flexibility. Now if we could train a bunch of large black ants..... >> Have you tried using Lycra thread. Its pretty stretchy so it goes >> taut without having to pull it really tight. Its also less prone to [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > weight, strength or flexibility. Now if we could train a bunch of large > black ants..... Yeah, one of the problems is that the blocks, from the PE set, have very sharp edges that the thread passes over going through them. They cause the thread to stick rather than pull through the blocks easily. This makes it hard to tension each drop evenly when you have several drops/passes through the block. >> Even lycra won't work well, it's too complex and you'd have to balance >> the elasticity across too many lines. The problem is nothing is scale [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > makes it hard to tension each drop evenly when you have several > drops/passes through the block. That's where wire would work better. >>Someone in the group suggested that I not do running rigging on cargo >>spars, but have them stowed. [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > I got out of a skip (umm! Dumpster) so if you want to try it drop me a line > offlist and I'll mail you some. No. I have heard of it. Where do you find the stuff- sewing stores, or what? Is it available in a wide range of colors? Since I have the model rigged now, and don't intend to start another ship for several months, I don't need it immediately. However, it might be good to experiment with it a bit. I'll drop you a line offline. >>> Someone in the group suggested that I not do running rigging on cargo >>> spars, but have them stowed. [quoted text clipped - 16 lines] > However, it might be good to experiment with it a bit. I'll drop you a > line offline. Aeroclub sell it: http://www.aeroclub-models.com/p.html?n=1&c=ART003 but it is also available from sewing shops as shirring elastic http://www.kleins.co.uk/index.asp?function=DISPLAYPRODUCT&productid=204 It is available in many colours, although you may have to go to a specialist supplier (scroll almost to the bottom of this page) http://www.sewing.co.uk/elastic.htm It has been in use for rigging WW1 aircraft for some time http://www.ww1.org.uk/rigging.htm The stuff I have is white (well, translucent really) and about 34 gauge (by eye, comparing it to some jewellers wire I have). I have used it for aerial wires on WW2 planes and bowstrings on my son's Warhammer elf archers :-) Another source could be tights or pop-socks. By experiment it appears that the lycra mix variety has nylon threads woven around very fine lycra threads - much finer than 34 gauge. The lycra is much more stretchy than the nylon and can be separated quite easily. I assume it comes in different colours to match the socks, although the thread is so fine it's hard to tell. Ensure you have the owners permission first, of course! > No. I have heard of it. Where do you find the stuff- sewing stores, or > what? Is it available in a wide range of colors? www.whiteensignmodels.com has it, only comes in white but it can be colored with permanent markers. > Someone in the group suggested that I not do running rigging on cargo > spars, but have them stowed. Would I lie to you? > but that didn't help. It is like trying to rig with piano wire! Rigging with solid wire is the only way I can figure how to do it. > Anyone building that kit, I'd recommend doing what that poster > recommended, and not having spars up and rigged. [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > masochist. There is a LOT of running rigging, and it is a real > challenge in that scale. Did you use the page posted on various ship site for how to rig the booms? I'd post the URL but now I can't find the bookmark....time to clean them out. >> Someone in the group suggested that I not do running rigging on cargo >> spars, but have them stowed. [quoted text clipped - 16 lines] > booms? I'd post the URL but now I can't find the bookmark....time to > clean them out. No, I used the diagram in the Tom's Modelworks sheet that came with the PE set. I simplified that version, however. For one thing I had not put cleats for terminating lines at base of masts. By the time I noticed I would need them, I had the shrouds up and the life rafts installed, and could not get at mast bases to drill mounting holes. So I tied all running rigging off around winch drums. Not accurate, but looks okay. >> Did you use the page posted on various ship site for how to rig the >> booms? I'd post the URL but now I can't find the bookmark....time to >> clean them out. > No, I used the diagram in the Tom's Modelworks sheet that came with the > PE set. I simplified that version, however. For one thing I had not put > cleats for terminating lines at base of masts. By the time I noticed I > would need them, I had the shrouds up and the life rafts installed, and > could not get at mast bases to drill mounting holes. So I tied all > running rigging off around winch drums. Not accurate, but looks okay. OK, Tom's was a simplified version of the real thing. so you're too far off. >>> Did you use the page posted on various ship site for how to rig the >>> booms? I'd post the URL but now I can't find the bookmark....time to [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > OK, Tom's was a simplified version of the real thing. so you're too far > off. That should have been not too far off........... I think you will find that most ship modelers working 1/350 do not use rigging that runs through blocks etc very oftenMore frequently we use point to point, glued in place. The search for the perfect material is everlasting :-) Some use streached sprue, others monofilament. >Someone in the group suggested that I not do running rigging on cargo >spars, but have them stowed. [quoted text clipped - 26 lines] >masochist. There is a LOT of running rigging, and it is a real >challenge in that scale. > I think you will find that most ship modelers working 1/350 do not use > rigging that runs through blocks etc very oftenMore frequently we use point > to point, glued in place. The search for the perfect material is > everlasting :-) Some use streached sprue, others monofilament. For standing rigging I now use Ethicon stainless steel wire. |
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