For ages I have faffed around with pliers. tweezers and jigs to manipulate blocks and deadeyes. I recently had a bright (maybe?) idea that a pair of dividers might help since they end in an adjustable pair of points. So I have been playing about with a cheap pair picked up from Amazon. The first three photos show a deadeye with the divider points inserted into two holes. After gently tightening the screw they are gripped quite well. The advantage of dividers over a jig is that the spacing of the points can be adjusted to accommodate variations in the deadeye piercings. As an extension to the basic principle I have temporarily attached the dividers to a height gauge. They could thus be positioned above a chain plate while fixing a shroud -two hands free.
Ideally I wanted a pair of dividers with needle ends and a screw adjustment. So far I have only found ones with either/or so I have bodged up what I really want with some old 0.7mm drill bits and superglue. With this I can simplify stropping a block with a tail loop. The loop is tied round 0ne point and the other point pushed through the block. Tightening the screw holds the loop on the end of the block while the strop is secured. Photo 4.
This is keeping me occupied while I wait for Premier Ship Models to stop dragging their heels and dispatch the next ship that I have ordered and paid for. Perhaps they are too busy sending out mindless Black Friday flyers. I should have stayed with CMB.
Ideally I wanted a pair of dividers with needle ends and a screw adjustment. So far I have only found ones with either/or so I have bodged up what I really want with some old 0.7mm drill bits and superglue. With this I can simplify stropping a block with a tail loop. The loop is tied round 0ne point and the other point pushed through the block. Tightening the screw holds the loop on the end of the block while the strop is secured. Photo 4.
This is keeping me occupied while I wait for Premier Ship Models to stop dragging their heels and dispatch the next ship that I have ordered and paid for. Perhaps they are too busy sending out mindless Black Friday flyers. I should have stayed with CMB.
