Good afternoon Rob. Nicely done. Cheers Grant
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Thank you for the kind comment Grant! This kit has been fun and I am really learning a lot.
Rob
The blocks, Stun Sails, Iron works and foot ropes were added to the main yard.
3 holes were drilled and eyebolts glued to the rear of the channel plates for the jig halyards to be attached to later on.
3 holes were drilled and eyebolts glued to the rear of the channel plates for the jig halyards to be attached to later on.
After delaying about as long as I could I finally stepped the mast onto the hull section.
The lower mast is supported by 6 shrouds, 5 are connected with deadeyes and the 6th called the swifter, is attached by a block and lanyard system. This gives it easier adjustability than the other shrouds.
The instruction would have you use a triple and double block for the swifter, but after seeing the discussion by Tom Culb, I decided to follow his advise and use 2 double blocks. The most forward shroud attaches to a deadeye then goes up around the mast and goes forward as the swifter. Since I believe this element of the ship will have a lot of visual impact, I rigged the block and lanyard using the model expo beautiful blocks I had. You can see they are a step up from what I used on the cannons. I also used the rope of scale 0.5mm (0.019" line). One of the blocks was seized to a hook. The other block I made a loop at one end by wrapping a line that will be used as the lanyard around a drill bit. I then seized that and seized a block to that. the long end of the lanyard was then run through the blocks.
The lower mast is supported by 6 shrouds, 5 are connected with deadeyes and the 6th called the swifter, is attached by a block and lanyard system. This gives it easier adjustability than the other shrouds.
The instruction would have you use a triple and double block for the swifter, but after seeing the discussion by Tom Culb, I decided to follow his advise and use 2 double blocks. The most forward shroud attaches to a deadeye then goes up around the mast and goes forward as the swifter. Since I believe this element of the ship will have a lot of visual impact, I rigged the block and lanyard using the model expo beautiful blocks I had. You can see they are a step up from what I used on the cannons. I also used the rope of scale 0.5mm (0.019" line). One of the blocks was seized to a hook. The other block I made a loop at one end by wrapping a line that will be used as the lanyard around a drill bit. I then seized that and seized a block to that. the long end of the lanyard was then run through the blocks.
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Beautifully done.
Thank you for your kind words!
Laced into place my first deadeyes and lanyards and the blocks for the swifter. I used the ratline guide and set the distance between deadeyes as described in the instructions. I used an alligator clam to hold the Shroud around the deadeye and seised the shroud line around the deadeye. I then measured again to make sure the distance was what I wanted. I laced the lanyard onto the deadeye. I used black line, as this is what is used on the Constitution currently. I then attached the swifter block by engaging the hook to the eyebolt and tightening the lines until they were approximately the distance between deadeyes. I then passed the shroud line through the loop of the black set, tightened it and seized the shroud line. The block set rope is dark brown from Ropes of Scale but it is hard to see the difference in the picture. It is more noticeable by eye. I will trim the lines for the seizing after I am happy with the setup.
I am unhappy with the blocks used on the swifter. It looks too bulky in the position it is and not graceful enough. I am going to tighten up and lengthen the space between the blocks a bit. Meanwhile I laced the first deadeye on the port side. This is actually going easier. I used a "helping hand" to hold the deadeye after I got the length I wanted. It made it much easier to seize the shroud to it.
One observation here is that I am VERY happy I did not yet attach the cap rails. I think I would be constantly bumping into and bending those delicate objects. I think anyone building this or even a regular Constitution should delay installing those, as well as the fighting top rear fence until the end.
I lengthened the distance of the blocks for the swifter and I am more pleased with how they look.
One problem with using a double instead of a triple block when you set up the stiffer block and tackle system is that the free end of the line ends up going over the top block and hangs down. I was not pleased with this and decided to make a "pseudo" triple block in the bottom by feeding the line through one of the two free holes unoccupied in the triple block. This enabled the line to feed up from the bottom. I tied off the line above the upper block with a series of half hitches.
As you can see the line now feed off from the top. As this is suppose to be a sort of adjustable standing rigging, I am unsure at this point how I should end this line? Do I make a few coils and attach it to the swifter? Should I bring it over the rail and place it on a belaying pin? Should I just cut it short like the lanyards of the dead eyes? Any input would be greatly appreciated.
I lengthened the distance of the blocks for the swifter and I am more pleased with how they look.
One problem with using a double instead of a triple block when you set up the stiffer block and tackle system is that the free end of the line ends up going over the top block and hangs down. I was not pleased with this and decided to make a "pseudo" triple block in the bottom by feeding the line through one of the two free holes unoccupied in the triple block. This enabled the line to feed up from the bottom. I tied off the line above the upper block with a series of half hitches.
As you can see the line now feed off from the top. As this is suppose to be a sort of adjustable standing rigging, I am unsure at this point how I should end this line? Do I make a few coils and attach it to the swifter? Should I bring it over the rail and place it on a belaying pin? Should I just cut it short like the lanyards of the dead eyes? Any input would be greatly appreciated.