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Constitution Cross Section MS20245 Model Expo

After delaying about as long as I could I finally stepped the mast onto the hull section.

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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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After delaying about as long as I could I finally stepped the mast onto the hull section.

View attachment 550282
View attachment 550283

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.

View attachment 550286
Beautifully done.
 
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.

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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.

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