Detrmination of the correct size of blocks and ropes for your model

I want to thank HisModel for the great information given at the top of this Forum and the information relating to TPI. In revisiting TPI here, I don't think I am kicking a dead horse, but I took the idea of winding ten times and then measuring to a next step: I converted all the TPI's found in Hackney's book by dividing 25.4 (the number of centimeters in one inch) by the number of TPI's. E.g.: 75 TPI gives you roughly .333 mm or about 0.121 inch. By then correlating the numbers to the percentages in Mondfeld's great book, I get a better idea on the size relationships of the various lines to the commercial diameter ranges available...unless you make your own rope. Then you can be as precise as you choose. I do have a further question concerning rigging: What tool is best to use to trim seizings and other types of knots close enough so that one does not have 'Irish pennants' all over the ship?

My 'Mayflower' is coming along nicely, but a little rough. I am coming back to ship modeling after about forty years away from it. I started back with USS Constitution and was fairly well along in getting ready to rig. I ran into a big 'storm'! The advice I can give after my storm is, "It is OK to tell the cleaning lady that the "pretty little boat" on the file cabinet does not need dusting! You may use any words you choose. UGH!
I have a wonderful series of event images going through my mind with the cleaning lady event. Great offering for personal entertainment that you provided with this. Rich
 
I want to thank HisModel for the great information given at the top of this Forum and the information relating to TPI. In revisiting TPI here, I don't think I am kicking a dead horse, but I took the idea of winding ten times and then measuring to a next step: I converted all the TPI's found in Hackney's book by dividing 25.4 (the number of centimeters in one inch) by the number of TPI's. E.g.: 75 TPI gives you roughly .333 mm or about 0.121 inch. By then correlating the numbers to the percentages in Mondfeld's great book, I get a better idea on the size relationships of the various lines to the commercial diameter ranges available...unless you make your own rope. Then you can be as precise as you choose. I do have a further question concerning rigging: What tool is best to use to trim seizings and other types of knots close enough so that one does not have 'Irish pennants' all over the ship?

My 'Mayflower' is coming along nicely, but a little rough. I am coming back to ship modeling after about forty years away from it. I started back with USS Constitution and was fairly well along in getting ready to rig. I ran into a big 'storm'! The advice I can give after my storm is, "It is OK to tell the cleaning lady that the "pretty little boat" on the file cabinet does not need dusting! You may use any words you choose. UGH!
Years later, but I don't see this corrected. 75 TPI is indeed 0.339 mm (roughly .333 as mentioned above) but that is NOT equivalent to 0.121 inch, but rather 0.0131 inch. I'm sure anyone who read this converted it correctly, but just doing research today I felt I should correct it.
 
Dear Modelers,

Based on previous request HERE, I decided to make this topic and share with you slightly modified version of the text from my website where you can find the infromation about size of blocks and ropes for models, whose calculation can be found in the attached TABLE - sizes of blocks and ropes.

One of the basic elements of a good model of historic ships are blocks for rigging. It is relatively difficult to produce high quality blocks, especially in larger quantities. That is why our company HiSModel produce and offers top-quality blocks from walnut wood on CNC machine. We produce a wide range of blocks in sizes from 2 to 12 mm. Standard single, double and triple blocks are available in sizes from 2 to 10 mm. Moreover, we offer violin, ramshead and heart blocks in sizes from 4 to 12 mm. Deadeyes we offer are from the production of Amati company. The dimensions and marking of blocks are in the attached table. We produce blocks, which correspond in shape and size to the British standard around the turn of the 18th and 19th centuries. We are also preparing to produce a second set of blocks that will match to the continental standards according to ANCRE.


For right choice of blocks, it is important to know which, where and what size of blocks should be used.
The best way to determine the right sizes of blocks is to use professionally prepared plans. If you do not have this option and you are unsure about the block sizes you need for your model, you can use an attached table. The table is based on information and tables from the book “Historic Ship models” by Wolfram zu Mondfeld, from pages 272 and 308. You can download the table with calculation of ropes diameters and blocks sizes HERE. In this Excel spreadsheet you just simply enter the required scale of the model and the actual diameter of the main mast on the main deck. All dimensions of ropes and blocks are calculated based on this table.

Based on the above mentioned sources here is the method to calculate all sizes of ropes and blocks (similar text you will find in the afroementioned table):
The starting value (parameter) is the diameter of the main mast in the plane of the main deck from which we derive the diameter of the Main Stay. Diameter of Main Stay is 0,166% from diameter of main mast in the main ship deck point. And the Main Stay diameter is 100% for calculation of the thickness of all other ropes on the ship. These values are variable based on historical time and nation. In the case of a mainstay made of steel rope, the values in the table above are still based on the use of hemp rope. Each rope diameter also corresponds to a certain size of blocks (according to tables - these was based on experience of the ship builders and subsequently the national regulations came out of them). So based on rope diameter you find out also in my table which block size you should use.

In order to make the use of blocks easy for you, I am preparing ready-made rigging plans for you according to the original documents. There are recommended blocks drawn according to clear symbols in these plans. You can find these ready-made plans for individual models together with other accessories on my website HERE. You will find all the sizes of the needed blocks in my plans. And based on the table above also corresponding diameters of ropes.

I will add some more infromation about building of ship models in the future.
If you have further questions, write them here on our e-mail. I wish you beautiful models.
Is this table no longer available? The link seems to not work.

Thanks
 
Is this table no longer available? The link seems to not work.

Thanks
I believe HiSModel is in the process of redoing their web site, as some article links have not yet been added. I'm sure they will be. I and I'm sure others have a copy of the spreadsheet, if that's what you're looking for and if you don't want to wait.
 
I replaced the standard Occre ropes with ropes from a German supplier: https://www.modellbau-takelgarn.com/
Very nice quality, and reasonable prices.
I replace Occre "0.15mm" and "0.5mm" with respectively 0.3mm and 1mm.
My question: apart from fuzzy quality..the Occre ropes seem thicker than the new ones.
They should be 1/2 the size of the new ordered ones, but actually look twice the size (.15 occre compared to .3 new ones),
or the same (occre .5mm compared to new 1mm)

Anyone else noticed this? It seems Occre's marked sizes are about double of what they really are.
Also..it appears that they supply the same sizes for all scales? 2 kits, 1 scale 1:70, 1 scale 1:58... same rope sizes.

Anyway..the takeaway of this is: def. invest in better and more accurate rope for your models!
 
Is this table no longer available? The link seems to not work.

Thanks
As Signet already wrote, we have switched to a new e-shop service provider, so our site is brand new and we will add content gradually and we will definitely restore the link to the table.

At the moment we're mainly dealing with operational complications from the beginning, so if anyone is going to order from us and has a problem with that (especially payment), feel free to email us and we'll sort it out.
 
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