Endurance by OcCre 1:70

[Kramer]

I'm going with the silkspan! I like the weight, I like the color, just very delicate so I have to be careful. I also painted a piece of silkspan in oils which I am not using for the sails but will use for other accessories that would be covered in canvas.

You can see the difference here. I fortified the sails with a strip of silkspan on all sides and front and back, and also fortified the corners where the lines will attach.


Below, I used the silkspan for the bumpers for the ship's boats. It's pretty easy to work with. First you dampen the fabric to make it more pliable, then when applying I painted on some thinned out Titebond glue.


And here's the oil-painted silkspan. I used it for the canvas screen on the stern.


I'm working on the rigging now. It's going good, I'll post some pictures at the end of the long weekend. But planning ahead, I'm trying to figure out what to do about the ratlines. OcCre says to use thread, but the ship had round, wooden ratlines. I don't think I'll find wood cut that thin to make it look more to scale. I was thinking of using wire and blackening it. Then I had a thought...staples! I'm going to experiment, but I'm thinking staples attached to a board, then glue the line to the staples. I can then paint the ratlines brown or black and cut them off the board with cutters. This will take some planning and experimentation.

 

[Kramer]

Tying lots of line, attaching pulleys, and getting as organized as possible for when I attach the masts.


I've looked at every picture I can and cannot figure out if the mast hoops of the Endurance were removed. I am depicting the Endurance during her last days before sinking. The sails will be furled. Would the crew have removed the mast hoops? Is that standard practice when sails are furled? Anyone?

I blackened all the brass just in case.

 

[Kramer]

Furled the sails while having my coffee this morning. I wet them down with a mister, and folded them in slightly so the bulk would be more in the middle than the ends.

Then, taking my time, folded them to the yard. Always keeping the lines taught so they wouldn't get bunched up in the furled sails.

I intentionally left them looking uneven and a little ruffled. Then secured them with gaskets at somewhat regular intervals. I am using synthetic thread for all of the lines because I don't like the fuzz that cotton thread displays, but for the gaskets I used cotton. It's just easier to get tight while you're working with it, and the fuzz shouldn't show that much.

Lastly, I applied thinned WeldBond glue to the length of the sails to give it a little stiffness so it would hold the shape.