HMS Alert

Isn’t that a rather big bow wave for a rather small boat? I suggest a google search for images under “sailing ship wake” before you go any further. (There are many images, but most of them are licensed.)

IMG_1848.jpeg

This is a bigger vessel than Alert.
 
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As a first attempt at that scale, I’d say it’s pretty good. A bit of experimentation with your process and you’ll probably get a pretty nice result.

Have you seen Shipbuilder’s recent post here? He works in tiny scale like that and uses wire for his rigging.
 
It is extremely difficult if even possible to make these off the model. It is much easier to install the shrouds, then the ratlines. The ratlines are much too thick in your picture. They were only about 1/2" in diameter. McCaffery and McNarry use wire in many instances at this tiny scale so may be a nice alternative for you. If you stay with miniature rope the following picture might help in setting up the shrouds. The picture is for a larger ship, but the principles are the same as to how it was done along with the order of dressing. The books by McNarry and McCaffery are a Godsend for anyone building at scales smaller than 1:96, especially McCaffery's book Ships in Miniature.

Allan
1737037548948.jpeg
 
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AllanKP69 said:
It is impossible to make these off the model. It is much easier to install the shrouds, then the ratlines. The ratlines are much too thick in your picture. They were only about 1/2" in diameter. McCaffery and McNarry use wire in many instances at this tiny scale. If you stay with miniature rope the following picture might help in setting up the shrouds. The picture is for a larger ship, but the principles are the same as to how it was done along with the order of dressing.

Allan
Click to expand...

What kind of wire? What guage?
 
The shrouds were about 1.77" in diameter on a vessel this size, based on the ratios for a 25 foot beamed ship in your time frame as given in James Lees' Masting and Rigging English Ships of War. I have no idea what your scale is so cannot tell you the wire gage. If, for example, your scale is 1:200, the diameter of the wire should be about 0.009" which is 34 or 35 gage. The ratlines, at 1:200 would be about 45 or 46 gage (about 0.0018"). Again, the example is for a scale of 1:200 so if your scale is different you need to calculate the gage for your particular scale. I would use uncoated copper wire as it is easily blackened with diluted liver of sulfur and is more flexible than brass or stainless steel. Do not use carbon steel, it will rust. The problem with these diameters is the smallest I can find readlily available is 0.003 which is probably OK. As you are in the US I would try McMaster Carr and other similar suppliers.
Allan.
 
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AllanKP69 said:
The shrouds were about 1.77" in diameter on a vessel this size, based on the ratios for a 25 foot beamed ship in your time frame as given in James Lees' Masting and Rigging English Ships of War. I have no idea what your scale is so cannot tell you the wire gage. If, for example, your scale is 1:200, the diameter of the wire should be about 0.009" which is 34 or 35 gage. The ratlines, at 1:200 would be about 45 or 46 gage (about 0.0018"). Again, the example is for a scale of 1:200 so if your scale is different you need to calculate the gage for your particular scale. I would use uncoated copper wire as it is easily blackened with diluted liver of sulfur and is more flexible than brass or stainless steel. Do not use carbon steel, it will rust. The problem with these diameters is the smallest I can find readlily available is 0.003 which is probably OK. As you are in the US I would try McMaster Carr and other similar suppliers.
Allan.
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Thanks.
 
That is what Goodwin shows in his book but not what the original document is showing.
Detail ZAZ6437 - as build.jpg

I know that someone has drawn with a pencil a "change" in the plan but it is not the common way it was done, if there was a change made. Thy normally used green ink. If you have a closer look to the original drawing you can see some other entries whites are no more readable. In my opinion these are not contemporary notes. This notes shows the position of the gunport and shrouds of the 20 years older Marshall painting.
All cutters from this time or a younger time are showing the configuration with 4 shrouds.
 
I know who Goodwin is and have a lot of his published books. But I do not agree with his interpretation of the changes. I also discussed the theme with David Antscherl.
 
AllanKP69 said:
The shrouds were about 1.77" in diameter on a vessel this size, based on the ratios for a 25 foot beamed ship in your time frame as given in James Lees' Masting and Rigging English Ships of War. I have no idea what your scale is so cannot tell you the wire gage. If, for example, your scale is 1:200, the diameter of the wire should be about 0.009" which is 34 or 35 gage. The ratlines, at 1:200 would be about 45 or 46 gage (about 0.0018"). Again, the example is for a scale of 1:200 so if your scale is different you need to calculate the gage for your particular scale. I would use uncoated copper wire as it is easily blackened with diluted liver of sulfur and is more flexible than brass or stainless steel. Do not use carbon steel, it will rust. The problem with these diameters is the smallest I can find readlily available is 0.003 which is probably OK. As you are in the US I would try McMaster Carr and other similar suppliers.
Allan.
Click to expand...

IIRC, McCaffery also used NiChrome wire. I can't say what domestic availability is, but if you don't mind waiting for shipping from China, I've seen it available online down to .025mm (.000984 in.)
 
RussF said:
McCaffery also used NiChrome wire. I can't say what domestic availability is, but if you don't mind waiting for shipping from China, I've seen it available online down to .025mm (.000984 in.)
Click to expand...
That is incredible. Thanks for posting this!! Do you have a link? The smallest I could find is 0.003" at McMaster Carr for Nichrome wire so would love to find another source with smaller sizes.
Allan
 
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