MarisStella Ragusian Carrack by Signet [COMPLETED BUILD]

I like the third most among all three, but even this size seems a bit small, IMHO. But...sized aside, the read you are showing is fuzzy, at least under a magnifying image. If you don't consider rigging thread upscale, I would suggest doing so. There are great aftermarket threads out there, from Rope Of Scale and DryDock Parts. They have options of Poly or Cotton threads, all the sizes and colors used by the shipwrights.

ropesofscale.com

Ropes of Scale

Miniature Rope for the scale modeler. These products are designed for rigging model ships but can be used for most scale modeling or dioramas.
ropesofscale.com

drydockmodelsandparts.com

Miniature rigging ropes - Beige - Cotton

Premium quality rigging ropes for your ship modeling needs, Beige color for running rigging. All ropes are historically accurate Hawser-laid right handed ropes. No Fuzz!!
drydockmodelsandparts.com drydockmodelsandparts.com

If, for whatever reason, you do not decide on upgrades, use the beeswax and pull the tread through, it should take care of the fuzz. Fuz is the killer, it attracts specks of dust and later, you will have a much bigger issue cleaning the model. But...it is in your hands, 'cause you are the captain!
 
Jimsky said:
I like the third most among all three, but even this size seems a bit small, IMHO. But...sized aside, the read you are showing is fuzzy, at least under a magnifying image. If you don't consider rigging thread upscale, I would suggest doing so. There are great aftermarket threads out there, from Rope Of Scale and DryDock Parts. They have options of Poly or Cotton threads, all the sizes and colors used by the shipwrights.
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I think all scale rope has some fuzz on it, under a greatly magnified image. The rope on the right in the last image is professional-made polyester rope from Modellbau-Takelgarn in Germany and it is considered very good rope, and it has more fuzz on it that the 3rd one does. Maybe RopesOfScale is better, but neither makes the smaller rope that I need for ratlines (about 0.25mm). DryDock makes 0.20mm but not 0.25mm. And I've found that almost all rope/thread is larger than they claim, and am tired of buying stuff that ends up not used.

The main thing is that I can't see the fuzz with my eyes, even with closeup glasses, and enough rope to make my ratlines would cost me an additional $45 in place of the $3 spool I already have. I have to stop somewhere, and maybe this is the place.

I actually prefer the looks of the 2nd thread above, but realize it is definitely too large, the 3rd measuring at the correct size. It's just so darn hard for me to see and work with.
 
I've decided to try the Metrosone thread, which measures about 0.26mm diameter, according to my measurements, making it a scale 15.3mm or 0.6" in diameter. I also timed myself, after the first couple, and am averaging 3 to 7 minutes per ratline (the longer time including re-doing what I messed up, or starting over). The result, in a closeup photo, is not great:
1701709353449.png
but by my eye, okay, except for the one knot I cut in removing the excess. I'll CA glue that. I have real problems even grabbing and holding on to this thread, it's so small for me, and constantly drop it. It's even very difficult to grab with the best tweezers I have. But it is possible.

I calculate I have over 220 ratlines to do, and at this rate, it should take me about 11 hours. Perhaps I will get better and faster. I do think the size of the ratlines is about right, so have to go this way.
 
Signet said:
I've decided to try the Metrosone thread, which measures about 0.26mm diameter, according to my measurements, making it a scale 15.3mm or 0.6" in diameter. I also timed myself, after the first couple, and am averaging 3 to 7 minutes per ratline (the longer time including re-doing what I messed up, or starting over). The result, in a closeup photo, is not great:
View attachment 411935
but by my eye, okay, except for the one knot I cut in removing the excess. I'll CA glue that. I have real problems even grabbing and holding on to this thread, it's so small for me, and constantly drop it. It's even very difficult to grab with the best tweezers I have. But it is possible.

I calculate I have over 220 ratlines to do, and at this rate, it should take me about 11 hours. Perhaps I will get better and faster. I do think the size of the ratlines is about right, so have to go this way.
Click to expand...
This is a very nice improvement over the original effort!
 
Turns out the Metrosene thread I had was about 40 years old, from my wife, and while the spool originally had 100 meters on it, I was running low after just doing the foremast ratlines. I also found out that it was basically what in sewing is called an All Purpose thread, 50 wt, and despite what the formulas say (that it should be 0.14mm in diameter), it is pretty much identical with the Metrosene at 0.26mm in diameter. And Walmart had over 6 colors of brown, so now I have 300 yards of almost identical thread for the ratlines and other stuff.

I've completed ratlines on the foremast, so took a pic of my not-so-handywork:
1701923774342.png
I know the ratlines are not good, but they aren't completely awful, and I don't think I can do much better without spending a ridiculous amount of time on each, and then after gluing the ends, they still wouldn't look that good. I also tend to pull the shrouds inwards when I keep the ratlines too tight. The pic above shows I've added the lower part of the halyard and parrel tackles, as they will get more difficult to mount later. They upper portions will attach to the tackles using toggles, installed on them now.

Now on to the mainmast.
 
Before installing the Mainmast, I made up the lower portion of the halyards and parrel tackle and installed them. I did this because now because it would be so much harder to do it after the mainmast was installed:
1702054478643.png
As with the Foremast, these tackles will be connected with toggles.

I also installed the lower portion of the Mizzen Stay, for the same reason:
1702054540129.png
In retrospect, I should have also left the bits and pinrail for later installation, as it limits access to other rigging, so I suggest that to others building this model. Olha had showed them installed, but turned out they were just pinned and not glued. Lesson learned.

Mainmast shrouds and ratlines come next. I have no new or innovative methods here. I'm just trying to get it done. So I'll just post work done every so often.
 
The Mainmast and Mizzenmast are now in place, with ratlines on the mainmast. I have yet to install the Bonaventure mast, which I intend to model on this ship, and also the aft boomkin, which should make more sense in rigging the Bonaventure sail.
1702350792186.png
The ratlines are not great, but acceptable to me, and, due to both their small (but scale) size, and matching the shrouds in color, they don't show up that much. The loose lines are the Halyard and Parrel lift tackles, unconnected at one end at this time, but in place as locating them after mounting the masts is more difficult for me.
1702350977213.png
The above view shows the off-center bowsprit.
1702351010145.png
I found that some/most of the shrouds wanted to twist, trying to unwind the rope, resulting in the upper deadeye being at an angle to the lower. I partially corrected this by unwinding them several turns first, and found they stayed closer to the desired position.

I'm stopping at this point because the shrouds of the Bonaventure mast connect to the decking just inside the bulwarks, and will be difficult to rig, so I'm considering exactly what to do. Possibly rigging them before mounting them to the deck. We'll see.
 
I've completed the shrouds on the bonaventure mast, but they're shameful (darn blue cutting mat!), so no pics of them separately. Luckily, they're mostly hidden behind the bulwarks (and off course that is one reason they were difficult to do and did not turn out well).

I went next to the Main Stay and other stays. I'm not up for creating a mouse the way Olha and others have done, using a form, and interwoven threads and all that. But as an ex-engineer, I felt I could draw one up and have my son make them on his 3D printer. This is the design I ended up with:
1702850465303.png
The design has 30 "threads" lengthwise, which is less than an actual mouse would have, but more than most made for models. And those longitudinal threads weave up and down, simulating a basketweave appearance. I wanted to do the same thing to the circular "threads", but that would have involved drawing each circular row separately, as they all vary in size, and I reasoned that in the size they would be used (3 to 11mm in length), the pattern of the weave would be sufficient without that complication.

Here is a close-up of the resultant prints, some in the raw, some with test painting:
1702850823128.png

These are designed to be a slip fit on the cables used:
1702850893088.png
So that when making the loop, it can be adjusted in size to slip over the mast tops, as well as get the right dimension for the length of the loop. When it's where I wanted, I just put glue on the rope and slide the mouse in place:
1702850975567.png
I know my rope loops are not up to par, but hope to draw you attention away from that and to the mouse.

Here are all 5 sizes ropes/loops/mice/mouses:
1702851234873.png
And a closeup of the mice/mouses painted to match the rope:
1702851275851.png

I decided to mount all the stays prior to the topmast shrouds and backstays, so here's where I am now:
1702851328606.png
1702851350648.png
And no, I did not show the bonaventure mast shrouds very clearly - that was on purpose. But they look okay in the overall design, I think.

Next to the topmast shrouds, ratlines and backstays.
 
Signet,
Where can I send away for as set and how much? Thumbs-Up ;)
This is no $**+! There's a corner of my parts stash box empty and waiting!
These are brilliant!

Pete :D
 
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Peter Gutterman said:
Where can I send away for as set and how much? Thumbs-Up ;)
This is no $**+! There's a corner of my parts stash box empty and waiting!
Click to expand...
I asked my son at the time he made mine, and he's not interested in making them for anyone else. He complains whenever I ask him to make anything, but usually still does!

But I'm happy to share the STL file with modelers here. It's a huge file (over 134MB) but I have zipped it (down to 63 MB). I can't upload it here, due to size, but have posted it for you to download:

3D Rigging Mouse STL File

As is, it should be 11mm long and 7.2mm in diameter, and is designed for 2.0mm rope. You can scale it to any size rope you need. I've found I had to drill out some of them a bit to fit rope I had, which may have been oversize, or you can just make them a little larger. Best to make extra, as drilling can result in destruction. :)
 
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I have a friend with the equipment who's made gun barrels among other things and printed out the ship's Howitzer's for my Harriet Lane.
Maybe he can add the file to his collection of ship-oriented stuff, If that's ok.
Thanks for making the file available, and your son for his patience with his dad.
You are both very generous. And yes. The printed mouse (ice/ouses?eese?) is a brilliant idea, along with high quality, blocks and other hard to make and acquire sailing ship model fittings. Okay Thumbs-Up
Your model is looking really good BTW!

Pete
 
Peter Gutterman said:
I have a friend with the equipment who's made gun barrels among other things and printed out the ship's Howitzer's for my Harriet Lane.
Maybe he can add the file to his collection of ship-oriented stuff, If that's ok.
Click to expand...
I would rather a dealer not print and sell these for profit, but I'm fine with members using them for prints made by themselves, friends or services. And I have some left over in sizes for 2mm, 1.6mm, 1.2mm, 0.8mm and 0.6mm rope. If anyone would like one or two of a specific size(s), PM me and I'll send them to you. I only have 1-3 of each size, so for current projects only please, not for your spares box, okay?
 
Peter Gutterman said:
Thanks. That is very generous of you.
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No problem. I enjoy designing things in 3D with Fusion 360. Helps keep my mind younger, I hope. I hesitate to say I'd design anything for anyone, as I don't have THAT much time and skill, but if anyone is having a problem finding something, I might give it a go to develop a 3D model for it. My son offered me an older 3D printer, but a resin printer is required for anything I'd want to model, and they are just too messy for me to use in my den/workshop.
 
Signet said:
I asked my son at the time he made mine, and he's not interested in making them for anyone else. He complains whenever I ask him to make anything, but usually still does!

But I'm happy to share the STL file with modelers here. It's a huge file (over 134MB) but I have zipped it (down to 63 MB). I can't upload it here, due to size, but have posted it for you to download:

3D Rigging Mouse STL File

As is, it should be 11mm long and 7.2mm in diameter, and is designed for 2.0mm rope. You can scale it to any size rope you need. I've found I had to drill out some of them a bit to fit rope I had, which may have been oversize, or you can just make them a little larger. Best to make extra, as drilling can result in destruction. :)
Click to expand...
Thanks!
 
lakedaisy said:
Thank you Signet. Is the mouse a downloadable file? I tried and it doesn't download. I'm using a Mac. Would that matter?
Click to expand...
Yes, it's a zip file that can be downloaded. Although just now, I clicked on the link and nothing happened. Then I copied the link (Right-Click, Copy link address on a PC), and pasted the link and it downloads fine. Although IMHO Mac's are funny animals.

The link address is: http://www.heavymetalpro.com/MeshMouse2.zip

Sometimes it seems to work better with or without the "http://" and the "www."

Maybe try copying the link and pasting into your browser?
 
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