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Ratlines

M

Marine011

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Hello-I just completed the basic construction of a Revell Museum Series 1/96 U.S.S. Constitution. I’m a little stumped on constructing the ratlines though. Any guidance is appreciated. Thanks.
 
What is it that has you stumped? Tying knots, size of the materials, spacing, etc. etc. at 1:96 can be problematic. Are the shrouds and ratlines plastic and preassembled or do you have the rig the shrouds then add the ratlines? Photos and an explanation of what exactly has you stumped would be great.

Allan
 
Good morning-no plastic or pre-assembled ratlines. They have to be done from scratch with thread provided. Looking for video or suggestions on technique. Thanks.
 
First thing I would do is check the size of the shrouds and ratlines. The shrouds (about 0.03" diameter at your scale) are laid in pairs unless an odd number. Size 415 thread would be about right. If there an odd number of shrouds the swifter (aft most shroud) would just have an eye to go over the mast head. The ratlines were about 1/2" diameter full size so thread with a commercial size 15 (Tex 16) thread would be the right size and can be rigged with clove hitches and not look too large. At your scale you can forgo the clove hitches and thread the ratline material in a needle and just pierce the shrouds without knots then add a dot of watered down white glue where it goes through the shroud. The spacing between is ratline was about 15" (about 0.15")

The below is from Longridge, The Anatomy of Nelson's Ships, but it will give you an idea of the pairing of the lower shrouds.
1791285756468.png
 
Marine011 said:
They have to be done from scratch with thread provided.
Click to expand...
What sizes are provided.

Rat 2.jpg
( Image from Petersson )

As Allan alluded to, are you just concerned with ratlines, or the shrouds also?

The Shrouds would be about 3.5inches diameter full size, so .04"(1mm) 1/96 ...
The ratlines would be less than 1 inch full size. I would model them with very small thread.

At this scale, it is more about getting it to look good rather than trying to duplicate actual pratice.
One method that can have good results, is just gluing the ratlines to the shrouds. Little bits of glue will look like knots.

Once we know more about what your goal is, we can show you more about how to accomplish this.
 
I make jigs to guide the ratlines. The staples hold the shrouds in place so as you tighten the ratline knots you do not get any bowing. I have a you tube video on making the jigs. Excuse the background noise I made the video a my local fair where I do ship making demonstrations.

IMG_5514.JPG

IMG_5515.JPG

IMG_5516.JPG
 
Marine011 said:
Hello-I just completed the basic construction of a Revell Museum Series 1/96 U.S.S. Constitution. I’m a little stumped on constructing the ratlines though. Any guidance is appreciated. Thanks.
Click to expand...
At 1/96 most knots seem to be out of scale. My opinion. I use glue were possible. On a real ship shrouds and ratlines are barely visible at a few 100m. If you think otherwise most likely you are right.
 
Huybrecht said:
At 1/96 most knots seem to be out of scale. My opinion. I use glue were possible. On a real ship shrouds and ratlines are barely visible at a few 100m. If you think otherwise most likely you are right.
Click to expand...
You are not altogether wrong. The biggest mistake made in my opinion in modeling ratlines is that far too many modelers use line that is way out of scale. So, naturally you are going to get knots also way out of scale. I contend that if the thread you use is to scale for the ratlines in 1/96 scale, it follows that the knots formed using that scale thread would also be to scale. I am thinking this is a logical train of though, although I will admit the practicality may be different.
 
threebs said:
far too many modelers use line that is way out of scale.
Click to expand...
I would bet that most modelers do not have access to their own library of books to research this kind of thing so perhaps the blame may be more appropriately placed on the low quality kit manufacturers who fail to research, or worse, do the research and ignore the findings. Then again, a quick search with AI sure does give some direction at times. to help the builder fix the mistakes, if they want to. I posted the following search phrase to see what came up and the correct answer was given. Even so, with AI, trust but verify.

Question posted: What was the diameter of ratlines in the 18th century at a scale of 1:64

Answer:
AI Overview

At a 1:64 scale, the diameter of an 18th-century ratline should be approximately 0,008 inches (0.20mm)
 
Welcome Marine.
threebs said:
You are not altogether wrong. The biggest mistake made in my opinion in modeling ratlines is that far too many modelers use line that is way out of scale. So, naturally you are going to get knots also way out of scale. I contend that if the thread you use is to scale for the ratlines in 1/96 scale, it follows that the knots formed using that scale thread would also be to scale. I am thinking this is a logical train of though, although I will admit the practicality may be different.
Click to expand...
I agree with Threebs, at scale 1/75 a ratline will be around 0,15 or 0,19 mm. in diameter. My experience is to ga even smaller and use dark rope.
WhenYou look at those old paintings of ships, ratlines where barely vissible or not drawn.

IMG_4108.JPG

IMG_2168.JPG

On the picture above I used 0,18 mm. rope (scale 1/75). The knots are barely vissible and at a distance of a meter of 2 you can hardly see the ratlines.
 
Depending on the ship, you can see in the photos the Igor posted that the ratlines do not always extend to the foremost shroud or aft most shroud (or swifter if an odd number of shrouds)
Allan
 
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