They are not a popular tool for experienced ship builders. You would be better placed to use a paper template as a guide for keeping ratlines level.
Use the money for a nice bottle of wine or a bouquet for someone.
It will give more pleasure. The shroud pairs should be secured properly to the mast head and deadeyes before tying the ratlines. Depending on the scale of your model, the spacing may not be right on these templates. Also keep in mind if there are gunports the shrouds are not evenly spaced so these jigs are pretty restricted. See one example below.Allan
I have been model building since the early sixties. My first ship was the Dikar Bluenose. I had no knowledge of how to build ships as the inter web hadn't been invented yet and no available books for sources of reference. I just jumped in and basically winged it based on past plastic model building experience and the kit instructions. All went well till it came time for rigging, stepping the masts and so on. I did the rat lines etc. according to the diagrams and it worked out pretty well. My new build is the HMB Endeavour. Rigging and lines everywhere. The masts and yards are ready to go. I understand the basics, but have hit the wall on how to proceed. How would a paper template work and how would I make one for this specific ship?
I would buy this book. All necessary information is there.
Borrowed this photo from a fellow ship modeller here. You might get the idea of what I was trying to explain. 
I don't use templates. The vertical distance between ratlines is checked with a ruler, as measured from the channel or from the top, and the knots on the shrouds are checked for lineup with the straight edge. A white template behind the shrouds may make the lines more visible, but they also interfere with tying the clove hitches.
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They got me. I bought one of those shroud/ratline templates about 8 years ago. It looked soooo cool AND logical, from an engineering perspective. WRONG!! I gave it an F- and it went into the trash can 2 days after I took it out of the package.
I have passed some tools to other SoS members in the past, this thing was so bad, I felt it was a danger to anyone attempting to build a model ship. This hobby can be frustrating enough on its own. We don't need tools that cause frustration as well. 
Bryan's suggestion is great. Once you tie off the first couple of ratlines and are happy with the "slack" in them, you can clip the white paper behind the shrouds. It creates a nice contrast that allows you to step back a few feet after each 2-3 ratlines to ensure they are not too tight or loose. It works quite well. Like many new things we do, it takes a little practice to feel confident in it.
I have passed some tools to other SoS members in the past, this thing was so bad, I felt it was a danger to anyone attempting to build a model ship. This hobby can be frustrating enough on its own. We don't need tools that cause frustration as well. Bryan's suggestion is great. Once you tie off the first couple of ratlines and are happy with the "slack" in them, you can clip the white paper behind the shrouds. It creates a nice contrast that allows you to step back a few feet after each 2-3 ratlines to ensure they are not too tight or loose. It works quite well. Like many new things we do, it takes a little practice to feel confident in it.
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Not claiming credit for this idea, but worth repeating: tie the top and bottom ratlines first, then a middle one, then keep splitting the difference (using the horizontal guidelines as shown by Bryian above). Don't work from one end to the other. In this way the shrouds will remain straight and the ratlines evenly tensioned.
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If it makes you feel any better, you're not alone. I bought something that was called a "loom-a-line" (I think) probably three decades ago. Once I saw how it functioned, I just decided to go back to my regular process of building them in-situ, using a small ruler to guide me in spacing vertically. I never tossed the bloody jig though, and still have it sitting in my closet in my study... part of my collection of crap I've bought that I really didn't need but am too much of a pack rat to get rid of. I'd offer to give it away, but that would be like giving bad advice to a friend. I just won't do that. Maybe if I had an enemy that built model ships... I might consider giving it to that person.They got me. I bought one of those shroud/ratline templates about 8 years ago. It looked soooo cool AND logical, from an engineering perspective. WRONG!! I gave it an F- and it went into the trash can 2 days after I took it out of the package.
Bryan's suggestion is great. Once you tie off the first couple of ratlines and are happy with the "slack" in them, you can clip the white paper behind the shrouds. It creates a nice contrast that allows you to step back a few feet after each 2-3 ratlines to ensure they are not too tight or loose. It works quite well. Like many new things we do, it takes a little practice to feel confident in it.
I made the same mistake on getting back into the hobby,but as soon as I saw detailed diagrams of how shrouds are fitted, the AL jig went on ebay, rather than the bin, it sold!They got me. I bought one of those shroud/ratline templates about 8 years ago. It looked soooo cool AND logical, from an engineering perspective. WRONG!! I gave it an F- and it went into the trash can 2 days after I took it out of the package.
Bryan's suggestion is great. Once you tie off the first couple of ratlines and are happy with the "slack" in them, you can clip the white paper behind the shrouds. It creates a nice contrast that allows you to step back a few feet after each 2-3 ratlines to ensure they are not too tight or loose. It works quite well. Like many new things we do, it takes a little practice to feel confident in it.
Use the money for a nice bottle of wine or a bouquet for someone.
Allan
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