Serving 'machine'. hand driven

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Location
Woudrichem, Netherlands
Recently I bought this Serving Machine:
In the ad it's called a Ropewalk, but it's for lining/serving a wire.
I just put it together and did a test for my Bluenose. Here's my experience.

When delivered, this box comes with an extra, sturdy cardboard packaging:
001.jpg

In the box a manual and the packed material:
002.jpg

The 4 page manual. The Google Translate app recognizes the Chinese characters and provides useful clues.
003.jpg

The material wrapped in bubble plastic.
004.jpg

A tray with the metal and plastic materials and the separately packed lasered MDF sheets.
005.jpg

Assembled the frame. I have provided all connections with a drop of glue
On top is already the wooden bracket to keep the sides together. I did that to keep everything in line while the glue was drying. The bracket remains loose and you can place it later when the rollers are in it.
006.jpg

At the top the brass rod with 2 gears has already been placed and the whole is clamped with the bracket.
On the table the parts for driving.
A: Punch these bushings into the openings, where they should be flush with the back of the wood. Otherwise it will clamp too tight after mounting.
B: hammer in these cans up to the flange edge.
Ream the holes for these bushings in the wood with a 5 mm drill bit. Otherwise you will smash the MDF. The holes are actually a little to narrow.
007.jpg

The driving wheels were placed.
The rope to be covered can be attached to the crocodile jaw clips that are provided with screw thread. You can put the screw in question through the bushes. However, the supplied bolts are just too short. Then get your own bolt.
Under the gears a wooden rod that can be slid through well-fitting openings in the side walls. For the spool of thread used for lining.
008.jpg

I secured the wire through the bushings in the gears around the cleats on the outside. There is a chance that the crocodile clamps will damage your wire. With the 3 cleats plenty of options.
The direction of rotation is also indicated on the wheels on the outside. This is partly due to the screw thread with which they are attached. Conversely, unscrew them.
If you want to turn the other way, you turn the other gear. I was quite clever.
009.jpg
And after some serving I camp the wire now with a small clamp:
014.jpg

My 1st test. The wire is secured with a clove hitch.
010.jpg
And on the inside a small drop of CA. Start turning immediately and the rest of the glue will be distributed among the next turns. Then don't let go.

First I held the serving thread with my fingers and guided it. Then you should not have hitches, because then you will get openings or doubles.
By trial and error: unwind a piece of wire and keep it in tension with 1 or 2 clothespins.
Due to the tension, the wire hangs at a small angle and makes the adjacent turns by itself. Can you concentrate on spinning the weel.
011.jpg
The wire will twist due to the weight of the clothpin. I then pull the supply wire to the clothpin a little towards me. Due to the angle of the wire, the clothpin no longer rotates. With the other hand I run the 'server'.

The result in detail.
012.jpg
About 4 turns before the end I put a small drop of CA again. That then divides itself among the last turns and does not come loose anymore.

Applied to my Bluenose.
In this example: The main line is 0.45 mm, the serve line 0.12 mm
013.jpg
I was pleasantly surprised with the result. And for the amount of 'te be served lines', for me it is useful.
Regards, Peter
 
Last edited:
Hi Peter,
Looks like a good bit of kit at a reasonable price.
Nice looking served shroud.

Cheers,
Stephen.
Thanxs, Steve. For the amount of lines I will serve, it's good enough. But when I start counting the lines, it becomes more and more. Even the split eyes for the stays etc etc
Regards, Peter
 
As a long time ship modeling hobbyist I have always purchased tools, materials and kits from American manufacturers and sometimes European. But I implore everyone NOT to purchase any of these items from the Chinese. Aside from the generally poor quality they have no respect for foreign copyright’s, trademarks and patents. They steal and copy other peoples hard work and designs. Please make your purchases from American or European manufacturers. It’s the only the fair thing to do.
 
Recently I bought this Serving Machine:
In the ad it's called a Ropewalk, but it's for lining/serving a wire.
I just put it together and did a test for my Bluenose. Here's my experience.

When delivered, this box comes with an extra, sturdy cardboard packaging:
View attachment 329924

In the box a manual and the packed material:
View attachment 329925

The 4 page manual. The Google Translate app recognizes the Chinese characters and provides useful clues.
View attachment 329926

The material wrapped in bubble plastic.
View attachment 329927

A tray with the metal and plastic materials and the separately packed lasered MDF sheets.
View attachment 329928

Assembled the frame. I have provided all connections with a drop of glue
On top is already the wooden bracket to keep the sides together. I did that to keep everything in line while the glue was drying. The bracket remains loose and you can place it later when the rollers are in it.
View attachment 329929

At the top the brass rod with 2 gears has already been placed and the whole is clamped with the bracket.
On the table the parts for driving.
A: Punch these bushings into the openings, where they should be flush with the back of the wood. Otherwise it will clamp too tight after mounting.
B: hammer in these cans up to the flange edge.
Ream the holes for these bushings in the wood with a 5 mm drill bit. Otherwise you will smash the MDF. The holes are actually a little to narrow.
View attachment 329930

The driving wheels were placed.
The rope to be covered can be attached to the crocodile jaw clips that are provided with screw thread. You can put the screw in question through the bushes. However, the supplied bolts are just too short. Then get your own bolt.
Under the gears a wooden rod that can be slid through well-fitting openings in the side walls. For the spool of thread used for lining.
View attachment 329931

I secured the wire through the bushings in the gears around the cleats on the outside. There is a chance that the crocodile clamps will damage your wire. With the 3 cleats plenty of options.
The direction of rotation is also indicated on the wheels on the outside. This is partly due to the screw thread with which they are attached. Conversely, unscrew them.
If you want to turn the other way, you turn the other gear. I was quite clever.
View attachment 329932

My 1st test. The wire is secured with a clove hitch.
View attachment 329933

First I held the serving thread with my fingers and guided it. Then you should not have hitches, because then you will get openings or doubles.
By trial and error: unwind a piece of wire and keep it in tension with 1 or 2 clothespins.
Due to the tension, the wire hangs at a small angle and makes the adjacent turns by itself. Can you concentrate on spinning the weel.
View attachment 329934

The result in detail.
View attachment 329935

Applied to my Bluenose.
In this example: The main line is 0.45 mm, the serve line 0.12 mm
View attachment 329936
I was pleasantly surprised with the result. And for the amount of 'te be served lines', for me it is useful.
Regards, Peter

Hello Peter, This is a very nice-looking Server, Thanks for posting.
Regards Lawrence
 
As a long time ship modeling hobbyist I have always purchased tools, materials and kits from American manufacturers and sometimes European. But I implore everyone NOT to purchase any of these items from the Chinese. Aside from the generally poor quality they have no respect for foreign copyright’s, trademarks and patents. They steal and copy other peoples hard work and designs. Please make your purchases from American or European manufacturers. It’s the only the fair thing to do.
Hello Barry, I would like to suggest you stay away from generalizing the concepts of poor quality tools and copyright issues based on country of origin. I own many of the tools made in China and they are of very good quality (high grade). Contrary, I own tools from other countries and they are just as bad. The quality of everything is based on materials and quality control and not the place\counry they made.
 
As a long time ship modeling hobbyist I have always purchased tools, materials and kits from American manufacturers and sometimes European. But I implore everyone NOT to purchase any of these items from the Chinese. Aside from the generally poor quality they have no respect for foreign copyright’s, trademarks and patents. They steal and copy other peoples hard work and designs. Please make your purchases from American or European manufacturers. It’s the only the fair thing to do.
Wrong forum Barry
 
Recently I bought this Serving Machine:
In the ad it's called a Ropewalk, but it's for lining/serving a wire.
I just put it together and did a test for my Bluenose. Here's my experience.

When delivered, this box comes with an extra, sturdy cardboard packaging:
View attachment 329924

In the box a manual and the packed material:
View attachment 329925

The 4 page manual. The Google Translate app recognizes the Chinese characters and provides useful clues.
View attachment 329926

The material wrapped in bubble plastic.
View attachment 329927

A tray with the metal and plastic materials and the separately packed lasered MDF sheets.
View attachment 329928

Assembled the frame. I have provided all connections with a drop of glue
On top is already the wooden bracket to keep the sides together. I did that to keep everything in line while the glue was drying. The bracket remains loose and you can place it later when the rollers are in it.
View attachment 329929

At the top the brass rod with 2 gears has already been placed and the whole is clamped with the bracket.
On the table the parts for driving.
A: Punch these bushings into the openings, where they should be flush with the back of the wood. Otherwise it will clamp too tight after mounting.
B: hammer in these cans up to the flange edge.
Ream the holes for these bushings in the wood with a 5 mm drill bit. Otherwise you will smash the MDF. The holes are actually a little to narrow.
View attachment 329930

The driving wheels were placed.
The rope to be covered can be attached to the crocodile jaw clips that are provided with screw thread. You can put the screw in question through the bushes. However, the supplied bolts are just too short. Then get your own bolt.
Under the gears a wooden rod that can be slid through well-fitting openings in the side walls. For the spool of thread used for lining.
View attachment 329931

I secured the wire through the bushings in the gears around the cleats on the outside. There is a chance that the crocodile clamps will damage your wire. With the 3 cleats plenty of options.
The direction of rotation is also indicated on the wheels on the outside. This is partly due to the screw thread with which they are attached. Conversely, unscrew them.
If you want to turn the other way, you turn the other gear. I was quite clever.
View attachment 329932

My 1st test. The wire is secured with a clove hitch.
View attachment 329933

First I held the serving thread with my fingers and guided it. Then you should not have hitches, because then you will get openings or doubles.
By trial and error: unwind a piece of wire and keep it in tension with 1 or 2 clothespins.
Due to the tension, the wire hangs at a small angle and makes the adjacent turns by itself. Can you concentrate on spinning the weel.
View attachment 329934

The result in detail.
View attachment 329935

Applied to my Bluenose.
In this example: The main line is 0.45 mm, the serve line 0.12 mm
View attachment 329936
I was pleasantly surprised with the result. And for the amount of 'te be served lines', for me it is useful.
Regards, Peter
Yep I have the same machine. It works well though I have done a small modification by inserting heatshrink tube through the central holes when the clamps are not in use, I means the thread doesn't rub/wear on the brass threads.
Also while I have always tied a not and glued the start it does make a bit of a lump. A friend showed me his technique using a motorised machine where he threads the serving thread through the rope with a needle first rather than gluing. I will definitely be doing that in the future.
 
As a long time ship modeling hobbyist I have always purchased tools, materials and kits from American manufacturers and sometimes European. But I implore everyone NOT to purchase any of these items from the Chinese. Aside from the generally poor quality they have no respect for foreign copyright’s, trademarks and patents. They steal and copy other peoples hard work and designs. Please make your purchases from American or European manufacturers. It’s the only the fair thing to do.
Barry, not all Chinese products are copyright. I would like to know how you would serve without creating something like this Chinese made device. Yes there are US, European, Russian and Chinese machines that look similar but then there are only so many ways you can "skin a cat".
As to quality, many of the US and European hobbyist items being sold are actually made in China. China produces high quality products, the level of quality being solely dependant upon how much the client wants to pay. If you are looking to bash poorly made products, look to the emerging suppliers in India where Micro-Mark is doing business.
 
Thanxs, Steve. For the amount of lines I will serve, it's good enough. But when I start counting the lines, it becomes more and more. Even the split eyes for the stays etc etc
Regards, Peter
When you visit me end of next month, I will show you how mine machine works. It works faster and there are more possibility's. Made of Chinese parts :)
 
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