Standing rigging sizes

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I'm looking at zu Monfelds "Historic ship Models" page 272 "The figures refer to the thickness of the mainstay, 0.166% of the diameter of the mainmast at the deck".
I'm not sure of the .166%. Should that be just .166 rather than .166%. .166 % is pretty small. I've heard that there are a few typos in this book and I'm wondering if this is one.
 
The factor is 0.166 not 0.166%
If you take a mast diameter of 15 and you say the factor is 0.166 then the main stay diameter would be 2.49 inches which sounds reasonable to me.
 
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Scaling of cordage has to be one of the biggest challenges for consistent quality, diameters and colors from the same vendors. And I wish they would standardize on the metric system for sizing and a color palette!
 
Scaling of cordage has to be one of the biggest challenges for consistent quality, diameters and colors from the same vendors. And I wish they would standardize on the metric system for sizing and a color palette!
Agreed. That is why I have started to make my own ropes. I think there are a few members on this forum that do that too.
 
I have been making my own ropes for a few years now and I find it one of the joys of the hobby. I strongly support the appeal for thread and sizing to be metric, but I live in Australia where metric has been around most of my life - it’s a lot harder for those used to the imperial system.

One of the pleasures of rope making is the technical making of ropewalks, the variety of types, and the ingenuity of SOS users in their application of the various methods.

For the serious rope makers, it is critical to create a book, catalog or list of rope examples with size, thread source, and colours. Couple this with a good spreadsheet listing with scale adjustment for rigging line (standing or running), and most of your rigging line issues will be solved. Now all you have to do is figure out which end goes where….

PeterG
 
I used both systems equally, because when I was in school, the thinking of the time was that the US would convert to metric. Unfortunately, many industries did not want to spend what it cost to convert machinery, so we regressed back to imperial units. Kids today do not use metric as much. In engineering work, you have to know both systems and be able to readily convert values between the two.
 
I used both systems equally, because when I was in school, the thinking of the time was that the US would convert to metric. Unfortunately, many industries did not want to spend what it cost to convert machinery, so we regressed back to imperial units. Kids today do not use metric as much. In engineering work, you have to know both systems and be able to readily convert values between the two.
Just for fun but a clear example of actual rope making by hand in a Swedish Market:
The same method is used with thread for our models.
Rich (PT_2)
 
Just for fun but a clear example of actual rope making by hand in a Swedish Market:
The same method is used with thread for our models.
Rich (PT_2)
And now my primitive but functional ropewalk with clothes hangers that I use in my den/hobby room. The size of thread and number of strands taken back and forth for each of the three hooks is the choice in final model rope diameters. . . trial and error for me.
Rich (PT-2)
 
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