Temporary belaying rigging

[Don Case]

I would like to semi permanently belay stuff while rigging but still be able to undo it to re-tension at a later time if need be. I'm finding that when I'm rigging a line, stuff that I have already done has gone slack and there is a good chance of getting the new line on the wrong side of the existing ones. I tried small alligator clips but they want to slip or fall off. Some kind of quick drying but very easy to undo glue might work. Anyone have a solution to this problem?

 

[Jack Sparrow]

I use small hemostats for the shrouds.
Keeps the tension on the opposite shroud as I tie the other one.

 

[Don Case]

Thanks Jack I'm into the running rigging now so there is going to be a lot of loose ends. I only have 4 hemostats. I'm not sure that will be enough. Since I posted I did try taking the loose ends out to the railings and just put a half hitch in it. That seems to work so far but I only have railing on the stern.

 

[OlivierF]

I don’t glue in the belaying pins until I’m ready to permanently secure them. I leave whatever line I’m working with longer than needed and thread the line through the belay pin hole. I then pinch the line in place using a belay pin. When I’ve got the lines how I want them I pull the line out of the hole, glue in the pin and secure the line as desired to the pin. Right or wrong this works for me.

 

[Don Case]

Thanks Olivier. That's a good idea. I'll keep in mind. I have a half dozen wooden pins. I'm still deciding whether to use wood or metal or? I do have a bunch of treenail sticks that I made before I decided not to treenail. I could probably use short pieces of that. I'll give that a try. Who knows, I may leave them in.

PS -I could make huge rope hanks to hide them

 

[Don Case]

Olivier, do you know off hand, what size the pin rack holes are in a 1:48 ship? Mine are too small to get a rope and a pin in. This is the kind of bind you get yourself in when you don't have plans

 

[Jack Sparrow]

Thanks Jack I'm into the running rigging now so there is going to be a lot of loose ends. I only have 4 hemostats. I'm not sure that will be enough. Since I posted I did try taking the loose ends out to the railings and just put a half hitch in it. That seems to work so far but I only have railing on the stern.

good idea.

 

[OlivierF]

Olivier, do you know off hand, what size the pin rack holes are in a 1:48 ship? Mine are too small to get a rope and a pin in. This is the kind of bind you get yourself in when you don't have plans

Sorry no. But I copied this from the “Ship Modelers Association” website. Perhaps it will help.

In deciding what size belaying pins to use on your model there are some general rules to follow. Most ships used one size of pin with the largest required size prevailing. The diameters of pins were generally not less than the diameter of the ropes belayed to them. Sea-going naval and commercial vessels had pins from 1 to 1-1/2 inches in diameter with lengths of 12 to 18 inches. Smaller vessels could have pins of 1/2 in. diameter and lengths of 6 in. A general rule of thumb was 1/2in. + 1/2in. per 100ft. of ship length for the diameters and 6in. + 6in. per 100ft. of ship length. Pin shapes varied slightly but all had rounded ends, shoulders on the upper portions and a slight taper to the shaft. Upper portions were generally between 3/8 and 1/3 the length of the pin.

 

[rwiederrich]

don’t glue in the belaying pins until I’m ready to permanently secure them. I leave whatever line I’m working with longer than needed and thread the line through the belay pin hole. I then pinch the line in place using a belay pin. When I’ve got the lines how I want them I pull the line out of the hole, glue in the pin and secure the line as desired to the pin. Right or wrong this works for me.

Temporarily holding line in place...this technique works wonderfully. However, I would not glue the line in place this way...because the line running through the belay hole will cause the belay pin to have a slight lean to it....making it look un vertical and somewhat sloppy looking. Belay around the pin, then glue, is what I would suggest.

Rob