Threading ropes through blocks??

Turiya said:
As a first build my Bounty from Billings Boats is going okay’ish, but it appears impossible to thread the scale ‘ropes’ through the very tiny holes in the blocks. Some experienced help would be much appreciated
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Can I assume that you've already tried beeswax?

Bookbinders and ship modellers run the cord through a lump of beeswax a few times to stiffen and consolidate it.


J
 
I also use the CA glue method. In my experience, needle threaders, of any type, do not work well at all, unless the hole is greatly oversize. Think about it: threading a 0.5mm thread through a 0.6-0.7mm hole works fine. Fitting TWO of them, plus the needle threader through the same hole is most often a no-go. For smaller blocks, the needle threader won't even go through the hole. I broke many blocks, and needle threaders, before learning the CA method.
 
maltbyguy said:
Also invest in a set of small drill bits they are silly cheap from the likes of Ebay
Get the ones with the plastic collar and you don't need a drill to use them
I am not sure how to put a link but sure you will find them
I also use a cheap pencil cordless drill it has no great power but idel for cleaning out the fluff from block holes again available from Ebay or Amazon for very little money
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I ream out the holes in blocks and deadeyes before installing them. I don't use a drill though. I chuck the drill in a pin vise and drill the holes manually
 
I use many of the suggestions listed. I also take a small file and smooth the surfaces of all the blocks. While doing so I use a small round file to smooth the inside of the little holes.
 
I've used all the methods listed above. For my Constitution, the blocks are so small, I have to ream the holes out with a small needle.
 
I use a combination of small drill bits and a hand twist drill to clean out the holes in the blocks, and then use needle threaders to pull the line though. I find packs of them on Amazon that have plastic grips (instead of the tin ones), which I find easier to hold onto. You may also want to take a foot long piece of 1/8" dowel, drill a hole in the end, cut off the grip from a needle threader and CA glue the wire threader into the end of the dowel. That will become handy when you're trying to reach in to blocks that are somewhat hidden behind other rigging as you advance your build. Additionally, I have many inexpensive hemostats (also purchased from Amazon)... they're handy for clipping onto the end of a line once it's been threaded and allow the weight of the hemostat (clamp) to keep the line under tension till you need to work it into its final location... like when you need to take it from the block and eventually apply it to a belaying pin.
 
 
I found another product on MicroMark that I've found handy when the above techniques don't work well (link below). It's basically two very fine strips of metal attached at both ends. You simply spread the pieces apart in the middle and push the thread through. The needle of fine enough to go through most block, etc. The only downside is that they tend to bend in use.

micromark.com

The Beadsmith® Big Eye Beading Needle (Pkg. of 3)

Buy our Big Eye Needle (Pkg. of 3) for only $8.95
micromark.com micromark.com

Screenshot 2024-11-16 135732.jpg
 
Surely the main consideration needs to be scale?

And if we look at the real thing, there is very little clearance, as ropes, sheaves, and blocks are all carefully sized as a set.
Which means that there should be no clearance to use a needle threader, so like the real thing, we need to poke the rope through the block or wherever, with little clearance. This needs the components to have appropriate clearances.
Begin by ensuring that the block hole is right sized and clear. I would use a pin vice rather than anything electron powered for the sensitivity it brings.
Then attend to the rope. Here we may struggle, especially in smaller scales, and may, if assembling a kit, need to check supplied material, and make substitutions or make new ropes if necessary.
Finally we get to threading, and I”ve already mentioned my preference for beeswax, but it may be necessary to scrape the end to bring it to a point first.

The other thing some of us find necessary is a magnifying glass on a stand, with illumination.

Jim
 
You have the most common solutions listed above. One thing I do is to make sure the holes in the blocks are reamed clear and ever so slightly enlarged. I use these two options from MicroMark for cleaning out the holes:

Micro Broaches (set of two) $18.95 sku 81847

Finger drills four pieces (various sizes available)
 
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Reamers and broaches are great but can be expensive. Luthier’s nut files also work for cleaning and polishing holes in blocks and cheap Amazon ones do the job for almost nothing! These were only £4.00image.jpg

They won’t remove much material but thats a good thing when all you need is to push splinters out and polish the sides a little.

Edit: I should mention that for filing guitar nuts these cheap Chinese things are completely useless. They don’t have any cutting edges! I originally bought them for deepening the grooves around blocks to take the strops but they don’t work for this.

I used to have some real nut files in my guitar playing days but I’ve lost them now. I’ll replace them soon as I think they will be useful in the hobby but I expect to pay more for the real thing.
 
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