Threading ropes through blocks??

[Turiya]

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

 

[RogerD]

Hi, I place a very small amount of CA on the very end of the rope and smooth it in a little by rubbing my fingers. It only takes a tiny amount of the glue spread over a mm or less. Once it dries a little use that glued stiff end to thread through the hole. Once reeved I usually cut the glued end off. You’ll probably find many of us use this method. Hope this helps.

Great job on that build.

 

[maltbyguy]

Hi, I place a very small amount of CA on the very end of the rope and smooth it in a little by rubbing my fingers. It only takes a tiny amount of the glue spread over a mm or less. Once it dries a little use that glued stiff end to thread through the hole. Once reeved I usually cut the glued end off. You’ll probably find many of us use this method. Hope this helps.

Great job on that build.

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

 

[OlivierF]

Needle threaders are also helpful in rigging blocks.

Amazon.com

 

[paul ron]

as recomended above
i paint the tip of my thread with nail polish to make it more durable. also open the holes with a drill bit or awl as you install them, dont wait for later.

btw i think you would appreciate a wonderful tool i discovered made by a very ingenious fellow builder here...

My new rigging tool

I was having much trouble belaying on belaying pins and cleats and I came up with this. It's a piece of a syringe tube soldered on a wire and stuck in a chopstick. I just thread the rope through through the tube and reach the tube back and forth around the cleat or pin. It works better than I...

shipsofscale.com

with this i can get under pins in hard to reach places.

btw nice job

 

[Rob444]

I think the above are all useful. When I thread blocks I make use a small drill to clean the hole in the block. I then use either CA or UV setting cement to stiffen the end of the line I wish to thread in. Also, using fine scissors, I cut the end of the line on a bias then I thread the line in.

 

[serikoff]

Polyester threads can be set on fire and the edge becomes monolithic from the fire. If it is not dangerous for the model, I do it this way. This is if you need to quickly close the thread. If next to the model, then a drop of cyanocrinum. And if for a block, then you need to glue a couple of cm and cut off the hard part at the end so that the tip is like a needle. If it does not fit through, you need to enlarge the hole or choose a thinner thread.

 

[John G]

I use a sewing needle threader. Invaluable accessory for all rigging

 

[AllanKP69]

Needle threaders

I used these for a few models, but found them frustrating as you are trying to pull a folded over rope through a single rope hole. PVA or CA the end and cut to a point as described above. Looking at the drawing you posted, I have to ask.....are the blocks in the kit actually shaped like a box instead of a block?

For a first build, your work looks really good. One big point, as it is very visible, for the future, the battens on the gratings always run fore and aft, not athwartships.
There are a number of posts here at SoS regarding this feature that should be of some help.

Allan

 

[Turiya]

Thanks to everyone … and I also just bought a needle threader, arrived today, having tried the CA route, and the needle threader works so well I’ll stick with that for now

 

[AndyA]

Here's a different style of needle threader. The additional length is handy for some applications.

 

[Pathfinder65]

I’ve used these with great success.



Available on Amazon.


Beadalon collapsible eye needles

Jan

 

[Jeff T]

Hi, I place a very small amount of CA on the very end of the rope and smooth it in a little by rubbing my fingers. It only takes a tiny amount of the glue spread over a mm or less. Once it dries a little use that glued stiff end to thread through the hole. Once reeved I usually cut the glued end off. You’ll probably find many of us use this method. Hope this helps.

Great job on that build.

Using this method but adding a angled cut through the glued area provides a nice point to start through the block.

 

[Roger Pellett]

I keep a bottle of clear nail polish “in stock.” Look for a bottle with Nitrocellulose as a major ingredient and with the brush in the top of the bottle. Among other things, this is useful for stiffening ends of rigging lines. It dries almost instantly, does not add to the bulk of the line, and is easier to use than CA.

Roger

 

[Gjsharpe]

I have raided my wife's needlework box for a small needle and simply threaded the line onto it and passed the needle through the hole in the block. It has worked a treat for me on several models. I even use it for tying ratlines. You might need a needle threader to get the line through the nedle..?..

 

[Spree Three]

Thanks to everyone … and I also just bought a needle threader, arrived today, having tried the CA route, and the needle threader works so well I’ll stick with that for now

View attachment 483667

You can get a “bulk” order of these from Amazon - the metal threading bit does have a propensity to detach from the handle.

 

[Raisealaff]

Provided the block holes are not too tiny, and the thread not too thick, try a needle threader. All sorts of uses for fiddly 'pull-throughs, and dead cheap from ebay.

 

[donStauffer]

Hi, I place a very small amount of CA on the very end of the rope and smooth it in a little by rubbing my fingers. It only takes a tiny amount of the glue spread over a mm or less. Once it dries a little use that glued stiff end to thread through the hole. Once reeved I usually cut the glued end off. You’ll probably find many of us use this method. Hope this helps.

Great job on that build.

After the CA dries, I cut that end diagonally with my X-acto knife to make a sharp point.

 

[Big Jake]

The sewing needler threader is one of my main tools for rigging.

 

[RogerEve]

I used these for a few models, but found them frustrating as you are trying to pull a folded over rope through a single rope hole. PVA or CA the end and cut to a point as described above. Looking at the drawing you posted, I have to ask.....are the blocks in the kit actually shaped like a box instead of a block?

For a first build, your work looks really good. One big point, as it is very visible, for the future, the battens on the gratings always run fore and aft, not athwartships.
There are a number of posts here at SoS regarding this feature that should be of some help.

Allan

I use needle threaders too. I bought a lifetimes supply for next to nothing on Amazon (other market places are available). You can bend them to different angles which is useful for this hard to reach places.