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USS Constitution - Model Shipways

Jack, I didn't drill into the response from "Super Grok" (my A/I agent), but here's his response to my question on where to purchase "fins hemp thread". I hope Grok's not hallucinating...



Yes — there is genuine fine hemp thread out there. Most model-shop “hemp” line is actually linen, cotton, or nylon dyed to look the part. Real hemp is available, just not always from the usual kit suppliers.

Best sources for actual hemp
Schooner Chandlery (US)
They sell Hemp Seaming Twine — a very fine twisted twine made from high-quality long-fiber hemp. The product page specifically lists model ship rigging as a use. It’s also available tarred with real Stockholm tar.
Same product appears as Langman Hemp Seaming Twine at R&W Rope.

TOPLICHT (Germany)
They carry Natural hemp yarn — untarred, 3-strand spun twine from polished hemp, described as suitable for decorative work and model-building. They also have thin 3-strand laid hemp line in long-hemp quality.

Weaving suppliers (finest option)
Lunatic Fringe Yarns Fine Lyte Hemp (also sold by Tisse et File and others) is 100% hemp, 2-ply, similar in size to 16/2 cotton. It’s strong, available in natural and dyed colors, and fine enough to use as-is or to make your own scale rope on a ropewalk.

Convenient model-shop alternatives (hemp-colored, very fine)These are the easiest to get in the diameters modelers actually use:
  • Cornwall Model Boats (UK) — Mantua and Amati hemp-colored threads starting at 0.10 mm (Amati) and 0.25 mm.
  • Shipwright Shop — Caldercraft 0.10 mm natural hemp thread.
  • GM Ship Modelling and similar European shops — Mantua light hemp thread in 0.25 mm and up.
Quick note for your friend:
If he wants true hemp rather than look-alike thread, start with Schooner Chandlery or TOPLICHT. If he just needs the right color and diameter for rigging, the Amati/Mantua/Caldercraft lines from the model shops above are what most builders on Ships of Scale actually use.

Good luck.
 
I decided to add another control variable on the planetary ropewalk called rope tension. So now i have head rpm, feedrate, strand tension and rope tension.
The idea is to leave head rpm alone, set rope tension and to use the feerate to maintain constant lay. I have purchased a loadcell and display that I will use to measure the tension so that I can keep it constant. Should be interesting to see if I can dial in this machine and record recipes for different sizes of rope and lay. All this sounds great on paper. I hope I can deliver. If not I'll be awefully disappointed.


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Well here is a sample of a z twist rope that I generated with this setup. The rope was pulsing on diameter and I tightened the tension on the rope and that seems to have stabilized it. I also adjusted the feedrate so that the lay is less tight for a head % of 30. I do have some control of the lay, which is great. I haven't set myself any targets for rope diameter and lay length, but that will be my next step. At this stage I just wanted to see if I could get something that looks like a rope.
What do you think?

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