HMS Bounty

[Doug Rogers]

Oh God! Now I've done it! Walked past a shop in town this morning, and they had this in the window

Reduced from £26 to £13, so I couldn't resist.

Looks quite neat in the box actually, I've always steered clear of these Airfix sailing ships as I was expecting something atrocious. Oh well, should make for an interesting project.

[Noel Smith]

There is a good Conway book about the Bounty, one of their Anatomy of the Ship series.

[perry]

Built one of these about 20 years ago Doug, the fit was good, went together luke a dream and when fully rigged, really looked the part. I remember when I rigged mine, I cut little round discs from the sprues to make block and tackle for the rigging, took me ages to do but was well worth it.

[Darby]

I started one years ago and gave up. Used waxed fly tying threads and silks for the rigging as they look a lot better than cotton and not so 'fluffy.'

[Doug Rogers]

There is a good Conway book about the Bounty, one of their Anatomy of the Ship series.

Thanks for that Noel, that book looks great.

[Doug Rogers]

Built one of these about 20 years ago Doug, the fit was good, went together luke a dream and when fully rigged, really looked the part. I remember when I rigged mine, I cut little round discs from the sprues to make block and tackle for the rigging, took me ages to do but was well worth it.

Make you right with the block and tackles Perry, I don't think OOB will really cut it with one of these. Have to make it a long term project when I start it.

[Doug Rogers]

I started one years ago and gave up. Used waxed fly tying threads and silks for the rigging as they look a lot better than cotton and not so 'fluffy.'

I was thinking of using cotton, to try and keep the rope feel to the rigging. Heard you can dip it in something to make it less 'fluffy', maybe the ubiquitous Johnsons Klear.

[Noel Smith]

I was thinking of using cotton, to try and keep the rope feel to the rigging. Heard you can dip it in something to make it less 'fluffy', maybe the ubiquitous Johnsons Klear.

I am in the process of getting ready to build either the Airfix or Revell Vasa, and was looking at how to do the rigging. In amongst my reference material I read in Lloyd McCaffery's book about ship modelling that he uses single stranded wire and makes scale rope from it. He uses a machine tool but I copied the method to be able to do it inexpensively.

The method is basically to place a hand drill horizontally in a vice with the turning handle upwards and the chuck horizontal. Depending on whether you want 'rope' made from 2 or 3 strands or more, cut some wire about 2 or 3 feet long ( 1/2 to 3/4 of a metre). Place the ends of the strands in the chuck and tighten it up. Ensure that the strands are separated. Wrap the opposite ends of the strands around a pencil and hold out so the wire is under light tension.

Wind the handle either to the right or left depending how you want the rope wound. Keep up the light tension whilst winding the wires together. It is dead easy to do, and after making some the advantages over thread will become obvious. It will be easier to paint before using on a model, by drawing the wound strands through a loaded paint brush. I used beading wire available from haberdashery and craft outlets. Copper wire is just as valid.

[Madam I'm Adam]

Lycra thread?

Those ww1 biplane riggers are quite keen on it.

Adam

[Doug Rogers]

I think the problem with Lycra in this application is that you don't want to have to stretch it as the ropes need to have a 'weight' to them.

[Madam I'm Adam]

Ahha...good point

Getting realistic droop is quite challenging

!

[GEEBEE Z]

I've built quite a few rigged ships in me time,and wht I do to achieve "droop",is to rig said line,then,with a paintbrush,lightly soak the line in a watery PVA mix.This has the benefit of holding the water into the thread,and,once dry is quite stiff,so the droop remains in place.

[Doug Rogers]

I've built quite a few rigged ships in me time,and wht I do to achieve "droop",is to rig said line,then,with a paintbrush,lightly soak the line in a watery PVA mix.This has the benefit of holding the water into the thread,and,once dry is quite stiff,so the droop remains in place.

Sounds like a great technique, I may well try that.

[GEEBEE Z]

Ahha...good point

Getting realistic droop is quite challenging

!

Not after 10 pints mate.....................................

[lars_opland]

I am in the process of getting ready to build either the Airfix or Revell Vasa, and was looking at how to do the rigging. In amongst my reference material I read in Lloyd McCaffery's book about ship modelling that he uses single stranded wire and makes scale rope from it. He uses a machine tool but I copied the method to be able to do it inexpensively.

The method is basically to place a hand drill horizontally in a vice with the turning handle upwards and the chuck horizontal. Depending on whether you want 'rope' made from 2 or 3 strands or more, cut some wire about 2 or 3 feet long ( 1/2 to 3/4 of a metre). Place the ends of the strands in the chuck and tighten it up. Ensure that the strands are separated. Wrap the opposite ends of the strands around a pencil and hold out so the wire is under light tension.

Wind the handle either to the right or left depending how you want the rope wound. Keep up the light tension whilst winding the wires together. It is dead easy to do, and after making some the advantages over thread will become obvious. It will be easier to paint before using on a model, by drawing the wound strands through a loaded paint brush. I used beading wire available from haberdashery and craft outlets. Copper wire is just as valid.

Hi Noel,

I've made a lot of twisted wire trim for jewelery fabrication. If you're going to use this method, I recommend holding one end of your wire bundle with heavy-duty pliers, or securing it around a screwdriver; anything stronger than a pencil. For model ship rigging, I just shop through the sewing thread displays for the least fuzzy stuff, up to & including carpet & upholstery thread, & even heavier cord from craft & hardware stores. I still use some wire to represent lines that should droop, like footropes, weather jib sheets & such.

-Lars

P.S. The Airfix Bounty kit looks very salty in the box, & among the built-ups that I've seen, though I haven't built one yet. The 2 Airfix Classic Sailing Ship kits I have built as an adult (HMS Endeavour & Revenge) are very fine & serious replicas for plastic kits of their kind.

Edited September 7, 2013 by lars_opland