Started Academy's 1/150 Cutty Sark

Well, the phrase "needle through the shroud" is almost self-explanatory. 

Rig the shrouds, and be sure they're set up as tight as you can make them.  Then make yourself a simple template for the ratlines:  a piece of file card that fits behind a gang of shrouds, between the rail and the top.  Draw a series of parallel lines on it, separated by the spacing of the ratlines.  (That figured varied, but was generally about a foot - say 3/32" on the scale of the model.)  Fit the template inside the shrouds.

Now charge up the smallest, sharpest needle you can find with the thinnest black thread you can find.  If you're right-handed, you'll find it easiest to start with the right-hand shroud.  Shove the needle through it, from right to left.  Then shove it through the next shroud, using the line on the template to keep the ratline horizontal.  Keep going till you've put the needle and thread through all the shrouds in the gang.  Then you have two options:  either go directly to the next ratline up (going from left to right this time) or snip off the thread (leaving 1/2" or so to be safe) and start the next ratline from the right side. 

When you've rigged all the ratlines in the gang, give the whole thing a careful look with a pair of fresh eyes.  If the process has made any of the shrouds curve inward, or if any of the ratlines is sagging too much, make the necessary adjustments with a pair of tweezers.  Then, using the tip of a toothpick or something similar, put a tiny drop of white glue on the inboard side of the first and last shrouds where each ratline intersects them.  (Don't put glue on the other intersections.)  When the glue is dry (really dry), snip off the extra thread with either a razor blade or a pair of small, sharp scissors.

It's not as realistic as the "clove hitch" method, of course, but if neatly done it can be quite satisfactory.  And it sure beats those injection-molded plastic attrocities.

Hope that helps.  Good luck.

I honestly had no idea what Jake was talking about re: heller method...

Sorry, Jake...

I figured that hand - tying required a jig of some sort, I.E. Loom-A-Line, now I know what y'all are talking about...

JTilley, I'm intrigued by the "needle thru the shroud" concept - can't find the (forum)threads.

How to rig a ship model is, of course, entirely up to the individual modeler.  I would point out, though, that rigging line is one of the cheapest components of the model.  Three or four sizes of each color (black and natural) won't cost significantly more than two sizes - and, obviously, the number of sizes won't have any effect whatever on the amount of time it takes.

Regarding ratlines, I have three alternatives to suggest.  (I'm not a fan of the Heller/Airfix "loom," but if that's the route you want to go - for heaven's sake don't let me talk you out of it.) 

First let's get some basic vocabulary out of the way.  We're actually talking about two pieces of rigging.  The shrouds are the near vertical lines that support the masts (and play a key role in transferring the energy of the wind in the sails to the hull, thereby pulling the ship through the water).  The ratlines are much thinner pieces of rope that run horizontally across the shrouds; the sole purpose of the ratlines is to provide a "ladder" for the men climbing aloft.  In reality, each ratline has an eyesplice worked into each end of it; the eyesplices are lashed to the foremost and aftermost shroud.  The ratline itself is tied to each intervening shroud with a very simple knot called the clove hitch.

Aesthetically, it's important that the ratlines be a lot smaller in diameter than the shrouds.  (That's one of several reasons why the plastic, or plastic-coated-thread, shroud/ratline assemblies in kits invariably look so hokey.)

There are two traditional ways to rig ratlines on a model.  The first is the one Jake suggested:  tie the ratlines by hand to the shrouds.  (I don't think anybody would seriously suggest actually working eyesplices into the ends, but a good compromise is to use a reef knot - aka square knot - on each end and clove hitches on the others. 

The last model on which I rigged ratlines by hand was my little model of the frigate Hancock , on 3/32"=1' scale.  (That's 1/128 - slightly larger than the Academy Cutty Sark.)  I made the shrouds of silk thread, spun up on a primitive "rope-making machine," and the ratlines of nickel-chromium wire.  I'm pretty satisfied with the results (   http://www.hmsvictoryscalemodels.be/JohnTilleyHancock/index.html ).  In all honesty, though, built that model almost thirty years ago and I'm not at all sure my current set of 59-year-old fingers and eyeballs would be up to the task now.  (Admittedly the Hancock  had a lot more shrouds and ratlines than the Cutty Sark, but when I look at that old model now I have to admit I have trouble focusing on those clove hitches.)  If you want to try it by all means do so - but if you find it's a bit much, for heaven's sake don't feel bad about it.

Method #2 is the old "needle-through-the-shroud" system.  It's been described several times here in the Forum, and can produce a good, neat-looking result.  (And only those observers with excellent short-range eyesight will be able to tell the difference.)

The third method I want to recommend for consideration is one that a lot of modelers reject out of hand - and I don't think they should.  That method is to rig the shrouds to scale (or nearly so) and leave the ratlines off.  One of the golden rules is to omit stuff that's too small to be replicated to scale.  Many excellent, knowledgeable modelers working on small scales have taken that approach, and the truth is that a model without ratlines is capable of being made to look really good.  To my eye, a model with no ratlines that's otherwise built carefully to scale looks far better than one with overly-heavy ratlines spaced too far apart.

But it's all up to the individual modeler.

Hope that helps a little.  Good luck.   

Big Jake

I know this sounds impossible, but if you take your time you can put up a nice set of hand tied shrouds and ratlines.  Remember it's only one line at at time and only one knot at a time.  It normally takes me about a week to rig of a complete set for the Revell 1/96th. version.  I'll never go back to anything else.  In your case since the scale is smaller why noy try the Heller rig.  (Any port in a storm?)

Jake Groby

Thanks, Jake,

I've been thinking about just that. I'll investigate hand-tying before I settle on the plastic...I'll be bugging you too...

jtilley

To my knowledge there is no manufacturer of photo-etched metal parts for sailing ship models.  I sent Loren Perry, of Gold Metal Models, a suggestion to that effect once; his answer (which was phrased quite civilly) was that he (a) wasn't sufficiently familiar with the subject matter to do it right, and (b) was so busy with his modern warship and railroad product lines that he didn't have the time to branch out further.  (What he didn't say, but, I suspect, was thinking, was that the market just isn't out there.  The plastic sailing ship model community is so small....)

I think there is in fact a good deal of potential there - considering not only plastic modelers but scratchbuilders.  All sorts of sailing ship parts would lend themselves to photo-etching.  (Bluejacket, Model Shipways, and a couple of the better European wood kit manufacturers include photo-etched sheets in some of their kits - but don't sell the parts separately.)

You're right about the colors of rigging line.  In the case of the Cutty Sark, the standing rigging should be black and the running rigging a dull brown - the natural color of rope.  (The subject is actually more complicated than that, but for a first sailing ship model on such a small scale, I imagine that will do it.)

Also, the rigging of a real sailing ship includes a big variety of sizes of rope.  Incorporating that fact into a model is one of the easiest ways to make the model rise above the ordinary.  (Two Golden Rules of ship modeling:  1 - When in doubt as to size, err on the small side.  2 - When in doubt as to color, err on the dark side.)

Every time the subject of Cutty Sark  models comes up in this Forum I seize the opportunity to recommend the set of plans drawn by George Campbell.  They contain just about every piece of information a modeler could conceivably want to know about the ship (from the diameters of the rigging lines to the pattern of the linoleum on the deck of the galley).  They're available through the ship's gift shop:  http://www.cuttysark.org.uk/index.cfm?fa=contentShop.productDetails&productId=14853&startrow=1&directoryId=345 .  The price works out to about $20.00 - including shipping.  And your money goes to support the current restoration project.  One of the greatest bargains in ship modeling.

Hope all that helps.  Good luck.

Thank you, JTilley,

I have read with much enthusiasm all((most) of your posts. I've been wanting to build a sailing ship for a while.

For my first rigging job, I thought I'd keep it simple; 2 colours of line, 1 size. Different sizes of line would probably be lost in a model of this scale...?

I'm planning on ordering just those plans next payday... I've found a link to the C.S. and am basing my paint scheme on the photos...

I've found that indeed, tall ships are relatively scarce these days. It's a shame that P/E isn't available, as I have yet to see a decent set of plastic ratlines.

I came back to the hobby after a number of years away, and am looking very forward to this build...You will probably see more posts/? from me, please be gentle.

I know this sounds impossible, but if you take your time you can put up a nice set of hand tied shrouds and ratlines.  Remember it's only one line at at time and only one knot at a time.  It normally takes me about a week to rig of a complete set for the Revell 1/96th. version.  I'll never go back to anything else.  In your case since the scale is smaller why noy try the Heller rig.  (Any port in a storm?)

Jake Groby

To my knowledge there is no manufacturer of photo-etched metal parts for sailing ship models.  I sent Loren Perry, of Gold Metal Models, a suggestion to that effect once; his answer (which was phrased quite civilly) was that he (a) wasn't sufficiently familiar with the subject matter to do it right, and (b) was so busy with his modern warship and railroad product lines that he didn't have the time to branch out further.  (What he didn't say, but, I suspect, was thinking, was that the market just isn't out there.  The plastic sailing ship model community is so small....)

I think there is in fact a good deal of potential there - considering not only plastic modelers but scratchbuilders.  All sorts of sailing ship parts would lend themselves to photo-etching.  (Bluejacket, Model Shipways, and a couple of the better European wood kit manufacturers include photo-etched sheets in some of their kits - but don't sell the parts separately.)

You're right about the colors of rigging line.  In the case of the Cutty Sark, the standing rigging should be black and the running rigging a dull brown - the natural color of rope.  (The subject is actually more complicated than that, but for a first sailing ship model on such a small scale, I imagine that will do it.)

Also, the rigging of a real sailing ship includes a big variety of sizes of rope.  Incorporating that fact into a model is one of the easiest ways to make the model rise above the ordinary.  (Two Golden Rules of ship modeling:  1 - When in doubt as to size, err on the small side.  2 - When in doubt as to color, err on the dark side.)

Every time the subject of Cutty Sark  models comes up in this Forum I seize the opportunity to recommend the set of plans drawn by George Campbell.  They contain just about every piece of information a modeler could conceivably want to know about the ship (from the diameters of the rigging lines to the pattern of the linoleum on the deck of the galley).  They're available through the ship's gift shop:  http://www.cuttysark.org.uk/index.cfm?fa=contentShop.productDetails&productId=14853&startrow=1&directoryId=345 .  The price works out to about $20.00 - including shipping.  And your money goes to support the current restoration project.  One of the greatest bargains in ship modeling.

Hope all that helps.  Good luck.