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Ship model from hell

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  • Member since
    August 2006
  • From: Sydney, Australia
Ship model from hell
Posted by Robert on Friday, May 19, 2017 12:19 AM

I have been building plastic sailing ships for 52 years, nowhere near the standards of some of the people on this site, but nevertheless reasonable. But my current project, the Revell 1/96 Cutty Sark, is the first time I have met almost complete defeat. The 1/96 Thermopylae, CSS Alabama and USS Kearsarge I have done numerous times for myself and for friends, with complete rigging, and am proud of the results but the CS is a different story. The running rigging isn't difficult: much of it is impossible. That rear cabin, the boat skids and the davits, and the main mast and fore mast backstays make it utterly impossible to get to the belaying pins and wind the lines around them. I've got all the tools needed for the task, long and short tweezers etc, but I'm ready to throw in the towel. Has anyone else had the same difficulty? It's a 1987 reissue of the kit, some parts fitted together very poorly but I managed to remedy much of that, but this running rigging is quite simply not worth the effort and anxiety. Just need to vent my frustration.

  • Member since
    September 2012
Posted by GMorrison on Friday, May 19, 2017 1:23 AM

I've only ever built that model twice.

The second time I ignored any of the supplied pin rails. 

Make new ones that you feel are rock solid to the masts and bulwarks.

 Modeling is an excuse to buy books.

 

  • Member since
    December 2012
Posted by rwiederrich on Friday, May 19, 2017 7:03 AM

I've built that model about 6 times and several other times in modified form.

I used long Dental ceramic tweezers(1ft long) to aid in belaying rigging.

Not sure how much tension you are applying to the pins on the rail...but a good technique is to simply run the line under and over once then apply a drop of glue to hold.  Cut off the rest and then come back and add a small coil of rope over the pin.

Rob

  • Member since
    August 2006
  • From: Sydney, Australia
Posted by Robert on Friday, May 19, 2017 7:44 AM

rwiederrich

I've built that model about 6 times and several other times in modified form.

I used long Dental ceramic tweezers(1ft long) to aid in belaying rigging.

Not sure how much tension you are applying to the pins on the rail...but a good technique is to simply run the line under and over once then apply a drop of glue to hold.  Cut off the rest and then come back and add a small coil of rope over the pin.

Rob

 

The problem is not the strength of the pins, it's getting acces to them. Impossible because of the rear cabin and boats.

  • Member since
    December 2012
Posted by rwiederrich on Friday, May 19, 2017 9:20 AM

Riiight. Thanks for the clarity. Access is tight and some fancy modified tools are required for sure.  I recall it was difficult......but it can be done.  *Honey I shrunk the kids* technology is needed right about now.Wink

I have a thread here on the Cutty I built several years ago...take a peek.

Rob

  • Member since
    December 2012
Posted by rwiederrich on Friday, May 19, 2017 11:41 AM

I dug up a couple images of my attempt.

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Good luck

 

Rob

  • Member since
    November 2005
  • From: Formerly Bryan, now Arlington, Texas
Posted by CapnMac82 on Friday, May 19, 2017 8:36 PM

That kit is one where you need to leave a bunch of stuff off (or assemble but not glue down) before rigging.

It's also a kit to rig "backwards."  In other words, tie off at the belaying pin, then take that aloft to where ever it goes, rather than the other way around.

  • Member since
    August 2006
  • From: Sydney, Australia
Posted by Robert on Saturday, May 20, 2017 3:56 AM

Those are two very good bits of advice, I thought of the backwards rigging too late in the peace though...Just wish Revell would advise the modeller about that. 

  • Member since
    August 2006
  • From: Sydney, Australia
Posted by Robert on Saturday, May 20, 2017 3:57 AM

Thanks for the shots, your work is magnificent, far beyond anything I could achieve. In fact I suspect I'm still in modelling kindergarten.

  • Member since
    December 2010
  • From: Salem, Oregon
Posted by 1943Mike on Saturday, May 20, 2017 9:28 PM

Robert,

A few years ago, when I was building the CS (1/96) for the first time, I was lucky enough to have Rob give me advise and help me out along with other generous, skilled modelers on FineScale. Rob was building one of his Cutty Sarks at that time and it was both instructive and humbling to watch his prowess in this hobby.

Don't feel bad!! I do not have anywhere near the talent that many who post on this site possess but I was determined to finish the kit anyway - it had been a dream of mine since I was a very young man to have such a completed model in a place I would one day call my home. With your experience and with the skills you've acquired from many, many years of building models I have no doubt, with a short break to think about it, that you'll proceed to your satisfaction.

Although my model turned out well enough for me to keep, it's certainly not a prize winner, or even a very good example of what can be done with that kit. It gave me pleasure building it and scratched an itch I'd had for over 50 years so I'm happy with it as I'm sure you'll be when you complete yours.

 

Mike

"Le temps est un grand maître, mais malheureusement, il tue tous ses élèves."

Hector Berlioz

  • Member since
    August 2006
  • From: Sydney, Australia
Posted by Robert on Monday, May 22, 2017 6:01 AM

1943Mike

Robert,

A few years ago, when I was building the CS (1/96) for the first time, I was lucky enough to have Rob give me advise and help me out along with other generous, skilled modelers on FineScale. Rob was building one of his Cutty Sarks at that time and it was both instructive and humbling to watch his prowess in this hobby.

Don't feel bad!! I do not have anywhere near the talent that many who post on this site possess but I was determined to finish the kit anyway - it had been a dream of mine since I was a very young man to have such a completed model in a place I would one day call my home. With your experience and with the skills you've acquired from many, many years of building models I have no doubt, with a short break to think about it, that you'll proceed to your satisfaction.

Although my model turned out well enough for me to keep, it's certainly not a prize winner, or even a very good example of what can be done with that kit. It gave me pleasure building it and scratched an itch I'd had for over 50 years so I'm happy with it as I'm sure you'll be when you complete yours.

 

 

1943Mike

Robert,

A few years ago, when I was building the CS (1/96) for the first time, I was lucky enough to have Rob give me advise and help me out along with other generous, skilled modelers on FineScale. Rob was building one of his Cutty Sarks at that time and it was both instructive and humbling to watch his prowess in this hobby.

Don't feel bad!! I do not have anywhere near the talent that many who post on this site possess but I was determined to finish the kit anyway - it had been a dream of mine since I was a very young man to have such a completed model in a place I would one day call my home. With your experience and with the skills you've acquired from many, many years of building models I have no doubt, with a short break to think about it, that you'll proceed to your satisfaction.

Although my model turned out well enough for me to keep, it's certainly not a prize winner, or even a very good example of what can be done with that kit. It gave me pleasure building it and scratched an itch I'd had for over 50 years so I'm happy with it as I'm sure you'll be when you complete yours.

 a 

1943Mike

Robert,

A few years ago, when I was building the CS (1/96) for the first time, I was lucky enough to have Rob give me advise and help me out along with other generous, skilled modelers on FineScale. Rob was building one of his Cutty Sarks at that time and it was both instructive and humbling to watch his prowess in this hobby.

Don't feel bad!! I do not have anywhere near the talent that many who post on this site possess but I was determined to finish the kit anyway - it had been a dream of mine since I was a very young man to have such a completed model in a place I would one day call my home. With your experience and with the skills you've acquired from many, many years of building models I have no doubt, with a short break to think about it, that you'll proceed to your satisfaction.

Although my model turned out well enough for me to keep, it's certainly not a prize winner, or even a very good example of what can be done with that kit. It gave me pleasure building it and scratched an itch I'd had for over 50 years so I'm happy with it as I'm sure you'll be when you complete yours.

 

 

A beautiful effort Mike, thanks for the photo. I left off all the downhauls and clew lines and now, looking at your model, wish I hadn't.

 

  • Member since
    February 2003
  • From: Lacombe, LA.
Posted by Big Jake on Monday, May 22, 2017 9:58 AM

 

 

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