Help with ship rigging

Modeling Subjects Ships
1

Hello everybody

I am trying to find out about WW-I, WW-II modern warship rigging and what is the best material to use. I work primarily in 1/350 and some 1/700 although these old eyes have trouble with the smaller scale.

I seem to recall a discussion about a material with good reviews on the forum but now I can’t find any mention of it. I don’t recall the name but I think I was going to order some or had ordered some but can’t find a clue of it under the mess of stuff on my workbench.

Any help or coments would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks

Doc

2

EZ Line, Uni Caenis, Infini Line, stretched sprue.

For me, it’s what I can still see to work with.

3

There is a trade between thread (the regular stranded stuff) and monofilament. The monofilament doesn’t have fuzz, so can look more like wire rope, and can be dyed for the color you want. But it is relatively stiff. So it is hard to tie knots, and to reeve it through blocks and stuff. But, modern ships don’t have that much running rigging anymore, so that is less of a problem. You can also buy the transparent (invisible) nylon monofilament, which looks smaller than it really is. In general, folks tend to use too thick stuff, and too high a contrast. The higher the contrast, the thicker it looks. Avoid stark white and black. Stay in shades of gray. As GMorrison mentioned you can get stuff so thin it is hard to see when you are working with it. I keep a couple of pieces of foamcore to use as backdrops when I am working with the thin stuff: white backdrop for working with dark thread, black backdrop for the light stuff.

4

EZ Line is the one was rembering. I can see it in my minds eye. I remember holding it in my hands but now it’s nowhere to be found. I ordered some more so now it will magically appear.

Thanks for the memory jogger. I gues my eyes aren’t the only thing getting old.

Doc

5

It is amazing what they can do for old eyes these days. The fingers not so much.

6

My [2cnts]. IIRC, EZ Line is flat and you should be watching for that when doing rigging with it. It didn’t show up unless you put more than a little stretch to it. Then the light reflecting off it showed up. I wasn’t worried about that when I used it. Between using it and giving some to club members, it’s all gone now and haven’t gotten around to ordering more.

Hope that this helps.

Jim [cptn]

7

Thanks for the info Jim. I’ve never used this EZ Line so anything helps.

Doc

8

I used it for a while, but it’s shortcomings turned me off to it.

A really big plus is that it knots well, and it’s very stretchy. Good for places like model railroads where you reach into the model a lot.

Negative that finally got me to stop using it- the roll I had fused itself together. Faced with ordering another one, I tried something else.

9

Not sure about ship rigging but I’ve gotten great results from a high E guitar string, especially on 1/48 scale bi planes. It is rigid and looks great and looks good even painted.

10

Jock83,

From one guitarist to another, Right on!

I use my old strings for antena and some rigging. Only problem, my paint seems to not hold well. It scrapes off real easy.

(B string works good too- I use smaller diameter “slinky” strings so the wound G looks useable too for cable or maybe standing rigging.)

Following with great interest.

Nino