Making Chain Plates?

Modeling Subjects Ships
1

So, for my upcoming project (Imai Golden Hind 1/70) I’m going to try a few new things, including using all wooden deadeyes…and that means I’ll need sturdy chainplates…I’ve got a couple of books that sort of gloss over the topic, but does anyone have a good technique for making them from scratch? Or a good source for buying them? Or a good reference point so I can learn?

What about wire?

Thanks!

David

2

at that scale you could use wire to make the chain plates. From the brief pictures I looked at online, the chain plates were a solid iron bar with an eyelet at the ends to attach to the hull and dead eyes. Wire would also be used for the dead-eye strop rings.

3

In general I make that kind of thing out of the soft tin or aluminum “capsule” from a bottle of wine.

Recent project my Nemo in “figure” all of his gear straps webbing etc.

As for Elizabethan era I have no idea but you’ve kindled my interest.

4

David,

Here are some links that might (or might not) be of interest:

http://modelshipworld.com/index.php?/topic/487-chain-plates/

http://www.castyouranchorhobby.com/index.php?sid=4cdznd8o92cmb911sm570tjf700779f1&app=ecom&ns=prodsearchp&ecom--prodsearch--string=chainplate

http://www.model-dockyard.com/acatalog/Amati_Deadeyes.html

http://www.bluejacketinc.com/fittings/fittings5.htm

Mike

5

Geez, Mike…some of those fittings are very cool…miniature versions of the real thing! But for 5-8 bucks each, I don’t know if it’s in my budget…

I saw a video on YouTube from a guy show makes them out of annealed black wire from ME…might give that a try?

Thanks!

6

There were several styles of chain plates used through the years. Some can be duplicated with wire, some would be a real bear to make from wire, so it depends on the style used on that ship.

7

Yeah, it looks like in those times, they were literally made from chain, connected by steel eyes/strops…not sure yet if I’m going to use chain or not…depends on a few things (mostly my level of ambition!)…I’ll stop by the craft store soon and see what I can find…

8

David,

I figured the first link (ModelShipWorld) would have been of most use to you. The guy made his own chainplates from wire. You could always use Blacken It (Muratic/Hydrochloric acid?) to change the color.

Mike

9

That guy did a great job with the scratchbuilt chainplates!

Hey is that all Blacken-it is, HCL? Does it work for brass, steel, etc.?

10

Dave,

I may be wrong about Blacken-it being HCL. I read somewhere about a blackening agent being composed of HCl but, since I just did a cursory check, Blacken-it may be made from this stuff:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Selenous_acid

As to how other metals react to it, I just don’t know. Time for some internet reasearch [:D].

Mike