I’m on the final rigging steps of my Spanish Galleon kit, and I have recently come to realize that, while I love Imai’s molds, the rigging materials and instructions are awful.
The only two kinds of line they supplied are both black, and either super-thick, or slightly less thick.
I’ve been trying to use the thinner of the two, but also some much thinner poly thread for sewing.
Question: How thick are bracing lines, in relation to other rigging on an old ship? I doubt they would be near as thick as shrouds and stays, but would they be nearly as thin as say, ratlines?
I would like to mention that I’m no stickler for authenticity and accuracy, but even I have to draw the line (no pun intended) at the thickness of the kit-supplied thread. In my future endeavors, I may begin planning out the rigging way ahead of time, and start relying on material from elsewhere…
Thanks!
David…post some pics…
Also…I use tan button thread for rigging(It comes prewaxed), and I like the black nylon thread at Michael’s and Jo-Ann’s in their jewelry section. I’ve also used high quality doily thread…it is nice too.
Shop around at goodwill stores for second hand threads. I find deals all the time.
Rob
The rigging seems to vary in size according to the spar it controls- smaller spars/sail, smaller line.
A big problem these days is finding fine thread in multiple sizes. I asked at a local craft store about why so few thread sizes these days. The clerk’s reply is that consumer sewing seems to be a declining hobby these days, so the craft stores carry far fewer threads than they used to. I used to buy my thread at sewing/craft stores because it was cheaper than from hobby sources. Today I have to buy it from hobby suppliers 'cause they are the only game in town. More expensive but they have good selections (of size and type- I miss the wide shades of color the sewing stores used to have, though).
Thanks, guys!
Rob- I’ll post a few pics pretty soon, although I have to say that I’m not so thrilled with how this build is coming out…I’m looking forward to my next ship already!
I guess I look at rigging thread size like this: If it reeves through a block, it can be pretty thin.
Is that a semi-logical way to think?
Well if the block is not to scale…then that means the rigging will not be to scale.
For instance…I;m rigging the Glory in entirely different thread then the CS…I’m using much finer line…because the real ships rigging was much finer then the line we use to represent it.
Don is correct…most sewing stores are limiting their supply…but the diligent looker can find out of stock string/thread in second hand stores and the like if they keep looking. If not…you are stuck with the model supplier. Fly fishing line is very good gor small line as well and it is tough…and usually in correct colors.
Looking forward to pics…
Rob
Fly-tying line has a distinct virtue over many of the sewing & knitting/crochet threads in being much less fuzzy as a rule. Against this virtue we much measure the increased cost and decreased availability.
Another alternative is suture material, which is relatively inexpensive in bulk. With the caveat of that “bulk” in this context can mean 10m spools. Also, while sutures are available in teeny-tiny sized, they are in oddball-for-modeling materials (although the 0000 stainless has use in small-scale biplane rigging).
My bias is towards the fly-tying thread in linen or silk. It’s smooth and pleasant to work with. Additionally, it makes up into larger rope & cable sizes very politely. Once you get your Rube Goldberg ropewalk set up, the end result can (when things go right) make a person wonder why they ever used any of that, well, string, wound on a cart and found loose in the kit box…