10-08-2014, 12:43 PM
Green_Elite_Cab Wrote:I tried looking for tiny pulleys in model ship websites, but I had no luck.If you haven't found anything yet, try http://www.bluejacketinc.com/, and go to "Fittings".
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In this photo of the Schooner, the pulleys ( "Blocks" as in "block and tackle" )at the top of the head sails, are about 1/16' to 3/32", and are built up using some stripwood, and sheaves cut from .040" styrene rod. The sheave is drilled for an axle, and the sides of the block are also drilled the same size. I used "The Chopper" to cut the sheaves from the rod stock, and then used tiny peices of stripwood, the same thickness as the sheave for the top and bottom spacers. The finished block is "stropped" with a single strand of picture hanging wire, having an eye in one end, and the other end being formed into a hook.
In the case of these blocks, the lines run through them don't move, so the entire block can be glued and stropped, and the rigging lines can be pulled through the area at the "top" of the sheave. ( I ran out of commercially made blocks, and had to "get creative" to finish the schooner model ) I just may use this same method for single, double, and treble blocks in the future. The idea of starting with "sheave blanks" ( the "Chopper" allows a consistent thickness of the styrene rod slices, and they determine the rest of the block's size to be fairly consistently reproduced ) helps to set the sizes of all the other pieces used to construct the block.
after a couple of disasters, the process became easier to do, and made much better looking blocks, than the commercially available ones. I haven't tried..... YET ...... to build "working" blocks with this method
I have to lose a bit more sanity before I try that.
We always learn far more from our own mistakes, than we will ever learn from another's advice.
The greatest place to live life, is on the sharp leading edge of a learning curve.
Lead me not into temptation.....I can find it myself!
The greatest place to live life, is on the sharp leading edge of a learning curve.
Lead me not into temptation.....I can find it myself!

