Things have been a little slow this week as I have had a bad head cold (and no, I will not make any sneezing/rigging jokes), but I have managed to make progress with the rigging.
Profile of Model
For the standing rigging, I am using three thicknesses of threads: 0.25mm, 0.5mm, and 0.8mm. One thing I have noticed with other display models of the same type is that the rigging can ruin the model’s overall effect if it is too heavy. The thread I am using is specifically designed for this type of work, and once a coating of bee’s wax is applied (the bee’s wax smooths down the thread to prevent it looking ‘hairy’), it looks perfect for the job. I have selected black thread for the running rigging as all rigging on the original would have been tarred to prevent rotting.
So far the effect on the model looks great, but the standing rigging is only 70% of the overall look. I hope to finish the standing rigging this week, then on to the running rigging, which will, I think, be double the challenge!
Contributed by model-maker Mike Bass.