Taitsing Tea Clipper

[Shipbuilder]

Here is the famous tea clipper Taitsing, built to a scale of 32 feet to 1 inch (1:384).    I am very comfortable with this scale as it is neither too big, nor too small.    I built this one quite a few years ago.

Bob

 

Edited December 1, 2015 by Shipbuilder

[BottledJim]

What does the bottle look like? It is a beautiful model.

[Shipbuilder]

It is not in a bottle, but a normal display case.     I do not have the skills  to make them fold down and up again, and never make ships in bottles!     The masts and spars are all metal (brass and copper rod and tube), whilst the rigging is fine copper wire.

Bob

[Gwyl Blaser]

Bob,  another beauty!  You are a master at this scale.  The ratlines and all rigging are exceptional!

 

Gwyl

[JesseLee]

Wow! Beautiful. Never used wire for rigging. Is it harder to use than thread?

Edited December 1, 2015 by JesseLee

[Shipbuilder]

No, it is far easier, no knots or anything like that!    Take a short piece of fine copper wire and pick it up at each end with two small pairs of pliers.    Stretch it slightly, then put it down again on a hard surface such as a piece of scrap acrylic.   It is now perfectly straight, apart from the ends that the pliers gripped.   Measure the length you want with dividers and cut off a straight section with a scalpel.   Pick up in centre with fine tweezers, dip each end in contact adhesive, and place in position on model - easy as that!      It is no good for ships in bottles though, as  if bent, it remains bent, so you can't fold it down and up again.

The rigging is put on in hundreds of short lengths.   Blocks are just blobs of white glue mixed with black water paint.

Bob

[Shipbuilder]

Picking up a piece of straight copper wire with a piece of plasticine on the end of a wood stick.    It can now be grabbed with the fine tweezers and put on the model.

Bob