The rope-O-Matic

This guide enables u to make a tool to wax rope before using it for the rigging.
It coats the rigging line, thus protecting it and keeping down the "Fuzzes" and "Fizzes".

Now, let's build a tool wich does exactly this. The plan is to extend a glass container with a construction which can hold rope and guide it through the wax in the container. The whole assembly can be placed in a bigger glass container which can be filled with boiling water to melt the wax.

Tools and materials
The following tools and materials are used :
- Some wood 0.5MM2.5mm
- One glass container with a plastic cover
- Metal rod, d = 2mm
- Nails
- White glue
- Super glue
- Handsaw
- Drill or Mill
- Metal saw

Cost ~$4,-

I brought a glass container one at the local paint shop normally used to mix paints.

Encasing the plastic cover
Now unscrew the cover from the glass container and measure the diameter of the cover. Saw some wood and build a rectangle in wich the plastic cover can be placed. After the rectangle is completed, measure the width of the rope container, and add spacers to the rectangle (see pictures).

On this picture u can see the glass container, the cover and the wood frame that encases the plastic cover. U can also see that the spacers are added.
http://members.chello.nl/n.franke/RopeOMatic/P1.JPG

Making the metal rods
Next, cut four lengths of the metal rod. These are used to hold the rope containers. The four rods can hold four rope containers, so u can draw four types of rope from this tool.

On this picture u see the metal rods cut.
http://members.chello.nl/n.franke/RopeOMatic/P2.JPG

Making the frame
Now cut two pieces of wood, these pieces will be used to make the frame wich holds the four rope containers. U can use a drill to make four holes in the frame. The distance between the holes must be such that the rope containers can be easily inserted on top of each other and there's enough space inbetween.

On this picture u see the frame is being drilled.
http://members.chello.nl/n.franke/RopeOMatic/P3.JPG

Next attach the drilled frames to the rectangle using white glue and nails. The rope container should fit nicely between the frames. Inserting the metal rod through the holes should hold the rope container in place.

On this picture u can see the frame being attached.
http://members.chello.nl/n.franke/RopeOMatic/P4.JPG

After attaching the frames add one plank on top, as shown in this picture.
http://members.chello.nl/n.franke/RopeOMatic/P5.JPG

Completing the frame
Now the handles are made, these handles will be attached to the metal rods. These rods hold the rope containers in the frame. To switch from rope the rods must be taken out of the frame in order to release the rope container. By attaching handles to the metal rods the insertion and removal can be done more easily.

On this picture u can see the wood handles.
http://members.chello.nl/n.franke/RopeOMatic/P6.JPG

To insert the metal rod, a hole must be drilled through the wood handle. Use a drill or mill to create the hole.

On this picture u can see one handle been drilled.
http://members.chello.nl/n.franke/RopeOMatic/P7.JPG

To run the rope into the glass container, some holes must be drilled into the plastic cover. Add some wood on the frame, covering the plastic cover. then drill some holes, one hole for entering the wax and another for exiting the wax. Also the plastic cover is glued into the frame using super glue.

On this picture u can see the frame with the rope containers in place.
http://members.chello.nl/n.franke/RopeOMatic/P8.JPG

Building the feeder
Now two planks are added for guiding the rope in and out the feeder. Four holes are drilled and both planks, then glued to create the feeder.

Here is a picture showing the entry and exit sections.
http://members.chello.nl/n.franke/RopeOMatic/P9.JPG

Two guide the rope through the wax some metal hooks are created and placed in the plastic container cover. The rope now runs from the feeder, through the hooks to the bottom of the container and back into the feeder again.

Here is a picture of showing the eight metal hooks.
http://members.chello.nl/n.franke/RopeOMatic/P10.JPG

Here a picture showing the metal hooks installed on the plastic container cover.
http://members.chello.nl/n.franke/RopeOMatic/P11.JPG

Each rope as his own drive way through the feeder and the container. Attach the metal hooks in the pre drilled holes using super glue.

Creating the outer container
For creating the outer container i used a slightly larger plastic container wich is available at each super marker. Measure the diameter of the inner container and draw a circle on the cover of the outer container.

Here is a picture of the outer container cover. The middle circular section is cut out, so that the inner container fits into the hole.
http://members.chello.nl/n.franke/RopeOMatic/P12.JPG

Taking out the inner section.
http://members.chello.nl/n.franke/RopeOMatic/P13.JPG

Now attach the cover to the frame. Make sure the inner container can still be screwed on the frame.

Here is a picture of how is should look.
http://members.chello.nl/n.franke/RopeOMatic/P14.JPG

Finishing the feeder
Now close the feeder by adding a roof and sides. Make sure the roof can be removed. Also add a draw post.

Here is a picture of the finished feeder and the draw post.
http://members.chello.nl/n.franke/RopeOMatic/P16.JPG

Installing the Rope-O-Matic
Now the tool is finished, run the ropes through the feeder. After that put some cloth in the feeder to wipe the rope as is comes out the feeder. Put the beewax in the inner container and screw it too the frame.

Here is a picture of the tool ready for use.
http://members.chello.nl/n.franke/RopeOMatic/P17.JPG

Now boil some water and put it in the outer container. Caution : the water is hot so don't touch the puter container by hand. Screw the frame with the inner container attached to the outer container and wait for the wax to melt.

Here is a picture of the melting wax.
http://members.chello.nl/n.franke/RopeOMatic/P18.JPG

After the wax is melted the rope can be slowly drawn from the container. The wax is boiled into the rope as it passed trough the feeder into the wax filled container.
The cloth takes of any excess wax.

Here u can see the rope as it comes out the feeder. The rope is saturated with wax and completly stiff as can be seen on the picture. The rope is a little white because not all of the wax is melted yet, but i had no time to wait ;-).

Two pictures showing the Rope-O-Matic in action.
http://members.chello.nl/n.franke/RopeOMatic/P19.JPG
http://members.chello.nl/n.franke/RopeOMatic/P20.JPG

Conclusion
The tool performed better than expected. It will be a usefull addition to my tool inventory. I hope u enjoyed the workshop, maybe it gives u some usefull idea's.

With regards,

nfranke

For those members who may have trouble with the links for [RG] C++'s images,
here are the photos posted here: [RG] C++ Rope-o-Matic Photos (http://shipmodeling.net/photopost/showgallery.php/cat/513)
You can add the images to your "Favorite Photos" folder and then Download in a zip file to your computer.
Or go here (Rope-O-Matic (http://shipmodeling.net/forum/shop_notes/RG/rope_o_matic.htm)) from the "Shop Notes" page. :realcool:

Very nice! [RG] C++

Was wondering, instead of using boiling water could you use dissolved beeswax in minerial spirits or terpenoid? Wipe the excess off and then the solvents quickly evaporate leaving the wax much deeper in the rope. What do you think? :?:

Dave

Very nice! [RG] C++

Was wondering, instead of using boiling water could you use dissolved beeswax in minerial spirits or terpenoid? Wipe the excess off and then the solvents quickly evaporate leaving the wax much deeper in the rope. What do you think? :?:

Dave
Interesting! Why don't you try a little experiment and see how it works? :yes:

Thanks for the comments. Using spirits to desolve the beewax, i don't know that trick. Its worth a try, i'll try to incorporate both methods in the tool.

Ok, the tool is finished. I incorporated a closed feeder. So also terpetine can be used to dissolve the wax.

See first posted message.

Enjoy ;-)

Milton Roth in "Ship Modeling from Stem to Stern" suggested using Turpentine or benzine (pg239) to dissolve the wax. (P U)

I tried Turpenoid with good results but it takes a allot longer. It could be hastened if you grated the wax on an old cheese grater to make small flakes. But after it was disolved into a thin slurry it works great. Just wipe off the excess and your ready to go.

Dave

I still haven't tried to dissolve the wax using turpentine. The gadged on page 239 of the book 'Ship modeling from stem to stern' doesn't work properly because the rope just run off the runners. Also when the tool is not used, all the turpentine will evaporate over time. I build in the livingroom and don't want the smell of bezine all the time.

I know my version is a little elaborate but its sturdy, holds four types of rope in the magazine and is easy to use. It took me about 4 hours to build.

I was walking through a Pat Catan's craft store and happened upon a hot plate a little larger than a coffee cup warmer designed specifically for melting wax. It's for people who don't want an open flame but still want the aroma of a candle. It has a special surface made to let spilled and cooled wax to easily wipe off. I tried it on the beeswax in a small metal dish and it worked perfectly!

Your whole assembly could sit right on top of the hot plate. :realcool:

Dave

Craft stores also sell candle maker melting pots.
See: Using Beeswax (http://shipmodeling.net/forum/shop_notes/yukyo/using_beeswax.html) by yukyo.
They normally use paraffin, but will melt beeswax quite nicely. They have an adjustable thermostat and can be left on for long periods.

Well, i have been using the Rope-O-Matic for some time now. Here are some of my expierences using this tool.

I used it to rig one of the model ship's and i am pleased with this tool. The melting of the wax takes some 5 minutes, after that i can draw the rope from the magazine and use it directly on the model. When the main rigging is done, i switch to ropes in the magazine with finer thread to do the running rigging.

I extended the setup using a coffee cup warmer, this ensures that the water doesn't cool down but keeps the wax melted. The little tea lights burn for four hours, keeping the wax melted.

Switching ropes in the magazine is not very easy. Wax build up at the holes through wich the ropes run, after some time the feeder is full of cooled down wax and must be cleaned before switching the rope. Switching one rope type in the magazine takes me five minutes, just in time before the wax in the container is cooled down.

I'm not too happy with the iron rods i used to guide the rope through the wax container. If i build another one, i will use wood rods, because they are more easily to attach to the wax container's cover.

All taken into account, i'm happy with this tool. It's easy to setup and the rope is waxed as i draw it, i like that. The magazine takes four types of rope, so rigging a whole model only takes one switch of the complete magazine.

I'm thinking about building another one, so i have one for fine thread and one for thicker thread.

Here's the final picture
http://members.chello.nl/n.franke/RopeOMatic/P21.JPG