08 - Mast Hoops

This is another post to catch up on some of the build that I managed to get done some time ago.

One of the least faithful depictions (and there were many!) of the original model was the use of brass wire to represent the mast hoops - and then using only three of these for the main sail when the full size vessel has 15! As the mast hoops are a fairly prominent feature, I felt they warranted as much attention as the rigging blocks. Here is how I made them.

One of the references I found on-line described making the mast hoops from thin wood shavings. While this approach would obviously replicate very closely the structure of the full size hoops, I doubted that I would have the patience - or the skill - to produce satisfactory hoops in this manner.

Instead, I elected to form the hoops from rolled card stock. This simplified the basic procedure to one of rolling glued card stock around a suitably-sized form, and once dry, slicing rings (hoops) from the resultant tube to form the basis of the final item. Although I ended up painting the hoops after I had completed the assembly, I initially tried to reproduce a wood-grain pattern on the tube. While it looked OK on the tube, the pattern, such as it was, was not apparent once the slices were cut off and was a wasted step.

The following pictures show the sequence of steps. Again, having a lathe simplified the process but a similar approach could be taken using a power drill.

1. Dried and painted cardboard tube on the form and mounted on the lathe.

2. Showing thickness of rolled cardboard, about three-four sheets thick.

3. Preparing to cut off a mast hoop.

4. A potential mast hoop.

5. Formed wire, used to make the fastening ring.

5. Showing the fitting arrangement of the fastening ring and mast hoop.

6. Hole drilled in the mast hoop.

7.  Fastening ring inserted in the mast hoop, with the loop perpendicular to the edge.

8.  To finish off the mast hoop, I epoxied the wire inside the hoop and once dry, I painted the assembly. Tried to get a colour that matched the full-size hoop, but that proved harder that I had initially envisaged, and not fully satisfied with end result. But will live with it.

Here are a set of completed hoops, attached to the fore sail. The diameter of each hoop is large enough to cope with the thickness of the wire epoxied to the inside and once installed on the mast, the wire will not be visible. Also note the orientation of the attaching ring, which will correctly link with the sail ring when the hoop is on the mast and positioned horizontally. 

On to the sails.