machines which I have made, am making, or intend to make, and some other stuff. If you find this site interesting, please leave a comment. I read every comment and respond to most. n.b. There is a list of my first 800 posts in my post of 17 June 2021, titled "800 Posts"
This large cable is covered with a thinner rope (at top), and the gaps are filled underneath. The top section is SERVED and the bottom section is WORMED. Photo taken at HMS Endeavour replica, Maritime Museum, Sydney.and this is an example of SEIZING, where the rope is doubled back, and secured with thinner cord, tightly and neatly wound .
When making a model period ship, as I am currently doing with USS Constitution, serving, worming, and seizing model size ropes is time consuming and tricky for someone like me with dodgy eyesight and limited patience.
When I made the CNC Mini Mill it occurred to me that I could use the mill’s CNC electronic controls to make another CNC machine, to do seizing, serving and possible worming on the scale model ropes. The electronic control box just swapping between the machines.
So I spent some time designing, then making the machine. Not yet tested, but if it works OK I will post a video.
The machine hardware is assembled, ready to hook up to the controls. The rails and ball screw are 1m long. I 3D printed the tailstock and the spool holder. I intended to 3D print the headstock, but had some problems with the print, so I made it from 12mm thick alu.
The electronic controls are set up for Nema 17 motors, which I have used in the mill, and in this machine.
I originally intended to make it to cope with 150mm long ropes, but after some advice from another ship modeller, I expanded the rope capacity to 800mm long.
The headstockThe tailstock.The rope will be stretched between the headstock and tailstock, and supported in the groove beneath the clear cover, and the Gutermann thread is fed through a small hole around the rope. The rope is twisted with Nema 17 steppers at each end, and the assembly is moved at a predetermined rate by the ball screw also powered by a Nema 17 stepper. Fingers crossed that it will work. That is the theory anyway.
johnsmachines 