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Author Topic: Sail Making/Cutting  (Read 5370 times)

Brian60

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Sail Making/Cutting
« on: August 06, 2014, 07:10:35 pm »

I've almost reached the stage of making my sails and I have a quandary.

In real life there is a 'bias' cut in to the panels so that when stitched together the sail panel is not flat but has a 'belly' to them, rather like half a balloon (exaggerated)

Does this have to be the case in a model sailing craft, the reason I ask is that in all the photos I have seen of models I can see no lines where two or more panels are sewn together, in Fact they all seem to be flat.

advice please, do I sew my sails from two triangular panels to give the belly shape or just cut a flat trapezium?

Netleyned

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Re: Sail Making/Cutting
« Reply #1 on: August 06, 2014, 07:17:34 pm »

Its not a racing yacht.
I would be looking for a model that sailed like the original.
Make a flat set, sail her, if she doesn't seem right
make a set with a bit of belly.

Ned
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hammer

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Re: Sail Making/Cutting
« Reply #2 on: August 06, 2014, 09:43:39 pm »

Brian. I sew the bolt ropes tighter than the cloth. the centre of the sail will stretch and form a natural belly. I cut the cloth 1/4" over size. I then iron a hem that size, then cut this down to approx. 3/32. Next paint thinned down P.V.A wood glue in the fold, and iron that down setting the glue. I cut a U out of thin ply clamp the sail & rope across the U & stich. Making sure the rope is tighter than the cloth.
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mrpenguin

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Re: Sail Making/Cutting
« Reply #3 on: August 06, 2014, 11:51:05 pm »

@Brian56:
Sails for RC racing yachts often have shape built in. The seams are usually done with double sided tape. There are a couple of methods of controlling the curve - one is to use a sail block to lay the pieces of sail together; another is to use the "Claudio Gadget" to join pieces with some curve in the joint. See http://www.rcsails.com/sailmaking.html for an example using a sail block. See http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=KL4PWHg88Ss for an example using the Claudio Gadget

I doubt it is necessary to build in sail curve for a scale model, which is what you are building I think.
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Brian60

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Re: Sail Making/Cutting
« Reply #4 on: August 07, 2014, 07:55:21 am »

Thanks all for the help. I'll go with hammers suggestions as they are the simplest,  I really don't want to get into making two sets of sails on the offchance that one of them will be correct.

Brian60

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Re: Sail Making/Cutting
« Reply #5 on: August 07, 2014, 12:40:04 pm »

Guys I am so stupid! My wife asked me why I am procrastinating about the rigging, I told her even though I have the diagrams I am still not 100% sure of how to proceed.

Her, Look in your book about the rigging things- me?????

She came back from my bedside locker with a copy of The Gaff Rig Handbook by John Leather, Doh!!! I had totally forgotten about this useful book. I am now studying it again to refresh what I need to carry on.

I'll still have questions though :-))

hammer

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Re: Sail Making/Cutting
« Reply #6 on: August 07, 2014, 03:43:41 pm »

Brian here is a set up photo of my stitching method. Note the rope (string) is wound around the horns to keep it tight. No hem on the odd bit of cloth but shows the idea. I do 6" at a time, wile watching TV by a warm fire, in the winter. (Can't all sit in the sun) I lope the string on the corners around a brass feral.  Start and finish on the boon. On the Brixham boats there are no ties in the sail for reefing only holes. I hake these by poking a cocktail stick through forming the hole, then push it back in with a small amount of super glue, the thick type. The thin type will spread out not nice.   
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tigertiger

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Re: Sail Making/Cutting
« Reply #7 on: August 08, 2014, 03:14:40 am »

Hi Hammer


Now it is my turn to be thick. I can't quite see what you mean.
Is there any chance of a tutorial with pictures/diagrams? Please.
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Brian60

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Re: Sail Making/Cutting
« Reply #8 on: August 08, 2014, 05:39:05 pm »

I think what Hammer is demonstrating tiger is that the bolt rope is stretched tight between the horns, but the sail cloth is not, it's left to its natural tension.
When the rope is released it will return to its normal length ie no stretch, because of this it will form a curve to the cloth.

tigertiger

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Re: Sail Making/Cutting
« Reply #9 on: August 08, 2014, 06:24:28 pm »

Got it now thanks  :-))
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hammer

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Re: Sail Making/Cutting
« Reply #10 on: August 08, 2014, 09:09:46 pm »

That's it Brian. My advice is stich by hand & lay the thread in the groove of the weft in the string ( rope). I thought for a minute I was going to have to demonstrate how to make a scale type sail. (But at the moment I am trying to sort the steam plant in my paddler.)
The cloth I use is called "ticking" tightly woven cotton. Made for pillow cases to prevent feathers poking through. Old pillow cases are good, or available in a good drapers. if you can find one.   
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roycv

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Re: Sail Making/Cutting
« Reply #11 on: August 09, 2014, 08:35:23 am »

Hi all, always enjoy threads (sorry) on sail making.  I have avoided the sewing route by using Wonderweb a sort of iron on glue. I have been surprised how long it lasts.

If you want to use eyelets Nylet Sails and Nexus carry really tiny ones and Nylet also have a suitable punch.

I use the cloth with glue on one side (fron Nylet) to strengthen corners for modern sails.  A tip here is to cut a circle of the stuff and then cut wedges to suit the sail angles.

The last set of sails I made were for a 36 inch yacht (German 8 metre from the 1960's) and I put a very shallow S where the main attaches to the mast and the sail does look good in a wind. This was only about 1/4 inch wide S.  I think I picked it up from a Nylet leaflet on making sails.

Do I remember correctly that the bolt rope is sewn on the starboard side of the sail so that you can feel which way round the sail is in the dark?

regards Roy
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hammer

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Re: Sail Making/Cutting
« Reply #12 on: August 09, 2014, 09:37:40 am »

Starboard is correct. Roy
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