How to build blocks?

[DavidF]

I've seen plenty of impressive pictures of blocks that you folks have made yourselves. But I don't recall in all my reading and surfing seeing instructions on how to make your own blocks.
So how do you Luddite aritsans do it? I'd like to try.

[garland reese]

I remember some threads a few years ago that showed Norm M making blocks for his lovely boat. There have been many others. There are some web pages that folks have done covering various methods of making your own blocks.

Are you looking for rope stropped blocks, or are you going to use brass or bronze bar stock and fit in in the cheek plates?

It's just a matter of time....... you'll get lots of good advice here.

[Jay Greer]

It depends on whether you want rope or metal stropped blocks.
The best metal stropped blocks were made by Merriman Bros. The cheeks of the shells were made of Lignum Vitae and the seperators were ash which made a nice contrast. Merriman made a coin like inset cover for the axel holes that had a tridant photo etched on the surface in relief along with the letters MB. The coin was inset and retained with two #4 bronze flat heads. The straps were bent on some of the blocks and on others were cast of manganese bronze. In addition to the cheeks being glued to the seperators they were retained with four pieces of bronze all thread that was cut off flush with the wooden surface. If you are handy with tools the blocks are not hard to make, just time consuming. Ed Louchard at Zephyr Works can suppy sheaves.
A rope stropped block is easier to make in that it consists of a single piece of wood. The blank should be drilled and morticed prior to it's
shaping. It is then just a matter of forming the shape with your tools of choice, filing a groove for the strop, making up a rope grommet and seizing it on.
Jay

[RodB]

I'll just post the images I have that show Bob Alber's steps in building blocks. He gets the teak sections from a source, but he gave them the original shape either in C&C files or just sent them a prototype. He has made many blocks for the movie "Pirates of the Carribbean", very large ones for the square riggers.

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e239/Prestoboat/Albersblockparts-72.jpg

glueup...

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e239/Prestoboat/Alberssmallblockglueup-72.jpg

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e239/Prestoboat/Albersblockdouble-singleandsideplat.jpg

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e239/Prestoboat/Albersbestblockdramatic-72.jpg

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e239/Prestoboat/Albersblockwithsheaveshowing-72.jpg

Hope this helps...

RB

[emichaels]

Maybe this will help a little.

http://www.duckworksmagazine.com/02/articles/woodenblocks/woodenblocks.htm

RB those are some mighty fine looking blocks. You take nice pics !

Eric

[Steveh]

Awesome looking blocks. They look like they’ve been oiled. With linseed? Does not the oil go mouldy and black over time, or is this the desired effect?

Can you tell me what rope you are using for the strop and the serving. I suspect the wiping rope is #30 something tarred nylon seine twine, which is not available in New Zealand. The only tarred wiping is a tarred hemp, but is too course for use on blocks. I’m guessing this is what is used in the total serving of the stropped blocks but in a smaller size. I can purchase #30 something tarred nylon seine twine from the net if you could recommend a distributor.

And the thimble. Is that brass or bronze. Suspect a sail makers brass thimble. Last but not least the sheaves. What are they made of. Am thinking of making out of old bowling balls. Lignum Vitae or having brass turned.

Would very much like something like this on Ngatira.

[DavidF]

Wow. Those are instructions I can follow. (And I teach the writing of procedure essays.)
Thanks

[RodB]

Heres one of Bob's older blocks which I'm not sure of the finish...but I do think the current crop are coated in oil. You can email Bob Albers with questions on specific materials used.

bobalbers@purelyonline.com

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e239/Prestoboat/Albersoldersmallerblock-72.jpg

RB

[paladin]

borrow the missus crock pot.....add blocks prior to adding sheaves...cover with boiled linseed oil....weight with old diving weight.....set crock pot on low...cover......come back in a couple of days....remove blocks, salvage oil, clean crock pot and return it to missus.
Note......it may be easier and quieter to borrow the crockpot on the sly.;)

[Steveh]

Paladin, are you serious about stewing the blocks in Boiled linseed? Don't know weather you guys are pulling the wool over our eyes or not!! Certainly would impregnate the timber.

[outofthenorm]

[QUOTE=Steveh;... about stewing the blocks in Boiled linseed? ... Certainly would impregnate the timber.[/QUOTE]

All of my ash shell blocks and deadeyes were done that way new 45 years , then varnished. I rub them down and re-coat every other season (half one year, half the next). They still ooze a little oil in the July sunshine, but they are exactly the same as they were new. - Norm

http://web.mac.com/outofthenorm/iWeb/Site%202/Mystic%20Aug_files/100_0033.jpghttp://web.mac.com/outofthenorm/iWeb/Site%202/Details_files/100_0017.jpg

[RodB]

Awesome looking blocks. They look like they’ve been oiled. With linseed? Does not the oil go mouldy and black over time, or is this the desired effect?

Can you tell me what rope you are using for the strop and the serving. I suspect the wiping rope is #30 something tarred nylon seine twine, which is not available in New Zealand. The only tarred wiping is a tarred hemp, but is too course for use on blocks. I’m guessing this is what is used in the total serving of the stropped blocks but in a smaller size. I can purchase #30 something tarred nylon seine twine from the net if you could recommend a distributor.

And the thimble. Is that brass or bronze. Suspect a sail makers brass thimble. Last but not least the sheaves. What are they made of. Am thinking of making out of old bowling balls. Lignum Vitae or having brass turned.

These teak blocks are coated with linseed oil and after they dry well enough are waxed...at least the older block that is smaller and darker is waxed.

The strop is 3 strand Roblon which is available in many places per Mr Albers. The serving is tarred twine per your guess but I didn't get an exact size. I got the inpression that its available at many marine distributers in the USA. The sheaves are made from Delrin and I'm sure if you email Mr Albers he will be able to give you his source...he has them made somewhere as with the teak parts. He supplies CAD files to the vendors.

RodB

[Steveh]

Thank's Rod, Sure is a nice finish on that small block. Haven't heard of Roblon, is that a polyester rope? Really like the colour. Would like to finish all running rigging with something like that. Also haven't heard of Delrin?

Have posted an email to Mr Albers but as yet haven't a reply.

Good luck with the blocks DavidF, plenty of good examples here.

[Rum_Pirate]

These teak blocks are coated with linseed oil and after they dry well enough are waxed...at least the older block that is smaller and darker is waxed.
RodB What make/type of wax do you use?

[Rum_Pirate]

http://web.mac.com/outofthenorm/iWeb/Site%202/Mystic%20Aug_files/100_0033.jpghttp://web.mac.com/outofthenorm/iWeb/Site%202/Details_files/100_0017.jpg

In the bottom deadeye in the bottom picture the grain of the timber runs across at 90º to the load.

Should the grain in a block run 'with' or 'across' the load?

[bott]

In the bottom deadeye in the bottom picture the grain of the timber runs across at 90º to the load.

Should the grain in a block run 'with' or 'across' the load?

Keep in mind that the load is actually taken up by the strap around the deadeye, so the wood itself is under compression, not tension.

[Rum_Pirate]

Keep in mind that the load is actually taken up by the strap around the deadeye, so the wood itself is under compression, not tension. OK, so same question but for 'blocks' instead of deadeyes.

[bott]

For rope-stropped blocks, the wood is under compression as well, between the pin and strop.

On metal stopped blocks, the cheeks should take no load at all and the tension loads go from the pin, through the strapping to the beckett.

I guess this doesn't really address grain orientation, but as far as the forces on the block go, the wood is not (should not be?) involved in the strain.... as I understand the forces involved. Maybe someone more experienced than I will chime in as well...

[outofthenorm]

Regarding the deadeyes, all of the old-time deadeyes I've seen have horizontal grain, 90 degrees to the run of the lanyards. I'm guessing that this would eliminate any tendency for load on a leg of the lanyard to split the deadeye. Bott has it right about the load. The tension load is in the metal and it's all compressive load on the deadeyes themselves.

- Norm

[Dave Hadfield]

I use homemade rope stropped blocks on the mainsheet of my 40 ft ketch. I've made them laminated, but found it's easier to carve them from one block of wood, using a drill press and a chisel for the slots.

And I too cook the block in boiling linseed oil for several hours. And the wooden sheave, too. I have an idea that the linseed oil comes out of the wood under load and lubricates the simple pin axles.

Anyway, they work great and look good and can be built exactly as you want them. Good project for some winter weekends.

[Jim Ledger]

I'd be interested in seeing any photos of a rope stropped block with a becket on a traveller.

Has anybody made one?

[almeyer]

Some very pretty blocks on this thread, make my own efforts look pretty cheesy. That being said, they didn't turn out too terribly bad, and I like them a lot better than the plastic and stainless variety available at the local boat stores. That, and the cost. I made mine from scraps I already had, only had to buy a piece of bronze rod for the pin and some tubing for a bushing.
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid158/p18d10f8045b9aa9e373ce16f988ac484/f512fd43.jpg

With regard to grain direction, I've read that it's best to have the grain at 90 degrees to the load. The force on the block is taken by the pin, that force is acting parallel to the load. Having the grain at 90 degrees reduces the chance of splitting the shell. Makes sense to me. However, practicality sometimes flies in the face of theory.

On the next boat, I can see needing a block mounted on a swivel with a cam cleat attached. Of course these are available commercially, but I haven't seen a wood block variation. Anyone tried this?

Al

[rmiller3]

With regard to grain direction, I've read that it's best to have the grain at 90 degrees to the load.
Al

I too have read this as per some DIY articles on DuckWorks and other sources, and this was my initial intention.

However, at the recent Maine Boatbuilder's show, I discussed exactly this with the kind folks from Classic, (or was it Rope and Tar), who told me that the grain should run with the load, and not transverse. Indeed, most (if not all) of the commercially available wooden blocks I see have the grain running longitudinally, just as they said.

I was pretty much convinced to do it that way, but now.. I am not really sure what to do becuase of CONTINUED contradictory advice. (What else is new in boatbuilding???) I should point out that I have no prior experience building my own blocks, and must make my decision based on information from those more experienced in this area, various articles, and my books on rigging.

Having said all of the above, time does grow short at this point, and I will either make a decision and not look back ... or ... I may actually do a few each way and see if there is any difference in failure rate.

Robert