HMS Vulture 1776 by Dan Vadas - 1:48 scale - 16 gun "Swan" class sloop from TFFM plans - Finished

[michael mott]

Beautiful workmanship on the deck planking Danny.

 

Michael

[Erebus and Terror]

Thanks for the info Danny and Druxy -  you guys know more about the vessels of the period than most historians (and I've corresponded with quite a few)!

[Dan Vadas]

Thanks again Michael and E&T.

 

The Treenailing is all finished as far as the decks are concerned. I've filed all the "nails" down with a Riffler File and sanded both decks with 600 grit paper. They have received their first coat of Minwax Wipe-on Poly :

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Next will come the Timberheads and Swivel Gun Mounts, along with the Caprails and Bulwark Planking. These will add a much more "finished" look to the upper hull.

 

  Danny

[Jim Lad]

Very nice, Danny, very nice!

 

John

[michael mott]

The planking really does look sharp!

 

Michael

[gjdale]

Beautiful work Danny - those wood worms sure are well trained!

[WackoWolf]

I can only repeat what has been said. Beautiful work. Keep the pictures coming.

[Mirabell61]

Hi Danny

I just love that model of yours, all the high skill work is presented by non hiding the fabulous wood juctions and fitting out work from beginning on...

 

Nils

[lamarvalley]

Gorgeous job Danny!!  I've said it before... your work is so crisp and precise it is amazing. 

[Jeff-E]

Hi Danny,

 

Your work is top notch as usual, the decks are spectacular

[gerty]

Terrific Work !  Beautiful !

Edited November 8, 2013 by gerty

[kiwiron]

Beautifull workmanship as always Danny,great to see your photo's.

[Trussben]

Sweet!

[Dan Vadas]

Thanks for looking in, and the kind words John, Michael, Grant, Joe, Nils, Randy, Jeff, Gerty, Ron and Ben - much appreciated .

 

Bulwark Spirketting

 

I've fitted all the Bulwark Spirketting that I intend to do. The Port side is completely covered, and I've fitted half of them to the Starboard side Quarterdeck to cover an error I made very early in the build - about eight of the frame Toptimbers were a couple of millimetres short. I didn't discover this until WELL after the time had passed to correct them .

 

 

 

The piece above the Cathead was rather interesting to make :

 

 

 

 

  Danny

[trippwj]

Beautiful work, Danny!  I doubt anyone had noticed the couple of millimeters too short you mentioned!  That work around the cathead is amazing!

[Dan Vadas]

Thank you Brian and Wayne, and all those who hit the "Like" Button .

 

The majority of the hull and deck planking is now completed. It was a lot of fun, and I got better at it as I went, but it was also very tedious work at times and I'm glad that stage is over with. Now come the more "interesting" parts of the build .

 

Gun Rigging Redo

 

Before going any further I figured it was about time I re-did the Rigging on the four guns in the waist that are completely visible. You may recall that I mentioned earlier that I wasn't 100% satisfied with the ropes that I'd used at the time. Now that I have the excellent rigging line from Chuck (Syren Ship Models) I'm going ahead with it.

 

I won't attempt to do the four guns under the forecastle and quarterdeck, as the rigging is barely visible and it would be extremely difficult to do them anyway. What can be seen of the rigging on these guns is quite acceptable to me.

 

I started by brushing Isopropyl Alcohol on the glue holding the trucks to the deck, and also the eyebolts for the breeching line. All pieces came off the ship easily. Then I did the same for the seizings on both breeching lines and side tackles. I wanted one piece of each intact to use for measurements. Again, everything came apart easily :

 

 

 

 

  Danny

[Jim Lad]

Very nicely crafted, Danny.  Looking forward to seeing the guns re-rigged.

 

John

[Adrieke]

its so much fun watching your build Danny

 

not only showing use amazing craftmanship but teaching us newbs the correct terminology

[popeye the sailor]

did the deck clean up OK,  or did you need to refinish it?  cannons are very nicely done.

[kiwiron]

Very nice as usual,how do you round off your blocks Danny?

[Dan Vadas]

Thanks again John, Adrieke, Popeye and Ron.

 

Popeye, the deck cleaned up without any problems. The Isopropyl doesn't soften the Minwax finish. The scuff marks you can see is where I'd previously scraped off the Minwax to get good adhesion - the guns will be glued over those spots again.

 

Ron, I used a needle file to round the blocks.

 

  Danny

[Dan Vadas]

I've re-made all the rigging for the four guns, and re-fitted the first one. I'll have to fit the side tackles in a couple of days, as I'm about to head off to work.

 

 

 

 

The quality of Chuck's line is very apparent in the pics, especially when compared to the line I'd used previously (lower pic is the old one - obviously ) :

 

 

 

Even the 0.2mm line for the side tackles is just as good. Great definition, not even a hint of "fluffies", and very easy to work with :

 

 

I'll definitely be getting the rest of my line from Chuck .

 

  Danny

[riverboat]

nice work as always Danny.... really like the color of your deck!!

Frank

[Jim Lad]

Looks good, Danny!

 

John

[BANYAN]

Those are some very neat seizings on the gun tackles Danny.  I also very much like the colour of the rope in one of the photos; is that the actual colour of the rope made by Chuck and a few of the other photos justshowing them a little washed out?  If so, that would be the most realistic rendering of manilla rope I have seen  (sisal would have been to stiff for this application).

 

cheers

 

Pat

Edited November 15, 2013 by BANYAN

[Trussben]

Sweet rigging Danny, Chucks line looks awesome in the hands of a master such as yourself.

 

Ben

[mtaylor]

Lovely work, Danny.

[Dan Vadas]

Thank you Frank, John, Pat, Ben and Mark .

 

Pat, the fourth pic in my previous post is as close to the "real" colour of Chuck's rope as I can get it. The others ARE a little paler due to different lighting angles.

 

I've finished Re-Rigging all the guns. To hold the rope coils in place I used a Fabric Setting gel used by seamstresses etc to glue down hems before sewing them. I can't vouch for the longevity of the product for this application, as it washes out with water. I may have to use some dilute PVA at a later stage if it looks like the coils will come undone.

 

The coils are still damp in these pics, and will take a more natural colour when the setting gel dries.

 

 

 

 

 

  Danny

[Jim Lad]

Those coils certainly look very lifelike at the moment, Danny.  Maybe if the fabric setting gel does leach out of them they'll be 'set' if or when it happens.

 

John

[mtaylor]

Danny,

 

The coils look great.  The only other way, besides PVA, I can think of is fabric glue.  The stuff is supposed to be invisible and water proof or at least resistant.  I used it on my Constellation for the ratlines and then everything else that was "rope".  Seems to do the job.