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

[Dan Vadas]

Thanks muchly Christian, Greg, John, Carl and David .

 

Jeer Tyes

 

The jeer tyes support the lower yards. These would have been a fair bit easier to fit before raising the Topmasts   .

 

Two 20" single blocks, one each side, are double stropped with very long strops :

 

 

A cleat each side of the mast supports the strops. TFFM suggested the following method of making the cleats to allow the lashings for the strops to be fitted more easily, but after I'd done them this way I think it would have been easier to make them in one piece. The small "feet" at the top were a real pain to fit afterward, and a needle treader can be used to pass the line through one-piece cleats with a minimum of fuss :

 

 

 

The lashings take a little while to fit, as there are six turns around the mast for each (there are supposed to be seven, but I made the lashing line a bit too short   ).

 

 

 

 

The strops should be long enough for the blocks to sit beneath the tops by about half their length. The yard will sit at the level of the futtock shrouds when they are rigged :

 

 

 Danny

[Mirabell61]

Super work Danny,

 

one can think its the actual ship, beautiful rigging

 

Nils

[riverboat]

beautiful!!! work on the rigging Danny....

Frank

[GLakie]

Absolutely beautiful work Danny! Looking pretty busy up under those mast tops now. Truly a lesson in precision. 

[BANYAN]

Nice clean work Danny.  One of the advantages to come out of my  recent 'error' of incorrect scaling and having to replace my top masts and rigging was the realisation that it was easier to fit the jeer/tye blocks early as you have pointed out.  Still would have preferred not having to remake the masts though

 

cheers

 

Pat

[Dan Vadas]

Thank you too Nils, Frank, George and Pat.

 

Topsail Sheet Blocks

 

These are a Shoulder Block. The Lift blocks are seized to them as well. Here are a few pics of a carved sheet block :

 

 

 

My method of seizing the two blocks together. Note the gap in the strops to allow the lashing to pass through :

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Danny

[Ponto]

Bravo!......skill at both craftsmanship as well as the images provided.......please don't stop!

 

JP

[Dan Vadas]

Blocks fitted to the Lower Yards

 

An overview of most of the main yard. There are 23 blocks in total. The Fore yard is virtually identical except for it's length and diameter :

 

 

The central portion showing the Jeer Block (top), the Quarter Blocks (lower inner) and the Clueline blocks (lower outer) :

 

 

One of the four Stirrups (not yet adjusted and stiffened). Note the three turns around the yard :

 

 

The Leechline block (inner) and one of the four small Tricing Line blocks. The Yard Cleats have also been fitted :

 

 

The Topsail Sheet/Lift blocks fitted :

 

 

And the Yard Tackle block (inner violin block) and the Brace block :

 

 

Here is a list of all the blocks for the main yard (the fore yard is the same) :

 

Jeer Blocks - 1 x 20" single plus 2 x 20" single Jeer Tye Blocks fitted to the mast. These blocks are double stropped.

Quarter Blocks - 2 x 14" single

Topsail Sheet Blocks - 2 x 12" Shoulder

Yard Tackle Blocks - 2 x 15" Violin

Clueline Blocks - 2 x 9" single

Lift Blocks - 2 x 9" single

Buntline Blocks - 4 x 8" single

Brace Blocks - 2 x 8" single

Leechline Blocks - 2 x 7" single

Tricing Line Blocks - 4 x 6" single

 

 Danny

[SawdustDave]

Dan.... Having spent the last two hours on this amazing log, I am completely blown away. This should be a virtual Modelers Handbook in advanced building technique. Can't remember learning so much in only a couple of hours....and that is only your first ten pages! This is not a build to be rushed through. I cannot thank you enough for sharing your work.

Dave

[Jim Lad]

I love to watch your rigging work, Danny!

 

John

[GLakie]

After going back into your log Danny, P.100 +, I was admiring your shrouds and I have to ask if you wormed the lines before serving, to smooth out the wavy look of rope when served, or does the difference lie between using 3 or 4 strands around a core when making the shroud? I'm planning on learning how eventually myself, and it seems like a necessary skill.

[Mirabell61]

Thank you too Nils, Frank, George and Pat.

 

Topsail Sheet Blocks

 

These are a Shoulder Block. The Lift blocks are seized to them as well. Here are a few pics of a carved sheet block :

 

Topsail Sheet Blocks 001.jpg

 

Topsail Sheet Blocks 002.jpg

 

My method of seizing the two blocks together. Note the gap in the strops to allow the lashing to pass through :

 

Topsail Sheet Blocks 006.jpg

 

Topsail Sheet Blocks 007.jpg

 

Topsail Sheet Blocks 008.jpg

 

Topsail Sheet Blocks 009.jpg

 

Topsail Sheet Blocks 010.jpg

 

Topsail Sheet Blocks 012.jpg

 

 Danny

 

 

Danny,

 

your arrangement shoulderblock / liftblock looks great.

Just a question : are you securing the block stropping (with glue or so) into the block`s groove, so it wo`nt snap out at the point later on where you do`nt have much access to tackle it once more ?

 

Nils

[kees de mol]

A-M-A-Z-E-D thats what I am!

[Greg the peg leg sailor]

Hi Danny

OUTSTANDING! What more can I say. Your step by step instructions will help me a lot when I'm doing my rigging. ..

Bravo for being an EXCELLENT TEACHER or your craft.

Thanks a million million.

 

Greg

[Dan Vadas]

Thank you for the comments John, Dave, John, Kees and Greg. Much appreciated .

 

are you securing the block stropping (with glue or so) into the block`s groove, so it wo`nt snap out at the point later on where you do`nt have much access to tackle it once more ?

 

 

I sure did Nils. I use a LOT of diluted PVA when I'm doing strops and siezings. It's very easy to clean up while still wet with a Q-tip. The PVA helps to keep the line in shape while I'm tying it.

 

I have to ask if you wormed the lines before serving

 

 

No I didn't George. At this scale, and with Chuck's rigging line, it wasn't necessary. The Quilting Cotton I used for the serving was sufficiently stiff to "smooth out the bumps" in the line.

 

 Danny

[Dan Vadas]

Stunsail Irons

 

The stunsail irons support the Stunsail (or Studding Sail) Booms on the yards. The booms can be retracted inboard along the yard when not in use.

 

The iron work for these turned out to be fairly easy to make. I started by cutting the larger inner rings from some tubing of the correct size (which I had in stock) using the parting tool in my lathe. The outer rings are smaller in diameter and width, and as I didn't have any tubing of that size I turned and bored some round stock to the correct size.

 

Next I drilled a 0.7mm hole into each ring for the legs.

 

Not having any 0.6mm square bar for the legs I made my own from 0.7mm wire. I bent one end of the wire so I could control which face I had on top, and then simply hammered the wire flat on all four sides. Again, this is a lot easier than it seems at first :

 

 

 

I pushed the end of the squared wire into the rings and silver soldered them together. Note that I left the square stock at full length whilst soldering so that I could control the direction of the squared section. I trimmed these to length after soldering :

 

 

 

 

I made the straps and reinforcing rings from thin card which I dyed with black wood stain. These are glued on with PVA :

 

 

 

The irons fit to the fore upper section of the yard at a 45 degree angle from the vertical :

 

 

 Danny

[cog]

Stunning detail Danny

[dgbot]

You are giving me an inferiority complex Danny Boy.  Keep it up.

David B

[GLakie]

Nice Danny, and thanks.

[Dan Vadas]

Thank you Carl, David and George.

 

Figurehead

 

My figurehead arrived the other day . This was carved by Janos - a brilliant job as usual, and something I don't have much talent at .

 

The only thing I really had to do was fit it - this took the best part of 2 hours, as I had to CAREFULLY cut the slot between it's wings to fit around the stem :

 

 

 

 

 

All done .

 

 

 

 Danny

[cog]

She's ready to fly Danny ...

[GLakie]

That's the icing on the cake, and some very nice carving by Janos.

[mtaylor]

Your build is one of the gold standards and Janos is one of the gold standards for carving. The WOW factor just went to 11.

[gjdale]

Great "how to" on the iron work Danny. And I guess a great "how to" on carving figureheads as well - ask Janos to do it!

 

Seriously though, the figurehead looks great and is another example of this great community helping each other out. Kudos to Janos.

[AnobiumPunctatum]

Wonderful figurehead, Dan.

[Mirabell61]

beautiful work Danny,

 

Nils

[Greg the peg leg sailor]

G'day Danny

GREAT job again! Your eye for details is amazing. Your ship is now the best. Having two masters, you and Janos, this vessel is have gone pass the out most planet in our solar system in the level of human's endeavour.

 

Cheers

Greg

[mhegazi]

Amazing

Just amazing

[Dan Vadas]

Thanks once again Carl, George, Mark, Grant, Janos, Crackers, Christian, Nils, Greg and Mhegazi and also for all the "likes" .

 

Truss Pendant Tackles

 

The Truss Pendants prevent the yards from pulling away from the masts in a forward direction. There is one on each side of the mast.

 

Work begins by stropping a thimble in each one. The line turns around the yard and is seized back to itself :

 

 

Then each line is passed around the mast and through the thimble in it's opposite number. I've only temporarily tied the yard through the jeer blocks to prevent it from dropping - I'm awaiting some more suitable size rigging thread from Chuck :

 

 

The falls for each tackle have a double block at their ends. The tackle passes through this block and through a single block with a hook stropped to it. The strop is long enough to clear the bitts. This hooks into an eyebolt at the foot of the mast. This is the fore tackle :

 

 

 

And the main tackle :

 

 

 Danny

[dgbot]

My jaw is dropping to the floor. Every time you post I see a new level of workmanship.

David B