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

[rdsaplala]

Thanks very much for the tip on scroll-sawing, Danny, I'll give it a try Those bulkheads look great Sir, they fit perfectly like gloves which is no small feat given the complex shape of the inner bulwarks. Upper counter planking is also coming along very nicely, great work!

[DesertWolf]

Hi Danny

 

What a beautiful piece of work. You are a true master of this art. The wealth of information that you share so freely in your posts (all the way back from the Modelshipworld v1.0 days) helped me to avoid so many pitfalls during my first build. I think it is safe to say that without all the advice, tips and jig ideas you have shared over the years, my SF2 would be somewhere on a dump by now and I would never have found a hobby that I love. Thanks again.

[Shazmira]

Danny I just never get tired of looking in at your build. everything always looks neat and crisp...I strive to reach that level in my lifetime.

[michael mott]

Thanks for the link to the glass cutting Danny

 

Something that I learned from an old glass cutter (my dad) is to run old glass under cold water first before trying to cut it. seems to work.

 

Michael

[Dan Vadas]

Thanks for dropping by again John, Aldo, Wolf (glad I could help you before, happy to do it again), Brian and Robbyn.

 

Thank you for the tip on running the glass under water Michael - I'll give that a go.

 

Forecastle Bulkhead

 

I'm jumping around the place a bit here - I thought it might be a good idea to go back to the Forecastle Bulkhead to get a bit of practice on doing "Lights" (windows) with proper framing before attempting the Stern Lights. This bulkhead has two framed lights which can be swung up out of the way - the stern ones also swing up.

 

First I had to make the rest of the bulkhead pieces and doors, which are all similar to the previously made aft cabin bulkheads. The doors still need hinges and doorknobs :

 

 

The Lights will go into the section that is still open. I'll be making a removable panel underneath them through which the Anchor Hawsers can pass. This will be a bit of "be your own shipwright" on my part - it seems the only logical (and easy) way to get the hawsers to the bitts without causing any stress or damage to the bulkhead.

 

  Danny

[Jim Lad]

Very nice (yet again), Danny.

 

Couldn't the lights simply be swung up out of the way when working the cables?

 

John

[newbuilder101]

Just when I get to the point where I think I'm doing pretty well....I come to your log and realize just how far I still have to go! As always...beautiful workmanship!

[lagrayjr]

Danny, is there molding above and below the upper counter planking? If so it may be easier to install it now rather than later. I am out of town and do not have access to  my reference material. Laman

Edited May 29, 2013 by lagrayjr

[Dan Vadas]

 Thanks Janos, John and Sherry.

 

John, the lights are too high for the cable to pass through - the cable would damage the lower panel.

 

Danny, is there molding above and below the upper counter planking? If so it may be easier to install it now rather than later. I am out of town and do not have access to  my reference material. Laman

 

Yes there is, also at the sides.

 

  Danny

[SkerryAmp]

Just when I get to the point where I think I'm doing pretty well....I come to your log and realize just how far I still have to go! As always...beautiful workmanship!

Don't sell yourself short, that is exactly what I am thinking looking at your Mayflower then looking at my own!!

 

 

Danny,  love following along with this.  I remember doing plastic models and watching the pro's work cars, armor and air to this kind of level.   Now am finding you doing the same with ships!   Amazing and as I am sure I have said, inspiring.  Thanks!!!

 

-Adam

[Jim Lad]

Ah!  Ok, Danny.  I was thinking that the wholes section swung up.

 

John

[Dan Vadas]

Forecastle Bulkhead Lights

 

I've just about finished all the Forecastle Bulkhead, just a bit of cleaning up and Minwaxing to go.

 

I've made the two Lights, as well as the two hinged panels under them. They are hinged for the anchor cables to pass through as I previously mentioned. There is no real documentation that supports the design of these - I fitted them the only logical way I could guess at.

 

The Lights are made from 1.2mm x 2mm Boxwood rebated to accept the acrylic "glass". The filler and munion strip is only 0.4mm x 0.8mm - this was glued in and then sanded flush with the framing :

 

 

The bulkhead with the Starboard side Light and Cable Panel fitted. I'll fit the Port side ones when I have completed the forecastle deck framing as these will both be fitted in the open position :

 

 

Viewed from Aft :

 

 

Viewed from Forward :

 

 

  Danny

[Jim Lad]

Absolutely delightful work, Danny!

 

John

[Dan Vadas]

Why thank you John .

 

Now that the forecastle bulkhead is completed, and I've worked out my method for making the Lights, I turn my attention back to the Stern Lights.

 

The first thing I had to do when I lifted my ship from the Tilting Table and had a good look at my previous work was to remove the Upper Counter Planking and the uppermost Lower Counter plank and re-align them properly. That is one disadvantage of using the tilt table - I can't get a good view athwartships because of the way I have it all set up (workbenches get in the way).

 

The Counter Timbers needed some trimming to get the curvature of the counter to match that of the Transom. My first attempt had the curvature upside-down   . The blue line is correct, the red line is where the original counter planking finished. The upper counter planking should be parallel with the transom (green arrows) :

 

 

After some careful marking out I used a small diameter drum sander in the Dremel to cut off the bulk of the excess and finished off with a round sanding stick. What looks like a "dip" to the left of the rudder is actually the 2nd lower counter plank - it cuts off at an angle over the last section before the rudder and creates an optical illusion. See HERE

 

  Danny

[Dan Vadas]

A "Heads Up" to those who are following me in building a Swan Class :

 

TFFM is not very clear in some aspects of the Stern Light Framing, and I've found one bit that would have been much easier to do BEFORE the Counter Timbers are fitted.

 

Section 9.15 mentions that the first step to doing the framing is to fit the Lower Sills and then rebate the ends of the Inner Planking to match the (not yet fitted) 1" thick Counter Timber Linings. This would be extremely difficult to do after the lower sills are fitted, in fact it was VERY HARD to do with the Inner Counter Timbers already in place (it took me nearly an hour   ). Luckily I'd already removed the upper counter planking (see previous post) or it would have taken a lot longer on the Port side. I suggest you cut the Inner Planking back the required distance WHEN YOU FIT THE PLANKING.

 

TFFM is also unclear about HOW MUCH to cut the rebate in - I cut it back to the inner face of the counter timbers, which is wrong. No big deal, I'll just glue in two extra pieces the same as the ones that line the counter timbers to fill the gaps. The rebates should be the same width as the thickness of the Light Frames.

 

 

You'll get the idea when I actually do these pieces shortly - I still need to replace the upper counter timbers first.

 

  Danny

[michael mott]

Danny the Blue, Green,and Red lines are confusing to my addled brain. I am trying to understand what you are showing but it is eluding me.

 

Michael

[Dan Vadas]

Danny the Blue, Green,and Red lines are confusing to my addled brain. I am trying to understand what you are showing but it is eluding me.

 

Michael

 

Michael, read the last two sentences before the pic again - I put the lines there to make it easier (not harder ) to understand where I went wrong, and how it should have looked (and looks now   ).

 

  Danny

[Jim Lad]

Another Danny expert fix coming up!

 

John

[michael mott]

Danny thanks for the explanation it is just the Monty Python mind that I have been given that makes want to question everything.Back to whenever, [Ere' wot are you doin' puttin' that beam there 'aven't I told you to do what I tell you] it just bubbles up now and then.thinking of the crew that were building these amazing vessels.

 

Michael

[BubbleHead]

Hello Danny

 

I have been fowling along and nice work. 

I have been working on the Triton's stern for months. Finally got it ready for the lights and after many tries haven't gotten them all the same. When I did they were too small measured ones cut twice.     just can't wait to start the slanted ones.  This has been such a nightmare for me my next build will have the same kind of stern. Practice, practice,  practice.

  I will be interested in how you will make your lights, the same as you just did individual parts.  I finely did mine like hatch comings then sanded them to the right thickness. This took days to get them little devil's right.

TJ   

Edited June 4, 2013 by BubbleHead

[Dan Vadas]

Making Light Frames

 

To make the Light Frames themselves I cut a channel using my Byrnes saw. This is 1.5mm wide by 1.0mm thick, and has a 0.5mm rebate in the middle to hold the acrylic "glass" which is 0.48mm thick :

 

 

To make the corners I cut the rebate out of one section, leaving it slightly long - this will be sanded back when it is completed :

 

 

I just made this piece up as a demonstration. I'll make a proper jig to assemble the pieces later.

 

  Danny

[Jim Lad]

Very clever, Danny!

 

John

[gjdale]

Hey, that's neat Danny! Very clever technique.

[mtaylor]

NIce work, Danny.  Can't wait to see the jig.

[TBlack]

Danny,

That is clever. I'm assuming that's boxwood that allows you to make those cuts. Do you have to support it in any special way as it goes through the saw?

Tom

[michael mott]

Nice clean work.

 

michael

[Mcdood]

Really clever way of making the Frames Danny, do you have a special jig for moving the frame over the saw when it is being rebated ?

You have never seemed to drop your standard of workmanship on this build, but keep pushing the standards higher, well done.

Regards,

Martin.

[riverboat]

Very nice work Danny, it's always enlightening when catching up on your progress.

[AnobiumPunctatum]

Dan, you made a great progress in the last few weeks. As allways it is a pleasure to follow your log.

[allanyed]

I have not seen a frame with the groove on such small wood before.  All I need is the right blade to give it a try on the next go around. Do you have any sequence photos of cutting the material and then the groove, (or vice versa?).  Cutting such small material can be tricky, even if using box or other close grained woods.

 

Allan