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

[Dan Vadas]

Mast Wedges

 

Masts were not bolted to any part of the hull or deck framing - this would have put far too much pressure on individual components, not to mention weakening the mast itself. Instead, Wedges were used around the mast at each Partner to hold it in position.

 

Rather than attempt to make individual wedges, which would be impossible to fit on a model for the lower decks, I turned up wedge "rings" on the lathe. The individual wedges are simulated with an Xacto blade and are enhanced with a pencil :

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Note that the "mast" in these pics is only a dummy for alignment purposes - I haven't made the "real things" yet.

[Dan Vadas]

Main Mast Partners

 

HMS Vulture has a very different style of Main Mast Partner on the Upper Deck to most other ships. Whether this was an experiment that was not used again because there was no benefit is unknown. However, the NMM plans clearly show this method of use (2nd pic). The more "normal" type of main mast partner is shown in the TFFM plan in pic 1. I had to do my own interpretation of how the various components of the partner would have fitted together :

 

 

 

 

 

 

The two main pieces of the partner were rebated together - I used a fillet as the final join looks the same :

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Dan Vadas]

Aft Beam Arms, Carlings and Ledges

 

There are four Beam Arms on the Upper Deck - two each side of the beam separating the Main Hatch from the Main Mast Partners :

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Dan Vadas]

Mizzen and Foremast Partners

 

The Mizzen Mast Partners are of a simple type - made from two 17" wide planks dovetail jointed together :

 

 

 

 

 

The Foremast Partner is a "normal" rectangular version of the Main Mast Partner. All the steps and rebates were done using the Byrnes saw :

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Dan Vadas]

Main Topsail Sheet Bitts part 1

 

As I did with the Riding Bitts earlier I made up the Main Topsail Sheet Bitt Pins to enable me to cut their seats before too much else got in the way. They will be finished off at a later stage :

 

 

 

[Dan Vadas]

Upper Deck Hatch Coamings

 

Similar in construction to those of the Lower Deck.

 

 

 

[Dan Vadas]

Capstan Step

 

The Capstan Step is made from three pieces of timber with faked "dovetail" joints :

 

 

 

 

Another notable variation from the "norm" for Vulture - on most other "Swan class" ships it is a rectangle with a rounded fore edge. The NMM plans show it quite differently :

 

 

 

 

The top of the Step is horizontal to the waterline in both fore-aft and athwartships directions as the ship has Capstans on both the Upper Deck and the Quarterdeck, so a common base plane is needed to connect the two. The Step is about 2" thicker on the fore edge compared to the aft edge to allow for the slope of the deck from the vertical.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Aft Ladderway Coaming has been fitted :

 

 

[Dan Vadas]

Upper Deck Planking

 

The same construction methods used in the Lower Deck Planking apply to the Upper Deck :

 

 

 

 

 

 

Note the small "hook" in the planking near the capstan step :

 

 

 

 

Another hook where the line of the Aft Ladderway is narrower than the Aft Hatch :

 

 

 

 

 

The planking cut out for the port Riding Bitts Standard :

 

 

[Dan Vadas]

Top and Butt (Anchor Stock) Deck Planking

 

Same as Lower Deck Planking - I'll let the pics tell the story :

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Dan Vadas]

Upper Deck Treenailng

 

More of the same - Treenailing (yawn  ) :

 

 

 

 

 

[Dan Vadas]

Counter Timbers

 

And now for something more interesting - the Counter Timbers. These are the timbers that go between the Stern Lights (windows).

 

They are each made from two pieces of timber scarph jointed together and taper toward the top both fore-aft and athwartships. They also converge toward the top to "meet" at a point at about the height of the Mizzen Crosstrees :

 

 

 

 

 

They are supported near their tops by the Quarterdeck Transom, which has a rebate in it's front edge to accept the quarterdeck planking. At this stage the transom still needs to be faired on it's lower outside edge :

 

 

 

 

[Dan Vadas]

String in the Waist

 

This is the uppermost inside plank at the height of the frames in the Waist, which is the area between the Forecastle and Quarterdeck. They are all hook-scarphed together and the ends of the String are scarph jointed into the Clamps for both those decks, and is continuous with the Forecastle Clamp and the Lower Quarterdeck Clamp. It is 3" thick :

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Dan Vadas]

Quarterdeck Clamp and Transom

 

The Quarterdeck Clamp sits atop the Lower clamp - the extension of the String in the Waist. Note the extension piece above the Quarter Light :

 

 

 

 

 

These pics are out of sequence from the Counter Timbers post. This is the Quarterdeck Transom - the quarterdeck has a significant roundup of 6" at it's widest point and the transom follows this roundup although it's obviously not as high over it's length :

 

 

 

[Dan Vadas]

Ebony Wales and "Dummy" Treenails

 

This is my first attempt at using Ebony - a VERY dirty and difficult timber to work with.

 

The Wales are the thick planks just above the waterline - they are 4 1/2" thick. Bending Ebony of the required thickness without cracking it took a LOT of soaking - up to 4 hours per plank near the bow - and even longer to let them dry on the hull after clamping before actually gluing them on :

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Treenails were simulated in the ebony with a piece of sharpened 0.5mm ID brass tubing held in a Pinvice. Blackened brass "bolts" were later fitted at the butt joins :

 

 

 

 

 

[Dan Vadas]

"Black" Strake

 

The "Black Strake" isn't black in colour in a Swan Class - it's the general term for the strake above the Wales that is just below deck level and contains the Scuppers.

 

 

 

 

[Dan Vadas]

Topside Planking

 

Below is a description of the External Planking from the Wales up, and the Internal Planking from the Upper Deck Clamp with the thickness of each :

 

          External

                   1.      Wales        4 ½”

                   2.      Black Strake        3 ½”

                   3.      Stuff of the Topside     3 ½” thinning to 2” at the top

                   4.      Sheer Strake       3”

                   5.      Plank upon the Drifts    2”

    Internal

                   6.      Upper Deck Clamp      4” thinning to 3” at the bottom of the Lower Clamp

                   7.      Upper Deck Spirketting         3”

                   8.      Quickwork           2”

                   9.      String in the Waist        3”

                  10, 11.       Quarterdeck Bulwark Planking        2 ½”         

 

 

 

 

Where a strake would be less than 5” wide at a Port the lower strake is “worked” up to the lower sill of the port :

 

 

 

 

 

Trimming of the Gun and Sweep ports begins with a razor saw cut in each side of the port :

 

 

 

 

The bulk of the waste is removed by carving it out from the centre with an Xacto knife :

 

 

 

 

A long sanding stick is used to level the planking at the bottom of the port sill. This stick reaches across to the starboard port to ensure the correct level :

 

 

 

 

 

The Sheer Strake is “worked” above the Ports in similar fashion to the lower strake :

 

 

 

[Dan Vadas]

Port Stops and Sweep Ports

 

The upper planking at midships. A scarph joint in the Sheer Strake can be seen, also the Fixed Block below the sheer strake :

 

 

 

 

1 ½” thick Port Stops are fitted to both sides and the bottom of the Gun Ports :

 

 

 

 

The Sweep Port Stops are 1” thick :

 

 

 

 

 

The inside edges of the Stops are first trimmed with a chisel-point Xacto :

 

 

 

 

and finished off with a Riffler File :

 

 

 

[Dan Vadas]

Spirketting, Quickwork and Inside Sweep Ports Trimming

 

 Note the steps between the Spirketting above the Waterway and the Quickwork above it, and also the one above the quickwork where it meets the String in the Waist. There is a chamfer on both steps :

 

 

 

 

The Fixed Block is flush with the String but stands proud of the Quickwork :

 

 

 

 

 

Trimming the top of a Sweep Port with the long sanding stick :

 

 

 

 

[Dan Vadas]

Treenailing Spirketting and Quickwork

 

More Treenails :

 

 

 

 

 

[Dan Vadas]

Upper Deck Companions

 

The Upper Deck Companions are made the same as the Lower Deck ones :

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Dan Vadas]

Helm Port

 

To work on the Helm Port the ship was removed from it’s work base and inverted on a board covered with expanded foam for protection :

 

 

 

 

The two inboard pieces of the Helm Port were cut roughly to shape using a Mylar template, spot-glued into the framing and marked out for their final shape against the frames :

 

 

 

 

 

They were removed again and sanded to the marks :

 

 

 

 

The outboard piece of the helm port was made in similar fashion, glued into place and final sanded :

 

 

 

 

 

[Dan Vadas]

Lower Counter Planking

 

Next the Lower Counter was planked. Note the angle joint on the inboard side between the two lower planks in the picture :

 

 

 

[Dan Vadas]

Garboard Strake

 

 The Garboard Strake is the first to be fitted when planking the lower part of the hull :

 

 

 

 

 

The forward end of the Garboard Strake ends just after the point where the keel starts to rise. It’s upper edge is virtually straight, with the edge that sits in the keel rabbet tapered to follow the rabbet :

 

 

 

[Dan Vadas]

Lower Hull Planking

 

 Two more strakes of planking were fitted against the Garboard Strake before planking work returns to beneath the Wales :

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Dan Vadas]

Top and Butt Planking

 

The first six strakes of planking beneath the Wales are worked in Top and Butt fashion :

 

 

 

 

 

The aftmost plank beneath the Wales has a very sharp bend and is also wider than most other planks to fit around the end of the lower wale. The card template alongside it was used to get it’s shape :

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Dan Vadas]

Tricky Plank

 

The first plank alongside the Sternpost is a very tricky one to get right. This one took me two attempts :

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Dan Vadas]

Hull Planking Continues

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Dan Vadas]

Hull Planking Finished

 

The hull planking after all treenailing has been finished and sanded :

 

 

 

 

After two coats of Minwax Wipe-on Poly were applied :

 

 

 

 

[Dan Vadas]

Starboard Sheer Strake

 

There is very little planking to be done on the Starboard side, but the Sheer Strake is one of them. It continues to the stern :

 

 

 

 

 

The Plank upon the Drifts is also fitted to both Forecastle and Quarterdeck :

 

 

 

 

 

Another “worked” part of the Sheer Strake above the aft Gunport :

 

 

[Dan Vadas]

Scuppers

 

The Scuppers drain the upper deck. They are cut into the Waterway and angle down outwards to exit through the Black Strake :

 

 

 

 

 

 

To simulate the Lead scupper Linings I used "Evergreen" polystyrene tubing - 2mm for most, and 2.5mm for the Hawse and Pump Dale scuppers. I heated the end of the tubing gently over a gas flame and then pushed it onto a cold piece of brass sheet to make the flange. These were done in two pieces meeting in the middle :

 

 

 

 

 

After fitting all the scupper linings I painted them Lead Grey :