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

[cog]

Danny,

 

A very nice fiddly job well executed. Now I know what some writers refer to in some novels (Pope, Kent/Reeman)

[Dan Vadas]

Thanks Robin, Popeye, George, Adam, Michael and Carl .

 

is there a time period for this type of tackle?

 

 

Popeye, Robin summed it up pretty well. According to Lees (pages 44 and 45) Crowsfeet were introduced in the middle of the 17th century. The tackle using blocks was replaced with thimbles around 1800 until crowsfeet were done away with some time in the early 19th century.

 

  Danny

[Dan Vadas]

I was unhappy about the thread color and the stark contrast for the crowsfeet, so I'm re-doing them with black line :

 

 

This is not entirely accurate, as to the best of my knowledge they weren't tarred, but the visual aspect is far better.

 

  Danny

[druxey]

I agree, Dan; the visual contrast 'jumped' too much with version 1. That looks much happier.

[tlevine]

It does look better with the dark line.  Just tell people that it is dirty!

[AON]

I must be the odd one as I liked the contrast but what I liked isn't important.

 

It is still very clean, sharp and damn beautiful to look at.

[cog]

I have to agree on the white. However, why didn't you use hemp-colour (yellowish). Although I'm no expert, a bit of contrast wouldn't be that bad. Now it might turn out hardly visible.

[Dan Vadas]

why didn't you use hemp-colour (yellowish)

 

 

That's what I DID use originally. I couldn't find another color of Quilting Cotton that was closer to Chuck's tan rigging line.

 

I'm pretty happy with the black - I've redone all three crowsfeet.

 

  Danny

[michael mott]

My own thoughts are that the black looks better than the very light colour.

 

Michael.

[amateur]

I didn't realize Danny's decision was up to a vote

 

Jan

[Dan Vadas]

Thanks for looking in Michael and Jan .

 

Futtock Shrouds

 

Preparations for installing the Futtock Shrouds begins with making the Futtock Plates which hold the deadeyes. I made these from 0.7mm brass wire rolled around a 3.3mm drill bit, clamped up with needle nose pliers, and silver soldered at the bottom end. A 0.7mm hole was drilled into the lower end and the upper end was stretched back out so the deadeye could be inserted :

 

 

After blackening the plate was closed up around the deadeye :

 

 

4mm hooks were bent from 0.5mm wire, silver soldered and blackened. The futtock shroud was then seized to it :

 

 

The futtock plates go through the oval holes in the mast top and the shrouds are hooked to them :

 

 

The lower end of the shroud wraps around the futtock stave and is seized to the lower shroud :

 

 

 

  Danny

[BANYAN]

That's very nice, neat and well finished rigging Danny.  No fuzz at all that I can see (even at macro level)).

 

cheers

 

Pat

[Dan Vadas]

No fuzz at all that I can see (even at macro level)

 

 

Thanks Pat. That's due to Chuck's superb rigging line .

 

  Danny

[Dan Vadas]

It's pretty busy under the mast tops now :

 

 

  Danny

[Jim Lad]

Absolute first class job, Danny!

 

John

[Mirabell61]

very nice rigged masttop Danny,

 

I also like the combination of Colors...

 

Nils

[allanyed]

Danny

Your rigging looks so good it has pretty much convinced me to rig my next model when I get to that point.   As it will no doubt be a couple years down the road, I do have a chance to change my mind

 

Allan

[rtropp]

Dan,

beautiful work, a pleasure to follow.

I am at a point where I am starting to solder... for the first time.  So I am experiencing a learning curve.  You said that you are silver soldering.  I believe from what I have learned, that means high temperature with a torch.

Can you tell me what brand of solder, and what brand of torch you are using? I am not yet ready for a "professional" type set up so am looking for a butane type torch that will reach the temperatures needed.

 

Thanks,

Richard

[Maury S]

Danny, I assume you cut the plates to size after the deadeyes are installed.  Very consistent.  The served shrouds look great under the macro lens.

Maury

[riverboat]

as always, outstanding!! work Danny.

 

Frank

[Dan Vadas]

Thanks for dropping in again, and your kind comments John, Nils, Allan, Richard, Maury and Frank.

 

You said that you are silver soldering.  I believe from what I have learned, that means high temperature with a torch. Can you tell me what brand of solder, and what brand of torch you are using?

 

 

Richard, I'm not using a "professional" setup. I use a pencil torch from Bernzomatic, which uses butane. The solder paste is a medium melting point from Fusion.

 

Danny, I assume you cut the plates to size after the deadeyes are installed

 

 

Maury, I cut the plates to length after soldering and before drilling the holes.

 

Ratlines

 

Time for the "fun" job of tying the lower ratlines. I printed out a spacing template using AutoCAD and taped it behind the shrouds :

 

 

 

The lowest 6 and uppermost 6 ratlines don't tie off to the outer shrouds. There is some minor adjusting to be done which I'll do when they are all completed.

 

  Danny

[Jim Lad]

The ratlines really make her sing, Danny!

 

John

[rdsaplala]

Hi Danny,

 

Just catching up, beautiful rigging work Sir, nice color choice too on the crows feet

[rtropp]

Danny,

thanks for the info and wishing you a happy new year.

 

Richard

[Dan Vadas]

Thanks very much John, Aldo and Richard. Good to see you back on the site Aldo .

 

Shroud Cleats

 

There are about two dozen Shroud Cleats needed as far as I can tell, so I've made them as a bit of a break from tying ratlines.

 

Instead of making them one at a time I've used the method learned from others to mass produce them. First I cut 26 pieces (a couple of spares) from 2.8 x 1.32mm stock at 7mm lengths. These were then glued together with PVA and allowed to dry. A bit of disc sanding got them evened up after this pic was taken :

 

 

Next I cut a slot in each long end, and a shallower one for the centre lashing on the table saw :

 

 

Then I clamped the whole section in my vise and did some final shaping with a needle file :

 

 

Finally the section was dropped into a jar of Isopropyl Alcohol to dissolve the PVA. A little bit of rounding up will be done, and I'll stain the cleats a darker brown so they don't "jump" at you :

 

 

  Danny

[GLakie]

Pretty slick there Danny!  A technique I may have to borrow down the road if you don't mind.  

 

Cheers and I hope you and yours have a Happy New Year

[vulcanbomber]

Vulture is looking fantastic Danny.

[Mirabell61]

Danny ,

 

your shroud cleat fabrication is great,...., Thanks for sharing

are you going to tumble them afterwards ?

 

Nils

[Dan Vadas]

Thank you again George, Caroline and Nils. There wasn't any need to tumble the cleats Nils, they turned out very good after I rounded the edges a bit with a file. Here's a pic of them fitted to the foremast shrouds :

 

 

I see that I've bent one of the rail stanchions a bit - I'll straigten them all when the model is complete as they get a bit of a knock every now and then.

 

  Danny

[Dan Vadas]

Mizzen Topmast Shrouds

 

There are three pairs of shrouds on the mizzen topmast and one backstay which is the 2nd "leg" of the aftmost pair of shrouds. These are fitted around the mast top in similar fashion to the lower shrouds :

 

 

 

The backstay is fitted to a small stool aft of the mizzen channel :

 

 

  Danny