HMS Victory by Dan Vadas - FINISHED - Del Prado - Restoration

[Karleop]

Hola Dan, nice to hear that you feel better now.

 

I am also starting the placement of deadeyes on the chainboards so I will follow your procedures with interest.

 

Saludos, Karl

[Dan Vadas]

Thanks for looking in, and the nice comments John, David, Bindy and Karl.

 

I am also starting the placement of deadeyes on the chainboards so I will follow your procedures with interest.

 

 

Don't follow me TOO closely Karl - I'm still trying to make a "Silk Purse from a Sow's Ear" and I'm rather limited by the work that had already been done and also the very poor fittings etc of this kit. It might be better to follow another build .

 

Hi all,

 

I've spent a good portion of the last eleven days working on this one again, while still managing to get a bit of "holiday stuff" in .

 

Below are some pics, taken several days apart, as work on the Standing Rigging progressed. The first was taken two days after the re-commencement of work and shows all the Lower Shrouds completed, :

 

 

Work starts on the most tedious part - the Ratlines. I faithfully (?) followed the Kit Instructions with the spacing of these, as they were at least twice as far apart as they should be (saved me about three days work ) :

 

 

 

 

Two and a half days later all the lower ratlines were completed and the Futtock Shrouds installed :

 

 

 

 

Continued next Post ........

 

  Danny

[Dan Vadas]

..... continued.

 

The Lower Forestays were fitted in a day and a half, starting with the Mizzen Mast and working forward. This is back-to-front to the way I would normally do it, but the work environment dictated it to be the better way as I didn't have a great lot of space to turn the model on my bench :

 

 

The attachment around the mast top is a reasonable facsimile of the real thing, using a "mouse" made simply by tying a double knot around the stay :

 

 

 

I had to use Deadeyes for the lower ends of the stays, as no Heart Blocks were supplied in the kit :

 

 

 

Continued next Post .....

 

  Danny

[Dan Vadas]

...... continued.

 

Four days later and the Upper Shrouds are completed, including their Ratlines :

 

 

 

The futtock shroud ratlines took a couple of hours :

 

 

The Topmast Forestays were all fitted :

 

 

Finally I added two Bowsprit Shrouds. The kit instructions didn't show ANY   . I had to use four modified blocks, as there were only two deadeyes left and they were both damaged beyond repair :

 

 

 

More work will come in a week.

 

  Danny

[dgbot]

It looks like you are good at making silk purses.

David B

[Trussben]

Wow Danny, you really have made a great deal of progress with this one, compared to the before pics she looks awesome.

 

Ben

[Jim Lad]

Well, Danny, if you're not making a silk purse, you're at least making a fine linen one!

 

John

[Dan Vadas]

Thank you David, Ben and John .

 

This time I only had a six day stint at my van, so I thought I'd spend as much time as possible on this build. I managed six hours per day .

 

The kit instructions had me glue a stopper block under the Boom and Gaff and then glue them both to the mizzen mast - YUCKO . I made up two yokes from scrap ply :

 

 

 

 

 

Continued next post ......

[Dan Vadas]

..... continued

 

Below are a couple of pics of the completed Standing Rigging :

 

 

 

The start of the Bowsprit rigging :

 

 

About now I realized my camera battery was running low, so not many progress pics were able to be taken. Here all the Yards have been attached and the Running Rigging is complete :

 

 

 

I'll take some more closeup pics of the rigging next trip. Bear in mind that I've done a VERY simplified rigging - virtually only the Lifts and Braces for each Yard. I might add the Sheets and Tacks for the lower yards - that area looks a bit bare.

 

Last pic is of the port anchor :

 

 

Apart from painting and fitting the ship's boats the build is now complete. The remaining work will take me a couple of hours, but that will be next week. Then I can deliver the ship to the owner .

 

  Danny

[patrickmil]

You're turning lead into gold! It's looking great despite what you started with.

[gjdale]

The transformation is incredible Danny, as is the speed at which you've accomplished this. The owner should be delighted! Don't forget to post a final "before" and "after" series of photos before you close the log.

[themadchemist]

You mention in your first log "Being the sucker I am"...

 

I just wanted to mention that I don't see a sucker or a mistake, but rather a caring individual that has the amazing ability of transmutation. Having this completed and as a living memory of your friends father is a huge act of love, empathy and generosity. You've helped create an heirloom, a tie to our heritage, which is one of the reasons for this hobby to preserve the old knowledge and memories. Your an inspiration Dan.

 

You have definitely got the Midas touch, without his greedy heart.

[rowand]

You've done a great job Dan.

 

Cheers,

 

Rowan D.

[Elia]

Danny,

 

This is an amazing and a miraculous salvage effort. Very well done.

 

Cheers,

 

Elia

[Blue Pilot]

I actually enjoy restoration logs more then build logs. You are a true craftsman and the transformation is incredible! On top of that you are a gentlemen and I am sure your friend will be overcome when she sees the ship completed and It will be a lasting tribute to her father. Well done Sir!

[clipper]

Hi Danny, I have a load of deadeyes, double and single blocks that I had with the dp bounty kit. If you want them PM me and Ill send them down to you.

Tony

[Twister]

This restoration has been nothing short of alchemy!!  Congratulations on a most incredible turn around.

 

Regards,

 

Row

[Dan Vadas]

Thank you very much for the kind comments Patrick, Grant, Keith, Rowan Elia, Mark, Tony, Lawrence and Row .

 

Well this project is finally finished and delivered to it's owner - to say she was delighted with the result would be an understatement . I told her at the start that I'd have to charge her for any materials I had to buy, and she said that was no problem at all. Total expenses were just under $150 for such things as a bottle of Acetone, another of Turps, paint, extra timber, glue, knife blades etc. I was going to donate my labour, but she would have none of that and I received a very nice surprise when I opened the envelope with the money later that day - an extra $100 . My total labour worked out at about 80c an hour, but like I said I would have been quite happy to do it for free .

 

Here are the pics of the finished ship, with a couple of "before's" under some of them :

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Please ignore the way she's rigged - my aim was always to make this a "decoration", not a historically correct model. I only rigged the Lifts and Braces to all the yards, and threw in the Sheets and Tacks for the Fore and Main Masts to help "fill in the gaps". The rigging fulfills that aim. BTW - I know the Braces for the Main Yards should have been around the other way (i.e. toward the Mizzen Mast), but it would have left too much empty space in the middle .

 

I'm already a fair way into my next "holiday van" project - a similar situation to this project where the original builder passed away before completing his model of an Artesania Latina "King of the Mississippi" and I'm completing it for his family. Here's a LINK to it if you're interested.

 

Work will also be done on "Vulture" in the meantime .

 

  Danny

[riverboat]

Wow! what a difference...... you made some one very happy!!

 

Frank

[Jim Lad]

Tiny bit of an improvement there, Danny!  

 

No wonder she's happy with the work!

 

John

[Littlebob]

Great work Danny on a very sad ship, and a heck of a nice thing to do. Amazing what you can do with so little.

[gjdale]

Outstanding job Danny. I guess that having been paid now means that you can list your occupation as "Professional Model Builder".

[dgbot]

Nice job Danny. You practically did work for free.

David B

[Elia]

Amazing result Danny. It's hard to draw a link between those first two photos of your last post. Outstanding effort sir.

 

Cheers,

 

Elia

[amateur]

Clever rigging!

(and an amazing transformation)

 

Jan

[Bindy]

Wow, what a difference!

 

From something worth a rubbish bin, to something that should be treasured for years to come.  I am glad it was appreciated (as I am sure it will be by anyone who sees it) but I am not too surprised that someone who gives and does as much as you do, was flattered and happy with the "bonus" of that size 

[mtaylor]

Excellent rebuild and Grant is right... add the title "Professional". 

[patrickmil]

Nice work Danny!!! You really turned out a gem from a lump of coal. I'm very impressed and your work continues to amaze and inspire.

[Salty Sea Dog]

What sort of sorcery is this? You are truly a gifted magician!! Your skills and kindness give us all something to aspire to.

 

Best wishes,

[JLuebbert]

Wonderful job, Dan. My thoughts go out to your friends father. I imagine he's looking down now and saying "THAT'S how it looked in my head! Thanks buddy!"