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Norden by JamesG - Billing Boats - 1:30 - First Build


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After getting some great information on my first thread I ordered the Norden and some tools, and today it arrived. Everything was present in the box so I got started  :) I think it's a good first kit and will help me get to grips with the main aspects of building model ships, and there's not too much rigging or sail work, which is the most daunting part for me! Plus I love working boats. Although I think I'll be going for a Model Shipways kit for my next build whenever that may be, the Billings instructions are rather vague. So far I've relied more on two good build logs.

 

So far (the first 2 hours or so) I have added the bulkheads to the first half of the hull and glued the two wood pieces at the bow and stern, I am just waiting for that glue to dry before adding the deck and starting the other half of the hull. I'm already enjoying this new hobby!  :D

 

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If anyone has any other tips or notices anything I have done wrong or should do differently, let me know

Edited by JamesG
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Bulwarks are now in place, not perfect and I probably could have done better but they're as good as I was able to get them   :)

 

post-25517-0-32542000-1469354196.jpg

 

I've put the first plank in place with pins, would someone be able to give me some advice about the placement? First of all, is the one I've got in the right place? And is the best way to complete the planking to go from the top and bottom then meet in the middle?

 

post-25517-0-15203000-1469354341.jpg

 

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I'm also not sure how to finish the planks at the bow, I was going to end them following the contour of the inner piece of wood, then sand them later to make them finish flush with the keel.

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lovely work James,

 

the wood, the parts, and the way of mounting, relects and provides the instant impression I had myself, of having a Billng kit before me. when I was building these many years ago.

I remember very good straking lines over the outside bulkheads, and precise fit of parts. The pic of that  hull, mounted with deck and bullwark fit speaks for itself... :)  ;)

 

Nils

Current builds

-Lightship Elbe 1

Completed

- Steamship Ergenstrasse ex Laker Corsicana 1918- scale 1:87 scratchbuild

"Zeesboot"  heritage wooden fishing small craft around 1870, POB  clinker scratch build scale 1:24

Pilot Schooner # 5 ELBE  ex Wanderbird, scale 1:50 scratchbuild

Mississippi Sterwheelsteamer built as christmapresent for grandson modified kit build

Chebec "Eagle of Algier" 1753--scale 1:48-POB-(scratchbuild) 

"SS Kaiser Wilhelm der Grosse" four stacker passenger liner of 1897, blue ribbond awarded, 1:144 (scratchbuild)
"HMS Pegasus" , 16 gun sloop, Swan-Class 1776-1777 scale 1:64 from Amati plan 

-"Pamir" 4-mast barque, P-liner, 1:96  (scratchbuild)

-"Gorch Fock 2" German Navy cadet training 3-mast barque, 1:95 (scratchbuild) 

"Heinrich Kayser" heritage Merchant Steamship, 1:96 (scratchbuild)  original was my grandfathers ship

-"Bohuslän" , heritage ,live Swedish museum passenger steamer (Billings kit), 1:50 

"Lorbas", river tug, steam driven for RC, fictive design (scratchbuild), scale appr. 1:32

under restoration / restoration finished 

"Hjejlen" steam paddlewheeler, 1861, Billings Boats rare old kit, scale 1:50

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I've made a bit of progress now, I have completed the hull and deck planking and for my first attempt I think it's gone fairly well! I just need to figure out how to finish the plank ends at the bow so they taper nicely into the keel.

 

On both sides I had a small gap of 1-2mm across 4-5 bulkheads, this is how I filled it (a stealer?) and it seems to have worked rather well! :)

 

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post-25517-0-37282500-1469817117.jpg

 

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I've done most of the sanding on the hull so I'm now almost ready for painting, although I'm not sure what paint to use, the recommended Billing Boats paints don't have gloss/satin/matt labels but some of the Humbrol equivalent paint colours only seem to be available in gloss such as No. 22 White and the hull colours. So are they supposed to be gloss?

 

Thanks, 

James

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Well I've been trying to do the waterline for a few hours over a couple of days and cannot get it right. It's the first part of the build that's really frustrating me. I clamped a pencil to a right angled piece of wood and used that to trace the line with the hull flat on its keel however it seems to go down towards the bow, it looks that way on both sides. The main problem I have is getting the masking tape to follow the curves of the hull flat while also following the pencil line I made.

 

Also, when one colour is painted on the hull, what's the best way to apply the second colour against the water line?

Edited by JamesG
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mount the hull on the stand- this will put her on the correct trim, then lightly draw the line. On wooden hulls i just paint freehand up to the pencil line. To stop the pencil being dragged down ease off the pressure as the shape of thr hull tries to pull the pencil in a downwards arc.

 

Keith

Edited by clearway
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Well I've been trying to do the waterline for a few hours over a couple of days and cannot get it right. It's the first part of the build that's really frustrating me. I clamped a pencil to a right angled piece of wood and used that to trace the line with the hull flat on its keel however it seems to go down towards the bow, it looks that way on both sides. The main problem I have is getting the masking tape to follow the curves of the hull flat while also following the pencil line I made.

 

Also, when one colour is painted on the hull, what's the best way to apply the second colour against the water line?

 

Perhaps you can use the flexible masking tape from Tamiya for this?

 

IMG_0843_zpspeyngo69.jpg

 

tamiya_zpsjsfi0kz6.jpg

 

I love this tape!

 

I only used it for airbrushing and it does it's job really nicely. Be careful with brush painting...paint can creep underneath tape when you use a brush.

WIP: No ships atm...sorry!🙄

Completed: Greek bireme - Dusek - scale 1:72

 Louie da fly: "I think it requires a special kind of insanity to choose a galley to build a model of."

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  • 2 weeks later...

Unfortunately there's been a large delay in posting progress of the boat but I haven't given up  :) I was a bit demotivated by the problems I had with the waterline but I think I've finally managed to get somewhere with it, the two pictures below show what I did with the Tamiya tape, let me know what you think, i.e., if it's straight enough! 

 

post-25517-0-63037700-1471705549.jpg

 

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While being annoying with the waterline I built and painted some of the pieces that go on the deck there's a few more to do but these are the largest parts. I was also able to place and stain the deck planking.

 

post-25517-0-28337400-1471705558.jpg

 

post-25517-0-28530800-1471705559.jpg

 

post-25517-0-31291700-1471705557.jpg

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good progress James,

 

a very nice looking build, and good modeling of the stern portion  :)

 

Nils

Current builds

-Lightship Elbe 1

Completed

- Steamship Ergenstrasse ex Laker Corsicana 1918- scale 1:87 scratchbuild

"Zeesboot"  heritage wooden fishing small craft around 1870, POB  clinker scratch build scale 1:24

Pilot Schooner # 5 ELBE  ex Wanderbird, scale 1:50 scratchbuild

Mississippi Sterwheelsteamer built as christmapresent for grandson modified kit build

Chebec "Eagle of Algier" 1753--scale 1:48-POB-(scratchbuild) 

"SS Kaiser Wilhelm der Grosse" four stacker passenger liner of 1897, blue ribbond awarded, 1:144 (scratchbuild)
"HMS Pegasus" , 16 gun sloop, Swan-Class 1776-1777 scale 1:64 from Amati plan 

-"Pamir" 4-mast barque, P-liner, 1:96  (scratchbuild)

-"Gorch Fock 2" German Navy cadet training 3-mast barque, 1:95 (scratchbuild) 

"Heinrich Kayser" heritage Merchant Steamship, 1:96 (scratchbuild)  original was my grandfathers ship

-"Bohuslän" , heritage ,live Swedish museum passenger steamer (Billings kit), 1:50 

"Lorbas", river tug, steam driven for RC, fictive design (scratchbuild), scale appr. 1:32

under restoration / restoration finished 

"Hjejlen" steam paddlewheeler, 1861, Billings Boats rare old kit, scale 1:50

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The Hull is now painted and I am very pleased with how it turned out, the flexible Tamiya tape working wonderfully and I was able to paint below the waterline up to it by hand much easier than I expected. It's probably not perfect and there's always room for improvement, but I'm very happy with it so I'm not going to complain!  :D

 

post-25517-0-37880000-1471947132.jpg

 

post-25517-0-07994300-1471947133.jpg

 

post-25517-0-58299500-1471947133.jpg

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I haven't been able to do much over the last couple of days as I normally work on the boat in the conservatory, however recent hot weather has made it difficult to stay in there for any length of time! Although I don't think there's much left to do as a whole, I've finished the front mast so I'm mainly just working on rigging  :D

 

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post-25517-0-46518800-1472142466.jpg

 

Let me know what you think!  :)

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Typical Danish fisher boat, looks great James,

 

reminds me of a Denmark vacation at the North sea side, where these boats are pulled up on the strand with winches when work is done....

 

Nils

Current builds

-Lightship Elbe 1

Completed

- Steamship Ergenstrasse ex Laker Corsicana 1918- scale 1:87 scratchbuild

"Zeesboot"  heritage wooden fishing small craft around 1870, POB  clinker scratch build scale 1:24

Pilot Schooner # 5 ELBE  ex Wanderbird, scale 1:50 scratchbuild

Mississippi Sterwheelsteamer built as christmapresent for grandson modified kit build

Chebec "Eagle of Algier" 1753--scale 1:48-POB-(scratchbuild) 

"SS Kaiser Wilhelm der Grosse" four stacker passenger liner of 1897, blue ribbond awarded, 1:144 (scratchbuild)
"HMS Pegasus" , 16 gun sloop, Swan-Class 1776-1777 scale 1:64 from Amati plan 

-"Pamir" 4-mast barque, P-liner, 1:96  (scratchbuild)

-"Gorch Fock 2" German Navy cadet training 3-mast barque, 1:95 (scratchbuild) 

"Heinrich Kayser" heritage Merchant Steamship, 1:96 (scratchbuild)  original was my grandfathers ship

-"Bohuslän" , heritage ,live Swedish museum passenger steamer (Billings kit), 1:50 

"Lorbas", river tug, steam driven for RC, fictive design (scratchbuild), scale appr. 1:32

under restoration / restoration finished 

"Hjejlen" steam paddlewheeler, 1861, Billings Boats rare old kit, scale 1:50

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All rigging is now complete, excluding the sails, they're still the most daunting part for me! Overall this has all turned out much better than I expected, I'm sure it could be neater or built more precisely but as it's my first build I didn't want to spend too long on it, plus I've not got long until I return to university so I needed to be finished before then or I wouldn't be able work on it for over 3 months. There's still a few more details I need to add, such as the winch, fish boxes and anchor but these shouldn't take long.

 

This was a great introduction to the hobby and I certainly aim to start another model as soon as I can, now that I've had some experience (and much of it was easier than I anticipated) I feel that I could handle the Model Shipways Bluenose which also has the advantage of better instructions and far more build logs to use as references  :) I will also be able to spend more time and be more precise on my next build.

 

post-25517-0-79484000-1472217296.jpg

 

post-25517-0-66407800-1472217297.jpg

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I think you can be proud of your first build...really lovely!

 

Cheers!

 

Rob  :)

 

Thanks Rob, I definitely am proud of it  :D  I've done the stitching on the rear sail and will do the other one tomorrow, so it may be completely finished tomorrow. The stitching isn't perfect, I've done it by hand and I'm not really sure what the best methods are, but it's good enough for now  :)

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Any opinions on the sails? As I said in my last reply I've done all the stitching by hand, I did the larger sail second so it's a bit neater than the rear sail as I had managed develop something of a technique (but still not as neat as I'd like). Clearly it would never be as neat as a sewing machine or someone with a bit more experience in needlework than me! I would guess that both sails took me around 5 (Maybe 6) hours to complete, so if it takes me that long to complete the two small sails on this boat I think I'll invest in a small sewing machine for my next model  :D

 

I'll have to find a good source of information on how to properly make sails and do rigging, I wasn't 100% sure how to attach everything so I used knots that I usually use when fishing. I also used small amounts of glue on some of the rigging which I would have preferred not to do, luckily it isn't very noticeable. I've decided I would like to build the Model Shipways Bluenose next (probably next summer), I definitely want to finish the rigging and sails properly and without glue on that model  :)

 

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post-25517-0-82025900-1472386134.jpg

 

All that's left to do now is fix on the winch, make a few small fish boxes and add a couple of hatches on the deck, just a few small details  :)

Edited by JamesG
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I just found your build.........very nice indeed!  :)    the sails look great......nice straight stitching.....and freehand no less.    you have some good skills here..it would be a shame if you didn't continue  ;)    I have built many Billing's kits........I've never done anything like that to shape the stern.   for the bow though,  I would suggest that you trim the bow end of the planks at an angle {to the angle of the bow stem},  and bevel the plank so it will lay on the stem flush.   keep them all in line,  and you'll get a perfect bow....with little filler work.  anything else........comes with experience........so I'll look forward in seeing that Bluenose kit when you get 'round to building her  ;)

I yam wot I yam!

finished builds:
Billings Nordkap 476 / Billings Cux 87 / Billings Mary Ann / Billings AmericA - reissue
Billings Regina - bashed into the Susan A / Andrea Gail 1:20 - semi scratch w/ Billing instructions
M&M Fun Ship - semi scratch build / Gundalow - scratch build / Jeanne D'Arc - Heller
Phylly C & Denny-Zen - the Lobsie twins - bashed & semi scratch dual build

Billing T78 Norden

 

in dry dock:
Billing's Gothenborg 1:100 / Billing's Boulogne Etaples 1:20
Billing's Half Moon 1:40 - some scratch required
Revell U.S.S. United States 1:96 - plastic/ wood modified / Academy Titanic 1:400
Trawler Syborn - semi scratch / Holiday Harbor dual build - semi scratch

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What a great job. Really clean and tidy. Great painting skills. All the parts came up great.

Regards, Scott

 

Current build: 1:75 Friesland, Mamoli

 

Completed builds:

1:64 Rattlesnake, Mamoli  -  1:64 HMS Bounty, Mamoli  -  1:54 Adventure, Amati  -  1:80 King of the Mississippi, AL

1:64 Blue Shadow, Mamoli  -  1:64 Leida Dutch pleasure boat, Corel  -  1:60 HMS President Mantra, Sergal

 

Awaiting construction:

1:89 Hermione La Fayette AL  -  1:48 Perserverance, Modelers shipyard

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I just found your build.........very nice indeed!   :)    the sails look great......nice straight stitching.....and freehand no less.    you have some good skills here..it would be a shame if you didn't continue   ;)    I have built many Billing's kits........I've never done anything like that to shape the stern.   for the bow though,  I would suggest that you trim the bow end of the planks at an angle {to the angle of the bow stem},  and bevel the plank so it will lay on the stem flush.   keep them all in line,  and you'll get a perfect bow....with little filler work.  anything else........comes with experience........so I'll look forward in seeing that Bluenose kit when you get 'round to building her   ;)

 

Thanks for the kind words from everyone, I appreciate it! I'll keep this advice regarding the bow in mind  :)

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planking is the biggest question,  besides rigging.   there are many ways to accomplish it........there are also many great tutorials out there too.   I'm not an expert at it....if I had seen your question then,  I could have been more timely.   no matter though.......you seemed to have taken care of it well enough.

     your ship came out great.....and that's all that matters  ;)

I yam wot I yam!

finished builds:
Billings Nordkap 476 / Billings Cux 87 / Billings Mary Ann / Billings AmericA - reissue
Billings Regina - bashed into the Susan A / Andrea Gail 1:20 - semi scratch w/ Billing instructions
M&M Fun Ship - semi scratch build / Gundalow - scratch build / Jeanne D'Arc - Heller
Phylly C & Denny-Zen - the Lobsie twins - bashed & semi scratch dual build

Billing T78 Norden

 

in dry dock:
Billing's Gothenborg 1:100 / Billing's Boulogne Etaples 1:20
Billing's Half Moon 1:40 - some scratch required
Revell U.S.S. United States 1:96 - plastic/ wood modified / Academy Titanic 1:400
Trawler Syborn - semi scratch / Holiday Harbor dual build - semi scratch

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Thanks popeye, I probably should have looked at a few more tutorials and guides about planking, the main problem I had was that I didn't want to spend too long on it, I go back to university soon and wanted to finish the model before then. I'm happy with it and it has turned out better than expected  :) when I get the Bluenose I'll start a build log for that one too, and it's one I'd want to try and make perfect (as far as possible) so if you spot it in the forum I'm sure I'd need all the help and advice I can get!

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