Meta 484 by ctclock - Billing Boats

[ctclock]

Hello all

 

Here we go

 

Welcome to my META 484 by Billing build 

 

Please feel free to comment or add suggestions

 

There is just not much information available out there for the Meta that I can find - I found some photographs of completed models but nothing as far as build logs are concerned. If somebody has a possible source for any detail etc I could check it would be appreciated.

Here are some which I have found: Meta Images and Meta images 2

 

For the time being, I have put the La Toullanaise on hold until I receive the planks and wood I ordered. I was just frustrating myself trying to do something and achieving nothing.

 

So for now - I have decided to start the META 484 from Billing. This is an old kit [would love to know exactly how old] which I bought from a friend a good while ago and its been sitting on my shelf for the best part of 2 years - time to do something about that . Fortunately, the kit appears to be complete along with its accessories as well so that's a plus. And if needs be, I can pilfer wood from the La Toullanaise kit until my stock arrives - woods are similar between the two kits - and looks like they are from the same manufacturing era.

First inspection of the kit revealed everything foreseeable to be present - most importantly, the PLAN!

Opening the box. The wood appears to be VERY dry so I will have to watch that

All the wood seems to be in the box

[ctclock]

So the exploration mood quickly changed to a work mood

 

I decided to gather all the necessary bits for completing the keel and bulkheads - some of the bulkheads were lazer cut/routed and a few which had to be cut from the ply supplied. 3A ands 2A are used to keep the model on your build board [according to the manual]

 

And on that point, its safe to say the manual sucks a bit - not much info there [and some errors which I will discuss later]

 

Let the cutting commence

[ctclock]

Quite a bit of cutting to - some of the bulkheads were supplied cut by lazer/CNC cut - I see no burn marks from the lazer so it would be natural to assume it was CNC cut.

The wood is soft so cutting was a breeze to get the required parts - plenty of filing and sanding to do:

[ctclock]

Once the keel and bulkhead parts were shaped and cleaned, it was tine to look at the keel and get it ready for setting in the jig I use 

 

Alas, thats where I discovered the first mistake - the manual calls for a 400mm section of the keel - only to check on the plan to see its actually 392mm. This worries me a bit since the plans were printed presumably from a computer - am wondering if the printed plan has it's scale slightly off?

Anyhow I decided to go with the measurement from the plans [since I will be referring back to it on a regular basis]

 

 

Corrected according to the plan

 

[glennreader]

This all seems very familiar. I am currently making the Billings 'Etiole' and looking at your plans the method of constructing the hull looks the same. My main problem was that the spacing of the slots in the deck panel for the bulkheads did not match the plans. Hence when it was all assembled the fwd and aft pieces, parts no 2 and 3 in your picture, were a few mm further apart than shown on the plans which meant the strip of wood supplied for the keel was a few mm too short and I had to add a short spacer. I decided it was easier to make the model a few mm longer than shown on the plan rather than try and adjust everything else. In any case, who is to say which is correct.

 

I  think I am trying to say 'Proceed with caution'.

 

Glenn

[ctclock]

Hi Glen - thanks for stopping by my build log

 

Old story of the instructions not matching the plan - I found a 8mm discrepancy as previously mentioned on the thread

 

Since discovering a few anomolies, I am now using the plan exclusively with just reference to the instructions

[ctclock]

Just a quick update - have finished the bulkheads. Jeez, nothing lined up, spacing was out and most of the heights were wrong

Dont laugh at my build jig - it works for me till I can make a better - MDF is pricey here in ZA

And then, things can go wrong or an incorrect placement. Time for the doctor to step in

 

Got the deck on after remarking all the cutouts to get a decent fit

 

 

Finally manged to get some sense of order for the cutouts

 

And then starting with the deck planking. I will see what the finish is like but am considering replacing the wood

 

 

 

Still deciding whether I will put in tree nails or not - yeah. I know the general opinion of many

 

 

[Matt Haynes]

Please could I ask what scale this model is... I have the opportunity to purchase a built model and need to know. I'm a railway modeller needing a sailing ship for a certain scale.

[bolin]

I have recently taken over a half built model from another builder and can inform that the scale is 1:40. Currently my ship yard is full and it sits on a shelf, but I look forward to starting it...