acaron41120

Plans are no longer available. They went to a MWS member. Thanks for the interest.

Allen Caron

I have the plans of the Joseph Conrad ship. I purchased the plans to build the ship that got me interested in classic sailing ships. But I have come to realize that I will never be able to complete a build like this with my limited skills. So...before listing it on eBay I thought I'd offer it up here to Model Ship World members first. Cost to whomever wants it is free. I will wait till the end of next week before listing it on eBay. If you'd like it, email me at: Email Removed to Prevent Spam

Thanks

Allen Caron

Hi Jaeon. When faring the frames on my Mayflower I used a sanding block I purchased from Lowes. Its a small yellow rubber piece that has different grit sandpaper that velcro to it. And I sanded the frames diagonally and along the length of the hull checking each frame as I went. Just easier for me that way. I do have a dremel tool with sanding bits but have not used it much. Probably because I'm old fashioned and like using my hands. Just remember to take it slowly and check a lot and you should find that you're have with the results.

Okay! I found what I need at Michaels. Will just have to trace the pattern on is and I'll be set. Thanks everyone for all the help.

Thanks for all the replies. I never knew that HD, Lowes or Ace hardware sold wood block. I'll give them a try today before going on line. The wood block is for fabricating the brass keel piece on the bottom of Billing Boats Dragen. It is item F443 in their fitting kit. billing boats.com experienced level, page 3, Dragen, click on plans in top right corner and scroll to last page for the F443 brass keel illustration.

Hi Tom. That's great. Glad you could find one. I know how difficult ordering all the bits and pieces can be. Going through that now with the Billing Boats "Dragen" kit no. 582. I need the brass piece for the keel and I can't locate a kit anywhere. Billing hasen't answered my email from two weeks ago. So now I'm trying to locate a block of basswood to make the keel piece. The block is small and you'd think I could find one but nope! So far anyway.

When you start your Golden Hind make a build log and I'll do the same and we'll compare notes.

I have a Billing Boats "Dragen" (kit number 582) that I purchased on eBay knowing all the pieces of the fitting kit were not there. I ordered the few pieces and have them however, I cannot locate the brass keel piece. But I can make one out of wood. I have the dimensions and I'd like to make it out of a basswood block. The dimensions are 1-1/2" H x 9" long x 1/2" W. Does anyone know where I can purchase a basswood block that size? Our only hobby place is HobbyLobby and they have balsa but not Basswood. Thanks for any assistance.

On 2/5/2021 at 3:45 PM, tomsimon said:

1. The Golden Hind's (Ship Kit No. 480) manual says that within the manual is a list of the fittings needed to complete the kit. 

Tom,

I have the Billing Boats Golden Hind (Ship Kit No. 480) and fitting kit in the hopper awaiting build. Get me your email and Wednesday (latest) I'll scan the fitting kit and email it to you.

Allen 

I'm having a similar problem with Billing's Dragen. I have some of the fittings but others I do not. The biggest thing I need is the brass piece that fits on the bottom of the boat. I emailed BOTH @billingboats.com and billingboatsusa.com.

All my ship models have been billing boats and in the assembly instruction manual at the end of the parts list is the Fitting list. Also if you go on line and select the model you want and click on the top right corner where they have manuals listed, the kit list is there as well.

I'm waiting to hear from both billing sites now. I'll try Cornwall models later today! Hang in there and you'll either find what you need or end up making your own fittings.

I've checked the Billing Boats USA site ands they don't have any for the Dragen. Thanks for the suggestion. I'll give the actual Billing Boats site an email.

I purchased a Billing Boats Dragen that I knew didn't have the fitting kit included. I usually see fitting kits on eBay for billing boats but can't find any. So I'm wanting to buy just the fitting kit for Billing Boats "Dragen." If anyone has one laying about they would like to rid themselves of, please let PM me and we'll see about working and agreeable sale. OR...if anyone knows of a place that sells them also please let me know. Thanks all.

Thanks for all the excellent responses. I ended up ordering 1x5x500mm walnut strips (pack of 25) from Model Expo.

Larry.

I did some searching and found the web site for my building slip. Here you go:

www.hobbyworld-usa.com/Store/index.php?id_product=2074&controller=product

On 1/18/2021 at 9:28 PM, Larry Cowden said:

You chose Billing Boats. why? Do you have a link for your jig?

Larry. Back in the mid 70's while stationed in England, I lived in Felixstowe. A friend of mine was building the "Norske Love"  by Billing Boats and I told him I was interested in trying that and he took me to the store where he purchased his kit and I stuck with Billing Boats. As for the building jig, I got it from Hobby Zone of England while doing a search for ship building jigs. I believe their web sit is hobbyzone.com.

Greg

Any idea of what Tanganica wood is and the color of it. How easy is it to work? Any one else? I've never heard of it.

Finally got the garboard strake to fit. The kit planks are 1.8mm x 6 m x 550 mm. I used one 1.8mm x 10 m x 550 mm strip for the garboard strake starting on the port side. Need to sand the bottom of the strake just a tad in the middle and she'll fit in nicely. I used the method described in Donald Dressel's book "Planking Techniques for Model Ship Builders". It seemed, to me at least, to be the most straight forward method. After trimming, I soaked the strake in warm water for two hours before the test fit. Glenn. I typically bevel the bottom edge of any plank up to the wale.

Tomorrow I intend to order the planks for my second layer of planking. I just don't know what thickness to order. In the first layer of planking the planks are 1.8 mm (thick) x 6 mm (wide) x 550 mm (long). When I ask on-line the response is always the width of the plank. I want to know how THICK the plank should be. The range seems endless. And the only hobby store is Hobby Lobby which is why I always have to order. I'm building the Mayflower by Billing Boats and just want to have the second player of planks on hand when I start the second layer of planking. I'm thinking the thickness should be about 0.5 mm thick. I thank you for your help in advance.

I've read and re-read the planking article "Lining Off Your Hull for Planking on the MSW site but am having a heck of a hard time getting the Garboard Strake to fit without a small space between the keel/stem post and the bottom edge of the strake. No matter how hard I work at it with the cardboard and the strake I always seem to have that space. What am I missing? Any suggestions on how to handle this will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks for all your comments.

The main reason I asked is because like most of us I plank the hull before planking the deck. But in my Mayflower kit the plans, photos and instructions show planking the decks first. First time I have ever seen it done that way and was just wondering if it made things easier or not.

Phil, I like the way you did your waterways and margin planks. I'm going to have to give that a try.

When planking is it best to plank the decks or the hull first? Just wondering.

Thanks for the replies. I was wondering if it made it easier than the traced card and line that I've always used. I guess I'll stick to my older wats. Sometimes the old ways are better.

I have a catalogue from Micro-Mark. They have a lot of nice hand tools for model ship building. I have a couple of them. But I have never used (I've thought about it though) any of their ratline making tools. Has anyone tried one?

The thickness of my planks are 1.8mm per the assembly sheet but I figure them as 2mm. I'm going to stick with the 8mm wide Wale and use the 5mm planks for the rest of the hull. I understand that in practice the Wale was actually thicker than the rest of the hull planks bur my kit instructions don't mention any thicker planks.

In my signature block I list the ships I have built. But for this build and going forward, I'm going to try and do the planking the correct way. Thank you everyone for your comments and advice.

I've read the planking tutorials on the site and they are great. So...in marking off for my planking, I'm wondering if I can use a slightly wider plank for the Wale. My kit has 5mm wide planks for the hull. I'm using an 10mm wide plank for the Garboard and if I use the 5mm planks for the rest of the hull I end up with needing to shave one of the planks down to 3mm. Using the 8mm plank for the Wale makes it work out without shaving any planks. Just need to verify that its okay to do this or will it lead to more difficulties.

Dan and Bolin. Thanks for your replies. I know about adding filler blocks but haven't tried it yet. It does seem as if there is less cutting with filler blocks than separate frames and trying to position them correctly. As the false decks are in place to supply some form of support for the sanding effort, I can remove the false decks and fit the filler blocks more easily. Great food for thought.