MichaelHunt

I explained when I joined that I was one of the many who had started a Billing Boats Cutty Sark many years ago, stopped for valid reasons, with the hull 2/3rds complete and had then stored the kit in the celler for more than 30 years. Living near to Paris, I have been confined at home for the past 10 weeks, so my now adult children told me to get the kit back upstairs. The kit I have is the BB 564, non laser cut kit and its associated box of fittings. I decided to go with what I had in the kits, accepting that it was not perfect. Equipment at the start, 2 Stanley knives, 1 small saw, some sand paper and an old bread board for a work top. Thanks to the internet, I was able to order some more tools, a micro drill plus fittings and some BB paints. I have looked at as many CS build logs as possible and am full of admiration for the skills, patience and results shown in them. My model is never going to have more than a very amateur finish, but has given me much pleasure over the past few weeks. I will post my own build log when I have something which I dare show on Modelshipworld. I would be very grateful for answers to the following questions. 1. Ships Wheel Is there a spindle / axle supplied with the BB ships wheel or is it DYI? If yes what does it look like? 2. Rudder Are there pintles supplied with the rudder fittings? I cannot see any likely candidates and the building instructions don't say. Do I just use some correct size nails. 3. Muntz metal I am tempted to cover the bottom of the hull in copper. I discovered that the standard size for the Munze sheeting was 48 x 4 inches. My calculation is that this translates into 16mm x 4.6mm sheets at 1:75 scale. 16 X 5mm is acceptable, so a roll of 5mm copper, cut into 300+ plates and stuck on with epoxy should keep me busy after the holidays. I see from both old and new photos that the Cutty Sark's sheathing was done Royal Navy style, with the horizontal joint overlays facing upwards. I imagine that this could have been done when CS was refiitted, prior to joining HMS Worcester in the 1930's, but not neccessarily earlier, when she was in cargo carrying service. Q1. Is it worth doing? Q2. Are overlaps neccessary in this scale? 4. The Deck My kit was supplied with mahogany 3 x 1mm strips for the deck planking. Not sure why, because the CS always had teak decks which are almost white when dry. I have used them to cover the deck house roofs, which are now painted white, with the exception of the Captain's quarters. The latter, with one coat of BB varnish is very dark so I am waiting for some more general progress to decide whether to strip them off, once the deck planking is complete. I have found a supplier with 3mm x 1mm Lime wood strips. Q1. Is this a suitable wood for the CS main deck. Q2. Anything to avoid? Many Thanks Mike Hunt

CCOYLE Your post of the 22nd June 2016 had me laughing out loud as I could use it as a biography. As a Brit and former Royal Navy submariner, I have always been interested in matters maritime and also had the good fortune to visit the Cutty Sark both before and after her final refit. I did however buy a Billings Cutty Sark kit, many years ago and it did end up in the cellar with the hull about 70% complete. This was not because I could not continue, but because the boss in the house found that she was being totally ignored while I was modelling. In my defense, I can claim to have made models in wood, before any plastic ones were on the market and I am quite good with basic woodworking tools. Now in lockdown in France because of the coronavirus epidemic, the family suggested that I retrieve the kit, so up it came, after more than 30 years, in remarkably good nick, having been kept in a cool dry environment all of that time. Having now had time to read the instructions, I intend to complete the hull and upper deck, which is within my skills level. Luckily I have the fittings kit, as making those is way beyond my pay grade. I am full of admiration for the examples I have found here from the other CS modellers. They will give me both the motivation to continue and examples to copy.