Bill Hime

After a day of indecision when I woke up this morning I realized I had to cut the new planks.  I removed the plywood planks and used them as the pattern for the new oak planks.  I used 1/6th inch thick red oak to cut out the pattern with a scroll saw.  I cut them a little oversize since the originals did not fit as well as they should.  After dry fitting I did a little final shaping with a 1 inch belt sander.  Finished them off with a couple of passes through the thickness sander.
 

 
Making them a little wider really helped to place them a little higher and get them level without leaving a lot of bulkhead to cut off.
 

 
Hopefully they will tie in nicely with the oak deck planks.
 
 

I added oak veneer to the keel and it flushed up nicely to the scrollwork.  The first two pictures show what it looks like without and with.  I plan to cover the exposed plywood ends with oak and plank the deck as well with oak.
 

 
The gunwales or sheer strakes (or whatever the Viking equivalent is) are not the best kit pieces and you can see in the third picture they look sort of unexciting.  They will have shields on the upper plank so most of it will be covered.
 

 
I clamped a couple of scrap pieces of oak to the ship to get an idea of how it will look.
 

 
I have enough oak on hand to do both sides I am just not sure if it is worth the time and effort.  Also not sure if it will make the rest of the hull planks look weak.  Stain tests with the oak and plywood might help me make up my mind.  Advice is very welcome.

I had to cut back the planks in the curve to allow the scrollwork to fit.  Better that than reduce the size of the scroll which is the most important visual detail.
 

 
Von_Kossa and I both ran into the same problem with the top two planks that form a vertical band.  If you follow the bulkheads those planks lift to the center.  They are also a little fat on the ends.  They must be dragged down to get them level which leaves a fair amount of bulkhead to be cut off.  The bulkheads are also cut with the profile for those two planks too deep.  It takes a lot of sanding to cut them back far enough that the planks lay against each other.  It is still a little high (I missed it) which I will have to cut back.  I am holding off on the scroll pieces on the inside of the stem and stern to avoid damage as I work.
 
This sure is fun!
 

 

I stripped off the back layer of the inside piece of scrollwork with a scalpel blade so that it would lay flat with the rest of the scrollwork.
 
  
 
There is a spacer at the top of the scrollwork where it pinches together.  It is sanded down and glued to the top of the structure.  There is also a small spacer needed where the scrollwork meets.
 

 
Another small piece cut to fit at the bottom of the scroll.  Also, a full hull length spacer at the top of the hull planking to give the last two vertical planks a place to land.  Obechi was specified but it would not take the bend without cracking so I used basswood.   I soaked it and bent it with a curling iron.
 

 
Added the last two vertical planks.
 

Please let me know if this is what you are looking for.  
 
One problem I had was keeping the glue off of the outside surface where the planks overlapped.  I applied the glue with a toothpick but when I clamped the planks out came the glue.  I wiped it off immediately but I am still left with some sanding.
 

The last couple of days have been spent figureing out what comes next.   There are plywood strips glued to the keel all the way up the curves of the bow and stern to give a way to form the curve of the planking.  Once the planking is in place the strips on each side have to be removed to allow the scrollwork to to be installed.  The instructions (what little there are) don't mention it.  I learned it from Von_Kossa build log and it makes the entire scroolwork installation look and work better.  I used alcohol to soften the glue and they popped right off.  
 
Next is the dry fit of the scroolwork.  The scrollwork ties together with the last two planks at both ends.  The top of the bulkheads where the last two planks go need a little more fairing.  
 
It took me a while to figure it all out but with the help of coach Von_Kossa's log I am ready to glue for keeps tomorrow.
 
 

I finished the lower part of the hull but had a little false start.  On my first plank of the day I got the distance between the overlap of two planks about 2 mm too close and I did not notice until 3 planks later.  I have always used water to loosen PVA glue but I heard alcohol mentioned on MSW and it sure works faster than water.  Thanks for the tip.  
 
I sure do like the lines of this ship.  The Vikings must have been a tough bunch-crossing the ocean in an open boat. 
 

Hi Bindy,  Thanks,  The planking so far has been uneventful.  The planks are laser cut plywood (hard to fabricate on my own) so I did a quick dry fit of the last few planks to make sure that I did not run out of bulkhead before I ran out planks or vice versa.  They fell in place nicely.  

 
Hello Von_Kossa,  I don't normally work so fast.  I little bit of life caught up with me this weekend and I got very little time with my toys.  Hopefully I will have more time this week.
 
Thank you both for looking in.

I got a start at the planking.  It is 1mm laser cut plywood and bends easily.  Each plank is overlapped about 1 mm and needs a little adjustment to get it just right at both ends.  I did a little coarse sanding but it has a long way to go.

Hi David B and Anja,
 
Thanks for looking.  I am very impressed by Von_Kossa's build.  It is what inspired me to choose the Billing Boats kit.
 
Here are a few more pictures: I used aluminum angles to square up the bulkheads.  Number 3 was slightly warped.  I got rid of most of it when I added the strips at the top of the bulkheads and I can straighten the rest during planking.  The kit supplies everything except the base board for a build board.  I really like the ability to turn it upside down to plank.  The last time I did it sort of freehand in my lap.

Greetings Everyone,
 
This is my first build log and I missed the ritual box opening.  I was already putting things together before I realized I should have photographed it first.  The plans and directions are pretty sparse but it is a fairly straight forward ship.  The keel had a slight bow in it but I used a little warm water and bent it a little past straight and it dried nice and flat.  This is the kit version with the plywood scrollwork and shields.  The keel and bulk heads leave a lot of exposed plywood edges and my plan is to cover them with oak veneer.  The deck planking is Obechi which is soft, brittle and in my eye a little ugly.  I have already ripped a few oak planks and they should work fine. 
 
I am happy to be here and doing this.  More soon.

Thanks vths, Bill, Remco (yes, I found the Masting Plans ), Pat and Julian.
 
Starboard Side Black Strake
 
I've fitted the "black" strake and the one above it to the Port side so that the Chains have something to attach to. I've also finished treenailing both :
 

 

 
  Danny

Augie, Your deck looks like a dance floor, tight and uniformed. Pristine work to say the least  Enjoy the globetrotting!
 
Bill 

Never let it be said that I kept Popeye waiting------
 
The installation of the gun deck has been completed
 
Just to review (since it's taken so long), the deck is Swiss Pear supplied by Jeff at HobbyMill.  Fantastically uniform material  -- BIG thanks to him.
The planks are all scale length of about 25 feet.  The meeting of the deck planks to the margin planks was carried out using hooked scarph joints.  I received some queries on these:
 

 
As I came to discover, Swiss Pear is pretty tough stuff but it holds an edge very well.  After going through several Social Security checks worth of Exacto blades, I came up with the following procedure:
 
A card stock template was carefully fitted into the spot to be filled and, using double-sided tape, attached to the plank.  The outline was then cut using a fine belt on a belt sander.  Takes a steady hand.  Given my aversion to power tools, I was surprised how well it worked.
 
So here are a series of photos showing the deck from different perspectives:
 

 
The treenailing was created using the 'drill and fill' method using #75 pin vise drills.  There are about 1200 holes (but who's counting).  The fill material is Hobbylite that I dyed with some acrylic paint to get just a tiny bit of contrast with the deck itself.  The entire deck was finished using the sequence of Minwax Pre-Stain followed by Natural stain, 2 coats of WOP and 2 coats of Testor's Clear Flat Acrylic:
 
 

 
 

 

 

 
A lot of this deck will be obscured by the partial upper decks and deck beams.
 
I need to do some touching up here and there on the ship and install some ladders in the hatchways.  At that point the shop will be closed for about a month as the Admiral and I are off to do some globetrotting  After that it will be on to the cannons.
 
Thanks to all for stopping by.  Enjoy the upcoming change of the Seasons !
 
 
 
 

Danny I just realize it's been way too long you've show an overview picture of your Vulture. You always have been showing all the details but I was stunned  (but not surprised ) to see how beautiful everything is in the overview shot above.
 
I can only say 'please show me more!'
 
re: the masts, you'll find that lots of fun.
 
Remco

Thank you for dropping in again Remco, Nils and Ben .
 
Lower Masts
 
Sometime soon I'm going to need the Masts for alignment purposes to go ahead with fitting the deadeyes to the channels. Up until now I've "made do" with a couple of "dummy" masts, but now it's time to make the real things .
 
I was lucky to buy one of the last of the Masting Packages for the "Swans" from Hobbymill about a year or so ago. As usual, Jeff's timber and packaging is EXCELLENT - there are TWO pieces supplied for every part needed in case of "oopsies" (I've already made one ).
 
The masts (and just about everything else) starts out as square stock - no dowels in this lot, that would have been counter-productive . Following usual practice for making "round" masts from square stock I marked out two sides with the taper required. I've also tapered the masts below deck as per the original. The pic below shows the marking out for the section between the Partners and the Heel :
 

 
After tapering these two faces with a chisel and sandpaper I marked out the other two and tapered them as well. Then I marked out each face for the edges where the "octagonalling" would finish. I cut the tapered square section into a tapered octagon using a "V" jig and a sharp chisel :
 

 

 
Then I rounded the octagon using a sanding block, and cut the lower tenon into it :
 

 
The Mast Head remains square for now - much more work to be done here later :
 

 
Fore and Main Lower Masts fitted to the ship :
 

 
Note - I had to make two Main Masts (the oopsie mentioned earlier). I'd made the main mast a bit too thin at the partners on the 1st one and wasn't happy with the result. Just as well that Jeff had supplied plenty of timber .
 
  Danny

Sorry Ferit  
No updates on anything at the minute   Busy with work and rebuilding my bike with a new frameset.She is wrapped up nice and cosy awaiting my return
 
Kind Regards
 
Nigel

The lost sheep is back again   
Welcome home from me also Bill.
And now....go for it !
Make some sawdust, pictures and we are happy again.
 

Welcome back Bill. Sometimes people disappear from the forum and you wonder where they have gone. Good to hear you are alive and kicking and ready to make some dust and shavings.

Welcome home Bill - we've missed you. Delighted to hear the C.W. Hime shipyard is back in operation.

Welcome back Bill!    
 
Kind Regards
 
Nigel

Great to see you back Bill ! I look forward to the updates.. no rush or anything, tomorrow morning is fine ^_^
 
Stay Well
 
Eamonn

Well, this morning I find myself standing outside the gates of the shipyard looking in. The sound of harbor bound gulls and flapping tarps have settled over the grounds of the C.W. Hime Shipyard. The steam powered boiler sits idle, loops of drive belts hang throughout the milling house silent, covered in saw dust and cob webs. Benches strewn with chisels, mallets and calipers lay waiting to bring life to timber. The echo of life is faint here now, for it takes a man's hands to bring life to wood and purpose to tools.
I've been away but it's time to open these gates now. I don't know how much time I'll spend here, but I'll be here. Now, first things first, fire up that boiler and find the broom...
 
Good morning everybody

Well, this morning I find myself standing outside the gates of the shipyard looking in. The sound of harbor bound gulls and flapping tarps have settled over the grounds of the C.W. Hime Shipyard. The steam powered boiler sits idle, loops of drive belts hang throughout the milling house silent, covered in saw dust and cob webs. Benches strewn with chisels, mallets and calipers lay waiting to bring life to timber. The echo of life is faint here now, for it takes a man's hands to bring life to wood and purpose to tools.
I've been away but it's time to open these gates now. I don't know how much time I'll spend here, but I'll be here. Now, first things first, fire up that boiler and find the broom...
 
Good morning everybody

Welcome home, Bill.  Good to see you back.