HMS Victory by Keith B - FINISHED - Billing Boats - Scale 1:75

[Keith B]

Good idea.I will definitely be lacquering it.After all,I couldn't put the wife through all that cleaning!

Keith.

[clearway]

I recently remasted a very old mantua victory for the lad in the local modelshop and the copper plates were black in places! so deffo worth it.

Keith

p.s. sure your wife would be as eager as mine to clean the model !!!!!!!!

[Keith B]

All the guns in place,(well,on one side at least!),and a few more bits and pieces done.Starting to look like the Victory now!

Also test fitting for the first section of the bowsprit. Everything still seems to be a good fit,just a pity that the quality of some of the wood used in this kit isn't very good. Still,you get what you pay for!!

Anybody got any ideas on colouring rigging thread? I've heard that soaking it in strong tea gives a good colour,or should I buy some proper dye?

[Shipyard sid]

Hello Keith

Well the same quality continues and I cannot believe you have got this far with your build in only a few months. Yes excellent work. See Gil middletons log for info on colourings your rigging threads. DAVID

[shihawk]

hi Keith .Are you sure you haven,t got a couple of Russian boat builders staying in that new workshop and doing nightshifts  ,if so can i hire them for a week cause i still haven,t finished my second planking .As you say she,s really starting to look like a Victory now and i agree the rigging needs a little color of some kind .,will be interested to see what you decide . Keep the pics coming cause you will be finished before i get my top deck on . Looks great      Boyd

[clearway]

Coming along nicely there Keith, use india ink diluted 50/50 with water to colour the standing rigging- get mine from my local art shop.

Keith

[Keith B]

Thanks for the tip Keith.I think I'll try the indian ink.

Keith.

[Keith B]

Hi Boyd, I'll sub contract them out to you!! Seriously though,I do spend about 5-6 hours a day in the workshop,and I do tend to rush things a bit,which is sometimes my downfall!! You are doing a really nice job on your build,much better than mine.There are some bits on mine where I should have taken more time,but I'll try better on my next build,which is the Billings Cutty Sark. Every time I do a build,I get a bit better,and this website is brilliant for tips.

Cheers,

Keith.

[PrimoDude]

Gentlemen, Just a note of compliments and a question.  I just received and beginning the construction of the HMS Victory 1805, scale 1.72 which may be a few cm different.  Posing my first construct question, when you start cutting out the ribs sections, the manual asks that you number each one, 1 thru 18.  As you take them out of the numbered lazer cut sheets.  Ok.. I have 6 sheets with 3 ribs per sheet.  What sequence bow to stern or stern to bow are the sheets related to the plans...

Thanks...

 

After further checking part 1 its evident now that sheet the wood sheet number 1 contains the first frame thru the third frame, and as I progress the next three ribs follow in sequence.... I need to read more.. ;-).

 

BTW.. this is a very exceptional kit form to build. Very nice..

"Woody"

Edited May 2, 2014 by PrimoDude

[Shipyard sid]

Hello primo dude l

I think what you are asking is were are the ribs positioned on the main keel ( 19 ) ... Plan sheet number one shows you all the rib positions and page 4 of your manual will lead you through the assembly. Keith is building the billing boat victory and not the caldercraft, and it will be a totally different assembly. Have you set up your build log yet???? If not it will be the best thing to do, so we can watch your build progress, and better understand any query you may have.. Regards DAVID

Edited May 2, 2014 by Shipyard sid

[clearway]

Just read you are going to do billings cutty sark next- i have just posted some pics in completed kit built models gallery of my billings cutty- i rigged her as a wool clipper and replaced some of the billings fittings with more accurate sergal ones.

Keith

[Keith B]

Just when things were going pretty well I seem to have lost 2 guns! Or maybe they weren't even here in the first place,as I've already had to get in touch with Billings to send me the rudder hinges which were missing from the kit.They sent me 9,which being as it's an odd number isn't enough anyway! I can't be bothered to e-mail them again about the guns,so it's out with the mini-lathe and knock a couple up myself. They actually look okay now they're painted and mounted on the trolleys-pic to follow.

[shihawk]

you will be scratch building in no time????

[Keith B]

Hi Boyd,

I have thought of it,but my next build is a Billing Cutty Sark,and the hull has already been done by it's previous owner,but maybe the one after that???

I did build a Golden Hind from plans,but had to buy some of the fittings for it,as I didn't have my little lathe then!

[Keith B]

A weeks work,(on and off) to complete the netting.What a horrible job!! Even the netting that Billing supply is horrible,and a nasty shade of green,so I painted it all grey. Still,all done now and I don't think it looks too bad.

Also been dry fitting the bowsprit spars,assembled the foremast and added it's first bit of rigging.

[shihawk]

Keith i think you deserve a holiday,you must be doing your 7or 8 hours every day ,but it doesn,t seem to have affected the quality of your work .I can,t imagine when i,ll reach this stage . You are right about the netting ,first time i seen it i thought about replacing it but i must admit it looks better when painted ,i have a lot of other decisions before that !! Im still lining my gunports you were wise to leave them alone ,im not sure it,s worth it but no choise now.  

  Cheers Boyd 

[Keith B]

Hi Boyd, I did have a day off today,but only to spend it fitting a new filter system to my Koi pond! I'll take it easy tomorrow though,as I want to watch the Moto GP race! Got to keep calm now,as I'm going to start the dreaded riggingof the foremast and bowsprit on Monday,and I need a lot of patience for that!

Your build is looking more impressive all the time,and don't forget,it doesn't matter how long it takes as long as you're happy with the result.your gunports are very good,and I think they've been worth the effort you put into them.

Cheers,

Keith.

[clearway]

Hi Keith looking niceeeee! When i rig my ships i start with the mizzen mast and work forwards as it is easier rigging the forestays working forward. Did you try the india ink for the standing rigging and if so fun and messy lol.

Keith

Edited May 19, 2014 by clearway

[Keith B]

Hi Keith,

Tried the ink,didn't like the mess,so bought some rigging cord in black and natural!!

I'll give working from the blunt end a try,it's something that never crossed my mind,but it makes sense!

Keith.

[shihawk]

Did you consider Chucks rope ,it looks impressive and thought i might give it a try when im ready in a couple of years

[clearway]

the india ink method is messy but worth it especially if you coat the thread with beeswax afterwards. i used an old plastic tub to soak the thread then hung it outside to dry- then spent two hours scrubbing my hands- gloves recommended!

Keith

[Keith B]

It's a lot easier and cleaner just to buy the cord in the right colours!!

[Keith B]

Been on the rigging for a couple of weeks now,on and off,and decided to run the build of  the Cutty Sark along side as this rigging is such a long and intricate job! The Cutty Sark will be in a new log.

[shihawk]

Keith ,you must be a natural ship builder , rigging looks great ,be carefull starting a new build without finishing your present one . Some people can manage it ,im guessing your probably one of them but i left my Cruiser half rigged to start the Victory and can,t seem to get back to her my latest excuse is ill practice rigging on her before i start to rig the Victory ,but with your work routine i don,t supose this will be a problem . I will watch for your Sark log with interest  .Have Fun

 

Boyd  

[Keith B]

Hi Boyd,

The Victory is still my main priority,and I've spent the morning doing even more rigging on i.! At the moment I'm just using the Cutty as a break when I can't stand to look at any more rigging thread for a while!

I love this ship building !!

Cheers,

Keith.

[Keith B]

WARNING ABOUT BILLING BOATS!!!

If there is anybody out there who is thinking about buying one of these kits CHECK ALL THE CONTENTS before you part with your money!.

And I mean actually count all the blocks,brass parts,etc.

Maybe I just got a bad one,maybe not.

For a start off,there were 6 missing rudder hinges.

After e-mailing them several times they sent me some--the wrong ones,so I e-mailed them again,and they sent me the correct ones.

I have since found out that there are over 20 round blocks missing,large and small,also some of the brass rings for putting on the spars.

So,I've just e-mailed them again!

At least they do seem to try and put things right,but the frustration of having to send for these parts is un-necessary

[Kevin]

just caught up on you log - wow what a lot you have done since April when I last looked, it making me think that I ought to go and look to see how mine is- up the good work

[clearway]

Hi Keith, when i was nearing the end of my cutty sark build i realised i was one deadeye short!!!!!! Luckily i had a spare in my bits box- on the other hand i did end up with a few blocks left over to add to my odds n sods collection.

Keith

[Keith B]

Getting really bored with this rigging now!!

Thank heaven for my wife's curved upholstery needle!! If anyone hasn't got one of these,I suggest you go and get one,it makes rigging the ratlines so much easier!

[clearway]

Fun huh! I normally rig all the shrouds first then move on to rigging the yards, leaving the backstays till last. I must be a bit nuts as i love doing the rigging. Are you going to rig the braces correctly and include the missing ones? the braces on the foreyard are wrong on the billings plan.

Keith