Cutty Sark by Keith B - Billing Boats - circa 1970's?

[Keith B]

Got a bit more done today,and started planking the deck using 2mm x 0.5mm strips,and 0.25mm black thread for caulking.

Never done that before,but I like the effect it gives.

[NenadM]

That will be something!!!

[Keith B]

Noticed that whoever started the build of this kit must have had eye problems,as the bowsprit was quite a way off centre. Took a lot of cutting and forcing to get through the glue,but at least its off now.The deck damage caused by the removal will get covered up with planking anyway! Also damaged front rail,so that's another repair to do!

There's definitely something to be said about getting a brand new kit rather than take on somebody else's mess,but it's all experience,and I'm learning all the time.

[rfolsom]

I like your success with the rope caulking;  I tried a test when I initially started my planking, but couldn't get the rope to behave...

 

The deck area where the bowsprit mounts will also be covered with the forecastle deck, so no worries there...

 

Keep up the good work;  Nice to see another ancient Billings' Cutty coming along.

 

~Bob

[Keith B]

Right, I'm in a bit of trouble now.

I want to put the correct shaped fore deck on,as this one is wrong,but I have no idea of shape or dimensions for it.The plans I have are Billing rubbish,and I don't have the Campbell plans to work with.

Any ideas anyone?

[NenadM]

To order plans from Museum?

[Keith B]

Why didn't I think of that?? I'll order the plans from the Cutty Sark web site.I've just had a look at them and they seem to be so much more detailed than the Billing rubbish!!

[clearway]

Don't know if its still in print, but there is also Log of the Cutty Sark by Lubbock which is an excellent read and has plans. That is where i got the idea of painting the panels on the deckhouses white from.

Keith

Edited July 14, 2014 by clearway

[Keith B]

I found that a little PVA along the thread makes it easy to position while you get the next plank in.

[Keith B]

Decking's coming on nicely,and have just started getting the foredeck sorted out.

The Campbell plans are still available from the Cutty web site,and at only £4 they seem well worth having.

I'm also double planking the hull down to where the copper's going to be,as the previous owner of this kit sanded it down so much it left it very weak.

 

Going to have a short break in Devon for a few days,so won't be posting any more 'till next week,when I hope the plans will be here as well !! Anybody want a stick of rock? Will be visiting Brixham to have a look round the Golden Hind replica,which was my first build a couple of years ago.

[shihawk]

Don,t get carried away and forget about your Victory ???!!!!!!

[Keith B]

The plans are still available from the museum web site.

[clearway]

When you get back to the deckhouses i built up the "framing" using upto two layers of veneer strip- was fun doing the rounded panels down the sides

Keith

[Keith B]

Back from our break now,and straight down to work!

 

Shaping the arched tops for the cabin panels using my Dremmel type tool.(Actually a black and decker)

[NenadM]

I like this !!!

[NenadM]

"Dremel like" tool helps a lot in work, particulary if you have elastic pipe attachment with smaller jaw head on end (sorry for my english). I got Einhel complet for birthday in april 2013, and I am still delighted what can be done with this

[Keith B]

Right,I'm in a bit of a quandary here.

The bits I've marked (I don't know what the correct name for them is) aren't on the real ship,and quite frankly are going to be in the way.So do I cut them out,which will mean patching up the decking,(not very nice),or shall I go the whole hog and rip the decking out completely,then cut them off and make a nice new deck altogether?The top rail has got to come off,as it shouldn't be there yet and is only getting in the way. These are the problems with taking on somebody else's aborted build I suppose.

[clearway]

You will need to reinforce the bulwarks if you remove those Keith- I just left them in which i hated but couldn't think how to get around it at the time (18 years ago now!) you could just joggle new planks in where the cuts are?

Keith

[NenadM]

Keith, I had same problem. It seems that old TEHNODIDAKTA plans and your plans have identical source for copying and stealing ideas.

 

I did not like this, and considering some other mistakes I made, I decided for drastic move of everything on deck which allowed me to do it on almost correct way. That was stage when first planking layer of hull was set, main aft and rear deck also on place , and whole model was pretty well fixed, so I could play removing deck bulwarks without consequences for stability of model

 

But I am sure you do not like how will look patching of "holes" in deck planking after removing this parts. So, if you decide to remove them, you must count with re-planking whole deck.

 

Maybe this situation is good, if you plan to put waterways along deck, freing ports and metal stanchions with rings

BTW, nice work is rising here

 

nenad

[rfolsom]

Keith;  always look 2 months ahead in the build, especially with these Billing's kits.   They will have you put stanchions the size of cars on your deck before you realize it...

 

~Bob

[rfolsom]

All these will need to be cut out, and replaced if you want even a semi-accurate representation of the Cutty Sark.

 

I had to do it with my kit; and there's no way around it..

Edited July 22, 2014 by rfolsom

[NenadM]

I agree with Bob, just to add: Be brave and go over a kit instructions on every place you want and feel it needs to 

 

( ha ha ha, it is called "kit bashing" AND IT IS FIRST STEP TO DARK SIDE ... welcome ! )

Edited July 22, 2014 by Nenad M

[rfolsom]

Keith;  If you decide to remove these bulky stanchions, I don't believe you'll need much reinforcement for the bulwarks.  My 1/32" bulwarks survived, and were reinforced by wire stanchions, rails, trimwork and finally by the topgallent rail, which I'll post soon,,

Edited July 22, 2014 by rfolsom

[rfolsom]

Also, do you have an accurate set of plans?  (Campbell or Longridge)  The Billings plans might as well be kindergarden scrap material....

[Keith B]

Thanks for all the replies and advice everybody.

As you can see from the photo's,I've had a busy day!! I decided to rip the deck out and have cut the offending pieces from the one side.also made some nice new pin rails. I did think that the bulwarks will probably be strong enough when the pin rails , top rails,and all the other bits go into place,but if they do need a bit more,I'm sure I'll think of something far less obtrusive!

 

I have ordered the Campbell plans,and they should be here in a day or two.When they arrive I will have to find a use for the Billing plans,pity it's not softer as toilet paper comes to mind!

Also bought some nice new basswood sheets to make the new decks.

[NenadM]

Brave move

 

Maybe is time to think about some extra weight of your model ?

[rfolsom]

One good thing about this kit (I have the same one from the 70's) is that the bulkheads and hull curvature all line up nicely with Campbell's plans, so when you receive the plans,  you should be able to copy and enlarge the actual main deck area, and fit it directly onto the ship.  Here is a picture of my original template plan mounted on thick craft paper (a little battered and bent now)  that I used in cutting the false deck, and measuring all deckhouse/hatch coamings, mast holes, waterways, margin plank with nibbing, etc. 
The centerline and all section lines were hand drawn on the plan, and transferred to the inside of the actual ship's bulwarks and bulkheads for reference.

[rfolsom]

My false deck was made of 1/32" basswood sheet, planked with 1/32" x 1/16" basswood strips. (at this scale of 1:76.8, 1/16" translates to 4.8 inches, awfully darn close to the actual ships plank width of 5 inches....)

[clearway]

If i were doing thid kit again i would replace the bulwark planking with thin plywood using a piece of card laid along the hull and marked out as a template.

Keith

[Keith B]

Oh I wish those plans would hurry up!! Still,plenty to do while I'm waiting.The basswood sheet I bought is also 1/32" for the false decks. For the planking I'm using 2mm x 0.5mm maple strips,which are probably as near as I can get as everybody over here seems to have gone metric on strips now.I think it's probably a little bit bigger than yours,but it'll do.