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

[Keith B]

Started to put the mast spars together.

[clearway]

Wow keith full steam ahead so to speak- she is really coming along.

Keith

[Keith B]

If anybody is building this model true to the Billing plans,please note that there are no spar booms on any of the mast assemblies. On the Campbell plans,and indeed on the real Cutty,there are.I've highlighted this in the photo.They're not on all the spars,just a few,so builders beware of Billings!!! It's up to the individual of course,but I do like things to be reasonably accurate!

[Keith B]

Hi Keith,

It seems so,but I'm getting to the really fiddly bits now,and I have cut my time in the shed down somewhat,so it doesn't drive me completely insane!!

[clearway]

Lol Keith- i rigged mine as a wool clipper which didn't have the stun's'l booms and no skysail on the main mast.

Keith

[NenadM]

I carefully watch to your solution, because I plan to spread all possible sails on my Cutty

[Keith B]

Another warning about the fittings for this ship. If you're building this Billing model don't use the plastic deadeyes provided with the fittings kit.They are useless,and break under the slightest tension.

So now I've had to remove the pin-rails,get rid of all the plastic deadeyes and start to replace them with some decent wooden ones!

Hindsight tells me that I should have done that in the first place,but hey-ho,you live and learn!!!

[NenadM]

I left idea to use plastic eyes long ago. Tried to make my own

Edited September 5, 2014 by Nenad M

[clearway]

Interesting- by the time i bought the billings cutty in 1997 the deadeyes and blocks supplied were all wooden- wonder when they swapped over?

Keith

[Keith B]

Probably about a week after my kit was made!!

[rfolsom]

No fittings kit with my Billings' ;  I bought all my (walnut) deadeyes.

[Keith B]

I've just got my walnut ones as well.

[Keith B]

Having now replaced all the deadeyes on the pin rails with nice walnut ones,I've now got the fore-mast in position,and have started the first stage of rigging it.

 

[Keith B]

Lost my temper with it,smashed it up with a hammer and put it in the bin.

Need a nice new kit which no-one else has touched.Waste of time trying to put someone else's cock ups right.

Will be in touch as soon as I get one.

[shihawk]

Are you serious , i bet the new one won,t be from Billings??

[rfolsom]

Keith;  I hope you're just kidding,   Your build is looking wonderful!

 

~Bob

[Keith B]

No,not kidding Bob. I think the photo's made it look better than it was,and I wasn't happy with trying to put things right that the original owner did,so I'm on the lookout for a new untouched kit.

Keith.

[Keith B]

Not if I can help it,but even if I have to go down that road,at least I will have started it from scratch,and not tried to put right someone else's bad building!

[NenadM]

I wote for scratch

[clearway]

Ouch Keith- at least if you start from scratch you will have a lot of fittings available for it.

Keith

[Keith B]

No, chucked the lot.

[Keith B]

Still trawling the internet for a decent kit,no luck yet though.This could be a very long quest getting something for the right price!

[NenadM]

I feel ... you are dangerous close to slide to "dark side"

Edited September 22, 2014 by Nenad M

[Keith B]

Or I could try a scratch built one if I had the templates

[NenadM]

Try think about next middle solution: Templates for hull lines from one of kits, and then proceed by Campbell plans and/or photos. Or, harder way, Campbell plans and making your own templates. Yes, you can do this !!!!

[rfolsom]

Campbell's plans are a good starting point.  If I remember right, you have a copy.  Use the "body sections" area of the General Arrangement plan sheet to fabricate bulkhead templates, and create a false keel using the other drawings from the same plan sheet.  A $10 2' x 4' sheet of 1/4" cabinet grade plywood, and you're off and running..

 

Good luck and best wishes for whichever route you choose;  We'll be eagerly watching!

 

~Bpb

[clearway]

if you have a lines plan you can lift the frames from that- you will need some tech. drawing skills though, but it is not as hard as people think.

Keith

[Keith B]

You know what? I think I'll give it a go. Then at least I've only got myself to blame if it goes wrong!! I'll start a new build log as soon as I get some materials.

[NenadM]

Super !!!

 

Let us know when you start

[Keith B]

New build started,well,sort of. Follow the new link in "scratch built logs in progress", aptly entitled "Cutty Sark"