HMAV Bounty by Ian B - FINISHED - Billing Boats

[Ian B]

Hi

I thought I should share my build as reading other peoples have been a great help and inspiration.

 

Here are some pictures of the early stages, for a new person I spent the first week or so reading and re-reading the instruction book and plans which for this kit were extremely vague for 99% and the obvious bits had excellent detail! As I have nothing to compare it too I don't know if this is typical for wooden kits? I did buy several books on the subject to help --one on planking, one on rigging  and a general making model ships books which were excellent. I have posted some pictures which dates from Jan 2014 to date. I have stuck closely to the plans but the jolly boat in the kit looked wrong to me so I used the Caldercraft jolly boat kit which has loads of detail which I will show in another posting (when I have painted the oars etc.)  I shall also be ordering better anchors as the plastic ones even painted looked out of place.

Edited June 19, 2014 by Ian B

[divarty]

She looks lovely so far.  I think the instructions can be hit or miss depending on the manufacturer of the kit, my current build has terrible instructions and I end up working off the sheets and looking at other folks builds to try to sort out what things should look like, but thats all part of the fun

[aliluke]

Welcome Ian

Who is the manufacturer of your Bounty kit? I haven't seen one like it before and some aspects of it are a little odd - I refer to the cannons for instance. Not a criticism just a query.

 

P.S - I'm silly it's Billings. I thought your name was Ian Billings!

Edited June 7, 2014 by aliluke

[Ian B]

It is amazing what a few days avoiding housework, gardening and DIY can do to my model

 

I have fitted the small cannonades and the rest of the hull detail and bow sprite , the mast is just mocked up as it still needs lots of work.

 

Yes it is a billings kit. I did see comments about too much plastic in it but there is only the anchors (which I finally got around to ordering the metal Caldercraft ones) and the main cannon carriages. I also ordered some lanterns for the stern a ship does not look right without them. So now it is on too masts and rigging yippee..

[Ian B]

I must find a way of taking better pictures  right from the start I have been showing my efforts on the sideboard of the dinning room. As friends and family visit they have been watching it grow.

[Ian B]

That's better-- pictures in natural sunlight

[clearway]

coming along nicely- i was considering buying this one myself but opted for billings hms victory instead.

Keith

[Ian B]

Some goodies arrived in the post the other day...my anchors and lanterns.. I loved the way Flipperphil created his anchors in his build log so I am sure he wont mind if I use his idea... 

 

This is FlipperPhils Anchor, followed by mine in progress, I have drilled the holes and painted some small pins which I will cut short and fit to replicate the bolts/rivets then make the strapping . So my next decision is how many transom lanterns should I fit-1-2 or 3?

 

[Ian B]

And we now have anchors

[Ian B]

this weekend I started knitting-- or so it felt like LOL! I have attached all the main lines for the foremast and dry fitted it to ensure all the lines were accounted for and long enough... I even started doing the rigging at the top..

[Ian B]

Is it best to make the yards and fit them next before attaching the mast and rigging it to the hull?

[clearway]

I rig all the shrouds and forestays first then move onto the yards- attatching any blocks and eyes needed first before attatching the yards to the mast.

Keith

Edited July 3, 2014 by clearway

[Ian B]

Thanks , I just could not resist making a yard LOL!!

[Ian B]

I have finally started to rig the foremast after having rigged the top two sections and fitting all the blocks before attaching it to the hull.  She has gone from being long on the side board to being tall

 

[Richard Griffith]

Looking ship ship shape and Bristol fashion, Ian. 

 

Duff

[Ian B]

A very apt expression Duff being a Bristolian and now living 20 miles away..

[Ian B]

• Today I almost finished the standing rigging on the foremast and could not resist placing in the lower main mast as I had cut shaped and stained the other mast sections ready for assembly.

[Ian B]

I finally finished the standing rigging plus the lines to haul the yards on the foremast, now to repeat on the main. The main mast is only dry fitted for now...

[clearway]

Looking good Ian- this is my favourite part of ship modelling- i think!
keith

[Ian B]

Thanks Keith, the end is in sight-- well the next 4 weeks fingers crossed My wife is a teacher and starts the long summer break next week so it will be a good time for that sewing machine lesson so I can rig and fit the sails to the yards-which I still have to make-both the yards and sails

 

One thing I will get around to completely re-doing is her stern. I was originally so pleased with it when I started many months ago but the more I read and see on here the more I realise not only is it unlikely ever to  have that decoration it is not even representative of stern decoration of that whole period..I know it would annoy me for years to come.. so the 'Star ship enterprise' type arch needs to go!!!

 

 

[clearway]

looks a similar shape to the stern on the airfix bounty- should be plenty of pics of the replica bounty online to do a comparison with though.

Keith

[Ian B]

I have some ideas taken from other builds on here, watch this space in the coming weeks

[Ian B]

I have posted this on another thread talking about Buoys which inspired me to make some for my ship. but thought it worth also adding to my build. I am still working on the main and mizzen masts which should be ready for installing next week some time-fingers crossed

 

Using a couple of old glass beads a bit of string and some wire it makes a reasonable (I think so) facsimile of a 17c anchor buoy.

 

 

 

[Kevin]

she is definatey  coming to life now neighbour

[Ian B]

Thanks Kevin, yes she is. I just need to create some time to complete the rigging. I am looking forward to starting the yards then--something different

[Ian B]

My wife has been keeping me busy on the DIY front but I have now finished making the yards. In the kit they are only shown as plain yards with the appropriate blocks attached. I have with inspiration and pure plagiarism from other builds on here created stun sail booms, the support banding around the middle of the larger yards and feet ropes. For the foot ropes I drilled and glued in 3mm loops for stirrups, wrapped line around the yard to make the appearance of them being tied and painting them black. On reflection I should have not had the line tight but sagging slightly between stirrups.. never mind one to remember for my second build. The stun sail boom supports were made from soldered copper wire and blackened.

[Ian B]

Unless advised otherwise my next actions are-

 

1.--- make the sails

2. fit sails to all yards

3. attach foremast yards to already fitted mast

4.attach main mast yards - then attach mast to hull

5. fit mizzen mast yards- attach mizzen mast.

 

The main and mizzen are only dry fitted, I thought it would give myself lots of room to work around each mast as I rig them.

 

 

[clearway]

still advise working from mizzen forward - looking good though keep up the good work

Keith

[NAZGÛL]

She's looking really nice! Love the blue color.

 

 

/Matti

[Ian B]

Thanks Keith-- I will have a look at the rigging plan again and work the way you suggest. I had fitted the foremast and rigged it before seeing all the advise about not doing that as it was easier to fit yards and sails first..

 

Thanks Matti the blue was toned down by giving it the same coat of oak stain I used for the hull.