Cutty Sark by Keith B

[Keith B]

Well,here we go then.I've taken the plunge and bought a nice new sheet of 6mm ply.

I've made some copies of the bulkhead drawings off the plans,so I can cut them out no problem,but how do I know how to make the main "backbone"that they fix to? I can trace the external lines,but how deep do I go? Once I get this problem sorted out,I can spend a few days on the bandsaw!!

[NenadM]

Wish you luck with new build

 

Right now Im on a bussines trip in a room without internet (using cell phone expencive net) and can not post long posts. Try to analyze plans and logs if other scratch builders. Keel lines and lines of decks give you answer with adding some space for connection of ribs. My english is poor to explain better right now

 

Hardly wait for progress

 

Nenad

[shihawk]

sounds like an interesting challange, very interested so will be following ,best of luck 

 

Boyd 

[Keith B]

I'm managing to sort it. It just needs a bit of silent study and working out. Good job I've got my workshop! Should be able to start cutting in a couple of days.

[rfolsom]

Nice job Keith;  If you make the twenty bulkheads shown on the section plan, they all line up on the center keel as shown immediately left of the section lines.  The Cutty's main deck is continuous from stem to stern, with a gentle curve, so you can use the top diagram to find the shape of the center keel both at deck level and keel (proper) levels.  For my Victory, I made separate stem, stern and keel pieces from poplar to attach to the plywood center keel;  you can also opt to keep them all in one piece.  As for the slots on both center keel and bulkheads, I believe your best bet structurally is to divide the point of contact between each piece by two, and cut each slot in keel and bulkhead equally.  Bulkheads will be square to the bottom of the keel (not necessarily true for frames, but I'm assuming you're building this POB.)  Make sure when you cut the mast slots, you include the rake, as they are not perpendicular to the keel bottom.

 

Hope this rambling helps...

 

~Bob

[Keith B]

I've stretched the original plans slightly,so it will be about 1:75.

 

Many thanks Bob,I like your ramblings!!! There's definitely some sense in there!

[Keith B]

Well,what a week so far,yesterday my printer decided to die,right in the middle of copying some templates,so had to go and buy a new one,then today,my bandsaw blade broke,so spent the morning driving round looking for a new one.Found a good place though,and they even repaired the broken one for me,so now I've got a couple of spares,which will come in handy with this build,no doubt!

Anyway,managed to get the bulkheads cut out,just "blanks" at the moment,and I've left them tall until I get the keel marked up and cut out.Then I will be able to get deck heights and various slots for them done.

I love my little bandsaw,it's worth it's weight in gold!

Also got to make a jig to hold the keel and bulkheads in place.I'll think about that one tomorrow.

[NenadM]

Go on !

[NenadM]

It seems that sometimes things around us have their own will ...

 

And some parts we made for our buildings too

[Keith B]

Well,that's the keel and the first bulkhead cut out,and dry fit to see if it's o.k. So far so good,only 18 more to go!

The keel isn't the finished product yet,it will need a bit more shaping and fettling.

[WackoWolf]

You go for it man, a little at a time and before you know it you willl have a Beautiful ship. I will be watching so please keep on posting the pictures for us.

[Keith B]

Cut a few more slots,and another bulkhead.Test fitting rails,5mmx5mm

[NenadM]

You progress well and wise with testing rail. Good idea

[rfolsom]

You're progressing much quicker than I am with my scratch built Victory, but I have also shifted back to the CS.  You're tempting me to shift again to the Vic..

 

Great work so far!

 

~Bob

[Keith B]

Right then,this might confuse some people,but bear with me,I've started again!

A few days ago I sent for a disc off e-bay apparently full of model ship plans.It was only £2.50,so I thought "why not,it's worth a gamble at that price".The disc arrived this morning,so I thought I'd have a browse through it before heading for the workshop,and lo and behold,there's a complete set of plans for the Artesania Latina version of Cutty Sark,a model which I've longed for since I started building. It was one of those that you buy in weekly instalments for a small fortune. There's loads of plans etc.on this disc,and a nice little program called "tile printer".So I started printing a few pages of the keel and bulkheads out,and taping them all together. Then I headed to the workshop and made a start.I've been able to salvage most of the bulkheads I'd already cut by re-marking them to the new plans. So this is what I'm generally going to follow now on this build,but of course there are bound to be some "personal alterations" along the way! It's still a scratch built project,as I'm having to make everything instead of opening a packet!

More printing this evening,ready for cutting tomorrow.

[NenadM]

Check angles and shapes for bow and stern in this plans. Also take care about thickness of kell. I didn't and have many recover jobs later, and my (Her) keel is a bit thiner than it had to be.

 

It is good idea to use kit drawings to get proper hull lines if you do not have nerv to pick them ftom Campbell

[Keith B]

Thanks Nenad,

I'm using 6mm ply for the keel,so it is nice and strong and straight. All the bulkheads are the same material,and I'll make sure that they are square when I glue them in.The bottom of the keel will have  6mm square beech.

[NenadM]

I was thinking about something else ... look at the pictures of cs keel in Greenwich ... visual proportions of keel cros-section after planking

Edited September 27, 2014 by Nenad M

[rfolsom]

I would still trust Campell over any kit plans;  I am basing my parts fabrication for the Victory off of Caldercraft, but fine-tuning to The Anatomy of the Ship.

 

Either way, it's splitting hairs, and you will still produce a fine model; and all the more proud that it started as a blank sheet of plywood...

 

Fine job!

[Keith B]

Thanks Bob,

I will still be referring to the Campbell plans,but I prefer to get the basics done following the AL ones.Just a personal thing I suppose.After all,if we were all the same the world would be really boring! As you say,it all starts with a blank sheet of plywood,and (hopefully) something quite beautiful will be the end result,no matter which way it's done!

 

 Anyway,done a little bit more this morning,see photo's.

[Keith B]

Bulkheads now fitted,and front and rear blocks.So far so good!

[shihawk]

Looking sturdy ,keep at it 

[Keith B]

Todays work consisted of cutting out and fitting lower false decks,rear deck and main deck.Note that the sheet of wood I had for the main deck was about 30mm too short,so I've had to make a little bit to go at the pointy end,but it won't be seen when the next deck goes on.All in all a good day today,not looking forwards to tomorrow though,lots of sanding and shaping before the next stage!

[NenadM]

Do you plan to plank deck and how?

[Keith B]

Hi Nenad,

Yes,I am going to plank the decks,same as before ,with 4mm x 1mm planks,caulked with black thread.

[Keith B]

A bit more done today.Decided to use a darker planking for decks,and caulk with a natural colour.Purely my own preferences,maybe not historically accurate,but my builds never are.I like to do things that are pleasing to me!

Also started rough cutting one of the deck houses,something to do while waiting for other bits to dry.

[rfolsom]

Wow,  great progress!  I hope the ship in the bin is not haunting you....

[Keith B]

I made sure the bin men took it,so it's no longer sitting in the corner of the workshop,peeping out of the black bin bag at me!

[Keith B]

And today's photo is......more planking

[shihawk]

The light caulking looks well ,what wood did you use for decking ?