Cutty Sark by petervisser - Billing Boats - Scale 1:75

[petervisser]

Just a quick update with the steering gear box finished. I purchased a photo etch sheet produced by Mantua for the decoration sets on the bow and stern. It also included the name plates that are afixed to the sides of the box, which make for a nice addition.

 

 

[popeye the sailor]

nicely done Peter.......I wish my Thermopylae was in this same scale  

[petervisser]

Hi Popeye,

 

Thanks for the likes and the comment. Yes, I've been following your Thermopylae and don't envy the scale you have to work with. As you know, I have built a few Billing kits and they tend to be 1:50 scale. It's a scale I'm comfortable with and the fittings are easier to see and work with. Anyway your build is looking mighty fine all the same!

 

Peter

[Steve 12345]

Nice work peter I've been checking in on this and also Popeyes's builds to try to learn billings builds so far I've learnt a good bit from u guys thanks 

[popeye the sailor]

oh .....believe me....I agree with you.  I've built mostly Billing's kits,  so I'm kinda spoiled.   I've gotten so used to the instruction sheets........getting into a non Billing kit is like walking through the woods in OZ..........."I'd turn back if I were you!"    the admiral got me the Norden for Christmas,  so that will be a cute little distraction when I get to it.  seeing your Cutty brings back the memories I have,  back when I was building the Nordkap.  it too was a first production kit......very old and not laser cut.   it was very nostalgic to assemble that kit...the fellow that gave me the kit said that it had been in his attic for over 30 years!  over 90% of the original wood went into building her....I bought other wood as well,  to do some of the stuff I did.   I forget........how did you come by the kit?   I love a model with a history  

[petervisser]

Hi Popeye,

 

I bought this model from Kip (Sawdust) a few years ago for $200. I know it sounds like alot, but he also threw in Longridge's book and a set of Campbell drawings. He purchased the kit which was in the very early stages of construction from a former neighbour for two bottles of wine. Hey, wait a minute, maybe I did pay too much! But not really. When I think of the many many happy hours I will spend putting this kit together means that the money was well spent. And it keeps me off the streets...

 

Peter

[popeye the sailor]

sounds like you got a good deal..........errrr,  red or white?    yep,  that's quite a history        you'll have a vintage model when your done.....that's fer sure  

[petervisser]

Boy, it's been a while since I last added to this build log. Not much has been happening in the mean time, but I have finally resumed work on the Cutty Sark, all be it slowly. Suffice it to say, it's been a bit hectic and the hobbying was way down on the to-do list. However, I always meant to get back to it and that time has finally arrived.

 

I resumed work, laying down the deck planking. I am using cherry strips that Lee Valley used to sell and black thread to simulate the chalking and wood glue. It's a slow process which pretty much describes every phase of every process involved in building a model ship.... Initially I was using magnets from Lee Valley to hold down the strips while the glue dried. But they are agressive little suckers and in the end the wood battens and clothes pins proved easier.

 

Here are a couple of photos of the initial stages...

 

 

[sawdust]

It is good to see it taking shape.

Kip

[ccoyle]

Good to see you back at the bench, Peter!

[popeye the sailor]

well hello Peter!     so glad to see your back at the table.   I do hope it wasn't anything serious that kept you from it.  Billing had another process for simulated calking between the planks.......I tried it on the Regina build.   thin strip mahogany was used on that model.......I've been wanting to try it again and I may have that chance.  I've never tried thread.......I may one of these models ....it look good!   seeing the mahogany deck platform.....I received another Nordkap kit last Christmas.  it has the mahogany parts sheets........give me the hint that our kits might be around the same age.  I plan to build another old billing's model from it....the Progress.   working on her,  I'm reminded of the problems you had in cutting out the parts    so far though,  it has gone well  

 

WOW!  it is a pleasant surprise to see your progress.......I hope to see more.    be well and fair winds!

[petervisser]

Hiya gents and thanks for the warm welcome back. In answer to your question Popeye, there was nothing serious happening to keep me from the workshop. Just an overabundance of work during my last year with the coast guard. We have been short of personnel and I was filling in here and there to help make up the numbers. It was worth it in the end however, and now I can scale it back in a big way and finish my time on leave. Once work ceased in September, my wife and I took some well deserved holidays (road trip to Oregon and a Panama Canal cruise) and I am now settling into semi retirement. I say semi, because I have taken on another job here in Victoria, as launch master aboard our pilot boats here. It is part time relief work so I should manage a decent amount of time in the workshop. I am looking forward to completing the Cutty Sark and there are a number of models on this site that are giving me inspiration. However today is "putting up the X-mas lights" so I better get to it...

 

Here is a picture of my new rides.

[popeye the sailor]

glad to hear...........have fun with your new toys      thanks for letting us {me} know........you didn't have to,  but it's interesting to hear that your job involves all things nautical.  a huge salute to you.  you didn't have to rub in the semi retirement thing though.......I'm still try'in to get there myself  

 

look'in forward to your continuance...........

[petervisser]

Over the past couple of weeks I have been back at it on my build. I decided to do lots of prep work before tackling the hull planking. First I laid down all the deck planks. No small task on a model this size. Once they were all in place I removed the string between them so that I could sand down the planks some more to get a smoother finish. I will replace the string once I am ready to laquer the decks which will be done when the hull planking is complete.

Here's a picture of the deck planking completed.

[petervisser]

I also decided to prep the pin rails before planking the hull. The kit is pretty old so I don't want to use the original wood. I cut out the pin rails from the sheet provided and used them as templates. Then the pinrails were shaped and sanded.

[petervisser]

The last task before planking the hull is placing the battens for the final planking. I spent lots of time doing this and I hope it turns out.

[popeye the sailor]

good to see an update peter   I see you've been very busy!   the deck looks very nice.   the battens look really good to,  but I can't help but think that the top batten should follow the deck line all the way to the bow.   is there a reason why you have them like that?   

[petervisser]

Hi Popeye,

 

Thanks for looking in. As far as I can tell, it's important that the battens follow their natural curve for the length of the hull, and not the deck. Believe me, I tried to run the first batten along the deck but it did not look natural. I then fiddled with it for a long time and settled on the final position which did not follow the deck. We'll see how it all plays out when I start the planking which will hopefully start tomorrow!

 

On another note, my model shop is shutting down here in Victoria after a bunch of decades. The owner is finally retiring and selling his shop. It's sad to see it go because I love going in there to buy my glue and any bits and pieces I need. I bought a fittings set for a Billing Spanish Galleon which also had some Bluenose fittings (?) for 50 bucks. It has stuff in there that I know I can use down the road. You just can't do that on the interwebby...

 

Cheers,

 

Peter

[keelhauled]

Looking good!  Keep up the fine work!

best

Marc

[sawdust]

Thanks for sharing your progress. Pity about the shop on Fort St closing down.

Sawdust

 

[petervisser]

Hi All,

 

Just thought I would include some of my planking techniques in my build log. This has to be the biggest show stopper for lots of first time builders. I know it was a huge hurdle for me when I started out. But now I have a system that although pretty multi-stepped, produces consitent positive results.

 

The first thing to do is mark the plank along its length where it will meet the bulkheads. This is done at every bulkhead of course...

I like to then take the little T-square and place the bulkhead position across the full width of the plank.

Next, step is to take the proportional dividers and measure at each bulkhead the width to be filled by each plank.

That measurement is subsequently transferred to the plank at every bulkhead interval.

Then simply join the dots and there you have the shape of the plank along its length.

[petervisser]

Further to my last post on planking, the next step is shaping the plank. For this I use and X-acto knife and sanding block. This produces lots of dust so I make sure to wear a dust mask. Gotta keep those lungs pink!

Once the planks are to the correct shape, I bend them using an electric kettle to steam the bends and twists.

The next thing I do is to lay the plank against the bulkheads again to determine where exactly they will sit. Things shift a tiny bit once the plank is bent. Then I mark with a pencil point where I want to drill a tiny pilot hole for the pin nail that will hold the plank in place while the glue dries. When all the holes are drilled, the pin nails are partially inserted into the plank. This save lots of fumbling when the planks is ready to go onto the bulkheads...

 

[petervisser]

Now for the "glue-age". I have been using good ole carpenters glue of late. In the past I was using super glue, but with the lumber I'm using, it wasn't bonding consistently. I make sure that all the surfaces get a dab of glue, especially along the seams where they meet along their lengths. You don't want any flex between them because it will cause unsightly cracks when sanding the planks smooth and subsequent painting.

Lay the plank up against the bulkheads once all the surfaces are glued and tap the pin nail into the bulkhead to hold it in place.

I leave the glue to cure overnight and then remove the pin nails. I replace these with wood dowels which sand down nicer.

There, that's the first band of planking done. Lots of steps but this is one area I want to get right. A smooth hull is a happy hull as mom used to say...

[popeye the sailor]

looking really good Peter.........is that Obechi.   I use the same wood.......I get mine from Billing USA.  it's a rough wood.....but it does sand down smooth.

    that's a fine deal you'v got there......especially when the winch you show goes for around $24.00 on BB USA   

[petervisser]

Hi Popeye,

 

Yes, it's Obechi wood that I am using on the hull. Just like every other Billing kit I have done. Keeping with tradition...🙂 I purhased a couple of bundles from a Billing distributer over in Richmond, near Vancouver a while back, knowing that the "mahogany" supplied with this older kit would not be suitable as it was pretty dried out and brittle. I also have an ancient Danmark kit that will get the same treatment one day.

 

Yes, the fitting kit was a great find, but I hope the shop survives. There's nothing like going into a brick and mortar store and seeing for yourself what you want and need and inspecting it before you buy, just to be sure that it's right.

 

Cheers,

 

Peter

[petervisser]

The planking continues, but I just wanted to show off my new purchase. I happened to find this nugget by chance at my favorite bookshop in town and had to bring it home. It is published by the Royal Museums Greenich and Adlard Coles. It includes information on the history of the tea trade, construction methods during the time Cutty Sark was built, its time under the Red Ensign and Portugese flag and even has Robert Burns' poem, Tam O'Shanter. Lots of great photos, illustrations and drawings. A real gem! I can't believe I was lucky enough to find it.

 

Now back to the hull planking...

[popeye the sailor]

I know what you mean about the mahogany.......I have the bundle from this second Nordkap kit.  I just couldn't justify using it......I will wait till I come across a sailing ship.  you just don't paint good stuff like that      that's a coincidence.......I happen to have some odds and ends from a Danmark kit.

    I have the two sets of bulwark hull panels,  the keel spine,  and a few other wood bits.   I down loaded the instructions and enlarged the panel diagrams by 150%........this got me within 1/8 to the model.   the parts are in good shape......I hate tossing them out.  you are using some of the original wood,  which is good.....   the Obechi is a bit rough to be sure,  but will sand out relatively easy......I use it all the time.

 

what's the name of the Billing distributor in Richmond? 

Edited February 22, 2019 by popeye the sailor
added text

[popeye the sailor]

super find on the book!  

[vulcanbomber]

I love the lines of the Cutty Sark and one day I hope to build her. I shall follow your build with interest.

[petervisser]

Hi Popeye,

 

The distributer in Richmond B.C. is P.M Hansen. Here's the link:

 

https://pmhansen.esamco.com/

 

I have ordered from them a couple of times and they gave good service.

 

Cheers,

Peter