Billing's Cutty Sark 1:75 Help. Newbie

[Guest]

This is where im a little confused, I can now understand what your saying, but my drawings show the chains going through the mast then down to the yards, without attaching to the mast. You get small eye-bolts to attch to the yards, and then attach the chain to these. I think your saying the chains should attach to the mast, and then down to the yards.

Thanks again for all the help, and the pics. Am looking forward to planking the hull, it will be good to see the shape slowly come out.

Derek

[Guest]

Hi Derek, Sorry for the confusion, you are quite right, a hole has to be drilled through the mast and the chain passes from the yard through the mast down to the block. I have downloaded the PDF from Billings to help my memory it's about 25 Years since I built my one, and there are some obvious changes to the kit.

I had the fortune to go onboard the Cutty Sark in 1991 long before the last fire, and one big discrepency I noticed was Billings supply mahogany planking for those who wanted to plank the deck as I did, rather than leave the printed deck sheet, but when I was onboard, some 6 years after I finished my model the deck was almost white. You can understand this on the real ship with all the sea water coming onboard and the daily scrubbing of the deck by the deckhands. If I were building the model again I would use lime wood strips.

Sorry for the confusion again, will try to help if I can with any future queries. Cheers Derek

[Guest]

No worries Derek. Im just glad to have someone to contact re this stuff..

I have also planked the deck in Mahogany, and did notice the near white deck from some You-Tube footage of the ship, and was nearly tempted to paint it white, but then thought I spent all the time doing the planking and didnlt want to cover it all in paint. The only other major discrepancy ive come across is the lack of the rear entry to the capitans quarters. But these differences may be later modifications to the real ship with it passing to a few different owners, I cant find any detailed history on the ship.

Its a pity to hear of the current state of the cutty, but it sounds like most of it was put away in storage for the rebuild anyway. Do you know if there doing anyting with it now days, or has it been scrapped like so many of the others, there would be a point where the money value would be enough, let alone the lack of the older trades needed nowdays.

[Guest]

Hi Derek, they are still beavering away restoring the vessel, have a look at their official website below. Are you planning to add the sails to the vessel? When I did my one you got a large scale drawing of both the rigging and the sails. Cheers Derek

Cutty Sark - Visit the world famous Cutty Sark clipper ship

[Guest]

Have come across that website before, but hadent had a lot of time to look at it properly. Its good to see how there going, and looks like most of it is still original..

Yep I will be attaching sails to the ship as well, specially after seeing how good your looks with the sails attached. You still get the sail plans, and all the material you need to sew up into the sail shapes.

Something else to look forward too, but still quite a bit off yet.

Derek

[Guest]

I too am glad i found this forum.I bought the cutty sark at xmas and have made a start on the hull but, like you none of the cabin details are printed on any of the wooden parts sheet. i did notice on the sheet that there is a pencil pointing to the bits that need lines etc, does that mean we have to draw them . Like you I think I will strugle with some of detail. I will contact billing and see what they say and post their reply. cheers

[Guest]

I never heard back from Belgium, and have given up. Billings USA has been very helpful, PM me your e-mail if you like and ill send you the pics billings USA sent me, have found them helpful. I found out from billings USA the wood 167A listed as Lifeboats is no longer used, they were for older lifeboats that heve been replaced with the white plastic ones. I scanned and blew up the page you mentined to lifesize to copy the detail over to the wood with. I have made a few errors, but thankfully only minor, and can only recommend triple check everything before gluing and painting. All in All it has been a great build, have really enjoyed putting it together and seeing the progress day to day. I have also had a good look over you-tube for any footage I can get of the real cutty.. Hope between all of us we can answer any questions we may come across.

Derek

[Guest]

Hey guys!

First post. Just chanced upon this and thought I might show you how mine's going. I've been at mine since about october, it's not perfect by any stretch of the imagination, but it's a lot of fun doing it, and it keeps me out of trouble!

I had the same problem as Derek... no lines on my wood, so I just made some stuff up with the veneer strips I thought I looked okay... I've also been a little more liberal with the colour scheme to make it look a bit nicer. Just finishing off the deck fittings at the moment, then starting the masts/rigging... :/

By the way, has anyone got any idea where parts 53 go? They're funny curvy bits, helpfully named 'plankingstrips', but they're not strips nor do they look like they're for planking, cant find a reference to em in the instructions or plans... ah well.

Well I would upload images... But looks like my quota is set to 10kB, and I can't even get a tiny image to fit in that... what's the deal?

[Guest]

Okay, here goes...

EDIT: didn't work... meh, I guess you're restricted when you sign up using a gmail account or something?

EDIT2: Cheers John, doesn't look quite right to me.... hmmm

[John]

There are no limitations for using a gmail account and you shouldn't be limited to 10kb, have you tried using the gallery to upload your picture?

[Guest]

Hi!

I'm new at this site but what I have seen so far it looks very interesting with a lot of info.

I recently bought the same kit (Cutty Sark) from Billing boats and also had problems with that there was no printing on the deck and had to improvise.

Also as you said there was no information regarding the included mahogany and I also assumed that it was for the decking.

Right now i dont have any problems but i'm sure i'll be back.

[Guest]

Parts #53

Hi Guys

Havent been back here for a while, glad I started this post, is good to see others building the same kit, and are having similar issues (It isnt relayed to my kit only). Havent had a lot of time to work on it lately (Have had a baby enter the family recently), but am at the painting stage of the hull, have greatly enjoyed the build...

The parts #53 mentioned took me a while to find, they are on the Plan 1 No 8001, behind the anchors. Your build is looking good..

Derek

[Guest]

Hello badjohnbad. Re your request as to where parts 53 go. Please see Plan 1. (I am looking at it at this moment,)The plan which shows the masts etc. The part 543 is attached to the bow just below the rails. I imagine it is to protect the hull from damage caused by the anchor.

By the way have you any idea where I can get the fitting kit paert 565.?. I bought this kit in 2006 from a local sale for only £20.00. An absolute snip but no fittings.

[Guest]

Hi all


just found you guys.


I built this cutty sark in 1975


. It has been in the garage roof space for about 19 years after a kitten got entangled in the rigging and ran amock through the house before we could catch it


Just about to take a pair of scissors to it with a view to repair and re-rigging it as I still have all orig bumf.


It never had sails, anyone know where I could get sail patterns or templates??

[takeslousyphotos]

Welcome Derek ......... Hope you enjoy your stay matey......... and good luck with the Cutty Sark, although it's one ship that I dislike above all others....... Only because, when I built it many years ago (I never finished it after it hit the wall) I sliced a damn get gash down my finger with a scalpel blade ...... and I still have the scar as a reminder.....


......... But I'll look forward to seeing yours come together......... Be Safe,