Will Everard

As reported in the Guardsman thread, I have come up against a problem with its ballast and so put it back on the shelf for a while - which means that I can start this new model.
This will be built as a static model - as it is designed I believe - and is being built because my wife asked me to! Its a Billings kit , so I expect problems!
The kit was bought cheaply on ebay, and I suspect had been stored for a long time. The wood quality is not great, and the die cutting worse, however the half keel has been released and pinned to some 1/2" ply. The kit includes a building board, but it was not strong enough to lie flat after the warped keel was pinned to it



The next job is to fit the half deck, then planking can start. The bottom is sheeted so not quite as much planking as it seems.

Barrie

I once made a model of a sand barge for the guy who owned Will Everard. He had spent a fortune converting her into a home for him and his wife. It had 10,000 paving slabs under the floor to ballast it!  It had a huge 295 HP Gardner diesel engine fitted, which had an Austin 7 engine to start it, which it did very successfully in my presence.

Trouble was, after he finished it and went to put his nice Maldon house up for sale, his wife admitted that she actually hated boats and only went along with it while it was his business. Once he retired she wanted her house still. Last I heard, the Will was in Catherine's poncy boat pond in London.
What happened to Mr. Hobbins of Civil and Marine Ltd. I have no idea.

Martin

Oh dear - why Oh why did I agree to build another Billings kit

This is how well(!!) the deck fits

 

If I sand down the bulkheads to the line of the deck then there will be nothing to support the bulwarks  If I fit the deck into the line of the bulkheads, there will be a gap in the middle of the deck

However, I suppose it will all come out in the end - a big tin of P38 is on the wish list

Here is the current state. One plank and the bottom piece fixed (I hope).I plan to fill in at the bows with some carved balsa rather than try to get the brittle strip wood to stick.



Barrie

 

Side one planking completed and roughly sanded. Its ready for some filler now.  I started off using Aliphatic but soon switched to CA, so now my fingers are covered in the stuff  The only way I have found to remove it is sandpaper

I found out why the deck didn't fit - the keel must not nave been flat to the board, although I did check several times. There are a couple of pins inside as I couldn't release them before closing the planking - good job its a static model

Barrie

I find the best way to rid my finger of superglue, which I use to harden wood grain on fine stuff, is to plunge in warm or hot soapy water and lightly scrape with the edge of the vegetable knife. It comes off as a slurry and is easily washed off.  
Having put 1.5mm square mahogany all round the roof panels of my Crash Tender to represent the half round overhang, my middle finger could double as a drum stick in a rock band, it's so caked with the stuff, but this method rids it all very quickly.

Cheers,
Martin

Super glue and fingers are always fun I tend to go hardcore and either peel it off, run my finger on some 60 grit in other cases I’ve enjoyed taking a stanly blade and scraping it off.

Looks good so far bud enjoying the build 

Fingers now clear



Side 1 sanded, filled, sanded and filled again waiting for final sand. Side 2 almost ready for planking. I used CA glue this time which speeded up fitting the frames,the deck is glued with Aliphatic. I am pretty sure there will not be the same gap as side 1, as I removed the assembly from the building board to check for fit . Of course, this may have introduced a twist

Barrie

Not much done over the weekend as it was too hot, and I ran out of CA glue  New supplies arrived today, and it was a little cooler in the workshop an hour ago, so I got the planking started. I need to wait now for the bottom piece to set hard - I used aliphatic for this - rather than CA. I think this side is going a little better than the first, still having problems with the strips though. They are very brittle even after soaking in hot water, and it is very tough getting the pins through.
I didn't leave any pins inside this time

Barrie

Side 2 planking finished. Now for sanding and filling. I managed to remove the pins from side 1 by cutting holes in the'keel'. It wont show as the two halves are stuck together

Barrie

Second side now filled and sanded - almost, just a few final bits to finish. My hands kept locking so had to stop  I have started fixing the cappings on side one. I tried fitting the two halves together, and its not good.  Quite a gap at deck level, and at the keel. I have been sanding to improve the fit. but still more to go I think. Not sure why this happened. I couldn't have kept the keels flatter as there were very few places to pin them down once all the planking was done. Oh well, more filler I guess
Next job is to finish the cappings then fit the rubbing strips before sticking them together as I figure that will be easier. 

Barrie

Its been too hot to do any modelling, but I did manage an hour or so this morning. The gunwale cappings have been fitted and the two halves stuck together. In the heat I forgot I was going to fitt the rubbing strips first

There is a gap at deck and keel level, but these will be filled. I have filled in the gap between deck and gunwale as best I can. 

 

More when it cools down

It’s really coming along nicely now bud

Somewhat cooler weather yesterday and today, so a little more progress. The rubbing strakes have been fitted. Since I took the photos I have given the hull one coat of sanding sealer ready for a primer coat to show me all the problems
I have decided to fit an overlay on the deck using some 0.8mm ply. This will cover the gap in the middle and some of the filler. Before I do this I need to paint the inside of the bulwarks, so that could be the next job. I recently ordered all the missing fittings from Cornwall Model Boats - luckily I had the Billings Part numbers so this was fairly easy.

I have made some uncomplimentary remarks about this kit  I should make it clear this is an early version using die cut timber. The latest version I believe uses laser cutting, and the bulkheads have locating slots in the keel. Hopefully, the laser cutting will have demanded better quality ply at least  I found this when I downloaded the instructions from the web as my copy is less than clear.

Barrie

This is a great looking hull, for an old kit you have made a grand job of it so far!

Really enjoying this build bud keep up the great work!

Progress is very slow  Many interruptions for updating computers, fixing punctures, hospital visits, shopping and a lack of motivation in this heat. We keep being promised thunder, but it never gets to us
So, no painting done yet, but I have been assembling some of the superstructure.



Barrie

More work on the superstructure.  I'm left with a slight dilemma . The drawings show skylights on top of the two main structures, but the method of construction shown is to build a square of strip wood and stick a piece of acetate on the top  That doesn't seem very neat to me - also no mention of cutting a hole in the roofs. I'm still deciding what to do.

One problem has been resolved. As you can see there is very little of the deck join visible when all the bits and pieces are added - and there is more machinery still to go on.  Also I have found out the "planked" sections are painted pale blue, so the filler will not be as obvious. So, I have filled in the gap and levelled the two halves.

Barrie

As a suggestion as well as a deviation from the plan it may be worth considering adding port holes instead of a squared window, to start with it’s not “an afterthought” by the plan designers and honestly a set of port holes would be more attractive as well as being more realistic given many boats of that period with similar hatch designs had port holes rather than window hatches.

Just my 2 cents.

No! - I haven't been on holiday again  The recent weather made it just too uncomfortable to think about modelling, but today I returned to Will. 
Firstly I marked out the skylights and built the framework. I then painted the insides black. I will eventually fit some acetate and ten a frame of 2 mm wide mahogany.
I also started to paint the cabins using Emerald Green gloss paint - this is the Humbrol equivalent to the Billings colour specified: unfortunately its so thin as to be transparent  I have tried using some matt Deck Green as an undercoat on the smaller cabin as it would otherwise take too many coats to provide a solid colour. I'm not sure if this will be OK, but there is no matt finish paint of anywhere near the colour
The hull has been sprayed with a white primer, and the waterline can now be marked ready for painting the underside. Above the waterline is green and above the rubbing strip black.



Barrie

and what a return...……...it looks excellent barrie………..you have done a grand job.

The workshop was reasonably cool this morning, so I managed to do some painting. Firstly I painted the insides of the bulwarks and the middle section of the deck



Then I marked the water line and painted the bottom.



Finally I tried the cabin roofs, after painting the lower part of the sides. I gave the tin of paint an almighty shaking, which seems to have improved it, and the coverage of the green is now much better. 



This is a boat that needs painting as you go along as there is so much detail to be added it will be impossible later.

Barrie

 To darn cold to do much in shed here.

More painting! Not sure about this green  

 

Finished (?) the skylight.



More paint required then start with he fittings.

Barrie

If the green is too much in colour you could always dull it down by giving it a black or brown paint wash, then rub most of the paint off which should leave the paint duller and fill some of the grains with giving a nice contrast.

I think it will be OK when its had another coat then some satin varnish - I think my customer likes it anyway

Barrie

The temperature got to 38.5 degrees in my workshop yesterday (Not when I was in it )
Before it got there I managed to do some more painting. The hull is now ready for varnish, and the cabins have had one coat of Satin Cote.

Barrie

 coming together nicely Barrie

The hull now has one coat of varnish. Today I built one of the winches - there are quite a few, some without any instructions for building as far as I can see . I also mounted the fittings for the rudder and cut and painted some wood for the top of the stern gunwales. These are white while the cappings are black, so I decided that pre-painting was probably the easiest way of getting a reasonable finish.
Once these are fitted to the hull I can complete the rudder mechanism and fit the cabin over it.

Barrie

 

  Nice Barrie. 

I've been making all the winches today - after finding all the parts and some instructions. Slightly annoyed that the diagram for three of them in the instructions is wrong . The correct one and the diagram for the fourth is on the reverse of the main plan - with the rigging diagrams



These now need painting. The strips for on top of the bulwarks fore and aft have been painted and the aft ones installed - forgot to photograph them. Tomorrow the forward ones will be glued down. I think that then I can fix the cabins to the deck, together with the winches, and then attend to the steering mechanism. I note that they don't supply sufficient brass wire - will have to check my stocks.

Barrie

missed a lot being in hospital and up in Scotland...…..she is looking superb barrie. 

a real cracker...…..

I wish I could get POF hulls looking as smooth as you.

The secret is plenty of P38 Neil 

Barrie

Thato my solution barrie......gallons of it.

I attempted to fix the breakwaters at the bow today. One was successful - the other broke . A new piece is currently drying and will then need painting. I painted the winches, and found that in fact there are three types of the smaller winches  Once the paint had dried I will have to modify two of them.
I also painted some of the parts for the steering arrangement as it will be more difficult once its all put together.

Barrie

 

The last breakwater has been fitted. I have also made the steering system. It should be covered but as it is inside the wheelhouse, I have not fitted the cover so that the linkage is just visible. I started to fit the cabins, but only did the forward one - the others will follow next time.

Barrie

 

Well - at last some progress on Will - I have been having difficulty getting started after a long lay off.

 

This is the current state of the build. The stripes and name have been added - I thought these were decals, but they turned out to be sticky vinyl.   The 'paddles' have been stuck on, and two cross bars made and fitted. Before my break, I had made the bollards. These were supplied in pieces the uprights and a base. I carefully soldered them together, but now realise this gives me a problem.



I will have to file the bottom of the plates to give me flat surface to glue to the deck

Barrie

Looking good Barrie 

The glue hadn't set  I Remixed a new batch and tried again
I then sanded the bottom of the bollards with my Dremel and then re-painted them ready for sticking down.
Next I moved on to the masts. I thought I was in luck as they come ready tapered - hurrah - no endless sanding . But no, they are tapered but not to the correct diameters  So I spent an hour or so on the lower section of the main mast. Still several more sections to go.

Barrie

The main mast is built  Still a few fittings to go, but since the photo I have painted it. The bollards are now stuck to the deck.
More masts/booms to be sanded and fittings worked out. Not all the fittings are shown on one plan - need to double check two plans and then some of the drawings.
If any fittings are missed, it will be very difficult to fit some of them once the masts are stuck to the deck.

Barrie

OK, back to Will . I think I have overstretched myself here. I have been trying to understand the the rigging diagrams, but am very confused. There are two diagrams and they don't appear to agree

Ah well, just keep plodding along
Today I did some more work on the various masts and spars. These have to be sanded, painted and the various fittings attached. The fittings have to go on before the mast are installed because it will be impossible afterwards. 
This is where I have got to. The un-painted ones will remain like that, unless I stain them. Once I'm happy with this stage I will add the fittings.
I do have some deck fittings which I think I can now install, so that will be the next instalment.

Barrie

After making a new tiller for Guardsman and reducing the forward ballast, its back to Will. I think you can probably tell that I am not really enthusiastic about this model
Today I fitted almost all the remaining deck fittings and the masts and bowsprit. 

 

Next is the rigging. This will be done to Barrie's simplified rigging plan . As long as it looks OK then that's good enough for me. It will not be exposed to the rivet counters (I'm sure we don't have any on this Forum do we?) and my wife will be happy.

Barrie

barriew wrote:

After making a new tiller for Guardsman and reducing the forward ballast, its back to Will. I think you can probably tell that I am not really enthusiastic about this model
Today I fitted almost all the remaining deck fittings and the masts and bowsprit. 

 

Next is the rigging. This will be done to Barrie's simplified rigging plan . As long as it looks OK then that's good enough for me. It will not be exposed to the rivet counters (I'm sure we don't have any on this Forum do we?) and my wife will be happy.

Barrie

if we do barrie……………...they'll be banned

Indeed 

Not much progress recently. I have been planning a ref-furb of my indoors space - where I keep my computer etc and listen to the radio while my wife watches TV in the lounge  However some decisions about the sails have been made and three main sails have been cut out ready for painting. I found that Humbrol Red-Brown gives a reasonable finish of the right colour  I have made some rings for the top sail from copper wire as none were supplied. I am still deciding how to hang two of the foresails on the supporting ropes - the plans indicate using the copper wire, but I can't quite see how that works at the moment.
The most prominent part of the rigging is the rope ladders (ratlines?) on the main mast. The diagram shows the cross pieces knotted onto each upright - no way
I came up with this scheme. A copy of the diagram was fixed to a piece of 1/2 inch balsa and covered with polythene ( I tried clingfilm first but the CA stuck to it). Pins were then inserted and the threads laid out and CA was used to join them.



After cutting from the jig, it looked like this.



and after trimming like this



I have now made a second one. I believe someone makes a tool to do this, but as this is the only time I will make these, this was cheaper  

Barrie

So when I left this to do some DIY, I thought I had the two of these that I required. Wrong  - the second one didn't turn out right. A third was also unusable so I had to try something else. Some time ago someone gave my club some plastic kits which no-one wanted and it was left to me to dispose of them. Before doing so I removed this collection of rigging from one of the kits.



After much trial and careful trimming I managed to produce these two sets. I'm not sure what this is made of - I did think it was plastic, but I think it may be thread covered in plastic.



Next job was to thread up the Dead Eyes - I've done enough for one side.



Next session I will try to fixing one side before tackling a second set of Dead Eyes.

Barrie

Yesterday I started fitting the rigging. Didn't go too well.  This is the first side - luckily this is the non- presentation side so wont be too obvious. I think that I have worked out a better way of doing the other side so hopefully that will turn out better.

Barrie

Looks mighty fine to me Barrie.