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H.M.S Bounty

Log is translated to english by request of Philippe Coupard. And his excelent pages about Bounty you can find from here: H.M.S Bounty

6.6.2001

Time to start new project. For long time i'm wanted to build 18-19 century sailing ship. And quite easily i ended to get Billing Boats (again) H.M.S Bounty.
And that who do not know Bounty's story. Follow this link immediately: Mutiny of Bounty

Next problem was to find kit. I got it from Pro Hobby, located in Helsinki, Finland.

12.6.2001

No post yet. I called to store and they told that glue what i want is not arrived yet. So i have to wait few days more.

18.6.2001

It came... And cost a lot...

First operation. To check that everyting what is needed is in box and in good condition.
And i can greet Billing Boats. This is fifth kit from BB and every time everything is included and wood and other fittings are in excelent condition.
Already i started to think, is this something what normal peoples do. Rigging is terrible. There is something like 10 kilometers of rope and there is blocks and deadeyes almost fulling small box...

Another what i had to check is condition of laser cutted plates. There was some places where laser was burned too long, but it won't be problem.
In photo you can see all plates. And keel parts are already cutted away.

Also. There was included 15x6x4cm piece of wood, what should be a boat.
I think i will do this different way. To get some wood and Do that boat with framing method from scratch. Just need some plans for this ship boat.

Everythis is ready for start building, so i had to get it finished right away. So i started from keel.
After sanding keel parts i glued them together and retired to do other things.

19.6.2001

Ship hull is POB (Plank On Bulkhead). Planks are glued to frames what are doing their job as ships frames. Now i had keel ready, so next job is to attach these bulkhead frames.
I cut all bulkheads off and sanded ashes off from edges of pieces. Later when bulkheads are placed i will sand enges to right angels for planks.

I fastened keel to desk with small clamps to get working little easier.
Next i started to test how bulkheads fits. Then i glued them on place one by one and checked that they are on line and stright.

After few hours drying i could attach planks what came under deck.
This was little harder than i tought. Because woods are thick and firm and deck is on slight curve. Even bending with steam didn't work quite well.
Solution was that bending what helped little and huge amount of rubber bands and few pins to make sure that planks are on exactly right place.

27.6.2001

I have been on vacation and little busy with other jobs during last week.
But. Next to do was installing deck. Went just fine. I used same rubber band style to install deck than i used for those planks what are under the deck.
And deck will be base for deck planks.

28.6.2001

Next is most critical step and it will say what ship will look.
I will not paint ship. Just varnish finished surface so all planks will be visible under it...
Also. Every plank have to sand and cut invidually. And this model is not double planked. So i do not have practise planking. It have to get finished with first try.
And i will make every plank same lenght as ship because of size of model. But it will incease difficulty of planking. But, i won't talk anymore about planking. Photos will speak more than thousand words...

3.7.2001

16.7.2001

Planking was easier and faster than i tought. It took only little over two weeks. I'm right now at summer vacation, so it helped a lot. Without vacation, this could took 4-6 weeks, atleast.
You can see cracks and dents on that picture, but hull is not sanded yet.

17.7.2001

Next photos are different places of hull. Sanding is not finished yet, but you imagine see what i should be.
Next step is final sanding of hull and first layer of varnish. And after that i have to think how to make few details to hull and other minor things.

13.8.2001

Building is continued but log is not. I have been just lazy to do it.

But. These ladders to down below have been ready for some time. Just forgot to take pictures of them. Ladders are embedded to hole what is on deck. And wooden frame top of ladder case hides quite nicely that you hardly can see that fact that ladders just drops to box.
So, other minor things are start to finnish. These ladders are from easiest part...

Cabin windows are more difficult. Because of carvings.
I sharpened one of my small screwddrivers and start to carving with that. And got little help from dremel and carving blade. But with that you can easily take off too much wood.
There is two cabin windows on hull sides. One in each side. And it is painted to gold. I'm really happy that it is painted, because i'm never done anything like this to so small parts. So there is few mistakes what i can hide with cement and gold paint. Hopefully.

As you can see. Ship itself have gone trough little visible changes.
Stern start to be ready. And whole hull is stained. This will be almost right color. Just little darker and glossy after i varnish it. Hull is stained three times and after each time of staining it is lightly sanded. And with this, hull gets little older look.
Also whales are glued to place and painted with tinted varnish. And deck planking is started.
Next procedure is to finish deck and build other details to deck. Also hull needs all other details like wood parts to bow and stern. And so on. After that i can varnish whole hull.
Also. I have lots of copper sheating to hull. I just made some investigation and found out that Bounty's hull was coppered, so my modell will be too. I do not have any idea how to do it, but i ordered two books about ship model making (my first ones) what should include some information about coppering the hull. Hope that books will arrive soon.
Until next time...

5.9.2001

It is been little quiet on this side because of house maintenance and other minor things. But there is something new. I have made some hatches and other deck structures and varnished them. Also biggest thing what is going on is planking deck. Deck is formed by false deck what is glued to bulkheads. And planking is done over this. And i'm attaching thin rope between planks to be as caulking. After this deck is sanded to smooth and will be varnished some 4-5 times. Finally all edges of all holes on deck will be finished.

29.10.2001

Things are going... Slowly. Even that there is no any information about anything on these pages. I have no intrests to do log with minute schedule. This more like what i have done between dates. Next picture shows where we are right now.

So. Deck is ready. And it took some time. Deck is not as it should be. But it is done that way it pleases my eye.

And deck planking was quite challenging project. I had to glue deck plank on it place with same time try to get rope, what simulates caulking, to stay at it's place and, ofcourse, i had try to keep spaces between planks same all the time and so on. Most worst place was edges of deck. I had to sand and cut planks to exactly fit between existing deckplank and whales.

Finally there was varnishing. First two layers of varnish are done with urethane based varnish. That hides all cracks and dents perfectly. After that i varnished whole deck three times with water based varnish. Also rope is colored with water based color, so that varnish will make bad for that coloring. That is one reason why i used urethane based varnish on bottom.

After deck was complete next on my list vas varnishing hull. This time i used that water based varnish, what i mostly use on everywhere. Only three layers and slightly sanded whole hull between layers. Varnishing hull was quite easy and fast task.

Now i had more complicated operation. Those whale lists on hull. They have to be on right shape and on right spot. Whale comes from four stripes. Every of them are 1.8x3mm obechi. Whale start from stern and goes right to the bow, under cabin. And because whales are fitted together bow's golden ornament i had to do it and glue it to bow. On these pictures whale is still without it color and varnish. Also that ornament need little fixing and one more paint layer.

Another whale is next on my project list (on my head) and after it is finished i will paint and varnish both whales same time.
And on right side photo there is some deck structures on place. But not glued.

Last thing for now.

When i waited that varnish on deck and hull will dry i started to make main mast. In photo lowest part of main mast is fitted on it's hole in deck. And in here i modified little bit things. On kit main mast is fully round. I made top of main mast square as it should be. Also that masttop is made from sticks. On kit is is one piece. Also mast cap is redone. Square block won't fit to round hole.

Next mast part will be upper part of main mast and trestletree, ropes and deadeyes for it. After main mast is almost finished i will start to work with mesan. And all masts will be make so finished outside hull that it is possible.

Ps. No any comment of my working desk... I know exaclty where every tool and piece is... ;-)

10.3.2001

Time has passed. A lot. And a lot has happened. Those thing also caused that i had time to build model, but couldn't do it because of different reasons. But something new on list.

Now, both whales are glued to place and whales are painted more than few times with dark varnish. Just to get color match with other parts and between whales. I'm quite pleased with result as you can see in photo.

Another part what is going is masts. Situation at this moment; Boom, Foremast and Main masts are wood-ready. Mizzenmast is waiting for trestels and final touch. Also standing rigging of masts is still missing. This is part what i'm studying. Also i want that Mizzen mast is also wood-ready before i start to make that standing rigging for masts. Also ropes what came with kit are quite good quality. But they need something to get them look like tarred. How to do this is missing.

Kit's own anchor is quite good. But that wood cap, made from plastic, in anchor is crap. I just throw it away. But before that, i used it as template when i did new wooden one from kit's own hull planks. New blocks need only varnish and metal parts before i can attact them to achors.

Another thing what i'm wondering is bottom of hull. Kit itself suggest to paint bottom to white. Like ships had some 18th century. And this is common seen in many model ships. But real Bounty had coppered hull, like many ships on it's age. But. I calculated that copper plates should be 2.5 x 0.7 centimeters each to fit in scale. How to do approx thousand copper plates what are exactly same size. And this with home tools...

8.4.2001

Just quick update. I got some copper tape some time ago. It is not so wide it should be. But 19 millimeters have to be enough because there is no wider available at the moment. And after few tests correct method found and plating started some two weeks ago. With jig it is easy to cut some 7mm long strips from tape. Also small number of modified plates makes work faster and more easy. Work is much faster and easier to do than photos show. But i have other things to do than just cut and apply plates to hull. At now, another half of hull is got all it's plates below waterline and another half is half way to finnish. Just to get some time. Also i'm thinking to add some protective layer over plates to cover it from aging and fingerprints. Another way to go is just leave it as it is and shall it get copper own look.

31.5.2001

It have been Some time since last update. But anyway. Ship building has been delayed because lack of time and lack of intrest. For example hull coppering took over month to finnish. Anyway, something minor things has happened.

Like i told. I finished coppering some month ago. And finally i finished rudder coppering few days ago. Also rudder hinges are placed to hull and rudder. But to avoid damages. Rudder is not on its place. Actually coppering looks quite nice. Specially when thinking that it was first time for me to do anything like that. I have thinked that should i add some coating over copper plates. If so it must be done quite soon because i have already started to build and install deck fittings. Otherway, it is good looking without coating and time make some changes but it will give it's own living look for coppering.

Masts are also ready and waiting for standing rigging and bushings for ropes. Main mast is already got almost all of it's bushings. Those bushings needs some final touch but no anything big anymore. Other masts are waiting for inspiration. Making of those bushings is guite slow. On smoking break i can make two of them if i am quick.

Anchors are also ready. Photo shows rest of them.

Also main cabin side windows are ready and glued on sides of hull. Some structures to bow section of hull are already installed and some are waiting for stain.

Both stairways and mess skylight are installed and glued to deck. Also most forward bleaying pin plank is finished. It also supports jib boom so i wanted to finish it in time. Plank is secured in its place with two shortened pins what are inserted to legs and other end goes thru deck. It is not glued on its place, but nothing else is not needed.

Bulwark is last two, three days job. And it is finished. Last part is full bulwark and in middle ship there is railing. I have added first layer of coating to bulwark and railing. Tomorrow shows is there need for second layer.

Next steps are cannons and how to install 4 cannons to half build ship. Almost all deck fittings belongs to same list. Only biggest parts are build and installed.

23.10.2004

Ups, it takes few years between updates. So, if we go thru last two and half years in few lines.

In last update we had almost empty deck. So we still have long trip to get finished ship. After last update, there was summer and my intrests to build anything was quite low. In winter there was other issues what delayed more. There was over year without any progress. And even more without any updates on building log. But yes. I still took photos. So there is some stages missing and log is not so detailed as before.

21.6.2003 Building continues with bow details. Bow was missing all details. These were quite complex to install, as Billing kit didn't offer good photos how to do this. There is done some improvisation and lots of investigations from Bounty II and III photos.

23.6.2003 In same time i started to build masts. Masts itself were alredy done. But standing rigging. I try to build rigging so ready that it can be done. It is easier to build standing rigging when mast is in your hand than mast already installed to ship. This is mizzen top (i think...)

31.3.2004 And again, there was little gap without building. During summer 2003 and winter 2003-2004 i rigged masts and. Eh, nothing else. But as jib boom was finished. Why not to install it. As i didn't like many things on Billing kit, rigging lines were one of them. I replaced them with ones made by Contructo. Also there is some boom rigging done already.

And also i made rudder steering. And yes. It works.

7.4.2004 And because it is easier to populate deck before installing masts, it was simple choise to install cannons. First i thought that i replace original plastic cannon stands (or what they are). But after i made few testings i ended to use original ones. Cannon ropes are not totally accurate but i simply run out of space. Also i instlled rest of deck details. Sorry no photos of them. You can see those in other photos.

12.4.2004 Next was that BIG MESS. Standing rigging. This step took almost four months. In photo, foremast is ready. Others are just put to holes. Masts are on place only with rigging lines. No any glue in there, except small drops in knots to secure them. Rigging itself is quite easy task. Biggest problem is that there is no so much space to work.

26.7.2004 It was in july when i got rigging finished and could start work with sails. And this tells that end is near. There is even four sails in place. Eight to go. (and "little" mess on my working desk)

Rigging lines in bow before cleaning them.

27.7.2004 Next day, bow pinrails cleaned.

8.10.2004 Next photos show how i made sails. Probaply this is not correct way. But this is my way and i got quite good looking sails. Just my personal opinion. We need, sail, rope, siccors, needles and machine.

Cut extra of from sail and put rope in place with needles.

First step is done.

Next, sewing machine. We have to sew rope in place. To get good looking edge, it is best to use sewing machine.

Edge is finished. Next is lines thru sail.

Still needs little cleaning.

Ready

Finished sail with boom. It is not blued to boom. But "sewed".

17.8.2004 And still work to do. Here is foremast pinrails. All three sails are in place. And still without glue. It is quite hard job. Rigging lines are tied to pins. And taken off amy time. Just to get correct angles of sails. And all sales to same angles. Special tool, made from thin plank, and pair of tweezer are not needed. But they are must to make this rigging.

Here is mast itself with sails. I don't have photos of making main and mizzen masts. Sorry.

23.9.2004 In Bounty story there is big issues with lauch boat. As captain Blight and his crew sailed over 3500 miles with it on open sea. Actually, as i know, there was two boats onboard Bounty. I have only one in here. Just to keep deck more open. Perhaps Blight is already thrown over. Billing offer balsa block for lauch. I didn't like idea to cut boat from single block. And when there was some extra deck planks and other wood. Why not to build it from scratch. Here is keel and few arches on place. Also planking is started.

Planking ready. Actually, to get this point, it took two days.

24.9.2004 Next step was to smooth bottom.

Inside arches were done from 1.4x5mm planks. Just to keep shape right when i made planking. After smoothing bottom i could grind off some wood from arces to get them look little better. Actually, like this.

8.10.2004 Inside deck planking is same as in Bounty itself. Planks are just cut half and glued directly to arches. Oar is made from 5x1.4mm plank. There is six of them. Launch is 120mm lenght and it is 40mm wide. Height is some 20-25mm.

12.10.2004 End is really near. All sails are in place. But rigging lines are big mess. Also some minor things are missing. Like launch is not in it's place and so on.