LtDoc

Anyone built this model? I'm starting on a second one (don't ask) and am interested in any helpful hints or changes that you may have made. Also, size motor,etc.
- Lt Doc

ballgunner

My Feedback: (1)

I have a Billings African Queen. When I bought it I thought I knew a thing or a couple about scale building. I've sailed full scale for over 50 years and built RC sailboats for 25 years. The Queen is almost beyond me. If the pond freezes or the wind is too much for RC flying I may get back to it someday. They list it as for intermediate builders. I'm way beyond that but still not up to Billings specs. I bought one tool lately that may help. A digital cliper that reads in both inches and mm's. It may sit on the mantel when completed. I don't think I can install a drive system in the space allowed. Live and learn.

LtDoc

ballgunner,
I'm preparing to building a second 'Banckert' tug (please don't ask what happened to the first one, I blush easily), and am mainly looking for 'better' ways to do a few things. Billing Boats are not exactly the easiest things to build but they really aren't the worst by any means! I haven't seen the 'Queen' kit, but just going by how it's described in Billing's ads, it really shouldn't be ~that~ hard. Billing's instructions aren't exactly the easiest to follow (I'm sure you've found that out!), and you have to pay very close attention to the drawings and photographs. The 'Banckert's instructions are mainly pictorial, in 8 languages if that makes any sense. The only written instructions are a parts list and a ~minimal~ step instruction (more like hints than instructions). But, especially if you've any experience with working with wood, the Billing's kits aren't impossible.
The drive/radio systems aren't too bad to do, but you do have to make a few assumptions about placement etc. if you don't use exactly the same equipment as they suggest. It's not really a lot different than putting a radio system in a plane, just cram it in there someplace, sort of. Motors, stuffing boxes, props etc., are usually the choice of the builder, as in they don't tell you much that's useful, usually. For something the size of the 'A.Queen' you won't need a lot of motor, something the size of a '380' ought'a work fine.
The best advice anyone can give you is to 'think ahead', and if you don't understand what they mean for you to do, 'think again'. Great advice, huh? Makes you wonder why I'm building a second boat??
Good luck
- 'LtDoc

ballgunner

My Feedback: (1)

TNX for the good advice on Billing. If you ever get a chance to look at a Queen pay close attention to the miniature steam engine and all the gear for it. They include a small motor and I thought that would be just great until I discovered it is to make the scale steam engine turn. Oh well, when I find nothing else to do I can always turn to the Queen. I also have a wood planked hull laid up for the Muscongus Bay lobster smack, also known as a Friendship Sloop. Gaff headed with Egyptian cotten sails. All it needs now is fiberglas on the hull and sewing up the sails, but it has been that way for a couple of years now. So many boats and airplanes and so little time. At least I still have my Fairwind 900 to sail.

LtDoc

ballgunner,
I'm not too thrilled with planking a hull. I've made a couple but didn't like to do the planking very much. It wasn't the planking as such, but the finishing of the hull after the planking. I've since found out how to do that in a much easier way than I had been doing ti, so, I'm a little less reluctant to try another one. Maybe...

The 'African Queen' is one of those boats on the 'to do' list, some day. It's actually more likely that it'll 'get done' before several others that I'd ~really~ like to build. ("Champagne tastes and a beer budget", kinda thing.) I'm just glad thre aren't any 'boat shows' nearby, there's too many I want without having seen them. If I had a chance to actually see some of the models available I'd probably be tempted to 'un-retire' myself, terrible thought! (LOL)
Good luck with the 'Queen' and the lobster boat...
- LtDoc

ballgunner

My Feedback: (1)

Actually the planking on the lobster smack was fairly easy. The hull was easier than the Queen's plastic one. It's from a very old Laughing Whale kit. I believe they are still in business but I doubt that they would still have this kit in stock. The planking was part sheet and part strip
My problems started when I tried to make everything fair. The strips started to become very thin. This makes the fiberglas mandatory. When I get a couple more airplanes off the bench it will be lobster smack time again. I looked carefully at the Bankert for a time. I do want a tug and a friend of mine has the kit with Kort props and a bow thruster. When he really needs a couple of bucks in his pocket he may bring it around again.

LtDoc

ballgunner,
I'm a ways into the second build of the 'Banckert', and while I like the boat, I certainly wouldn't recommend it too highly. I'm finding that what I thought was just a 'one off' kind of low quality thing is more of a general condition (Hopefully it's just this particular model and not typical of Billing's stuff. Or maybe they should just change their classification from 'intermediate' to 'intuative'.). I'm running in to the same problems as the first boat, mainly no pre-cut wood and less than adequate instructions. If you don't have a few more than just 'hand tools', you had better like working with hand tools and 'cussing (buy plenty of wood putty!). I have to admit that my lack of skill is the 'mainest' problem.
A bow thruster is sort of 'over kill' with the Banckert. Not that I wouldn't try one, it's just that with the double rudders and Kort nozzle it just isn't really needed as much as with other boats. It's never going to be the most 'nimble' of tugs even with the thruster, but it's very close to scale in performance. Especially if you use a 'sort of' large motor and stay off of the throttle! (Sure, you bet! LOL)
Oh well, even the 'junkiest' of models is fun and since I like complaining too, I get twice the fun out of it...
- LtDoc

DONS BOAT WORKS

My Feedback: (3)

How is the build coming, I just bought one I mite need help.

LtDoc

'Don,
Finished it some time ago. Won't try to say it's anything like 'show' quality, but it was fun, which is the main thing.
The best advice I can give is to take your time, don't get in a hurry! Read the instructions until you really know what they're trying to tell you (may take more than one reading - lol). Another piece of cheap advice is to pay attention to all the drawings/pictures/instructions you can lay your hands on. After taking a look at the 'non-instruction' things that came with the boat (like pictures, etc.) some of the instructions made much more sense. That's more a personal problem than typical, I'm thinking (who, me?..uh...just dumb I guess).
One change that I made is that the double rudder hit the trash can. Made a single that was somewhat larger than 'normal' which was 'more-better'. Again, more my building skills than anything else.
The whole point is to have fun. Good luck...
- 'Doc

mpyachts

Hi Don (Don's Boat Works)

If you're interested in a look at my Banckert efforts so-far, have a look at my web-pages of pics and dialogue on my build. www.magpieyachts.com/building4.html
You might get something handy from that. Scroll to the bottom of the page for the start and then have a look at the second page to see the current state of it. It's not coming along too bad, although I have sunk it twice already on trials. Not enough waterproofing of the hatches. You need a raised combing around the inside of the main opening where the cabins sit on the deck and a good seal around the hull deck join.
I used the plastic moldings as moulds and did it in fibreglass. This allows for removal of the deck for maintenence as the hatches aren't large enough to get lead acid batteries etc, through.
Jason

DONS BOAT WORKS

My Feedback: (3)

Thanks for the help Guy's, I won't start building till later this winter.
I’m busy building a couple trailers.
Don

DONS BOAT WORKS

My Feedback: (3)

I started building my Banckert, I think Billing Boats forgot to add the instructions with the pictures. They say a picture is worth a thousand words, Well I’m speechless.
I have built the Billing Dragon sailboat, I think the instructions were better.
Don M.

LtDoc

Don,
The 'Bankert' has been the only Billing's kit I've built, so, can only say that the 'great' instructions must be particular to that kit only (no one can be that bad with instructions and do a lot of 'bid-nez', right?). The kit has been around for some time so I figure things have changed since it was first designed, but not up-dated. There are 'things' about it that I think could be better, like the wood for instance, but also have to say that my lack of experience has a lot to do with that feeling. It's a nice boat, not really a 'bad' kit, and after doing two of them, a third would be much easier (sort of like cheating, huh?). Don't just 'think' you know exactly what it says, 'know' what they're really trying to tell you then figure out how to do it. Sometimes that means thinking through more than one step at a time, and maybe not doing it in exactly the order they recomend. Lots of thinking helps a lot!
- 'Doc

PS - Sound like an expert's advice? Yeah, right! I wish...

skaha

After seeing the work done on the Billings Brankert, I bought the kit and started the fiberglassing as you did on yours. The hull mold and hull turned out well, however the deck mold did not work for me. Could you tell me whether you are using epoxy or polyester resin, did you use a gelcoat , and did you vacuum bag ? Any help you can offer would be appreciated. I am fairly new to glass work.
Thank you.

mpyachts

Hi
I used polyester resin without gelcoat. I coated the abs with molding wax and a layer of "Partall" coverall Film which is like a liquid candle wax that sets like the above and allows easy seperation. I had a few bubbles that needed filling here and there, but not bad at all. http://www.magpieyachts.com/TugDeckc...outofmould.jpg
The pic on the link shows the deck straight out of the plastic mold deck.
Jason

PS I used fine woven cloth strips first and laid then across ways and pushed them well into the gutters with a strip of wood. I then used 2 layers of chopper matt in strips as above. The woven strips will get in better to tight spots. I stopped using gelcoat a while back on models as I was getting too many bubbles in the corners. The resin seems to soak in better. It was cold when I did it too. Winter. This may have helped it to soak in over more time. I asume the trouble you're having is as above. If not, let me know and I may have an answer or may be able to get one from friends etc.
Regards
Jason[&:]

skaha

Thanks for the reply, I used polyester with partall and pva followed by 3/4 oz cloth, I will try again using strips as you did instead of one piece layers. Appreciate the advice.
Terry