Cutty Sark

[perry]

Built this as a kid and decided another would look nice over the fireplace......... I was so happy with the result before that it it stood above the fireplace for years when i was married....what i'm wanting to know now is WHAT are the correct colours to use........... the black for the upper hull, is/ was it matt or satin? ( i used matt before) the white for the masts, the same, gloss, matt, satin? ( i used gloss before) Looking at the instructions for the model I have now, I don't understand how as as a kid I made such a lovely model................. :o/

[chris1966]

Hi,

Never use gloss or satin - always matt - although I use Humbrol 85 for black, but always spray varnish the finish with a matt polyurethane varnish. For the white, I have found the best white to use is the spray can type (Plasti-Kote or similar, found in DIY stores). use white brush paint (Humbrol or similar) to touch up.

Cutty Sark in plastic was always a pig to model.

[Murdo]

I have the Revell Cutty Sark in 1/96 scale. Looks like a challenging build (and BIG).

I hate rigging but love sailing ships.

[perry]

Thanks guys, I will go with matt then, pretty much the same (apart from the masts ) as I did 35 years(or so)ago, hope it turns out as good as it did then. And all those years ago, I still did all the rigging lines on it, remember using a purple felt tip pen to marrk off each line i had added

[perry]

ok, folks, another quick question on colours...... the call out for the decking is light brown, can anyone be a little more specific please?

[BAC]

Here's a link to the thread I did on the Airfix kit back in 2007. Maybe it's useful to you?

http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.p...20&hl=cutty sark&st=0

Cheers!

[perry]

Invaluable thanks, I'd forgot about your build but clearly remember it now, thanks again!

[Forlornhope]

there is a paper model available for free download on the net if that helps with colours

[modelman182]

One of my favourite ships - built this some years ago and have another in the stash awaiting my attention. I have the old Pitkin Pictorial guide "Cutty Sark at Greenwich" , which is a pre-fire publication and has some good photos of the deck, rigging and masts - also a cutaway with a lot of rigging and sail detail. I know that History Press have a current guide (£4.99 from their website) but I don't know if it has the same content as the old one.

Drop me a PM if there's any info you'd like from the old book.

Enjoy the build.

Kev

[loren_brothers]

Perry,

I hope this will be of some help to you:

http://wijhevjl.home.xs4all.nl/Docs/Cutty%...ur%20Scheme.pdf

This was direct from Greenwich. If I'm too late maybe somebody else can find this information useful.

As far as matte, satin, or gloss goes that is largely a matter of personal preference. Those who do war vessels refuse to use anything but matte ... and car modellers use only gloss ...

I like to keep a ship as close to what it would usually be under use. As far as the Cutty Sark goes several factors come into play:

1. Paints of that era were all oil-based and as a result would have a certain sheen to them when newly applied.

2. As she was newly launched from the shipyard she would probably be pretty shiny ... Satin finishes would probably be most appropriate. The teak deck would have been highly oiled originally. Since the owner paid out approximately £17,000 for her construction he would probably want quite a bit of "flash" or "bling" to her. (hence the fancy gold work on the bow and stern)

3. As a working ship environmental factors would dull the paint finishes to Matte and the teak decks would bleach out. But, the vertical wood surfaces (such as on the deck house, etc) and certain yards/booms would always have a good shiny coat of varnish on them so a coat of clear gloss spray would be called for on these parts of the model.

4. Periodically she would go into drydock for re-fit ... hence new coats of paint.

5. Just prior to re-fits she would look very dull and dirty.

So, basically, just figure out which period/circumstance in which you want to portray her and work from there. To be consistant you can't have a nice shiny copper hull and a dirty mangy deck.

PS: A bleached-out teak deck is NOT tan despite what the instructions say. Light to medium silverish-gray is the proper color if dry ... darkening to an almost medium charcoal/russet brown if wet. To see what I mean look at any boat where the owner hasn't maintained her (with oil or varnish) ... or if you don't have any handy ships floating around just look in a local garden for an unfinished teak bench. See deck photo, halfway down on left, in the following article, clicking to enlarge:

http://www.bymnews.com/may/cutty-sark.html

Edited February 18, 2012 by loren_brothers

[Noel Smith]

Perry,

I hope this will be of some help to you:

http://wijhevjl.home.xs4all.nl/Docs/Cutty%...ur%20Scheme.pdf

This was direct from Greenwich. If I'm too late maybe somebody else can find this information useful.

As far as matte, satin, or gloss goes that is largely a matter of personal preference. Those who do war vessels refuse to use anything but matte ... and car modellers use only gloss ...

I like to keep a ship as close to what it would usually be under use. As far as the Cutty Sark goes several factors come into play:

1. Paints of that era were all oil-based and as a result would have a certain sheen to them when newly applied.

2. As she was newly launched from the shipyard she would probably be pretty shiny ... Satin finishes would probably be most appropriate. The teak deck would have been highly oiled originally. Since the owner paid out approximately £17,000 for her construction he would probably want quite a bit of "flash" or "bling" to her. (hence the fancy gold work on the bow and stern)

3. As a working ship environmental factors would dull the paint finishes to Matte and the teak decks would bleach out. But, the vertical wood surfaces (such as on the deck house, etc) and certain yards/booms would always have a good shiny coat of varnish on them so a coat of clear gloss spray would be called for on these parts of the model.

4. Periodically she would go into drydock for re-fit ... hence new coats of paint.

5. Just prior to re-fits she would look very dull and dirty.

So, basically, just figure out which period/circumstance in which you want to portray her and work from there. To be consistant you can't have a nice shiny copper hull and a dirty mangy deck.

PS: A bleached-out teak deck is NOT tan despite what the instructions say. Light to medium silverish-gray is the proper color if dry ... darkening to an almost medium charcoal/russet brown if wet. To see what I mean look at any boat where the owner hasn't maintained her (with oil or varnish) ... or if you don't have any handy ships floating around just look in a local garden for an unfinished teak bench. See deck photo, halfway down on left, in the following article, clicking to enlarge:

http://www.bymnews.com/may/cutty-sark.html

[Noel Smith]

There is a set of plans (3 sheets) by George Campbell that are the best that you can obtain.

A wealth of detailed information is on them about the colours, besides all the rigging details etc.

Look on the Cutty Sark website's store.........Cost about £10 or threabouts.

Anyone contemplating building the Cutty Sark will really benefit from these.

[perry]

Thanks for the replies guys, mucho appreciated!