I have only recently come across the forum, so as this is my first post I thought I would say hello to everyone and give you a bit of info on my build, which I hope will develop with pictures etc.

As I struggle with arthritis and osteoperosis in my hands I decided to give this a go as exercise for my fingers. I have built a couple of Billings kits in the past (Lilla Dan, Mary Ann). Both these builds were done while I was young and single (believe it or not the only tools used were a Swiss army knife and a Toffee hammer, as being young and single the odd beer was more important than tools), The Victory is the first I have attempted since.

I have chosen to go for a "natural" finish as painting would be almost impossible with my hands. Having looked at other builds, and from the front covers of the magazines I felt that there was no distinct "This is how you must stain the ship",
so as the ship was made of Oak, I have decided on a dark oak colour below the waterline, and a lighter Oak shade above, and a walnut colour for the Wales.

Unfortunately as I have only discovered the forum recently, I cannot show any earlier construction, so pictures will only be from around the gallery fitting stage.

So far I have found the build quite straightforward, I have only used the instructions in the magazine, but wish I had found all the help here earlier, as it would have made some things easier.........for example using curling tongs as a cheap plank bender!! To get my planks into the right shape, I would soak them in hot water then using thread I would make a kind of Bow (as in bows and arrows)and leave them overnight to dry out in this shape.I would make 10 or so "bows" the planks would always twist slightly which helped make the stern and bow easier to plank. Doing it ths way meant I had to start a different frames to those suggested in the magazines, as each bent plank had a bend in different places, so I would choose the closest shaped plank for each stage.

The only deviations to the magazine so far have been the gun port linings, and a bit of planking on the cuataway, and centre deck area. (I was in a local model shop and saw some mahogany strips of wood tucked away in a corner, the strips were just the right size for the port linings, so I went for them, and I feel they do look better than the wood supplied).

Ok thats the lot for now, pictures will follow once I figure out how to post them using Admins advice.

sorry z8ooo783, I assume you have just replied to my trial post which has now been edtited

Welcome aboard saintsman123, There are a few of us on here with a disability of some kind, this build is an ideal therapy. Look forward to your postings and build pictures, they are a great bunch on here, willing to help should you need it? Good luck with your build and hope that you enjoy it...

Thanks for the welcome folks, I've now put up an Avatar pic, so sorry to disappoint all you football fans, as its Northampton Saints

Welcome to the forum saintsman123, I'm sure you'll find lots of useful and interesting info all around the forum.

I'm now glad I took some pictures, because I now see that I've not sanded the model back enough in lots of places, the room I work in does not have the best lighting so I had not noticed things like the gun port linings standing proud,glue residue or some of the planking gaps, so I am now in the process of more sanding, and a few plank repairs where I can.

As I'm getting fed up waiting for issues 39-42 suposedly despatched on the 4th, I thought I would upload a picture of my amazing plank bending technique. The one good tging about it is it gives each plank a small twist which helped reduce clinkering.

Finally got some new issues, so put on the keel bits, now I do not like the look of how they fit. I realise now that puting on the stain was a mistake, I misread Mr T's official diary, and not having the magazines, I now realise I stained too early, this was due to having finished planking I got a bit fed up waiting for neww issues and went on an did something, just to do something.

So now after more sanding I have started double planking, mainly because the prow?? does not fit too well, and I can bring the veneer up close to the edges, hope that makes sense.

Ive just gone for a basswood veneer,at the bottom, so I can still go for an oak stain, but have gone for maple up top, as I like the grain better, and I still want to have a light finish.

I did have a few problems fitting the rear keel post, mainly because I did not sand the rear stern part flush with the false keel, I did not realise that it had to be done that way, I've read and re-read the magazine, but although there was no definite statement to say it should be flush the images did imply it, (although I've noticed that there seem to be more than one boat shown in the mag, and some images seem slightly different to others)so iv'e fitted the post but am not doing much with it (sanding) as I'm going to wait and see what I'll need to do later to make it look OK.

I'll post some pics later, but the build will be slowing down a bit due to a new puppy, who seems to like chewing the wood

Sorry MrT at the time I was at that stage I didn't know what the transom was, and was not on the forum to see yours,it was only when I joined the forum and saw your build that I found out I had made the mistake.Now I make sure I read both mag and your build

Willie you wouldn't happen to be in the RAF by any chance?, since I see lossie as you location