Member postings for gecon

Many thanks to all for the inputs. I have spent some time this morning 'zooming in' on the advert photos. Does not look particularily enticing.... and the wood MUST be old seeing that it's a Precedent kit.

The SLEC CNC cut kits are probably super in comparison but...just remembered one of the new admiralty regulations.... "no built-up hulls allowed in the kitchen". Hmmm...have to start building up som brownie points before Christmas.....how do you switch on a vacuum cleaner?

George

I see that there is a part built 1/8th scale Precedent Fairey 31 kit for sale on the web in Norway. It must be pretty old and it looks shabby in the advert photos. The hull is built and is covered in what looks like lots of filler. Price £100

Any comments on quality of the old Precedent Fairey kit? One photo shows the rest of the box content including what looks like mahogany sheet. This one was certainly intended for IC power so I suppose needs a big brushless thingy and a dose of Lipo to make it move. Not really my thing but I have wondered about the kit kit quality......is it smarter to go for a new SLEC kit?

George

Wheelhouse aft bulkhead now positioned -but not glued. Watchman looking out for some furnishings to put forward of the bulkhead. At least 8 weeks delivery time!

George

The components of the wheelhouse aft bulkhead have now been glued in place. Bulkhead will be loose fitted in position while the rest of the wheelhouse sides are constructed -sills, frames, glazing etc.

May add a clear acetate sheet to prevent water entering the wheelhouse. There is no plan for a cockpit drain -yet! Apart from the fact that a flooded cockpit will eventually drain into the bilge, hopefully without knackering the well-taped rudder servo below the cockpit floor.

We are also being told to stay at home as much as possible to try to hamper the new virus increase. Norway is quite lucky compared to the UK and Europe, but nobody who gets the bug here feels particularily 'lucky' -so 'stay at home and cut, glue & paint everthing' is modus operandum again. Stay safe.

George

Edited By gecon on 08/11/2020 07:41:45

After a long pause I've now managed to do a few more rather superficial jobs on the Fisher 34. Hope I can get back into the swing of things during the next few days.

The 'glazing' / window-framing work is not going to be as poltically correct as I had first hoped. The window frames should be rounded on the inside curve as well as the outside but I don't think I can muster up the necessary eyesight nor steadyness-of-hand to do the job properly. So I think it's best to hop over that bit and not push my luck.

Ray mentioned the "Formula 560" canopy glue a while ago. My 1/3 full bottle was first used on the Balsacraft Spitfire and Hurricane models about 20 years ago -so it ages well! The 'glazing' has been cut to the shape of the opening so that it fits into it, leaving a small ledge on each side. The inside edges will not be framed in strip -simply painted in Tamiya Titan Silver. Frame it all later if I can't live with the short-cut.

Some of the wheelhouse sections have now been undercoated...yet again. The gloss enamel I had applied was not well done at all so out came the wet&dry again. Changing paint too. Hope the new stuff will self-level a bit better.

George

Making slow progress with the Aft bulkhead details. Components are now prepared. Plasticard strip arrived from CMB yesterday and will be shaped...after I get my daughters car through the MOT!

Mirror finish sheeting suggested by Colin was not in stock. The strip is white styrene but will eventually be alu-silver-ish. Photos show parts just placed approx in situ.

I think I made a kit for a wheelhouse sliding door today. We'll see when I've applied some teak stain, oil and varnish. The wheelhouse aft bulkhead will be sealed, sanded and undercoated -eventually. 

George

Edited By gecon on 05/10/2020 17:55:58

Very kind of you Colin to get so involved with helping with this -almost trivial- detail. Ordered 'mirror silver' 1mm sheet from CMB today. Experience shows that it will get here in about 7-10 days. The edge finish does not matter too much as the full size Fisher has a conspicuous black (Sikaflex maybe?) sealant around the outside of the alu' frame. I thought I would paint the cut edge matt black to simulate this. Made my first ever 'sliding door kit' today. Needs some sanding and teak stain/varnish etc.

Regards, George

Many thanks Colin,

I have ordered stacks of stuff from CMB since I started the Fisher so I'll order from them. I did in fact browse their webshop on saturday but did not find the mirror silver. Was not looking forward to sealing+sanding painting 9 narrow window frames! I will be using ready made CAP Maquettes frames on the cabin sides but the wheelhouse needs the more 'flush' variety.

Thanks again, George

Thanks Ray and Colin, looked at alu' foil in the kitchen yesteray but didn't think I could make a good job with that. Also tried to find silver plasticard on the web without success. May have to resort to my 'long cure' bright silver paint from Testors and make frames in painted obechi strip.

Thanks for info....working on the case. Also for tidying my postings!

Ray, PBO article wiil be received with thanks.

Regards, George

Applied one coat of gloss to the cockpit saturday. Starting on the wheelhouse aft bulkhead. Have to cut out the sliding door and openings for windows. Don¨t know how to make 'aluminium' frames/surrounds for the windows yet. May have to be obeche -or plasticard. Pobably a couple of weeks++ before there's a operational sliding door here!

George

Cutting through metal plate? Opening baked beans etc?

George

Edited By gecon on 03/10/2020 08:15:03

Edited By gecon on 03/10/2020 08:17:40

Hi Bob,

It's well known that I "don't get out much" but have you seen the photo of the russian millionair's SeaXplorer? Looks a bit like a Brutus11 in 'civies'.

George

5  mins later, Oh...should have Googled it first. I note that SeaXplorer is not the one-off special I thought it was. But it's at least an axe-head. And sharper than mine!  I'll go back to my sanding/painting job.

Cheers,    George

Edited By gecon on 03/10/2020 08:11:43

Good that you missed that iceberg. It's the soft type but kan give quite a peck which may hole your hull -and spoil your day 

George.

Edited By gecon on 02/10/2020 12:12:17

Slow progress recently. The cockpit will soon be ready for a final sanding, undercoat and topcoat. Placed a few acessories into the lockers and loose fitted the slatted seating to give myself inspiration.

Hope to proceed to wheelhouse construction on monday. This will also take ages to complete.

Misaligned photo? Maybe just strong tides that day - ships going downhill? Or....do they sell cider i Devon?

George

The Xmas issue of MB could maybe include a build feature. "Slippers for Christmas".

Very impressive Richard. Nice 'wake turbulence'. Like to see a side view too -on the plane.

George

Edited By gecon on 28/09/2020 07:11:47

Twin engines too! That should keep Gromit's ears flying. Lovely work Richard.

George

Photo here looks like we're going backwards in the build, but the combings are shown here epoxied to the capping rails -so there's no going back now. Need some filler or putty in the joints. The curvy side panels have now been shaped and are in the paint shop for sanding sealer and undercoat application. The aft frames have been attacked by Needhams much feared Ray gun -or was it Colin's pivot gun from the Gannet? (Learned some new words today!) Not to worry, it'll reduce the displacement.

George

Looking very good Ray. We're eager to see some colour on the hull.....this weekend?

George