Fairey Faun

[Tim RoweParticipant @timrowe83142]

Hi Chris

The Faun is going to be a lovely little boat and some nice precise work in progress. Thankfully I am at the finishing stages of Wild Duck and Eventide.  Present to myself earlier in the year was a Cameo 4 Vinyl cutter so after a trial run I proved that I could cut the names of the boats in metallic Gold.  With the right knives it will cut all sorts of things (maybe even sailcloth).

We have been given notice to move from our rented flat after 10 years and I think apart from needing some modelling rationalisation it will put a dent in the building programme.

One question.  I notice that you have notched the frames at the turn of the bilge as well as the deck edge.  is it for a special reason because on a round bilge hull it is not necessary.  It is of course on a hard chine hull for joining the bottom and side panels.

Tim

[Chris FellowsParticipant @chrisfellows72943]

Thanks Tim. Had to Google the vinyl cutter – that will be a very useful bit of kit. Didn’t know such things were available for non-commercial use.

That’s a pity about the flat. As you say, one way and another it’s going to impact on your time.

As for the notching of the frames, don’t forget these are my first ever plank on frame builds and I don’t have a clue what I’m doing!

I included them in the Fisherman because I thought I’d probably diagonally plank it and maybe do the same with the Faun. But as I’m now, following expert advice, going to plank longitudinally with balsa, then as you say, they aren’t really needed. I thought they’d still be useful for bracing the frames but once they are glued to the keel they ain’t going anywhere! One use though, is that in placing the stringers in the notches gives me a good idea that the hull shape looks about right. At least there’s only two stringers in the Faun, have you seen how many there are in the Fisherman!!!

Chris

[Fred Ellis 1Participant @fredellis1]

Chris

If you are thinking of a vinyl cutter then I would give the Cricut Joy a miss, as it has it’s limitations with just what you can do with a cutter.

Fred

[Ray Wood 3Participant @raywood3]

Hi Tim,

Bad news about your flat 🙁  You need to find a friend with a safe house for all your models !!!

Good luck looking for a new one 🙂

Regards Ray

[Chris FellowsParticipant @chrisfellows72943]

Thanks Fred – wasn’t thinking of one and probably wouldn’t have enough to do to justify getting one, but you never know, a thought for the future.

Tim & Ray – had a look this morning and as said don’t need the bilge stringer. I see on Oldenburg there’s one near the deck but I guess I won’t need that either as I’ve got the deck already.

With Fisherman I’m going to have to keep the stringers as I think I will have to diagonal plank after all as the distance between frames is too great. I assume I can still do in balsa though?

All part of learning and the fun!

Chris

[Ray Wood 3Participant @raywood3]

Hi Chris,

If your double diagonal planking the Fisherman I’d recommend 1/32″ ply strips as they will bend much easier than balsa which is prone to snapping !!

Just off to pick up a steam powered Naval Pinnace, just to keep Richard happy 🙂

Regards Ray

[Chris FellowsParticipant @chrisfellows72943]

Thanks Ray, good idea. Good job I have started the Faun then!

Need to get the balsa first but I take it you glue along the edges as well as to the frames?

[Chris FellowsParticipant @chrisfellows72943]

Finished fitting the frames and cut out a new transom base without notches. Glued a couple of bearers to the keel to provide support for the motor base and once the glue was dry cut out and screwed the motor base in place temporarily. The keel still needs to be glued in place and some bits of stringer added between the frames along the exposed part of the keel to carry the planking. Making use of the Dremmel work table again, should have got one years ago!

That’s going to be it for now as I need to order the balsa sheet for planking and the prop shaft etc.

This build reinforces the requirement to build a prototype before building another one or producing drawings for others to build from as I’ve already made a few, relatively minor changes along the way. As well as omitting the notches I’d probably leave the last frame at the stern out as well as it is very close to the transom base which will be carrying the planking anyway. I’ll see as the build progresses as it was positioned there to support the back of the cockpit.

Back to the Fisherman now!  🙂

Chris

[Richard SimpsonParticipant @richardsimpson88330]

Is there a notch missing in frame number 2?

[Chris FellowsParticipant @chrisfellows72943]

Well spotted Richard! I remade that frame to modify it and only put the notches in near the keel. I’m not going to use stringers now so not required.

Chris

[Chris FellowsParticipant @chrisfellows72943]

As mentioned elsewhere, around Christmas and the New Year I dusted off the Tamiya Unimog kit I bought 3 years ago! The build had stalled as the upgraded steering parts were fouling the undertray and it got put to one side. So set to with the razor saw and files to the undertray and the steering was nice and smooth as it should be. Finished off the rolling chassis by fitting the wheels and installing the RC equipment and gave it a road test around the house. Put aside again now as the body needs spraying which is a job for later in the year. Ray, I can see why you like turning to your planes and locos etc. as it does make a nice change. Really enjoyed the Unimog with it being a bolt together build.

And so back onto the Faun. The Raboesch prop shaft and dinky little 20mm brass prop having arrived I finished off drilling through the keel and finished off with a file to get the prop tube to fit and aligned. The motor was then mounted and everything assembled. The thickness of the motor base was just right and didn’t need increasing or reducing and I didn’t bother with a splint on the coupling as per the Fisherman as I could see alignment was very good and the motor and shaft turned easily. The tube and prop shaft were then marked and cut to length.

Two of the legs were then cut off the bracket to form a P bracket and a slot drilled/filed in the keel. Assembly/disassembly was then carried out a few times to ensure that the prop was in the centre of the keel and the P bracket vertical. The prop tube was then glued in place with 20 minute epoxy.

Today I’ve ordered the timber for planking this and the Fisherman and so it will be back onto the latter to get that ready for planking.

Richard, something of interest for you on two counts! Been clearing my mother’s house on and off over the last few months and one of my sisters is storing a lot of stuff. When over there recently I reacquainted myself with something that I ran in the garden when I was young. I’m claiming that! See photo.

Chris

 

[Richard SimpsonParticipant @richardsimpson88330]

She looks to be in superb condition Chris.  I take it she still runs?  I’m sure you’ll get a lot of pleasure from seeing it run again.

[Chris FellowsParticipant @chrisfellows72943]

That’s not the actual one Richard, lifted it from elsewhere, but it’s in similar condition. Stopped using it all those years ago as it developed a fault or something broke, I think it was something to do with the piston/cylinder?

Haven’t investigated it yet but it appears that you can get spares still!

There’s also a number of the old Hornby 00 gauge locos and 3 rail track etc. that I used to play with. Used to have a large layout that was then broken down into two smaller layouts when we moved and then on another move they were completely taken apart and didn’t see the light of day for many years.

Chris

[Chris FellowsParticipant @chrisfellows72943]

Keel now glued into place and timber arrived from SLEC a few days ago so ready for planking now.

Chris

[Chris FellowsParticipant @chrisfellows72943]

Started the planking using 1.5mm thick bass strip of various widths.

[Chris FellowsParticipant @chrisfellows72943]

As well as the Fisherman been doing a bit on the Faun as well.

Was taking the bass planks to Frame 2 but there is quite a twist from 3 to 2 and I was having difficulty clamping the planks as the frame didn’t have the middle cut out which would have given me something to clamp to. Was on the verge of cutting it out when I decided to cut that section of planks out between the two frames that I’d already glued in place and do it in balsa blocks instead. I’ve already started the bow using the 3mm balsa sheet I’d bought, possibly for planking, but not being used for that now.

Maybe I should have started the transition in shape earlier by reducing Frame 3? Trying a thin ply plank maybe shows up I didn’t get the shape quite right through Frames 1 to 3 but at least now that I’ve extended the balsa I can shape it so that it looks right. Never fear, I will rescue it!

Chris

[Chris FellowsParticipant @chrisfellows72943]

Finished the planking and the bread and butter balsa. Then applied some P38 where needed and gave it a sanding. Some minor pockmarks to fill but otherwise ready for lightweight cloth and Eze-Kote.

Chris

[Chris FellowsParticipant @chrisfellows72943]

Minor filling carried out with wood filler and then given a final sanding with 400 grit. Lightweight cloth applied using Eze-Kote and a couple of further coats applied. Will sand tomorrow and apply further coats and make a stand so that I can start on the deck.

Chris

[Richard SimpsonParticipant @richardsimpson88330]

Absolutely beautiful, superb job.

 

[Roger FugeParticipant @rogerfuge]

Fantastic

[Chris FellowsParticipant @chrisfellows72943]

Thanks both.

The little Faun keeps throwing up challenges though. Having got the hull nicely shaped and smooth and the cloth and resin applied it was left overnight. Next morning the planks were found to have curled slightly from side to side giving the hull a thrupenny bit look! Sanded it but that basically just cut through the cloth.

So I gave the inside a good coat of Eze-Kote and will apply more later and made a stand so that I could work on the deck which brings me to the next thing. I keep looking at the hull and thinking that the freeboard isn’t enough, especially at the bow. On the real thing, as with many boats, the sheer kicks up at the bow and the deck is cambered. To facilitate easy building I straightened out the sheer and removed the camber, as per the Huntress which works well.

My drawing looks Ok but with the model it needs a bit more height. I’d got some 5mm bass sheet and so cut out another deck and that has been glued in place and I think looks Ok now. Not much, but on a small model it makes enough of a difference. To this I will add some mahogany and planking.

When I glued the second layer of planks on the Fisherman, using aliphatic and again 1.5mm thick bass, they also curved slightly and that was gluing fully to the first layer and along the edges, so I hope I don’t get the same problem. Maybe try epoxy resin instead and let the first coat dry and see what happens before applying the cloth? As I said, at least with longitudinal planking it looks like a planked hull!

Aliphatic seems to have this effect on planking as I had the same problem, albeit with very thin planks, when I did my decks. Must be due to the glue remaining liquid for longer as I didn’t have the problem when using superglue.

Chris

[Chris FellowsParticipant @chrisfellows72943]

Applying Eze-Kote to the inside has helped as the planking looks better again now and with a light sanding the unevenness is being remedied. With that and the built up deck we are back on track.

I don’t build light and this little boat is certainly getting a bit of weight to it! I don’t see that as a problem as Fairey hulls are generally very buoyant and feel that a bit of weight helps the model sit and perform better on the water.

I’ve now added a mahogany transom using 2mm sheet and again using aliphatic it tried to do an impression of a banana! Anticipating more of the same with applying mahogany veneer to the deck I used canopy glue instead but still got some warping but this was minimized by the clamps and masking tape. I’ve also used contact adhesive in the past but must admit it’s not my favourite job.

I think the problem is made worse because I’ve had some of the timber for a few years now and being kept in the house the moisture content is pretty low, When cutting the first piece of veneer it actually split as it was brittle so I gave it a good soaking in the wash basin to give it some flexibility again.

I like the contrast between mahogany and white so that’s going to be the colour-scheme for this model.

Chris

[Chris FellowsParticipant @chrisfellows72943]

Added the rubbing strips and then gave the hull 3 more coats of Eze-Kote and after a sanding with 400 grit it’s nice and smooth again. Couldn’t resist giving the mahogany a coat of varnish to bring out the colour!

I’ve ordered some brass tube and rod and I can then decide how to make and mount the rudder.

Chris

 

[Colin BishopModerator @colinbishop34627]

Coming on nicely Chris.

Colin

[Ray Wood 3Participant @raywood3]

Hi Chris,

She is looking great, I enjoy small model building 🙂

I never use anything other than Gorilla woodworking glue and epoxy, I’ve never had a problem as you describe !!

It’s great fun building 5 boats at a time 🙂

Regards Ray

[Author]

Posts