gjdale

I’m really interested to see how this kit comes together, so I’ve grabbed a front row seat too!

Nice progress Sea Hoss - looking good.

Thanks Bob - yes, the pre-spiled planks sure do make it a lot easier. There's still plenty of challenge there though - especially if you're as ham-fisted as I am!

Thanks Ryland. Yes, I'm conscious of that point too. Tight edges is certainly the aim.

Yes I am Floyd, to the minimum amount I can though, as per Chuck’s instructions.

Nice job on the repair Floyd. Fairing also looks great. Looking forward to seeing you tackle the planking now.

Thanks for the likes folks. Bob - I did consider adding the monofilament as you suggested, but decided that might cause more headaches with handling the model while placing planks, so will defer that until the planking is all in place. Minor update today. Planking progresses cautiously with the first four strakes now complete. Using Chuck’s methods for both bending and gluing is paying dividends. Nevertheless, I have not been afraid to debond planks that I have not been satisfied with. One plank came off three times before I was happy. The last plank on the starboard side (Plank #8 ) went on late one evening. I didn’t trim it because I wasn’t sure about it. Having slept on it overnight, it came off again the next day. I took some extra care with bending it to make it fit properly at the last frame and transom, then reglued. Was much happier with the result. So far the strakes are all aligning nicely port/starboard at both bow and stern. It’s not perfect – there are some very minor gaps along some seams, but overall I’m happy with progress so far: I'll be back when once the planking is complete...

The frames were glued in place per the instructions and left to cure for a few days. The frames were then gently faired using 240 grit sandpaper on a variety of foam backing blocks. The hull was then lined off using tick strips and the bow/stern templates provided by Chuck to place a pencil mark on each frame with the exception of the first and last three frames. Thin strips of tape were then used to adjust the line. The frames were then marked again along the edges of the tape, this time using a thin black pen. Once the tape was removed, the original pencil lines were erased to avoid confusion. Then it was time to gird the loins and commence the planking. This time around, I decided to use Chuck’s method for bending planks, only instead of a hairdryer I used my Proxxon heat gun (on the low setting). I was pleasantly surprised at how easy this was to do compared to my previous method of using a small steam iron. I also followed Chuck’s advice and used CA glue for attaching the planks and again following his advice, just placing a small amount on each frame. I used a gel CA for this. I was again pleasantly surprised at how easy the process was compared to using PVA and trying to clamp things in place. OK Chuck, I’m a convert on using CA for planking! I’ve decided to depart from the instructions slightly and follow the lead of some others by drilling holes for the “nails” as I go, rather than waiting until all planking is completed. Figure I might stand a reasonable chance of actually hitting the frames this way! I'll be back when planking has progressed some more.

Those trail boards look great Jeff- well worth the time and effort.

Nice to see you back at this model Yves. This is another that I have in my way too big stash. I’ll enjoy following along with your build.

This is a fun build Dave and Jeff's plans are first class. I'll follow along for the ride and the memories!

Grant's Medway Longboat Ver 2.0 At long last I have returned to this build, starting afresh. A few months of working on a completely different project, along with a little extra time for building, has allowed my mojo to return for this build. I again opted for the more complex keel design; however, my approach to the keel assembly this time was to use the Byrnes saw to hog out most of the waste and then fine tune with a miniature chisel and a sanding block. I then went ahead and glued the four additional 3/32” keel pieces following the advice in Chuck’s instructions again. I made a couple of 1/32” spacers, as others have done, to help centre the parts on the keel. I then marked the locations for the keel bolts from the plans, drilled using a #70 drill bit and inserted the provided 25lb monofilament fishing line to simulate the bolts. These were trimmed and sanded flush and the whole assemble given a coat of Wipe-on Poly. Finally, the transom piece was fitted, taking care not to repeat my mistake of the first time around! No in-progress pics of this work as it simply repeats work from earlier in the log. Here is the finished keel assembly. The single frames were prepared as per Chuck’s instructions, with some packing tape and some reinforcing strips. These were then test fit along with the keel in the building board. The two additional bolsters were also added to the build board at the stern as per the instructions. The double frames were then prepared following the instructions. The way Chuck has designed this kit makes this a particularly easy task. The frames were then all test fit into both the build board and the keel slots. To adjust the fit in the build board required only a few light passes with some 240 grit sandpaper. The keel notches all needed a light pass with a file to provide a snug fit. The frames are now ready for gluing.

Thanks Johan, I recommend you start your own build log. It doesn’t matter that you’re already well into the build. A build log is the best way of seeking advice from others and to show us your progress. You will find no judgement here, only helpful advice and encouragement. I look forward to following your progress when you do.

Congratulations on a fine build Glenn.

Nicely done Jeff!

Johan, This was my first foray into fibreglass. A detailed explanation of my experience and the process I followed starts on page 5 of this log. I also made references there to an excellent “how to” guide written by Pat Tritle over on the RC groups forum. The actual process you use may vary slightly depending on the type/brand of resin you are using. I used West Systems. To answer your specific questions: 1. I did not have to do any specific was removal process - I just sanded. 2. Yes, you will need a clear finish - many coats - over the resin if you want a highly polished finish. I used three coats of resin over the fibreglass and then four coats of spar marine varnish on top of that. I applied graphics after the first coat of clear and then sealed them in under the following three coats. I used a spar marine varnish as it has UV protection to stop it yellowing. You need many coats to allow the sanding/polishing process, which essentially is removing layers to get to a very even final finish. Is it tedious? Yes. Is it worth the effort? Absolutely. My advice is, take your time, be patient, and trust the process. Oh, and make sure you do some test pieces first......

I’ve just found your build John. As I have this kit in my “stash”, I’ll follow along with interest as you tackle the various challenges. Looks like you’re doing a great job so far.

Sorry to hear about all the fires over there Bob. As you know, we experienced a similar thing here in Australia during our last summer. The smoke rolled in here at the beginning of December and pretty much put a stop to all outdoor activity for a couple of months. The fires here got close enough that we actually evacuated one night - fortunately that scare didn’t eventuate into anything more serious but we had quite a nervous few weeks. I think the smoke finally left when we received an almighty hailstorm that did record damage across the city - narrowly missed our house though. And it seemed we were just getting on top of that when COIVD joined us. What a year! I’ll certainly be continuing to follow your excellent build as and when you have time for it.

Don’t know why you’d say that Tom. You did an excellent job on this model - what’s not to like! 😊

That’s possibly true Kevin, but keep in mind when these kits were made in the first place - about 50 years ago...

Thanks Denis, The chassis stands are an after market part from Model Motorcars. Quite expensive for what they are and I’m sure they could be made quite easily by most builders. I wasn’t sure how useful they would be but they are proving to be worthwhile. For my next one, I’ll probably make my own (if these don’t fit the other chassis).

Looks pretty darn good from this distance!😉

Thanks Kevin, Yes they do take a lot of work - but that’s half the fun! 😊

Thanks guys, Bob - yes, the Model Motorcars stuff is very expensive and one could easily spend waaay to much on “upgrades”. I think there are a few that are really worthwhile (like the steering wheel) and then there are a lot that one might question whether they are really necessary. And there will be differences between the various kits as to which fall into which category. Paul Koo advises making these decisions at the start of the build. Good advice - but if you have no previous experience, it can be difficult to know where to draw the line. It’s compounded for me because of the additional cost of postage each time I decide I want that extra $5 part, or you do as I did - buy the steering wheel and only realise later that you really need the hub to go with it! I might do a summary of “lessons learned” at the end of this build, including a summary of the “upgrades” I’ve done. I look forward to seeing the start of your build Bob. If your other work so far is anything to go by, it will be an outstanding build to follow.

A Minor Update I have decided not to install the body work until the steering wheel is in place, and I can’t do that until the centre hub arrives. This was ordered on Sep 08 and made it as far as Miami FL by Sep 09. There has been no tracking movement since, so I’m kinda stuck until the postal system works itself out. In the meantime, I’ve finished off all the remaining small bits of work that I could. First up, I decided to temporarily connect the Headlight wiring to test that to see if it works. As you can see in the picture below, it does! The headlights are turned on by inserting the key in the dash as seen in the next photo. The front horn assembly was next. This actually required the temporary installation of the main body panels and fender panels so that the cross brace could be fitted, and the ends angled to match the fenders. In the photo below, you can see the mixture of plastic and metal parts. It is nigh on impossible to discern a colour difference between the two materials. The rear licence plate was then assembled, using an aftermarket decal from Model Motorcars for the rego number. It is held onto the fender with only two screws – the other two are dummies. The front of the fenders are also fitted with small lights. While these parts look simple, there is once again a fit issue that requires some delicate work to rectify. Here they are installed: The front nose was then assembled. Three additional decals from Model Motorcars were used here – one for the Alfa Romeo emblem and two for the radiator cap. This close up shows that there has been some damage to the Alfa Romeo emblem. Fortunately, two were provided on the decal sheet from Model Motorcars, so I should be able to replace this one. The front side of the radiator cap has a St Christopher medal – a bit hard to see in the photo, but it’s there: The back of the radiator cap has a temperature gauge, again in the form of a decal from Model Motorcars: And that is as far as I can go until the Steering Wheel hub arrives…