Todays little task after finishing work was to install the cockpit sides and stain them .
So working from the front the first thing to be done was to paint up the cockpit floors which I did in the week at work with a dark grey Matt paint . I then carefully cut a small slot in the front cockpit floor and installed the throttle lever . I had toyed with making this the on/off switch but decided against it in the end due to space under the floor or rather lack of !
After the front cockpit floor was glued down I started with the mahogany veneer sheets which were sanded to fit and epoxied into place with loads of clamps and pins . I worked down the model doing all 3 cockpits and once happy with them gave them all a rub down with light sandpaper to remove any epoxy or rough spots . They HAD been sanded down on the bench before fitting but a quick rub over gave peace of mind.
Then it was time to stain them with a water based stain that came with the kit and required mixing in water as it came as a powder .
OK I know what you are thinking "water based stain ?? "
I had the same reservations myself , even more so when the destructions called for a water based clearcoat over the top !
Anyway I stained them with the supplied stain and after it had dried (about 10 minutes in this heat today) I started looking around the shed for a clearcoat and happened upon some Ronseal gloss clear . That will do the job
The first coat is on and needs 6 hours before re coating , which it will need as the mahogany has drunk all that I gave it !
The stain looks a nice colour anyway
I plan on a bit more building before the second coat of clear is applied in the morning then clear coat and leave overnight again
More soon
Shane