I don’t think I will be alone during this lockdown period by starting a new model. In fact the suppliers I have spoken to seem to be enjoying a bonanza just now so it must be true about every cloud having a silver lining!
Being housebound and unable to take my recently completed “Northlight” puffer for its maiden voyage I have stuck to the Scottish theme and started an Amati “Fifie” fishing boat. Compared to the Caldercraft puffer kit this is a definitely more “Rolls-Royce” affair with detailed colour instructions, comprehensive plans with detailed parts for the various laser cut sheets and photo-etched brass sheets. There are nicely packed trays of components and strip woods are labelled for various applications. So far very impressive.
My only thought so far is the keel and formers which are all mdf and might be a problem in water. I don’t know just how well mdf performs in wet conditions.
So far I have assembled everything as far as double planking the hull and the first niggle is the opening for the prop shaft. It is 6mm and all I can source is either 4mm or 6.32mm so a little fettling required there. I am not sure it is really intended as a working model as the instructions describe a dowel prop shaft and a dummy propeller but I have given the first planking a resin coat and the interior a couple of coats of gloss paint so we will see how that works out in the bath in due course.
Thanks to all the great advice I received here for the puffer I have sourced a similar drive system so, hopefully, all will be well there.
Thoughts so far:
All the laser cut components fit together accurately and well
Hull planking is a nightmare but nothing new there. The technique is to use pva glue and brass nails for the first layer. Slight problem is the nails don’t really grip well into the mdf formers. Also the planks provided are something like 600mm and the hull is 700 mm. So they have to be spliced somehow unless possibly you insert balsa between the formers and join over them. Needless to say there is no instruction for that and I struggled on regardless. Secondary planking should be easier and, again, planks are short so I found it more effective to use 2 or 3 sections for each length and that way superglue was more effective than trying to use whole 600mm planks.
Well that’s me so far. I had a problem with Postimage with earlier photos, seemingly they’ve been hacked and clicking on images brings up unsavoury sites, so no pictures but in any case there is not a lot to see just yet.