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Flying Fish (Corel) 1:50


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deaz

Thu Mar 22 2018, 07:00pm

Registered Member #5127

Joined: Tue Jan 30 2018, 07:47pm
Posts: 9

This will be my second POB kit, I had 2 kits sitting on the shelf. I decided to start the Flying Fish first. I've heard from several people that this can be a frustrating kit. After the first few days in, I can attest to that. Very few written instructions, come with this kit. All the plans seem to give decent enough illustrations for what needs to happen... and since I've already unpacked the kit and due to my stubbornness; I'm pressing on.

Obligatory finished model box photo, aka the goal:

And my little work space (Yay apartment living):

So on to the first bit of annoyance: the frame slots on bulkhead were not cut on the center line. Oh but wait, they aren't wide enough to even slip over the frame/keel. Luckily I've found that the amount each slot seems to be off on the centerline, is the amount needed to slip onto the keel. In addition to having to modify each bulkhead slot, the keel slots aren't all wide enough for the bulkheads... sooooo, I have to ever so carefully work on those too. Do you detect a theme here? I do...

Fast forward 5 bulkheads dry fitted later, and I decide to test fit the decks. Little bit of work and fiddling I get the foredeck on. It fits nicely, and shouldn't need much work for the final fitting/gluing. At this point, I should mention all the bulkheads are made of an extremely soft plywood, almost acts like balsa. Not sure what it is for sure. Decks and keel have a walnut? veneer, with a soft, soft center. Annoyance #2... haha, what have I gotten myself into?

On to test fitting the main deck... because of that theme we found earlier... This is where Annoyance #3 kicks in. There's a gap at the front of the deck where it meets the 3rd bulkhead. In fact everything about this deck seems off. The mast hole doesn't align well. The next bulkhead to be installed; it's slot doesn't even come close to lining up with the slots in the deck. And the last bulkhead to fit around this deck has deck alignment issues too. I've tried flipping the deck, pushing it fore and aft, hoping for any play in the bulkheads that would help eliminate the gap and fix alignments, there isn't any.

So the plan for the moment is to finish fixing all the bulkhead slots, get those squared and glued to the frame. Then probably cut the deck slots so that everything aligns properly, and then cover the gaps that form from that process with the deck planking.

Additionally, this kit has the keel already built in, there are no instructions calling for adding a finished keel, so I have to figure out where to put the rabbit and bearding lines so that I'll get a nice look when planking is finished. I've been thinking about this step for more than a few days. The cuts have to go in before I glue any of the bulkheads in, so I'll have to tackle this sooner rather than later.

Barely into this build, and I already have the feeling I'll be ready to do a full scratch build after I get through it.

LuisyFrancis

Thu Mar 22 2018, 08:46pm

Registered Member #5183

Joined: Fri Mar 16 2018, 04:17pm
Posts: 18

You shouldn't worry about your working space. I live in Gilbert, AZ and have been banished to the garage which in our sunny summers here it can get pretty hot.
However I'm looking forward to sweat it out a little while working on my Rattlesnake 1:64 model.

deaz

Thu Mar 22 2018, 09:13pm

Registered Member #5127

Joined: Tue Jan 30 2018, 07:47pm
Posts: 9

LuisyFrancis wrote ...

You shouldn't worry about your working space. I live in Gilbert, AZ and have been banished to the garage which in our sunny summers here it can get pretty hot.
However I'm looking forward to sweat it out a little while working on my Rattlesnake 1:64 model.

I'm down in Tucson, I know all about our hot summers.

deaz

Mon Apr 23 2018, 03:24pm

Registered Member #5127

Joined: Tue Jan 30 2018, 07:47pm
Posts: 9

Just a quick update.

I lost the hard drive to my computer, so just now getting everything back up and running, and getting online.

Due to some family medical issues, progress has ground to a halt on the FlyingFish. I haven't progressed much further than the original post. I hope as life settles back into the a less hectic routine that I'll get back to it. I have no intention of abandoning the build, priorities are just elsewhere for the time being.

Tim C

Tue Apr 24 2018, 12:15am

Registered Member #4126

Joined: Fri Feb 15 2013, 05:19am
Posts: 1095

deaz
As far as the computers go I feel for you and understand. I had 2 of them crash and took almost a month before everything was close to being back to normal. Was rear ended before that and the wife had a total hip replacement. Yes I understand a little of it my friend.
That said hope that your life moves on as mine is also.
Good Luck and Thoughts and Prayers to you and yours.

Later Tim

teleman

Fri Apr 27 2018, 05:10am

Registered Member #1925

Joined: Tue Nov 29 2011, 05:32am
Posts: 1254

Nice start and we all know when higher priorities come first. Take care.

deaz

Sun Oct 07 2018, 09:38pm

Registered Member #5127

Joined: Tue Jan 30 2018, 07:47pm
Posts: 9

Its been quite some time, and I suppose it's time for an update on this kit. I've spent months with it on the table, I've fiddled with it here and there, trying to come up with a plan for the build. But I keep coming back to the poor quality of wood used for the bulkheads and bulkhead former, and the poor quality in the precut pieces. I'm just not happy with the kit and I've barely scraped the surface of the build.

I think to do this ship justice I'll need to scratch build it with better wood. I've decided that I will use the plans as a a base for scratch building the ship. However, I feel that my skills aren't ready for scratch building and with my current workspace setup I'm not in a position to do make the jump. So for the time being, I've made the tough decision to shelve the build.

I've got several ideas for a different project,but haven't made a decision yet. Once I start, I'll begin a new build log.