The hull sides have been painted white and will now be left for a week or more for the paint to harden. Reason I leave it that long is I prefer using 3M masking tape which sticks well and so I don't want to risk pulling off any paint! I have plenty of work to do on my other builds and so it isn't a problem.

So I've now turned my attention back to the superstructure. I've been itching to get a coat of varnish on the rear cabin roof and after fitting some mahogany trim to the rear and rounding it off and that to the coamings I applied a coat. Just need to make another pair of doors and I can paint the inside of the cockpit and start fitting it out.

Chris

Who was the muppet building a Huntsman 31 who said there was a danger of the mahogany sheet twisting if steam was used to bend it? 🤔

I managed to find a piece of mahogany sheet without a pronounced grain pattern on a part of it and cut out the roof capping/screen former. As before I made many saw cuts to help it bend but this piece of timber was quite dry and liable to snapping so I dampened the top surface before trying it on the roof. It bent OK but there was still quite a bit of resistance so I thought I'd try steaming it using my usual appliance the kettle. With gentle steaming it bent a bit but wouldn't hold the bend much. So gave it a longer go and big mistake as it curled from front to back (as the grain runs from side to side) and I couldn't bend it straight by hand. Fortunately the sink was full of water and so I gave it a good soaking which helped a lot. So I clamped it to the roof and it fitted fine but as it dried out, given that I could only clamp in one place each side, it started to curl again, drat!

The iron and board was already set up in the other room so nothing to lose I gave that a go on the steam setting and did both sides. This pretty much straightened it out and I was able to bend it so I then used my wife's hair drier to dry it out whilst I maintained the bend. Yes, she was out! 😀 This maintained a bend good enough to allow it to be glued in place. Whilst I used contact adhesive again I'll leave it clamped overnight.

So whilst clamped I made the pair of doors for the front cabin having made those for the rear sometime ago. Before gluing in place I need to paint the cockpit so that I can fit the floor in case I can't get it in once the doors have been fitted.

Chris

Managed to do a spot of painting this morning before the back room got too hot. Was keen to do this as you shouldn't leave it too long between gloss coats and it's been a couple of days since I last applied any.

So painted a couple of things on other models getting another coat on the front window and back of the rear cabin of the Swordsman having finished the cabin and coaming sides and removed the masking tape. Another coat or two will be required on the rear after which I can progress the superstructure more.