150% KK Fairey Gannet for FF Rubber Power

There's a number of methods, Doug, and I've used the following:

- Lay the master over the wood, pin prick through the master, then join up the holes with a pen or soft pencil - it works, but it's slow and laborious.

- As above, but use carbon paper to get the image onto the wood. Again, it works, but it crushes the balsa.

- Use photo mount adhesive and stick the master onto the balsa, then cut around it with a balsa knife. This is good, but the paper is harder than some of the balsa I use, so with very light balsa, the latter gets crushed rather than cut.

- Finally, and my preferred method, use cellulose thinners. Sand the surface of the balsa smooth with a sanding block and fine sand paper. Pour thinners onto a tissue and rub it over the balsa. Before the thinners dries, lay the master over the balsa, face down, and rub the back with a dry cloth (tissue). Check that the image is coming through by lifting one corner of the master, if not, rub over it again. If it's still not coming through, rub over the master using the tissue with the thinners. This method works well, but the amount of thinners needs to be found by trial and error and you'll have a reversed image of the parts on the wood. Keep the master for reference. It also only works on photocopied or laser copied images, and even then, it doesn't work with some of the modern photocopy inks. I go to my local library for the copies as their photocopier is ancient!

Klipkopwildlife wrote: I believe laser copied images will 'iron' through with a hot iron, Don't let er indoors catch you!

Ah...yes they do Klippy, I missed that one, thanks for posting. However, when I tried it, I had to get the iron so hot and press so hard that it both warped and crushed the balsa.

Thank you Andy. I have been using the photo mount method, but as you say the paper can be difficult to cut. I will try the thinners method and see how I get on.

Cheers
Doug

I use a similar method to Andy, but instead of damping the balsa with Thinners, I simply put the master - face down - on the balsa and then gently press through from the back with a piece of kitchen towel damped with cellulose thinners. My laser printer is a Samsung Home/Office ML-2570 - about 6 years old - maybe older. Andy's idea though..

I cant believe how well it works - far better than a Keil Kraft printed balsa sheet printing.

>>far better than a Keil Kraft printed balsa sheet printing.<<
Yes, I remember those as well!
Mike

I can't believe it's six months since I last did any work on this one! Either way, it's time to get it into the air.

The tail feathers are just about ready to cover, the fuselage needs sanding:



One wing has been partially sanded, the other needs work.

Another great project Andy. I've always liked the Gannet for that distinctive look. It's such an unusual aircraft it makes the model designs of CE Bowden , that I'm also very fond of, seem almost sensible. Is this for indoor or does the extra size make it good for the great outdoors ?

Post No 1 describes the philosophy behind this one Chris, but to save you looking, it's a test model for a future project that's also eligible for the Masefield and BMFA Outdoor Kit Scale. I'm building it without an undercarriage, so whatever it enters, it'll be hand launched.

I did read back but missed that . Thanks for repeating for the hard of thinking

The copiers using toner work very well for transferring the image using a hot iron... A layer of the print is left behind and repeat prints can be done. The number depending on how thick the toner is laid on the paper.The thicker / blacker the better. I haven't got my big office copier now but the one I had worked really well. I did wonder if I could feed the balsa through the printer but never got round to trying it. It would be interesting though to see if it would print directly. Any takers? John

It would only work if the paper print path was truly flat - which it rarely is - even when a "card path" is available.

Time to get back 'on-topic'!

The fuselage progresses with work around the nose area, addition of a main spar, some lands added for the tissue covering and a lot of sanding:



The tail group has been sanded and separated and is ready to cover:

I had to look twice, you mixed up the right elevator and rudder..

I wondered if anyone would notice that!

Well done Martyn, very quick response too....