Tutorial Novice - DH-98 Mossie - WWII ID Model

[Balsabasher]

Well done Gorrit,we are proud of you,you are hooked already.
Barry.

[1.JaVA_LGorrit]

Thanks Barry!

Got to bed early yesterday and could not catch sleep.
The only thing I could see in front of me was wooden curls...

[lastvautour]

I normally line up the template on both sides of the wood and then start the close in work.

Lou

[1.JaVA_LGorrit]

I normally line up the template on both sides of the wood and then start the close in work.

Lou

Hey Lou,
That's what I am about to start on this evening.
I suppose I will have to be more and more careful with what I will be doing from now on.
Should I just continue to the lines?

[lastvautour]

You may continue on to the lines.
Photo 1,2,3
Here you must go easy to avoid removing to much. If the wood shavings don't curl, you are taking to much wood away.

Photo 4,5,6
If you don't have one, make yourself a square to measure the angle on the sides. The bottom is fairly easy, now come the fun part.

Photo 7,8,9
Don't forget to clean up and brush yourself off before going in the house. The misses will not like wood shavings on her floor or in her bed. Start at the top of the canopy.

Photo 10,11,12
In the second from last photo I reversed the chisel and carefully pop out the wood curls. At this point you can cut the fuselage top with the fretsaw or a blade to stop the wood from spitting past the end of the canopy. Do not cut pass the line.

Lou

[lastvautour]

Photo 1,2,3
Working from the back start curling the wood to join the bottom of the cut you made previously at the base of the canopy.

Photo 4,5,6
Work the fuselage down to the end. You can notice in photo 6 that just to the left of the shavings there is a knot and the darker wood colour grain shapes upwards which means I can push my chisel from the front without fear of ripping into the fuselage.

Photo 7,8,9,
Coming around the fuselage end I encounter a problem. Although my blade is sharp, at first it cut cleanly (7) and then starts to crush ( the wood rather than cut. If this happens, use a sawing motion to push the blade through the wood.

[lastvautour]

Photo 1
Sand off the rear fuselage a bit for looks only. More to come.

Photo 2
Now the front of the canopy.

Photo 3
I started with the hobby knife. It can be done this way but will add a second method.

Photo 4
Using the square mark off a straight line across the fuselage.

Photo 5,6
Make a couple of cuts but do not touch the line.

Photo 7
Using the chisel just carefully pop out the blocks.

Photo 8,9
Finish off with a hobby knife.

Photo 10,11
Mark off the front blister sides, top and bottom.

Photo 12
The fuselage has been done to the rough block form. Congratulation when you reach this stage

[lastvautour]

And the 55th photo in the fuselage block series is pleasant dreams.

Lou
PS. Take lots of photos at this stage.

[Balsabasher]

Lou congratulations on some fine tutorial and photography work to illustrate this lovely Mosquito,you are doing such justice to solid modelling in this way,and also I love this fly on the wall peep into your workspace !
Barry.

[lastvautour]

Rather messy workplace. Once a year or so I do clean up. Having to much fun cutting, shaping and photographing. If my son was here he would make a video for me, but alas I am relegated to kitchen duty when it come to being a vid star.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-5Pbwai6jHQ

Lou

[Balsabasher]

Lou you need a cover for your cups of coffee on the bench ! unless you are used to the dust now like me.
Barry.

[lastvautour]

Dust adds body to the coffee. Pine dust is my favorite. It is a bit mellow, but smooth.

Lou

[Balsabasher]

I always think that there is so much balsa dust and shavings created by me that its a wonder there is not a balsa tree growing outside !
Barry.

[1.JaVA_LGorrit]

I was wondering what that new taste to my coffee was.. Now I know 

OK, I am closing in on the lines and also getting more nervous.

Lou,
I need some specific guidance on how to cut out the part in front of the cockpit.
With the chisel this does not work really well.

Also please tell me which part I should focus on first now.
Do I bring it down completely to the outlines?
This is more difficult than I thought.

[lastvautour]

Seeing your fuselage begin using the hobby knife starting at the top of the canopy cutting from rear to front and down. The angle on the wood makes it hard to use a chisel as you may have found  out. Holding the nose of the fuselage in your thumb, pull the knife slowly towards you. Keep removing wood from the windscreen until your reach the base.

Lou