Inter-Action Enterprises Firefly Houseboat N-7301 User manual

Firefly Houseboat
N Scale
Choking Hazard - Small Parts
WARNING: CHOKING HAZARD - Small parts
Not for young children
Kit: N-7301
Kit Assembly Instructions
Rev. 2013-1
www.interactionhobbies.com
Size:
?3.6" long X 1" wide X 1.2" tall (with bimini)
?Waterline model
*Figures, bottles and beer cans not included!
Includes interior components

Copyright Notice
© 2013 Inter-Action Enterprises
This document and its content are protected by Canadian copyright law. Except as otherwise provided for under
Canadian copyright law, this document and its content may not be copied, published, distributed, downloaded or
otherwise stored in a retrieval system, transmitted or converted, in any form or by any means, electronic or
otherwise, without the prior written permission of the copyright owner.

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Firefly Houseboat in N Scale
This 1994 Three Buoys Houseboat is typical of the many hundreds of houseboats that can be found on lakes and
waterways all over North America from the 198 ’s to present day.
The Firefly is at home in dock or out on the lake with her crew enjoying the sun and water. With the many options of
figures available from a number of suppliers, it is easy to replicate a typical party rental boat or a more relaxed and calm
owner's boat. We have chosen the party boat in our example shown. Details such as the bimini top, hot tub, and interior
walls and interior components make this a very unique model kit.
Supplied Kit Components:
•3 sheets of laser cut and engraved stabilized Resin Impregnated Board (RIB) for crisp, high resolution
detail
•1 sheet of RIB window frames
•1 sheet of laser cut clear window glazing
•1 laser cut basswood components sheet
•1 sheet of laser cut paper for the curved lower bow
•Paper graphics sheet
•Kit assembly instructions
Suggested Tools and Supplies:
•X-Acto type knife with fresh blades (#11 style is best)
•Tweezers
•Fine sandpaper (400+ Grit)
•Masking tape or clear adhesive tape
•Probond, Elmers white glue or Scotch Quick-Dry Adhesive (I like the Scotch adhesive as it dries with
little residue and has a great fine applicator tip)
•CA glue for immediate bond of small hard to place parts
•Model putty or glazing/spot putty
•Acrylic or enamel paint (note that some enamel paints can make the Resin board slightly more brittle,
so take care on very fine parts like window muntins etc)
We hope you enjoy making this kit as much as we did providing it to you. If you have any questions, please
contact us at [e-mail].
The following instructions and photos will provide the basics for assembling this detailed kit. We have tried to
make the steps as straight forward as possible, but please note that you might want to change the order of
assembly to suite your own technique and modifications that you might make along the way. As usual it is best
to familiarize yourself with all the parts and instructions before you start on this craftsman level kit.
NOTE: If you would like to view these instructions in
full colour, please feel free to download a full colour
copy at www.interactionhobbies.com and click on the
link for "Instructions" near the top of the page.

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Your kit
come
s
with
sheets of
laser
cut 15
”
thick RIB
,
laser cut clear window material, and basswood
components.
You will also find some tissue for the bimini and some
plastic extrusion for the slide.
1
Start by
cleaning out any contaminates and remaining
dust that may be in the cracks of the engraved details
in sign, walls etc.
This is done by using a stiff bristle brush and gently
dusting the nooks and crannies. Don’t be too
aggressive as the material can be brittle and fine detail
may be broken or removed. Avoid touching very fine
details like window muttons etc.
2
Painting the parts while still attached to the sheet is an
easy way of getting quick and easy coverage for your
model and to minimize warping.
I primed the parts sheets with a light coat of flat white
Krylon, though your favorite primer will work. I also
like to use the “ZIG Woodcraft” paint markers available
from many of the craft stores like Michaels, though any
acrylic or enamel based paint works well.
Make sure you consider which side is out or in so you
can color the inside panels where required.
Generic Photo, actual parts differ.
N Scale version shown above.

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This shot gives you an idea of what the inside of the
houseboat looks like for detailing purposes.
3
I decided to give the floor in my model a tiled floor. I
mottled on some grey and tan paint and then scribed
the tile squares onto the floor panels. Note that I did
not do the forward deck as this is fiberglass on the full
size ship.
Start assembly by gluing the risers to the lower floor
panel. You can also glue in the stern wall when you get
the aft deck on the risers. Take your time to get
everything glued straight and square. Errors in this step
will multiply later on.
4
Next install the bathroom wall and bedroom walls.
You could also install a matress made from a scrap of
balsa that would sit on top of 4-12.
5
Using the basswood parts, double up the parts as shown for thickness. Sand and paint your desired interior colors.
4
4-1
4-2
4
-
3
4-4
4-7 4-6
4-5
4-8

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Assemble the countertop as shown above and use some
scrap balsa or basswood blocks to form the counter ends.
6
Install the assembled interior components as shown.
Then glue in the table tops 6-1 and 6-2 in place. Glue in
6-3 and 6-4 drivers seat and back.
7
Note that I filed in some cushions on the dining bench
and then painted them blue.
Paint your outside wall panels to your desired color and
design. Here we have followed similar lines to the
prototype boat. Also paint the hull aluminum.
8
The inner wall panels get a similar treatment as well as
painting the interior face a buff color.
5
Area below this line
painted aluminum
7-1
7-2
7-3
7-4

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Now glue the outer and inner panels together taking care
to align them properly. Paint the vents and then paint and
glue on the bumper boards and the trim detail on each
side assembly.
9
Before gluing the wall assemblies to the floor
assembly, glue in the glazing (not shown, but glue the
window frames 8-3 to 8-9 to the inside of the walls,
centered on the window openings). The window
frames should be painted black.
Glue in both wall assemblies so that the slots and tabs
line up and the walls are flush with the bottom of the hull.
The inner wall should sit just above the interior floor.
NOTE: The photo does not show the glazing.
1
Glue in the aft cabin door glazing and frame 9-1 to the
aft cabin wall 9-2 and install in the slots in the boat
wall and floor.
Install the front lower wall section 1 -1 into the slots in
the floor of the boat. Add any extra interior details that
you want.
11
I elected to install some lighting for the main cabin.
This is done by marking the location where you want
the lighting to go. In this case we are using 12V strip
LED’s.
Trim detail
8-1
Bumper board 8
-
2
Chrome ents
Panel edges aligned
10-2

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After cutting the holes for the LED’s to show through,
install the lower roof 1 -2 into the slots in the inside walls
as shown. Glue or tape your lights to the roof and route
the wires as appropriate through the roof and lower floor
of the boat.
12
Assemble the 2 front window walls, window frame and
glazing and then glue into the front lower wall as
shown. Note that the window assembly will slope up
and aft to meet the roof.
Glue the aft railing and railing doubler to the boat. Also
glue the bumper board in place.
13
Do the same for the front deck and glue the front
railing , railing doubler and bumper boards in place.
Bend the front door glazing along the crease line. Do the
same for the frame and glue over the glazing. Apply a
small amount of glue to the outer edges of the glazing
and install the door assembly in place over the opening.
Glue in the storage lockers as shown.
14
Glue the propane lockers in place on both sides of the
aft door.
11-1, 2 (and glazing)
11-3, 4 (and
glazing)
5-6 5-6
13-1,
glazing
5-3,4
12-5
12-6
12-8
12-9
12-12
12-10
12-14
12
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Remove the hull fronts from the carrier sheet and roll
them over a pen to curve them.
15
Glue the hull fronts to the bottom and front edge of
the front hull support as shown below. You may have
to trim the edges to fit.
Install the upper deck floor by inserting the tabs into the
slots of one of the walls, then gently push down on the
other side to align the tabs into the other wall. You may
have to slightly flex the deck or walls to get things to set
properly. Then wick a small amount of CA glue into the
seam on either side.
16
Glue the upper deck bulkhead 16-2 into place as
shown. Check the upper deck for straightness and no
curve. If there is any warping. Glue in some scrap
wood between the upper deck and lower roof to add
support.
Glue the upper dash together.
17
Glue in the upper dash as shown.
15-2
15-1

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Glue the forward deck cover panel 18-1 in place on the
centerline as shown. Sand the left and right edges of the
18-2 and 18-3 to fit flush. You may find these parts a bit
wider than needed, sand to size.
18
Glue the stairs to the stair rail as shown. Then glue the rail
doubler to the outside (right hand side) for the stair rail.
19
Glue in the
facia between the upper deck and roof to
close out the stairs area.
Install the stairs by gluing the bottom of the stair rail
into the slot on the aft deck. Then carefully work each
stair into the associated slot in the inner left hand boat
wall. This is finicky work, but patience will pay off!!
2
Paint and assemble the hot tub surround. Glue parts
21-1 to 21-6 to assemble as shown.
18-2
19
-
1
to
19-9

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Note that the tab on the aft wall points to the right hand
side of the boat.
21
Glue the hot tub cover pieces together. Then glue the
hot tub cover in place over the opening.
Glue 22-1 vent in place as shown.
Using some scrap strip (approx. . 2 ” X . 15”),paint the
strip, crease it and glue to edge of the upper dash as
shown.
22
Glue the upper driving bench together and in place
using parts 23-4, 5, 7, 8. Glue the bench in place as
shown. You can also install the steering wheel 23-1
and driving station 23-11 (not shown).
Then paint and glue the two 5-5 side benches in place
as shown.
Glue the bimini supports 24-1 and 24-2 to the boat sides.
23
22-1

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The Bimini rails have slightly different radii. Make sure
you keep them in order to get the proper curve to the
bimini.
24
Glue the rails in place. The aft rail is glued almost
horizontal, and the front rail is glued at the same angle
as the forward sloping side support arm. 25-2 and 25-3
are glued straight up.
Installing your figures and details now are easier than
after covering the bimini.
Gently sand the edges of the rails so that the tissue will
have a clean finish over them.
Apply glue to the edges of the rails and the top of the side
supports and gently stretch the tissue across them. Using
a soft, dry brush, keep working the tissue to make it
completely stick to the supports and rails. Stretch out as
many of the wrinkles as you can.
25
Once the glued tissue dries, wet the paint brush with
diluted white glue and water (or matte medium) and
lightly brush the tissue. Just enough to get it fully
wetted as it will easily tear. Let the tissue dry and it
should shrink out all the wrinkles. Trim the excess
tissue with a fresh #11 blade. Lightly paint with acrylic
paint and let dry. Again, the wrinkles should disappear.
25-1 Front
25-2
25-3

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At this point I glued the “Firefly” graphic to the back face
of the hot tub surround. Trimmed to the size of the back
face.
26
For the slide, use the I beam extrusions supplied, and
carve/sand off the flanges on the bottom side of the
beam, leaving a C-channel. Then heat the channel in
very hot water and gently shape to a “S” shape that
will fit from the top of the slide opening on the upper
deck to just past the diving platform on the back of the
boat (as shown above). Trim the channel to length
and radius the corners of the flanges. Glue the slide to
the top deck and to the railing as shown above.
Glue the optional railing glazing in place on the inside
wall.
Glue the gate to the gate doublers and then install the
gates on the upper deck near the aft end of the upper
deck sides. You can install these in the open or closed
position.
27
Glue the two halves of the diving platform together
and paint aluminum. Glue to the back of the boat just
below the back bumper board. Glue the swim
platform ladder (28-5) as shown.

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