Dornier Do 18-D *Finished*

[TheBaron]

12 hours ago, giemme said:

Fascinating stuff, Tony - thank you for taking the time to provide such a thorough explanation

 

What is the resolution of your 3d printer, please?

No problem Giorgio! It's what makes this forum so great to be part of, people showing what they've been up to with various processes, mistakes (not infrequent in my case) and all!

 

The printer I've access to at work is a Cubepro - I'm still feeling my way around the process in terms of understanding resolution in 3d objects - these are the main features from the tech. specs:

Maximum build size
(Single head printer)

11.2(w) x 9.06(h) x 10.6(d) inches
28.54(w) x 23(h) x 27.04(d) cm

Maximum build size
(Duo - Double head printer)

9.56(w) x 9.06(h) x 10.6(d) inches
24.29(w) x 23(h) x 27.04(d) cm

Maximum build size
(Trio - Triple head printer)

7.89(w) x 9.06(h) x 10.6(d) inches
20.04(w) x 23(h) x 27.04(d) cm

Z AXIS RESOLUTION

All models

0.100mm (0.004" / 100 microns)

LAYER THICKNESS

All models

70 microns, 200 microns and 300 microns for fast mode. Available for all three models.

 

I'm useless I'm afraid at visualizing what micron-values llook like in physical terms but from the test models I've seen that came with the printer the detail levels are not as high as those that good quality plastic or resin moulding can produce.The smallest gap you can have between parts is 0.6mm, any smaller and you run into problems. 

 

I also remembered last night that I need two gun positions so I'll have to get back on the software after this and duplicate the original shape...

10 hours ago, bbudde said:

Yes of course .And I want that fish:

 It seems clear to me that unlike ourselves, cats have nothing to fear from The Rise of the Machines....

 

Up early and back to some old school modelling today; I really wanted to push past all the making-good on the wings and sponsons as these jobs seem to have been hanging around for days.

 

Ced: I'd mentioned about the carvable properties of 24hr Araldite - here's an example:

Those slots (onthe underside of the wing) were where I'd cut recesses into the trailing edges to fit the aileorn and flap mountings. I simply (over-)filled these trenches proud with epoxy and once it was cured, was able to carve it back flush with the wing contour. The easiest method was to start off with a (new, sharp) handheld Stanley blade, pressed flat against the wing and at a slight downward angle (the same thing as when you're sharpening a knife on a whetstone) and use gentle diagonal sawing motions to remove most of the surplus. When you get close to the wing surface, same procedure but using a fresh handheld no.11 scalpel blade pressed nearly flat in the same manner for finer control of the last stage. Very little sanding needed afterwards and only a few remaining gaps needing filler where there were bubbles in the epoxy.

 

As you know only too well yourselves, smoothing-duties are some of the least photogenic parts of a build but after a couple of hours early this morning, I ended up with a finish that was to my satisfaction on both sponsons and wings:

I would also at this stage like to recant my earlier heretical statements regarding the material qualities of Mr.Surfacer (1000). No more so than the same issues I was having with the SCR-01 scriber - my problems came from lack of experience and patience, allied to a short-sighted desire for quick results. Spending time with both of these items on this build has shown quite clearly that I was the problem. Mr.S came up trumps on both the final stages of the sponson and all those tiny gaps around the actuators and hinges on the trailing edge of the wing. Repeated applications and wiping-back with nail-varnish remover (Lidl's acetone free stuff is cheap and perfect!), plus the odd scrape over regions with a scalpel blade to plane off any remaining irregularities led to results that I'm more than content with:

Some final contouring on the leading edge of the sponson roots but otherwise the are ready for scribing and detailing now.

 

This is the bit I'm most pleased with:

It took a lot of time getting all those bumps n' slots right for the scale:

But looking a tad more convincing as an array than the kit offering:

I just have to figure out a rig to let me fit all the flaps/ailerons and assorted actuators in a neat and orderly fashion of course...

 

The epoxy-filled undersides will be of acceptable standard too, once the panel lines a added back in to the areas erased by smoothing duties:

I had quite a lot of fun subsequently drilling these out however:

They are the housings that the actuators (hebel) for ailerons and flaps enter the wing through. Six of them in total. At this point you're hyper-tense not to let the drill slip and put a gouge into those nicely smoothed wings...mercifully I didn't.

 

But I did manage to crack the bottom seam gluing the two sides of the gondola together. due to the weight of the wings on either side it is a weak spot that has parted twice before already when using TET, which is too weak for such a bond. 

 

No mucking about this time - out with the Araldite and a clamp that even Ced might have second thoughts over:

Now.

I don't know what else if anything will get done later.

Whatever you're doing yourself may it bring you peace and pleasure.

Tony

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[giemme]

2 hours ago, TheBaron said:

Whatever you're doing yourself may it bring you peace and pleasure

Just had a good red wine glass during lunch,  and despite of its name ("Inferno"), it's brought both

 

Very smooth job there, Tony

 

Ciao

Edited November 26, 2017 by giemme

[keefr22]

48 minutes ago, giemme said:

Just had a good red wine glass during lunch

 

Careful G, you know what it does to Ced....!! 

 

Floaty Dornier thingy progressing well Tony!

 

Keith

[giemme]

1 hour ago, keefr22 said:

Careful G, you know what it does to Ced....!! 

But it really was only one glass - the effects are well past now...

 

Ciao

[CedB]

Very nice, very smooth Tony, that Araldite has indeed 'brushed up nicely' - good job sir!

Scary clamp though...

[TheBaron]

2 hours ago, giemme said:

Just had a good red wine glass during lunch,  and despite of its name ("Inferno"), it's brought both

That's sounds pretty good to me Giorgio. 

I've a pal who spends a week in Rome at the end of every summer, purely for the purposes of drinking good wine and thinking.

So it seems to work!

1 hour ago, keefr22 said:

Careful G, you know what it does to Ced....!!

Let me guess Keith - he ends up booking flights in various aircraft?

 

3 minutes ago, CedB said:

Scary clamp though...

Not as scary as what I got up to with the drill later on...

 

With a dogged determination to do a little more on the sponsons (and refreshed from an afternoon nap - I seem to need one these days!) I set to marking up:

At this scale I'm not putting every line of rivets on for obvious reasons, but the keyfeatures here that are visible in most photos of the area are shown pencilled-in above: a series of longitudinal strakes (three of) running from front to back, interspersed by a line of five circular openings (the numbers there show the measurement intervals for these, from the rear of the sponson), plus a couple of lateral panel lines that arun up toward the fuel tank openings.

 

The circular openings are shown in the manual as having elaborate three-part covers that consists of some kind of rubber seal sandwiched between metal disks and clamped into place. I'm assuming these to be related to flotation functions of some kind? Either way they are an odd structure and a simple circular panel line wouldn't cut the mustard.

Some of those sponson details are visible here:

 

Image credit: Seawings

 

:

I'd noticed in the past that wood drill bits produce a distinctive pattern not unlike the recessed circular one on the aircraft when first biting-in, so decided to try this approach with the drill on *very* slow and just letting the weight of it alone incise the shape:

Good enough to be going on with!

I don't knowdid M7+YK ever receive a 3-inch shell  in the starboard sponson, but I had a go at simulating that by accident:

It was the last one being drilled too!

Pity because it was coming together so well - ain't that always the way?

Perhaps it was the nap earlier but equanimity kicked in and I just set about making running repairs. If you've ever had to patch a hole in a plasterboard wall you can guess the rest:

A handle glued to the patch, which is then slipped inside and held flush against the underside of the hole whilst the glue (in this case CA for speed) sets. Once that set it was just a case of glue in some scrap plastic to file any remaining gaps and leave to set:

That can all be trimmed down later  and final coat of sprue-gloop or epoxy to give a hard surface to try the hole again more carefully next time...

 

Such is modelling eh?

 

 

[giemme]

I should need multiple reaction for the above post, Tony, because apart from the last attempt, I love the lateral thinking and the way you reproduced those round floating features.

 

But when scrolling down and reading about wood drills and seing the drill pic, I said to myself "Is he actually going to do that?" and then more scrolling down and "too late, he has already"

 

Very brave, to say the least

 

Ciao

[bbudde]

9 hours ago, TheBaron said:

cats have nothing to fear from The Rise of the Machines....

Yes this is obviously the message from the cat und den Fisch gibt's nicht!!! Meiner! Danke und auf Wiedersehen! Und weckt mich nicht ihr Langweiler! Lol.

By the way the Do looks great apart of the "happy little accident" (Bob Ross). I know I repeat myself. Cheers

Edit: ugs.: gibt's nicht=don't get

Edited November 26, 2017 by bbudde

[keefr22]

What Giorgio said as I really couldn't put it better! 

 

I would just change 'very brave' to 'absolutely nuts'...!! 

 

Keith

[giemme]

32 minutes ago, keefr22 said:

 

I would just change 'very brave' to 'absolutely nuts'...!! 

Actually, that's what I meant, but then the spell checker took over and turned it that way ...

 

Ciao

[Spookytooth]

17 minutes ago, giemme said:

Actually, that's what I meant, but then the spell checker took over and turned it that way ...

 

Ciao

Bleeding spell checker G.

You were right the first time.

 

Tony, what can I say sir?

Love the thinking behind the wood drill bit, a lot easier than trying to drill/scribe concentric holes.

As for the mishap, I doubt if anyone will notice the difference once finished.

 

Again, fine work all round mate.

 

Off for a doze now LOL.

 

Simon.

[pheonix]

Wonderful idea with the drill to get the concentric circles - just the sort of thing I would like to think of but could not. BUT then the aaaarrrgghhhh moment......... An excellent recovery though - and a super finish on the wings and sponsons. I did wonder if your aaaarrrgghh moment would come drilling out the actuator holes on the wings - a tricky job to put it simply, but clearly you had more luck. Kudos to you sir for  real modelling skill.

 

P

 

PS Just love that giant clamp - get the b.... doing what You want it too - just show 'em.

 

 

[jrlx]

Excellent progress in the previous three posts, Tony! Very interesting step-by-step on designing the parts to be 3D-printed. A real engineering process

 

Great smooth finish on the wings and sponsons. Shame about the drill accident but smart save

 

Cheers

 

Jaime

 

 

[CedB]

Wow, now that's what I CALL drilling! Pity the last one, er, slipped but the effect is great and I'm sure you'll fix it Tony.

[Brandy]

The wing has come out very nicely. Especially all the lumpy bits on the back end!

 I think my "oh dear" moment was a lot less serious than yours....nice recovery!

 

Ian

[TheBaron]

On 11/26/2017 at 4:22 PM, giemme said:

"Is he actually going to do that?" and then more scrolling down and "too late, he has already"

There's no business like show-business....

On 11/26/2017 at 5:14 PM, bbudde said:

By the way the Do looks great apart of the "happy little accident" (Bob Ross)

Sing it Bob!

 

On 11/26/2017 at 5:18 PM, keefr22 said:

I would just change 'very brave' to 'absolutely nuts'...!!

On 11/26/2017 at 6:12 PM, Spookytooth said:

Love the thinking behind the wood drill bit, a lot easier than trying to drill/scribe concentric holes.

Sometimes the direct route favours the brave.

But only sometimes...

23 hours ago, pheonix said:

I did wonder if your aaaarrrgghh moment would come drilling out the actuator holes on the wings

I thought it would be the other way round too!

23 hours ago, pheonix said:

love that giant clamp - get the b.... doing what You want it too - just show 'em.

Sometimes you just have to impose yourself upon the build, don't you? 

19 hours ago, jrlx said:

Great smooth finish on the wings and sponsons. Shame about the drill accident but smart save

Thanks Jaime, I seem to have spent an awful lot of time lately smoothing surfaces down only to muck them up again don't I?

19 hours ago, CedB said:

Wow, now that's what I CALL drilling!

Needs must when the Dornier drives...or summat...it's been a long day and it's only Monday Ced.

18 hours ago, limeypilot said:

I think my "oh dear" moment was a lot less serious than yours

'Oh dear'.

Yes. That was what I said.

My children only get those swear words from all the inappropriate films I let them watch....

 

I'm pleased to be able to relate that yesterday's repairs worked:

After carving back the hardened sproogloop I was able to re-drill the recess and complete detailing the recessed covers with metal foil:

A spray of of primer to help with evening out any remaining imperfections:

Those circular covers were simply 6mm disks cut out of metal foil and burnished on with a felt buffing head. I must confess this procedure worked out much better visually than I hoped in  giving the impression of these lids being openings flush with the surface  - simply adding disks to the surface wouldn't have worked.

 

Here's we are now marked out in readiness for adding the longitudinal strakes to the sponsons:

One side done:

Both sides nearly there:

These need the trailing and leading edges of the strakes glued down tomorrow and trimmed to size, then that the sponsons done and we can move on. 

 

Wednesday morning I should be able to get in and do the 3D print of the MG 15 mountings, so if all goes well I should have something to show you in that department on Thursday. Even if it looks crap I'll show you - all part of the learning experience...

 

Felicitous modelling all of you.

Tony

 

 

 

 

 

[giemme]

Success! Great save and I might steel that alu foil idea away, if you don't mind. All looking brilliantly good

 

Ciao

[keefr22]

Ah, the late, great Bob Ross - I remember one happy Christmas Day one of the satellite channels had back to back episodes on all day. I drove the missus mad saying ''I'll just watch one more...!!'' For about 8 hours....!! 

 

Those covers are brilliant Tony, fantastic lateral thinking to attack your model with a Ryobi & tin foil & then get a result like that! 

 

Keith

 

 

[jrlx]

Great progress and good idea using foil for the covers on the sponsons. They look very realistic.

 

Cheers

 

Jaime

 

 

[Martian]

This grows ever more impressive Tony, the attention to detail is excellent.

 

Martian

[hendie]

ah... the Great Foil Recovery Caper wins the day.    impromptu BDR's on the hoof always add a touch of excitement to a thread, and this thread has been a roller coaster ride of personal danger, total disregard for modelers established conventions, atmospheric pictureography, and interspersed with power tools.  And you still have all your limbs!

Note how I avoided anything to do with 'Drats.. foiled again!' or other phrases of similar triteness.  I'm a much better person than that 

 

 

 

 

[CedB]

Impressive stuff Tony - those covers look very realistic.

I was a bit worried when the strakes went over the top but I guess they're going to get chopped later eh?

3D printing, bring it on!

[Tomoshenko]

Excellent save Tony (I think I heard the profanities you expelled in Brum). s the others have said, the sponsons are looking most impressive.

[TonyTiger66]

Hello Tony, my apologies for the lack of comments. ‘A bit crook’ as they say here. It really doesn’t involve the law  .

 

What a gorgeous job you have done on this essentially lovely Matchbox kit.

 

Your work on the sponsons is just exemplary. It’s rather ‘Russian master modeller’ Tony  .

 

I doubt that any manufacturer will ever bless us with a new Do-18 kit.

 

I may be wrong. Perhaps Amodel or MikroMir may be our saviours  ?

 

Meanwhile we have this wonderful resource on getting the absolute best, showing us how to attain a true representation from the Matchbox/Revell kit.

 

Really good stuff  .

best regards 

TonyT

[JosephLalor]

On 11/23/2017 at 6:20 PM, corsaircorp said:

Have a nice week end, and say Hello to Malachie Mulligan !

Come up, Kinch! Come up, you fearful Jesuit!