Fozzy Posted July 2, 2012 Share Posted July 2, 2012 Of course you are not going to give in Quentin!......looks brilliant by the way! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quentin Posted July 4, 2012 Author Share Posted July 4, 2012 In my last post, there was one picture I deliberately suppressed. But after several days I've come to the conclusion that hiding the problem won't make it go away. Here it is: Like the gull-wing effect? Neither do I. So this is the upshot: Luckily, in a mildly ironic twist, the weak strut attachments allowed me to prise them away without causing any more damage. But I'm not going to push my luck by trying to get the upper wings off. That would definitely wreck the cabane structure. So now I've got to work out a way of redrilling the location holes with the wings in place and then make some slightly shorter and stronger struts. My plan for the struts is to extend the taper at each end slightly, to act as the location lug. A simple idea that I should have thought of before. Anyway, I'm glad I've made the decision. It would have been a shame to make do with such a substandard effort after all the work I've put in. I'll start making progress of a less retrograde nature now hopefully. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quentin Posted July 4, 2012 Author Share Posted July 4, 2012 (edited) By the way, does anyone know where I can get aerofoil section struts? I've run out of the right size, and I can't remember the make. They're grey plastic. ... No - it's OK. I've found some in the spares box. Phew. Edited July 4, 2012 by Quentin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr Jimbo Posted July 4, 2012 Share Posted July 4, 2012 I watching every post, amazed each time at the level of care and skill you are applying. You work by the same principal that I do, namely two steps forward then one back, 2 forward, 1 back etc until eventually it all over and there are no more mistakes to make. You need the backward steps to keep you on your toes and stop you getting bored! You must be able to visualise the end now.... James Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quentin Posted July 4, 2012 Author Share Posted July 4, 2012 I watching every post, amazed each time at the level of care and skill you are applying. You work by the same principal that I do, namely two steps forward then one back, 2 forward, 1 back etc until eventually it all over and there are no more mistakes to make. You need the backward steps to keep you on your toes and stop you getting bored! You must be able to visualise the end now....James Yes, that's a good way of putting it. The difficult bit is recognising that a backward step is required and then summoning up the courage to take it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murdo Posted July 4, 2012 Share Posted July 4, 2012 Skill and patience and skill and patience and... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martian Posted July 5, 2012 Share Posted July 5, 2012 By the way, does anyone know where I can get aerofoil section struts? I've run out of the right size, and I can't remember the make. They're grey plastic.... No - it's OK. I've found some in the spares box. Phew. If you do need more for future projects, the stuff you seek is Contrail Strut Section and it is sold by Aeroclub. Martin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quentin Posted July 5, 2012 Author Share Posted July 5, 2012 If you do need more for future projects, the stuff you seek is Contrail Strut Section and it is sold by Aeroclub.Martin Fantastic, thanks! But another project is the last thing I want to think about at the moment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keefr22 Posted July 5, 2012 Share Posted July 5, 2012 Fantastic, thanks! But another project is the last thing I want to think about at the moment. I'm not sure if Aeroclub is still selling them? John Adams had a clearance box on his stand at Telford last year, & I know that he had the brass 'strutz' material in it & I'm not sure if his stock of Contrail strut material was in it too. So it may be worth dropping him a PM through the traders section, just in case.... Keef 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quentin Posted July 5, 2012 Author Share Posted July 5, 2012 I'm not sure if Aeroclub is still selling them? John Adams had a clearance box on his stand at Telford last year, & I know that he had the brass 'strutz' material in it & I'm not sure if his stock of Contrail strut material was in it too. So it may be worth dropping him a PM through the traders section, just in case....Keef OK thanks. In the meantime I will be very careful with the one remaining length I've got. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quentin Posted July 5, 2012 Author Share Posted July 5, 2012 Skill and patience and skill and patience and... Running a bit low on the skill at this late stage so relying heavily on patience. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martian Posted July 5, 2012 Share Posted July 5, 2012 I'm not sure if Aeroclub is still selling them? John Adams had a clearance box on his stand at Telford last year, & I know that he had the brass 'strutz' material in it & I'm not sure if his stock of Contrail strut material was in it too. So it may be worth dropping him a PM through the traders section, just in case....Keef He still does the stuff, i bought some from hims a few months back. Martin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keefr22 Posted July 5, 2012 Share Posted July 5, 2012 He still does the stuff, i bought some from hims a few months back.Martin Excellent! Really must remember to get some from him at Telford this year! Keef Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quentin Posted July 11, 2012 Author Share Posted July 11, 2012 (edited) He still does the stuff, i bought some from hims a few months back.Martin That's good news. Thanks. No further progress as yet, because of other important matters, but I hope to get started again soon. Edited July 11, 2012 by Quentin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quentin Posted July 11, 2012 Author Share Posted July 11, 2012 (edited) The other day, I was watching The Aviator, and there's a bit where he rips the top wing off his racing plane. It turned out to be a bit of a premonition: Yes, it turned out that my idea of tidying up while keeping the upper wings attached was completely fanciful. There was no room for a drill bit, and I couldn't see what I was doing. So off they came. Luckily, the port wing came off cleanly - it wasn't a very good joint to the cabane. Unfortunately, it was a different story with the starboard wing, and I had to cut through the cabane tubing on that side. So the joint there isn't going to be as strong as I wanted. Anyway, at least I now stand a good chance of cleaning up properly and making a fresh start. Thanks for looking, even if it's from behind the sofa. By the way, I notice some of you do a summary that appears in the list of topics under the topic name. How do you do that? Edited July 11, 2012 by Quentin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CarLos Posted July 11, 2012 Share Posted July 11, 2012 One step back, two steps forward, that's life... To add that summary you must edit your first post, in the first page. Click in "Edit" then "Full Edit". Carlos Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quentin Posted July 11, 2012 Author Share Posted July 11, 2012 One step back, two steps forward, that's life...To add that summary you must edit your first post, in the first page. Click in "Edit" then "Full Edit". Carlos Great, thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quentin Posted July 18, 2012 Author Share Posted July 18, 2012 (edited) Right - after being unavoidably distracted in the last few weeks, I've finished taking my Dolphin apart and have started putting it together again. Once I'd got the wings off, I saw what a mess I'd made of putting the struts in. It was like my first attempt at an Airfix kit when I was about twelve (a Sopwith Camel if you must know). Big blobs of glue all over the wing. What was I thinking of? To be honest, I think that's what comes of getting tired of a project and rushing to finish it. I know how you feel about thread pressure, Martin. So anyway, following my by-now established procedure for correcting glue-based mishaps, I scraped off the CA with the good old curved blade, followed by 1200 grade wet-and-dry. This left a bit of scuffing, so yet another coat of Matt Cote will be needed. This is magic stuff, though. After every new coat, your model stops looking tired and shopworn, and starts looking pretty smart again. Must remember to get off all the fluff that has stuck to the surface first, though. The next job was to drill out the location holes again. This turned out to be fairly simple now that I can actually get at them. The other job I've done is build myself a more accurate assembly jig and measure out the struts again. My one remaining length of (Aeroclub?) aerofoil-section strut is too valuable for this purpose, of course, and I'm using good old Evergreen rod. The baffling thing is that the struts have all come out different lengths, varying from 18.6mm to 19.7mm. Well, you can see part of the reason in the photo - the starboard upper wing is looking distinctly bowed. So I can use the struts to force it back into shape. Carefully does it... Edited July 18, 2012 by Quentin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigbadbadge Posted July 18, 2012 Share Posted July 18, 2012 OMG amazing, I wish I had your patience, fabulous work Thanks for sharing All the best Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martian Posted July 18, 2012 Share Posted July 18, 2012 Stick at it Quentin. You're far closer to the finishing line than I am. Just keep thinking of General Melchett's un-finished model jankers machine, that should keep you going! If you are really that short of strut section for the project, PM me your address and I'll bung a couple of lengths in the post. Martin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quentin Posted July 18, 2012 Author Share Posted July 18, 2012 Stick at it Quentin. You're far closer to the finishing line than I am. Just keep thinking of General Melchett's un-finished model jankers machine, that should keep you going! If you are really that short of strut section for the project, PM me your address and I'll bung a couple of lengths in the post.Martin Don't worry, I'm plodding on at my own extremely slow pace. Thanks for the offer of the struts. I will definitely take you up on that if I have any more disasters. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
perdu Posted July 18, 2012 Share Posted July 18, 2012 I see biplane models and think oh yes, must do one of they talk about flights of fancy... (The only GOOD Biplane I ever made look good was a Rothman's Team Stampe from Airfix's Tiger Moff!) I couldn't ever do as good a job as you are Quentin, this is better than excellent I see what you meant about the old struts, looks to me as if you have the problem well and truly licked now mate. Still following and learning avidly b Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quentin Posted July 20, 2012 Author Share Posted July 20, 2012 (edited) Right, I've restarted production of struts. No messing about with unfeasibly delicate location pins this time. Just before getting to work on my last remaining length of aerofoil strut, I had a last-minute look at Windsock 54 and noticed that the front and back struts are different. The front ones have a longer taper at the bottom, to accommodate the inter-strut bracing wires. So I had to do a last-minute change to my TurboCAD drawings. Phew. It wouldn't have been fun finding that out at the rigging stage. Anyway, I've got as far as doing the undercoat, as these pictures will demonstrate. I won't necessarily do a post for each subsequent coat, but given my very slow rate of work and the ever-present thread pressure, I wouldn't count on it. Thanks for looking. I mentioned on Martin's thread that I had just noticed that Roden do a 1/72 Zeppelin Staaken. That would be a very tempting project (despite the fact that - not counting my youthful efforts - I've only ever made a Camel, a Snipe and half a Dolphin). Has anyone had a go at it? Edited July 20, 2012 by Quentin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martian Posted July 20, 2012 Share Posted July 20, 2012 I have read that the lozenge supplied in the kit is both brittle and inaccurate in colour. It is, I believe possible to purchase aftermarket decals for the lozenge but these cost more than the kit. The kit struts are also very fragile and all need replacing. From the foregoing you will understand my comments about mustering the white coat party. Martin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimbuna Posted July 20, 2012 Share Posted July 20, 2012 Fantastic work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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