Space Shuttle Launch Pad 39A with Challenger STS-6

[roma847]

Thanks Rich for your kind words.

[roma847]

Hello all together,

after the stressful lighting analysis, I first had to take a breather and go for a change again to another building site where a longer time was break.

And so back to the TSM ladders, but they are no less stressful, which is why I also have longer left fingers on it. But it's no use, the ladders must now finally to the TSMs, even if this tricky job costs a little overcoming.

My last state (February) this was here. After that I wanted to put the ladders for mounting on individual support brackets made of brass wire (0.2 mm), to a U-shape must be bent.

As at that time shown, one must note that the TSM ladders are different. While the ladders on the outside of the TSM's have in the middle of this continuous strip (red arrow), this is absent in the ladders on the front and back of the service boxes (green arrow).

Source: NASA

Another difference is that the ladders have different lengths feet. While the ladders on the outer sides are standing on equal length legs, the feet of the ladders on the service boxes are of different lengths.

For the ladders on the outside of the TSM's I had already made a first prototype.

Therefore, I have now separated the missing ladders for the service boxes from the PE boards out, making the ladders would ever complete.

Then I've been bending the narrow side beams at 90° upwards on the bending tool,

which the ladder was ready.

The support brackets must be bent to conclude on her width flush with the step width. To this end, I first have cut me wire pieces of 10 mm length,

and then bent through 90° upwards. This can be done either in the bending tool,

and then have to clamp and bend again.

Or take the same pieces of wire into a flat-nose pliers and bend the two ends (always with the same pliers width!) by 90°, which is easier and also faster.

For testing the most suitable mounting variant of the ladders on the support brackets I made me a sketch and already inserted the first support in pre-punched holes, the supports should protrude approx. 1 mm.

Now I'm just wondering about the mounting variant which is more advantageous. Either I glue later all supports firmly into the holes on the TSM, and then the ladder to the supports.

Or I glue the ladder first to the provisionally inserted supports and then can remove the ladder with the supports as a whole from the backing. After that I could paint it completely and then carefully glue with the feet in the pre-punched holes on the TSMs.

That sounds extremely complicated in theory, hopefully it can also practically be accomplished.

And now the interesting question, which variant would you prefer, or are there possibly quite different solutions?

[roma847]

Hey folks,

let's go with the TSM ladders.

And that brings me right back to the question of the best type of assembling. From my previous gut feeling when dealing with ladders and support brackets I am now came to the conclusion that the latter variant is probably not really suitable.

Accordingly, I will first glue all supports firmly into the holes on the TSM and then carefully glue the previously painted ladders, step by step on the supports.

The other variant with the gluing of the complete, painted ladders with the support brackets into the prepared holes seems to me now as impractical.

This will hopefully clearer at the two next pictures. Even when provisional insertion of the support brackets into the pretreated holes there are problems. This must be done very carefully so as these thin brass brackets (0.2 mm) do not bend, they also need to be more aligned. For a uniform height of the supports of 1 mm I have a profile (1,5 x1,0 mm) underlaid.

On the supports then the ladder must be placed and glued, so that as the respective ladder spoke with the support lie one above the other, as seen in this image, where the ladder is placed only provisionally.

And then the pending procedure with adhesive will be difficult enough, but I have probably first to glue the ladder on an outer support and only then can follow the bonds to the other supports. And that probably will work only with tiny Superglue droplets, as already in the bonding of the central strip.

As you can see, this will probably become a fairly delicate and stressful action, which I already think with horror.

But somehow it'll succeed, I hope so strong.

[noeyedears]

those ladders are making me cross-eyed , you have the patience of a saint and the eyesight of a hawk.

[Kallisti]

Love it

Mad as a box of frogs but I love it!

[roma847]

those ladders are making me cross-eyed , you have the patience of a saint and the eyesight of a hawk.

Thanks for your nice comment, you are right, for this crazy stuff you may not lose patience and must struggle through again and again.

[roma847]

Love it

Mad as a box of frogs but I love it!

Thanks for your nice words.

At first I only guessed the meaning of this metaphor, but then I even found something about their origin and meaning, and that's okay my boy.

If the stress is greatest, I can only think for myself: Do not be a frog and not croak.

BTW, as just said, you may not lose patience and sometimes you need nerves of steel!

[roma847]

Hello guys,

before it continues with the TSM ladders, here again a short bit on the side back to lighting with a great photo that I just found.

This is the Challenger in preparation for the STS-41B (1984). As you can see in the picture, the lighting could well be switched to full light intensity sometimes, which is most visible in the MLP lighting.

Quelle: NASA

Therefore, how well that my lamps will also be adjustable, of course, everything in reasonable limits, but still.

BTW, in this picture is also very nice to see the colors of the elevator shaft, with its red seems to be but much stronger than that at the Tower framework.

[roma847]

Hello folks to Whit Monday,

since it is at these high summer temperatures outside almost unbearable, I've done with the TSM ladders on. The ladder of the outside of the LOX-TSM has still been lacking, which also has a center strip.

So no long preface, let's go with the PE parts and cutting out the ladder, you really have to be careful that you cut only the connecting webs.

Above is already the finished ladder for the LH2 TSM, and also the separated ladder with the center strip.

Next, the two side spars must be bent in bending tool. To this end, the narrow, only 0.25 mm wide ladder beam is clamped respectively,

and then carefully bent the rest with the bending blade upwards.

And so looks the almost finished ladder.

Now comes the tricky gluing procedure of the central strip on the ladder, including both parts must be fixed with tape strips.

Then again you need a steady hand and eagle eyes, or better yet a headset with magnifier in order to glue the central strip with Superglue on the ladder rungs.

For this purpose, it is advisable to proceed in sections and always coat only 2-3 ladder beam with very little superglue then centrally set up the strip and fix. That sounds quite stressful, what it is actually, because you can of course also screw up all with a little too much Superglue and/or a shaky hand and glue the ladder to the base.

Since this did not happen luckily, I was then able to calmly breath, because the ladder (below) looks really good.

And so all 6 ladders for the TSMs are now finished and can go for painting.

And here is the fitting of the ladder on the LOX TSM with a support pad that fits quite well.

Oh, if the ladder would only be already installed ...

So friends, now it becomes really serious about the installation of the ladder supports to the TSMs, which should not be less stressful for sure.

[RichO]

Hang in there Manfred, your doing great.

[noeyedears]

nice looking ladders!

[Kallisti]

How is your cutting mat so clean????

I use the same visor except the light broke off some time ago from being sat on once too often!

[Mike]

Looks great Manfred. So much so that I bought one of the paper kits of the crawler too, and it arrived this morning. Whether I'll be able to lavish quite so much care and detail on mine as you have, well that remains to be seen

[roma847]

Hang in there Manfred, your doing great.

You know me, Rich, I'll try to give my best, although these bizarre and fragile ladders require a lot of patience.

[roma847]

nice looking ladders!

Thanks for your kind words, now they just need to be mounted.

I normally have a lot of patience, but as you can see, sometimes the eyesight of a hawk is not enough and you need a magnifying glass.

[roma847]

How is your cutting mat so clean????

I use the same visor except the light broke off some time ago from being sat on once too often!

A bit of housekeeping must already be, otherwise you quickly can lose the overview and no longer can find the tiny parts.

BTW, the LED light of the headset is very useful for the best view.

[roma847]

Looks great Manfred. So much so that I bought one of the paper kits of the crawler too, and it arrived this morning. Whether I'll be able to lavish quite so much care and detail on mine as you have, well that remains to be seen

Thanks Mike for your nice words.

That was a good decision, can't wait to see your first steps.

Is it the crawler kit from David Maier (EDU-Craft) or the monster kit from Mischa Klement (MicroArtwork) with about 11.000 parts?

Howsoever, be brave, do not stress and just start to build slowly, you will like it, the main thing is to have a lot of fun.

[Shermaniac]

At first I though it would be a good idea if but then my head

Just how big is this thing anyway even at 1:144.

Manfred, You are an inspiration and quite, quite mad you know

I love it, it will be astonishing when finished as it is already

And Yes! your cutting mat is far, far too clean, we're all obviously doing something wrong here or, your mat - THAT MAT! - is just for the photo's and your 'other' mat, the REAL MAT, is as disgusting as ours are.

Edited June 11, 2014 by Shermaniac

[roma847]

Thanks Shermaniac for your nice compliments.

Nice if you like it, what am I doing here, and inspiration is always good and helpful, I'm also looking for new ideas and cool tips.

But you're right, my cutting map only sees one half of so, just for the pics. On the other half is a lot of tools and other stuff, like in real life too.

[roma847]

Hi there,

today only a short time visit, as there is not so much to see except a lot of small stuff.

To install the TSM ladders now the support brackets had to be bent from 0.2 mm brass wire. These were 18 pieces for the two ladders on the TSM sides with the center strip (top), and 24 pieces for the 4 ladders on the service-flap boxes (below).

Therefor a sense of proportion was required when inserting the support strip to the flat nose pliers to always possible to have a uniform supernatant before bending the overlaying ends.

And so everything was now ready for the painting of the ladders and supports. Installation is then separately, as already described. First, the support brackets are assembled and then the ladders are glued on the supports.

For the painting of the support brackets I have put these on toothpicks with a tip from patafix,

and then plugged into a styrofoam plate. And that was quite a fumbling, I can tell you.

Now I just hope that the supports do not fly during the airbrush.

So it pays to be at the opportunity then also still the first series lampshades for the MLP should be painted, which are on the balsa strip (below).

And the ladders I will also attach with patafix on toothpicks for painting.

So now I'm going to visit the friends in the paint shop, hopefully are not all in Brazil.

[RichO]

You have a great sense of humor. Your attention to detail show greatly, Now off to the paint dept.

Edited June 15, 2014 by RichO

[roma847]

Thanks Rich for the nice words,

but these ladders give me the rest, and if they are painted and installed, I make the known three crosses.

Since I've pretty got me into trouble, but I have to go now, no matter how ...

BTW, after painting, it will then again become quite stressful when I have to groove all the 84 holes for the 42 supports to the TSMs, all in the defined distance corresponding to the rung spacing and of course always exactly vis-à-vis, and with the ladders on the service flap boxes even on two different levels.

[RichO]

MANFRED,

Good job with the ladders so far. I do not envy you on the placement of the mounting holes you have to create. Also how large is your PE bender tool. I have need to perchase one and I like the size that you are working with.

[roma847]

Thanks Rich,

as you see, now we need each other not to be envied with our tricky stuff.

The bending tool is 100 mm long and 75 mm wide, and is a very nice and practical tool.

[roma847]

High there,

at the same time occupies me now yet another tricky problem. It's about how I should conjure the regular intervals for the base points of the support brackets to the TSMs to groove them in.

This could be marked relatively well on the plane,

but now I have to consider some trick how to apply this to the difficult accessible TSMs.

And that will probably just go with a suitable template, which should however be transparent and as narrow as possible for accurate applying on the TSM to identify the correct position of the ladder and to align the template yet.

In addition I have first transferred my paper template (above) on a transparent film and carefully grooved the base points with a needle. And with this transparent template (below) I then made ​​a test-scribe mark. I just hope that you can see the little holes for the base points above the template yet.

The difficulty, however, now will be the correct aligning and fixing the template on the TSM's because the space is quite narrow and difficult to access, which you can see in the next two pictures again. That's why I'll probably must cut the template to a narrow strip, about 6 mm wide (ladder width 3 mm), then I have to position and fix it somehow for grooving the holes.

On the TSM sides you can apply the template still relatively good,

but on the service-flap boxes it is relatively complicated due to the different heights, in particular then still to be able to accurately groove the holes next to the boxes.

Well, I will already have to try out how to do it best ...