roma847 Posted May 13, 2020 Author Share Posted May 13, 2020 Hello everybody, and with that I've now continued. The starting point was this photo of the ET-121 at the RTF mission STS-114, on which I already had determined the distances of the Ice Frost Ramps for the Airfix LH2 Tank, Source: NASA which I've marked as an orientation guide on the LH2 Cable Tray. On this I had provisionally attached 5 of the 14 Ice Ramps R23 (No. 1, 2, 6, 10, 14) as support points, through which I had threaded in the GO2 Press. Line (Ø 0,4 mm). For a more stable hold of this structure I fixed four ramps with tape strips, and then have marked the position of the remaining ramps one after the other, what was not that easy due to the instability of the strand. After I had removed the strand and put a ruler on the lower edges of the ramp markings, I was able to compensate certain differences in position and trace them. Then I've cut out the contact areas with the cutter and masked them with tape. Then all that was missing was cutting out and masking of the contact surface for the LH2 PAL Ramp, what's done here. Then I noticed that I had forgotten the last single Ramp (R25), which is circled in yellow in this image. Source: NASA And as it is, this darn thing actually fell out of my hand and onto the floor as a crowning conclusion when trying on, so that I was able to search again on all fours ... Luckily, I found the ramp again and was able to cut out and mask its contact area, all's well that ends well! Now are still missing the two individual Ramps (R24) for the GH2 Press. Line that can be seen in this image, Source: georgesrockets.com (George Gassaway) which here are threaded onto the Press. Line and can be marked. So much for today. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arild Moland Posted May 14, 2020 Share Posted May 14, 2020 Outstanding work, Manfred! Now, if you are getting tired of crawling on the floor looking for lost parts, here's a free tip for you (and any other out there tired of feeding the carpet monster). Buy an apron, remove any pockets on the front as well as the strings to tie it around your waist, attach a strip of velcro to the end, and fasten the corresponding velcro strip under the edge of your workbench. This gives you this: And if the prospect of never losing a part on the floor again, isn't motivation enough, imagine the amount of filfth you avoid getting on your clothes Compare the above, pristine, apron pictured a couple of years ago, with how it looks today (it's even dirtier than it looks): I've never dropped a part to the floor again whilst wearing this. While on the few occasion I fail to wear it, something drops, without fail... Arild 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeroenS Posted May 14, 2020 Share Posted May 14, 2020 1 hour ago, Arild Moland said: I've never dropped a part to the floor again whilst wearing this. While on the few occasion I fail to wear it, something drops, without fail... The conclusion must then be that you always drop parts while at the bench 😉 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rumblestripe Posted May 14, 2020 Share Posted May 14, 2020 5 hours ago, Arild Moland said: Buy an apron, remove any pockets on the front as well as the strings to tie it around your waist, attach a strip of velcro to the end, and fasten the corresponding velcro strip under the edge of your workbench. This gives you this:I've never dropped a part to the floor again whilst wearing this. While on the few occasion I fail to wear it, something drops, without fail... Arild Doorbell or phone rings and I get up from the bench and try to take it with me, scattering build, tools, paints and coffee cups to a grateful carpet monster! 🤦♂️ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arild Moland Posted May 14, 2020 Share Posted May 14, 2020 Hehe, never happened to me, but I reckognize the risk if you're clumsy and/or easily distracted. Or just make some sort of quick release to the neck strap. Now, we digress and are about to hijack Manfred's thread here, so I'll leave it here looking forward to progress on this epic shuttle build! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roma847 Posted May 14, 2020 Author Share Posted May 14, 2020 Thanks my friends for your nice proposals, but I need freedom of movement when modeling and I have to be able to roll my chair back and forth. So I just have to be careful enough, that's okay. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roma847 Posted May 14, 2020 Author Share Posted May 14, 2020 Hello everybody, today also the contact areas for the two R24 Ramps have been cut out and masked. There they are laying now and waiting for the jump - Woe !!! And since the additional delivery of the 0,75 mm Tape has arrived, I can now turn to the Barber Pole Spiral on the LO2 Tank, whose rings I counted some time ago whereby I came up to 66 Rings. And that's roughly the area in which the 12th Ice Ramp (R20) is located. The subsequent lighter area appears to be a specially applied Closeout which has no Pattern Texture. Source: forum.nasaspaceflight.com (Jester) Since everything has been clarified so far as, I can start gluing the Tape spiral tomorrow. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arild Moland Posted May 15, 2020 Share Posted May 15, 2020 I've been to jammydog.com and stocked up on tape myself. Just in case... Picked up a few other sizes as well. Always useful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roma847 Posted May 15, 2020 Author Share Posted May 15, 2020 With us in Germany, people say: Better one has than one would have ! - The wise man makes provision for the future! BTW, above all, the Tapes < 1 mm are now in short supply. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mustermark Posted May 15, 2020 Share Posted May 15, 2020 Hi Manfred. It’s great to see so much progress!😃 I have been busy and missed a lot! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roma847 Posted May 15, 2020 Author Share Posted May 15, 2020 Thanks Mark for looking in on me again, enjoy and stay tuned my friend. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roma847 Posted May 20, 2020 Author Share Posted May 20, 2020 Hello everybody, starting point of my doubts about the correctness of some details of the otherwise very good kit was the diameter of the GH2/GO2Press. Lines, for which the enclosed Evergreen rods (Ø 0,5 mm) should be used. In reality both Press. Lines, however, have a diameter of 2'' (50,8 mm), whence in 1/144 scale a diameter of 0,35 mm results. Now one could be generous and do without the few tenths of a millimeter, but if, like me, you scale other parts on the basis of this reference dimension, this makes it noticeable already, especially since the proportions of such small parts should be consistent. That was also the reason why the enclosed Rectangular strip (0,75 mm x 1 mm) for the LH2/LO2 Cable Trays seemed a bit too big for me at first. Then I've remembered (ICD Drawings) on the website of George Gassaway, which includes also drawings of various Ice/Frost Ramps from the early LWT Era both on the LH2 Tank and on the LO2 Tank included. On this drawing of an Ice ramp on the LH2 Tank I determined the Cable Tray dimensions based on the existing dimensions, which with 0,7 mm x 0,9 mm actually correspond to those of the Newware Kit's Cable Tray. Source: georgesrockets.com (George Gassaway) So far so good! According to this drawing of an Ice ramp on the LO2 Tank the local Cable Tray should be a bit smaller, namely 0,5 mm x 0,75 mm, which initially surprised me. Source: georgesrockets.com (George Gassaway) That's why I wanted to know whether the Cable Trays on the ET-8 actually have different dimensions and check them. To do this, I first determined the width of the LH2 Cable Tray on my ET-8 reference photo at high magnification, for which I used as reference measure the diameter of the GH2 Press. Line (Ø 0,35 mm), which is 1,0 mm. Source: forum.nasaspaceflight.com (woods170) From the same photo I've determined the width of the LO2 Cable Tray, which is actually smaller and with 0,7 mm corresponds to the width from the drawing. Accordingly, I will use an Evergreen strip (0,5 mm x 0,75 mm) for the local Cable Tray. Afterwards I've turned to the Tape spiral on the LO2 Tank. First I've marked the end point of the spiral with the help of this drawing from the Newware Kit, which, as already said, should lay near by the front 12th Ice Ramp (R20), where the spiral should end. At this marking I've glued an end ring, so to speak as a finish line!!! And then I've put on my headset magnifier and have flung myself with desperate courage into the Barber Pole Action again. Here is the spiral after 10 rings, after 0 rings, after 40 rings, as well as after 50 rings. And here the goal is reached and I could finally stop. Here I have threaded the first of the 12 Ice Ramps (R20), whose position I will mark next and then mask them. 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uilleann Posted May 21, 2020 Share Posted May 21, 2020 That is a LOT of tiny tape! Well done. 😁 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roma847 Posted May 21, 2020 Author Share Posted May 21, 2020 Thanks, yep, a total of about 200 rings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roma847 Posted May 23, 2020 Author Share Posted May 23, 2020 Hello everybody meanwhile I have decided not to flour the two ET Tanks separately, but to glue them together with the Intertank beforehand, which should make handling easier. And for the Flour application I have in mind a horizontal mount similar to the Test rotisserie, for this I'm going to insert the aluminum rod that was already in use through the front Nose Cone opening, which reaches to the Aft Dome. This rod then is clamped in a side holder so that I can turn the tank around its axis during spray gluing and flouring, whereby I will first flour the LH2 Tank, and then the LO2 Tank. Before gluing of the three ET parts, I had to mark the exact position of the 12 Ice Ramps (R20) on the LO2 Tank in order to be able to cut out and mask their contact sites, taking the exact alignment of the GO2 Press. Line up to the Nose Cone had to pay attention, which was not so easy to do. Afterwards I've marked the position of the Ice Ramps with the help of the Newware template, and then were cut them out. Then I had noticed for a longer time that the Newware Ice Ramps are rectangular (3 mm x 3,7 mm), and not square like the original Ramps. These have the dimensions 1,5' x 1,5', which corresponds to 3 mm x 3 mm in 1/144 scale, which is why I will adjust the ramps accordingly, what has already happened with the front ramp. Then I've yet masked the contact areas and the front part of the LO2 PAL Ramp. Thereby however, I had not considered that the PAL Ramp is right next to the Cable Tray (0,5 mm x 0,75 mm) and therefore has to be a little wider, which I've corrected after I had put on the channel for better orientation. That's it again for the moment. Thanks for watching and have a great Sunday. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roma847 Posted May 26, 2020 Author Share Posted May 26, 2020 Hello everybody, so friends, now it's getting serious slowly, because the final Flour application is getting closer. After I had unrigged the entire ET and freed it from all lines, I've first glued together the Intertank with the LO2 Tank, and then also have glued the IT together with the LH2 Tank and removed the SRB Support bar. Then there were some smaller places on the LH2 Tank, like the openings for the two Vertical Struts of the ET/Orbiter Aft Attachments and the LH2 Feedline, as well as for the ET/SRB Aft Attach Struts, which is done meanwhile. After that there were left only the lower parts of the LO2 Feedline Supports, which I've taped with 1 mm tape so that I didn't have to clean them from the glued flour in order to have uniform contact surfaces for gluing the Feedline. Then I still have taped the Manhole Covers, and the openings for the LH2 Recirculation Line and the Diagonal Strut were closed with toothpick tips. Since I will first flour the LH2 Tank, I then have completely taped the Intertank and the LO2 Tank, in order to be able to easily turn the ET when spray gluing and flouring. I will try out the holding device for the Aluminum rod tomorrow and then present it. Well, and these are one by one the necessary utensils for the upcoming Flour Action, the UHU Spray adhesive, the Rice flour, of which I've bought a new pack to be on the safe side and a new can of Vallejo Primer (white). Next I will think on and test the Holding jig, and then I only have to overcome the inhibition threshold for the Final countdown, of which I'm scared a little bit because nothing must go wrong. And therefore please keep all your fingers crossed, dear friends. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roma847 Posted May 26, 2020 Author Share Posted May 26, 2020 Hello everybody, and now to my new jig for the Flour coating of the completely glued ET, which inevitably had to look different than in my first test serieses, when I could horizontally insert the Holding rod with the dummy and let easily rotate around its axis both during the Spray gluing as well as during the Flour coating. For holding the skewered ET I have now chosen this modified arrangement, in which the holding rod is plugged into an upright standing cardboard. Since the aluminum rod has sagged too much when the ET was racked, I had to replace it by a more stable Bamboo rod. This gives the ET a better grip, whereby it can be easily turned with the left hand when spray gluing and flour coating. With this the first part of the ET's Flour coating should work well, I hope so. After priming then the second part can follow, for what the masking on the LO2 Tank is removed, after which the LH2 Tank can be floured and primed. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichO Posted May 27, 2020 Share Posted May 27, 2020 Good Luck Manfred!!! This is going to be epic. I know it will turn out just great as always. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roma847 Posted May 27, 2020 Author Share Posted May 27, 2020 Thanks Rich for your nice compliment and your confidence. Stay tuned and keep your fingers crossed. BTW, I look forward to your comeback with Launch 14 - Cooper's Rocket. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roma847 Posted May 28, 2020 Author Share Posted May 28, 2020 Hello everybody, in view of the occasion, here is a little side leap to the meanwhile almost unrecognizable Launch Pad 39A, on which in the meantime Elon Musk with his company SpaceX is at home and had planned a historic thunderbolt yesterday. Source: wikipedia.org Certainly, many of you, like me, waited eagerly for the start of the SpaceX Demonstration Mission 2 (SpX-DM2) last night, but due to the unfavorable weather conditions it had to be canceled and rescheduled to Saturday. Here is an image of the crew, Douglas Hurley (left) und Robert Behnken. Source: wikipedia.org Matching to this here is an image of my friend Scott Phillips with the DM-2 Commander Douglas Hurley with one of his legendary Hardwood Shuttle Tribute Models after the last Shuttle Mission STS-135, in which Doug Hurley participated as a pilot of the Atlantis. In the image on the right is Michael D. Leinbach, the then Shuttle Launch Director of NASA, including STS-135. Source: Scott Phillips So far, Scott "Shuttleman" Phillips has created more than 450 such one-of-a-kind handcrafted wooden shuttle models from a wide variety of wood types to reflect and honor the execellence and legacy of the Shuttle Program, and had let many of them signed by the shuttle crews at the time, of which he is very proud. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roma847 Posted May 30, 2020 Author Share Posted May 30, 2020 Hello friends, now it was finally time and I was able to position the ET in the flour chamber for his countdown. The spray adhesive I had previously placed in a warm water bath and then shaken it vigorously again so that it can be sprayed easily. Then once again a short test grip with rubber glove and next door a few test sprays on a cardboard that were okay and gave green light. Afterwards, the LH2 Tank was sprayed under repeated turns and at the Aft Dome and then a photo was quickly taken. And then the flour dusting came in ... and it was generously applied all around with the sieve and lightly pressed down with the finger, while the ET was turned several times. Then it was enough with the flour dusting and the excess flour could be shaken off by tapping lightly. Then I went into my office and was able to have a close look at the preliminary result, which looks pretty nice so far. Now everything should dry properly before the remaining flour can be brushed off. And then the flour layer can be fixed with a first primer coat. Let's see what the result looks like after brushing. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roma847 Posted May 31, 2020 Author Share Posted May 31, 2020 And now, based on the hit by Silver Convention - Fly, Robin, Fly (1975) ... Dry, ET, Dry! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roma847 Posted June 1, 2020 Author Share Posted June 1, 2020 Hello everybody on Whit Monday, after the spray adhesive has certainly dried, I've picked up the soft long-haired brush and carefully brushed off the excess flour. This was followed by a gentle Peeling with a pointed tweezer, with which small lints were removed. And this is how the LH2 Tank now looks after the Flour coating. Here is a cut-out at higher magnification. I'm very satisfied with this result, so that the priming can follow now. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roma847 Posted June 3, 2020 Author Share Posted June 3, 2020 Hello eberybody, in the meantime I had wanted to make the priming of the Intertank Dummy, wherefore I had already prepared everything in the next room. But somehow the hint of a friend in our German Raumcon Forum regarding the "furry" appearance of the tape spiral did not wanted go out of my mind ... And then I suddenly got the idea with the fine Tamiya Sanding Sponge Sheet, with which one could perhaps mitigate this effect a little bit if one would gently sand the floured ET before priming and/or afterwards with a fine Sanding sponge ... And that then I tried it out with the Sponge 2000, which I had recently used, while the Sponge 3000 is still up one's sleeve. In order to be able to assess the effect better, I only slightly sanded half of the Dummy (right). After priming, unsanded half, sanded half, upper half sanded - lower half unsanded, unsanded half, sanded half. Probably the differences can only be seen more clearly at higher magnification, therefore here again the direct comparison, upper half sanded - lower half unsanded. It would also be conceivable to slightly sand the LH2/LO2 Tank only after complete priming and then to paint the entire ET by airbrushing. Whoever has the choice has the torment ... Definitive clarity one will only have after painting, but since I will do that with the airbrush that only creates a very thin layer, it will probably not change the final look of the SOFI texture much. I also think that with it I can get even closer to the original ET-8. Source: forum.nasaspaceflight.com (Jester) 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uilleann Posted June 3, 2020 Share Posted June 3, 2020 I think it's hard to tell to my eye anyway, without the final color applied. It will of course, effect the perception of the surface texture, and could enhance or suppress the flour effect. Can you try a color coat on your sacrificial intertank by chance? It may help the final decision... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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