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Launch 14 - Cooper's Rocket


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HI Manfred,

 

  When I was looking at the reference photos, I noticed some texture on the sides of the tower.

 

2SoUyU.jpg

 

I wanted to have something with a bit more interest than just flat sheet.

 

  I chose Evergreen #2040 V-groove sheet.  .040 Spacing (1.0mm) .020 thick (0.5mm) thick. I will also use textured sheet for the inside of the walls.  Just a little texture interest.  I think it looks better anyway.

 

Thanks!

 

 

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Hi Rich,

 

I know these Evergreen V-Groove sheets, really an awesome stuff, that fits very well. up045518.gif

 

I think you also know these and similar photos, where one can see these textured sheets on the other sides too,

 

Mercury-Atlas Rocket on the Launch Pad

 

or this one.

 

15909735937_858a97f341_b.jpg

 

Just carry on tower building like the Tower of Babel ...  smiley250.gif

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Hi Rich,

I popped in for a catch up and there was a lot to catch up on. Staggeringly awesome work as always. I am totally envious of your detail work. This isn't 'model making' but actual precision engineering. It wouldn't surprise me to find you motorize the whole lot and have a fully working rocket!

 

Rearguards,

Badder

 

 

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Thanks Guys for looking in on this and leaving great comments!

 

  The tower is still under construction, but coming along nicely.  I'm still working on the mid section, and still working out the measurements for the interior floors.  I put a liner on the inside walls of the two sides just to make things look cleaner.

 

  This liner is the same as the outside texture, but with a smaller spacing between the grooves.  Altho it seems not to show up on the photo.

 

2h0juQ.jpg

 

tdf4ti.jpg

 

  Once I got the liner installed, it was off to paint.  The next thing to begin considering was the shape and size of the interior floors.  

 

OmeHjY.jpg

 

  The interior floors are a bit of an enigma.  I have a ton of photos of the interior, but nothing up close that shows any detail, and nothing that shows the shape or scale of the floors.  However, by looking at what I do have, and realizing that the interior floors need to go around the rocket (look at Manfred's photo above), but stay flush with the exterior face.  I have come up with an initial design that dose this and still misses the Rocket Transporter.

 

yTcgQH.jpg

 

 You can see that the transporter lifts the rocket into place right down the center.  Sorry for the bad photo...

 

1OZSQT.jpg

 

I'll test my design and move up the tower a few floors and see how things look.  If I can still get the rocket to fit up to the top floors, I might have something.

 

wojdFd.jpg

 

That's it for now.  Still reaching for plastic stars, Later........

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Hey!

 

  I took some time the last couple of days to work on the measurements of the ascending floors for the Service Tower.  Once I got everything worked out around the Transporter Trailer and Rocket, I decided to cut the floors out of card first.  I have several items needing to line up along the front of the tower, and this helps visualize the layout.

 

A pile of card...my cereal boxes...

 

10H42b.jpg

 

In this photo I have cut out the shapes of the floors and the opening for the rocket...

 

MVXDsd.jpg

 

Each floor will have to be custom built.  The only common measurement is the side wall.  Also these pieces are one part.  The "real" floors are made of several parts and handrails.

 

Here you can see the layout of the floors...

 

WGNXDN.jpg

 

Now that I have established the floors, I have a number of items to add to these floors.  Each floor gets it's own handrails around,  I have a lift arm that fits on the front of each floor, interior walls...I have no photos of the interior walls or what the floors looks like.  This will be covered up by the top of the tower and items in front.  

 

TPTJrz.jpg

 

This is a blast people!  I'll be back with the first floor completed.  Thanks for Looking........

 

Today's movie:  "20 Million Miles to Earth"  1957

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Hey Guys,

 

  This week was very intense and satisfying.  I had to come up with some sort of idea about how to handle the individual floors for the inside of the tower.  I only have a few photos of the floors, and these are not so good for references. 

  The card cutout is the shape of the floor.  Then transferred to a styrene sheet, at size, for layout, and start the beam work.

 

1bLpOR.jpg

 

The main issue was to design a scaffolding to support the floors.  I can barely see any support beams in this photo below.  So I came up with a design that supports the floor and still fits around the rocket and transporter, and is Revell simplified.  

 

3dXODT.jpg

 

In the photo below you can see the layout of the support beam design and the two front gates.  I just pulled this out of my thrust nozzle, but it all works fine, and looks good.

 

xW1icI.jpg

 

 

This is where the first floor is located.  Actually this is the fourth floor.  This is the first floor that has the front gates.  The floors below this are much simpler to build and are just a "U" shape.  These will go around the Rocket Support gear.

 

nBVJ6Z.jpg

 

It actually fits.  Always test fitting.

 

fhs9JO.jpg

 

 

Now you can see how the floor fits onto the support frame.  With the floor in place, the whole thing looks much cleaner.

 

eixNfc.jpg

 

 

  Still wet in the paint shop.  I learned a valuable lesson when I painted the floor.  I painted the main floor part and set it on the window sill to dry, and a gust of wind took it out the window and lost for days.  I was so bummed out that I didn't work on the floor for a while.  I found it by accident in the garden this morning three days later.  Don't put the parts on the window sill to dry!

 

eu16dn.jpg

 

This is the start of the hand rails that go around the front of each floor.  These are the front gates finished, and the bend for the main hand rail.

 

dZDsvI.jpg

 

Ready to be painted...

 

WI3cU4.jpg

 

The first floor finished, gates down...

 

H8fWI9.jpg

 

The first floor finished.  Gates up...

 

VFJ5OP.jpg

 

iUsqTl.jpg

 

Mt2jC9.jpg

 

 

A bit more minor work and this floor is ready to install.  Now I just have to build 13 more floors.  

 

I'll be back with what ever's next.  Thanks for looking!!

 

 

 

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Hi Rich,

 

great progress with the Service tower levels. speak_cool.gif

 

BTW, it looks like you're airbrushing these parts now and not paint by hand, right?

 

How thick are the rods which you used for the hand rails? hmmm.gif

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Hi Manfred,

 

  The Service Tower Floors are fun to build as long as I build one at a time with a day or so in between.  The painting is an old fashion rattle can, and the rod is .75mm

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10 hours ago, Sgt.Squarehead said:

Just caught up Rich.....Man that's some spectacular work!  :clap2:

 

Still think those vehicles could use some TLC, especially the tractor units.  ;)

Thanks for checkin' back in Sarge.  I'm getting ready to start some vehicle production.  Check back soon!

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I've been away from this for a while Rich and have just caught up again. It's terrific work. In fact it gets better and better. I hope it's not inappropriate to steal a phrase from the current POTUS but: you're winning this bigly.

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12 hours ago, Timmas said:

I've been away from this for a while Rich and have just caught up again. It's terrific work. In fact it gets better and better. I hope it's not inappropriate to steal a phrase from the current POTUS but: you're winning this bigly.

Thanks Timmas!

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3 hours ago, Gimme Shelter said:

OMG - this is an incredible build - apart from the FOC donation from shopping trolley heaven, this must be costing you a fortune is platic

I think that when everything is finished with the tower, it will cost somewhere about $10.00 per floor total.  I have spent about $100.00 on the styrene supplies.  For me tho, and just about everyone else I guess, the fun part is building the thing, not spending the money for supplies.

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  • 6 months later...

Hey Everyone,                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 I'm posting today to say that this WIP is still active, altho I haven't worked on the project for a few months now.  I'm repainting the house, outside and inside, and packing to move about 40 miles away.  I'll be back when we get resettled, with a new man cave and project room.

 

Thanks everyone for watching this project,  I'll be back soon. 

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On 2/12/2019 at 2:24 AM, RichO said:

Hey Everyone,                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 I'm posting today to say that this WIP is still active, altho I haven't worked on the project for a few months now.  I'm repainting the house, outside and inside, and packing to move about 40 miles away.  I'll be back when we get resettled, with a new man cave and project room.

 

Thanks everyone for watching this project,  I'll be back soon. 

 

Hey Rich,

 

in ARC Forums I did find these cool drawings for your pad, a little bit late, but maybe it can help. up040577.gif

 

Ramp-11-12-14.jpg 

 

ServTwr-14&12.jpg

Source: ninfinger.org

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Thanks Manfred! What great drawings. Ill put this in my Atlas folder, still need to finish my Revell model soon someday as well. Wow they are great. Both towers would be great to do also as well some day.  Does anyone know of third party decals for this great kit, got mine second hand a while and ago and they were not included. Thanks.

Edited by Saturn5tony
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