Putty Animal Posted March 16, 2019 Author Share Posted March 16, 2019 As a way of putting off the uncertain undercarriage, I spent some time buttoning up the nacelle and preparing to take care of the gaps. My self-imposed rule #1 of 1/144 scale modelling is, Never apply putty Directly from the tube. It makes a huge spreading mess, dries unevenly and adheres poorly. Much better results can be had by thinning the putty down to a slurry and applying with a brush. Here's a shot of the milk-moustache of Tamiya white putty thinned down with lacquer thinners. Once the surface is fixed up and drilled I can start adding all the stitching and whatnot. 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Courageous Posted March 16, 2019 Share Posted March 16, 2019 12 hours ago, Putty Animal said: thinning the putty down to a slurry Now that is a good idea, will need to look into that. Stuart 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pheonix Posted March 16, 2019 Share Posted March 16, 2019 That looks a good deal larger than 1/144 scale - easily 1/72. Stitching in this scale? You are a one for tricky tasks! P Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Roberts Posted March 16, 2019 Share Posted March 16, 2019 Just found this - wonderful build! You must have excellent eyes! Intrigued by your work with the rib tapes on the wings - can you share what primer you used for that effect please? PR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Putty Animal Posted March 17, 2019 Author Share Posted March 17, 2019 (edited) 3 hours ago, Peter Roberts said: Just found this - wonderful build! You must have excellent eyes! Intrigued by your work with the rib tapes on the wings - can you share what primer you used for that effect please? PR Unfortunately I'm short sighted, colour blind and enjoying all the further loss of vision one experiences when turning 50... This is the primer I would recommend for the ribs. It is fine grained and holds an edge really well. Here's a shot of everything used for doing the ribs. The retarder is nice but not entirely necessary if you thin the paint right down though. The one thing I would say was absolutely essential is a good set of digital calipers. They are a joy to use and will improve your work and quality of life no end. These days a set of high quality Mitutoyo calipers can be purchased for as little as $10 if you shop around. Back in the day, my first pair cost almost $400. To use them, you set the width and can lock them in place via the thumb screw at the top. If you are measuring a certain width - say 14.97mm, there are four places on the calipers where this measurement is given to you. Here's the first three: The main one between the jaws is good for measuring external widths. The small ones at the top are ideal for internals, and the one on the end is a very effective depth gauge. And the fourth is on the back. This one is the most useful: That one is a beauty and I use it all the time. I can rest a component on the ledge and mark its surface with a scalpel line or use it to cut tape and other things that have been placed in a straight edge. For example, when cutting the setout strips for the rib tapes they need to be precisely the same every time. You can lay the tape on a flat surface with at least one straight edge (old giftcards are great for this) and position the card on the caliper's ledge. I'd hold the thing in my left hand while doing this, but for the photo I've placed it on the desk. Run the new scalpel blade along to remove and discard the first strip. Then Zero the calipers and set the required width - .25mm in this case. Make a new cut, change the caliper setting to another .25mm smaller, make another cut and repeat etc etc. You can make strips that are accurate to 0.01mm and have them come out exactly the same every time. Edited March 17, 2019 by Putty Animal 16 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brandy Posted March 17, 2019 Share Posted March 17, 2019 I have a set of these but had never thought of that way of using them! 👍 Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pheonix Posted March 17, 2019 Share Posted March 17, 2019 I really like that idea. I am not usually one to use many tools but sometimes they are worth buying and using, so I will have to look inot this one. P Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TallBlondJohn Posted March 17, 2019 Share Posted March 17, 2019 Anybody know if all digital calipers have that back 'ledge' as part of their design or is it just the Mitutoyo? Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Roberts Posted March 17, 2019 Share Posted March 17, 2019 Thank you! Much appreciated. I have a slightly different project in mind, and this primer technique will be ideal. Great information, thank you. PR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CedB Posted March 18, 2019 Share Posted March 18, 2019 Great tip! I've just checked and my 'Draper Expert' has the step too… now I just need to remember 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Putty Animal Posted March 19, 2019 Author Share Posted March 19, 2019 On 18/03/2019 at 06:37, TallBlondJohn said: Anybody know if all digital calipers have that back 'ledge' as part of their design or is it just the Mitutoyo? Thanks Some do and some don't. The depth gauge is absent on many other types as well, while some are made from plastic. The ledge on the back is also perfect for cutting tube and rod to size. You just put the piece on there and score the end with a scalpel to snap it off and get the perfect length every time. The Mitutoyo's are very efficient with battery life too and I've had a set run for years without switching it off. Whereas some of the cheap sets I've used tend to go flat if accidentally left on for a couple of weeks. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bandsaw Steve Posted March 19, 2019 Share Posted March 19, 2019 Some great tips there! 👍✅👍✅👍 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Putty Animal Posted March 24, 2019 Author Share Posted March 24, 2019 Okay, I think I've got the main undercarriage sorted now. This is entirely thanks to fellow britmodeller, Admiral Puff who very kindly measured the key struts in the Wingnut Wings kit and passed the dimensions on so I could scale them down accurately. Thank you again! The x-shaped set of struts were made from a length of sterling silver wire that was reduced down to .45mm and put through steel rollers until it flattened out at 0.55 x 0.26mm. These were made in two parts with the area where they intersect notched and filed into a rounded .25mm portion to represent the exposed core of the struts. The pieces were then scored and bent to the correct angles, with an age of fiddling and test fitting to adjust their lengths. Once this was done I had to solder them together. This took several goes at it as the angle to which they join is quite tricky to set up. Eventually I was able to do it, though perhaps more by good luck than good planning. The sporty looking forward struts were made too, from a core of .2mm wire with a .3mm tube around the outside that was then flattened to provide the streamlined shape. Here's some shots of the components. I think I may scrape and sand more of an aerofoil section into the x-shaped struts before final assembly, but I'll need to devise some sort of jig to do so as its a bugger to handle. A couple of strategically placed specks of blu tack helped take these shots, although I notice a couple of pieces drifted slightly out of position. At least it gives an idea of how the undercarriage will go together. Next up is smoothing off the outside of the nacelle prior to detailing. You can see below how rough it looks at the moment. Some 4000 grit should hopefully sort it out though. 14 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Procopius Posted March 24, 2019 Share Posted March 24, 2019 I'm agog at what you're accomplishing here. Agog, sir. AGOG. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Putty Animal Posted March 24, 2019 Author Share Posted March 24, 2019 Hehe, thanks! I just ordered a pair of non-prescription reading glasses with 6+ magnification on eBay for the princely sum of Au$2.50. The ones I use currently are only 4.5+ so that should kick things up a notch. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andwil Posted March 24, 2019 Share Posted March 24, 2019 1 hour ago, Procopius said: I'm agog at what you're accomplishing here. Agog, sir. AGOG. Looking at the amazing work on show here I am sure we are all gogs! AW Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Learstang Posted March 24, 2019 Share Posted March 24, 2019 I just want to know where you got all the giant novelty props, like that giant matchstick. Regards, Jason P.S. Amazing work! 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pheonix Posted March 24, 2019 Share Posted March 24, 2019 The early undercarriage on the FE is a b.......r to get right even in 1/72 scale, (I know because I have made one with the nosewheel), but to make one in the micro-scale is a truly major achievement. This is a miniature work of art in the making. Yours truly agog or even magagog! P 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SafetyDad Posted March 24, 2019 Share Posted March 24, 2019 I've just found this on a quiet Sunday browse through BM threads. Like others here I'm completely amazed at both the quality of your work, plus the ingenuity and thoughtfulness of your construction methods. So much here to learn... You are, of course, completely bonkers SD 1 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Putty Animal Posted March 25, 2019 Author Share Posted March 25, 2019 Kind words indeed! Hopefully I don't stuff it up. I had a moment of clarity and figured out how to hang onto the star strut while I tweaked the aerofoil section of each piece. I put a tiny smear of superglue on the end of a piece of styrene and fixed the strut to it. This gave me a solid handle to use as I filed the piece to shape. Mind you, I had to repeat the process for all eight faces of the struts... 10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonners Posted March 25, 2019 Share Posted March 25, 2019 Blimey. Impressive stuff... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brandy Posted March 25, 2019 Share Posted March 25, 2019 VERY impressive stuff! I have enough trouble doing this kind of thing in 1:72.... Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marklo Posted March 25, 2019 Share Posted March 25, 2019 Love the build. I have trouble doing this kind of thing in 1/48 never mind 1/72.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pheonix Posted March 25, 2019 Share Posted March 25, 2019 Strange isn't it how we find a solution to a problem which is usually simple and straightforward. Brilliant idea in your case. Brilliant modelling too. P 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SA80A2AR Posted March 26, 2019 Share Posted March 26, 2019 kick me if i'm worng. is that 1/144?? v good building anyway Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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