Sea Vixen FAW.1x2

[TheBaron]

Busy old time since the last update and winter has definitively kicked in to this part of the world big time: a sudden drop in temperatures and  heavy leaf-fall brocading the garden now.

 

One job I couldn't put off any longer was re-organizing the workroom/studio/chambers, which have, over the last year or so, become an irksome series of obstacles to move around trying to find things or get jobs done. As well we know, modelling as well as nature abhors a vacuum and no matter the size of space available, it always turns out you need to clear a space before getting the next job done. Part of the problem was simply having stuff higgeldy-piggeldy around the place so it was time to instil some logical order now that 3d printing is part of the workflow and I'm moving around even more...

 

I don't believe in buying expensive new things when so much stuff gets chucked out these days, and was lucky last week to salvage a couple of cracking benches for free - a stainless steel job and glass-topped table both dumped by a skip because they were plastered in layers of paint. A couple of days work with heat gun and wire-brush heads in the drill had them back in serviceable condition (middle and right):

A bit more coherent now with the cutting/assembly bench to the left, steel one at the back for metalwork and chemicals, and a glass table to the right for printing and painting.

 

Some further progress on the SV to report happily but to mail first.

On 18/10/2020 at 16:44, giemme said:

Looking forward to the vacforming tests, Tony

You can see the vacformer in the back of the shot above Giorgio - closer to hand now for toasting cheese sandwiches at the bench... 😋

On 18/10/2020 at 16:52, perdu said:

Nice stack of stuff, presumably something a chap might need in rural climes

One of life's pleasures at this time of year Bill is clearing the stove in the morning, stepping out the back door to dump the ash into the bin only for a surprise zephyr to blow it up all over you, followed by ignominious retreat into the kitchen looking like Pacino at the end of Scarface...

On 18/10/2020 at 21:45, Pete in Lincs said:

You take it easy! This is supposed to be a hobby that we enjoy as we proceed.

Will do Pete and for the kind words.

Taking a few hours out today in fact to sit by the stove and read with strong tea.

On 18/10/2020 at 21:45, Pete in Lincs said:

If we push the envelope then the enjoyment may falter.

As many a postman has discovered...

On 18/10/2020 at 22:34, hendie said:

Ignore my inane ramblings Tony. 

Except where tools are concerned Alan -  the plastic razor blades are on order! 😁

On 18/10/2020 at 23:31, CedB said:

More bloomin' amazing stuff Tony

Ta Grandad.

On 19/10/2020 at 11:02, AdrianMF said:

There are a lot of photos that look a bit distorted/fisheyed

Certainly caught me out at first Adrian - the curse of short focal length lenses in enclosed spaces....

On 19/10/2020 at 11:04, keefr22 said:

Ah, proper old school materials testing....!!

It's fine in engineering Keith but you try doing it with the fresh fruit in Sainsburys - talk about uppity....

On 19/10/2020 at 15:43, The Spadgent said:

They are the same (I think) that I built for my venom.

Yours are filthy - report to the headmaster at once!

On 20/10/2020 at 16:54, Space Ranger said:

Test pilot's last words: "When they said 'test to destruction' I didn't think they meant with me in it!"

Said in a testy voice....?

On 21/10/2020 at 22:21, bbudde said:

 And the one for the seaside soul

I'm afraid I'm permanently inoculated against that song Benedikt from over-exposure to it in Belfast in the late 80s - many an afternoon's drinking back then was blighted by Mr. Scott's confused fisheries/rail transport courting advice moaning away in the background.

 

To matters of current interest then.

 

When last we met the canopies were done and I was anticipating some fun with the differing front and side fairings around the two respective cockpits.

 

Boy was I right!

 

The early production version of said article for  XJ481 is a relatively modest 'bib' curving round from port and over to the starboard sid, but the later variant for XN708 (with all that extra hot air nozzlery), although not quite  the Mountains of Madness, was certainly the most complicated set of curves and contours I've had to deal with thus far on an already curvaceous airframe.

 

Being pretty convinced at this stage that the heavy framing around the windshield would indeed print successfully, I built this as a defining feature to help in subsequent work on the fairing:

Imentioned previously that as the canopy transparency is going to form the basis for a vacforming buck, that I'd left it 0.2mm shy of the required final size to allow for the thickness of the vacforming material. You can see below the obvious disparity in relation to the framing in this raw state:

So far so good, and I went on my merry way having various meltdowns over getting the fairings as correct as possible when viewed from all angles and generally feeling hubristically pleased with results until fitting the centre beam down the front of the windscreen for the heating duct, whereupon something fundamental looked amiss in the relationship of parts to one another.

 

Then the penny dropped - I'd been using he scaled-down 'buck' version of the canopy - not the actual full-size version. Instead of the above, it should have been this, where the transparency is closer to the top of the windshield framing:

An entire day's work on the fairings up in smoke....

 

The net results of this sub-millimetric melodrama was that the fairings were too low and the correctly sized canopy cut into them brutally. This meant going back through all the original cross-section drawings and adjusting them incrementally in relation to both each other and the canopy until the visual relationships were now correct.

 

XJ481 with early variant fairing and centre beam:

 

 

Followed by de Havilland's version of Laocoön in the fom of the  rain-sheeding and heating ducts on XN708:

A bloody nightmare to get done in three-dimensions and frankly the best that I can do for a structure that repeatedly changes shape in so drastic a form along its extent:

Cockpit details added for comparison:

 

 

To finish with, a final juxtaposition of XJ481 over XN708. In terms of what happens with these parts, the centre beam down the front of the windscreens on both will be done as PE. Due to it being too small at the side to print in resin the early fairing for XJ481 will form part of the buck for vacforming as a single piece out of transparency, whereas the larger ducting/fairing assembly for XN708 is to be printed as a resin component (possibly as part of the front cockpit section itself, I haven't decided yet):

 

I also found another shot of XN708 lurking in a folder on the tablet - I've no idea how long it was there or where I even acquired it from originally so my apologies to the original poster for not being able to put in a credit (happy to do so if you get in touch):

 

Next job - the observer's door...

 

Take care until next time.

Tony

 

 

 

[kev67]

Cracking stuff, very impressed, I have dabbled a bit in 3D design using Rhino, but nothing to this degree, always wanted to try and do something similar to yours, but I think it just comes down to having the time, patience and getting the knowledge on using the software to its best ability, and I lack all 3 at the moment

[71chally]

Superb work and renderings yet a again Tony.

 

However, check that canopy centre arch position, not a criticism but I don't want to see you hanging by it later in the build!

 

Sea Vixen FAW1 XJ481 by James Thomas, on Flickr

[TheBaron]

38 minutes ago, kev67 said:

I think it just comes down to having the time, patience and getting the knowledge on using the software to its best ability, and I lack all 3 at the moment

Thanks for the kind words Kev.

 

I hope those three fall into place for you at a future date.

37 minutes ago, 71chally said:

Superb work and renderings yet a again Tony.

 

However, check that canopy centre arch position, not a criticism but I don't want to see you hanging by it later in the build

Thanks James.

 

Fear not - the 'centre arch' in those renderings isn't the central arch itself (in terms of being a visual feature) but is just a construction line in the CAD drawing itself (showing the seam where I had to loft the canopy in three separate sections). Same goes for the rear 'arch' where the transparency becomes that opaque rear cone of the canopy (which isn't at an acute enough angle for instance): this too is just a construction line in the software itself rather than a visible feature like the front windshield framing. That's a clumsily long-winded explanation that these construction lines displayed by the CAD software don't correspond to the actual frame features (which will be added via paint/foil later).

 

That last image you posted was one of my main references for drawing the side view of the canopy btw! 😁

 

[71chally]

I am a dufus! I understand now Tony.

[giemme]

2 hours ago, TheBaron said:

A bit more coherent now with the cutting/assembly bench to the left, steel one at the back for metalwork and chemicals, and a glass table to the right for printing and painting.

All you need is a good chair now....  

 

Can't wait to see the end result of this canopy and windshield perusals, Tony  

 

Ciao

[bbudde]

2 hours ago, TheBaron said:

I'm afraid I'm permanently inoculated against that song Benedikt from over-exposure to it in Belfast in the late 80s

Sorry Tony, I can delete that part of my post of course. Must be something for you then like the Scorpions "Wind of change" for me, which is toxical celebrated every year on the 03.10 and the 09.11 here in replay on every  media.

Btw nice work on the canopy.

Cheers

[TheBaron]

45 minutes ago, 71chally said:

I am a dufus! I understand now Tony.

Nonsense dear heart:  I should have posted a screenshot with the 'visible lines' function turned off so that you could just see the rendered surfaces without construction lines confusing the matter:

Not quite ready to put a bid in on this yet... 😁

https://www.ebay.ie/itm/Royal-Navy-Fleet-AIr-Arm-De-Havilland-Sea-Vixen-Jet-Fighter-Canopy-1959-to-1972/112791092143?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649

 

20 minutes ago, giemme said:

All you need is a good chair now

An orthopaedic one for the proverbial modeller's bad back Giorgio! (If anyone has any recommendations that won't break the bank...)

20 minutes ago, giemme said:

Can't wait to see the end result of this canopy and windshield perusals,

Me neither tbh! 😄  Have just ordered some rather pricey Lexan transparency off the 'bay to run tests

 

8 minutes ago, bbudde said:

Sorry Tony, I can delete that part of my post of course

Not a problem Benedikt. 😁 it's not a bad song, just that I was force-fed too much of it in bars when it came out.

Scorps? Never did get to see them live but did see Michael Schenker at the Hammersmith Odeon in about 1983. "Doctor Doctor" etc etc.... 🎸 Christ, I sound like a relic...

[Pete in Lincs]

5 hours ago, TheBaron said:

sit by the stove and read with strong tea.

Telling fortunes from the leaves, eh?

 

Nice benches, and a skip find too. A man after my own heart!

And your work on the canopies is now becoming clear.

[Terry1954]

5 hours ago, TheBaron said:

 

Very functional and very neat! Some interesting spots there too. I'm intrigued, what is the AFV sitting below the Revell Sea King on the shelf top left of the picture?

 

Terry

 

aka eagle eyed

[bbudde]

3 hours ago, TheBaron said:

"Doctor Doctor" etc etc.... 🎸 Christ, I sound like a relic...

Quite funny that the 80' are in common again by the youth so much with several remixes, but I like the originals more. And yes I'm a happy little dinosaur too now I think.  No Scorps or Thompson Twins, but P.Lion for that

Cheers

[perdu]

Dumping the ashes Tony, the smell of freshly inhaled coalfire ash came back, as if jet propelled which it usually was when you reminded me...

 

I am a child of the forties and fifities, ash from yesterday's fire is no stranger to me.

 

Anyway, just reporting in with BENCH ENVY.

 

The steel bench came with the drawer too did it? Dammit call it double envy I love it.

[CedB]

More great stuff Tony  

while we’re snooping around the new benches, what’s the big black fronted box on the left? Do I want need one?

[Space Ranger]

On 10/18/2020 at 7:13 AM, TheBaron said:

Out of curiosity Michael, what is the commonly acknowledged geographical boundary that bourbon can be said to authentically hail from within?

The history of bourbon is somewhat murky, much like British beer. Per Wikipedia:

 

"Distilling was most likely brought to present-day Kentucky in the late 18th century by Scots, Scots-Irish, and other settlers (including English, Irish, Welsh, German, and French) who began to farm the area in earnest. The origin of bourbon as a distinct form of whiskey is not well documented. There are many conflicting legends and claims, some more credible than others.

 

"For example, the invention of bourbon is often attributed to Elijah Craig, a Baptist minister and distiller credited with many Kentucky firsts (e.g., fulling mill, paper mill, ropewalk) who is said to have been the first to age the product in charred oak casks, a process that gives bourbon its reddish color and distinctive taste. Across the county line in Bourbon County, an early distiller named Jacob Spears is credited with being the first to label his product as Bourbon whiskey.

 

"There likely was no single "inventor" of bourbon, which developed into its present form in the late 19th century. Essentially, any type of grain can be used to make whiskey, and the practice of aging whiskey and charring the barrels for better flavor had been known in Europe for centuries. The late date of the Bourbon County etymology has led Louisville historian Michael Veach to dispute its authenticity. He proposes the whiskey was named after Bourbon Street in New Orleans, a major port where shipments of Kentucky whiskey sold well as a cheaper alternative to French cognac.

 

"Another proposed origin of the name is the association with the geographic area known as Old Bourbon, consisting of the original Bourbon County in Virginia organized in 1785. This region included much of today's Eastern Kentucky, including 34 of the modern counties. It included the current Bourbon County in Kentucky, which became a county when Kentucky separated from Virginia as a new state in 1792."

 

As a proud descendant of Scots-Irish peoples, I rather favor the idea that they were responsible for it. It just sounds appropriate. And as an ex-Baptist, I find it hilarious that a Baptist minister might have been responsible. Baptists (in the U.S., at least) have a reputation as being militant tee-totalers and prohibitionists, but this reputation is not completely justified; we have a riddle here in HM's Former Colonies:

 

Q: "What is the difference between Methodists and Baptists?"

 

A: "Methodists will at least acknowledge each other should they meet in liquor stores."

[perdu]

8 hours ago, CedB said:

More great stuff Tony  

while we’re snooping around the new benches, what’s the big black fronted box on the left? Do I want need one?

I am more interested in an indexing drilling milling machine sat proud at the back, I cannot even SEE a black fronted box.

 

[TheBaron]

16 hours ago, Pete in Lincs said:

Telling fortunes from the leaves, eh?

I knew you'd say that....

16 hours ago, Pete in Lincs said:

And your work on the canopies is now becoming clear.

You've seen through my scheme.

15 hours ago, Terry1954 said:

I'm intrigued, what is the AFV sitting below the Revell Sea King on the shelf top left of the picture?

Nowt gets past you Bald Eagle.

It's a Sherman that my youngest picked up at Telford a few years back Terry and has now become a kind of reverse-inheritance since he lost interest in the miniature world and discovered the opposite sex. I've notions of turning it into a Hobartian Funny one day as the Crab version has a strong S&M / beach  vibe to it...

14 hours ago, bbudde said:

Quite funny that the 80' are in common again by the youth so much with several remixes

The 'Happy House' remix phenomena of the mid 90s however is best consigned to the dustbin of history I reckon...

12 hours ago, perdu said:

Anyway, just reporting in with BENCH ENVY.

 

The steel bench came with the drawer too did it? Dammit call it double envy I love it

Thou canst take the skip out of the man but you'll never take the man out of the skip in my case Bill.

Worked as a dustman on the bin lorries in Epsom one Easter holiday during college years and by God it was like Treasure Island what got thrown out in that neck of the woods.

11 hours ago, CedB said:

what’s the big black fronted box on the left? Do I want need one?

It's a filing cabinet Ced and yes you do even if you don't...

9 hours ago, Space Ranger said:

As a proud descendant of Scots-Irish peoples,

This explains....everything.

3 hours ago, perdu said:

I am more interested in an indexing drilling milling machine sat proud at the back, I cannot even SEE a black fronted box.

Not a dissimilar experience to the 'recommendations' shopping experience that Amazon routinely fire at us Bill under the 'we thought you'd like' messages i.e., I once bought a pair of socks so they think I'd like a coffee grinder which is currently out of stock....

 

 

[hendie]

19 hours ago, TheBaron said:

 

Not quite ready to put a bid in on this yet... 😁

https://www.ebay.ie/itm/Royal-Navy-Fleet-AIr-Arm-De-Havilland-Sea-Vixen-Jet-Fighter-Canopy-1959-to-1972/112791092143?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649

 

oh I dunno.... stand it vertical on that front face, add a board on the back and you'd have a rather unique and ultimately very appropriate wall mounted display cabinet for your Sea Vixen Tony. What could be more fitting?

Okay, may need a tweak or two but I'm sure it could be done.  I'd be tempted but the postage would kill me

 

Ah, the old "spend inordinate amounts of time working diligently on the wrong model" trick eh?  You just earned your second level CAD Monkey badge Tony

 

 

[keefr22]

19 hours ago, TheBaron said:

Not quite ready to put a bid in on this yet... 😁

https://www.ebay.ie/itm/Royal-Navy-Fleet-AIr-Arm-De-Havilland-Sea-Vixen-Jet-Fighter-Canopy-1959-to-1972/112791092143?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649

 

Are you sure - might be good future proofing for when you come to print your 1:1 working model....?! 

 

Keith

[CedB]

6 hours ago, perdu said:

I am more interested in an indexing drilling milling machine sat proud at the back, I cannot even SEE a black fronted box.

Dremel drill stand. I've got one ✓

 

2 hours ago, TheBaron said:

It's a filing cabinet Ced…

Ah, now I can see what it is… I've got one ✓

 

Just need to stop desiring the Elegoo printer and washing machine

[perdu]

Dremel drill stand Ced, does it have an indexing table?

 

Need to check bank account status today. . .

[giemme]

1 hour ago, CedB said:

Just need to stop desiring the Elegoo printer and washing machine

Why?

 

 

 

 

Ciao

[71chally]

That is a particularly impressive desk!  I'm just wondering in what order we will see the Stranraer build?!

[Brandy]

Nice desks, and very impressive framework work! 

One thing I definitely do not miss here is clearing up leaves. Or winter. Although I have to admit I do miss rain - just not every day!

 

Ian

[bbudde]

7 hours ago, TheBaron said:

The 'Happy House' remix phenomena of the mid 90s however is best consigned to the dustbin of history I reckon...

Indeed.

Cheers

[Navy Bird]

On 28/10/2020 at 10:06, TheBaron said:

Followed by de Havilland's version of Laocoön in the fom of the  rain-sheeding and heating ducts on XN708:

 

Laocoön? The Trojan seer who was standing a bit too close to shore with his kiddies and got swallowed by the sea monster? Hmm...maybe the ducting looks more like the sea monster.   

 

Cheers,

Bill

 

PS. That canopy rocks, mate.