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Macchi Castoldi M.33


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Taking a break from the wing, and those pesky tapes, and have started on the engine nacelle.  The usual way, balsa moulds and, in this case, .040 styrene.  The moulds only took a couple of hours to make.  I use two+part, 10min epoxy.  I got this far yesterday and as I was chef du jour had to stop and fix dinner.  A few bulges and a grill to be added later.

 

Thanks for looking

 

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I'm just catching up with this one Dennis and am really enjoying it.  It's the first time that I've seen the 60s methodolgy for plunge moulding (as illustrated in 'How to go Plastic Modelling'), used in practice.  Bravo!

 

Cliff

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I too am catching up with this - a very interesting and informative read. I have used plunge moulding frequently on my builds but most have been in 1/72 scale and the moulds therefore smaller than these. I also use balsa but have discovered basswood which, although a little more expensive is harder, lovely to work, and provides really good male moulds. I also use plywood for the female moulds - cheap and rigid with little chance of cracking.

 

This is a really interesting scratch build - lots of different techniques here and all very useable. I use Evergreen strip for my wing ribs and always mark out the rib lines with a pencil first - stops the uneven number problem! A light sanding after they have been glued in place and they give just the right effect.

 

Will be following more closely in future!

 

P

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19 hours ago, CliffB said:

am really enjoying it

Thank you, Cliff, pleased that you are.  I see that the book is still available on eBay and other vendors.  I’ve gotten most of my inspiration and how-to-do-it on scratch building from the Harry Woodman book.  Published around the same time.  Probably similar techniques in each.

 

Dennis

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13 hours ago, pheonix said:

a very interesting and informative read.

Thank you for that, Phoenix.  I am well acquainted with your work as I always check in for tips and techniques to borrow.  I used a harder wood for moulds the first few times but switched to balsa as I found it easier to work with and since the moulds were for mostly one time use—with exceptions when I got it wrong—and didn’t need to be that durable.  Also because our local Boyes store sells a very handy pack of assorted sizes for £2.25.  

 

I made a mistake on the number of wing “tapes” because I was using a spacer to mark the location of the tapes.  A bit of pencil line creep threw me off and because I didn’t pre-mark all the tape spacings, as you do, and count as went along I added a few extra.  I’ll be marking each tape location next time.

 

I looked for another source of styrene after I saw how expensive Evergreen was on eBay.  Have a look on stationroadbaseboard.com  and see what you think of Peter’s prices for styrene sheet.  About half the price of Evergreen I reckon and I think the quality is just as good.   At least I’ve never had a problem with it.  And he dispatches orders very quickly.

 

Thanks for following.  I shall be doing the same with yours.

 

Dennis

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Here are most of the major parts of the engine nacelle. Plunge moulded in .040 for the largest bits and.020 for the smallest. Working out now how to go about making the radiator.  Probably thin wire wrapped around a central core.  Props are thin veneer slips glued together with fish glue and carved.  The one on the left is the one I will use as it’s closest in shape yo the one below.

 

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Best picture I could find of the nacelle and prop.

 

 

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Thanks for your interest.

 

Dennis

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Looking good, & wasting no time as usual!

 

15 hours ago, DMC said:

Best picture I could find of the nacelle and prop

 

Regarding reference material: I sent a direct message- it tells me you’ve not seen yet.  Are you not in the habit of using these?  It’s just an offer of plans for this & M67 if it might help...

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13 hours ago, pheonix said:

Definitely shaping up well. The laminated prop looks very good.

 

P

Thanks, Phoenix, props done a while ago so a little time saved.

 

1 hour ago, greggles.w said:

Looking good, & wasting no time as usual

Thanks, Greg, nothing like a deadline to put the boot in.

 

No PM received with reference material.  Did get, in #54, a notice that you had sent one.  Checked backlog and noting there.  I PM’d you my email address.  Did you get it?

 

Dennis

 

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One problem I’ve had with plunge moulding is getting the male mould cantered, or equadistance, in the female mould.  If it’s off slightly, to one side or the other, especially on a deep plunge, then one side, as in this nacelle top, might be paper thin and easily torn or eaten away by cement.   I plunged three of the nacelle pieces and wasn’t really happy with any of them.  

 

Nothing for it then but to dust off my vacuum forming rig and heat up the styrene.  Vacuum forming produces a piece with a, more or less, all over thickness by draping the heated styrene over the mould.  These top and bottom nacelle pieces were vaced out of .060 sheet and came out pretty good.  Should have done it from the start and saved myself a little time.

 

Thanks for your interest 

 

Dennis

 

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21 hours ago, pheonix said:

Push moulding plastic more than 40 thou thick is also difficult in my experience, especially deeper moulds. In those cases a vacuform machine is definitely superior - if you have one (which I do not!)

 

P

Agreed, .040 is as thick as i’ve ever plunged...successfully.  I like my homemade vac rig for anything thicker. which means .060.  Haven’t tried anything else.

 

Dennis

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Hi Dennis

Great work, this is a fascinating thread and very informative. I have never been brave enough to try anything like this although one day I would like to have a go and would love to build a 1/24scale DH89 , although I was going to cheat and use a card kit to copy.  I will bookmark yours and the other scratch build threads for future reference. I am in awe of you scratch builders . Your model looks amazing.

Keep up the good work.

All the best

Chris

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Well now, Chris, I cannot remember ever opening my inbox to quite as many reactions, or likes, as I did this morning.  Very kind, and thank you.   Scratch building can be ver satisfying but also very frustrating.  I can’t think of too many instances where I got it right on the first attempt.  But, if it’s in your DNA, and you will know if it is, you’ll do it.   Perhaps best to start off with “improving” or adding things to kits and taking it from there.  A good book of techniques would be helpful and there are pages of tips and techniques from scratch builders here on BM.  A scratch built DH89 would be quite an undertaking, especially in 1/24.  The bigger the model the more detail which can be added.  I wish you good fortune on your scratch building journey.

 

Dennis

 

And, some years ago I got involved in a complete rebuild of a ‘69 beetle.  A ground up sort of thing.  Burnt myself out on it and eventually sold it off.  Bugs can be quite troublesome. 

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Thanks Dennis, I will work my way to the DH89, I do scratch extra bits for a lot of my builds however only smaller parts such as cockpit details etc, not the complete plane, yet!!!

 

I have rebuilt a couple of Bugs and have had some real fun, the most fun was the 72 Camper which I had to sell unfortunately, the only one I now have and willl be keeping is a 67 Fastback. She's a beaut.

 

Keep up the good work

All the best

Chris

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A little more progress.  So far the nacelle is looking like it might do.  Next are the radiators, exhaust stubs and the struts.  I’ll be finishing this as #6, which didn’t actually complete the course. Red hull and wings and silver nacell and struts.  I prefer it to the scheme on #7, which appears to be all silver.

 

Thanks for looking

 

Dennis

 

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U

16 hours ago, Thom216 said:

Incredible looking work

 

12 hours ago, pheonix said:

That nacelle will certainly 'do'! It looks most impressive - wonderful push moulding.

 

12 hours ago, jrlx said:

Amazing work on the nacelle

 

10 hours ago, Torbjorn said:

Looking and learning - thanks for the detailed description. :)

 

9 hours ago, Courageous said:

Nice work Dennis

 

Thanks, guys, very much appreciated.  Spurring me on.

 

Dennis

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On 9/22/2019 at 10:29 PM, DMC said:

looking like it might do.

...

On 9/22/2019 at 10:29 PM, DMC said:

 

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... exquisite!! So many compound curves in all axes, then the detail anticipating exhausts & radiators .. lovely work Dennis.

 

On 9/19/2019 at 3:41 PM, DMC said:

No PM received with reference material.  Did get, in #54, a notice that you had sent one.  Checked backlog and noting there.  I PM’d you my email address.  Did you get it?

 

 

How curious .. we seem to be having a 50% success rate. At least I have your email address now - I’ll try sending again from another address of mine (I suspect I may be guilty of an over-quota account!)

 

g.

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Opinions, please, innie or outie? I’m about ready to deal with that grill underneath the nacelle.  I have to assume it was the oil cooler as the radiators are on that stub wing to the rear of the nacelle. Problem is I’m not entirely sure that the cooler is inside the nacelle or outside as was done on the Brach 1/32 resin kit.  I had just assumed, based on the kit, it was outside but after a closer look at the enlarged photos below I’m thinking maybe not.  Why would the put the cooler, or grill, on the outside making it difficult to drop the shell to access the interior?  What do you think, then?  In or out?  

 

Dennis

 

 

 

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