Codger Posted May 19, 2020 Share Posted May 19, 2020 23 minutes ago, JCH said: Fully assemble the hose/fitting and secure to the model Risk knocking off hose and/or fitting Waiting until a final assembly point (and not forgetting!!) Results in the best looking hose/fitting I'm flattered somebody actually read something I wrote! And you did a wise thing by asking 'silver' Ron's expert advice on finishing. I would say your first choice might be best. But I would; use a length of wire or dental floss to make an accurate hose length, then cut the hose to match. Where possible, drill and pin the fitting to its correct location and orientation (that part's important) but not glue until final assembly. Just be aware if you have to install fixtures over it that would hamper getting it into place. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JCH Posted May 19, 2020 Author Share Posted May 19, 2020 48 minutes ago, Codger said: use a length of wire or dental floss Excellent suggestion. I've been using solder for length and routing but that's difficult at times too. Dental floss just went into the bag of tricks. Thanks! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JCH Posted May 23, 2020 Author Share Posted May 23, 2020 Hi All, While I work up the courage to weather the exhaust headers I've spent time on the engine block. Today was focused on the injectors. Still WIP but progressing. While doing so I did some dry fits of the top end of the engine. Routing lines and working on fitment. Again, only dry fitted and some painting remains, but it's nice to see assemblies come together. Looking at these pictures I do need to tone down the air horns and the carbon fiber on the breather box. But things are fitting nicely and progressing. JCH 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Mansfield Posted May 26, 2020 Share Posted May 26, 2020 That engine is a thing of beauty. Nicely done! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JCH Posted May 27, 2020 Author Share Posted May 27, 2020 @Roy vd M. - Where were you going to route the missing hose? I'm to this point in the engine build and am trying to locate the other end of this hose! Tamiya missed the boat on this part. There's no fitting for the vertical pipe to secure/fit to the engine block. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roy vd M. Posted May 27, 2020 Share Posted May 27, 2020 I have no idea at all, if it wasn’t for my own handwriting I’d not have known this is my own sketch... unfortunately as time passes I tend to forget things I was once very involved in. Currently I’m spending any free minute I have finalising the study of the 1927 Delage wheel and tyre size... thus far it took me 55 hours so I hope you’ll forgive me for not diving into the MP4/6 files too much 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JCH Posted May 27, 2020 Author Share Posted May 27, 2020 @Roy vd M. - No worries. I'll keep digging. Enjoy the '27 Delage! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JCH Posted June 14, 2020 Author Share Posted June 14, 2020 From the thrill of victory to the sour taste of defeat. I spent hours getting this cowling baby butt smooth. Multiple layers of filler and sanding, priming, and Zero white. A bit of 2000 grit wet sanding. Then masking for the Zero McLaren day-glow orange. Life's good. What with all the sanding, priming, and painting the guide lines for the masking between colors were removed. No worries. I got the caliper out and spent most of yesterday afternoon laying down the masking. These lines are dead dog straight! I'm still loving life and looking forward to painting. Time for paint... multiple coats... Oh yaa, life is definitely good. AND THEN I NOTICE THIS!!! The molding line. On BOTH sides of the cowling. 😬😬😬😬 How did this molding line, which I diligently removed, REAPPEAR?!?! Seriously, how did this molding line reappear? It was not there on the multiple layers of Zero white? You can look earlier in this thread for proof. I needed the cowling painted so as to keep a good color match with the panels that are surrounded by the rear suspension (hanging). The panels need to be fully painted as they cannot be removed once the rear suspension is assembled (what I consider a design flaw by McLaren). I can continue with the work on the panels while I mull over the options on the cowling. This will take a few days to get over. Life is still good but I feel gutted, just gutted. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Schwarz-Brot Posted June 14, 2020 Share Posted June 14, 2020 Are there decals in that area that might help hiding this? Is this a ridge or a pure gap? If you decide you cannot live with this line: You may try filling the line up with clearcoat in several stages to avoid repainting. This is a trick miniature painters use when dealing with hidden molding lines. Drop a little clear coat onto the pallette and wait until it begins to thicken up. When it has a consistency that is thick enough to not run apply with a toothpick or small brush and work it into the gap / towards the ridge. With pure flash this builds up a nicely flowing form around the flash, that on organic forms cannot be noticed when painted over. Being clearcoat the underlying colour is not heavily changed, so touch-ups don't need to be colourmatched - just go on with the next colour. Clear PVA should work as well for this. You do not have organic forms, but being really close to the rounded top edge you might get away with this little trick. As I see it, the only other option is to repaint completely, which would be a shame. So you may as well try this before. If it does not work you. In the end it is "just a model". Before it kills the fun totally I'd rather live with the little imperfection instead of redoing all the tedious steps. Just a thought - did you perhaps have an incompatible putty / paint combination? It looks like the filler was shrinked a little, maybe through paint application? Shame after all the good work, but with touchup or without this model is going to be stunning. Just make sure you don't lose your mojo over this! Jan 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JCH Posted June 14, 2020 Author Share Posted June 14, 2020 (edited) 2 hours ago, Schwarz-Brot said: Is this a ridge or a pure gap? Gap... Which is why it's so strange. I only filled some gouges and heavy handed sanding marks. The molding line was raised and required sanding. I also don't think it's product incompatibility as the Zero White applied without issue. No joy on decals. It'll be out there in all it's naked glory. I like the idea of building up some clear coat. It's only visible with direct overhead light. There's good coverage on the color so raising the gap should correct the problem. I will practice on some scrap. 2 hours ago, Schwarz-Brot said: Just make sure you don't lose your mojo over this! Like I said, this chaps me and bums me out, likely for a few days. But I always finish what I start. It's one reason I only work on one build at a time. I've got a crap ton of assemblies going at once, but only one overall build. I'm going to let this cure for a few days. I will decide in that time if further action is required. Thank you for the suggestion and words of encouragement. Very much appreciated! JCH Edited June 14, 2020 by JCH Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JCH Posted June 15, 2020 Author Share Posted June 15, 2020 (edited) Removing the masking (I couldn't resist) helped my mood a great deal. There's some clean-up and a tad bit of over-spray, but all-in-all it looks good. I'm still mulling what to do about the molding line. Thankfully it's only visible with harsh light. Some sanding, a bit of clean up, and then onto decals and gloss. Fretting over a model is definitely a "first world problem". Shut up and move on. Life's good! JCH P.S. It looks BRIGHT orange in direct sunlight. Edited June 15, 2020 by JCH 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JCH Posted June 19, 2020 Author Share Posted June 19, 2020 (edited) Hey All, Work continues on the engine/transmission. Oil/transmission coolers attached and lines run. Heads and injector assemblies attached. Air box just dry fitted. Some of the bits and bobs came off the heads and injectors but nothing major. Geeze there's a lot to the top of this engine. I still have 4 or 5 oil/transmission lines to fit to the block and some linkages to the right engine head but months of work came together in the last couple days. I do wish this engine was not so monochromatic. I'm getting sick of semi-gloss black! No major breaks with good to excellent (IMO) fit and finish. Once I gloss coat the cowling panels I'll be able to complete the rear suspension. What with several major assemblies coming together this was load of fun! Enjoy the weekend. I'll be modeling! JCH Edited June 19, 2020 by JCH 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UKmodeller-Reborn Posted June 20, 2020 Share Posted June 20, 2020 Just read through this thread, hats off to the build, stunning 🙌😊😊👏😁 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
harveyb258 Posted June 20, 2020 Share Posted June 20, 2020 Oohhh I do like to see a busy engine. Lovely job JC. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hamish Salomon Posted June 25, 2020 Share Posted June 25, 2020 this level of detail... I am amazed! all this fiddling, I could never find the patience to do it, I’m having troubles putting my 1:8 back together 😅 Very nice job sir! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JCH Posted June 27, 2020 Author Share Posted June 27, 2020 Hey All, I've decided I'm really dense. It's time to assemble the rear suspension. I needed to install the boots on the transmission and axle. Top Studio has provided some beautiful detail parts for the assembly. But Part 5 confused me, for months. I scoured my reference material and the internet to locate this part ON the car. Nowhere to be found. On top of this there was only one. Well it finally dawned on me this "part" is simply an alignment tool for the placement of the screw heads, parts number 3. Relieved and embarrassed I continued on with the suspension assembly. Thankfully no alignment nor broken parts with the suspension portion of the build. Comments absolutely welcome. JCH 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silver911 Posted June 27, 2020 Share Posted June 27, 2020 Only a one word comment needed mate...stunning 👍 Respect Ron 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UKmodeller-Reborn Posted June 28, 2020 Share Posted June 28, 2020 Can't wait for when this one is finished 🙌😊👍 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
harveyb258 Posted June 28, 2020 Share Posted June 28, 2020 9 hours ago, silver911 said: Only a one word comment needed mate...stunning What he said... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JCH Posted July 4, 2020 Author Share Posted July 4, 2020 (edited) Hey All, Brief update. Tidying up a few loose ends on the engine/transmission/rear suspension. I've started work on the cockpit and monocoque. Top Studio dictates something I would NEVER do normally, but it's what I did today. Cut up perfectly good model parts! This is the front bulkhead. It'll be replaced with photo etch and considerable additional detail. But this was scary! First two cuts complete: Time to remove the cross-section. Lots of sawing, xacto knife, and Dremel tool: And this is the dry-fit of the bulk-head: What surprised me the most is that it took hours. I was very careful, but geeze. Thanks for looking! JCH Edited July 4, 2020 by JCH 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roy vd M. Posted July 4, 2020 Share Posted July 4, 2020 I can see where they're coming from though. Lovely improvement. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silver911 Posted July 4, 2020 Share Posted July 4, 2020 Nicely done mate...a total transformation...well worth the time and effort IMHO. Ron 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JCH Posted July 4, 2020 Author Share Posted July 4, 2020 (edited) Roy / Ron - 100% agreed, it's a definite improvement. Surprisingly I didn't have a stray swipe to the bulkhead nor any fingers. I am a bit concerned with how secure the nose section reattaches. The entire nose will be hanging off the four new mounting screws. I've trusted Top Studio thus far and they have not let me down and it will look much better. Thanks! JCH Edited July 4, 2020 by JCH Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JCH Posted July 18, 2020 Author Share Posted July 18, 2020 I bought a new tool. It's amazing the difference between a cheap and quality tool. This is by far not the top-of-the-line from Weller, but it looks like it'll serve my needs forever. I'll likely give it to my son when I stop modeling. I practiced tinning wires and soldered a few pieces of scrap. This was the first "production" solder which turned out beautifully. Work continues on the cockpit. Fitting, painting, and more fitting. I'll post when the sub-assemblies come together. JCH 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Codger Posted July 18, 2020 Share Posted July 18, 2020 (edited) I'm smiling when I read your anxiety at cutting the bulkhead. The result is everything you hoped for - superb. Having perpetrated the insanity of cutting the roof, body, trunk and crossmembers of a now-rare, expensive, giant hunk of plastic, I can appreciate your fears. I would have the hairline of the Wolfman now if I didn't do those things.... PS- I recommend silver solder over rosin core..... Edited July 18, 2020 by Codger 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now