Scary Skeeter - Aeroclub 1/72

[Spookytooth]

16 minutes ago, Ex-FAAWAFU said:

After all, James Bond had missiles on his autogyro

Not forgetting the ejector seat!!!!

 

Simon

[CedB]

4 hours ago, giemme said:

You're definitely taking this to another level, Ced

 

Go for it, it's a lot easier than it sounds and the result is gonna be way better than what you have 😉

 

Ciao

Thanks Giorgio  I will be pushing my boundaries (oooer Missus) in several directions; wish me luck!

 

4 hours ago, perdu said:

Wot e says

 

Go get 'em killer

 

 

 

Thanks Bill  Please DO chip in whenever you think I'm going astray; I'll definitely need help.

 

3 hours ago, Spookytooth said:

Way to go Ced, attack the little blighter head on, show him who`s the boss.

 

Simon.

Thanks Simon  

 

3 hours ago, Bell209 said:

You're as silly as me! I like making things hard for myself, too.

Ahem, thanks Bell  

(Fnaar resisted)

 

2 hours ago, Ex-FAAWAFU said:

Clearly preparation for some sort of Open Day or Air Display.  Do you reckon they got away with the photo propped up under the nose claiming it’s an Apache, or did people notice?

1 hour ago, Biggles87 said:

Probably a “ proof of concept “ attack version, you can see the gun barrel under the nose.  

1 hour ago, Ex-FAAWAFU said:

And i bet that scoop on the side hides a missile launcher, too.  After all, James Bond had missiles on his autogyro

53 minutes ago, Spookytooth said:

Not forgetting the ejector seat!!!!

 

Simon

 Thanks chaps!

 

 

 

Not much more done as purchases arrived!±

This from Mrs B:

 

 

Crikey! Do I need goggles do you think?

If that's not bad enough:

 

 

"Use in a well ventilated room"? What could it be I hear you asking.

"Avoid contact with skin and eyes" - sounds scarier than the Skeeter!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bet you weren't expecting that eh?

"Use in a well ventilated room"

If 'the room' was well ventilated I wouldn't need the air freshener now would I? 🙄

[CedB]

Oh sorry, I have removed the top 'tube' ready for repositioning further up (as per General's orders):

 

 

I used to say 'WWND' quite a lot (What Would Nigel Do) and now I think I need another abbreviation… What Would General Melchett Do - WWGMD.

Not rude is it? No? Good.

 

This has just arrived:

 

 

I need to read the instructions, of course. Oh no, wait!

 

 

Oh, don't panic, turn the sheet over and you get the 'English' version:

 

 

How's your nether frame? No, don't answer that…

What about this though?

 

 

No idea.

[keefr22]

"nether frame and switch the knob...."

 

Fnaar...

 

[perdu]

I am willing to provide a translation for, in your case, a reduced fee.

 

it say

 

BE VELLY AFLAYED*

 

 

 

*It is not need to worry all will be well honored custodian

 

Use balls, do not cut self with axes

 

 

[corsaircorp]

Whaaat ?? One more tool ?? This one look vewy vewy Dr Who...

Is that a baby Dalek...?? 

CC

[rob85]

That’s a great tool you have there Ced....

 

nice update, I’m glad it’s you building this kit and not me 😃

 

Rob

[Ex-FAAWAFU]

Stochastic Steel Balls - the great lost Yes album

Edited February 8, 2020 by Ex-FAAWAFU

[CedB]

3 hours ago, keefr22 said:

"nether frame and switch the knob...."

 

Fnaar...

 

Indeed Simon, snurf snurf!  

2 hours ago, perdu said:

I am willing to provide a translation for, in your case, a reduced fee.

 

it say

 

BE VELLY AFLAYED*

 

 

 

*It is not need to worry all will be well honored custodian

 

Use balls, do not cut self with axes

 

 

Ah, sank you velly much Bill  

1 hour ago, corsaircorp said:

Whaaat ?? One more tool ?? This one look vewy vewy Dr Who...

Is that a baby Dalek...?? 

CC

You can never have enough tools CC  

Exterminate!

1 hour ago, rob85 said:

That’s a great tool you have there Ced....

 

nice update, I’m glad it’s you building this kit and not me 😃

 

Rob

Ooh, thanks Rob

25 minutes ago, Ex-FAAWAFU said:

Stochastic Steel Balls - the great lost Yes album

 Thanks Crisp.

 

 

I may have got horribly confused about this but, from what I can see on the reference shots, XL812 has three tubes down the side - top, middle (kit fine here) and a shorter one below that but NOT one right on the seam line.

I hope this is right as I've chopped 'em off:

 

 

WWGMD sanded down some rod.

How the heck do you hold tiny rod to sand it evenly on one side? No idea.

I think I might try a strip (of plastic, naughty) and rub the edges roundish once it's dried on.

 

I also want to try the vac former on the intake thingy.

I'd like a flat bit on the sides as per the 'real thing'.

Can I just stick some Plasticine in the inside (or BluTak?) and stick it on the bottom of the machine?

What's the smallest square of plastic I can get away with?

0.5mm sheet?

I plan to warm the piece with the hot air gun, flop it over the top of the part and hit the 'suck' button.

Will that work?

 

I really have no idea…

[Gondor44]

Hope you don't mind if I follow this seeing that I have one in the stash

 

Gondor

[corsaircorp]

Hello Ced,

When I have to sand tiny sticks, I put it on the sand paper or sanding stick, and move the parts on it.

There i a lot of these in the Fokker Dr I 

Sincerely.

CC

[Corsairfoxfouruncle]

8 hours ago, Ex-FAAWAFU said:

Do you reckon they got away with the photo propped up under the nose claiming it’s an Apache, or did people notice?

If you blow the photo up it shows this helicopter flying with the Apache in formation.  

[keefr22]

3 hours ago, CedB said:

Indeed Simon

 

I've been called many things but that's a first....

 

 Has there been wine...?

[keefr22]

3 hours ago, CedB said:

How the heck do you hold tiny rod to sand it evenly on one side?

 

I'd be looking to see if Evergreen did the right size half round rod first;

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Evergreen-Strip-Styrene-Rods-Tubes-Angles-Model-Scratch-Building-Plastic-Build/162924953066?epid=1404157223&hash=item25ef157dea:m:mgwsdMYzs5EzfkqjqaKFf8w

[Space Ranger]

21 hours ago, Aeronut said:

As one of the jobs I have to do later in the year is carry out a repair to the top canopy of XL812 the Historic Army Aircraft Flight's Skeeter, I can assure everyone on this thread that the canopy is a double bubble. The lack of this compound curvature in the kit's canopy was the main reason my kit sat unloved in the stash from the day that John Aero first issued it until last year when it was required for museum move planning use.

Interesting. Most of the photos I found (using Google's "Image" search command) appear to show a simple curved top canopy without a double bubble. Could that have been an option or a later introduction on the production line? As I said, I'm no expert on the Skeeter (or much of anything else), but I, too, have the Aeroclub kit and am always interested in learning more about this little helicopter.

[perdu]

Tail stiffeners

 

Find a piece of round rod of the same size as the ribs

Take flat, sharp Swann Morton blade in a holder

Put your strong non-gripping finger ( left or right, we're all different) on the rod

Gripping the rod on your work surface, board, best dining room tab...  Er not the table

Use the flat of the sharp blade to scrape away the half of the rod you do not need

Repeat until you have enough half round ribs for the tail

You get bespoke half round plastic stems and lots of curly sprue to add to your little bottle of 'Gloop'™

 

Simples

[Space Ranger]

2 hours ago, perdu said:

Tail stiffeners

Plastruct makes half-round rod, 0.030"/0.8mm. Item #90879, Cat. No. MRH-30. Perfect for this application. I bought some especially for this project.

[hendie]

10 hours ago, CedB said:

 

This has just arrived:

 

 

 

 

Ced - you may want to keep a fire extinguisher handy the first few times you use it.    The heating element is quite fierce - as is the vacuum.  They're great machines though (Fritag made me buy one a few years ago)

 

 

[The Spadgent]

19 hours ago, CedB said:

 

Five times I’ve read that.

Not a clue. 😳😬
 

 

Ps. Still needs it. 
I have (another) ten years in service gift voucher coming from work in the next few months. Mrs S says I should use it to buy something for me. 😛

Edited February 9, 2020 by The Spadgent

[perdu]

As (un)official translator(not) allow me to have a go.

 

I am going to assume the recess into which tooth moulds can be formed is relatively deep and the suction will pull down the softened plastic until it reaches the bottom.

 

Stochastic appears to mean random (in patterns) and applies to the manner in which these balls can be popped inside the mould recess to prevent over deep mould suction with the plastic deformation stopping at the balls.

 

Maybe

 

I think

 

Possibly

 

And in a randomly generated stochastic manner...

 

Maybe!

 

 

Ced it is to stop you wasting plastic.

 

Probably.

 

 

Maybe!

 

 

[CedB]

16 hours ago, Gondor44 said:

Hope you don't mind if I follow this seeing that I have one in the stash

 

Gondor

Of course not Gondor, all welcome  

16 hours ago, corsaircorp said:

Hello Ced,

When I have to sand tiny sticks, I put it on the sand paper or sanding stick, and move the parts on it.

There i a lot of these in the Fokker Dr I 

Sincerely.

CC

Thanks CC - good tip  

15 hours ago, Corsairfoxfouruncle said:

If you blow the photo up it shows this helicopter flying with the Apache in formation.  

Thanks Dennis - you're right of course; zoom in and the Skeeter's under the Apache.

That must have been scary!  

14 hours ago, keefr22 said:

 

I've been called many things but that's a first....

 

 Has there been wine...?

Awww, sorry Keith, my apologies matey  

14 hours ago, keefr22 said:

 

I'd be looking to see if Evergreen did the right size half round rod first;

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Evergreen-Strip-Styrene-Rods-Tubes-Angles-Model-Scratch-Building-Plastic-Build/162924953066?epid=1404157223&hash=item25ef157dea:m:mgwsdMYzs5EzfkqjqaKFf8w

Thanks Keith

I keep looking at the reference shots and the 'tubes' have skin over them that's riveted down. Perhaps I could use strip? Or am I just being lazy (as usual)?

14 hours ago, Space Ranger said:

Interesting. Most of the photos I found (using Google's "Image" search command) appear to show a simple curved top canopy without a double bubble. Could that have been an option or a later introduction on the production line? As I said, I'm no expert on the Skeeter (or much of anything else), but I, too, have the Aeroclub kit and am always interested in learning more about this little helicopter.

Thanks Michael  

Quite right. The old adverts certainly show a flat top.

I guess XL812 might have had an upgrade for taller pilots…

14 hours ago, perdu said:

Tail stiffeners

 

Find a piece of round rod of the same size as the ribs

Take flat, sharp Swann Morton blade in a holder

Put your strong non-gripping finger ( left or right, we're all different) on the rod

Gripping the rod on your work surface, board, best dining room tab...  Er not the table

Use the flat of the sharp blade to scrape away the half of the rod you do not need

Repeat until you have enough half round ribs for the tail

You get bespoke half round plastic stems and lots of curly sprue to add to your little bottle of 'Gloop'™

 

Simples

Thanks Bill - great help (but I may go for the strip)  

11 hours ago, Space Ranger said:

Plastruct makes half-round rod, 0.030"/0.8mm. Item #90879, Cat. No. MRH-30. Perfect for this application. I bought some especially for this project.

Thanks Michael  That does look perfect…

11 hours ago, hendie said:

 

 

Ced - you may want to keep a fire extinguisher handy the first few times you use it.    The heating element is quite fierce - as is the vacuum.  They're great machines though (Fritag made me buy one a few years ago)

 

 

Thanks hendie  As if it wasn't scary enough!

2 hours ago, The Spadgent said:

Five times I’ve read that.

Not a clue. 😳😬
 

 

Ps. Still needs it. 
I have (another) ten years in service gift voucher coming from work in the next few months. Mrs S says I should use it to buy something for me. 😛

Me neither Johnny  

If I get on with the plastic sheet forming this is going to 'come in' for more than just canopies I reckon.

1 hour ago, perdu said:

As (un)official translator(not) allow me to have a go.

 

I am going to assume the recess into which tooth moulds can be formed is relatively deep and the suction will pull down the softened plastic until it reaches the bottom.

 

Stochastic appears to mean random (in patterns) and applies to the manner in which these balls can be popped inside the mould recess to prevent over deep mould suction with the plastic deformation stopping at the balls.

 

Maybe

 

I think

 

Possibly

 

And in a randomly generated stochastic manner...

 

Maybe!

 

 

Ced it is to stop you wasting plastic.

 

Probably.

 

 

Maybe!

 

 

Thanks Bill. I think I get it. Probably I'll mess up a mould and then think 'balls'  

 

 

I'm in a bit of a loop at the moment.

I want to join up the fuselage halves and tidy the seams before I add the 'tubes'.

But I can't do that until I've cut any required holes and made sure the internals will go in afterwards.

 

I've cleaned up the floor and bulkhead:

 

 

…and done some planning on what needs to be done, using Libre Office's draw to make notes and add pictures (I have the full sized originals for details):

 

 

Scary.

[Brandy]

I agree with Bill about the balls being used to reduce the depth of the vacuum chamber. Still not sure about the radio bit though..

 "flop it over the top of the part and hit the 'suck' button." sigh... if only it were that easy......

 

Ian

[Biggles87]

Throw your balls in the air, said the jugglers. 

All together now.🎵

 

 

[perdu]

Ouch 😨😕😠😡😩😬😦😧😥😕😣😰😩

[hendie]

Ced, 

if I may interject... Bill's astuteness and translation skills are on a par with his modeling skills and he is 100% correct in his statement.

 

However...

 

please don't put your balls in the square recess!  The reason being that under that lies a big sucky thing.  Believe me, you do not want hot plastic sucked over your balls. It's not nice Ced.  It's really not.

It happened to me once (I followed the instructions) and I put my balls in a bag and have never exposed them to the light of day since.

What happens is:  The hot plastic gets sucked down by the scary vicious sucky thing and the softened plastic gets sucked most of the way around each of your exposed balls.

When the plastic cools - your balls won't come out!  Your balls are trapped.

Now you'll have to spend hours prising your balls out of the plastic.

and chasing them if they drop on the floor. 

You can use a knife to try and cut the plastic away but you still have to cut/prise out each one individually.

Try not to scratch your balls too hard as they may rust later though I don't suppose some light ball scratching should be fine 

 

 

Ced - keep your balls safe - you'll thanks me for it later

 

 

As I mentioned above - I put mine in a bag and stuck them in a drawer.