Paul Thompson Posted May 19, 2020 Share Posted May 19, 2020 FWIW, for PE stitching runs I put them onto a coat of Klear. You need to stay there and keep pushing it backdown until the Klear has started to cure, but after that 2 more brush coats will settle it well in place, and tone it down a bit, because even thin PE is really too thick for (most) stitching. Too late now, but you might want to try it another time. Paul. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gene K Posted May 19, 2020 Share Posted May 19, 2020 Great close up pictures . What photo apparatus are you using? Gene K 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProfSparks Posted May 19, 2020 Author Share Posted May 19, 2020 1 hour ago, Paul Thompson said: FWIW, for PE stitching runs I put them onto a coat of Klear. You need to stay there and keep pushing it backdown until the Klear has started to cure, but after that 2 more brush coats will settle it well in place, and tone it down a bit, because even thin PE is really too thick for (most) stitching. Too late now, but you might want to try it another time. Paul. Hi Paul, now that is a great idea! Consider it stored away for future use 1 hour ago, Gene K said: Great close up pictures . What photo apparatus are you using? Gene K Hi Gene, I just use an old Fuji Finepix FP70 (it says on the sticker) I got it years ago for holiday snaps as it could slip into a shirt pocket and didn't need ages to wind out its' lens. Cheers Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Thompson Posted May 19, 2020 Share Posted May 19, 2020 1 hour ago, ProfSparks said: Hi Paul, now that is a great idea! Consider it stored away for future use Cheers Steve Not mine originally, I hasten to add. The late. great Harry Woodman (although back in the seventies he'd use matt varnish) used the technique for any PE that didn't need to be rock solid. Paul. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gene K Posted May 20, 2020 Share Posted May 20, 2020 3 hours ago, ProfSparks said: I just use an old Fuji Finepix FP70 Works well ... old or new. Old Gene K 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProfSparks Posted May 22, 2020 Author Share Posted May 22, 2020 Hi All Moving below, I figured I might as well get her legs sorted before the decals etc, as there may be some patching up required. There is only the faintest indication for the location of the main struts, and a straight butt joint isn't going to cut it. Struts and floor pan drilled for short stubs of wire to strengthen the join This was also perturbing me, the full weight of the machine on a contact area BELOW the axle I stripped some fine wire and wrapped it round, should be hidden once the wheel is on? While collecting parts for spraying grey, there is the bar between the wings that the rigging passes through These parts are involved After some time (oh, how it flies when we're having fun), the parts were together I don't know how it will look under paint, but at this moment I'm not really that concerned any more. The whole upper wing forward location is dependent on the front cabane struts, as below They are in line with the front struts And the width of the fuselage apart Ah, that'll be more locating holes to drill then. The lateral position is fixed with that little pulley brace thing that I almost crumpled up and ate earlier. Anyhoo, apart from that, I got the other struts done Yeah, I know the grey bar should be the full length with the wood fairing taped to the rear, next time etc Comments and suggestions welcome Cheers Steve 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ted Posted May 23, 2020 Share Posted May 23, 2020 (edited) Looks really good, and I'm glad you're blazing the trail for those of us who build this kit in the future 🙃 Edited May 23, 2020 by Ted Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProfSparks Posted May 28, 2020 Author Share Posted May 28, 2020 Hi All On 5/23/2020 at 6:30 PM, Ted said: Looks really good, and I'm glad you're blazing the trail for those of us who build this kit in the future 🙃 Hi Ted, not blazing, but I'm merely plodging in the shallows with this one, hoping to not get my trousers wet. The final piece of this puzzle (so far) is the tail skid/rudder arrangement Ideally, it would just sit together like this The skid and the rudder balanced precariously on the point at which the bracing comes together Spoiler alert: Ain't never gonna happen After several lifetimes constructing various supports and frameworks along the lines of the originals (the closest being these) And several more lifetimes trying to get them to replicate the kit parts thus I decided to cut my losses and approach it from side on, or it would end up forever in the Cupboard of Eternal Neglect Thso, a cross support was fashioned thus Supported by another brace, also thus These will be left off until the coast is clear, for fear of being sacrificial Comments and suggestions welcome Cheers Steve 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ted Posted May 28, 2020 Share Posted May 28, 2020 Good problem solving. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProfSparks Posted May 29, 2020 Author Share Posted May 29, 2020 Hi All With the tail assembly possibly sorted, I started on the decals. These are very, very thin, and very, very brittle There was a triangle of carrier film between the 'arms' that I cut off before soaking the decal in warm water. I suspect that these were holding the whole things together, as getting them onto the rudder ended up being a bit of a jigsaw. I'll not show you the other side I left the larger ones whole, as I couldn't face hurling the whole thing at a wall so late on in the build. The upper ones aren't too bad amongst the camo But the underside ones may need some 'weathering' That's the worst I could get them in the light while they are wet, so hopefully once they've had a Flory wash and a matt coat they'll be less conspicuous. Comments and suggestions welcome Cheers Steve 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Masters Posted May 29, 2020 Share Posted May 29, 2020 I am enjoying this immensely. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProfSparks Posted June 2, 2020 Author Share Posted June 2, 2020 Hi All The eyes and teeth went on easy enough Although it looks odd in this photo, the eye surround is actually the same red as the teeth gums! I've drilled out the rigging holes at the base of the cabane struts, fed a length of thin fishing line through, and taped both ends on the engine bulkhead, so when the top wing is on I can attach the line to the top wing and pull them taught through the engine mounting hole. It's not that I distrust the Special Hobby structural integrity, but I don't. Anyhoo, everything is currently drying from a coat of Pledge in preparation for the onset of Flory. Comments and suggestions welcome Cheers Steve 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProfSparks Posted June 14, 2020 Author Share Posted June 14, 2020 Hi All The tyres were painted in an out of focus Vallejo grey that the number had worn off from And I had a look at the 'running legs' decals Although the carrier film is wonderfully thin, they're all in one piece, so out with a careful blade They're also slightly too long But that will all be covered by this Flory Sand wash I've got handy Splosh! A couple of days to dry off, then a slow rub down with a dry kitchen cloth gives a nicely grubby upper And a doped linen type underside That shows the extent of the carrier on the wing marking, but once it's had a Matt coat I'm confident it will blend in See, the wash hasn't even picked up on the outline Anyhoo, off to the spray box for a Matt Overcoat, then into the Isolation Box for it to all get real, then the wing assembly and rigging fun begins. Comments and suggestions welcome Cheers Steve 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProfSparks Posted June 22, 2020 Author Share Posted June 22, 2020 Hi All Returning from the Box Of Isolation, much fun was had trimming and fitting the turnbuckle ends Must admit that I do like the affect that Flory Sand wash has on the lower surfaces I put the gun on as I doubt it would survive fitting later Let's see how long it lasts anyway... I had planned on Maskolling the struts lower end into the lower wing while I fitted and glued the upper end into the upper wing, but there was a certain amount of twist and flex that made even my third hand insufficient So out they came again, and the top wing has been glued onto the cabane struts as a datum Once she's settled down I'll try to introduce the struts again. Comments and suggestions welcome Cheers Steve 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichieW Posted June 22, 2020 Share Posted June 22, 2020 Wow, I lost track of this build and missed a lot of excellent work. It's looking great Steve. I can't offer any suggestions as I don't think I could have managed what you have done so far. I must get some of that Flory sand wash! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProfSparks Posted June 24, 2020 Author Share Posted June 24, 2020 Hi All Guess how long that plan lasted? Nope, not even that long. Working from the outside in, one side at a time, the top of the struts were glued into the top wing Then the wing was taken off to repair the damage caused to the fuselage You'll notice the sight from the gun has had enough and is MIA I'll try to clamp the top wing back on and see where we are from there, this is it's last chance of not being used for a Gravity Test Scenario. Comments and suggestions welcome Cheers Steve 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichieW Posted June 24, 2020 Share Posted June 24, 2020 Keep at it Steve, your build has been beautiful and inspiring to see so far. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProfSparks Posted July 10, 2020 Author Share Posted July 10, 2020 Hi All Well, this one 's been off the bench for a while, and it's mostly because I have to gird my loins to come anywhere near it. Previously, I'd been "fixing" the top wing on, or so it seemed at the time. However, the kit would have several rebellions to this process, and is now pouting at my attempts. The front cabane struts were on and off quite a few times too, and I eventually concluded that they were a couple of mm too long in the leg. Fearing that I would keep cutting them into oblivion, I managed to attach them at a slight angle. The more determined modelers among you may have trimmed and fitted them square, but the D.II light was fading from my eyes. Those cross bracing wires are on, but the gun fouls one side and it's lop sided. But anyhoo, on with the wing rigging. I want it out of my Lab, and I need to use the stout metal ruler that the lower wing is pegged to to keep it flat. What sticks to CA? The turnbuckle came adrift, the hole was drilled out again as far as I dared (the wing is perilously thin), it was CA'd in, but it popped out once I had the other end secured. You'll also notice the wing is clamped (again) as the outer strut came adrift. As this looks likely to be a recurring theme, and I still have the undercarriage to contend with, it has led me to going to box it up for a little while. Possibly not for forever, but my enthusiasm for it has waned somewhat. Thanks for your company and encouragement, see you soon. Comments and suggestions welcome Cheers Steve 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marklo Posted July 10, 2020 Share Posted July 10, 2020 (edited) Love the build so far. Rigging can be tough, especially an something with lots of spindly struts, but the end result should look amazing. As you’re using eyelets and wire the result is somewhat structural. I’d be inclined to rig the cabane struts first then the cross braces between the pairs of interplane struts then the diagonal braces between interplane sets working on one side then it’s mirror image. that way each set of lines will balance the pull of the opposite set, if that makes sense. Edited July 10, 2020 by Marklo 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProfSparks Posted August 4, 2020 Author Share Posted August 4, 2020 Hi All Well well well, look what's happened I didn't mean to do this, but as I was trying out a UV Glue for another build, I sort of used this a Mule for that Mule. Totally converted to it for rigging. It was only £3.29 from FleaBay, didn't come with packaging, looked nothing like the photo of the branded item, felt like a pewter screwdriver, so I figured "why not?" Anyhoo, here it is, looks like Grünzweig is back on the menu! There are four remaining lines to do from the wings, they attach to the engine cowling, so on with the engine (remember that?) Might finish it yet... Comments and suggestions welcome Cheers Steve 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichieW Posted August 4, 2020 Share Posted August 4, 2020 Brilliant to see this back on the menu. The rigging looks excellent. The UV glue looks like a very worthwhile investment. I must investigate! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProfSparks Posted August 4, 2020 Author Share Posted August 4, 2020 4 hours ago, RichieW said: The UV glue looks like a very worthwhile investment. I must investigate! Hi RichieW, yes I can honestly say it's transformed my attitude towards the spidery task! The gloop stays liquid for ages on a bottle cap, you can put a dot where you want with the aid of a pin or snipped needle eye, you put the line where you want, and when you're happy you just shine the little LED UV light on it for 5-10 seconds. Firm, practically instant grip. And if you find it doesn't work for you, then for less than £3.30 it shouldn't keep you awake at night. I thought I might try the official branded stuff, but this imitation is doing ok so far. Cowling on and front rigging finished. I can see I will have to pay a bit more attention to the anchor point orientation and terminating the ends of the line Front legs next before I go for the tail Comments and suggestions welcome Cheers Steve 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProfSparks Posted August 6, 2020 Author Share Posted August 6, 2020 Hi All Even with pins through the legs into the body, it still feels fragile The instructions call for wires from the axle bearers straight to the opposite fuselage underside However, I put a slight variation of this, and anchored them to the bases of the trailing leg stays too This feels better, though still slightly fragile The tail went on no bother after the forward planning of tie wires and locating holes The last pieces of the replaced kit parts, the tail skid. Originally, these would all just come together to a single point with no contact surface area, and be held together by Art. Having run out of Art, I'd chosen to make my own sturdier frame from bent wire. These were tried on using Humbrol Practice Glue (also known as Maskol) The zenith was secured with UV Glue (how did I ever get anything done without it?) This was painted and fitted so the rudder could be placed in position and would just stay there because Special Hobby said it should No, I glued it, strung with that Uschi vdR elastic. Final push, just the little bits to go on now, the MG padding, the bullets feed, the prop... Comments and suggestions welcome Cheers Steve 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProfSparks Posted August 10, 2020 Author Share Posted August 10, 2020 Hi All The tail held itself together through the rigging of it too! Last piece that I'm doing is the feed for the MG08 That PE is to be folded in half and bent round the guide I thought this looked a little flat, so I started to experiment with short lengths of wire held together with masking tape. Suffice to say that this quickly became an exercise in diminishing returns, so the kit part was used You'd never know the difference. Aaand, at last, the prop I'll get some more pics before RFI, just in case the whole thing springs apart again. Comments and suggestions welcome Cheers Steve 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clive_t Posted August 10, 2020 Share Posted August 10, 2020 Ha, typical - I stumble across a fascinating build just as it comes to a close - I must have been perilously close to exhausting my daily allowance of 'likes' on just this thread alone! Full marks for the result, also for your determination to get it done in the face of some pretty daunting setbacks. Great work 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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