Westland Dragonfly HC4 - LF Models 1/72

[Martian]

Ced, I am surprised and not a little shocked at you going on about things drooping on sticks in polite company! 

 

Taken Aback of Mars 👽

[Mr T]

On 3/13/2021 at 10:17 PM, chrislowe said:

You what?!?

 

Mind well and truly blown.

 

Where? Who? How?

Mr Dissolved Putty and TET will do that to your mind if you sniff enough of it

Sterling work on the Dragonfly, although I have to say it doesn't look to be a much easier build than my Whirlykits one from last years GB. I am trying to think what I did with the rotor head on mine. I have a nasty feeling I might have fudged it a bit. 

I liked the Tom Leher reference, I first heard him at my Aunt Barbara's many years ago and have his three main albums on CD. Poor Aunt Barbara is still with us, but in a care home 70 plus miles away and I have not seen her for ages due to lock downs etc. 

Edited March 23, 2021 by Mr T

[The Spadgent]

What’s going on here? Drilling, sawing, scratch building, soldering. Super impressed Mr B. Amazing yet bonkers. 😀

 

Johnny

[Marklo]

Well this is as far as I’ve got so far. Not much of an aeroplane yet but would make a fine motorboat.

[Martian]

9 hours ago, Marklo said:

Well this is as far as I’ve got so far. Not much of an aeroplane yet but would make a fine motorboat.

Don't let me catch you speeding in that thing in Poole Harbour this season!

 

Captain Martian 👽

[Marklo]

3 hours ago, Martian said:

Don't let me catch you speeding in that thing in Poole Harbour this season!

Well there are a number of reasons that won’t happen.

 

a. I have no idea where Poole harbour is or how to get to it.

 

b. With the snails pace at which we are getting vaccinated we’re unlikely to be able to go more than 5 kilometres from home this decade.

 

c. It’s only a foot long ( @CedB I believe that’s your cue)

[CedB]

On 23/03/2021 at 11:45, Heather Kay said:

You know the 70° still melts at 150°, right? It strikes me the first successful soldering wasn’t using a solder with a high enough melting point. 
 

I work with 390° for "normal" high temp solder, such as 60/40 resin cored electrical. 180° for low melt solder. 

Thanks Heather

Yep, 'melts at higher than…' was in my head but, to be honest, I think these parts are too tiny for my shaky hands (see below)

 

22 hours ago, perdu said:

Listen to the lady Ced. Soldering might be the salvation of this job.

 

Or trust Gator's Grip, Also very good for these things.

Thanks Bill  

I'll use GG next time on small things I think.

Worth a try though to further identify my inadequacies.

 

22 hours ago, hendie said:

in addition to the sage advice above.  When I have to solder several small bits in proximity to each other, I try to do it all at once - sticking everything on to some blue-tac to hold things in place while I melt the crap out of it

Thanks hendie - great idea!

I used that for attempt #2 which was more successful:

 

 

 

Except that 'solder flows towards the heat' this time meant the PE as well - I've lost one of the smaller cranks.

It's made me cranky.

 

22 hours ago, AdrianMF said:

You wouldn't catch Heather using technical terms like that...

22 hours ago, Heather Kay said:

Dont you believe it! 

 

22 hours ago, AdrianMF said:

I was wondering if you are looking for a rod with a crank at each end if you couldn't just bend some brass rod and then file down the end bits to make a crank?

 

Regards,

Adrian

Thanks Adrian

The PE is beautifully formed, if tiny, like this:

 

 

 

That's the best one.

Given the size though I think 'The Baron's technique' for such things is appropriate - do your best and if anyone tries to look too closely, poke 'em in the eye with a rotor blade

 

21 hours ago, hendie said:

 

or he could buy invest in a 3D printer, learn CAD, and print his own?

 

Software (and more importantly my) abilities still to be tested. I still have the wish list…  

 

20 hours ago, giemme said:

More tools? Who, Ced? 

 

   

 

(Like I don't buy new tools every now and then....   )

 

Ciao

19 hours ago, perdu said:

Now I am really confused, can anyone remember where we started this?

17 hours ago, Marklo said:

Wasn’t it something to do with an insect?

 

17 hours ago, Marklo said:

 

I must take note of this discussion as I need to make some fairly complex strut arrangements for my Oertz( wahey ??) and my CIX and so far my soldering attempts have been pants.

 

The rear fuselage assembly looks like it’ll need to be made from soldered brass rod.

Oooh, interesting!

Obviously I'm not the one to take soldering tips from…

 

16 hours ago, Martian said:

Ced, I am surprised and not a little shocked at you going on about things drooping on sticks in polite company! 

 

Taken Aback of Mars 👽

Ah, the Dragonfly whilst painting… I'm afraid disappointing droops come to us all…

 

16 hours ago, Mr T said:

Mr Dissolved Putty and TET will do that to your mind if you sniff enough of it

Sterling work on the Dragonfly, although I have to say it doesn't look to be a much easier build than my Whirlykits one from last years GB. I am trying to think what I did with the rotor head on mine. I have a nasty feeling I might have fudged it a bit. 

I liked the Tom Leher reference, I first heard him at my Aunt Barbara's many years ago and have his three main albums on CD. Poor Aunt Barbara is still with us, but in a care home 70 plus miles away and I have not seen her for ages due to lock downs etc. 

Thanks Mr T

Me too, sort of - my introduction was from an older cousin probably forty plus years ago and I'm still a great fan.

 

15 hours ago, The Spadgent said:

What’s going on here? Drilling, sawing, scratch building, soldering. Super impressed Mr B. Amazing yet bonkers. 😀

 

Johnny

Thanks Johnny

Another small helicopter.

Some people never learn…

 

14 hours ago, Marklo said:

Well this is as far as I’ve got so far. Not much of an aeroplane yet but would make a fine motorboat.

4 hours ago, Martian said:

Don't let me catch you speeding in that thing in Poole Harbour this season!

 

Captain Martian 👽

1 hour ago, Marklo said:

Well there are a number of reasons that won’t happen.

 

a. I have no idea where Poole harbour is or how to get to it.

 

b. With the snails pace at which we are getting vaccinated we’re unlikely to be able to go more than 5 kilometres from home this decade.

Poole Harbour is great.

Worth a trip, especially to see the aliens  

 

1 hour ago, Marklo said:

 

c. It’s only a foot long ( @CedB I believe that’s your cue)

Fnarr! I'm not cutting mine in half for anyone!

Boom boom tish.

 

 

What else?

More fiddling with little results to see.

The mesh bag from Daughter's wedding was unstitched:

 

 

That's a new pair of Pixnor's from the packet.

The other tinned ones are staying with the soldering kit.

 

Now, the little bag had sugar almonds in it.

I guess that needed some material that things wouldn't stick to.

Not GG.

Not PVA.

Eventually I had to use Revell Contacta.

The stuff's also practically invisible, especially if you drop it on the cutting mat.

 

Anyway, it's in:

 

 

Anyone who gets close enough to realise it's not quite straight will get a rotor blade in the eye!

[hendie]

that's another fine mesh you've gotten in too, Ced

 

 

[giemme]

26 minutes ago, CedB said:

Anyone who gets close enough to realise it's not quite straight will get a rotor blade in the eye!

Well, yes, I can see it's not quite straight... luckily I'm very much socially distant from you, COVID or not.... so no poking my eye with a rotor blade        

 

Seriously, it looks the part

 

Ciao

[Heather Kay]

50 minutes ago, CedB said:

Worth a try though to further identify my inadequacies.

Think of it as a skill you haven’t mastered yet. It took me a couple of years building brass and whitemetal kits to feel I was anywhere near confident with the hotting stick. If you felt it worthwhile, I’d be tempted to get some scrap brass of varying sorts and practice sticking them together with solder until you felt happy.

[Martian]

3 hours ago, Marklo said:

Well there are a number of reasons that won’t happen.

 

a. I have no idea where Poole harbour is or how to get to it.

 

b. With the snails pace at which we are getting vaccinated we’re unlikely to be able to go more than 5 kilometres from home this decade.

 

c. It’s only a foot long ( @CedB I believe that’s your cue)

Poole Harbour is on the south coast of England and the largest or second largest harbour in the world depending on who you talk to. 

 

"Its only a foot long" stop boasting!

 

Martian 👽

 

 

 

[Marklo]

5 hours ago, Martian said:

Its only a foot long" stop boasting!

Ok I’ve been rumbled, eight inches. The real thing is 10200mm according to my plans.

Edited March 24, 2021 by Marklo

[CedB]

8 hours ago, hendie said:

that's another fine mesh you've gotten in too, Ced

 

 

Thanks hendie

 

8 hours ago, giemme said:

Well, yes, I can see it's not quite straight... luckily I'm very much socially distant from you, COVID or not.... so no poking my eye with a rotor blade        

 

Seriously, it looks the part

 

Ciao

Thanks Giorgio

 

7 hours ago, Heather Kay said:

Think of it as a skill you haven’t mastered yet. It took me a couple of years building brass and whitemetal kits to feel I was anywhere near confident with the hotting stick. If you felt it worthwhile, I’d be tempted to get some scrap brass of varying sorts and practice sticking them together with solder until you felt happy.

A couple of years! Crikey, I'd better start practicing…

 

5 hours ago, Martian said:

Poole Harbour is on the south coast of England and the largest or second largest harbour in the world depending on who you talk to. 

 

"Its only a foot long" stop boasting!

 

Martian 👽

17 minutes ago, Marklo said:

Ok I’ve been rumbled, eight inches. The real thing is 10200mm according to my plans.

 

 

Before I Araldite the rotor, I'd better check:

 

 

Phew.

First bit secured:

 

 

Now I can turn it over, insert the shaft (careful) and glue it all up.

Gulp.

[AdrianMF]

There should be a “we are not worthy” reaction option. Sublime brassplastastic wrangling sir!

 

Regards,

Adrian

[The Spadgent]

Brilliant. Also you just reminded me I need some of those tweezers. 😀

 

Johnny

[stevehnz]

Nice work Ced, but I am definitely going off these.  

Steve.

[giemme]

7 hours ago, stevehnz said:

Nice work Ced, but I am definitely going off these.  

Steve.

Agreed, on both accounts  

 

   

 

Ciao

 

 

[CedB]

10 hours ago, AdrianMF said:

There should be a “we are not worthy” reaction option. Sublime brassplastastic wrangling sir!

 

Regards,

Adrian

Thanks Adrian - very kind

 

9 hours ago, The Spadgent said:

Brilliant. Also you just reminded me I need some of those tweezers. 😀

 

Johnny

Thanks Johnny - Well worth the pennies 

 

8 hours ago, stevehnz said:

Nice work Ced, but I am definitely going off these.  

Steve.

Me too Steve, me too

 

58 minutes ago, giemme said:

Agreed, on both accounts  

 

   

 

Ciao

 

 

Thanks Giorgio  

[CedB]

Last night I watched the first of 'The Maze Runner' films. Just my sort of thing.

Tense though. There was wine.

 

Perhaps that's why I decided to Araldite the rotor head before bed?

 

 

Mix mix, dob dob:

 

 

See any problems?

No?

Good, me neither.

On with the top plate then:

 

 

So off to bed it was…

 

This morning:

 

 

Looks OK?

Well, that was a carefully posed photo.

If you look at the first photo you can maybe see that one of the shafts has twisted.

Drat.

Wish I'd seen that before the Araldite set.

I've cheated by moving the damper but that's left the rectangular bit at an angle.

Double drat.

Can't be bothered to fix it and it won't show, much.

 

Ready to paint so better check the fitting:

 

 

Ah, it doesn't.

Drat drat drat drat!

 

I've had enough of problems for now so this will be put aside:

 

 

…and I'll see if playing with any of these bits increase my enthusiasm:

 

[AliGauld]

13 hours ago, AdrianMF said:

There should be a “we are not worthy” reaction option.

That pretty much summarises my felling on this.

Such amazing work is a pleasure to watch.

 

Cheers,

Alistair

[corsaircorp]

A bit late to the Game Ced !!

Glad that you remember the CC specialities....

Let's see if 2022 will allow me to get back in SMW !!

Really good job on your Libellule....

I got 2 on the bench... Including a Fonderie one 

Now you resparked my interest for "Da beastie"

Sincerely

CC

[CedB]

On 25/03/2021 at 12:14, AliGauld said:

That pretty much summarises my felling on this.

Such amazing work is a pleasure to watch.

 

Cheers,

Alistair

Thanks Ali, very kind

 

On 25/03/2021 at 13:00, corsaircorp said:

A bit late to the Game Ced !!

Glad that you remember the CC specialities....

Let's see if 2022 will allow me to get back in SMW !!

Really good job on your Libellule....

I got 2 on the bench... Including a Fonderie one 

Now you resparked my interest for "Da beastie"

Sincerely

CC

Thanks CC

Let's hope 2022 sees us at SMW again and I'll prepare for the rocket fuel!!

 

 

Some bits black Flory'd:

 

 

We can have some better shots when I've wiped it off (fnaar!)

 

Transfers on:

 

 

Not many of them so just dobbed some DecalFix on them.

Of course one of the 'Beware of Tail Rotor' folded itself in half.

Floated in water and it opened up.

Lifted it out with the tweezers and it wrapped into a mess.

Floated in water and it opened up.

Slid onto a blade in the water and carefully lifted it out.

Phew.

 

I think the serials are pretty straight but hard to tell on the bendy back

Once they're dry I'll flat coat ready for a Flory wash.

[Brandy]

I'm still hoping for this year at Telford...

 

Ian

[Terry1954]

My customary late catch up Ced, and great to see you mastering the art of soldering. I noted @Heather Kay's point earlier regarding low melt solder being perfectly capable of being melted with a much hotter iron! Indeed, my current distractions away from here have me soldering up white metal locomotives again and I'm having to use a fixed temperature iron (390°C), but am still able to happily solder white metal with low melt solder (usually 70 or 100). The trick is to be quick! That said I do plan to get a variable temp iron at some point soon.

 

What a great looking helicoptor this is!

 

2 hours ago, Brandy said:

I'm still hoping for this year at Telford...

 

Me also Ian. Hard to judge how things might be, but am planning for the positive, Not sure I could cope with missing two Telfords in a row!

 

Terry

[CedB]

16 hours ago, Brandy said:

I'm still hoping for this year at Telford...

 

Ian

That would be nice Ian but, remembering the crowds, I think I might skip it this year

Also, my favourite bit is the 'after party' and I'm not sure it'll be as much fun with masks…

I may be persuaded though if things are getting 'back to normal'.

 

14 hours ago, Terry1954 said:

My customary late catch up Ced, and great to see you mastering the art of soldering. I noted @Heather Kay's point earlier regarding low melt solder being perfectly capable of being melted with a much hotter iron! Indeed, my current distractions away from here have me soldering up white metal locomotives again and I'm having to use a fixed temperature iron (390°C), but am still able to happily solder white metal with low melt solder (usually 70 or 100). The trick is to be quick! That said I do plan to get a variable temp iron at some point soon.

 

What a great looking helicoptor this is!

 

 

Me also Ian. Hard to judge how things might be, but am planning for the positive, Not sure I could cope with missing two Telfords in a row!

 

Terry

Thanks Terry

I should have made it clear that the idea of using different melting points was so that I could do one end (high melting point) and then the other (low melting point).

Of course hendie made all that unnecessary by saying it can all be done at once!

 

 

Last night, tail rotor painted, main body Flory washed:

 

 

This morning, Flory off:

 

 

 

I still need to decide how to mount the rotor head but then I think I can do a final varnish coat and stick on the rest of the bits and PE.