johnlove_mk_II
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Posts posted by johnlove_mk_II
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Hi K2Pete. I've already signed the poll. I think I may have been number 9 or 10. Hope we get to the 15 needed.
Aussie-Pete - Those look really nice. I still may actually try to create my own F-1s with the thermal batting applied. I have a pattern from the previous Saturn V project that I may yet try to finish and cast. Seems a shame to not use it.
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That 50th anniversary is fast approaching – it’s time to get crack-a-lacking and push to complete these before July 31st. Doable? Quite. Will it actually happen? One can only hope.
Went to the LHS and got a fresh supply of Evergreen 131 strips so I can continue the process of gluing the extra stringers on the forward S-IC skirts. Once these are all in place, I’ll start on the interstages … and then on to the S-II aft skirts. Oh what fun.
Those stringers are tedious little things but the more I add the faster I'm getting adding them. You can also see the new LOX vent parts I had cut at Ponoko. They’re not perfect, but they’re much closer than the first ones I had cobbled together. Onward.
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Looks great.
I know I've said it before, but I REALLY need to get a 3D printer.
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Darn. I was hoping Airfix would have re-released the Saturn IB too. I wanted to squirrel a few away for future projects.
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I believe the duct and corresponding hardware were removed before flight and the hole was cover with a structural plate of some sort for launch.
I know this detail flummoxed me for quite a while, there's very little info that I've been able to find that describes it well.
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I think the mystery port at position "I" is the "Emergency Fuel Drain". It was only used during test firings while on the stand.
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Started adding the external details to the S-IVB and the interstage. APS packages, tunnels, and other assorted protuberances. I'm currently working on the trust structure and finishing up the retro motors for the interstage.
If you're curious about the inside of the S-IVB to S-II interstage check this out. (Google street view from Puerto Rico.)
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This is, as they say, the complicated bit.
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Been working on this a little more lately. Looking at the possibility of completing the model and having it constructed before the fiftieth moon landing anniversary next year. (along with like three other projects. 😬) Currently I'm exploring ways to print the parts without having to spend a small fortune, so I decided to give the Shapeways Processed Versatile Plastic a try.
I printed the S-IVB forward skirt as a test and the results weren't particularly great. I wasn't too familiar with the material or processing involved, but the "processing" basically removed most of the surface detail. I'm thinking I can alter the parts slightly by enlarging stringers to preserve the edges and to print the skirt sections in regular Versatile Plastic and any surface details with the fed/fud plastics.
Test print. Bad.
I did stack the test part with the Plastruct tubing and Dragon SLA/CSM/LES. It looks impressive from a distance, just not so much up close – so there is hope.
So close.
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That's beautiful.
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Just unboxed my test print and I can confirm that the polishing process pretty much obliterates the surface details. It looks like I'm "back to the drawing board" as they say.
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Wow, that heat shield looks amazing. Great work!
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Out of curiosity I just purchased one of my designs for testing.
It's a hollow cylinder about 90mm x 45mm with 1mm walls, cost was around $20 US.
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I just ordered a test print of something rather large in the White Processed Versatile. The price difference between the two was less than $1 for that part.
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This is very interesting.
Hey Hot Dog, do you have a picture of something printed with the versatile plastic?
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Tiny rivets.
Thinking that I've found the material I'm going to use to represent the ascent stage covering. K&S metals sells a rolls of .005" aluminum sheet that is think enough to handle embossing rivet details with my Rivet Master set, but not too thick as to appear off scale.
Rivet Master from UMM-USA. (Swiss made!)
Many sizes to satiate one’s retentive nature.
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Went to storage last week and brought this little guy home. I always just go there to quickly drop off boxes, but always manage to rummage around in all my "cool" stuff rekindle inspiration. So now, I guess I'll be working on this for a little while.
5mil Descent Stage Kapton - Mark III
Earlier I had recreated 5mil kapton by using a dark orange mylar balloon and adding a layer of half mil kapton. The color seems to match pretty well and its far more flexible than actual 5mil kapton. The second iteration (see previous post) was just a octagon cut slightly larger than needed to help facilitate the proper wrinkling effect. It looked good, it just didn't fit quite right. I revised the template and now have this.
I'm going to experiment with some different adhesives before I install. I also think that I'd like to get the other vertical and top areas figured out be for I start installing ... you know, do it all at the same time.
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WOW! That looks really REALLY good!
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Wow, those prints look really good. I take it the fairings are next.
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That price isn't bad at all ... can't wait to see how it performs.
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Finally got around to trimming down the Dragon tank and skirt parts for the S-II stages this weekend. To trim them I used a Dremel drill press, with a diamond wheel cutter, with the press assembly turned 180°. I adjusted to the height I wanted to make the cut and then slowly rotated the part while the blade cut. Aside from a few gouges with the first cut, It worked surprisingly well.
I just need to clean up the melted plastic and do a little finish sanding and we should be able to proceed to the next steps.
A lot of plastic "slag" to clean, but the cut is perfectly square.
The start of a couple of properly proportioned S-II stages.
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Thanks Bill. Yeah, I know all too well about the "all planning and no execution" methodology. I've been guilty of that for most every project I've ever attempted. Honestly that's kinda the motivating factor behind building this very project. I was getting tired of not having anything to show for all the time spent working on all this stuff. I need some instant gratification.
I guess I shouldn't be too hard on myself. With all the research and drawing I've done, when I do get the opportunity to 3D print one, I'll be ready.
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Very nice work.
Wow, I REALLY need to get myself a 3D printer
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I couldn’t really do any construction work this week, but I did figure out how I’m tackling the S-II stage.
Planning before you start cutting – that’s important. (Still working on the aft skirt details, so this drawing is incomplete.)
I will be using the aft skirt and tank parts and will use a section of one of the donor kit’s skirts for the forward skirts. For the aft skirts I’ll strip the top 16mm of the stringers off, the attach it to the tank and sand as smoothly as I can. I’ll then cover the area with styrene sheet to represent the raised insulation as well as to cover the seams. I’ll then remove the top 8mm of the tank and mate it with a 35mm section of the donated skirt. That should give me a pretty fair representation of the S-II. You can take a look at the unfinished plan here.
I’ll be adding the extra stringers to the aft skirt and will also add the smaller “intercostal” stringers to the forward skirt. The forward skirt stringer count will be off, but it should look reasonable, and will mate up with the S-II/S-IVB interstage which also has the wrong amount.
Surface details like the umbilicals will be laser cut. Antennas will be cut on the Silhouette. I still haven’t decided how to build the LH2 fairings and other aft skirt protuberances … maybe a 3D printed “masters” and then resin cast.
I drew these a few years ago. They’ll likely be used for the master.
I drew these a few years ago … they’ll likely be used for the master.
As far as the thrust structures, J-2s and forward tank – that’s the next egg to crack.
Apollo 11 50th Anniversary - Kit (re)Releases
in Real Space Modeling
Posted
Interesting ... that LM looks a little Dragon-esque