johnlove_mk_II

Just sent off the motor mount parts to Ponoko, should see them mid-March. It'a basically a couple of plates with a cruciform support between them. The round holes are for 5.5mm brass tubes. I'll be drilling LVM motors to accept the next smallest diameter tubes, they should slide right into place. May be a little over-kill, but it should be very robust. Full steam ahead.

Yes, still using the Silhouette. I find that it's really good for transferring patterns to sheet, to cut-out later ... but for actually cutting out parts, it leaves a little to be desired. I think the blades get dulled pretty quickly with the styrene. I'm actually working on the engine support structure for the S-IC stage - that will be going to Ponoko for cutting. For structural stuff I think they're great, but since they charge by the "laser-inch", the detail stuff can get really expensive quickly. Luckily the heat shield I cut out a few years back will fit perfect

I guess it's only slightly "out-of-box" ... well, truth be told, it’s really similar to the prior idea. The "stack" in the post above is based on the drawing posted below. So for the LV itself, I'm really only using 4 kit parts. For the S-II aft / interstage / S-IC forward kit parts I'll be adding stringers, between the kit stringers, to have the proper amount. I thought this would be the best way to be able to separate the stages like I was wanting. I am using my own wraps. The art is mostly complete, so all I have to do is adjust them for the slightly smaller

Last Friday Night I had never actually seen a Dragon Saturn V in person until last Friday night. It was really impressive, even with all the imperfections. I could feel the ”want” and “need” starting to bubble up from a deep dark place. I started thinking maybe I could just buy one one of the ready-mades to display, just to tide me over, until I could get my colossal 3D model printed. Then after weighing the options, I thought why not just build the kit I have already. Maybe a OOB build. It wouldn’t take too long, and I think I’d do a slightly better job tossing it together th

A stark reality begins to settle in. Here are the Shapeways costs per part … yikes. S-IVB forward skirt, FUD - $43.71 S-IVB aft skirt, FUD - $39.23 Interstage and S-II forward skirt, ADP - $190.72 S-II aft / Interstage / S-IC forward, ADP - $503.19 S-IC Intertank, ADP - $200.76 S-IC aft, ADP - approximately $250-ish That's $1,227.61, just for the cylinders! :wacko: I may need to start shopping around, or wait until 3D printing become way less expensive. Surely at some point in the future I'll be able to print out a few hundred of these for like 50¢, right? ;)

Polygons upon polygons upon polygons ... Detail of the brackets.

Got started on the S-IC intertank area last night. It took a lot longer to get to this point than I thought it would, but I think it works well. I need to figure out how to attach to the tank areas and include the brackets that attach to the LOX and Fuel "Y-ring" assemblies. These just might be the death of me.

Thanks guys. Moving on down the stack. Started on the basics for the SII aft skirt, Interstage and SIC forward skirt. These are just the test runs, I may have to rethink a few interface areas, but all in all I think it will work well. Stackable parts. Here’s the SII, as it would look with the Plastruct. I scaled up the 1/144 thrust structure model, just to get an idea.

Took a little sabbatical from cutting plastic to rekindle my interest in R/C aircraft. There’s a lot of fun new technologies to play with and I’ve been having great fun flying and crashing stuff. Now I’m getting that itch again, and with the 47th anniversary of the moon landing having just recently passed, I started thinking of my 1/72 Saturn V project again. A little history I've actually been obsessing on a large Saturn V model since childhood when I first came a across a Revell 1/96 kit at one of the local hobby shops. It was a History Makers release, If I recall correctly it cost 65 bu

Yeah, I was encouraged by how well the 1/144 parts where coming out, so I decided to go for the gusto and start designing for the 1/72 model. The plan is to utilize the dragon bits from the IU up to the LES, and scratch the rest using 3D printed parts, and Plastruct tubing and domes. It’s going to be hella expensive but with the time saved from laying all those stringers, I might actually complete it. I also think that I’ll try to make some of the parts compatible to be used with the full Dragon Saturn V, for those that just want to dress-up their kit.

As a matter of fact, that's what I'm currently working on.

Looks great Hot dog. Mike's SLA is looks really nice. If you do ever decide to add the S-IVB 200 thrust structure I do have that available now too. You can see it here.

Very, VERY nice! I love the look on the OMS pods.

For what it's worth ... My workflow still begins with a 2D program. I'll sketch out the bits and shapes I need, then export as dwg. Import to Rhino and build the parts. It's a little backwards, but it's way faster than fighting 20 years of Adobe/Aldus Illustrator habits. This ... ... becomes this.

Two very interesting solutions ... I'm certain this is why my blankets never looked "right".

I have these, and although they're kinda thick they're very well done. Fisher 1/72 SSME nozzles with OMS goodies.

Hi Zac, Funny you should mention ... what with the variants being so close I've kinda been toying with the idea of a TMA and maybe a Zond too. Here's a little TMA sketch.

That's exactly what I though when I was drawing them. I did give them a little reduction though ... they looked a little too bulbous when compared to the photos. :) Here are two of the larger thruster assemblies for the hat. I was working form other peoples drawings and the very limited photos I've collected. It's not 100%, but it in the ball park.

Started adding in the details of the "Pinocchio hat".

Here's a stab at the descent capsule windows. I've read there's only one in the LOK, but I'd like to get more info before I commit to that. Working out rough details with minimal information, it's hella fun. :) Oh ... don't worry Hot Dog ... I've been working on the Saturn V too. When the cost of 3D printing gets a little more reasonable, I'll be ready.

So I finally got around to buying the "N-1: For the Moon and Mars" book from ARA press. It's a great book, I highly recommend it. Read it, in it's entirety, over a few nights … their whole approach was fascinating. I couldn't help it, I had to see what a 1/32 Soyuz LOK would cost to print, so I threw this together. I think it would be a great compliment to the CSM and LM I'm currently building. Here's the general part layout. (Looking a little like a parted out Pinocchio.) At any rate, I've got a serious case of the MADD, Modelers Attention Deficit Disorder.

Got most of the major ascent parts. Took a cursory look quickly last evening and they look pretty darn spiffy, i can't wait to actually get started. Vincent did an amazing job mastering this thing.

Here's a ink to the pdf.

Oh good, I'm making a note of that ... I prefer to spray acrylic too. Docking window looks fabu, making note of that as well.

Restart After seeing the ascent stage parts Crackerjazz purchased, it got me to thinking of my project so I decided to pull out the assemblies and have a look. Being the impressionable lad that I am, I thought I might take this project back up for a while. So I dropped some change and purchased the main ascent stage parts. (Nothing says commitment like spending $150 bucks on more parts.) The great news is they actually shipped out yesterday, so I should have them in hand soon. Descent Stage Kapton - Mark II The 5mil kapton, that I applied earlier, I just couldn't get it to look like I