crowe-t Posted July 19, 2011 Share Posted July 19, 2011 I almost forgot about about the attachment rings being attached to the ET. It does make for a strong attachment point. I'm sure you'll have no problems working around that. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
MarkD Posted July 20, 2011 Share Posted July 20, 2011 (edited) I see. Yes please photos of how you filed the stringers into that panel please. It would be very helpful also on my unbuilt ET. I just started painting mine, but not building it yet. Uh, I noticed the ET acess door and LH 2 vent panel are in the wrong location. My apology, but I noticed this when looking at this photo of the actual tank. http://homepage.mac.com/georgegassaway/GRP/Scale/ShuttleData/STS_47/47INTE-1.JPG No big issue, just move the stringers cut from the new location to fill in the old. Here is a photo of the foam ramp below the ET struts. http://homepage.mac.com/georgegassaway/GRP/Scale/ShuttleData/ET_Photos/STS-32%20ET-32%20nov%2089.jpg The difficult part would be the stringers on the thrust panels of the SRBs. They are thinner than the main stringers of the tank. Here is the SLWET that has them uncovered. http://homepage.mac.com/georgegassaway/GRP/Scale/ShuttleData/ET_Photos/KSC-98PC-0518_LITEET.jpg The model kit, all shuttle ET kits have the depiction of the old SWET with the thrust panels filled with foam. Edited July 20, 2011 by MarkD Quote Link to post Share on other sites
niart17 Posted July 20, 2011 Author Share Posted July 20, 2011 I see. Yes please photos of how you filed the stringers into that panel please. It would be very helpful also on my unbuilt ET. I just started painting mine, but not building it yet. I see, so just curious, you paint your tanks before you build them? Or are you saying that you just started detail painting the shuttle components and haven't started the kit? I didn't get a chance to post an image yet, but basically what I did was lay a straight edge even with the rib I wanted to continue and using a triangular file I "scribed" the channel until it got as wide and deep as the rest of the ribs. It's a bit tricky getting the edges to be smooth and blend but it's not too hard. Bill Quote Link to post Share on other sites
crowe-t Posted July 20, 2011 Share Posted July 20, 2011 Bill, Did you have to prime the ET before applying the Rustoleum textured paint? Mike. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
niart17 Posted July 20, 2011 Author Share Posted July 20, 2011 No I didn't prime the tank. I probably should have so I could have checked the seams a little better but I wasn't sure about compatability over other paints and was getting too impatient to do a test spray to see. So far it seems to be holding up fine without the primer though. Bill Quote Link to post Share on other sites
niart17 Posted July 21, 2011 Author Share Posted July 21, 2011 Here ya go MarkD, a photo of the repaired ribbing area. It's a little more noticable in person but not too bad. I think with a coat of paint it will blend in pretty nicely. Bill Quote Link to post Share on other sites
MarkD Posted July 21, 2011 Share Posted July 21, 2011 Awesome. PM me with tips on how you did that? Well making resin copies makes a bit of a mess and waste of resin not used. all that's left is the stringer detail on the thrust panels as I mentioned before. As to how...*shrugs* Quote Link to post Share on other sites
niart17 Posted July 21, 2011 Author Share Posted July 21, 2011 Yeah, I've been rattling my brain trying to figure out practical way to reproduce the stringers on the sides. To add to the mystery, on the real thing it's not just vertical stringers but there is also a pattern with some horizontal stringers as well. If ANYONE can come up with a simple (or reasonable) solution for that it would be greatly appreciated. Bill Quote Link to post Share on other sites
SR10user Posted July 21, 2011 Share Posted July 21, 2011 I'm new to ARC and just coming back to building models after about a 15 year break. With all the Shuttle news recently, this thread caught my eye. I really want to build a shuttle stack eventually. I found this video which is very inspiring. I didn't see where anybody posted it, but if it has been posted, I apologize. Niart17 this is an amazing build so far, and thank you for sharing your techniques and research. Dave Link to video. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
niart17 Posted July 21, 2011 Author Share Posted July 21, 2011 Hey Dave, WELCOME to ARC! I'm glad this thread got your attention. If it inspires you to build a model (space shuttle would be even better) then it definately has served it's purpose. Poke around the forum and have a great time. It's one of many valuable resources on this new fangled innerweb thing. When you get ready to start building again, post your progress here, It's always good to see other's work. Bill Quote Link to post Share on other sites
MarkD Posted July 21, 2011 Share Posted July 21, 2011 (edited) The only way I can see making the smaller stringer detail by sanding down the area until it's the same as the larger stringers, then adding plastic strips one at a time. That's the only solution I got. Here is a reference photo http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Ahv8WzFBSxQ/TO2EGGboooI/AAAAAAAACHQ/Pid-wGKizXI/s1600/et-crackSTS133.JPG Edited July 21, 2011 by MarkD Quote Link to post Share on other sites
crowe-t Posted July 21, 2011 Share Posted July 21, 2011 (edited) I think Jay added the smaller stringers to his STS-117 stack the same way. By sanding the sides and adding the individual ribs. I seem to remember seeing the smaller stringers on his ET. I'm sure when he reads all this he'll have a couple of good ideas. BTW, Dave, Welcome to ARC. You'll enjoy this build thread. Bill's adding very nice details to this stack kit. Edited July 21, 2011 by crowe-t Quote Link to post Share on other sites
MarkD Posted July 23, 2011 Share Posted July 23, 2011 You know on the horizontal stringers you mention niart17. I think those are foam filled strips. Similar to the foam panels seen on the old external tank inter tank design. I mention that as in a photo I saw of Columbia's STS-3 tank being transported, I saw no horizontal stringers. http://homepage.mac.com/georgegassaway/GRP/Scale/ShuttleData/MSFC/8217298_STS-3.jpg This photo of STS-2 can give good reference for the thickness of the SRB thrust panel stringers to the rest of the inter tank. http://homepage.mac.com/georgegassaway/GRP/Scale/ShuttleData/StackCloseups/SRB_Nose_Scan.jpg Quote Link to post Share on other sites
catfan Posted July 23, 2011 Share Posted July 23, 2011 has any body thought of pining this topic and making it a guied for this kit . like on the problems that might com up and how to get past them to make a good shuttle Quote Link to post Share on other sites
niart17 Posted July 24, 2011 Author Share Posted July 24, 2011 (edited) has any body thought of pining this topic and making it a guied for this kit . like on the problems that might com up and how to get past them to make a good shuttle Wow, ummm... thanks, but I don't know if this thread is worthy of being pinned. I mean I do want it to be full of good information that anybody can feel free to jump in and add their input, tips, comments and what not. Sort of like an on going committee meeting about building my model. But there is always that chance (more often than not unfortunately) that I may take FOREVER to finish this model and having it pinned may aggrivate some people to no end waiting for it to get done. Besides, there is an excellent pinned thread already about space shuttle models in general that are chocked full on information. I hope that one keeps getting more and more info put in. But thanks for the vote of confidence and feel free to add whatever you'd like to. Bill Edited July 24, 2011 by niart17 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Jay Chladek Posted July 24, 2011 Share Posted July 24, 2011 There is a pinned shuttle topic already that details can be added to as they come up. The information in there has been collected over about a two year period. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Patrick J McCarthy Posted July 28, 2011 Share Posted July 28, 2011 (edited) Bill, Unbelievable progress so far. I have been watching your build for a couple of days now. Keep up the good work! Don't stop now because you're almost there! (Well not really but either way, don't stop!) I just wanted to see if you ever found a solution to your photo etch problem. I have looked around and have not found any photo etch for the 1/72 stack kit. Do you know of any or are you just going to have yours made? Same with the decals. I can't find any that are going to be as detailed as yours. Good luck, keep us posted! Patrick McCarthy Texas Edited July 28, 2011 by Patrick J McCarthy Quote Link to post Share on other sites
niart17 Posted July 29, 2011 Author Share Posted July 29, 2011 Hey Patrick, welcome to ARC. Thanks for keeping up with the build, I hope I can keep it going and half the quality I want to achieve. In regards to the photo-etch, as far as I know (and I could be wrong) there is only the payload bay photo etch parts that I believe Realspace(?) produced. I think there are a lot of areas of the stack and the orbiter itself that could benefit from a photo-etch set. I might layout stuff such as roll-outs for the SRB nose cones and upper sections with the proper rivet details, the SRB skirts have a lot of detail as well, the orbiter's windows and of course the payload bay details. Also the umbilical panels and ET tank mounting interface panels. I don't know if I'll ever get in to the position of being able to have them made but it would be fun to lay them out regardless. If one wanted to get really ambitious you could photo etch the under belly tile pattern on real thin brass and glue that to the bottom. That might actually be a good comprimise between decals and a full rescribe job. But it would definately be some very large plates and cost prohibitive I'm sure. As for the decals, I'm still working them out and adding things here and there. I don't know how they'll turn out but if anyone is interested in having them produced I would be more then willing to work out a deal and provide the artwork. Again, not sure if it's a feasible risk vs cost idea though. Anyway, check back. Hopefully I'll have some progress soon. Bill Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Jay Chladek Posted July 30, 2011 Share Posted July 30, 2011 Concerning the stringers on the sides of the intertank, I used Plastruct half round strips of 40 thousands thickness (I can't recall exactly how many I used per side). These would be MRH-40, part number 90880. You will need at least two packages to do one tank, but three is better unless you want to use leftover shorter length pieces to cobble together full length ones in spots (I had to as I ran out of my proper cut ones about 3/4ths through the process of gluing them on). Quote Link to post Share on other sites
MarkD Posted July 31, 2011 Share Posted July 31, 2011 Never rush the model dude, no matter if those who request it want it done. Believe me, it will not look good in the end if you hurry up. How did you remove the stringers for the locations the ET access door and GUCP go on the inter tank? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
niart17 Posted July 31, 2011 Author Share Posted July 31, 2011 I removed the stringers by using a flat e-xacto blade and just carefully chisled them away. Once I had a good square formed I just finished them off with some sand paper sticks. Pretty simple really. Bill Quote Link to post Share on other sites
MarkD Posted August 3, 2011 Share Posted August 3, 2011 I'll do that for my kit. I see using Evergreen's 1.0mm K-1 plastic trips for the thrust panel stringers. You'd have to sand down that area so when you do put the strips in, they are flush even with the larger stringers. It's the only option I can see for a realistic look. I might do this with the new kit's tank. The two older kits are stuck as is. I don't want to ruin the older tanks. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
niart17 Posted August 3, 2011 Author Share Posted August 3, 2011 I'm actually thinking about trying something if I get the guts to give it a shot. I'm going to glue some stips on to flat sheet plastic. Then carefully remove the whole SRB mounting panels, first carefully marking the mounting locations and transfering them and use some strong brass tubing to mount the SRBs. Then back the edges of the resulting holes with a sheet plastic rim around the opening. Then hopefully I can carefully graft the new panels in place curving them to shape and all should be nice and smooth...in theory. I just don't know if I want to risk messing up the tank. But ya know what they say, no risk no reward. What do ya'll think? Bill Quote Link to post Share on other sites
niart17 Posted August 4, 2011 Author Share Posted August 4, 2011 (edited) Ok, I've done some more work on my decal sheet. With a lot of very helpful input from Crowe-t I think I'm getting closer to it being fairly accurate and extensive. I still have some more work to do of course though. Here is the sheet that is to be printed on clear paper. This isn't a hi-res shot of it so keep that in mind but it should give a decent idea of where I'm going with it. I'll post more progress with this as well as the model whenever I can get to it. Thanks and any critiques, comment and suggestions...ya know, they're welcome. Bill Edited August 4, 2011 by niart17 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Jay Chladek Posted August 4, 2011 Share Posted August 4, 2011 (edited) They look good. The manholes and yellow SRB covers might be better done as parts though as opposed to decals on flat surfaces. Plus, your colors are going to be just another moving target as to ET tank foam colors and they likely won't match a paint shade used on the tank itself. The yellow rescue and warning logos could stand to be brightened to more of an insignia yellow IMHO as they look a little too zinc chromate to me. I LOVE the side hatch decals as these appear to be among the best I have seen (the ground processing one is a nice touch). But they will likely need to be backed in white as the markings will disappear over a black painted surface (which could be problematic for the ground processing decal with those thin tape strips). I would also maybe nock out the simulated glass on the side hatch and leave it clear for the clear window to come through. If there is no window on the model (or it got filled and sanded flush) that detail can always be simulated with clear smoke tint to represent a smoke tinted window (or a clear one where the interior is dark). As for the name plates on the wings, are you making these for wurm era shuttles or Meatball ones? Reason I ask is when the orbiter names got switched from the left wing to the right one, they also grew in font size slightly. So if you are trying to use them for both, they will be too big for one or two small for the other. And of course Challenger didn't have the bigger name as it was lost long before the meatball paintjob was added. Enterprise never got repainted with the meatball logos either (although I suppose it still could be, depending on what Intrepid decides to do to it, which would be sacriledge if they did repaint it to look more like a modern flight orbiter). Edited August 4, 2011 by Jay Chladek Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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