Space Shuttle Launch Pad 39A with Challenger STS-6 (1:144)

[spaceman]

Hello folks,

today I once tried the transparent template and started the piercing for the support brackets on the LH2 TSM. In order to position the template exactly as possible next to the pipe bundle, I have them cut on one side about 1 mm from the pre-punctured row of holes.

In order to reasonably safe handling, I had to put the TSM in a proven way flat and clamping the holding arbor in my special mount and additional support at the left end.

Then I first pre-punctured the outer base point for the lower support bracket 3 mm above the TSM bottom and fixed the template on one side with a steel wire (0.3 mm). After alignment of the template then the outer base point for the last upper support bracket was pre-punctured and also fixed with a steel wire.

In this position, I then carefully pre-punctured the remaining base points, so as not to slip.

And this hole pattern was the result,

and so roughly, I had imagined the procedure, although a little tricky, but doable.

Then came the LOX TSM to the series. This has on the outside also a ladder with center strut, only the free space here fortunately is somewhat larger.

Otherwise the procedure is the same, so first marking the base points and then pre-puncture the holes with applied template.

And here the first six of the nine support brackets are temporarily plugged.

So far for today with the first piercing round.

Edited June 25, 2014 by spaceman

[niart17]

Incredible work as always Spaceman. Your process is just as educational as your model itself. I am just curious about one thing though, and perhaps you've addressed this already. But why not just attach the support brackets on the ladders first and then glue that assembly to the towers? Seems like it would be easier to work around and space them correctly there instead of around all those delicate details. I'm sure you have your reasons, I just didn't know what it was.

Keep up the great work! I am inspired yet again.

Bill

Edited June 25, 2014 by niart17

[spaceman]

Thanks Bill for your kind words and continued interest.

You've guessed it, I had asked this question some time ago, when you look back 4 weeks, (p. 43, # 852 ... 854) ...

But it was a pity that apparently nobody was interested in my question for the better variant.

Accordingly, I had decided first to glue all supports firmly into the holes on the TSM and then carefully glue the previously painted ladders, step by step on the supports.

The other variant with gluing of the fragile compound of complete painted ladders with the support brackets into the prepared holes seemed to me as impractical.

[spaceman]

Hello folks,

despite the hot k.o. matches at the Soccer World Cup that keep me pretty from building, I want to send a small sign of life from the TSM building site and show that it continues, albeit slowly.

After I started to insert the first six support brackets for the ladder on the outside of the LOX TSM, the missing three supports are now temporarily plugged that are not yet glued in order to test the ladder fit.

And with the ladder placed it actually looks quite good, I think.

Although the fit is still not precisely fixed, the distances between the support brackets agree quite well with the rungs, respectively, and that makes me hopeful for the final assembly after painting.

Speaking of paintwork, the guys in the paintshop but have actually made an operational break to let supposedly change the filters. Well, who's believed ... World Cup is only every four years.

[crowe-t]

Manfred, The ladder looks perfect!

Mike.

[spaceman]

Thanks Mike for your nice words.

Hello all together,

in order to bridge the time before the semi-final showdown against Brazil tonight, here a few quick pictures of the other ladder preparations. After I made the fitting of the ladder on the LOX TSM yesterday, here is the test on the LH2 TSM. For this, the support brackets were inserted into the pre-punctured holes again and their height balanced with the spacer profile.

And this ladder lies good so far on the support too, as you can see.

So, now I must come to the ladders on the service-flap boxes, which are much less accessible for marking the holes of the supports with the help of my template. To place the template on the narrow boxes similar to the side faces,

I had to devise a suitable support for the TSM again. So I've made ​​two spacer blocks made ​​of balsa, a longer part that fits with height just below the box, and a second part as support on the TSM top. The lower side is as usual fixed by the holding mandrel clamped in the vise.

And so the TSM should then lie reasonably stable to apply the template and pre-puncture which each 12 holes for the support brackets, because a little pressure is necessary to apply when pre-puncturing the holes in the balsa core.

That is all for today.

And last not least, our Team Germany has made ​​history tonight and sensational sent home the host Brazil 7:1, unbelievable but true!!!

F I N A L

Thank you friends for the fingers crossed.

[crackerjazz]

Looking good! And an unbelievable match that was!

[Youngtiger1]

Holy cow...incredible work all around.... :gr_hail:/> :gr_hail:/> :gr_hail:/>

[spaceman]

Looking good! And an unbelievable match that was!

Thanks crackerjazz for your nice words.

Yep, this game tonight was the bright madness - Made in Germany - and will go down in Soccer history.

Three goals in 2:58, simply incredible, gigantic, fantastic!!!

[spaceman]

Holy cow...incredible work all around....

Thanks Youngtiger1 for your kind words and stay tuned.

[spaceman]

Hello folks,

now we are on aim and finally got our fourth star, I have known it.

We are World Champion!

[bubble]

congratulations !!!

[spaceman]

Thanks bubble for your congratulations!

On days like this one wishes infinity ...

[spaceman]

Hello dear friends,

thank you once again for all the good wishes and congratulations.

In this sense, cheers on a horny World Cup with our team and the 4th star!

BTW, there is still place for the 5th star ...

[spaceman]

Hello all together,

yep, hard to believe but there is actually also a life after the awesome World Cup, and therefore it should now go on totally relaxed, especially since nobody can take away from us the 4th star.

And so now to the final countdown with the TSM ladders on the service-flap boxes, at which I am afraid that their assembly probably could be a little tricky because of the different lengths of the support brackets.

Here you can see both TSMs with on-hook ladders, and if you look closely, perhaps can be seen that the ladder on the right TSM is longer than the left, and this has its good reason.

How fortunate that I have again looked at the original photos exactly, because the four PE ladders for the boxes I had already cut, and indeed all of the same length, and I've been always emanated from this image here.

Source: NASA

As can be seen on the ladders extend on the rear of the TSMs approximately over the length of the boxes, since the pipes of the SSWS run underneath.

But on the TSM front the ladders extend up to just above the SSME Blast Shield and are thus a bit longer, which I only now became really clear.

Source: NASA

Just as well that I have compared again and was able to correct.

Next, I've made two sketches with the positions of the base points of the support brackets for the front side (left) and back side (right),

and thus created transparent templates for puncturing the holes for the base points.

With the the template for the front side then I punched out the two outer base points and located it with pins.

Then I've punched out the remaining four holes on the box.

But now came the more complicated part of the exercise, the puncturing of the holes behind the box. In order to avoid any possible shift of the template, I have first fastened it in the holes on the box with acupuncture needles (0.2 mm). Then I've gently punctured the holes behind the box.

Then I trial basis plugged into the first support bracket, which can be seen here with the spacer,

and here now freestanding.

Well, that was actually a pretty tricky business, but all in all quite feasible. Long enough I had fiddled at the solution, now I have to repeat the same act "only" three more times ...

Edited July 20, 2014 by spaceman

[crowe-t]

Outstanding job Manfred!

Mike.

[spaceman]

Thanks Mike for your nice words,

these tiny ladder details put my patience to a hard test, and therefore it's better to hang in then to give up ...

[egt95]

This is just incredible work, Manfred. What method do you use to secure the PE's together. One of my on going projects is the U.S.S. Constellation (CV-64), which is the carrier I served on in the 1990's. I bought a PE set for the island and other areas on the flight deck. One of the problems I have is securing them to the model or to each other. Do you use CA glue with a fine tip or do you use another method?

Keep up the great work. It looks amazing. :jaw-dropping:/>

Mike

[spaceman]

Thanks Mike for your nice compliments.

I'm amazed, that you have served on the U.S.S. Constellation (CV-64), and very interesting that you are building this carrier now.

Now to the sticking problem of the PE's to each other or on other materials.

For this I principally use CA glue, but in my experience, it depends on the thickness of the PE's.

For most of the very thin PE's like the TSM ladders with about 0.1 mm thickness, I use a low-viscosity CA, and for thicker parts in the range > 1 mm a more pasty CA, it's a kind of CA gel. And for application of the CA glue I use my thin acupuncture needles (0.2 mm). This has the advantage that you can bring so very little CA drops to the contact point, because the wetting of such a thin needle is very low.

I also have a very good CA glue with a thin tip, which is used for jewelry applications.

Source: www.glitzerperlen.de

The drying time of about 10 min. should also be more advantageous for sticking delicate PE parts, as you can still adjust to the position. Only the threading of the cap with the thin needle (left) into the thin tip of the tube is somewhat tricky. Moreover, the dosing is somewhat difficult because the glue will continue to flow without being pressed, so I have to try even more.

[spaceman]

Hi folks,

it still goes on with the ladders, on and on ...

Today, I have now tried on the remaining 5 support brackets on the front, but I can tell you, my nerves are slowly bare.

As has been found out quickly, the holes punctured with the 0.2 mm diameter acupuncture needles were too small for the insertion of the 0.2 mm support brackets, so funny as that may sound. But there is just not enough clearance for moving the longer and the shorter bracket leg into it.

On the one hand, on the other hand I also had to find that the holes were not punctured deep enough so that the brackets could not be pushed far enough up on the spacer (1 mm), and have been partially bent.

That's why I then used a steel wire (0.3 mm) and punctured the holes a little bit deeper into the balsa core, after which the insertion of the brackets was a little easier. But still you have to be extremely careful here that you do not bend those thin things.

You need just for everything only a certain amount of practice, but as soon as I luckily give not up.

And in the end I still have placed the ladder in order to get an overall impression. And ever seen but not bad, right?

But, all this was only just dry firing, the sticking of the supports and of the ladders with CA glue after painting then certainly becomes the highlight, before I shudder to think already now ...

But since I have to go through, no matter what the cost ...

[spaceman]

Hallo together,

above each ladder on the boxes, there are still these additional 4 rungs here, making a total of 16. And these rungs I'll still need to install before mounting the ladders, as long as I can lay down the boxes on the balsa block. Because if they are then attached only once, nothing more is with touch or lay down.

Source: NASA

Also for these rungs I made myself a little template for puncturing the holes, because as from the cupped hand is nothing at 2 mm sprouts width and 2 mm spacing.

And then I have bent the 16 rungs from 0.2 mm brass wire.

Then came the tricky application of the template and puncturing the holes, but this time all in the smallest space. As you come quite nicely into trouble with the needles, as you can see.

And here are the first four rungs are trial basis inserted.

Dealing with these tiny rungs in the tweezers is somewhat arduous, and before you know it, a rung is sometimes disappeared never to be seen again, but with the necessary calm and patience that's still doable.

As far as short for today, then all a great weekend!

[spaceman]

Hi there,

now also the back of the LOX TSM got adapted the four upper rungs.

That's it for today.

I'm today namely stumbled upon picture material from the first shuttle years (1981-85), which I did not know, and had naturally to spot and then back up what even so takes time.

[spaceman]

Hello friends,

on the merry acupuncture! Caution, today it's really going under the skin! There is missing still a lot of holes for the support brackets and rungs to the TSMs, and since only help acupuncture needles and a steady hand! :blink:

Since these fine needles (Ø 0.15 mm) can bend it very easily when puncturing the holes, it is advisable to puncture first with a slightly thicker needle (Ø 0.25 mm) in a solid holder, and then the applied transparent template with the acupuncture needles to fix hole for hole. With the stiffer needle in the holder succeeds much better, especially the holes behind the box perpendicular puncture down and not obliquely to put what is important for uniform spacing of the rungs-foot points.

On the front of the LH2 TSM I had started this ordeal, and therefore it was now with the acupuncture fresh and lively on the back on a total of 12 needles for the 6 support brackets of the ladder.

And here's the same procedure on the front of the LOX TSM, but the differences presumably probably will not notice,

and here on the back.

It is important to sufficiently deep redo the holes, in order to later facilitate the insertion of the support brackets, here on the front of the LOX TSM,

and here on the back.

I know that these images are quite confusing and your patience have put to a severe test.

But that's still not enough, now there are the holes for the missing rungs on the LH2 TSM, both on the front,

and on the back.

So, folks, I hope that it doesn't tweak somewhere under your skin, but it's now the end of the acupuncture spook, and if I have not miscounted, that was a total of 52 holes.

Okay, I would have you also can save all and should present only the fully assembled ladders, but then you would have escaped some of my stress and strains.

BTW, I now have during posting itself must be careful to not confound the images because of the many needles ...

[SkyKing918]

on the merry acupuncture! Caution, today it's really going under the skin! :coolio:/>/> There is missing still a lot of holes for the support brackets and rungs to the TSMs, and since only help acupuncture needles and a steady hand! :blink:/>/>

Since these fine needles (Ø 0.15 mm) can bend it very easily when puncturing the holes, it is advisable to puncture first with a slightly thicker needle (Ø 0.25 mm) in a solid holder, and then the applied transparent template with the acupuncture needles to fix hole for hole. With the stiffer needle in the holder succeeds much better, especially the holes behind the box perpendicular puncture down and not obliquely to put what is important for uniform spacing of the rungs-foot points. :rolleyes:/>/>

Where does one obtain acupuncture needles (in the US) if one is not an acupuncturist??

[spaceman]

You can find in ebay lots of acupuncture needles, look here.