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


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  • 2 weeks later...

Hello everybody,

 

well then, let's start 2019 with fresh power and full motivation. top.gif 

 

In the old year I had still registered in the Dental laboratory ChiliDent for another ultrasonic cleaning, in order to clean the Early LWT Intertank (FUD) of the support wax. 

 

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Last Friday I visited the Dental lab, 

 

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wherefore I packed not only the IT but also all Track Shoes and Main Sprockets, in order to speak about their still pending cleaning. top.gif 

 

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The cleaning in the ultrasonic bath took place again under the same conditions as the first time with TICKOPURR 60 (20 %) at approx. 70 °C, whereby I turned the flat lying IT every half hour by 180°. 

 

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In the interim, I've read further in Scott Phillips's book Remove Before Flight, which I can really recommend because it's easy super.gif, and was even provided by the nice guys with espresso and fresh soda.  bow.gif

 

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Here is an image of the IT after 2 h cleaning, on which unfortunately one can not see too much, rolleyes.gif at least but so much, that still some areas remained with wax residues, so cleaning was continued for a total of 4 h.

 

X02I96.jpg     

 

After that, the IT had adopted the familiar white color, which is generally a sign that all wax remains are removed and the IT is completely cleaned, which can be seen very nicely in these images.  speak_cool.gif

 

rTbvMX.jpg 

 

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And with this result, I was then more than satisfied and could ride home after appointment for the next cleaning. cool.gif

 

And here are a few shots of the clean IT after my return, on which one also can recognize well the details of the Close-outs. top2.gif

 

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And even in the provisionally installed state, the IT looks really good.  

 

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Here again for comparison the uncleaned tank after Shapeways' delivery, which this time, unlike previous prints, had strangely felt rather oily, which I was wondering about. smiley215.gif

 

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Now this IT really fits to the original Lightweight Tank (LWT) ET-8, as flown for the first time during STS-6, which finally satisfies me absolutely - All's well that ends well.   up040577.gif

Edited by spaceman
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  • 4 weeks later...

Hello everybody,

 

after a short detour to the moon in the year of the 50th Anniversary of the first Moon landing by Apollo 11 in our German Raumcon Forum, in order to comment on the events around Paul Van Hoeydonck's unique sculpture "Man in Space", which was laid down on the moon by David Scott  during Apollo 15 mission as "Fallen Astronaut" along with a plaque with the fourteen names of astronauts and cosmonauts who have died in the pursuit of Space exploration, 

 

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Source: BILD (Ken Glover) 

 

I'm back on track again. cool.gif

 

Today I want to start with the preparations for the creation of the wavy SOFI Ring Structure, for which I famously wanted to apply a combined Flour&Strip Method. top.gif

 

Last summer I had first determined the shape and then the geometry of the SOFI Texture and started with first preliminary experiments, s. Posted July 24, 2018

 

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For the starting pattern (left) that time I had glued single rings of 1 mm wide Rai-Ro-Tape next to each other onto my ET dummy and used a magnet strip loop of Evergreen strip 0,25 mm x 0,5 mm as a spacer.

 

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In the meantime, I also got me the required different width masking tapes and thought about some more patterns. cool.gif

 

For the 2nd pattern I have successively glued single turns of 0,75 mm tape and in between at the same time as spacer a black 0,5 mm tape as continuous spirals (Barber pole), which was rather tricky, smiley_worship.gif

 

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but has worked well nevertheless.   speak_cool.gif

 

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For the 3rd pattern I've glued Evergreen strips 0,25 mm x 0,75 mm in the same way by using MEK, which are thicker than the used Tape strip (about 0,1 mm).

 

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Before the Flour test, the spacer tapes (0,5 mm) are removed again.

 

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For the 4th pattern I have glued onto the 0,75 mm tape one more layer 0,5 mm tape, to get something more thickness, and for the 5th pattern I have cut some 0,75 mm wide strips of Evergreen Sheet Styrene (0,1 mm) and glued them also by using MEK with 0,5 mm spacing.

 

9hKCuQ.jpg

 

Next up follows the Flour test by using spray glue, which I am very curious about.  up040577.gif

Edited by spaceman
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Hello everybody,

 

the ingredients for the Flour orgy are ready and waiting for their application. cool.gif

 

SYKOQN.jpg

 

The flour is fresh from the supermarket, and the Pattex spray glue I have precautionally tested once more, because I did not use it for a long time, but it still glues like hell!  eek.gif

 

But now I have to go to the basement, because here I ultimately want to continue with building ... top.gif

 

That's why it could then also start soon.  up040577.gif

 

Now I just have to think about how I can hold best the Dummy when spraying and sprinkling with flour ... smiley215.gif

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Thanks Joe for looking in on me again, :worship: but I'm not afraid of big animals ... 00000016.gif

 

Hello friends,

 

in the meantime, I came up with the following solution for handling the Dummy ET idea1_2.gifand imagine a simple small holding jig from cardboard, much like a Rotary spit for suckling pigs, the dummy being the suckling pig. top.gif

 

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Source: chefkoch.de

 

For this I will fill the Dummy tube on both sides with Styrofoam and insert a rod. And then I'll turn this spit slowly by hand, both when spraying with the Spray adhesive and during the subsequent dusting with flour, that's all. up040577.gif&key=327a20a361d18ad6d35cabf

Edited by spaceman
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Hello friends,

 

and thus from the idea to the practical implementation, this is my Hi-Tech Holding jig for dusting the ET Dummy with flour, which looks cool, right? top.gif

 

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I do not want to win a Designer prize, i5684_no2.gif and so the purpose justifies the means!  up040577.gif

 

Therefore, please keep all available fingers pressed that the test works well.  JC_doubleup.gif

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Hello everybody,

well then let's go into the cellar bakery and get to the sticky Flour pleasure. eek.gif So that not everything is made sticky afterwards, I have precautionally covered the environment with foil. 

 

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For a more even flour application I used this sieve instead of the small shovel, which is very suitable for this.  speak_cool.gif

 

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And then the Pattex Adhesive Spray was applicated, whereby I've turned the Dummy slowly several times during the spraying process. 

 

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The spray layer looked strangely flaky, rolleyes.gif whereat I've wondered about, especially because I remembered the image of the formerly used UHU Adhesive Spray which looked somehow more fluidly ... smiley215.gif

 

After the photo, I've immediately taken up the flour sieve. While I was shooting the Dummy, I then sprinkled up a lot of flour and subsequently pressed it lightly with my fingers. 

 

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Then I've gently tapped the Dummy around with my finger, causing much of the flour to fall off. 

 

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So now I let stand the whole thing once over night, so that the glue can dry through. top.gif 

Here is a close-up of the first two patterns, where one can still recognize the stripes of the cover tape. 

 

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In the meantime I've taken the LH2Tank and started to remove this Pressurization line, which had not existed on the ET-8 during STS-6. That was pretty good doable with the Chisel cutter,

 

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whereby it is advantageous to put the blade with the slope downwards to produce no unsightly nicks.  

 

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Tomorrow I will then remove the excess flour with a brush and present you the result of this Flour test application, which I myself am very curious.   up040577.gif

Edited by spaceman
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I'm still watching  ...  :thumbsup:   :popcorn:

 

This is such a unique solution, putting the test piece on a spit, and then using flour ... I'm curious to see the results too!

And seeing all that clear wrap all over, after applying the flour, was it really that messy?

 

Pete

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Hello everybody,

 

these are some photos from brushing off the excess flour, whereupon the patterns have reappeared. The long-haired soft brush was perfectly suited for it, and I was amazed how easily the flour was removed. top.gif

 

594GY5.jpg

 

And this is how the cleanly brushed Dummy looks like with the following patterns:

 

1 - single rings of 1 mm Tape, distance 0,5 mm,

 

2 - single turns of 0,75 mm Tape, distance 0,5 mm, as a continuous spiral (Barber pole),

 

3 - single turns of Evergreen Strips 0,25 mm x 0,75 mm, distance 0,5 mm, as a continuous spiral,

 

4 - single turns of 0,75 mm Tape, distance 0,5 mm, on it one more layer  0,5 mm Tape, as a continuous spiral,

 

5 - single turns of 0,75 mm Evergreen Sheet Styrene (0,1 mm), distance 0,5 mm, as a continuous spiral.

 

And now to the evaluation, whereby it is to be noted that all patterns will still be leveled a little bit by the following priming and airbrushing.  cool.gif

 

After that, I think the Patterns 2 and 4 are most likely to be considered, as well as possibly also Pattern 5, which correspond with the geometry (width, distance, thickness) of the SOFI Texture I had previously estimated on the basis of original photos.  up045518.gif

 

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Pattern 3 seems to me to be a little bit too much raised because of the thickness (0,25 mm). rolleyes.gif

 

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On this image, the thicknesses become a bit clearer.

 

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And here is once more a comparison of the Dummy with and without the flour structure, which I also have imagined more or less like this and which I like quite well. 

 

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As I said, a better impression one will receive only in the primed and painted state and only then can be made a final choice. hmmm.gif

 

And now I'm curious about your opinion of how you see it.  up040577.gif

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Thanks Phil for your nice compliment. :worship:

 

You mean that the flour might be too coarse, right? This flour structure will surely appear even more leveled after priming and painting and therefore still a bit more realistic, I hope so. up040577.gif

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That should help tone it down and hopefully enough. I know when I painted my 1/72 tank I had no idea on how I was going to get a slight texture back on the tank after sanding all the pre moulded off. Someone suggested to me to heat up my the room I was going to spray in, crank the air pressure right up and spray it from a distance. The paint was almost dry when hitting the tank and gave a real fine texture to it that I was pretty happy with for the size of the ET. You could also give that a try perhaps if the current test doesn't go to plan?

Edited by Wombat
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Hello everybody,

 

since during my first test the Pattex Adhesive Spray came out of the spray nozzle in a strangely flaky way, today I did another Flour test with the UHU Spray Adhesive,

 

MyEARJ.jpg

 

wherefore I've applied again the Pattern 2 (right) and Pattern 4 (left) on the rest dummy, which are my favorites so far. cool.gif

 

Pattern 2 - single turns of 0,75 mm Tape, distance 0,5 mm, as a continuous spiral (Barber pole)

 

Pattern 4 - single turns of 0,75 mm Tape, distance 0,5 mm, on it one more layer  0,5 mm Tape, as a continuous spiral

 

FeFkr7.jpg

 

Then it went back to the flour cellar. huh.gif

 

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This time around, the application of the spray adhesive looked more regular and smoother than when tested with the Pattex Adhesive Spray and was by no means flaky, but as homogeneous as I remembered it,  

 

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as one can see here again at a slightly higher magnification. 

 

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Then I've besprinkled the the Dummy again with flour from the sieve, while turning the dummy, and then lightly pressed the flour with my fingers.

 

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And so looked the Dummy then after the knocking off the loose flour, and I think the result looks already more even than the first test. top.gif

 

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After the glue will has been dried through, the remaining flour is then brushed off tomorrow, and then I can make a comparison. up040577.gif

Edited by spaceman
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Hello everyone, 

now I can also take a closer look on the result of the 2nd Flour test. spiegel-smilies-0002.gif

And my first impression when spraying the UHU Spray Adhesive did not deceive me. The floured surface of the Dummy looks much smoother and more fine-grained after brushing off the loose flour than with 1st Test with the Pattex Adhesive Spray, which I had suspected.  cool.gif Presumably, the Pattex adhesive was not quite okay and the application worked so flocky.  rolleyes.gif

 

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Maybe I should have sprayed a little more glue, so that more flour would have stuck, because the layer is indeed nicely even, but looks relatively thin. smiley215.gif

 

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On this image one can see very nicely the different heights of the two patterns, whereby the Pattern 2 rests relatively flat and the doubled Pattern 4 looks more like the half-rounded form of the SOFI Pattern, which might even prove more favorable in terms of the final look after priming/varnishing, depending on how much of the texture is covered by the primer/varnish.  huh.gif

 

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A close comparison of the patterns of both tests is somewhat difficult to accomplish due to the removal of both Dummies and the focusing of the autofocus, rolleyes.gif 

 

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but on this image one can clearly see the finer and more homogeneous coating of the 2nd Test (right).  up045518.gif

 

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And since today the white Vallejo primer has arrived too, I can now prime both dummies, 

 

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and then one will see, what will be left to see from the patterns under the Flour surface, whereon I am again very curious. up040577.gif

Edited by spaceman
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Great experimentation, Spaceman. I feel this is leading to a favorable result.

 

If you still do not have a satisfactory texture after spraying the primer, might I suggest a second application of the spray adhesive + flour? I think you are getting close.

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Thanks Brian for your helpful comment. :worship:

 

I'm thinking in the same direction, so I'll do a further layer with UHU Spray Adhesive and Flour on one half of the little dummy before priming and so I can then compare both halves. up040577.gif

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Thanks Bill for your nice comment. :worship:

 

Hello friends,

 

no sooner said than done! Or- Never put off until tomorrow what you can do today. top.gif

 

After I had masked one half of the Dummy, 

 

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I've sprayed the other half full with the UHU Spray Adhesive and then immediately besprinkled it with the flour.

 

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After that, I've lightly pressed the flour with my fingers,

 

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and then shortly after, I've carefully removed the loose flour from the Dummy by knocking off. huh.gif

 

PS1jXp.jpg

 

Now it's time again to await for the glue to dry, and then tomorrow it remains to be seen, whether a more intensive spraying with the spray glue before the flour apply makes sense, I think so ... up040577.gif

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