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


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Thanks Mike for your remarks. :worship:

 

Hello everybody,

 

indeed the situation is quite difficult and reminds me of the scale dilemma of the Revell Launch Tower kit, which was even more complex and had aleady forced me to make some compromises. hmmm.gif

 

But the problem is not David's Paper kit per se, but the fact that my true-to-scale Track shoes & Main sprockets (1/160) do not quite fit D. Maier's scaled-down Kit (1/160), especially because the kit's Tractor assemblies & Track shoes are not-true-to-scale but rather a bit too small, that is my problem. 
 
Regardless of this, one can build the crawler exactly as it is described in the assembly instructions, if one doesn't mind that not all parts are exactly 1/144.  cool.gif

 

My German friend Michael Knobloch (mk310149) had built all three paper kits by David Maier and had no major problems with them, as everything fits together when you use the paper kits completely, as if you were building a kit Out Of Box (OOB).

 

AWiYfL.jpg

 

One can follow his Crawler construction report here

 

Maybe the simplest solution would be to leave out around five track shoes per chain, as I've hinted it here above the too small truck front panel (1/160), above that lies the larger panel from the "144" kit.  huh.gif 

 

OmV6pP.jpg

 

But I'm not amused with this stopgap, boese.gif especially as my 1/160 Main sprockets & Track shoes are too big for this too small Kit tractor, rolleyes.gif especially as my true-to-scale chain with 57 Track shoes matches the drawing (1/160) pretty well, as was already shown in the last post. up039822.gif

 

up074447.jpg

 

In order to get a more precise overview of the dimensions of the crawler from D. Maier's kit (1/144) and to be able to compare details better, I've asked my friend Michael to determine the main dimensions of its crawler and communicate to me, which he also has done. All he had to do was take off his glass case, which is above the Launch pad diorama in his "house museum", what wasn't to be done in a jiffy. 

 

UrF36w.jpg

 

And this is the result, whereby the measurements of his Crawler ("1/144") are marked in red.  

 

SJIvWs.jpg

 

And as one can see from this, many dimensions are smaller and correspond to a scale of approx. 1/150, instead of 1/144, what I had almost suspected by now. shocked.gif

 

Therefore the following compromise would be imaginable, that for my crawler I could not use my scaled-down 1/160 Kit, but Maier's Paper Kit "1/144" , which then would be a little bit larger, but which I think would be still acceptable, especially since that shouldn't be particularly noticeable under the MLP (1/160). 

 

r1C543.jpg

 

So I could imagine a way out of this misery. up040577.gif

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Thanks Mike for your proposal, :worship:

 

that's exactly what I did, Maier's 1/144 Paper kit was scaled-down to 1/160, but which unfortunately not works, as I have shown, because his 1/144 kit is only approx. 1/150 ... :hmmm:

 

BTW, a friend of mine in the NSF Forum has a confirmation from David Maier that his 1/144 Paper kit is a scaled-down version of his 1/96 kit, which is probably the cause. rolleyes.gif

 

This underlines once again the importance of good reference material, which one should check carefully. Therefore I prefer to rely on NASA drawings if I have them. up045518.gif

 

Therefore my copy shop has now to print Maier's 1/144 Paper kit reduced to 95 %, then the Kit templates have the right dimensions 1/160, matching my MLP (1/160), that's the whole sorcery. :whistle:

 

Eph1yN.jpg 
The shop is fortunately still alive so I'll hand them over the complete Kit templates later.  up040577.gif

 

 

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Hello everybody,

 

after my copy shop has printed out D. Maier's Paper Kit 1/144 (1/150) scaled-down to 95%, I finally have a Crawler Kit 1/160, that I can use with a clear conscience. cool.gif

 

Since I was not completely satisfied with my first solution for the Pins of the chain links made of steel wire (Ø 0,4 mm x 7 mm), I've also thought about copper wire (Ø 0,4 mm) that should be easier to cut. Besides I've also imagined a kind of stop at one end of the pins so that they couldn't slip out of the Pin Lugs, what had happened to me a few times with my chain. rolleyes.gif  

 

bAjl7D.jpg
Source: NASA

 

In the real crawler chain, these Pins are secured at the ends by strong split pins,

 

a6mBkp.jpg
Source: NASA

 

as one can see in this photo.

 

cgGeSq.jpg
Source: NASA

 

Since such split pins are illusory at my bolt diameter of Ø 0,4 mm (1/160) shocked.gif I had to find another solution, I have fiddled together with my friend Arno (McPhönix) about. :whistle:

 

At that we came up with silver-plated copper wire(Ø 0,4 mm), which he has on side, which one could squeeze and bend flat at one end, by which the pin would be secured.

 

He has sent me a bundle of wires and a few bended samples from them, which I've then immediately tested,

 

v4w91g.jpg

 

whereby I've shortened the bended end to approx. 0,5 mm, which is completely sufficient as a stop and looks quite acceptable.  

 

Prupu7.jpg

 

7eG4vL.jpg

 

For the final assembly, however, it is advisable to shorten the pins on ca. 6 mm before threading them, as no overhang is required on the inside of the pin lugs and one can't cut off anything afterwards anyway.  

 

XWr5s5.jpg

 

And with a little skill and a suitable pair of tweezers, these short pens can also be pushed into the pin lugs, huh.gif

 

WReOnS.jpg

 

and the chain can also be bended around the Main sprocket.  

 

fiEBPH.jpg

 

For squeezing the wire ends, however, one needs a good flat-nose pliers, which, however, should have no grooves at the ends, what the usual pliers unfortunately have. rolleyes.gif Therefore it should be better using an Adjusting pliers, as my friend advised me, who is familiar with it. cool.gif

 

And now still a preview to the Airbrush spraying of the chains, which raises the question of what is the better way to go, either to paint the mounted chain,   hmmm.gif

 

up074441.jpg

 

or airbrushing the Track shoes before assembling the chain,

 

up064857.jpg

 

whereby I'm trending towards using the first variant. :thumbsup:

 

Now I'm curious what the airbrush freaks think about it? up040577.gif

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Hello Joe,

 

nice that you get in touch once again, and thanks for your advice, which reinforces my point of view. :worship:

 

I also think that airbrushing the Track shoe Sets before assembling the chains would only complicate everything else and could clog the tiny openings (Ø 0,4 mm) for the connecting pins, which would mean a considerable effort for their post-processing. :hmmm:

 

On the other hand, I also think that it should be feasible to use Airbrush spraying to apply thin layers for priming and painting (possibly different colors) to the pre-assembled chain and then to mount it on the truck. up040577.gif

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  • 3 weeks later...

Hello everybody,

 

and with that once more back to the connection of the Track Shoes of the Truck chains with suitable pins, for which my friend Arno (McPhönix) now had sent me lots of wire ends (57 pieces, approx. 17 cm long) of his silver-plated copper wire (Ø 0,4 mm), which I had already tested and found to be good. cool.gif

 

And for the squeezing and bending the "barbs" on the wire ends to adumbrate the safety split pin, he also sent the already discussed adjusting pliers, which he has specially modified for precise working accordingly, for which I would like to thank him again.   bow.gif

 

DfWd28.jpg

 

Because he's meant well and wanted to make sure that the amount of wire required both for experimentation and is also sufficient for making the required 456 (8x57) connecting pins for the 8 Truck chains , he has sent an ample supply that would easily be enough for two more Crawlers. :whistle:

 

In order to get a better feel for the processes involved in the production of the pens, I made further preliminary tests, especially for a good fitting of the pens in the Pin lugs,

 

GJIuRJ.jpg

 

and determined the required length of the pins (with barbs) through 4 Pin lugs, which should be approx. 6 mm

 

77lcU5.jpg

 

In order to get away from the stressful piece production, the exciting question now was to find a technique that could be reproduced with as little effort as possible to handle with this Sisyphean task analintruder.gif and its handling in order to ultimately create connecting pins (6 mm) to be able to produce at least partially in small series with a short, squeezed and bent barb, which wanted to be carefully considered. :thumbsup:

 

With this technique, it should be possible to handle as many pens as possible at the same time in sections of the making process, so as not have to make the same hand grips 456 times as in a medieval manufactory, which would horrify me,  yikes.gif although this cannot be avoided for the squeezing and bending. huh.gif

 

Strictly speaking, several questions had to be clarified in advance in the order of the operations.  
 
- To which lenght do I cut the wires before squeezing and bending the wire ends, each wire individually, or several at once?

 

- Is it worth buying such a not very cheap Miter Cutter,for cutting plastic profiles, balsa wood and soft metals, whereby I had flirted with a similar model, The Chopper, already oftener? :hmmm:

 

05-233_Miter-Cutter.jpg
Source: rai-ro.de

 

It would be conceivable that with this cutter a row of wire ends lying next to each other could be cut to a certain length with one cut if their position was fixed with tape to prevent them from slipping. And I suspect that these thin and relatively soft copper wires could also be cut with this robust device. :thumbsup:

 

The more I think about it, the more I'm tending to buy this solid Cutter guillotine, especially since for the Crawler a number of plastic profiles (including with miter) are to cut reproducible, especially since the very convincing video gives cause for justified hope. up039822.gif

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LbnnIJSJDmA

 

- How do you bring the squeezed flat and bent barbs reproducibly to a uniform length of only approx. 0,5 mm? 

 

Certainly this does not succeed in one step, which is why one would need a small overhang of the squeezed end, which one would have to cut to this final length in the bent state, whereto a tiny defined stop of approx. 0,5 mm would be required. 

 

After pondering for a longer time, I came up with the idea, to use a suitable tube with approximately this inner diameter for holding the pins (Ø 0,4 mm), which if possible should have a wall thickness of approx. 0,5 mm, which would correspond to the length of the bent barb after it has been cut. cool.gif 

 

Since brass tubes in this diameter range usually have a wall thickness of approx. 0,2 mm, I had to select two tubes that fit into each other,

 

HN6NrL.jpg

 

whereby I've glued the thinner tube a 0,7 mm) into the outer tube a 1 mm),

 

iGL8aP.jpg

 

in order to get a handy holder of 30 mm length in this way. 

 

UPkkiR.jpg

 

Since the bent end of the pin is still a bit too long in this state, 

 

2zAfwd.jpg

 

I've cut off the overhang along the pipe wall with the chisel cutter

 

9GrxSZ.jpg

 

whereby this shortened barb was created, which I am content with. cool.gif

 

lLucRV.jpg

 

Then I've laid the pin with the barb into this steel ruler angle set to 6 mm and have cut off the overhang at the end of the pin to the final length. 

 

D5w9ef.jpg

 

WEnz7b.jpg

 

Also for this the Miter Cutter would also be suitable for this purpose, which has an adjustable stop, if it were possible to glue the pens next to each other on a strip of tape and to fix stable at this stop when cutting, and additionally to be fixed from above with a hold-down device.  hmmm.gif This may sound quite adventurous, but it could be feasible and might have to be tried out. 

 

pinPWj.jpg

 

Now I would be interested to know if anyone of you has any experience with this Miter Cutter/Chopper, if so, hopefully not a negative one, because I'm almost on the point of buying such an interesting tool. up040577.gif

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Hello everybody,

 

and now here is the tool, and as expected and hoped for, it also makes a really solid impression, with a high rigidity of the blade fastened with Allen screws, which is very important with such precision tools! :thumbsup:

 

UzzxQ9.jpg

 

Contrary to my assumption, the cutting blades are not only sharpened on one side, but on both sides (1 mm). I also still had ordered 5 replacement blades (0,25 mm and 0,3 mm).

 

After looking at the part from all sides, I've of course also tried it out with different Evergreen profiles, such as: 

 

- Tube Ø 5,6 mm
- Rod Ø 4,0 mm
- Box profile 3 mm x 3 mm
- Strip 3,2 mm x 1,5 mm

 

6yZGat.jpg

 

And as one can see, the quality of the cuts is really impressive.  up045518.gif

 

Here is a Miter cut (45°) through a H-Column (3,2 mm), as well as a cut through a Balsa strip (2 mm), across the grain, which is also completely problem-free, as one can see. cool.gif

 

V4wLF3.jpg

 

In addition, according to the description, this cutter should also be suitable for soft metals, which I've tested with my silver-plated copper wires (Ø 0,4 mm)

 

For this I've put 5 wires next to each other and set a length of 10 mm with the side stop. So that nothing could slip, I've only temporarily fixed the wires with a steel ruler, that could also be clamped if necessary, and then did cut with one cut, which is easily feasible with this diameter. Maybe it is possible that the number of wires per cut can also be increased, which should be tested. :hmmm:

 

01eyOc.jpg

 

With it nothing should stand in the way of producing the needed Connecting pins for the Crawler chains. up045518.gif

 

up074639.jpg

 

On closer inspection, I noticed two more drilled holes on the back of the lever, which there are probably not without reason there. :hmmm:

 

Since the dealer (Rai-Ro) could not answer that, I will inquire about it at the producer RP TOOLZ.

 

So much for my first impressions of this great tool. up040577.gif

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Hello everybody,

 

hardly asked, and the answer came from RP Toolz already, according to which other blades can also be used. cool.gif

 

While for the Miter Cutter German Martor blades are used, one can also use these Stanley trapezoidal blades, which with 0,65 mm blade thickness are somewhat more robust and suitable for coarser material. :thumbsup:

 

And  for clamping these blades the two central threaded holes are provided. smiley250.gif
 
ZAs7R5.jpg
Source: amazon.de

 

With it one could probably cut thicker wires made of soft material too. up040577.gifup040577.gif

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Hello everybody,

 

yesterday I've received this photo from RP Toolz showing one of the matching Stanley trapezoidal blades with a blade thickness of 0,65 mm, 

 

600;jsessionid=5045072560156B61774ED8C00
Source: RP Toolz (Peter Horvath)

 

which one can order here at amazon,

 

AUapWj.jpg

Source: amazon.de

 

which I've done right away too. up040577.gif

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Hello everybody,

 

to try out these Stanley blades, I've ordered 10 pieces, which have already arrived.  :whistle:

 

While the holes (Ø 2,9 mm) of the Martor blades fit exactly to the threaded holes of the Miter cutter, 

 

1Qih43.jpg

 

surprisingly there were problems when clamping the Stanley blade because the distance between the two recesses does not quite match that of the threaded holes in the new cutter. up043952.gif 

 

N3fLR4.jpg

 

As a result, the blade can only be screwed tight with difficulty and does not sit optimally too, which would be problematic regarding the tool life of both the Allen screw and the threaded hole of the cutter. rolleyes.gif

 

Since a complaint regarding the Stanley blades would not be expedient, I could try to widen the left recess (3,4 mm) a little, which I've also successfully done at the first go with a small diamond round file,  

 

51wQNH.jpg

 

whereby this blade could now also be screwed tight, 

 

PWjHEu.jpg

 

salbin.jpg

 

and is therefore ready for testing on the 0,4 mm copper wires. up040577.gif

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That's right, Jesper! :thumbsup:

 

What does not fit, has to be arranged to fit! :whistle: That has always been my motto, I don't give up that easily. :bandhead2:

 

At first I tried a normal round file, but steel versus steel was nearly hopeless, which is why I've then resorted to the diamond file. You just have to know how to help yourself. up040577.gif

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Hello everybody,

 

in the meantime I have fiddled around with the production of the connecting pins and, among other things, and have tried, brave as I am, cool.gif to cut 10 wires all at once to test the limits of what is feasible. :hmmm:

 

I came to the conclusion that 10 mm would be a sufficient length for the cutting and have set the side stop accordingly. In order to be able to slide the bundle after each cut against the stop and to prevent the wires from flying away, I fixed it with several strips of tape, 

 

87Pw22.jpg

 

and placed it at the stop. 

 

pScXgV.jpg

 

When cutting I had to exert a noticeable pressure with the lever, but then it made Crack,  up037692.gif and most of the first 10 pins had disappeared, shocked.gif which then gradually found themselves scattered on the tile floor. It's just good that the silver-plated pins are shiny and were relatively easy to find. rolleyes.gif

 

So I was just too quick with the matter and hadn't thought of the downholder, which I had actually thought about exactly for this purpose beforehand. up040472.gif

 

And since adversity is the school of wisdom, I've put an 8 mm wide steel block next to the stop for the second cut and hoped for its help, what then also proved its worth. :thumbsup:

 

VweXJF.jpg

 

And then it went on easily with the next cuts the same way ... :whistle:

 

q9NKKF.jpg

 

And these first 50 pins are now waiting to be bent and then trimmed. 

 

ryYahh.jpg

 

BTW, in this video that I came across by chance, I've seen (I didn't understand anything because I don't speak Japanese) embarrassed.gif that there is obviously also a double stop for the Miter Cutter, which would of course be helpful for certain things.   up045518.gif 

 

M48cqa.jpg

 

After that I've asked at RP Toolz and found out that this stop was made for the Sujiborido Company and is only available in Japan. huh.gif

 

And since I meanwhile have a good rapport with Peter Horvarth due to my interest and inquiries about the blades, he graciously wants to send me such a stop for free, which of course surprised me and pleased me. up040577.gif

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Hello everybody,

 

in the meantime I have also learned from RP Toolz (Peter Horvarth) that the trapezoidal blade from Martor 5233.70 is a blade with 1-sided sharpening and 0,63 mm material thickness, which fits the Miter Cutter, as one can see in this image, so I have ordered 10 pcs. of which at  rs-shopping. cool.gif

 

600;jsessionid=D08A4610A7F8AD26169CD586D
Source: RP Toolz (Peter Horvarth)

 

The same blade is also available with a TiN coating, but for twice the price (10 pcs. 16,55 €). rolleyes.gif

  

And therewith the next steps are now the bending & cutting down of the wires, whereby I will proceed as I've described it in my Post February 25. :whistle:

 

For fun, I've counted the number of hand movements per pin and came up with 11 just for bending & crimping, which I hadn't suspected initially!  analintruder.gif

 

- Holder tubule into the left hand
- Pin into the right hand
- Threading pen into the tubule 
- Taking crimping pliers 
- crimping the pin end
- Putting pliers aside  
- Placing the tubule with the pin onto steel ruler and bending the crimped end 
- Taking chisel cutter  
- Cutting off crimped overhang (2x)
- Putting chisel cutter aside 
- Ejecting the pin from the tube 

 

Next please! s-krank-alterarzt.gif

 

In addition there are now still approx. 5 further hand movements during cutting off the crimped barb to the final length of 6 mm, which I will do, however, as a precaution, using a single-cut process so as not to produce too lots of waste. rolleyes.gif

 

However, I had to give up my previous variant of cutting off on the cutting mat, since my chisel cutter has probably become too blunt and has therefore only bent the overhang,  hmmm.gif

 

OGXT75.jpg

 

which is why I had to use a sheet of steel as a base, which then enables cutting off even with the blunted chisel cutter, huh.gif 

 

UfIL8q.jpg

 

at least until my re-order of new chisel blades has arrived. 

 

That is then in total approx. 16 actions, which have to be carried out 456 times, so more than 7.296 in total, in case nothing falls out of my hands during this stressful fiddling. up037692.gif

 

And if I'm honest, I have to admit that I am now shocked myself at this number  shocked.gif and thinking about whether I should really do this to myself? hmmm.gif

 

I have already been asked about this whether it would not be sufficient to glue the chain links together, at least in the straight areas of the chains. huh.gif

 

But as a crazy lover for details,  up040472.gif I will probably make this extreme effort and not shrink back for fear of my own courage. up040577.gif

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Hello everybody,

 

today the continuation of the pin cutting off was on the program, i.e. patience and perseverance were required for this monotonous work ... :bandhead2:

 

The box with the pins looks relatively harmless in itself, huh.gif

 

OGXT75.jpg

 

But the job is pretty stressful, not only for the eyes, but also the back (lumbar spine) because of the constantly stooped posture. shocked.gif

 

Vk9lyq.jpg

 

But the first 104 of 456 pins are now finished, at least the beginning has been made. :whistle:

 

RBa3r8.jpg

 

Now I can start the next small series, for which I first have to cut off pin-bundles on the cutter to 10 mm and then crimp their ends and bend them into barbs, i.e. the same procedure as before ... up040577.gif
The squirrel has a hard time feeding itself ... eichhoernchen_13.gif

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Hello everybody,

 

Peter Horvarth, RP Toolz, quickly kept his word, because yesterday his package arrived from Hungary with the promised Double stop for the Miter Cutter, together with two trapezoidal blades, franked with 2270 Forints (6,18 €), which he did post on Tuesday (03/09/21) in Balatonfüred. Look here, that's what I call Customer Service - Made in Hungary!  :thumbsup: 

 

sLxYt7.jpg

 

Of course, I installed the Double stop right away, and also the 0,63 mm thick Martor blade (5233.70) with a 1-sided cut.  up045518.gif

 

0gI0LR.jpg

 

7cQTHw.jpg

 

With that I am now also prepared for somewhat stronger things. up040577.gif

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