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


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Hello everybody,

 

today it was the turn of the second Fire extinguisher, for which it took me 20 min.. cool.gif I had thought that it would go quicker, but this time it took me forever to thread the hose into the funnel ... rolleyes.gif

 

But then it was done, up045518.gif

 

SmGSGO.jpg

 

D48EmH.jpg

 

dnB6aQ.jpg

 

so there are now extinguishers on both sides for quick access when needed.  up040577.gif

Edited by spaceman
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Hello everybody,

 

after the Fire extinguishers are attached now, I actually wanted to scratch the two Rear-view mirrors as final details.  cool.gif

 

But prior I've planned to do one more detail that I actually wanted to do without, but which hasn't gotten out of my head since then ... rolleyes.gif 

 

And that concerns to the two side walls of the transporter, which are huge steel profiles and resemble double T-beams in shape, as one can see on many images, as well as here on these STS-6 photos. up045518.gif

 

mPEY2G.jpg
Source: retrospaceimages.com (STS-6)

 

up076467.jpg
Source: retrospaceimages.com (STS-6)

 

But this thing just hasn't let rest me the more details of the transporter I've scratched. hmmm.gif However, I was undecided for a long time, because with this action I would risk disimproving the actually well-made transporter in the end. up037312.gif

 

But then, in the end, my ambition and penchant for perfection won out, which is why I decided to do this in front of the rear-view mirrors, which would otherwise have gotten in the way. huh.gif

 

Since I had wisely already indicated the upper webs by the slight overhang of the ceiling panel, I've thought about using Evergreen Strips (0,25 mm x 2,5 mm) for the lower webs could, idea1_2.gif which after precise gluing approx. 0,5 mm should protrude outwards. up039822.gif

 

However, the strips onto the lower edges of the side walls would have to be glued carefully and with the greatest care, since they are only 2 mm wide and directly border on the outer twin wheel sets

 

However, I first had to order the strips online and also think about which glue I could use to glue them to the Balsa woodhmmm.gif

 

After the profiles arrived yesterday, I first tried a few gluings on the first two KAMAG side walls

I've used a somewhat older UHU all-purpose adhesive, a Pattex instant adhesive, and a newly purchased UHU all-purpose adhesive Super, also a CA that is supposed to be correctable for a short time, which I finally decided to use. up045518.gif

 

jJD1g8.jpg

 

The angled areas of the walls on the front and back of the transporter were problematic because of the small Panel boxes and Fire extinguishers already glued there, at which I had to go past, so I glued those parts separately, which was quite a stressful affair. rolleyes.gif 

 

In order to adapt and glue the strips, the transporter had to be firmly fixed again by using magnets. Then the long central strip was carefully dabbed with Seku and immediately placed onto the lower edge up to the rear stop, slightly corrected and then pressed on,  

HpZsI9.jpg

 

which worked quite well, as you can see here, after which a load has fallen from my heart. :whistle:

 

7kX0oB.jpg

 

And so the whole thing looks much better, which I'm finally satisfied with, 

 

CQSUVH.jpg

 

so that the other underside could then be planked in the same way. 

 

D0zxay.jpg

 

And what made me wonder about the photos from the beginning, the transporter is actually very flat and only about a man's height, as one can see here. huh.gif

 

EmOkOL.jpg

 

And as the grand finale, I can now try to scratch and mount the two Rear-view mirrors and I'm curious to see if I'll be able to do that. up040577.gif

Edited by spaceman
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Hello everybody,

 

and so now to the last step and the two Rear-view mirrors of the transporter, which I wanted to try scratching at least once. cool.gif

 

How they were attached to the transporter, I could see from the few usable photos from that time, albeit a bit blurred. rolleyes.gif

 

dzYqPT.jpg
Source: 16streets.com/MacLaren

 

More important for scratching was of course the shape of the mirror and the holder, which I've learned by watching from this photo, what will not have looked much different at the time. 

 

9imDTG.jpg
Source: NASA (STS-135)

 

And off we go, whereby the mirror itself still looks relatively simple at first, on the other hand the filigree holder (Ø 0,1 mm) has instilled quite a bit of respect in me. up039493.gif

 

That's why I've begun that the first thing I did and picked out my thinnest German silver wire (Ø 0,1 mm).  

 

Since the two holders should be the same size if possible, you cannot bend such filigree mini parts with tweezers simply by hand. Therefore, a suitable jig was needed again, like this stop from the Mitre Cutter, in order to be able to bend at least the first scaled length of 1,9 mm reproducibly. And experience has shown that one should definitely use a longer length of wire than needed and then cut off the rest, what makes handling much easier. up045518.gif

 

epFQuA.jpg

 

The further bends were then much more trickier due to the short lengths, up037312.gif because one still have to hold these tiny things somehow while bending, so that they don't fly away, which, however, could not be completely avoided, followed by creeping and looking for on the floor ... up043952.gif

 

teXDFo.jpg

 

After a few tries I managed to get a passable pair. :whistle: Next to it is the rectangular profile (0,25 mm x 0,7 mm) for the supports rods, which should be approx. 5 mm long. 

 

cFOriI.jpg

 

As a mirror I wanted to use the parts from the Astrovan Kit first, 

 

j3nD1w.jpg

 

to glue Bare-Metal-Foil (Chrome) on their front as a mirror surface, up039822.gif which was a delicate matter,

 

izm4pf.jpg

 

because you have to carefully pull off an excess length and only then cut it to 4 mm and then glue it on. huh.gif

 

cI9k6J.jpg

 

Since the holders cannot be glued directly to the backs, a tiny recording had to be scratched first, by means of which the mirrors, although not for my model, yikes.gif but in reality let swing in. And these minis I've punched with Ø 0,6 mm from styrene (0,25 mm) by using the Punch&Die Set.

 

RnII1m.jpg

 

Of course, to glue these mini discs in the middle on the back, the mirrors had to be fixed again, then a dot UHU-CA was dabbed into the middle with the acupuncture needle and then to carefully pick up the midget with the cutter tip and put it down with a steady hand. up046885.gif

 

FbN3XR.jpg

 

And then the holders were glued on in the same way. So far so good. 

 

r6Lxyr.jpg

 

Now the mirrors only had to be glued onto the 5 mm long support rods, 

 

mvAi0g.jpg

 

which had to be fixed again so that nothing could slip when the mirrors were glued on. rolleyes.gif

 

1imG9w.jpg

 

Then the base points for the gluing were marked, CA dots were dabbed onto them again, after which the mirror was set down with the tweezers and a steady hand while holding the breath - between two heartbeats ... default_give_heart.gif

 

And as one can see, the first mirror stands bolt upright! up045518.gif

 

uOsKIW.jpg

 

Now the support rod only had to be cut to the final length, of course again with the a stable fixation. cool.gif

 

xf5cUd.jpg

 

And now there's the thing! up039822.gif

 

bFbkRA.jpg

 

Z4oQdP.jpg

 

E8RO3s.jpg

 

Then the adhesive point was marked under the side wall next to the driver's cabin and the support rod with the mirror was glued, which is half the battle. :banana:

 

nos9L1.jpg

 

b7QAKC.jpg

 

That's the end of the first action, the other half will follow later. up040577.gif

Edited by spaceman
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Hello everybody,

 

and after the images of the Rear-view mirror on the Front side here now for mounting the mirror on the Rear side of the transporter, here the mirror and the prepared support rod. cool.gif

 

PuSdpc.jpg

 

To glue on the mirror, it must be placed ready to hand for the tweezers, huh.gif

 

eVHQJe.jpg

 

so that one can sit it onto the support rod immediately after dabbing the CA.

 

IgophU.jpg

 

With it the driver's cab at the Rear side now also has its Rear-view mirror, and the transporter can be maneuvered safely in both directions. up045518.gif

 

0rTspT.jpg

 

aa3oPq.jpg

 

clNgyJ.jpg

 

From now on at the latest as the top priority applies: Handle with care! up045518.gif 

 

And with that, have a nice evening everyone. up040577.gif

Edited by spaceman
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Hello everybody,

 

since we were just talking about safety in the Launch pad traffic, without large Rear-view mirrors it just doesn't work. But of course one thing is still missing, well, who has an idea? hmmm.gif

 

Okay, guys, I don't want to keep you in suspense for long. :whistle:

 

Since the transporter sometimes transports millions expensive Satellites in the Payload canister, an appropriate safety distance and free travel must of course be guaranteed. And this is usually warned by corresponding Rotating beacons on the transporter, which should not be missing at my transporter too, but which should then be the irrevocable final detail. :thumbsup:

 

And in these STS-6 images one can see the beacon on the back side. 

 

FZ8H9Z.jpg Source: retrospaceimages.com (STS-6)

 

m6QPG8.jpg Source: retrospaceimages.com (STS-6)

 

So then I want to measure and scale this thing to see if that's still doable. But I think so, because the diameter should be in the range of a Fire extinguisher (approx. 1,5 mm), so I could have a chance. up040577.gif

Edited by spaceman
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Cool idea, Kirk, :whistle:

 

you know my slogan: Nothing is impossible! I used to drive a TOYOTA long time ago ... :rofl:

 

Here you can see the both windscreen wipers. :thumbsup:

 

togBkm.jpg

 Source: retrospaceimages.com (STS-6)

 

Where is the problem? :hmmm:

 

In principle, that should be feasible, the holders would then be Ø 0,1 mm and 3 mm long, and the wiper blades approx. 2 mm long and 0,2 mm wide:woot.gif:

 

My thinnest Nickel silver wire (Ø 0,1 mm) and a Broom bristle (Ø 0,2 mm) would do for this. But you would probably hardly be able to see them on the blue windows ... :gr_hail:

 

RTWdNy.jpg

 

But I'll do the Rotating beacons first ... up040577.gif

Edited by spaceman
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Hello everybody,

 

let's go with the Rotating beacon. cool.gif

 

After it was clear where the beacons are on the transporter, I looked for a few more detailed photos that show how they are set up and attached, which can be seen in the following two photos. 

 

Their structure is relatively simple, and the shape corresponds to the rotating beacons also known in this country, whose orange Bell sits on a Holder

 

Xaq7NO.jpg
Source: nasatech.net

 

which in turn sits on a simple Mounting bracket attached to the wall. As a result, it would actually only be three parts.

 

86IMov.jpg
Source: mediaarchive.ksc.nasa.gov

 

I started with the Bell (Ø 1,2 mm), for which I used an Evergreen rod. For its coloring I used Illuminant dip paint, which I bought some time ago for coloring of white LEDs.

 

H7ZNFm.jpg

 

As the color test shows, the hue Orange (left) corresponds more to a Red, whereas the hue Yellow next to it corresponds to the Orange of the beacon on the photos, which I then also used. http://www.raumfahrer.net/forum/yabbfiles/Attachments/up045518.gif Next to it are the small Holders (Ø 1,4 mm), which I punched again, as well as a strip for the Mounting bracket (0,1 mm x 2,5 mm )

 

xaCXKq.jpg

 

Then I carefully separated the Bell (L = 1,5 mm) with the razor blade, huh.gif

 

nEOQTw.jpg

 

EYTPLb.jpg

 

and glued onto the holder.

 

7dTgkB.jpg

 

twyzJv.jpg

 

To glue the Holder to the angle strip, I used the UV glue again. up039822.gif

 

56rEwH.jpg

 

hCxSA8.jpg

 

Since the wafer-thin Styrene strip cannot be bent at right angles but breaks, I've cut it off, 

 

2Dj6Qf.jpg

 

and glued the part with the beacon to the strip, also under UV light,

 

Zfoyi0.jpg

 

eventually resulting in the Angle Bracket. Since the bracket is not attached directly to the wall, a small spacer (0,4 mm x 0,75 mm) was glued underneath,

 

plrmkv.jpg

 

and the lateral overhangs separated, with which the Rotating beacon was completed. up045518.gif

 

XKXLuD.jpg

 

To glue the beacon on, the transporter had to be placed on its side. In order not to break off the Rear-view mirror improvidently up037312.gif the transporter had to be supported accordingly and at the same time fixed in a stable manner. 

 

abhbUp.jpg

 

This was followed by a test fitting of the beacon on the side wall, which fitted so far well. 

 

pQLBII.jpg

 

Now a spacer was also placed on the underside, whereupon the bracket on the upper spacer was glued to the wall. 

 

tCpHKe.jpg

 

After that, the transporter could finally be put back on its wheels, 

 

zS8X2y.jpg

 

with which the first Rotating beacon is now in place. All in all, quite a lot of effort for this small detail, but it was worth it and rounds off the overall picture. up039822.gif

 

Now all that's missing is the beacon on the other side, which I'll still be able to do too. up040577.gif

Edited by spaceman
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As ever, I was joking about the wipers, Manfred. The beacon looks great (though I'm surprised you didn't use transparent rod). 

I've finally returned to my 1:24 Harrier model recently and find adding cockpit detail immensely tricky at this comparatively massive scale. It's a privilege to watch you producing microscopic details and the way you make it look so easy inspires me to attempt parts I would have previously omitted.

Actually, perhaps you can give me a tip? When I try to attach small styrene pieces to say, the cockpit sidewall (using liquid poly cement), they frequently tend to stay stuck to my tweezers as I position them. If I use less cement, they don't stick at all. Any ideas? (Perhaps this is why you use the UV adhesive?)

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Thanks Kirk for your nice compliment. :worship:

 

Gluing is a science in itself. :whistle:

 

It is always bad to give a specific tip without a picture, because it always depends on several factors, e.g. the type of glue, the material and size of the parts to be glued, and whether or how and with what you can hold them when gluing. :hmmm:

 

How do you apply your glue, to the part to be glued or to the place where you want it to glue?

It's always better to dab the glue onto the splice than trying to hold the part with the glue in on then to put it onto the splice. I don't know your tweezers, are they sharp enough? :dontknow:

 

I use these sharp tweezers by Master Tools.

 

LeDhlB.jpg 

 

With parts in the millimeter range or less, you can no longer hold them even with these tweezers, so I poke the tiny things lightly with the tip of the cutter so that it gets stuck and carefully place it on the glue droplet on the glued area.

 

Maybe you should try the UV glue. This has the advantage that you can glue the part onto the splice and still position it or correct the fit. And only when the part is correctly positioned do you cure the glue with the UV source and your part is firmly bonded. :thumbsup:

 

I hope this can help you. up040577.gif

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Hi Manfred,

 

I just caught up on the last few pages.  The transporter looks great and keeps getting better with all the details you are adding,  The tiny fire extinguishers and the rear view mirrors really make it look real.  Keep up the great work.

 

Mike.

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Many thanks for the tips Manfred. I thought my tweezers were fine tipped but they look blunt in comparison with yours. At the moment for the cockpit ribs I am gluing, I've tended to glue both the part and the destination.

So, a few things from me to try. 🙂 

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9 hours ago, crowe-t said:

Hi Manfred,

 

I just caught up on the last few pages.  The transporter looks great and keeps getting better with all the details you are adding,  The tiny fire extinguishers and the rear view mirrors really make it look real.  Keep up the great work.

 

Mike.

 

Thanks Mike for looking in on me again and for your nice comment. :worship:

 

The journey is going on ... up040577.gif

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5 hours ago, CaptKirk said:

Many thanks for the tips Manfred. I thought my tweezers were fine tipped but they look blunt in comparison with yours. At the moment for the cockpit ribs I am gluing, I've tended to glue both the part and the destination.

So, a few things from me to try. 🙂 

 

An old experience, Kirk, nothing beats good tools. :whistle:

 

If I understand your problem correctly, your cockpit ribs in 1:24 should be large enough to simply glue them with Methylethylketone (MEK):thumbsup:

All you have to do is hold the rips with the tweezers on the cockpit wall and brush both sides with MEK with your other hand. And already they're sticking to the wall. up040577.gif

 

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Hello everybody,

 

let's go to the second Rotating beacon, now I did know how to do it yet. cool.gif

 

And the second time one can always still change and improve something. So this time I tried to cut off the Bell a little more precisely and came up with the predetermined Length (1,5 mm). up045518.gif

 

tF677v.jpg

 

This time I did without the UV adhesive and preferred the simpler variant with normal Revell Contacta, because it works fine for gluing of plastic/plastic

 

T0iDPi.jpg

 

txGlIK.jpg

 

After that, the already known steps followed again. 

 

Yrse3R.jpg

 

mOYVS9.jpg

 

9qwhY3.jpg

 

Only for the last gluing of the Beacon (Styrene) on Paper I've used the UHU-CA, wherewith its place can still be corrected a bit. :whistle:

 

goFFpP.jpg

 

PcH8sK.jpg

 

The Transporter is now ready for use and is waiting for the Payload Canister. up040577.gif

Edited by spaceman
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Hello everybody,

 

and with that, despite all the teasing, :rofl:as a sign of good will, let's go on to my most minimal gluing so far (0,1 mm onto 0,2 mm), analintruder.gif which is more like another skill test. I'm curious myself whether this will work the way I thought it would. hmmm.gif

 

First, I prepared a small retaining strip (0,4 mm x 0,7 mm) that fits exactly into the gap above the Driver's cabin on which initially the wipers are to glue, before then gluing the complete strip into the gap. Gluing these delicate things individually I ruled out from the outset, because with that the failure would have been bound to occur. :gr_eek2:

 

As a mount for the holders, I cut small slices (Ø 0,5 mm) from a rod and glued them onto the strip. 

 

gWjqfw.jpg

 

E0lwqX.jpg

 

xqnvJb.jpg

 

Then I tried to glue the thin wire onto the 2 mm long broom bristle, which can definitely work, although it was very difficult and the right fit is probably a matter of luck.  rolleyes.gif

 

4pZu0S.jpg

 

It is cheaper to fix the slightly longer bristle, then carefully and with eagle eyes and a steady hand glue onto the little wire moistened with CA, and only then cut the bristle to a length of 2 mm. up045518.gif One should also leave a certain overhang on the holder itself, which is only shortened after it has been glued to the holding strip. 

 

2X58Mf.jpg

 

The next problem was the handling of the tiny wiper when gluing it onto the holding strip, since you can no longer hold it in tweezers, let alone position it safely and precisely.  up037312.gif That's why I came up with this Tape Adhesive Applicator made from a toothpick, with the tip of which one can pick up these tiny little things and can place them on the glue point. up039822.gif 

 

BtMjb0.jpg

 

sKtRFE.jpg

 

To do this, of course, the strip had to be firmly fixed again. After a tiny drop of UHU-CA was dabbed onto the mount, the entire wiper could then be put on and glued, which actually worked. :whistle:

 

But when I wanted to glue the other wiper, it suddenly disappeared without a trace. yikes.gif I thought I was going to lose it and wanted to stop first, especially since it was very early in the morning again ... up043952.gif

 

But then I searched the floor with the LED lamp on my knees and, contrary to expectations, actually found the damned thing, yahoo.gif

 

l535JT.jpg

 

after which the wiper was immediately glued.

 

q2S6aG.jpg

 

Next, the overhangs of the wires on this bizarre structure had to be cut off with nail scissors, huh.gif

 

rSE5jq.jpg

 

for which the strip has to be brought into a suitable position, which also had still to be held in place somehow. 

 

HQDBOr.jpg

 

To avoid possible leverages and flyings off when cutting off the wires, I held down the strip with the wipers with a Balsa board

 

WNIVze.jpg

 

and then the overhangs were carefully cut off. up046933.gif

 

DjaCE0.jpg

 

Now only the strip with the two wipers had to be glued over the front window of the driver's cabin, for which the transporter had to be fixed upright again in a stable and unbreakable manner. up046885.gif

 

GXM2mi.jpg

 

When that still worked out too, I was jolly glad and made three crosses. :nanner:

 

YvUtzS.jpg

 

gCgckE.jpg

 

This also successfully completed this tricky exercise, which is really enough for me now - No more bets, please! up040577.gif 

Edited by spaceman
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