DutyCat Posted December 14, 2012 Share Posted December 14, 2012 The Beany Cap is coming along okay, although there is still some work to do! Beany Cap WIP pics on the Dutycat Blog Quote Link to post Share on other sites
niart17 Posted December 14, 2012 Share Posted December 14, 2012 Great job so far. Are you going to build up the other blanketed surfaces too or try to blend it in somehow? Also, I can't remember what material you said you were going to duplicate this with. I imagine this selling pretty well when it's all said and done. Keep it up! Bill Quote Link to post Share on other sites
DutyCat Posted December 15, 2012 Author Share Posted December 15, 2012 (edited) Great job so far. Are you going to build up the other blanketed surfaces too or try to blend it in somehow? Also, I can't remember what material you said you were going to duplicate this with. I imagine this selling pretty well when it's all said and done. Keep it up! Bill Bill, I am glad you see the potential in it, although it is obviously still a work in progress. I just wanted to give the gang here an update. Since that last pic was taken, I have done a lot more work. It is still not quite finished. I will post a pic when it is. The final product will be cast in clear resin, so you can just mask the windows and paint the rest. I have an idea about how to do the blankets, but it is an experimental technique that I would rather not share publically until I see if it actually works! r/Gil Edited December 15, 2012 by DutyCat Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Jay Chladek Posted December 15, 2012 Share Posted December 15, 2012 Well, I have to admit while I was skeptical originally, I am really liking what I am seeing as the shapes look dang good (I love the shape of the windows themselves). Do you plan to make this as a resin piece or a vaccuform one? Reason I ask is some of the details might have to be tailored a certain way depending. A vac piece might have some trouble holding detail that is too tight. A resin piece on the otherhand will replicate the details nicely, but a parts master is typically going to be only 98 to 99% of the original, which can cause some minor fit problems as the part gets larger. I also wouldn't worry too much about putting any blanket or tile detail down the sides as there is going to be a seam that has to be dealt with once the new part is grafted onto the original model kit. So any details right on the edge is likely going to be lost during filling and sanding to blend it all in. Good job! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
DutyCat Posted December 15, 2012 Author Share Posted December 15, 2012 (edited) Encoding Error. Repost below. Edited December 15, 2012 by DutyCat Quote Link to post Share on other sites
DutyCat Posted December 15, 2012 Author Share Posted December 15, 2012 (edited) Well, I have to admit while I was skeptical originally, I am really liking what I am seeing as the shapes look dang good (I love the shape of the windows themselves). Do you plan to make this as a resin piece or a vaccuform one? Reason I ask is some of the details might have to be tailored a certain way depending. A vac piece might have some trouble holding detail that is too tight. A resin piece on the otherhand will replicate the details nicely, but a parts master is typically going to be only 98 to 99% of the original, which can cause some minor fit problems as the part gets larger. I also wouldn't worry too much about putting any blanket or tile detail down the sides as there is going to be a seam that has to be dealt with once the new part is grafted onto the original model kit. So any details right on the edge is likely going to be lost during filling and sanding to blend it all in. Good job! Jay, I am glad you like what you see, and I can appreciate your skepticism. You clearly understand that this is more difficult to do than one might think. Once you get into it, you realize that the entire shape geometry of the flight deck area has been compromised by the Monogram mold makers in order to incorporate the jumbo sized windows. Specifically, those depressed chine creases than run along the base of the windows are proportioned and sized to the stock windows. Ideally, they should be placed much closer to the reduced size window framing that I have installed. That would require filling and shaping under all six windows, with all the right curvatures, depths, and angles, and be consistent on each side. I have an idea about how to do that. But I need to think it through to see if I can pull it off. Or I could just not worry to much about it as it will not be noticed by most. The final product will be cast in clear resin. The thermal blankets will be left off, because whatever the modeler does with that will have to happen after the beany cap is installed back on the orbiter. Some folks will just use decals or paint to represent the blankets. Others may go for it and try to represent the textured blankets more accurately. As you pointed out, if I texture it up now, it will have to be blended in when re-installed. On top of that, the modeler will have to follow through and do the rest of the blanketing the same way. Too much to ask. Heck I even thought about not tiling the thing...leaving it a smoothie, but then I said to myself, "If you tile it now, you only have to do it once." Also, the tile around the windows is isolated and stands on its own, despite however the rest of the body surface is represented. Obviously, this product can't really be used to represent Columbia or Challenger, unless one want to "keep on tiling," or, alternatively, sand off what I have done and then lay decals to represent the tiles on early shuttles. I do intend to market this IF, and only if the finished product is professional enough and people like it. If it ends up looking like a hack job, I will just crawl back into my hole. r/Gil *Edit* I was looking at the depressed chines on the side, and they are nothing more than the transition between the tiles and the blanketing. I will have to fill in the existing chine and just work something into the tile border above it. Edited December 16, 2012 by DutyCat Quote Link to post Share on other sites
crowe-t Posted December 15, 2012 Share Posted December 15, 2012 Very nicely done so far! I'm looking forward to seeing the finished product. Mike. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
SpitfireGuy Posted December 17, 2012 Share Posted December 17, 2012 I am also looking forward to seeing the end product here. And I would buy one for sure. Really good idea. Zach Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mynameismatt Posted December 18, 2012 Share Posted December 18, 2012 Wow, that looks awesome! My shuttle is practically at a standstill because I fear those over sized windows. I'd definitely be interested in this! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
DutyCat Posted December 18, 2012 Author Share Posted December 18, 2012 Thanks guys. It is coming along, slowly but surely. At this point, it does not appear as though there will be any hangup in the production of the master. The hard work is mostly done. There is still a bit of work to do, though. At this point, my main concern is if it will cast cleanly in clear resin, without air bubbles in the windows. Maybe, if we are lucky, the demon of the Monogram oversized windows might forever be vanquished. Stay tuned! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.