johnlove_mk_II Posted July 1, 2015 Share Posted July 1, 2015 I've decided to scale back a bit and actually try to finish a project. A few weeks back, at a local contest, I scored a late 80's Monogram issue Saturn V for only 15 bucks. It's a really nice representation at 1/144th, and will make a really great model when completed. I then decided to order the New Ware detail set, you know … just because you gotta. Also I have one of the recently reissued Airfix Saturn IB's and the retooled SLA/SM/BPC/LES looks pretty darn amazing on the Mono stack. A plan is in motion. So after a few days the New Ware detail set arrives, and it's really nice. The batted F-1s look great. The photo etch umbilicals are superb. (There's a ton of other parts, but I'll cover those as I build the thing. You can check out Sven's review here, if you're curious.) I got to thinking, you know as you do, and I was like," Man, I'd really like to have the Skylab LV too." … you know, to round out the collection. Besides, building two at once is easier … right? So I looked at the Airfix Saturn kit. Not too bad, but it has those weird areas at the stringer seams that the Mono kit does not. I got to looking at the Skylab parts and they looked good, no weird bulbous areas … then I read that the kit also comes with the retooled SLA/CSM/LES parts too. So I ordered that kit … just for those parts alone. I then proceeded to find another Monogram Saturn kit on the 'bay for less than $25 shipped and bought that … Oh, and I also ordered the New Ware detail set for the Skylab LV as well. That stuff should be coming in soon. Started planning the build and I've decided to add some rudimentary thrust structure details for the S-IVB and S-II. See the drawings below. (These will use Meatball Rocketry's 1/144 J-2 engines.) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
crackerjazz Posted July 1, 2015 Share Posted July 1, 2015 Ooooooooohh, nice!!! :) Looking forward to more 3D shots and, of course, the resulting printed parts. :) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
johnlove_mk_II Posted July 3, 2015 Author Share Posted July 3, 2015 Thanks crackerjazz. The S-II thrust structure is taking shape ... at this small scale some sacrifices have to be made, but I think it will look pretty nice after all is said and done. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
johnlove_mk_II Posted July 3, 2015 Author Share Posted July 3, 2015 Got my second Monogram Kit in the mail yesterday, and the Skylab kit was delivered to work. The second Monogram kit is from the same run as the one I purchased earlier. It’s still wrapped in the cellophane and has a sticker for a Kennedy Center trip sweepstakes that expired in ’87 … kinda cool. It’s going to be a like a little “time-capsule” when it’s opened. Still working through the thrust structures, adding what will be viable and maintaining the interlocking stage feature that the Monogram kits have. I’ve also decided to have all the instrumentation boxes and a other parts as separate bits to facilitate easier painting. They're starting to look like “kit” parts. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
johnlove_mk_II Posted July 5, 2015 Author Share Posted July 5, 2015 A little more progress on the S-IVB trust structure. The ambient helium tanks are now separate parts A few more S-II instrumentation boxes. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
johnlove_mk_II Posted July 7, 2015 Author Share Posted July 7, 2015 (edited) So now I have three Monogram Saturn’s in the stash. Two 80’s versions and now a recent issue from Revell/Germany. (I know, slightly overboard, but hey the LHS had one, and now I’ve spares to experiment with.) It’s safe to say the mid-80s vintage parts seem a little more crisply molded, but they do have a lot of surface scratches from being bounced around in their boxes for 30 years. It’s interesting to compare the 80s vintage parts to the recent ones and see some of the small imperfections, on the back of the parts, rendered exactly the same, down to the fine scratches. Getting back to work I finally got to have a look at the Airfix Skylab kit waiting for me. The new OWS and shroud parts are really nicely done - very happy with that. For anyone else thinking of buying this kit, I can confirm that it does indeed come with the extra SLA/CSM/LES parts as well as the parts for a S-IVB stage, which is pretty cool. The New Ware photo etch is really going to dress this thing up nicely. Meanwhile, I’m almost ready to send off the S-IVB parts off to print. (It’s going to be pretty smallish.) Edited July 9, 2015 by johnlove_mk_II Quote Link to post Share on other sites
johnlove_mk_II Posted July 9, 2015 Author Share Posted July 9, 2015 Finalized and ordered Just uploaded and ordered the S-IVB parts. I’m going to try out the new Frosted Extreme Detail - it was only a few bucks more. I left off a lot of details that I will probably add later with styrene bits and bobs, but I’ll wait to see how feasible that will be. I also made a little insert for the forward skirt with some structural details. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
johnlove_mk_II Posted July 15, 2015 Author Share Posted July 15, 2015 The S-II thrust structure art is now complete and uploaded to Shapeways. It might be a while before they get to it, there seems to be a backlog. (My S-IVB parts I sent last week haven’t made it into production yet.) I had to just get this in the FUD because of bounding box issues. The instrumentation boxes I’ll do in the frosted extreme detail. You’ll notice that there are two notches cut out at the base for the twist-lock latch feature that holds to stages together. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
crackerjazz Posted July 18, 2015 Share Posted July 18, 2015 Looking forward to seeing the prints! I ordered some 1/32 LM parts -- the tiniest details still pop out and it's just in FUD -- what more with frosted extreme detail. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Hotdog Posted July 18, 2015 Share Posted July 18, 2015 I ordered something on Shapeways a couple of days ago and got an email the next day saying it was going into production. The expected arrival date was August 8, so not sure if that's an indication of backlog or not. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
johnlove_mk_II Posted July 20, 2015 Author Share Posted July 20, 2015 I'm really excited to see the parts in FED, from what I've read and seen it looks really good. My experience with Shapeways has always been hit and miss. I've ordered and few day later went into production ... shipped early. I've also ordered, sat for two weeks, finally went into production and shipped shortly after. Meanwhile, I'm kinda at a point where I can't proceed until I get the parts, so I started in on the LM and CSM. The New Airfix parts are a huge improvement over the previous, but I thought since I wanted this thing to come apart in stages I'd like to dress-up the CSM with a more accurately sized CM and SPS nozzle. I'm debating on how much, if any detail I should fret about for the CM. It will be rather tiny ... maybe just a few outlined details to give it texture. I did whip-up a docking probe too. It's beyond tiny. Also the LM provided in both kits are undersized and I'm considering redoing that as well, but It's a slippery slope, right? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Hotdog Posted July 21, 2015 Share Posted July 21, 2015 (edited) Check out Michael Key's shop on Shapeways. He's already done a really nice Command Module at 1/144. Might save ya some time. https://www.shapeways.com/product/WYMUV9DHJ/apollo-cm-1-144?li=user-profile&optionId=42469044 See also: Boost Protective Cover Launch Escape Tower EDIT: also SLA and IU Looking forward to seeing your new printed parts! Edited July 21, 2015 by Hotdog Quote Link to post Share on other sites
crackerjazz Posted July 21, 2015 Share Posted July 21, 2015 Nice work, John! Wow, Hotdog -- those are nice products from Michael Key! I've had the same experience from Shapeways lately. I suppose people are catching up to the printing craze especially with newer materials and better resolution and Shapeways is getting swamped with bigger order volumes. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
johnlove_mk_II Posted July 23, 2015 Author Share Posted July 23, 2015 (edited) Scaled down the 3-view drawing from the LM news reference and compared it to the kit parts. As you can see they're a lot smaller than they should be for a true 1/144th representation. Here's the bottom part of the Airfix SLA, where the LM would sit, compared to the drawing. It's pretty spot on. I just decided to noodle around and see what I could come up with and ended up with this for the descent stage. Oh, and the S-IVB parts finally went into production today :woot.gif:/> ... the S-II parts have not. :(/> Edited July 23, 2015 by johnlove_mk_II Quote Link to post Share on other sites
johnlove_mk_II Posted July 23, 2015 Author Share Posted July 23, 2015 Legs! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
crackerjazz Posted July 23, 2015 Share Posted July 23, 2015 Wow!!! If you can come up with something like that then you can do anything! Looks like you've got Rhino down, pretty much -- and so quickly too! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
johnlove_mk_II Posted July 24, 2015 Author Share Posted July 24, 2015 Thanks Jazz. Yeah, I think I'm starting to finally starting to feel comfortable with it. Also drawing at 1/144 scale, I can be a little less critical about things. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
johnlove_mk_II Posted July 24, 2015 Author Share Posted July 24, 2015 Mid section of the ascent stage. (Based on drawings from Vincent Meens. Thanks Vincent.) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
johnlove_mk_II Posted July 27, 2015 Author Share Posted July 27, 2015 Ascent stage aft section. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
johnlove_mk_II Posted July 28, 2015 Author Share Posted July 28, 2015 (edited) Having one of those “face-palm” moments. Starting trying to model the LM ascent stage forward section. As you know It’s a complex little combination of shapes. I had a few starts and stops and after running into a few problems I remembered that Mattias Malmer had some flat drawings available that I thought would help me with a few spots I was having trouble with. Turns out he has the entire ascent and descent stages modeled in 3D and available to download. :doh:/> So I’ve applied Mattias’s forward section to mine and I think it looks pretty good. Presto, the internet is magic. I figure after I print this, if it’s worthy and there’s no objection from Vincent and Mattias … I’ll put it up on Shapeways with no mark-up for anyone else to acquire one for their 1/144 Saturn V needs. Also, production has wrapped fro my S-IVB parts and they should be shipping out today. Edited July 28, 2015 by johnlove_mk_II Quote Link to post Share on other sites
johnlove_mk_II Posted July 31, 2015 Author Share Posted July 31, 2015 (edited) Just got this in the mail. It's a lot smaller than I was thinking ... and very thin. I'll post more when I get home from work. Edited July 31, 2015 by johnlove_mk_II Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Hotdog Posted August 1, 2015 Share Posted August 1, 2015 Awesome!!! And is this the new FUD? Wonder if it will crystalize as bad as regular FUD. Have you washed it yet? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
johnlove_mk_II Posted August 1, 2015 Author Share Posted August 1, 2015 I haven't washed them yet, but I'm cautiously optimistic. Looking at the parts with a 10x loupe I can see a little "fuzz" but it very much reduced over the regular FUD. Here's a pict of all the parts ordered. Experimenting with adding the interior structure of the forward skirt of the S-IVB. The walls of the part were modeled at the thinest tolerance and as you can see it warped during the post-production cleaning. Luckily it was designed to fit into the IU detail part and this helps correct the warpage to a certain degree. Here's the trust structure with Meatball Rocketry's J-2 installed. Really neat. And some helium tanks. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
K2Pete Posted August 1, 2015 Share Posted August 1, 2015 Holy Kow! I can't get over the fine details on this little part! The fine ribbing is remarkable! A couple months ago, I picked up a very used Saturn V, along with a bunch of other space model parts and am watching your progress on this ... ! And the other 3D parts you're using are all worth noting. I hadn't thought of rebuilding this 1/144 Saturn, but now ... hm-m-m. Thanx John ... and keep posting ... we're all watchin'! Pete Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Hotdog Posted August 2, 2015 Share Posted August 2, 2015 Fantastic! I love how you thought to include the ribbing on the inner walls. Brilliant! And Josh's J-2 looks like it fits perfectly. I'm going to love watching this one come together! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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