MechTech

Thanks for posting the pics! I hate the 3D printed prototypes, there is so much that can change before the production model comes out. But it looks better than the last bland shapes we saw. - MT

Looking great guys! I made a steel punch for windows and I'm still working the bridge design before cutting styrene. Derex, why don't you try thin decal strips that color or paint some portions of decal sheets for the SDF-1? Then carefully with a SHARP razor cut the strips the width you need. That's how I keep my sanity with small models and THIN lines. The decal paper will still lay down flat with paint on it. Enamels seem to work best. - MT

It's "compoundo" guys! I just usually use some isopropyl on a swab or rag to clean up excess. Too much cleans out the panel lines. Do it Arbit. You got the motion, get the lights too.- MT

That last video looks AWESOME Arbit! Well done! The droid and speeder came out great Derex - roger roger! - MT

Arbit, get some felt for your stand. It won't stick to the paint and will last for decades. It looks great by the way! - MT

Chas, ha ha, the first one has a tire for a butt! Talk about leaving tread marks! They all look cool though! I posted more in depth detail and photos in the beginning modeller's thread, but here's my first attempt at vacu-forming in a couple of years. Long story short, I'm building an Oto Melara 76mm gun turret for my 1/72nd scale ship. I built one 15 years ago out of those vending machine toy capsules, but as you can see, it is WAY too big after looking at the official specs (I only could get photos back then). The buck (mold) was made on my lathe and the gun port was machined out with additional holes to pull the hot plastic into it. My first attempts wasted a couple feet of plastic as I didn't realize I had TOO MUCH plastic around the buck making it web up instead of conforming. After doing some research, I realized that an adapter was needed to reduce the plastic that could be pulled over the buck. So that's the next photo. After that, I had 100% success and made four. Slap it back on the lathe for a clean cut around the circumference and I'm back on track. Back to my school work - MT

For those of you looking to do some vacu-forming, its been a couple of years since I did my last project using it. I forgot some things and wasted a lot of plastic thinking I was having temperature issues with the plastic. Long story short, think of a blanket. When you droop a BIG blanket over something, you get webbing in between where the blanket hugs whatever you are drooping it over. I did some research and was like "DUH" - forgot about that!" So I took the vacu-forming box I made and added a plate with a hole in it to reduce the plastic available to pull over the mold or "buck". Plus less plastic means I wasted less. So a quick walk through for anyone wanting to do vacu-forming. First I made the "buck" on my lathe and machined the gun port into it. In order for the plastic to get into nooks and cranny's, you need air holes for the vacuum to reach in there and pull the plastic in. This will be a 1/72nd Oto Melara 76mm ship's turret. Next is a photo of the buck and original turret I made like 15 years ago. Long story short, it is WAY too big and kinda heavy to go on an R/C boat. The photo with a pulled (molded) piece on the lathe shows the failure of having TOO much plastic around the buck causing webbing and ruining the part. To add insult to injury, I still had to cut it off too! Next photos are the vacuum box with frame to hold the plastic. Since the adapter makes a smaller hole that is hard to line up with the buck, the light helps you see and align them up. The next photos show successful pulls and how they were cut off on the lathe. The last photo shows the buck and molding. Note the holes in the buck to suck the plastic into the gun port. (sorry, photos wouldn't load in order no matter what I tried) Hopefully this helps someone and you don't waste a couple feet of plastic like I did! - MT

That looks REALLY good! - MT

Nyankodevice, what about a dark red or maroon color with black accents? Maybe dark red and darker red accents? Just and idea. - MT

Thanks for the update. These look good so far. - MT

That looks really good! - MT

Nice recovery indeed and a good "push" forward with the deck - which also looks great! - MT

YA-MA-TO!!! That came out awesome Arbit, especially for a project that small! Congrats! That's some serious paint NZEOD! The paint probably weighs more than the plastic. - MT Got the running hardware DONE! The rudders now have a "bulb" on them to improve the flow and hydrodynamics. They will probably stay paintless since the paint will get water blasted off eventually anyhow. I also found a bad solder joint on the starboard side rudder so fixed that too. It just won't be as "clean" as the other side. On to the hull and topside now. - MT

That scheme looks good Chyll! It adds a modern touch to it. The Yamato is coming along Arbit! Hopefully you have a safe place or case to put that in. The rudders are finally done - except for the tear drop shaped fairings that will cover the hole in the middle. The photo is deceptive, but that's a micro servo. I tried to build everything so there is no play in the rudders. The rudders sit in the jet flow so any slight moves equate to big course changes. The rudders are also nearly round to fit right up into the nacelle jets for extreme deflection. A water jet drive style nozzle wouldn't fit here so the rudders were the next best thing. - MT

That's too bad Pengbuzz, it looked like you were making good headway and that you were fixing some of the issues with the kit. Don't give up, just replace the bad parts with better (like you've been doing). - MT

Maybe Arbit. The 1/350 kit is still small though in that area. I think it would be doors or lift, not both because of size. I think it looks good Chyll. Unless you're going for a "non-canon" scheme. Chronocidal, what work are you doing with a laser on them? It's tough to see in these bad photos, but half of the nacelle is still round while the other half that is exposed is actually nacelle shaped now making it hydrodynamic. I got the rudder shafts in, but no photos yet. Still working on the final design. - MT

The new programming looks great Arbit! I REALLY got to get into Ardruino - on top of everything else! - MT

WOW, this is looking awesome! I could never get one, it would scare the crap outa my children AND cats! - MT

That's really cool Nyankodevice! Nice touch! Galactic Diva, that's why I'm building this. I no longer have any functioning R/C boats (sold the Daedalus a year or two ago). Arbit, I couldn't even do that with an electron microscope But I could probably make one fire off like a dart Thanks for that animation. I've never actually seen how that is all supposed to work. It's impractical and an engineering / maintenance nightmare for just one jet (or two). - MT

Your mech is looking awesome Nyankodevice! It's got a good look to it and plenty of armament too! Thanks guys, I appreciate it! I wouldn't go that far! I haven't rebuilt a plane tossed across the room, but I did rebuild one my daughter "played with" to pieces. It never was the same if it makes you feel better :^) I've been building R/C boats for a while (working in a hobby shop back in the day helps too). Basically I took Voith's design and modeled it (guessing about dimensions and stuff). Here's more if you're interested (movie and booklets): http://www.voith.com/en/products-services/power-transmission/voith-linear-jet-40389.html So that's what's in the nacelles, a five bladed impeller and seven stator ring. It's a water jet but with more low speed efficiency, more power and reverse without a reverser bucket (and another channel / servo / more weight). They are in tunnels in the hull to make the draft (depth) of the boat shallower. Less stuff hanging down to drag the boat back too. The motors are just brushless outrunners and two two brushless speed controls coupled to two transmitter control sticks. That means I can use one motor to save battery or use both to haul butt! It also means I can reverse them for tight turning in place like a tank. The metal ball and cups are what transfers the power to the nacelles. I waited YEARS to get a lathe, but it was well worth it! They say you can build just about anything with a lathe and a mill - it's nearly true. They're expensive, but the Sherline lathes and mills are HIGH quality and rock solid - no play and no calibrating or clean-up needed. My Chinese mill has had A LOT of work on it, and it still doesn't compare or work as well and has lots of play in the movements still too. But it works! If you guys are serious or curious, drop me a PM and maybe I can save you some hassle and research I had to go through. Next step is to get some rudders going. - MT

Your print turned out great! You can use the rough texture of the Zentraedi ships to your advantage. I'd use a textured paint to give it depth and cover the print alias.- MT

Nice Chyll, that new head has great detail on it! Got on the lathe and mill to make half drive dogs , with 3mm set screws to lock them. Then machined a motor mount out of aluminum. I could have made a styrene one in half the time, but I don't know how hot the motors will get and the aluminum will also act as a heat sink (and can easily be removed). Filled the tub with only 1.5 inches of water and it was more than enough! This design has a shallow draft. Both motors running on high equate to about a pound or two of thrust! I had to back off to keep water from flowing back up into the hull! Next step will be to design and make some rudders. As best as I can tell from the tub, the jets are flowing smooth and straight. The lake will tell! Sorry, the server keeps randomizing the photo orders despite my attempts to fix it! - MT

Cool NZEOD! I'm looking forward to a video or something. By the way, we love Weatabix! The pipes are filled with oil or grease. I've never had one leak on me yet. The shaft sits in a bearing which sits in a tube. The space is filled with grease / oil and seals it off while lubricating the bearings. Going for motor mounts and connectors today. - MT

Thanks! Great scratch building if that's the case. - MT

The good ones get framed! I've got all my old box inserts framed too. I've also got Tenjin's Super VF-1S wall scroll hanging up. Models make the best decoration fodder! - MT