Scratch built DYRL launch arm

[redfinger61]

Gonna use this thread to keep pics and progress updated on this build.

Pretty straight forward here...I basically drew to scale the arm that I am gonna build. I use the attached image/studio art to base my arm off of. I took 1/4in steel rod and cut the lengths I needed, rigged up a jig, set the rod in it and welded away.

After that I smoothed out the welds, then encased the steele rod in the proper size plastic square tubing. The idea is the use this square tubing as a base from which to build the arm, while the steel rod on the inside gives the arm the needed stregnth so that the arm doesnt bend with time. The steel might be a bit overkill, but it is what I have access to in my garage right now.

The next step is to fill in the gaps at the joints with some putty and smooth it out. After that I will probably work on the claw or fast pack grasp, and then onto the rest of the arm, followed by the base(still not sure what to do about that yet.)

Ashton

Pics;

[MechTech]

So far, so good. Overkill would be 1/2" pipe . That's me, trying to work with what I have. It's just cheaper that way! - MT

[Kicker773]

what size of valk will you be using?

[redfinger61]

what size of valk will you be using?

this will be for the 1/72 hasegawa kit.

Small update.

I have spent most of the evening working on the claw that will grab the fast packs...and I think the the 1/4in rod is too big, when compared to the moch-up of the claw, the shaft looks to big and out of scale, I dont want to make the claw bigger, then the Valk will look out of scale.

So I feel the solution is to go with a smaller rod, 3/16's maybe...I think I am also going to revamp the jig I built to correct the angles a little more.

Ashton

[redfinger61]

Got a fun little package in the mail today...Gundamhead sent me some bits from the launch arm he mastered, he has jumped started my project forward about 3months probably, thanks gundam!!!!!

I stopped by the hobby shop after work today and picked up some small square brass tubing, I think I have what it takes now to make the base of the arm, I am going to work on it tonight and see if I cant post some pics.

Ashton

[orguss01]

Got a fun little package in the mail today...Gundamhead sent me some bits from the launch arm he mastered, he has jumped started my project forward about 3months probably, thanks gundam!!!!!

I stopped by the hobby shop after work today and picked up some small square brass tubing, I think I have what it takes now to make the base of the arm, I am going to work on it tonight and see if I cant post some pics.

Ashton

Good looking out Gundamhead..

Are you gonna build it to hold valk vert or like in the pic ?

might need counterweight.??

Edited November 3, 2007 by orguss01

[wm cheng]

Hey redfinger61 - 1/2" wouldn't be overkill... get the thickest, or at least vertically tallest metal stock you can find inside that arm! it can be quite laterally thin, just tall. I'd go with 1/2" bar stock at least 1/2" the way up the arm, then dress it out with gak to hide it.

I mounted my arm horizontal and after a bit of time, it has unfortunately begun to sag considerably (you'd think a 1/72 Hasegawa kit wasn't that heavy?!) I suppose if you mounted the arm vertically it wouldn't sag as much. But if I were to do it again, I'd definitely beef up the metal stock inside the arm. Just something to look out for - you can tell the sag especially because the secondary arm holding the light "GO" unit is still straight and provides a contrast to the arm holding the Valkyrie.

[redfinger61]

Hey redfinger61 - 1/2" wouldn't be overkill... get the thickest, or at least vertically tallest metal stock you can find inside that arm! it can be quite laterally thin, just tall. I'd go with 1/2" bar stock at least 1/2" the way up the arm, then dress it out with gak to hide it.

I mounted my arm horizontal and after a bit of time, it has unfortunately begun to sag considerably (you'd think a 1/72 Hasegawa kit wasn't that heavy?!) I suppose if you mounted the arm vertically it wouldn't sag as much. But if I were to do it again, I'd definitely beef up the metal stock inside the arm. Just something to look out for - you can tell the sag especially because the secondary arm holding the light "GO" unit is still straight and provides a contrast to the arm holding the Valkyrie.

WC, thanks for the sound advice...

Small update in regards to what WC talked about.

So I scratched the idea about the 1/4 in steel rod because I felt it was out of scale. So I went to the hobby shop picked up some more brass square tubing. Well I cut it up, used some heavy duty epoxy resin and let it dry for a few days, I even reinforced it with styrene....then I did a little test.

I weighed one of my finished valks and attached the correct amount of weight to the end of my "arm" and let it sit over night, when I cam back the next morning the arm had snaped at one of the resin joints...so scratch idea number two...

I my have a line on some 3/16 and 1/4in square tubing, hollow is always stronger than stock, So I am going to see what I can find today and try welding it up.

Ashton

[redfinger61]

Ok...

So i found some 3/16 and 1/4 solid steel stock, I decided to go solid so I dont warp the hollow, thinner metal while welding, metal of that thickness needs alot of heat to melt it. So I went to work on the 3/1g, I may weld it too the 1/4in so that arm has a "telescopic" look to it, not sure yet though.

As far as te weight went, I attached a 2lbs weight to the end of the rod (a little less then a kg for you metric folk...) and the bar hasnt even flexed!!! So I think I have found the right set up!!

Below are the images of just the stock I welded and the stock w/ a few of the detail bits that I recieved from gundam and that I cut!

Ashton

[redfinger61]

Update.

I will pst some pics later this weekend, but now that I have the arm roughed in I am starting to work on the hull piece and the launch bay...I think I may have found a solution to my problem of replicating a deep shaft.

I was thinking of using mirriors and such, but I decided to build the first 4 inches or so of the launch shaft, including the personel view port in the bottom of the shaft, then behind that there will be a secondary set of blast door that will be shut...I think it will work.

Like I say I am still in the roughing stage and the pics, when I post them will be pretty simple.

Ashton

[MechTech]

1/4", yeah, I think you're safe! You could hang your grocery shopping bags off that too ! So far so good. - MT

[redfinger61]

ok, finally getting to posting these pics....

THis is just a really rough mock-up, the valk in the pic is a 1/72 Hasegawa, I think it looks a little small, but when compared to the movie I think the scale is about right, also, this model doesnt have fastpacks, mine will.

Enjoy!

Ashton

[deadghost]

wrong post, nvm.

Edited November 19, 2007 by deadghost

[redfinger61]

It has been a productive thanksgiving weekend, I have been able to get quite a bit of work done on the arm and some on the hanger.

I built the arm in 2 pieces, the "boom" and the main piece that attaches to the upper ceiling of the hanger shaft, they are held together by machine screws, as I have added layers of sttyrene and filler the arm has gotten really heavy, the screws will ensure the strongest bond I can give it, I am also designing it in such a way that I can take the arm off if I ever need too.

I still have quite a bit to do on it, but I feel this is a good start and that I am making decent progress.

Ashton

[MechTech]

Looks good so far! I'm glad someone else had a productive weekend. - MT

[warpaint22]

Looking great redfinger61. I'm amazed at how far you've come in such a short time. Keep it up.

[redfinger61]

I am actually going to rebuild the arm, I just dont like how it looks, I have been stewing over it for the past day or so, and it just doesnt seem right, seems a little to wide and to thick, I have drawn up a new set of plans that will make the arm one complete piece and it will be quite a bit thinner all around. I should have pics up of the redo in the next day or two.

Ashton

[redfinger61]

Ran into an interesting and unforseen problem today. I was doing a mock up of my newly designed arm and the valk that I am going to be attatching to it, I am using a strike valk, the one with the cannon instead of the missle launcher attached to the fast pack.....well, the missle launcher and the cannon are at two different heights and different angles, making it almost impossible to attatch the "claw" the way that gundamhead intended.

So I need to either redesign the claw, or not go w/ a "strike" version of the fast pack. I suppose I can make one of my other valks a strike valk, maybe one of the Max and Millia ones that I will do will be as a strike valk.

Other wise things are coming along well. I have the hole cut out in the hanger tunnel for the control room, the arm has be redsigned, welded and the first layer of styrene and filler is on it. I started building some of the valk as well, it will be a VF-1J, Hikaru's valk.

Anyone remember the # on his? Before he took over Skull-1?

Ashton

[redfinger61]

ok small update.

Now that the new arm shape is done I have started to build the "claw" section. Although I had bits gven to me from Gundamhead, because of my new design I have ahd to rebuild them so they can attach to my new arm. I am really happy with this new shape and design.

In the concept art the boom is fairly simple, and in the movie it is quite detailed, I will probably go with something in between. The hanger is coming along nicely, slowly but nice. I might try to post some pics of it later, but for now I just want to keep rolling with the claws.

Ashton

[redfinger61]

I got a bit more of the detail done near the "claw" section of the arm, also I finished roughing in the control room as well, I will putty the seams and start building that next. I dl'd some pics of how the arm stands now, enjoy them.

Ashton

[MechTech]

That's coming together great. And it will be bullet proof in real life too . - MT

[warpaint22]

Great job, it's really looking the part and the deatail stands out really well.

[Valkyrie addict]

I really most say kudos to you man, I'm new to scratchbuilding since I got a model that crappy and had to make some parts to make it more accurate and was a complete pain

respect! hope to see more pictures soon, your work is amazing

[redfinger61]

Thanks for the encouragement guys. I am putting this project on hold for a week or so, two reasons, I dont want to get burned out on it, and a friend needs some help w/ some modeling tips, so we are going to build a few models together.

I learned a long time agon when I was first learning to lead-fill and paint cars that it is very vaulable sometimes to just step back, and walk away from a project for a few days, often times I have returned w/ fresh ideas and renewed enregy to finish the project right.

Ashton

[redfinger61]

So I am back working on this project again, just about done too...I will post some pics tomarrow when I have some time to take a few photos. I have pretty much finished the control room that will sit in the floor of the hanger. The arm is done and I am almomst finished w/ my putty work on the face of the hanger, then I can start the detail work there.

Ashton

[redfinger61]

Ok here some pics of the control room, I still have a bit of work to do on them and I also need to build the frame work for the clear panels as well.

enjoy!!

[Ignacio Ocamica]

Looking very good!!!!

It's coming together really great

[TSP]

Very cool launch arm diorama. Adding a control room is a real nice idea.

[MechTech]

Hey, he is still alive! Looking great! The control room looks realistic. - MT

[codam23]

Man That looks just great. How much more detail are you going to do?

[redfinger61]

Man That looks just great. How much more detail are you going to do?

As far as "detail" goes quite a bit I guess, the whole interior of the hanger will be detailed out, the control room will even have operatoers in it, I plan on adding various hoses and such to the arm....so i feel it should look well enough.

Ashton

[warpaint22]

Looking awesome can't wait on some update pic's. The addition of the control room looks great.

[miriya]

Hey, redfinger61, That looks really great! I am totally covetous!

[misterryno]

redfinger61,

This project is lookin REALLY good mate.