arbit Posted December 31, 2021 Posted December 31, 2021 7 hours ago, Dobber said: Been working on these for quite some time now. That is a very high skill set. It will take some time to carefully go through these photos. Quote
Urashiman Posted December 31, 2021 Author Posted December 31, 2021 12 hours ago, electric indigo said: Tentacle alert! Uuhh - this is kinky hahahaha Quote
MechTech Posted December 31, 2021 Posted December 31, 2021 @Thom Thank you! I'm hoping to enter it into our club contest mid-year. I didn't even know I was building something in that category (sci-fi). @pengbuzz If there was only room left on the base, then I could practice my resin skills for simulated pee🤣 @arbit Thank you very much! I did work hard at the sand and matching colors. The tank was part of the plan all along. If we ever went mechanized like this, I don't think we'll ever completely get rid of wheeled or tracked vehicles. They're cheaper and faster. I wanted to show them together in a more realistic environment - if that were possible. The inspiration was literally holding pieces together decades ago to try and create a more realistic mecha, similar to MADOX or VOTOMS. Emphasis on the more realistic or contemporary. Thank you. I need to make a photo booth. I just grabbed some foam board and a spotlight! There are too many shadows and not everything is lit evenly. Thank you guys for all of your support! - MT Quote
MechTech Posted January 2, 2022 Posted January 2, 2022 I hope everyone is enjoying their weekend! May this year be better than the last! New project. Long story, but I'm working on a modernized version of the British Spitfire. This version will be 1/72nd scale and have counter-rotating, fan blade props. Part of last week and this weekend was spent just trying to make the gearbox and drive mechanism. First the gearbox. I had some metal gears from old shell timing fuses (bought as scrap online). I bored through the center of them on the lathe. My lathe has been off-center for a while, so part of what I had to do was re-machine the lathe tailstock holder. After fixing that, two gears had different sized holes drilled. One for the steel shaft and one for the hollow brass shaft to go through it. Then the last gear was milled like a "crown" gear. This is where teeth stick up for 90 degree meshing. The shaft of the crown gear sits in a 2mm ball bearing. The case is of course styrene - carefully aligned what seemed a thousand times to make everything mesh smoothly. Everything else sits on brass tube bushings. When one gear drives the crown gear, the crown gear drives the other gear in the opposite direction. This was the smallest and most simple gearbox I could conceive. The whole thing is going to move slow enough to be seen, like when an engine first starts up. so a micro drive (6mm diameter) geardrive was used. Yep, it looks like my pilot will be straddling the motor! The black plastic gear is from an old camcorder and of course, I had to bore that out too! It was tough finding a gear to mesh with the blue gear. I got one of the two prop hubs machined in aluminum and fitted over the first (brass) shaft. This is actually the second prop hub, the first was messed up testing techniques. It also looks like I need to re-align the gearcase a little too! There is a normal, 3 degree, down-ward angle in propeller aircraft. Despite using a jig in assembly, it looks like I need to decrease the downward angle just a tad. The current nose makes it look worse until the air scoop is installed below it. That's it for now. Thanks for checking in guys! - MT Quote
arbit Posted January 2, 2022 Posted January 2, 2022 (edited) 3 hours ago, MechTech said: When one gear drives the crown gear, the crown gear drives the other gear in the opposite direction. This was the smallest and most simple gearbox I could conceive. @MechTech Nice clean work as always. What RPM is your 6mm motor? And probably a dumb question, but why do you need the gearbox and crown gear at all? They dont appear to be reducing the RPM. Couldn't you just use the black and blue gears, and reverse the polarity of the motor, to get the same result? Edited January 2, 2022 by arbit Quote
MechTech Posted January 2, 2022 Posted January 2, 2022 @arbit Thank you! I believe the gearmotor is 60-90 RPM, 3V. I bought them a couple of years ago. No problem. If you note the output shafts are in two steps. The gearbox has TWO shafts coming out of it (on the prop side). One shaft rotates counter-clockwise (the brass extension) the other clockwise (the steel one). That is what the crown gear is for. Each horizontal axis gear has one shaft attached to it (brass or steel). There will be two prop hubs with fan blades counter-rotating from each other. If it was an actual plane, this would be used to eliminate torque and control issues. I attached a similar setup in the photo below. Here is a sample of a 3D bevel-geared box with a video in their link to see how it works. https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3873918 I hope that makes things clearer. I didn't realize until after you asked. The gearbox as is, looks like it does nothing!😁 - MT Quote
arbit Posted January 2, 2022 Posted January 2, 2022 2 minutes ago, MechTech said: I hope that makes things clearer. I didn't realize until after you asked. The gearbox as is, looks like it does nothing!😁 - MT Aha! Now I get it. And it will look sweet! Quote
Thom Posted January 2, 2022 Posted January 2, 2022 8 hours ago, MechTech said: I hope everyone is enjoying their weekend! May this year be better than the last! New project. Long story, but I'm working on a modernized version of the British Spitfire. This version will be 1/72nd scale and have counter-rotating, fan blade props. Part of last week and this weekend was spent just trying to make the gearbox and drive mechanism. First the gearbox. I had some metal gears from old shell timing fuses (bought as scrap online). I bored through the center of them on the lathe. My lathe has been off-center for a while, so part of what I had to do was re-machine the lathe tailstock holder. After fixing that, two gears had different sized holes drilled. One for the steel shaft and one for the hollow brass shaft to go through it. Then the last gear was milled like a "crown" gear. This is where teeth stick up for 90 degree meshing. The shaft of the crown gear sits in a 2mm ball bearing. The case is of course styrene - carefully aligned what seemed a thousand times to make everything mesh smoothly. Everything else sits on brass tube bushings. When one gear drives the crown gear, the crown gear drives the other gear in the opposite direction. This was the smallest and most simple gearbox I could conceive. The whole thing is going to move slow enough to be seen, like when an engine first starts up. so a micro drive (6mm diameter) geardrive was used. Yep, it looks like my pilot will be straddling the motor! The black plastic gear is from an old camcorder and of course, I had to bore that out too! It was tough finding a gear to mesh with the blue gear. I got one of the two prop hubs machined in aluminum and fitted over the first (brass) shaft. This is actually the second prop hub, the first was messed up testing techniques. It also looks like I need to re-align the gearcase a little too! There is a normal, 3 degree, down-ward angle in propeller aircraft. Despite using a jig in assembly, it looks like I need to decrease the downward angle just a tad. The current nose makes it look worse until the air scoop is installed below it. That's it for now. Thanks for checking in guys! - MT Damned impressive! Can't wait to see it going. Quote
Captain Global Posted January 3, 2022 Posted January 3, 2022 Currently working on my own version of the Yf 19 arm canon for 3d printing. Quote
derex3592 Posted January 3, 2022 Posted January 3, 2022 Small Titanic update: Not much time over the holidays to get much done, but little by little things are starting to move along .. a LOT of small parts prep going on when I have time. My 1st actual "room" built and sealed in with LED's inside - also my first time using Enamel Coated Magnet Wire for power - pretty cool stuff. Quote
electric indigo Posted January 5, 2022 Posted January 5, 2022 Harry survived the tentacle attack and is going green now. Quote
joscasle Posted January 5, 2022 Posted January 5, 2022 8 minutes ago, electric indigo said: Harry survived the tentacle attack and is going green now. NIce!!!!! Love the camo!!! Quote
MechTech Posted January 9, 2022 Posted January 9, 2022 @derex3592 Those PE windows and lighting are looking good! @electric indigo As usual, your paint is looking great! The Turbo Spitfire is coming along slower than hoped. I turned a beautiful spinner for the end nose, and then realized somehow it got all scratched up! I don't know how. I don't know if I can just buff it out, so maybe a second spinner will have to be lathed. The plan was to machine blank blades and then mill the final shape into them. I spent hours testing and making the blanks. You can see by the pile of shavings - this is is lot of machining! So what happens when I go to do the final machining? THIS! Just to show you, the spinner I screwed up too. The prop blank deflected and and got mangled when I went to machine it. Even in steel, it couldn't take the force. So all those hours of work down the tubes. Plan B was to make some brass inserts that go into the prop hubs and then cut thin steel blades from an old can. Hopefully I get that done this week. And what the blades will look like too. That's it for this week. Thanks for checking in! - MT Quote
Thom Posted January 9, 2022 Posted January 9, 2022 (edited) Just think @MechTech you can melt down those shavings into a new hunk of metal! 😁 On as aside, that first attempt looked damn good. The next is bound to be even better! Edited January 9, 2022 by Thom Quote
derex3592 Posted January 9, 2022 Posted January 9, 2022 @electric indigo Harrier camo looking great! @MechTech You sir...are a madman! That pile of shavings! Ohh MY! Titanic Update! Custom magnetic stand attachments are on and she is on her stand with all wiring run through the stand supports and all LEDs working! Work proceeds slooowly on the upper decks... Sooo many bits to light block and paint.. LOL. I'm not sure I'm cut out for ship building! I miss my SciFi! Buuuut, I am becoming fairly knowledgeable about the Titanic at this point! Quote
Thom Posted January 10, 2022 Posted January 10, 2022 @pengbuzz Challenge! Cardboard. Tape. 'Spares Box.' You. and This! Quote
pengbuzz Posted January 10, 2022 Posted January 10, 2022 8 minutes ago, Thom said: @pengbuzz Challenge! Cardboard. Tape. 'Spares Box.' You. and This! Sorry...I'm a little bummed out right now Thom. I appreciate it, but the other day, I dug the Batmobile out to work on it while the wife wasn't looking. In trying to replace the glass in the canopy, the canopy self-destructed. So, the car went back into storage, and I'm eyeing trying either a rum and coke, or Harvey's Bristol Creme. Maybe Wild Turkey. Or Turkey and Gravy with stuffing; it could go either way about now. Or a Whopper. BRB...I'm hungry... Quote
Dobber Posted January 10, 2022 Posted January 10, 2022 21 hours ago, derex3592 said: @electric indigo Harrier camo looking great! @MechTech You sir...are a madman! That pile of shavings! Ohh MY! Titanic Update! Custom magnetic stand attachments are on and she is on her stand with all wiring run through the stand supports and all LEDs working! Work proceeds slooowly on the upper decks... Sooo many bits to light block and paint.. LOL. I'm not sure I'm cut out for ship building! I miss my SciFi! Buuuut, I am becoming fairly knowledgeable about the Titanic at this point! Nice Derex. I’ve been working on this one myself. Quote
Thom Posted January 11, 2022 Posted January 11, 2022 8 hours ago, pengbuzz said: Sorry...I'm a little bummed out right now Thom. I appreciate it, but the other day, I dug the Batmobile out to work on it while the wife wasn't looking. In trying to replace the glass in the canopy, the canopy self-destructed. So, the car went back into storage, and I'm eyeing trying either a rum and coke, or Harvey's Bristol Creme. Maybe Wild Turkey. Or Turkey and Gravy with stuffing; it could go either way about now. Or a Whopper. BRB...I'm hungry... So, a good session of drunk-modelling is in order.😀 Quote
MechTech Posted January 11, 2022 Posted January 11, 2022 @derex3592 Thanks! Sometimes I think I'm mad too! Your ship is looking great! The lighting really does add an authenticity to it. @Dobber Your version is looking great! I love the fact that it is smooth instead of "ole skool" stepped and "LEGO rough". Both spinners are good now. I like the look of the second version better now anyhow. The gearbox and spinners are also the correct angle now. If you look REALLY hard, you can see this scrap of steel sheet become propellers after I sand it and then trim them out of it. They'll then be treated with bluing compound to give them a cool color and sheen. Oh, and the juice was good too (with coconut chunks in it)😁 Hopefully I'll get the blades done this week. - MT Quote
pengbuzz Posted January 11, 2022 Posted January 11, 2022 19 hours ago, Thom said: So, a good session of drunk-modelling is in order.😀 Or sleeping in late. Quote
electric indigo Posted January 12, 2022 Posted January 12, 2022 @MechTech Can't you source the blades from another kit? Seems to be a tricky job manufacturing them. _ Since the Harrier's canopy is so spacious, I put some more effort into the pilot. He was converted from a Hasegawa Navy pilot. Quote
Bolt Posted January 13, 2022 Posted January 13, 2022 Howdy. I missed the deadline for the Moscato resin model competition in mid December.. This is the project. It's near completion, so I thought i would share. This is a Megaroad Zentradi Regult , heavy support for Skull squadron 😉 It's in need of a few touch ups and such. In particular, i need to replace the old skull squadron water slide on the back hatch . It didn't come out proper, so I'll replace it with a newer one. Also the main laser canons need some details and the heavy missiles want to be light grey , IMO. Will also touch up the white on the teeth, etc. Also, the led eye is frosted. Sanding didn't really help, I would like for it to have been clear acrylic or something..well, hope you all enjoy, thanks for watching. See you next Deculture! PS the design was inspired by this..! Quote
arbit Posted January 13, 2022 Posted January 13, 2022 1 hour ago, Bolt said: Howdy. I missed the deadline for the Moscato resin model competition in mid December.. This is the project. It's near completion, so I thought i would share. This is a Megaroad Zentradi Regult , heavy support for Skull squadron 😉 Lovely design, inspiration, and execution. Real cute too! What is the story behind your diorama display base? Is it scratch built or 3D Printed? Quote
arbit Posted January 13, 2022 Posted January 13, 2022 @MechTech May be of interest, several of his favorites are about machining. Quote
Bolt Posted January 13, 2022 Posted January 13, 2022 1 hour ago, arbit said: Lovely design, inspiration, and execution. Real cute too! What is the story behind your diorama display base? Is it scratch built or 3D Printed? Thanks @arbit 🙂 I picked up this Diorama base from a fellow MW'er several years ago. It's plywood and what appears to be styrene. I plan on expanding on it , as my Megaroad project . Will make a modular system with this as the core. With a lid , having Leds and such. I'm expecting it to be a bit involved and overwhelming, lol. I may add some chain bases from the fext line, but I've been studying Macross line art and would like to keep this accurate. I still have at least 3 or 4 more 1/72's planned for this project but , over time, will be working on the Megaroad hangar also. Phew..! Quote
Thom Posted January 13, 2022 Posted January 13, 2022 @Bolt Great looking Regult! Love the art work. Quote
Dobber Posted January 13, 2022 Posted January 13, 2022 @Bolt dang man, I Love that Regult! Great work. Chris Quote
Bolt Posted January 13, 2022 Posted January 13, 2022 Thanks guys ! All the work i see being done here is always so awesome and inspirational. Thanks for keeping it up ! Quote
Bolt Posted January 14, 2022 Posted January 14, 2022 Started on the light grey for the heavy missiles.. And while i was at the airbrush... finally ready to focus back on this ! And while i was at it.. And started prepping this for the next airbrush session..Guess what it is 😉 Thanks for watching see you next Deculture ,Spacy cowboy ! Quote
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