Author Topic: The NASA model building thread (Read 1083642 times)

jgoldader · « **Reply #1580 on:** 04/14/2012 04:29 pm »

Quote from: Bubbinski on 04/14/2012 03:32 pm

Thanks Mike for your vote of confidence My big stumbling block with resin is the parts preparation, namely cutting and trimming the pouring stubs. That got me in trouble with Glenn's ISS modules. But maybe I bit off too much too soon. And maybe the Vostok would be a good place to start. I'll see.

Bubbinski,

I agree with Mike, time for you to tackle resin again.

When I have a big pour stub, I use an X-acto razor saw, leaving just a little bit of the stub behind, then attack the remainder with progressively finer sandpaper, starting with about 100 grit and ending up at around 600 or so, depending on how smooth the cut surface needs to be.

Use 5-minute epoxy (e.g. Loctite) to attach resin parts, after roughing up the surfaces a bit, or superglue for the small parts. Pinning to give strength to load-bearing joints is a good move. I use Aves epoxy putty for filling seams and other touch-ups.

Be sure to wash all the parts in soapy water to remove mold-release. Use a good primer before painting.

IMHO, patience is the most important thing you need, followed by experience and finally good tools. Someone with the first two things in the list will produce great builds even with mediocre tools; but good tools can't make up for the lack of the first two things.

Have fun! If you run into problems, ask here or at the Yahoo Space Modeler's group for help.

Jeff

Bubbinski · « **Reply #1581 on:** 04/14/2012 04:53 pm »

Thanks - I'll try and get a hold of Glenn's Vostok and Mercury kits and see how I do. If I can get through those then I'll get the Voskhod and Soyuz TMA.

Paper Kosmonaut · « **Reply #1582 on:** 05/10/2012 10:47 pm »

Hi guys, just me here. I recently finished my build of this Titan IIIe stack with Voyager inside, including Centaur and Star Kick motor. Scale of this (mainly) paper model is 1/96. The kit is designed by Mark Cable and available at ecardmodels.com.
Hope you like it!

woods170 · « **Reply #1583 on:** 05/11/2012 05:46 am »

Centaur in the fairing. Another fine piece of art PK!

Bubbinski · « **Reply #1584 on:** 05/12/2012 04:00 am »

Great work Paper Kosmonaut!

I'm going to order a Vostok from Real Space soon. But in the meantime I'm trying to figure out what other space models I want to build.

Paper Kosmonaut · « **Reply #1585 on:** 05/12/2012 10:26 am »

Quote from: Bubbinski on 05/12/2012 04:00 am

Great work Paper Kosmonaut!

I'm going to order a Vostok from Real Space soon. But in the meantime I'm trying to figure out what other space models I want to build.

Thanks, Bubbinski. I just read Glenn from Realspace has indefinitely postponed all his casting activities due to family circumstances. And that it will be uncertain when he will be back in business. Hopefully it all gets better for him soon. I could recommend Leo Cherkashyn's 1/48 Vostok for you in the meantime, it is a very detailed and fine model to make.

mike robel · « **Reply #1586 on:** 05/12/2012 11:47 am »

Quote from: Paper Kosmonaut on 05/12/2012 10:26 am

Quote from: Bubbinski on 05/12/2012 04:00 am
Great work Paper Kosmonaut!

I'm going to order a Vostok from Real Space soon. But in the meantime I'm trying to figure out what other space models I want to build.
Thanks, Bubbinski. I just read Glenn from Realspace has indefinitely postponed all his casting activities due to family circumstances. And that it will be uncertain when he will be back in business. Hopefully it all gets better for him soon. I could recommend Leo Cherkashyn's 1/48 Vostok for you in the meantime, it is a very detailed and fine model to make.

That's not true and not what he said. I can tell you that he is continueing to cast and develop kits. Personal matters can slow him down. He is filling orders, making stock for IPMS Nationals, and developing a 1/144 skylab (which in resin and photoetch has some strength/techonolgoy problems). If you order from him, you will get your product. If you e-mail him you will get a response. Perhaps not with transporter speed, but you will get it.

jgoldader · « **Reply #1587 on:** 05/12/2012 10:30 pm »

Quote from: Paper Kosmonaut on 05/12/2012 10:26 am

Quote from: Bubbinski on 05/12/2012 04:00 am
Great work Paper Kosmonaut!

I'm going to order a Vostok from Real Space soon. But in the meantime I'm trying to figure out what other space models I want to build.
Thanks, Bubbinski. I just read Glenn from Realspace has indefinitely postponed all his casting activities due to family circumstances. And that it will be uncertain when he will be back in business. Hopefully it all gets better for him soon. I could recommend Leo Cherkashyn's 1/48 Vostok for you in the meantime, it is a very detailed and fine model to make.

I'm not sure what's going on right at this moment, but Glenn is a stand-up, grade-A guy. His products are interesting, very reasonably priced, and delivered on a reasonable timescale. More than any other single person, he is the reason I am an active modeler today. Let's PLEASE not turn this into a flame-fest.

Jeff

Paper Kosmonaut · « **Reply #1588 on:** 05/14/2012 05:53 pm »

First: I never ever intended to flame Glenn as the person he is or his work, he makes beautiful stuff and I also have bought a lot of his upgrade kits. I also said I hope he gets up to speed real soon again.
Second: It was what I read from a retailer in Europe who appears to have difficulties with getting from Glenn what he orders. Perhaps this person was a bit too harsh in choosing the words and thus made some wrong or bold assumptions. I did not check every source in the universe before writing my comment and therefore I am sorry. I am not omniscient. I will repent. I will lick the pavement and write 10000 lines.

And if I offended anyone here or wherever, I am sorry again. Okay? Now can we all please cut back to looking at and enjoying each other's models?

Dyna-Soar · « **Reply #1589 on:** 05/14/2012 09:04 pm »

What if NASA had a second batch of Saturn V's made, and project Apollo was never cancelled. Inspired by Mike Robel's Saturns, this is my take on a hypothetical second production run Saturn V.

This model has quite a bit of history for me, as it was one my dad built for me when I was little, and I played with it a little too hard and it sat in disrepair for over a decade and a half. However, thanks to some left over bits from my Airfix Saturn V and a donation of some F-1's from one of the members of my local model building club, it is whole again.

Chandonn · « **Reply #1590 on:** 05/16/2012 09:24 pm »

My Soyuz, Dragon, and HTV... all waiting to dock or berth at my ISS model (I'm one of those crazy people who updates the ISS model in real time).

The Soyuz, of course, came with the ISS model. The HTV is a cardboard model around one of the unused ISS parts (the Hab module, if I'm not misstaken: gives it the same berthing mechanism as other USOS parts in the kit).

The Dragon is taken from the nosecone, and forward section of an SRB from a 1:144 scale shuttle model (same one I used to dock with the ISS model). I scanned in the solar arrays and scaled them by hand from another Soyuz model and printed them on card-stock (ah, the wonders of Elmer's glue!). and I attached a berthing piece from the ISS enhancement parts kit to allow it to be attached to the model. The dracos and logo are screen-captures from the only paper Dragon model I can find on the Net.

I'm hoping a more "official" Dragon model comes out in polystyrene or resin (preferably in 1:72 scale!)

EDIT: Reposted after I retouched and resized the image: man, I need to dust!

topopesto · « **Reply #1591 on:** 05/17/2012 04:32 pm »

why settle when you can have the best?

mike robel · « **Reply #1592 on:** 05/20/2012 08:43 pm »

More MEM in progress shots Finally got the outer and inner skin to be something I could live with. Not the astronaut in the 2nd to last shot and the last shot shows it next to a dragon LM. 1/72 scale.

topopesto · « **Reply #1593 on:** 05/21/2012 09:29 am »

Beautyfull!

Bubbinski · « **Reply #1594 on:** 05/23/2012 02:30 pm »

Mike that's a sweet looking MEM.

Hoping someone will get on the stick and put out a 1/72 Dragon kit. Good improvisation Chandonn.

luke strawwalker · « **Reply #1595 on:** 05/24/2012 05:00 am »

Quote from: jgoldader on 03/26/2012 01:37 pm

Here are pics of my first molded master, a 1/144 scale shuttle-derived lifting body. The inspiration was an abandoned late 1970's concept from Rockwell that was described in an AIAA paper by Carl Ehrlich and James Martin. It would have used the shuttle's forward fuselage and crew module as the basis of an X-24A type lifting body.

My master started with the front end of an old 1/144 Revell shuttle, and I scratchbuilt the rest from epoxy putty and styrene sheet. There was lots and lots of sanding involved.

I used Smooth-On silicone rubber and resin for the mold and casting.

Jeff

Would you happen to have a link to that study?? I'd really appreciate it! OL JR

Chandonn · « **Reply #1596 on:** 05/25/2012 11:29 pm »

And an update from today...

Bubbinski · « **Reply #1597 on:** 05/29/2012 04:17 am »

I spruced up my 1/72 Shuttle Atlantis (the one on the gear) by adding a few blankets and painting the aft RCS thrusters black (to reflect the shuttle on landing), and also got Space Ship One on a stand from a spare Dragon Gemini kit. It looks tons better now that it doesn't have to be held down by blue tack.

Prober · « **Reply #1598 on:** 06/05/2012 07:07 pm »

http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:24058 V2 Rocket

thinking about printing this up in "natural abs" and off white.

Would be looking for someone with extra time to detail it. Should look like the V-2's launched from the US.

Might be a while before I get it printed as several projects are ahead of it.

Bender · « **Reply #1599 on:** 06/05/2012 07:36 pm »

Scale models of SpaceX rockets are finally available. 1/72 scale Falcon Heavy and Falcon 9. 1/48 scale Falcon 1. The bad news is that you practically have to be Elon Musk to afford them. I think my wife would shoot me if I spent $1,400 for a model rocket. Looks like I'm still waiting for a company like Revell or Dragon to make some.
http://www.spacemodel.com/spacex-rockets/