-
#1740 by roma847 on 31 Oct, 2019 14:33
-
Manfred, if you work to any finer scale, you’re going to need an electron microscope! I continue to be amazed.
Thanks Dave,
not bad the idea, but I do not want to build much smaller than before.
-
#1741 by roma847 on 31 Oct, 2019 14:43
-
I have to agree dave, the talent here on display is mesmerizing...
And to think, it is all coming from photographs, almost no line drawing....
A master at work....
Thanks EG for your nice compliments.
But for scratch-building there is nothing like good technical drawings, therefore am glad that I have Lockheed Martin's fantastic ET Bible (System Definition Handbook SLWT).
-
#1742 by Welsh Dragon on 01 Nov, 2019 08:20
-
I'm not a modeller at all, but once in a while I see this threat pop up and I'm always amazed. The level of detail you work at is stunning. Keep up the good work!
-
#1743 by roma847 on 01 Nov, 2019 10:40
-
Thanks Welsh for your interest and the nice compliment.
I'm doing my best, but in the range of 1 mm or less, the limit of feasibility is reached too.
Although the normal viewer will not be able to see these tiny details with the naked eye anyway,
it is still itching to me to scratch them again and again.
-
#1744 by roma847 on 02 Nov, 2019 12:56
-
Hello friends,
then I'll continue with my pull-ups on the LO2 Umbilical.
But before I'll bend the end piece of the GO2 Press. Line, at first still to a last detail, which I wanted to leave out first, because I did not think it was that important. 
And that's this Bracket for guiding/stabilizing the Press. Line, which is mostly hidden on the photos and not completely visible,
Source: forum.nasaspaceflight.com (DaveS)
which is why I had to feel my way step by step, i.e. image by image.
In this photo one can see the oblique position on the inside of the Cable Tray, but otherwise one is groping in the dark.
Source: NASA
Here one can see already in more detail that these are two thin narrow struts, which are connected at both ends,
Source: forum.nasaspaceflight.com (Jester)
what one can also see in this picture, from which I have determined the necessary dimensions.
Source: NASA
On my first try, I glued Evergreen Strips (0,25 mm x 0,75 mm x 5 mm) together, using Strips (0,25 mm x 0,4 mm) as a spacer. But since the spacing for the Press. Line-Nickel silver rod (Ø 0,4 mm) seemed to be a bit too small,
I've adjusted it for the second try by gluing Strips (0,25 mm x 0,5 mm),
what comes already closer to the real conditions and looks better.
When test fitting the bracket, however, it turned out that it was a bit too long, since it should end at the height of the upper ring on the Feedline.
that's why I've shortened it by one strip width (0,5 mm),
which looks more pleasing,
and above all fits better into the mould, and thus could be glued in this position by means of MEK.
With that I can now bend the end piece of the GO2 Press. Line and its three Fittings, what should be a bit simpler than at the GH2 Press. Line on the other side, I hope at least.
-
#1745 by Usili on 03 Nov, 2019 01:34
-
I've realized I've never made a comment on this, but the work and level of detail you are doing for this project is just honestly absolutely amazing.
-
#1746 by roma847 on 03 Nov, 2019 05:59
-
Thanks, Usili, for your nice compliment, it's never too late, and I'm happy about every comment. Stay tuned!
-
#1747 by roma847 on 03 Nov, 2019 07:24
-
Hello everybody,
so then to bending and installation of the end piece of the GO2 Press. Line.
First of all, it is necessary to know the preliminary end point of this gas line in order to be able to start bending, but this time it is relatively easy, since behind the last Ice Frost Ramp from the Newware Kit (R25) there are only two bends in the pipe.
Source: forum.nasaspaceflight.com (Jester)
That's why I've used again my often shown ingenious Reference drawing from the recommendable ET Bible (System Definition Handbook SLWT - Lockheed Martin), from which one can take the exact location of the GO2 Press. Line (light blue) and of the GH2 Press. Line (red) direct next to the LO2 Feedline (dark blue).
Source: System Definition Handbook SLWT, Vol. II (Lockheed Martin)
And these three angles I've drawn into a 1:144 drawing of the ET cross section, and layed one of the 14 following Ramps (R23), in which both Press. Lines run up to the Intertank.
In this image, in front of it lays the last Ramp (R25), whose position next to the feedline is crucial for bending the GO2 Press. Line.
In order to determine their position as accurately as possible and to be able to transfer to the ET circumference, I have marked corresponding markings for all three lines on a Masking tape (1 mm).
This tape I've glued onto the ET and then threaded a short piece of the Press. Line (Nickel silver Ø 0,4 mm) through the Umbilical plate and the Bracket , as well as provisionally layed a longer piece of the line onto the tank.
In order to be able to determine the distances of the lines from each other as well as from the last ramp as exactly as possible, I have threaded the Ramp R25, as well as four Ramps R23 to the front, and have fixed the line in this position with tape.
Afterwards the distance of both lines is approx. 2 mm, which agrees well with the distance determined from photos,
with which I could actually bend the short piece of the line.
But to relax the eyes stressed out by the macro shots is here a look from the normal viewer's perspective. 
And since I was curious, I immediately made a first test-bending with a Copper dummy (Ø 0,4 mm), and as one can see here, the result looks already quite useful.
Similarly, I'll now next bend the same line piece of Nickel silver (Ø 0,4 mm) and then also attach the three Fittings made of insulating tube, wherewith then the LO2 Umbilical would have been finished.
-
#1748 by roma847 on 07 Nov, 2019 20:23
-
Hello friends,
today I have bent the end piece of the GO2 Press. Line made of Nickel silver (Ø 0,4 mm). But as one can see, while bending the wire in the tweezers too sharp bends arise in comparison to the copper wire, which is much more flexible (ductile), what I did not particularly like.
That's why I've used my round-nose pliers, and lo and behold, then therewith gentler curves succeed,
just as one can see it on this photo.
Source: NASA
Then the test fitting on the Umbilical came, which was expectedly tricky, because I had to thread the longer upper part of the wire first from below through the narrow Bracket and then had to insert it into the opening of the Umbilical plate.
Then I also still managed to insert the shorter piece in the rearmost Ramp (R25), in front of which the long GO2 Press. Line had been inserted.
Then I've also still cut the tiny Fittings from the thin Insulating hose (Ø 0,7 mm) in a known manner,
and have subsequently threaded the Press. Line, wherewith I am very satisfied for now.
But now the exciting question arises, how I should install this ringed end piece now best, since the upper ring cannot pass the narrow bracket?
Consequently, the ring must be removed before threading the wire in the holder and then re-fit without breaking off anything around. But how can one does it for heaven's sake in this cramped space, especially since the normal threading is already absolutely stressful,
and one has to take care hell-bent, that the tiny midget does not jump?
Therefore good advice is expensive, but maybe someone of you has a good idea that would help me?
In this sense, volunteers please step forward!
-
#1749 by EG on 07 Nov, 2019 20:45
-
Brother, a very intense problem true...
What I would do is take a thicker piece of material, probably metal small enough to fit in the space, and drill a whole through the end big enough for the line to freely slip through, then drill another hole large enough to fit the spacer in, centered on the smaller hole, but don't drill it through. Making like a kind of socket, fit the insulating spacer into the socket and push the line through.
it would still be a hit or miss thing on the amount of force to use, but at least you wouldn't have the tube sliding around....
Another thing you can try is to enlarge the hole in the tube so it is a slip fit over the line....
I'm doing a simlar thing for a build I"m working on and I need to enlarge the tube to fit two wires through........
This is what I did.... the tube is insulation off of a phone wire strand and pushed onto the pin to expand it to allow a second wire to pass thru also.....
Might work in this application also....
EG
-
#1750 by roma847 on 08 Nov, 2019 00:08
-
Thanks EG for your nice proposals.
At first, I've imagined of cutting open the tiny ring with the cutter, and then slipping it like a clip over the installed wire at its place close underneath the Umbilical Plate and to glue there.
But the ring is really damn small, approx. Ø 0,7 mm x 0,5 mm, and can hardly be held with the sharpest tweezer.
But then I've thought about the following bold solution.
My previous skepticism regarding the threading of the ring on the Press. Line was based on my up to now realized Mounting perspective. But then I came up with the idea to simply reverse the perspective and turn the Attachment upside down.
With that, the Umbilical plate lays below, and the ring would not fall down immediately, if one handle it carefully enough to place it over the opening.
And that's exactly what I did. First, I threaded the two lower rings in front of and behind the bend, and then introduced the line from above through the Bracket.
Then I threaded the upper ring onto a very thin Insect needle (Ø 0,25 mm) and inserted it next to the Bracket into the opening of the [color=blue ]Plate[/color].
Then I carefully pushed the ring with the cutter tip to the plate and pulled out the needle very slowly, so that the ring came to lie directly on the opening. 
And then I held my breath and gently inserted the slightly sharpened line with the tweezer through the ring into the opening until the point under the plate appeared, with which my stunt was indeed successful.
And this is how the Attachment on the ET looks from both sides.
Now the Press. line can still be aligned a bit and glued in this position in the Umbilical plate and with the Bracket, whereby it would then finally fixed.
And now I want to sleep for a few more hours ...
-
#1751 by roma847 on 13 Nov, 2019 00:05
-
Hello everybody,
and after the end piece of the GO2 Press. Line now to the end piece of the GH2 Press. Line, which directly lies next to it and after two bendings runs slantwise upwards in the direction of Crossbeam, as one can see on this image.
Source: NASA
With this line I want to proceed the same as with the GO2 Press. Line and initially only bend its end piece from the last Ice Frost Ramp (R24) to the TPS cladding under the Crossbeam, because the continuation of the line on the LH2 Tank until the Fairing on the Intertank should also be installed separately.
In the following image I have used a Steel rod (Ø 0,4mm) for the GH2 Press. Line and threaded it into the back three Resin ramps from the Newware Kit (NW 131).
On this photo one can see an Original ramp with the two Press. Lines, as well as the LH2 Cable Tray runnig below.
Source: NASA
And already as forward look and for the sake of completeness, in the following image are to see the 17 Ice Frost Ramps on the LH2 Tank , whereby the Ramps 1-14 (R23) are "Double"-Ramps (see previous photo).
Source: NASA
The connection point of this line piece at the TPS cladding under the Crossbeam can be seen in the following photos.
Source: NASA
Source: forum.nasaspaceflight.com (Jester)
In this photo one can see in the zoom that in front of the Fitting in front of the TPS cladding also still a small Support is sitting.
Source: forum.nasaspaceflight.com (DDG40)
And that is this point here on the model, which has unfortunately proved to be too low with detailed review
and measurement of the gap to the LO2 Feedline Bracket, which is why I had to shorten the TPS cladding very carefully a little bit with a razor blade to create the required space for the little Support. 
And these are the required separates. The small Support I've cut off from the rest of the TPS cladding, in front of it lies the tiny Fitting made of Insulating hose, and in front of them the Cu dummy for the end piece of the Press. Line (Ø 0,4 mm).
And the test fitting of the Press. Line looks already rather well.
But with that I was again faced with the same problem of threading the tiny Fitting in the space of this gap ...
But meanwhile I have some practice with it, and that's why I have prepared this time again a small Toothpick-Tape holder, as at that time in a similar action at the SSWS on the MLP,
at its top of which this time the Fitting hung.
The threading was again a similarly stressful and shaky matter with held breath as at the GO2 Press. Line, but ultimately I was successfully again, as one can see. 
Now I can put the Attachment back onto the ET and determine the length of the Press. Line up to the lower two bendings in front of the rear Ice Ramp (R24), which can then be bent.
-
#1752 by roma847 on 18 Nov, 2019 07:13
-
Nice animations, but luckily, almost everything was different ...
-
#1753 by roma847 on 18 Nov, 2019 21:41
-
Hello everyboy,
unfortunately, in the photos one cannot recognize the course of the GH2 Press. Line so good like that of the GO2 Press. Line, which is why I could not measure the length of the slant up to the lower two bendings directly. Therefore, after putting the Attachment on the ET, I could only mark the distance to the first bending after a painstaking threading of the dummy across the LO2 Feedline and through the opening of the small Support in front of the TPS Cladding, what a stressful fiddling was.
Then I've tried to get made the two bendings with the round tongs in the smallest spaces, especially since their distances are minimal, as can be seen from this image.
Source: georgesrockets.com (George Gassaway)
And that's how the bended Copper dummy looked like,
which one can see here in the provisionally installed state.
But somehow the shape and size of the lower bows did not agree, which were a bit too big, 
because, as one can see on this image, the upper bending in front of the slant is much closer to the GO2 Press. Line.
Source: NASA
After this first impression, I've immediately took the Steel wire (Ø 0,4 mm) and bent it, but it is much harder and more resistant and therefore more difficult to bend, especially in the lower part of the double bendings, which is why several trials and test fittings were necessary.
At that it turned out that one can perform the lower two bendings only halfway accurate, if one leaves at the lower end first a longer end piece in order to be able to bend at all, and this only then shortens accordingly afterwards.
Threading the line was only possible directly at the Attachment,
whereupon it could be put then onto the ET, in order to try then to insert the lower end into the rear Ice Frost Ramp (R24), but what was not successful instantly, because sometimes either the inclination of the slant or its length was not right, or the distances of the lower two bendings, or all together, what was enough to drive you up the wall ...
Therefore I'll show you the (preliminary) final result after the umpteenth attempt,
which was then satisfactory.
This was followed by (only) still the exercise with the threading of the two Fittings, whereby the action at the lower end still before the threading of the Press. Line under the Crossbeam was comparatively harmless.
But then came the critical place in the circled gap, for what the line in front of the support had to be fixed with a mini-tape strip (arrow) in order not to constantly slip out again.
And then I've channeled the Fitting ring, which was hanging at the Toothpick-Tape-holder again, into the gap, and carefully inserted the line with the sharpest tweezers, what then sometime has worked again ... 
But even to photograph these details, some pull-ups and appropriate mountings were needed to get close enough into a suitable position with the digicam,
in which the autofocus (with self-timer) could still focus, as one can see here.
All in all, a rather time-consuming business with the scratching of such tiny details, whereby the joy is even all the greater when it has succeeded in the end.
-
#1754 by roma847 on 24 Nov, 2019 21:32
-
Thanks my friends for liking my work.
Hello everybody,
after the two ET/Orbiter Assemblies are now finally completed, there is always still a small line missing, and this is the so-called LH2 Recirculation Line (Ø 4''), which can be seen here on the ET-45 (STS-47).
Source: georgesrockets.com (George Gassaway)
The line looks relatively simple and has a slight kink at both ends,
Source: forum.nasaspaceflight.com (DaveS)
Source: System Definition Handbook SLWT, Vol. II (Lockheed Martin)
in front of each time a Protective Shroud sits.
Source: System Definition Handbook SLWT, Vol. I (Lockheed Martin)
And so plain and simple looks this part of the Airfix Kit, whereby the two Shrouds are missing, which is not the end of the world.
First, I've tried it again with a Copper dummy (Ø 0,6 mm), and then I've tried to drill out a Rod ( Ø 1,2 mm) for the Shrouds stepwise in the center up to Ø 0,7 mm, which is not that easy with this diameter. 
After the temporary installation of the Dummy, which did not cause any problems,
I've then bent an Evergreen rod (Ø 0,7 mm) for the final line.
As already mentioned, drilling out can not be made immediately to the final inner diameter (Ø 0,7 mm), because the drill can slip too easily and does not stay in the center, therefore carefully step by step.
After that, I've cut off small 0,5 mm wide rings and had to find out that the bore had run eccentrically inwards, so unfortunately only the front ring could be used.
That's why I then drilled out only still 1 to 2 millimeters and then cut off the ring so as not to produce too much rejects.
And that's how I actually managed to make three useable rings,
and to thread them onto the rod, whereby the line looks significantly better than the Airfix cripple.
But when I kept the result of the test fitting in my sight, I was a little disenchanted, because the line seemed a bit too puny compared to the LH2 Feedline, 
what I've remembered differently when seeing all the photos ...
Source: NASA
And when I was brooding about it, suddenly it felled from my eyes like scales ...
Out of power of habit of recent weeks in intensive dealing with the GH2/GO2 Press. Lines, whose diameter is 2" (Ø 0,4 mm/1:144) and which are "naked", i.e. have no TPS cladding, the diameter of the LH2 Recirculation Line of 4'' (Ø 0,7 mm), which was used by me as a reference measure, concerns also only the "naked" stainless steel line, but which still has a 1'' TPS cladding (SS-1171/SLA-561), what results in a diameter of 6'' (Ø 1,0 mm/1:144), what I should have taken into account (see right scaling),
Source: georgesrockets.com (George Gassaway)
which is why I've then used the corrected dimensions.
Source: capcomespace.net
For the new line with the larger diameter (Ø 1,0 mm) I have then punched small discs (Ø 1,5 mm) for the Shrouds with my Punch & Die Set made of Styrene (1,0 mm) ,
which I've then drilled out in nine steps from Ø 0,5 mm to Ø 1,0 mm and chamfered,
and then threaded onto the new bended line that I like much better now.
Then I've drilled out the openings in the Umbilcal Plate as well as in the ET Aft Dome to 1 mm and carefully inserted the line, which now fits much better into the mould,
as one can clearly see here in the comparison of both variants.
Just good thing I've still noticed this lapse and could correct it,
because with it now I can finally finish this Umbilical chapter.
Now only a small detail is missing on the Crossbeam, which still has this cover with the outer slight slants on the top at the front edge, what it also was always good for ...
Source: NASA
This last detail I also still want to scratch now, wherewith then the ET/Orbiter Aft Attachment would be complete in my eyes.
-
#1755 by roma847 on 28 Nov, 2019 22:31
-
Hello everybody,
from the Britmodeller Forum the question came up, if I forgot the Diagonal Cross Strut which of course is not the case. But for the sake of simplicity, I had not implemented it up to now, but I made up for it right away. 
And now to the long and narrow cover on the Crossbeam, for which I first determined the dimensions from this photo of the ET-37 (STS-37).
Source: georgesrockets.com (George Gassaway)
As one can see, this is only a narrow thin strip, which increases slightly obliquely on both sides to the outside, which is not so easy to realize in the range of less than 1 mm in height.
That's why I considered to cut a 0,8 mm wide strip (above) from a thin Evergreen Sheet (0,13 mm) and then to glue it together with the two slants, made from an Evergreen Strip (0,4 mm x 0,75 mm).
Since I've used again MEK, I also had to underlay Teflon foil, so that nothing could glue on. Then I've put on the laboriously sanded slants and carefully fixed with the cutter, and then lightly brushed with MEK from both sides, which is sufficient for the gluing. 
And so the cover was already as good as finished, only the transitions of the slants and at the ends, I have the strip a little bit smoothened.
Afterwards, I've glued this strip similarly with MEK onto the Crossbeam, whereby I've glued step by step from one side to the other side.
And as I think, the cover comes out pretty well and it's nothing to sneeze at. 
With this now also this last detail would done.
-
#1756 by mike robel on 30 Nov, 2019 14:58
-
Manfred, your continued attention to detail is awe-inspiring. When I want to show friends an example of superior craftsmanship, I send them here. Your efforts are awesome!
And you should see this work for another impressive display, this time for map making: http://forum.profantasy.com/comments.php?DiscussionID=9508&page=5#Item_40
-
#1757 by roma847 on 30 Nov, 2019 17:34
-
Thanks Mike for your nice compliments.
So far, the effort of my detailed analyses has always paid off, because the result mostly looks like I've imagined and is surprisingly often close to the details in my reference photos.
-
#1758 by llanitedave on 01 Dec, 2019 18:16
-
This is a major step towards completion, and it looks fantastic! Your continuing resourcefulness and realistic imagination still amazes me!
-
#1759 by roma847 on 01 Dec, 2019 21:23
-
Thank you, Dave, for your enthusiasm,
that make me hold on tight to my dream of creating a Tribute to Challenger's missions ...
Source: NASA
Stay tuned.
