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#2160 by roma847 on 11 Mar, 2022 12:53
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Hello everybody,
BTW, some friends in the ARC Forums also alluded to this Fire extinguisher, perhaps to challenge me a bit more, that of course I've also noticed and which I had already measured and scaled to 1:160 precautionally, what would be a tiny part with Ø 1 mm x 4 mm.
Source: NASA (STS-135)
Maybe I'll try this thing just for fun, Nothing is impossible!
An idea I would have already ... 
But then before once again to the Fire extinguisher on that image. That time on the STS-6 transporter there was no fire extinguisher at that place, as one can see in this image.
Source: 16streets.com/MacLaren
But opposite on the other side there was one at the I&CS Module as one can see in this image.
Source: retrospaceimages.com (STS-6)
Let's wait and see.
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#2161 by EG on 11 Mar, 2022 17:00
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I would say brother, two different transporters.... Look at the panels on the side, they are configured completely differently... Structurally... The doors and windows are shaped differently as well..... The one with the fire extinguisher on the drivers side is much newer....
Nice work on a difficult subject... -
#2162 by roma847 on 11 Mar, 2022 17:45
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Thanks Elmer,
you're not quite up to speed, I thought that has become clear by now, because that's what I'm depicting already all along.
The two KAMAG transporters (photo STS-135) were subsequent deliveries in 2000, which were modified and looked different, including only still one driver's cab, only 12 twin wheels with smaller wheels etc. ...
That's why I based myself on the images of the first two transporters that were in use with the STS-6 and took their details into account.
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#2163 by roma847 on 12 Mar, 2022 16:31
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Hello everybody,
so then get to work!
The simplest solution would be such a printout, which I could still stick on cardboard, but I quickly discarded this.
Instead I used the red insulating tube from a thin wire (Ø 1 mm) into which I inserted a pin (Ø 1 mm) and at 4 mm pinched it off with a side cutter. Then I glued on the tiny instruction label, wherewith was almost the end of my first prototype.
Then I glued it to a holder made of a channel profile (1,3 mm), which didn't look bad so far.
However, since I found out when re-measuring my reference photo that the extinguisher was a bit too short, I lengthened the tube pieces to 4 mm, which would result in a length with the needle of 5 mm.
Since I had come up with a slightly larger diameter (1,4 mm) of the extinguisher during the re-measurement too, I searched in my stock and actually found a slightly stronger wire (Ø 1,2 mm), which appealed to me more than the wire I used first (Ø ≤ 1 mm).
And when I took a closer look at higher magnification, I then considered whether the cute thing couldn't be shown a little more realistically,
and came up with the following solution.
For the hose (Ø = 0,2 mm) I've quickly cut off a few hairs of a suitable thickness from our hand broom,
and threaded a hair into the red sleeve before inserting the pin, which would not have been possible afterwards, 
but it worked out well.
As a funnel of this carbonic acid extinguisher I have used this black insulating tube.
So that no mishap should happen to me when pinching off the needle,
I've put the needle into an eraser and then cut it with the side cutters while holding the broom hair with my fingers, which was not a problem since I had fixed the extinguisher at an angling rod, so to speak. 
Then I glued the extinguisher to the somewhat larger bracket Channel (1,7 mm), which of course had to be fixed again for this, of course.
In this position, the further assembly then took place. First the funnel was glued on with CA and the thin "hose" was threaded into it. Finally, the instruction label was glued on, the protruding hose was cut off,
and finally the protruding Channel was cut off, and the work was done.
And I have to say, I like the thing a lot better than its predecessor and that's why it goes through my strict quality control. 
Now the extinguisher only had to be attached to the transporter, for which I fixed it stably between two brackets,
which also worked - All's well that ends well!
And I think there are definitely some similarities compared to the original.
Source: retrospaceimages.com (STS-6)
Finally, a small addendum with the attached bumper, of course also on the back.
Now, of course, the other side of the transporter also needs its fire extinguisher, but its Making-of is no longer a problem.
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#2164 by roma847 on 15 Mar, 2022 15:22
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Hello everybody,
today it was the turn of the second Fire extinguisher, for which it took me 20 min.. I had thought that it would go quicker, but this time it took me forever to thread the hose into the funnel ...
But then it was done, 
so there are now extinguishers on both sides for quick access when needed.
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#2165 by EG on 15 Mar, 2022 18:04
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Thanks Elmer,
you're not quite up to speed, I thought that has become clear by now, because that's what I'm depicting already all along.
I must be slippin' in my old age my friend... Yeah I re-read your thread on it and can now see where you accounted for it...
My apologies....
EG -
#2166 by Jodie Peeler on 15 Mar, 2022 20:38
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I've been following this thread for a long time and have been remiss in telling you how it inspired me last year to finally get my own Shuttle built, using an awful lot of tips and adapting some techniques from this thread. In this case, it's Discovery on STS-124, whose launch (through some very good fortune) I was able to witness from the VIP site in 2008. Dragon orbiter, Revell SRBs and ET, New Ware upgrade set, and a lot of ideas from this thread.
There's an awful lot about this build that I owe to your example. Your attention to detail is amazing. I look forward to what's ahead. Thank you for sharing the journey here. -
#2167 by roma847 on 15 Mar, 2022 22:33
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Thanks Elmer,
you're not quite up to speed, I thought that has become clear by now, because that's what I'm depicting already all along.
I must be slippin' in my old age my friend... Yeah I re-read your thread on it and can now see where you accounted for it...
My apologies....
EG
No problem Elmer, sometimes I also don't know if I've already posted this or that or not ...
Nobody is perfect ...
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#2168 by roma847 on 15 Mar, 2022 22:54
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I've been following this thread for a long time and have been remiss in telling you how it inspired me last year to finally get my own Shuttle built, using an awful lot of tips and adapting some techniques from this thread. In this case, it's Discovery on STS-124, whose launch (through some very good fortune) I was able to witness from the VIP site in 2008. Dragon orbiter, Revell SRBs and ET, New Ware upgrade set, and a lot of ideas from this thread.
There's an awful lot about this build that I owe to your example. Your attention to detail is amazing. I look forward to what's ahead. Thank you for sharing the journey here.
Thanks Jodie,
what an adventure, then you're a lucky guy, Jodie, and congrats to your awesome Discovery display.
Great that you've found some helpful inspiration for your model, that's why I'm posting all of this in such detail and not just showing the final result so that everyone can benefit from my Making-of and can use it.
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#2169 by roma847 on 18 Mar, 2022 15:43
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Hello everybody,
after the Fire extinguishers are attached now, I actually wanted to scratch the two Rear-view mirrors as final details.
But prior I've planned to do one more detail that I actually wanted to do without, but which hasn't gotten out of my head since then ...
And that concerns to the two side walls of the transporter, which are huge steel profiles and resemble double T-beams in shape, as one can see on many images, as well as here on these STS-6 photos.
Source: retrospaceimages.com (STS-6)
Source: retrospaceimages.com (STS-6)
But this thing just hasn't let rest me the more details of the transporter I've scratched. However, I was undecided for a long time, because with this action I would risk disimproving the actually well-made transporter in the end.
But then, in the end, my ambition and penchant for perfection won out, which is why I decided to do this in front of the rear-view mirrors, which would otherwise have gotten in the way.
Since I had wisely already indicated the upper webs by the slight overhang of the ceiling panel, I've thought about using Evergreen Strips (0,25 mm x 2,5 mm) for the lower webs could, which after precise gluing approx. 0,5 mm should protrude outwards.
However, the strips onto the lower edges of the side walls would have to be glued carefully and with the greatest care, since they are only 2 mm wide and directly border on the outer twin wheel sets.
However, I first had to order the strips online and also think about which glue I could use to glue them to the Balsa wood.
After the profiles arrived yesterday, I first tried a few gluings on the first two KAMAG side walls.
I've used a somewhat older UHU all-purpose adhesive, a Pattex instant adhesive, and a newly purchased UHU all-purpose adhesive Super, also a CA that is supposed to be correctable for a short time, which I finally decided to use.
The angled areas of the walls on the front and back of the transporter were problematic because of the small Panel boxes and Fire extinguishers already glued there, at which I had to go past, so I glued those parts separately, which was quite a stressful affair.
In order to adapt and glue the strips, the transporter had to be firmly fixed again by using magnets. Then the long central strip was carefully dabbed with Seku and immediately placed onto the lower edge up to the rear stop, slightly corrected and then pressed on,
which worked quite well, as you can see here, after which a load has fallen from my heart.
And so the whole thing looks much better, which I'm finally satisfied with,
so that the other underside could then be planked in the same way.
And what made me wonder about the photos from the beginning, the transporter is actually very flat and only about a man's height, as one can see here.
And as the grand finale, I can now try to scratch and mount the two Rear-view mirrors and I'm curious to see if I'll be able to do that.
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#2170 by roma847 on 22 Mar, 2022 16:25
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Hello everybody,
and so now to the last step and the two Rear-view mirrors of the transporter, which I wanted to try scratching at least once.
How they were attached to the transporter, I could see from the few usable photos from that time, albeit a bit blurred.
Source: 16streets.com/MacLaren
More important for scratching was of course the shape of the mirror and the holder, which I've learned by watching from this photo, what will not have looked much different at the time.
Source: NASA (STS-135)
And off we go, whereby the mirror itself still looks relatively simple at first, on the other hand the filigree holder (Ø 0,1 mm) has instilled quite a bit of respect in me.
That's why I've begun that the first thing I did and picked out my thinnest German silver wire (Ø 0,1 mm).
Since the two holders should be the same size if possible, you cannot bend such filigree mini parts with tweezers simply by hand. Therefore, a suitable jig was needed again, like this stop from the Mitre Cutter, in order to be able to bend at least the first scaled length of 1,9 mm reproducibly. And experience has shown that one should definitely use a longer length of wire than needed and then cut off the rest, what makes handling much easier. 
The further bends were then much more trickier due to the short lengths, because one still have to hold these tiny things somehow while bending, so that they don't fly away, which, however, could not be completely avoided, followed by creeping and looking for on the floor ... 
After a few tries I managed to get a passable pair. Next to it is the rectangular profile (0,25 mm x 0,7 mm) for the supports rods, which should be approx. 5 mm long. 
As a mirror I wanted to use the parts from the Astrovan Kit first,
to glue Bare-Metal-Foil (Chrome) on their front as a mirror surface, which was a delicate matter,
because you have to carefully pull off an excess length and only then cut it to 4 mm and then glue it on.
Since the holders cannot be glued directly to the backs, a tiny recording had to be scratched first, by means of which the mirrors, although not for my model,
but in reality let swing in. And these minis I've punched with Ø 0,6 mm from styrene (0,25 mm) by using the Punch&Die Set.
Of course, to glue these mini discs in the middle on the back, the mirrors had to be fixed again, then a dot UHU-CA was dabbed into the middle with the acupuncture needle and then to carefully pick up the midget with the cutter tip and put it down with a steady hand.
And then the holders were glued on in the same way. So far so good.
Now the mirrors only had to be glued onto the 5 mm long support rods,
which had to be fixed again so that nothing could slip when the mirrors were glued on.
Then the base points for the gluing were marked, CA dots were dabbed onto them again, after which the mirror was set down with the tweezers and a steady hand while holding the breath - between two heartbeats ...
And as one can see, the first mirror stands bolt upright!
Now the support rod only had to be cut to the final length, of course again with the a stable fixation.
And now there's the thing!
Then the adhesive point was marked under the side wall next to the driver's cabin and the support rod with the mirror was glued, which is half the battle.
That's the end of the first action, the other half will follow later.
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#2171 by roma847 on 22 Mar, 2022 22:32
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Hello everybody,
and after the images of the Rear-view mirror on the Front side here now for mounting the mirror on the Rear side of the transporter, here the mirror and the prepared support rod.
To glue on the mirror, it must be placed ready to hand for the tweezers,
so that one can sit it onto the support rod immediately after dabbing the CA.
With it the driver's cab at the rear side now also has its rear-view mirror, and the transporter can be maneuvered safely in both directions.
From now on at the latest as the top priority applies: Handle with care!
And with that, have a nice evening everyone.
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#2172 by mike robel on 23 Mar, 2022 01:54
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magnificent!
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#2173 by roma847 on 23 Mar, 2022 07:38
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Thanks Mike for your nice compliment!
I hope you'll stay tuned.
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#2174 by roma847 on 23 Mar, 2022 23:23
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Hello everybody,
since we were just talking about safety in the Launch pad traffic, without large Rear-view mirrors it just doesn't work. But of course one thing is still missing, well, who has an idea?
Okay, guys, I don't want to keep you in suspense for long.
Since the transporter sometimes transports millions expensive Satellites in the Payload canister, an appropriate safety distance and free travel must of course be guaranteed. And this is usually warned by corresponding Rotating beacons on the transporter, which should not be missing at my transporter too, but which should then be the irrevocable final detail.
And in these STS-6 images one can see the beacon on the back side.
Source: retrospaceimages.com (STS-6)
Source: retrospaceimages.com (STS-6)
So then I want to measure and scale this thing to see if that's still doable. But I think so, because the diameter should be in the range of a Fire extinguisher (approx. 1,5 mm), so I could have a chance.
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#2175 by roma847 on 25 Mar, 2022 23:23
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Hello everybody,
let's go with the Rotating beacon.
After it was clear where the beacons are on the transporter, I looked for a few more detailed photos that show how they are set up and attached, which can be seen in the following two photos.
Their structure is relatively simple, and the shape corresponds to the rotating beacons also known in this country, whose orange Bell sits on a Holder,
Source: nasatech.net
which in turn sits on a simple Mounting bracket attached to the wall. As a result, it would actually only be three parts.
Source: mediaarchive.ksc.nasa.gov
I started with the Bell (Ø 1,2 mm), for which I used an Evergreen rod. For its coloring I used Illuminant dip paint, which I bought some time ago for coloring of white LEDs.
As the color test shows, the hue Orange (left) corresponds more to a Red, whereas the hue Yellow next to it corresponds to the Orange of the beacon on the photos, which I then also used. Next to it are the small Holders (Ø 1,4 mm), which I punched again, as well as a strip for the Mounting bracket (0,1 mm x 2,5 mm ). 
Then I carefully separated the Bell (L = 1,5 mm) with the razor blade,
and glued onto the holder.
To glue the Holder to the angle strip, I used the UV glue again.
Since the wafer-thin Styrene strip cannot be bent at right angles but breaks, I've cut it off,
and glued the part with the beacon to the strip, also under UV light,
eventually resulting in the Angle Bracket. Since the bracket is not attached directly to the wall, a small spacer (0,4 mm x 0,75 mm) was glued underneath,
and the lateral overhangs separated, with which the Rotating beacon was completed.
To glue the beacon on, the transporter had to be placed on its side. In order not to break off the Rear-view mirror improvidently the transporter had to be supported accordingly and at the same time fixed in a stable manner. 
This was followed by a test fitting of the beacon on the side wall, which fitted so far well.
Now a spacer was also placed on the underside, whereupon the bracket on the upper spacer was glued to the wall.
After that, the transporter could finally be put back on its wheels,
with which the first Rotating beacon is now in place. All in all, quite a lot of effort for this small detail, but it was worth it and rounds off the overall picture.
Now all that's missing is the beacon on the other side, which I'll still be able to do too.
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#2176 by roma847 on 27 Mar, 2022 23:03
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Hello everybody,
no sooner said than done, now I did know how to do it yet.
And the second time you can always still change and improve something. So this time I tried to cut off the Bell a little more precisely and came up with the predetermined Length (1,5 mm).
This time I did without the UV adhesive and preferred the simpler variant with the normal Revell Contacta, because it works fine for gluing of plastic/plastic.
After that, the already known steps followed again.
Only for the last gluing of the Beacon (Styrene) on Paper I've used the UHU-CA, wherewith its place can still be corrected a bit.
The Transporter is now ready for use and is waiting for the Payload Canister.
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#2177 by roma847 on 30 Mar, 2022 21:47
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Hello everybody,
Well, there are already jokers, you wouldn't believe it, and they keep throwing nice allusions especially in the ARC Forums regarding my attention to detail, but they can't agitate me, but rather flatter me.
It started with the 48 wheels of the transporter, where it was repeatedly pointed out that I had forgotten the Valve caps. I then briefly explained to these friends that they should forget Valve caps, because they were no longer needed because for such poly-wheeled vehicles and such demanding applications Polyfill tires were used.
Poly-Fil® products are two component, simple, reliable and economical liquid Polyurethane. Poly-Fil® is developed for converting air filled tires into an urethane solid rubber filled tire to maximize vehicle operating efficiency and to minimize downtime associated with flat tires. Source: polycoatusa.com
After I wanted to scratch the rotating lights after the fire extinguishers and rearview mirrors, my pedantic friend actually came up with that provocative and crazy question, whether the Windscreen wipers would not follow then ...
I've immediately taken the wind out of his sails and reminded him of my proven recipe for success: Nothing is impossible! After all, a long time ago I drove a TOYOTA ...
And since I don't wanted to splash out on him and wanted to have fun with it, I jumped on it and shared this well-known photo of the two Windshield wipers.
Source: retrospaceimages.com (STS-6)
In principle, this should still be feasible, the Holders would then be Ø 0,1 mm and 3 mm long, and the Wiper blades about 2 mm long and 0,2 mm wide, crazy, isn't it?
For this I could use my thinnest German silver wire (Ø 0,1 mm) and a broom bristle (Ø 0,2 mm). Whether you would still recognize them at the blue windows is questionable ...
But then I wanted to scratch the Rotating beacons first, which is already done by now.
And in for a penny, in for a pound, be that as it may ...
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#2178 by roma847 on 31 Mar, 2022 21:32
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Hello everybody,
and with that, despite all the teasing, as a sign of good will, let's go on to my most minimal gluing so far (0,1 mm onto 0,2 mm), which is more like another skill test. I'm curious myself whether this will work the way I thought it would.
First, I prepared a small retaining strip (0,4 mm x 0,7 mm) that fits exactly into the gap above the Driver's cabin on which initially the wipers are to glue, before then gluing the complete strip into the gap. Gluing these delicate things individually I ruled out from the outset, because with that the failure would have been bound to occur.
As a mount for the holders, I cut small slices (Ø 0,5 mm) from a rod and glued them onto the strip.
Then I tried to glue the thin wire onto the 2 mm long broom bristle, which can definitely work, although it was very difficult and the right fit is probably a matter of luck.
It is cheaper to fix the slightly longer bristle, then carefully and with eagle eyes and a steady hand glue onto the little wire moistened with CA, and only then cut the bristle to a length of 2 mm. One should also leave a certain overhang on the holder itself, which is only shortened after it has been glued to the holding strip. 
The next problem was the handling of the tiny wiper when gluing it onto the holding strip, since you can no longer hold it in tweezers, let alone position it safely and precisely. That's why I came up with this Tape Adhesive Applicator made from a toothpick, with the tip of which one can pick up these tiny little things and can place them on the glue point. 
To do this, of course, the strip had to be firmly fixed again. After a tiny drop of UHU-CA was dabbed onto the mount, the entire wiper could then be put on and glued, which actually worked.
But when I wanted to glue the other wiper, it suddenly disappeared without a trace. I thought I was going to lose it and wanted to stop first, especially since it was very early in the morning again ...
But then I searched the floor with the LED lamp on my knees and, contrary to expectations, actually found the damned thing,
after which the wiper was immediately glued.
Next, the overhangs of the wires on this bizarre structure had to be cut off with nail scissors,
for which the strip has to be brought into a suitable position, which also had still to be held in place somehow.
To avoid possible leverages and flyings off when cutting off the wires, I held down the strip with the wipers with a Balsa board,
and then the overhangs were carefully cut off.
Now only the strip with the two wipers had to be glued over the front window of the driver's cabin, for which the transporter had to be fixed upright again in a stable and unbreakable manner.
When that still worked out too, I was jolly glad and made three crosses.
This also successfully completed this tricky exercise, which is really enough for me now - No more bets, please!
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#2179 by roma847 on 04 Apr, 2022 22:58
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Thanks my friends for liking.
Hello everybody,
39 years ago today, on April 4, 1983, the Challenger took off on its maiden flight (STS-6).
Source: retrospaceimages.com (STS-6)
On this occasion, I would like to pop for an unscheduled birthday bonus and add another detail that no one has alluded to or pointed out before.
It deals with this Ladder here on the side wall on the rear side of the Transporter, which is normally locked to the wall, but when loading and unloading of the Payload canister can be hung onto the wall so that the operators can also climb up. On the other side of the transporter there is probably also such a ladder, for example to connect the canister with the red hoses to the ECS Module on the front side.
Source: retrospaceimages.com (STS-6)
For this I could, for example, use these ladders from Plastruct, which I already didn't particularly like because of their rough forging work that time on the MLP. 
A Scratch build would look much better and more filigree, for which I used an Evergreen strip (0,25 mm x 0,5 mm) for the Side beams and my thinnest Rod (Ø 0,3 mm) for the Rungs.
As an adhesive, I initially tried the much-touted miracle glue from Tamiya (Extra Thin Cement), which is indeed very thin and has a pointed and flexible applicator, with which I dabbed fine droplets onto the adhesive dots and then situated the rungs with a little overhang,
which worked quite well.
Now I just had to think about how I could glue the other beam to it after shortening the rungs ...
Since the gluing cannot be done flat on the pad, otherwise the ladder would stick to it, I had to come up with a special jig again, which I fiddled around for a while.
This consists of a Styrene pad (0,5 mm), on the front edge of which I have glued two short side stops for the Ladder beam, which was fixed from behind by a ruler with magnets. To fix the other beam, I prepared two small Holders on pads of the same thickness, into which the beam could be inserted upright, which means that it, like the ladder, had a safety distance of 0,5 mm from the pad so that nothing could be glued.
Then these two holders with the clamped beam were pushed forward until it touched the rungs, which were then brushed with Methylethylketone (MEK) and thus glued together. A strip (0,5 mm x 1 mm) was placed underneath as a lower support for any height corrections of the rungs.
And with that the ladder was glued, the beams of which were then only shortened to the final length. Next to it are the individual parts of the multi-part Gluing jig,
and here both ladders for comparison, which clearly speaks for the Scratch variant.
This was followed by a first test fitting of the ladder, first on the side wall,
and here standing against the wall, like in the reference image at the beginning.
As a precaution, I'll save myself the final assembly of the ladder on the wall for the time being, so that something else doesn't happen, especially since the Payload Canister is still missing anyway.
