Space Shuttle Launch Pad 39A with Challenger STS-6 (1:144)

• #700 by Ronpur50 on 24 Feb, 2015 17:22
• Nice, that is on my shopping list.
• #701 by roma847 on 25 Feb, 2015 19:44
• Hello everybody,
  
  today I carried out a few experiments to test the feasibility of the following detailed solution. 
  
  As shown already, there are on the back wall of the SSME hole this SSWS piping with the six vent nozzles.
  
  
  Source: nasatech.net
  
  The dimensions for this I had already estimated, after which the pipe should have about 1,3 mm in diameter and the nozzles then about 0,5 mm in diameter, which I instinctively just appeared to be feasible. And I wanted to check today.
  
  And as always with such things a scale drawing is very helpful, and how you can already see that this part but is relatively small.
  
  
  
  And these are my first two prototypes of the pipe (Ø 1,4 mm), which should be about 30 mm long. Since the first pattern has unfortunately yet become slightly shorter and did not fit into the openings, the second experiment was (front) then more successful.
  
  
  
  And as you can see here, the pipe fits quite well into the openings of the Blast Shield.
  
  
  
  And so now to the nozzles of 0,5 mm rod that truly are, however, some small check marks which should be only about 1,5 mm long. Can bend itself yet, but the separation and handling is then even more marginal.
  
  That reminds me sticking the nozzle is problematic in terms of durability of the contact point due to the tiny cross-section, I first experimented with my dummy and carefully drilled a hole with a diameter of 0,5 mm and the nozzle being only inserted. Now this is indeed a bit difficult, but doable.
  
  
  
  
  
  And this exercise should work just as well in the remaining five nozzles, I hope so.
  
  For comparison, I will now try another gluing with MEK and am curious as to whether or how well that will hold.
  
  
• #702 by roma847 on 28 Feb, 2015 23:26
• Hi guys,
  
  so, today I wanted to finish the reconstruction of the Blast Shields finally, for it the top covers were now still to glue to the substructures. 
  
  
  
  Unfortunately I could not glue them in this form, because I had modified the geometry of all three holes. So that's why just had to split as the covers for the substructures.
  
  
  
  But this was not a major problem and done by the cutter, and then the SRB Blast Shields with their inclined transitions and the beginning of the Orbiter Blast Shield were covered up to the TSM's.
  
  
  
  The front part of the Orbiter Blast Shield was relatively easy and just needed something be cut in front of the TSM's because the width so now is corresponding with the 1:144 dimension.
  
  
  
  
  
  And finally, the TSM's were still tentatively put.
  
  
  
  
  
  And so I can now continue the lining of the SSME hole, what's next turn.
  
  
• #703 by Ronpur50 on 01 Mar, 2015 00:18
• Beautiful!
• #704 by roma847 on 02 Mar, 2015 15:33
• Thanks Ron!
  
  Hello folks,
  
  today is now to follow the lining of the SSME hole, and here we go to the back wall. First I glued at the top the strip with the indicated water nozzles, which I have reinforced something so that it matches as flush as possible with the lower edge of the Blast Shield coverage.
  
  Then the round profiles (0.6 mm) were glued, first time only at the top, because the dabbing of CA with the acupuncture needle over the full length can not be done.
  
  
  
  And then it went step by step to down, which took some time because I had to aim accurately.
  
  
  
  But by and by I had the hang of it, and it went forward. 
  
  
  
  And so the back wall was then done ever,
  
  
  
  and could be glued after a few tests into the hole. This has worked quite well so far, and also the small pipe fits perfectly into the holes provided. Only missing the six nozzles.
  
  
  
  And thus, it can now proceed with the side wall on. 
  
  
• #705 by Ronpur50 on 02 Mar, 2015 15:45
• You are recovering nicely from the enlargement!
• #706 by roma847 on 02 Mar, 2015 21:55
• Thanks Ron for your nice words,
  
  yep, so far everything has gone according to plan, and with the thinner round profiles now everything is still much closer to the real thing,
  
  
  Source: NASA
  
  and I can so far be really happy with the result.
  
  
• #707 by roma847 on 05 Mar, 2015 12:41
• And with these nozzles I've done more today. First, I've still tried the blunt bonding of a thin profile (0.5 mm in diameter) with MEK, so this time without pre-drilling, but only once placed a stick and then painted with MEK.
  
  
  
  Well, that part is first stuck and also holds a light touch from. 
  
  
  
  But due to the minimal cross-section the contact of course does not hold of a burden and broke off with the first bending. Accordingly, that's no usable solution for these nozzle row, and so I will have to continue to pre drill.   
  
  
  
  Well, but now I need the rest of the nozzle, and for that I have ever tried some bending variants. This is possible both in the tweezers, although it is not so easy to get added at the first attempt the short arc, because there are some broken.
  
  That's why I afterwards used a thin brass tube as bending aid and then cut the nozzle to the required size. In this variant, there is a bit more waste, but the bending is endured over the greater length but obviously better and there have been no breakthroughs.
  
  
  
  
  
  And here are provisionally inserted into the bores of the six nozzles. Although this already looks not bad, but is still not optimal. Firstly, the holes are not in a row and the last right distance is too great, and the other, the nozzles are still standing out a little too far, so what is correct yet. 
  
  
  
  That's why I put the piece aside and went on with the left side wall of the lining.
  
  For the gluing of the rods I've also been thinking a different solution, since my CA dabbing with the acupuncture needle in the long run but was too stressful. That's why I used this time a  Pattex-Special glue PXSM1. It is suitable for plastics, e.g. Polystyrene, ABS, Acrylic, Polycarbonate, hard PVC, etc., such as for wood and textiles and has a long dosing needle for precise dosage.
  
  
  
  With this dosing needle (diameter 0.8 mm) I have placed each on a separate sheet of paper a thin line of glue, dipped the profile lengthwise and then glued to the lining, and the process is much easier and especially faster than before.
  
  
  
  And so now was the left side of the hole also be covered,
  
  
  
  and the remaining two sides can follow.
  
  
• #708 by roma847 on 06 Mar, 2015 20:51
• Hi friends,
  
  and thus to the linings of the remaining two sides, which are constructed in a manner analogous to the first two.
  
  
  
  
  
  The gluing of the linings had to be carried out with caution and without great position corrections to not detach the profiles again.
  
  Here, first the front wall,
  
  
  
  and here the right side wall.
  
  
  
  And so the state before the rebuild had finally again reached,
  
  
  
  so here's an interesting comparison, how the SSME hole looked before the emergency surgery. 
  
  
  
  
  
  I believe the images speak for themselves and mine that the effort was worth it, because the thinner round profiles correspond to the original but much more and even better with the TSM's. 
  
  
  
  
  
  And in order to complete this reconstruction chapter worthy, here are a few pictures with the shuttle stack,
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  before it continues with the SSWS. 
  
  
• #709 by mike robel on 06 Mar, 2015 21:15
• magnificent work
• #710 by Ronpur50 on 07 Mar, 2015 00:05
• Outstanding job rebuilding!  The size of the rods does make a big difference.
• #711 by roma847 on 07 Mar, 2015 20:35
• Thanks Mike and Ron for your nice compliments,
  your comments give me encouragement to keep pushing on.
  
  
• #712 by Darren_Hensley on 08 Mar, 2015 02:18
• From one space modeler to another, I thoroughly enjoy the updates, and look forward to more. Keep up the great work.
  
  My current work is in rev 3, but here's rev 1 if you're interested. http://www.h-10-k.com/pics/darren.hensley/gateway/
  
  Best view of entire station rev1. http://www.h-10-k.com/pics/darren.hensley/gateway/station_top_aft_pers.png
  minus Mars One.
• #713 by roma847 on 08 Mar, 2015 16:13
• This is also an impressive project, keep it up.
  
  
• #714 by Davp99 on 09 Mar, 2015 18:23
• Excellent 
• #715 by roma847 on 14 Mar, 2015 20:48
• Thanks Dave for your interest.
  
  Hello friends,
  
  after reconstructing and re-lining of the SSME exhaust hole is missing a small detail of the SRB Blast Shields, namely the posterior transition to the Blast deck, which can be seen in this linked panorama image.
  
  
  Source: nasatech.net
   
  As can be seen in more detail on the panoramic image, the transition behind the SRB shafts is covered by metal strips that are overlapped at the front edge of double fold-strips which are bolted to the Blast Shields. And this covering strips I wanted to at least hint at something.
  
  Thus, the transition looked previously,
  
  
  
  and these are the strips of paper for it with the details indicated.
  
  
  
  And here the strips are "screwed" and the transitions now complete.
  
  
  
  Next, it then goes on to the tube with the nozzles in the SSME hole, I've changed something. 
  
  
• #716 by roma847 on 15 Mar, 2015 21:38
• And so it went on.
  
  Since my first two prototypes of the rear SSWS tube with the six vent nozzles were not really been successful, I've made a few thoughts before the third test in order to come to a more practical and better solution.
  
  This time I actually wanted to use 0.5 mm copper wire for the nozzles, because one can bend it relatively easily and accurately and the rounding remains but plastic profiles usually tend to bend back, something you need to consider.
  
  
  
  But the mounting of these copper nozzle is not without problems, since one must again stick with CA this pairing and the seat therefore should right the first time. However, as already inserting these tiny kringle in the small holes is quite cruelty, I've discarded this method then again and stayed in Styrene and MEK. With this method, you can calmly stuck in the nozzle in the holes and fix the seat even before the MEK is painted for bonding to the junction.
  
  In order to compensate for the subsequent widening of the nozzles after bending better, I have initially forced into this tight corset of three rulers,
  
  
  
  and thus can control and regulate the widening better.
  
  
  
  And so now the holes for the nozzles. Since the position of the holes was too uneven in the first experiments, I have been thinking this mounting bracket of balsa slats as a courtesy to further handling , which has already proven to be a suitable stop when marking and drilling the holes.
  
  
  
  
  
  The nozzles I first consciously sized bit longer in order to put them so easily into the bores and still be able to align. Only then I wanted it cut to a uniform length.
  
  Here, the nozzles are already stuck into the holes but not glued.
  
  
  
  And now followed the next step in the mounting bracket. To set uniform distances (about 1 mm) above the tube I have put a fitting aluminum angle profile under,
  
  
  
  fitted the protruding ends with a steel profile and aligned again. And only now I gently applied the MEK with a brush.
  
  
  
  Then I've marked the final length of the nozzle row,
  
  
  
  and cut off the ends on a steel ruler with the cutter.
  
  
  
  And this is now the result with which I am finally satisfied.
  
  
  
  And also the seat of the tube on the rear wall is correctly so that it now only needs to be painted.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  That's it for today, see you soon. 
  
  
• #717 by Ronpur50 on 15 Mar, 2015 22:12
• Looks good, do they spray water?  LOL
• #718 by roma847 on 17 Mar, 2015 22:18
• Nice joke Ron, but there must be fun, so that the show can go on.
  
  
• #719 by roma847 on 19 Mar, 2015 22:37
• Hi there,
  
  today I want to continue with the SSWS pipes at the front end of the SRB holes that I had ever been shown.
  
  
  Source: capcomespace.net
  
  In this picture you can see the arrangement of the two pipes between the SRB supports even better.
  
  
  Source: capcomespace.net
  
  And so do the associated templates from the Paper Kit look like, here is the lining of the back wall, although belonging to the other hole, but very similar to the real thing.
  
  
  
  And here's the cover of the SRB-Blast Shields with appendages from which one should now conjure these pipes with 1 mm diameter.
  
  
  
  But since I do not even want to try out, I'll scratch these details again in plastic and start with the left hole pipes.
  For the pipes I've used Evergreen Rods (Ø 1 mm) and for the lower bracket L profile (2,5x1,5 mm).
  
  
  
  The pipes are not glued, as they still need to be cut down after fitting.
  
  
  
  Then I have already drilled the holes in both Blast Shields to fit the pipes.
  
  
  
  And as you can see, the first pair of pipes fits after some corrections quite well. Where the profile is inserted, yet little support underneath come later.
  
  
  
  
  
  Now the pipes at the lower ends but even have those baffles, and they were a bit trickier. These are styrene strips (0.2 mm), which I glued again with MEK and then cut.
  
  
  
  
  
  And so it looks like so far.
  
  
  
  A few things are still missing, but tomorrow it then continues with the second pair.