MechTech

Chas is right about the cautioning. Most CA debonders are acetone based. They will break down styrene and at least soften ABS plastics. The paint is a gonner too. CA glue does have a weekness, it's brittle. Can you possibly loosen it up? Sometimes some organic cleaners like pine oil (Pinesol) or almost straight dishwasher detergent will loosen it up, but it may not penetrate into the joint. Pine oil will strip paint and heavy greases (that's where the "sol" in Pinesol comes from; solvent). Any other ideas or experiences guys? - MT

Thanks Thor. I'm glad we're getting cooler weather so I can get going on some hull work. I just got the batteries and motors today. The batteries are 6 volt 12 amp instead of the advertised 10 amp - bonus! The motors are larger then mentioned in the catalog too, but hey, there's room! - MT

Thank you. It takes all kinds of talent. Don't downplay the work it takes to do a good 3-d drawing. I can do 2-D, but clueless in 3-D. I think I figured out several angles. Want to give them a try? The upper deck (the boxy area) has to be square in the front for the ramp to fold up (and be water tight like the text description). But the pictures and Imai model have a slight inward angle. I'm guessing square in the front and angled gradually towards the back? I believe the main door is at an 85 degree angle, but I'm still looking into that. The four stabilizers on the sides I believe are at the same level, but two near the bow, just before the bend into the bow and two near the stern, just before the rear bend area. The single verticle bow stabilizer, I believe is at the lowest part (still looking into that). Those are the areas I'm working on. Want to try modeling them? - MT

The wallace and Gromit model is cool. I almost got it for my children because they love all the episodes/movie. Fiddley bits? Sounds like the lingo is rubbing off Oh yeah, use thick walled boxes or double box your models. The packers (or my furniture leaning up against them) used to always crush a box! I started betting myself which models were busted before I bought ammo cans to put stuff in. Especially since I bet you're going back across the pond. - MT

Hey guys, just finished cutting the stabilizers and thought I'd take a break. The house is cooling down and the children are in bed...phew. Chas and rotorhead, no sweat on the chemical stuff. I won't get that far untill all hardware and lower hull parts are completed. I'm curious too! Thanks for the compliment guys. I'll pose a destroid with the hull in my next photos. It'll also help me remember why the heck I started this thing! Back to the stabilizers! - MT

Valkyrie has it right on. I was looking at the basic shape and thinkin' "lathe" before reading Valk's post. If you don't have access to a lathe (or drill press in a pinch), You have two choices. 1) Cut out the parts in 3-D styrene and fill them in with lightweight filler. 2) Carve the body out of wood and seal it to take away the grain texture. (I gotta get me a lathe). Make the clear parts out of vacuformed plastic -or- heat up the plastic and push your "male" part through it. Hope that helps. - MT

IGNORE, I think the server was hangin' up - MT

mac666er: does this look familiar? http://www.macrossworld.com/mwf/index.php?...opic=18403&st=0 I wish it was taking less time for my project! I saw your SDF-1 and thought it was a B/W photo of the Imai model at first glance! It all looks good! If you want some tips on any of the angles or other aspects, just say the word. I've been studying drawings of this thing for months now! Keep it up man! - MT

Olivers: I checked out Boots too since it is commonly sold at "chemists" (drug stores) in the U.S. They told me to check out an office supply/stationary store. It is used for cleaning toner from copiers. I'd go that route. An office machine maintainer may have some. Maplin has it too: http://www.maplin.co.uk/Free_UK_Delivery/I...cohol_28994.htm Mephistopheles: I don't think there'd be enough styrene in the world! Rotorhead is right about isopropyl, it WILL cause blindness and other severe bodily harm.

Mike's kit is superbly detailed and VERY accurate!!! I studied the monster drawings for a year before building my own in 1/100th. All those photos bring back memories of all the drawings and screenshots I studied over for hours and hours. Mike's sculpt is not only extremely accurate, the resin quality sure looks better too! I'm glad I don't build in 1/72nd or I'd HAVE to buy one! - MT

Looks great HWR. BigF is right about you turning up kits. Does you're wife still know your name? - LOL I just couldn't do that with our children in tow. Keep up the good work (and I hope it all gets to your next assignment in one piece!) - MT

17 pounds! That's about the weight of my batteries and motors. Each cell is about five pounds each (6volts, 10amps - nearly small motorcycle cells). So have you invested in resin stocks or what!? Whew!

Thanks BigF. I've always got so Iso on hand for cleaning parts prior to gluing or removing ink markings. I saw an old vacuform kit that a guy built in Fine Scale Modeler and his kit had filled gashes like mine. I don't feel so bad anymore. - MT

Brings new meaning to the words, "bigger is beautiful!" Thanks for making the rest of us jealous! - MT

Thanks Tinderfitles. These are actually part of the ship's design. There are two sets on the port and starboard sides. Two are near the bow and two are near the stern. They are almost perfectly horizontal too (like cruise ship stab's). There's actaully a fifth in the bulbous bow too, but that one will have to retract vertically. Little room for creativity except in how to engineer it. That's the fun part I guess. Thanks for the help. - MT

Here's an idea I'm working on for the stabilizers. There will be four just like the drawings. I'm making them retract to prevent breakage and they'll simply fold back if they hit something. They will latch back in the stowed position and a solinoid will unlatch them. This will make transport safer too! They will each sit in a seperate, small, thin compartment sealed from water leakage. The mechanisms are above the compartments for ease of maintenance and to keep them out of the water (it's that whole water and electricity thang). If anyone has a better idea, I'm open! - MT

Launcharific man! Almost looks like some of the funky stuff we did in the 50's to make up for bombed runways. The drawings look cool, but this puts them to shame. - MT

HWR, if you've got an ammo can, they're awesome for packing stuff in you don't want broken. That's where I put my 1/100th one. 20mm baby! It fit great. Although I don't know about the size of the 1/72nd chasis all by itself?! I got tired of movers breaking my stuff so I bought severall (years ago). I'm sure you got one or two? My 1/100 scratchbuilt was heavy just made out of thick styrene so I drilled the joints and used heavy brass rod and tubing. Just an idea. - MT

HWR, shaweet work! The launcher looks great. What is the turreted/wheeled vehicle? That's a new one to me. - MT

Kanata, my condolences about our dad. That's really rough. David, dude what is it you've got that's broke anyhow? It almost sounds like one of the newer industrial injection molding resins. Not like what we use. - MT

Looks great (though the pictures are blurry). - MT

I've read of people adding water based dullcote to Future as well. It is suggested you mix bit by bit to get the mattness you want. Testor's dullcote is alright if you airbrush it, but the spray can stuff is very lumpy and doesn't settle very well while curing. - MT

Is it polypropylene (PP)? Once that breaks, oh well! It's flexible and they make a lot of disposable...HHhhmmm, stuff out of it.

Thanks Grayson and jardann, feelin' the love. I actually HAVE to keep my area clean. There is no door to my work area (have to work quietly at night) and the children play in there. If I forget and leave anything sitting out - it's toast. That's why everything is up high or is in a locking drawer (note the bars that go across one side of the plastic drawer unit). If I don't sweep up afterwards, the dust and shavings get dragged ALL over the house. So I sweep and "keep the peace." Thanks Bromgrev. I'll see what I can find. Anybody can have a decent shop if they take a little time and money. I didn't spend much on all the plastic drawer units or little bit of timber to make locking bars for the drawer units. When my baby daughter walked up to me holding a hacksaw in her hands, I knew I had to do something! I just bought all the drawer units piece by piece each payday. Thanks olivers. It looks like they carry everything for modeling. I might mailorder since they're a couple hours off from me. I'm gonna see what Halfords has too. The model boat forums have a lot of referances to them. - MT

UPDATE 26 JUN 06 Completed hull joints and now the two halves can be attached or taken apart for transportation. Here's the joint showing stainless steel screws/wingnuts. Here's the joint as it looks assembled showing braces. Here's a 3/4 starboard bow shot. Here's an upper/side view putting the length and dimensions into perspective. Some of the photos earlier make the bow look look HUGE! Assembled together it seems as strong as a one piece hull. I'm glad because I didn't know if it would be. The test is when I put 15 pounds of batteries into it and all the running gear! Big F: You're right about the super glue. I've gotta fix one joint where I got impatient and used super glue instead of plastic cement. I realized I can't primer it yet because I still have to put all the blisters, control surfaces and other bits on the hull. ( I tried to post a drawing but it wouldn't let me!) - MT