Straightliner59 Posted February 6, 2023 Author Posted February 6, 2023 19 hours ago, dragcarz said: Scratch building at its finest, very cool project! Thank you, Roger! It's a fun one, too!? Quote
Straightliner59 Posted February 7, 2023 Author Posted February 7, 2023 More work on the blower drive...I made the pulley for the blower, along with the starter dog. I also made an idler pulley. The belt will be 3.25", which matches the one on the wall in my shop. I made the fittings for the puke hoses. I do believe I can live with this!? Marcos, I've attached a photo of a tiny, 45-degree miter box I made from brass channel. I just tape a stop into it, so that my cuts are all the same length, and cut the material with a scalpel. Using the lathe, and carbide PC board bits, I bore .020" through .030" plastic rod to use for boots. Before I had the lathe, I used wire insulation, cut and superglued together. Gluing on wax paper helps release the boots. If it's cheapo wax paper, rub a little beeswax on it. Wax paper is also excellent to pin atop plans, when using styrene and superglue for building a chassis. As always, questions, comments and critiques are welcomed. Thanks for looking! 2 Quote
Straightliner59 Posted February 7, 2023 Author Posted February 7, 2023 6 hours ago, Tortuga Kustomz said: badass progress man Thanks, bud! I'm working on all this little stuff, while I'm double-checking, in my head, everything that needs to be soldered to the chassis. I'm anxious to get it in paint, but don't want to get ahead of myself. So I think. And make little stuff like this snorkel tank vent... 2 Quote
AmericanMuscleFan Posted February 8, 2023 Posted February 8, 2023 Ingenious solution for the belt and pulleys, the result is excellent as you always used to do! ? Quote
Straightliner59 Posted February 8, 2023 Author Posted February 8, 2023 5 hours ago, AmericanMuscleFan said: Ingenious solution for the belt and pulleys, the result is excellent as you always used to do! ? Thank you, my friend! Yes, I am pretty happy with the way that looks! 1 Quote
Straightliner59 Posted February 10, 2023 Author Posted February 10, 2023 (edited) I got some .2 mm thick lead foil, to try for the blower belt. It's a little thicker, and, maybe a little softer. It took to the embossing...well...like a boss!? I've been fitting the 'chutes to the tail section. They're pretty close, now. I've fed the actuator cables just for effect. I cut and gathered the shroud lines. I need to cut off the "push bar" and make the bracket that mounts the shroud lines. That will attach to the newly-shortened bar. As always, questions, comments and critiques are always welcomed. Thanks for looking! Edited February 10, 2023 by Straightliner59 3 Quote
Ian McLaren Posted February 10, 2023 Posted February 10, 2023 WOW Daniel you are really in the zone on this one, great progress, all of the details look very convincing, love your blower belt solution. Very well done! 1 Quote
Tortuga Kustomz Posted February 11, 2023 Posted February 11, 2023 Love the Chute details man, they will pop up for sure, i like what you're doing with the belt, that is coming really good Quote
Straightliner59 Posted February 11, 2023 Author Posted February 11, 2023 15 hours ago, Ian McLaren said: WOW Daniel you are really in the zone on this one, great progress, all of the details look very convincing, love your blower belt solution. Very well done! Thanks, my friend! I've tried so many things for blower belts, over the years. Textured ribbon, masking tape with individual teeth of plastic strip...nothing ever looked right. This is small enough, and the teeth match! It should look great, once it's painted and installed! 1 hour ago, Tortuga Kustomz said: Love the Chute details man, they will pop up for sure, i like what you're doing with the belt, that is coming really good Thanks, Marcos. I haven't felt like it's been going anywhere, but, I guess I am making progress! I need to figure out what I am going to do for a puke tank, and where I'm going to put it, so I can get the mounting for it soldered to the chassis. I really want to get the chassis in paint. Things should really start to happen, then! Quote
Tortuga Kustomz Posted February 11, 2023 Posted February 11, 2023 i need to tray that in my future FED, or even on a rear engine dragster, looking forward how you do yours man, you're doing an excellent job with this project and looking from outside you progress is huge on every post that you make 2 Quote
Straightliner59 Posted February 11, 2023 Author Posted February 11, 2023 6 hours ago, Tortuga Kustomz said: i need to tray that in my future FED, or even on a rear engine dragster, looking forward how you do yours man, you're doing an excellent job with this project and looking from outside you progress is huge on every post that you make Thanks, man! I appreciate you following along. I try to keep it updated, and interesting, and informative. I got the chute packs done. I have a little bit of weathering to do. I want to get photos of them, in the car, but I need the paint to cure out, a bit. The chutes came from a Swamp Rat XXX kit. I used a needle, to hold the tags, and release cable. I made the straps on them with wine bottle foil that I laid atop my anvil, then laid a fine, straight mini file on top of that, and tapped it with a rubber mallet, to create a woven texture. The "Remove Before Flight" tags are decals I printed that I applied to wine bottle foil. That allows it to be posed to look more natural. The chute release cables are old MSC blue plug wire. As always, your questions, comments and critiques are welcomed. Thanks for looking! 3 Quote
AmericanMuscleFan Posted February 12, 2023 Posted February 12, 2023 Fantastic details Daniel, your chute packs is one of the best I have ever seen! ? Quote
Randy D Posted February 13, 2023 Posted February 13, 2023 Most excellent progress my friend. That chassis really cleaned up well:) Really like your use of the lead sheet for the belt and nice looking pulleys! Randy Quote
Straightliner59 Posted February 13, 2023 Author Posted February 13, 2023 17 hours ago, AmericanMuscleFan said: Fantastic details Daniel, your chute packs is one of the best I have ever seen! ? Thank you, Francis! That is much appreciated! 8 hours ago, Randy D said: Most excellent progress my friend. That chassis really cleaned up well:) Really like your use of the lead sheet for the belt and nice looking pulleys! Randy Thank you, kindly, sir! I was happy that the paint came off as easily as it did! At least I knew it was safe for the Purple Tank, as long as I removed any aluminum parts.? I've been finding more and more uses for the lead foil. It really did work out, excellently, for the blower belt. Thanks again, for the kind words! Your Maserati is super-impressive! I love that project! Quote
Straightliner59 Posted February 14, 2023 Author Posted February 14, 2023 On 2/12/2023 at 9:15 AM, AmericanMuscleFan said: Fantastic details Daniel, your chute packs is one of the best I have ever seen! ? Thanks again, Francis. I decided to change the shroud/canopy lines with a casing, which is more correct. I used the foil from a cigarette package, and rolled it, and worked it until I got it roughly to shape. Then, I shot it with matte clear coat. Once that had set for a few minutes, I dusted it with pastels. I think it looks much better! I also got a lot of work done to the puke tank--I still need to make the breathers and drain cock for it. The tabs are made, and ready to solder in place. I've been devising an anti-shock mount setup for the computer box, and working out the mounting for the battery. I'm pretty excited about this thing! I just keep plugging away at little projects. Trying to decide on a paint color(s), but leaning toward black and gold. I guess it'll get figured out, when it needs to! Thanks for looking! 3 Quote
Straightliner59 Posted February 15, 2023 Author Posted February 15, 2023 Had to have a look...? 3 Quote
Straightliner59 Posted February 20, 2023 Author Posted February 20, 2023 I've been working and reworking a couple of things. I think I have finally decided on the sheathing for the parachute cords: I made a new set using cheap duct tape, rolled around a length of wire. The wire makes it more poseable, and the color is good. The paper lining from a cigarette pack looked nice, but, was simply too fragile. I've also built about 6 boxes for the computer and battery, before I finally came up with this one. First, I needed to improve my design, to create a tidier-looking box. I mis-folded a couple, so they were several thousandths too wide. Duh! I also decided to build a clear lid for the box, so that the innards are visible, and I don't have to remove the lid for display. Sure, it'd be easier to poke a couple of holes in the box, and fake the whole thing, but, that'd be boring! I still have some cleanup and trimming to do, to it. As always, yer comments, questions and critiques are always welcomed. Thanks for looking! 2 Quote
Ian McLaren Posted February 20, 2023 Posted February 20, 2023 Daniel you are making great progress. I admire that you have gone back to some of the sub assemblies which most people would have called finished, and have redone/replaced them to improve the look. No where is this better shown than on the parachutes and lines, your final version is one of the most convincing I have seen. The rest of the sub assemblies follow suit, and I love your version of the battery/ electronics box and mounts. Well done! Quote
AmericanMuscleFan Posted February 20, 2023 Posted February 20, 2023 Great job Daniel! As Ian mentioned, most builders would have considered taking the next step, but your obsession with always wanting to do better (and you just did it again) is a pure pleasure to see. ? Quote
Straightliner59 Posted February 20, 2023 Author Posted February 20, 2023 (edited) 10 hours ago, Tortuga Kustomz said: nice man Thanks, Marcos! 5 hours ago, Ian McLaren said: Daniel you are making great progress. I admire that you have gone back to some of the sub assemblies which most people would have called finished, and have redone/replaced them to improve the look. No where is this better shown than on the parachutes and lines, your final version is one of the most convincing I have seen. The rest of the sub assemblies follow suit, and I love your version of the battery/ electronics box and mounts. Well done! I appreciate your kind words, Ian! You know how it is--I get something "finished", and it's okay, but I already know that I'm not quite satisfied that it's the best I can do, so the wheels are already turning!? I'm not quite sure about the electronics box's lid, yet, either!? 2 hours ago, AmericanMuscleFan said: Great job Daniel! As Ian mentioned, most builders would have considered taking the next step, but your obsession with always wanting to do better (and you just did it again) is a pure pleasure to see. ? Thank you, my friend! I think it may be the same brain damage you've suffered that compels me in that direction!? Here are a couple of photos that better illustrate the new 'chute line sheathing. While I did like the look of the embossed paper (while I used the liner of a cigarette package, very similarly textured foiled paper is available by the roll at craft stores), I just didn't feel like it would be anywhere near durable enough for a creation that I hope will be around for longer than I! In that light, I just kind of kept thinking about what other material might work. I bought a roll of the cheapest "Duck" brand tape Walmart had, to experiment with. It's very thin, and flexible, thus was easily rolled around the wire core (insulated, single-strand copper, I'm guessing around 24-26ga.). When I wrapped the wire, I left one end of the tape "long", so that the end of the sheath would be sans wire. That made it easier to loop the end, and still have it fit into the heat-shrink I used as a collar. It also facilitated the canopy lines fitting through the mounting bracket. Once the sheaths were made, I brushed them with an acrylic matte clear. They were then dusted with pastels. Finally, I set the pastels with some good-old cheapo Aqua Net hair spray! Thank you all for your comments, and for looking in! Edited February 20, 2023 by Straightliner59 3 Quote
Straightliner59 Posted February 22, 2023 Author Posted February 22, 2023 The knurls have been handy, lately! I used them on some 3/32" aluminum tubing, to make a pair of breathers for the puke tank. I punched the tops from tooling aluminum, and used a straight punch to roll/fold the edges. I also ruined a Sticky Notes pad, in the process--but it worked! I will polish those with a 4-way polishing stick. I also added two pairs of side frame diagonals. I still need to clean those up. Thanks for looking! 2 Quote
Tortuga Kustomz Posted February 23, 2023 Posted February 23, 2023 Sweet, great detail Daniel, i want to do the same thing to my fuel tank, but i don't want to buy an aftermarket part for that, i want to build it, hope to do a good job at least Quote
Straightliner59 Posted February 23, 2023 Author Posted February 23, 2023 2 hours ago, Tortuga Kustomz said: Sweet, great detail Daniel, i want to do the same thing to my fuel tank, but i don't want to buy an aftermarket part for that, i want to build it, hope to do a good job at least Thanks, Marcos! I'm going to look for textured paper, and have a look at Evergreen styrene siding sheet. You'll do a fine job, man! 1 Quote
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