HubertB

This is going to be epic. The DH.2 is one of the few bipes in my stash (both the Roden and WnW - the Lanoe Hawker edition - kits). Your build is bookmarked for reference. Hubert

And another beautifully done kit, Mike 👍 ! I love the fini sh and the figure. Hubert

Better in matte. Looks great, Chris. Hubert

That makes already two sold … C’mon, Miniart, be brave 😂🤣😂 ! Hubert

Who said "Repetition is the mother of skill" ? Once again, my tribulations have proven him (or her) right ! I can now say that I have a number of successful prints of the damned landing gear struts. I launched a new print this morning, with four copies of the struts, two vertical and two at different angles. One vertical print fell off from the plate, but the other three are a success. Before curing them, I did try to get a rod in each strut, along their whole length, and it worked ! "A small step for modelling, but a giant leap for the Potez project". I am in a quotes' mood tonight 😂. More seriously, it means I can envision building a strong and scale-accurate landing gear for the Potez 25 TOE. Time to celebrate 🥃 🥃 🥃 (after those, forget about using any pointy or sharp tool, and trying to glue teeny weeny PE parts - btw, I was mentioning in another thread my close-to-maniac habit of cleaning the bench at the end of every session. This allowed me to find two really really really tiny PE levers that I thought had flown on an orbit between Mars and Jupiter, among the very few shavings and dust particles on the bench ) Hubert

Well, the Silhouette is, literally, all about using "cutting edge technology » . Just saying … Hubert

Than’s for the comment, Rob. To explain the process for everyone : 1) you create a 3D part with a specific software. I am using Alibre Design, but the most commonly used is Fusion 360, which has a fee licence for hobbyists. 2) When the part is designed, you export a printable file. The oldest format is .stl, which results in very heavy files, and I am now using the .obj format 3) the export file is uploaded in a slicer software. The function of this software is literally to slice your part in a number of layers, which the 3D-printer can then use to print the part. The printer will print each layer in succession, with a UV projection that will polymerise the resin (for an SLA printer such as mine). 4) in the slicing software, you prepare the parts for printing. Basically, you decide of the orientation of the part, and of the supports that need to be added to help « hold » the part during the printing process. The printing takes place from the bottom of the part, up. Only the platform on which the part will be printed is inverted and will progressively lift as the printing goes. The platform is immersed in a vat with the UV-sensitive resin, and the bottom of the vat is clear to allow the UV projection. To get better results, and avoid visible printing lines, when the human eye is trained to see in two horizontal and one vertical axis, you tilt the part at an angle in the slicing software. The supports can generally be automatically created, but, most of the time, with a bit of experience, you feel where more supports are needed. The worst you can have is either a part insufficiently supported, that will deform, or sometimes detach from the platform. Especially as the lifting of the platform has to fight a suction effect from the viscous resin it is immersed into. 5) when you are happy that you have a printable part, or group of parts, you order the slicing software to slice it. I have set the layer height on my printer at 20 microns, so that means 50 layers per millimeter of vertical height. You end up typically with a print that is going to be made of 5000, 8000, 15000 layers. And each layer takes a few seconds (2.5 for UV exposure, plus the time for the platform to lift a few fractions of a millimeter, and lower again), so that is why typically a print takes a few hours. For me the print runs were between 8 and 13 hours. 6) When the last layer is printed, you have to wash the parts from the uncured resin that still adheres to them - remember the resin is more or less viscous. For most resins, the washing is done in isopropylic alcohol. It takes a few minutes to wash the parts. Before being usable, they then need a « post-cure », which is done by exposing them to UV-light for a few minutes, in a curing machine, or leaving them in the sunshine. Et voilà ! In the case of the struts where I want a hollow center for the brass rod, inclining them for printing may result in resin « sticking » inside the tube you progressively print. That is why I ended printing them vertically, so that the center hole is aligned vertically layer after layer. Even then, you have to remember that you may have a suction effect that will keep the liquid resin trapped in the middle of the hardened resin part ( like the old magicians’ trick of having a glass of water upside down with a a sheet of paper keeping the water in the glass). So you need to design ventilation holes. All of this is a bit empirical, and the small size of the parts makes the process more complicated, as the size of the holes is limited, when the surface tension of the resin may fight against it flowing easily through the holes … The resulting resin is very hard. It dan be drilled, sanded, milled, sawn, cut, but I am not sure it will react positively to a heated rod. And of course, I tried slicing the struts in halves in the design, but this is where I ended up with a part that was sending the slicing software into fits … I am making progress with each new printing trial though. So it is just a matter of time before I get a satisfactory result. But printing a 50 mm long strut vertically takes 10 hours, plus the time redesigning the part, and setting it in a printable way in the slicing software … Hubert

A small update ... Me and my big mouth 🤣 😂 ... Before boasting about using duct tape, I should have triple checked the alignment of the wing's 3 oarts. When I removed the tape, it was to see that there was a slight vertical mismatch between the center section and the right outer wing . After careful use of my JLC saw, adn the application of some brute force, I managed to pry apart the two offenders. Now to redo the gluing, with a multiple check of vertical alignment. Yesterday's printout came OK, but for the hollowed-out landing gear struts. Start again ... THis is what the Potez looks like with modified parts. The new resin I used, Elegoo's 8K "red clay", came out sharper than the grey resin I used before. Just look at the radios. The difference is small, but noticeable. and the Potez with the new parts taped in place ... The radiator and lateral cylinder banks are only loosely tape-fitted. The adjustment is in fact perfect. Happy me . Now about regluing this wing and continuing painting the cockpit... Hubert

Miniart have released a lovely 1;48 Junkers F-13. https://www.themodellingnews.com/2024/09/updated-preview-plastic-pics-to-add-to.html It would be - unfortunately - a « lemon » in sales in my preferred 1/32 scale, but would I love one, even in resin ! Hubert

Nice, clean, work, as usual, John 👍 Hubert

Me, it’s Beguine … Hubert

Purdy ... Hubert

Where would a man be without Duck Tape ? I continue working on the assembly of my Potez. Whilst the prining of the new parts is under way, I have started splashing some primer on the cockpit assembly, but frankly, ther is not much to show here. And I have decided to tackle other bits, like assembling the main wing. Lukgraph has molded the main wing in three parts, a center section and two outer sections. They are molded plain, and therfore quite heavy. A string joint will be needed to esnure the whole wing stays straight over time. I have drilled some 2 mm dia holes in the mating profiles of the three sections, inserted some brass tube of the same dia, and expoxied everything together. I wanted to make sure my assembly would be straight and true, and remain so whilst the epoxy setlled. This is where I resorted to that ubiquitous saviour of household men, namely Duck Tape 🤣 😂 🤣! I think my work should be OK. What do you think ? More when there is more. HUbert

Thanks guys. As for my 3D-printing capabilities, I would argue that a truly capable guy would have avoided the design pitfall that sent the slicer software crashing again and again for four days .... ... Well, you live to learn, don't you ? That's a mistake I will not repeat, now that I'm a smarter a&$$ We'll see tomorrow, when the current print is over, if I have really gained in knowledge. Yesterday's print was not the success I expected, honestly. Hubert

Thank you Kevin, but the difference is really significant, about 2.5 mm, so that's 1/10 of an inch. Of course I could fix this with shim stock and Milliput, but then, what would I have said about the poor design of a kit that would come with this difference ? Because it was poor design from the guy who drew the new part And, actuallly, sorting it out at the source, i.e. revising the design was a one-hour affair on the computer this morning ... The new cockpit cover is in the printer right now, with other parts I modified, like the lower cowling ... Hubert

Well, it looks like it is confirmed. Good move, Eduard ! Hubert

Nice progress, Chris 👍 ! I am sure you spotted this small area of the under-cowling near the wing root where the yellow was not applied, probably thanks to some overmasking. Hubert

Well, I don’t know if you like painting figures, but you’ll be proficient at it by the end of this work I like the way this is turning out. Hubert

That feeling when you start chopping off an expensive kit … Ok, some progress to show after a week of health checks in France (all OK, whewww …) and another week of frustration trying to beat a slicing program (Chitubox) into submission … The kit, with its plain wings, plus my conversion parts, will be fairly heavy. I designed the one piece new undercarriage to be able to insert some metal rods to strengthen it. But, in the printing process, with a resin that is slightly too viscous and I am not totally happy with, the holes designed in the struts got clogged up. And there is no way I could re-drill them, simply because I do not have a set of drills long enough (between 30 and 50 mm needed) with the required diameter - 1 to 1.5 mm. So i had to redesign my landing gear to separate the struts, so that I could print them in a way that would not clog the holes. (Relatively) easy enough. But then my slicer refused stubbornly and steadfastly to slice and record the resulting file. After fours days of frustration, with multiple software freezes and forced interruptions, five or six un-installing and re-installing the slicing software, a frantic internet search for alternative slicing softwares - to no avail, as my printer, an Elegoo Saturn 2 will only take slice files generated by Chitubox - i decided that the smartest of the two - between me and Chitubox - had to give way 🤣 🤣 … I have changed again my design, and it seems I can now print it … Let’s wait for the print result, currently under way, with a new resin 🤞 This stalled my progress on the kit. I have nevertheless started assembling the kit, namely the cockpit structure and PE detailings … This PE is really small and requires steady nerves. Here is where I am as of tonight … The white bits are my additions, either to replace some I had broken when removing the printing supports, or the racks for machine guns drums in the rear cockpit. I also needed to add supports for the passenger seat. And then, whilst the printer is running, came the time to start chopping off the kit, to insert the conversion parts. Did you ever get this slight trepidation when you start sawing off bits of and expensive kit 😱 ? No coming back now. A pic after one half done : And of coursé after chopping off the second half, I had to try taping my conversion parts : Some issues to look at. My lower cowling is slightly too long (but conform to drawings) but more importantly I missed a 3 mm cut in the front end, with, as a consequence, a radiator that sits too high, when it is the same height as the original kit part. The cockpit fairing seems to sit too high at the front. I need to check whether it is a design issue to fix, or an adjustment o make to the cut in the fuselage. The main fuel tank extension has already been slightly redesigned, and is on the printer right now. The extra fuel and rear fuselage fairing look ok, although the extra conformal fuel tank has been tweaked to integrate the recess for the rear landing gear struts. The recess was clearly drawn on the factory drawing I had found, but I had not understood its function at the time, and simply overlooked it … More when there is more to show … Hubert

Dany mentions in the mail he sent to the people that had registered a "pre-order" that he had pushed the production of a first limited batch to be able to deliver some for the 35th birthday of Daco products which was on Sept. 7th) Which is why the lot is only 250 boxes, all white, and without decals sheets (which will be sent later). The full lot, with boxes with artwork and decals, will take a bit more time, I guess. Read this operation not as a "strange business decision" but rather as an enthusiastic drive to get the kit to a few lucky guys asap. The kit has been 10 years in the making, driven by a single enthusiastic guy. I suspect he was eager to get it out, finally I just received my box. I'll try to publish an in-box review later this week, but the summary is "WOW". For 125 €, you really get a lot for your money. It would be a shame that Dany does not reach his goal of selling at least 3000 (his break-even point), because, frankly, what you get is in the top league of kit releases in 1/32. I am sure the quality will drive sales, even for people who are more into WWII prop fighters. Hubert. PS: Sorry for the thread drift. Hopefully a dedicated thread will get things straight later.

Did you notice the Monogram ad with a « 1/32 B-52 Stratofortress » ? Talk of a typo …. Hubert

I still have a few old issues of Airfix Magazine, and Scale Models. One of the Scale Models issues (of 1974 , or 1976 ?) introduces a new « revolutionary » (which it was, at the time) model improvement technique : photo-etch. At that time, they were using clear varnish to assemble the PE parts, as CA glue did not exist yet, at least for the general public … That reminds me how old I am getting Hubert

Mine (the « white box edition », one of the first 250 produced) is on its way. Can’ t wait Hubert

Simply beautiful Hubert

It’s a Fuji KM-2, the Japanese version of the Beech T-34 Mentor, built under licence in Japan. Hubert