I guess I'm playing "catchup" with everyone else here, as all the great modelers on this site have made me a been a bit shy about posting pictures of my own. But what the heck, this is all for fun and sharing right? So here's a few I've bashed together in the last couple years; now that I'm, retired, I figure I'll have more time for this great hobby.
I'll start with the first laminated model I tried my hand at, the P-40. It has several obvious flaws and the stand was awful, but I learned a lot from the experience. I've since thrown away the stand and built a much better one...
Next is a Corsair my wife asked me to make for her. I have a fondness for the natural grain of the wood, and I just happened to have had a piece of thin maple that had a really cool dark streak through it. I used that for the top of the wing, and laminated mahogany to the bottom for contrast...
Next is a pair of Mustangs -- Christmas presents for my secretary's two sons. Thedark wood is cocobolo, IIRC...
Excellent models. Were they made this year?
Lou
No, Lou, they're a couple years old.
They are all really beautiful models Fingers,your style is your trademark.
Barry.
Thanks you, Barry. To be honest, I'd like to make a couple that have the fine canopy frame detailing that I've seen done by many builders here. I just haven't been able to figure out how to do it without making a hash of it!
Fingers, I would suggest you make the canopy by laminating small strips of the desired colour and carving it as a separate piece and attaching it after it is done. A canopy such as a Firefly or a Kingfisher would need quite a few pieces of wood but would look fantastic once done.
Lou
Quote from: Fingers on January 04, 2011, 08:24:55 PM
Thanks you, Barry. To be honest, I'd like to make a couple that have the fine canopy frame detailing that I've seen done by many builders here. I just haven't been able to figure out how to do it without making a hash of it!
The easiest way is to use a material called 'Chart tape' it comes in coloured rolls from stationers,you place the tape where the canopy frames are then seal it with whatever is to hand,I use ordinary car primer,alternatively you can make your own by placing tape onto glass then cutting fine strips using an old industrial hacksaw blade,the offset teeth stop the straight edge from moving,clever stuff.
Barry.
Quote from: Balsabasher on January 05, 2011, 12:09:37 AM
Quote from: Fingers on January 04, 2011, 08:24:55 PM
Thanks you, Barry. To be honest, I'd like to make a couple that have the fine canopy frame detailing that I've seen done by many builders here. I just haven't been able to figure out how to do it without making a hash of it!
The easiest way is to use a material called 'Chart tape' it comes in coloured rolls from stationers,you place the tape where the canopy frames are then seal it with whatever is to hand,I use ordinary car primer,alternatively you can make your own by placing tape onto glass then cutting fine strips using an old industrial hacksaw blade,the offset teeth stop the straight edge from moving,clever stuff.
Barry.
Barry: Okay, I think I understand your process. It seems like it would work fine with a painted model, but not with a natural wood finish, which is what I was referring to.
Lou's suggestion for laminating strips onto a glued-in canopy "plug" seems like it could work, but only if there were no underlying laminations that you'd have to align with in the fuselage. Look at the Corsair model, for example: You'd be working across at least five different layers of lamination; if you were the least bit "off" it would ruin the look of the whole thing. Not to mention the fact that you'd have an ugly seam all around the plug...
Maybe the answer is that instead of trying to make the actual frames themselves, I should try to carve and sand the individual canopy "panes" as flattened planes. I don't think I could do that with a "greenhouse" canopy, like on a Hurricane or a JU-88, in 1/72 scale, though; you'd go blind trying to make all the individual panels, and one little slip with the knife and you'd ruin the whole thing.
There was something in the original instructions for the I.D. Models project about drilling holes at the corners of each panel or pane and carving to the points where the holes intersected -- "Pinpoints Do the Trick", I think they called it -- but I could never makes any sense out of those instructions!
OK what about marquetry shim wood ? lay masking tape along the material before you slice the canopy strips,this stops them from splitting.
Barry.
Barry:
Yes, that's similar to what Lou was saying...
As I recall, somewhere I saw a couple photos of a Hawker Typhoon done in "sandwich" laminations similar to those I've done, and the builder did his canopy frames along similar lines. I wonder if I can find those photos...?
Here we go. I found it: http://www.collectair.com/Articles.html#typh
"...cockpit frames are paper backed 1/56" mahogany veneer, sanded. "
That certainly sounds doable!
Split the canopy build into two main sections ie rear portion,and the front piece where it comes down at the angle with the frame line,so by incorporating the coloured wood into the laminations at just the corresponding spot needed,that is the way that I would tackle this,the final carve/sand would bring out the canopy framework beautifully.
Barryy
I'm afraid you've lost me completely now...
Doing inlays with narrow strips would be challenging to say the least and completely out of my league. As you may have notices, I use lots of paint to hide the putty I require to join any two pieces together. Mind you, should you ever come up with a workable solution, I would be very happy to learn new skills.
Lou
Quote from: Fingers on January 06, 2011, 06:12:10 PM
I'm afraid you've lost me completely now...
OK lets explain from the base of the canopy working upwards-
1/First a piece of white wood indicating glazing area for the bottom part of the canopy.
2/ As soon as the first frame line is reached lay in a thin piece of darker coloured marquetry wood.
3/ On top of this add another piece of white wood to the top of the canopy where it finishes.
4/ Now tackle the front windscreen in the same way except ie the vertical portion that slopes back slightly.
5/ Add a piece of thin darker membrane.
6/ Finally on the front add another piece of white stock wood,in other words wherever there is a frame line just insert the marquetry wood until everything is glued up and ready for the final sanding.
Basically the canopy is made up in small sections a piece at a time,fiddly but once done you automatically have the frame lines no matter how you carve you wood.
I could probably make one quicker than trying to explain,just think of layering wood with different colours and using the frame lines and angles as the breaking points for inserting the thin membranes ie the marquetry wood.
Barry.
A mock up with picture would be beneficial Barry.
lou
Barry:
"Aha! I see," said the blind man as he picked up his hammer and saw... ;)
I think I get you now. You're saying, essentially, block up the canopy separate from the fuselage, using small blocks and strips of different colored wood to represent the glass panels and canopy frames. Then fit it into the fuselage in the appropriate spot, and carve and sand to shape.
That'd work, all right, but only if there weren't any laminated stripes running through the canopy. It would work on the Grumman, for example, but not on the P-40, the Corsair or the B-24...
Quote from: lastvautour on January 07, 2011, 01:26:24 AM
A mock up with picture would be beneficial Barry.
lou
Yes I agree,just very busy here at the moment Lou.
Barry.
Quote from: Fingers on January 07, 2011, 03:45:46 AM
Barry:
"Aha! I see," said the blind man as he picked up his hammer and saw... ;)
I think I get you now. You're saying, essentially, block up the canopy separate from the fuselage, using small blocks and strips of different colored wood to represent the glass panels and canopy frames. Then fit it into the fuselage in the appropriate spot, and carve and sand to shape.
That'd work, all right, but only if there weren't any laminated stripes running through the canopy. It would work on the Grumman, for example, but not on the P-40, the Corsair or the B-24...
For those intricate types you could file slots into the base wood of a carved canopy with a Swiss file,then add water soaked strips of coloured wood into those binding tight with insulating tape,when dry remove/trim and glue into place,or thick thread would look good as well.
Barry.
Why "water-soaked"?
Just an assumption as I do it sometimes. Water soaked wood will compress better and will expand tightly in the groove/slot you have created. Right now I am soaking strips to make the bead on the Harvard wing joint. They will bend better and hopefully not crack when attached to the wing.
Lou
Spot on Lou,you beat me to the explanation,works really well.
Barry.
Ahhh, I get it...Thanks, Lou. You've just taught me something I may be able to put to use down the road a piece...