Nicely shaped wing.

Lou

While working on a project which involved airbrushing some craft paints, I came across a video for a simple paint filter. It doesn't work for acrylic craft paints straight from the bottle as the paint is too thick to flow through the filter. But then, it's also too thick to airbrush. When the paint has been thinned appropriately for airbrushing, the filter works great. The filter can be used for any airbrush paint to prevent any small particles in the paint being transferred to the object being airbrushed. In reviewing several airbrush related videos, the comments was automotive paint is always filtered before application. Why wouldn't we do the same for our models?

The filter is comprised of 2 easily obtained components. - A brass pipe fitting and a stainless steel pipe filter. In reading about pipe filters, there are various qualities. The ones shown in the photo are stainless steel, stiff and work well. They are available on Amazon.

Total cost for this is around $18 canadian. The pipe filters are the most expensive part with 100 filters for approximately $10 canadian.

Photo 1 shows the parts and part numbers used for the build

Photo 2 shows the pipe filter pressed into the pipe fitting. The pipe filter is 3/4" diameter.The key is to obtain a pipe fitting the same internal diameter as the pipe filter outside diameter so no filter trimming is required. In my case the adapter fitting  is a 1/2" female NPT pipe connection on one end with a smaller diameter on the other end. The fitting material is brass to prevent rusting.  The smaller diameter on the other end provides an internal landing where the bore size changes for the pipe filter to rest on. I know it's not logical, but 1/2" pipe threads are approximately 3/4" in diameter. The filter is simply pressed in and retained by the pipe threads. Filter removal is as easy as pressing out the filter with the end of a paint brush, dowel, etc.

Photo 3 shows the filter mounted on an airbrush jar.

The filter has been used numerous times. A quick rinse in water of the pipe fitting and screen and it's ready for use again.

Dare I say Fraser, I sometimes build the models like a brick outhouse.

Have been distracted on other projects, but back on this one now. The wings were too wide for me to cut on my 4" band saw, so had to resort to an old fashioned way of cutting kerfs on the wign and chiselling the excess material away.

Photo 10 shows a side view of the kerf cuts
Photo 11 shows the wing surface with the kerf cuts
Photo 12 shows the chiseling process to remove the material. It was certainly a challenge managing the grain of the pine material in order to prevent gouging. If I have many more models with delta wings, I may have to purchase a Japanese pull saw.
Photo 13 shows all the roughed out components. You can see the Shinto rasp (red handle) on the workbench. This rasp is great for rapid material removal for models this size (1/32 scale).

Roll out on 28 May 2024.

Lou

A 1/32 Avro 504K is my latest RCAF aircraft to roll out from my bench. The aircraft was used from 1920 to 1929 and was operated out of Camp Borden ON.

Lou

Anothe truck rolls of the assembly line today. The trailer is waiting for wheels.

Lou

Welcome back Marc. An excellent modelling effort. Thank you for posting.

Lou

PS. I love the images posted on Facebook. You should start posting the Sky Bird images also.

It's probably been mentioned on this board previously about Peter Capon and the origin of 1/72 scale.  The story goes that as a teenager, Peter was working for a London furniture manufacturer engaged in making wings for Avro 504s during WW1 (1916).   Peter was making models of the Avro 504 for himself and others working in that shop.  He wanted the models to be small enough that he could slip that parts into the pockets of his work apron.   The Avro 504 has a wingspan of 36'.  With a model wingspan of 6 inches, that works out to 1/72 scale.  There are no surviving photos of the Avro models but Peter's completed models were so popular that he started a business making completed models and advertised in aeronautical journals of the day, no doubt Flight and The Aeroplane.   All of the models were made to the constant 1/72 scale.  He records that he made models of the Vickers Vimy that made the first trans-Atlantic flight for a land plane in 1919 for the two crew members, Sir John Alcock and Sir Arthur Witten Brown.  Here's a photo of one of those Vickers Vimy models made by Peter Capon at the dawn of 1/72 scale and our humble hobby.

Thank you Jim.

Lou

1/72.