I did make a prop for the FM-2 Wildcat. Some paint.
Slow progress on everything.
That's looking great! I'd love to see your process for making the prop. It looks like a project in itself.
Are the wheels carved in, or separate pieces that you inset in the fuselage?
Do I see engine cylinders as well? Very nice! I'd like to include a radial engine on one of my builds at some point.
Sweet Wildcat Dave.
Louis
I've been meaning to ask how you design/draw your airtoons? Do you do it freehand? Computer program? I love this one and your B-17. I'd be interested in trying and "airtoon" but I would need to figure out the cartoon dimensions somehow.
I drew it on Adobe Illustrator (like a drafting program), just because that it what I know how to use, but you could even draw one by hand. I saw a cartoon in a WWII-era magazine of a Wildcat and tried to come up with something similar in wood. It took a few tries to get the right look. Also, three view drawings can be squashed or stretched, just use you imagination.
I turned a prop hub on a rotary device (Dremel) and attached three blades to it. I will have to come up with better way to explain.
Thanks for responding, Dave.
I'm interested in using a Dremel for turning things. I've got one, and I've even 3D printed a setup to make it into a lathe, but I haven't gotten all the extra bolts and things to put it together. I would like to know what tools you use to turn something that small.
Here's the image from the Printables website: (https://www.printables.com/model/175163-3d-printed-dremel-lathe)
(https://media.printables.com/media/prints/175163/images/1643991_c58fd19f-c055-41f8-9702-dfa485c384c1/thumbs/inside/1600x1200/jpg/p01.webp)
Mine is as low tech as you can get, very crude. My Dremel is 16 years old. The slow speed is 15000 rpm (I think) which is way too fast for turning sometimes, but it works usually. We're talking about very small pieces.
That 3D printed device looks amazing in comparison. I also bought some inserts sized for smaller diameters, see second photo. It is nice to be able to use a piece of wire once in a while as a drill bit.
I use 3/32" dowel (as a shank), glued into a hole drilled in the wood I am turning. so it fits in the Dremel chuck.
Hey, whatever works! That's a good setup. What tools do you use for the cutting/shaping while it's spinning? I've got a friend with a wood lathe, but those tools would be far too big to use on something this small.