I'm following build threads on museum-quality flying scale models where the builder has been building it for 10 years. That's not a typo! When I say museum, I'm referring to talking about panel lines and rivets that are correct to the specific kind of fastener. If it's a flush rivet, headed rivet, Phillips head screw, or Dzus fastener. They're all placed by hand and the count is correct. And he says he's going to fly it. I'm not convinced. The plane has folding wings, opening canopy and operating dive brakes along with all the other control surfaces. It will have a 3-cylinder radial behind a dummy version of the R-3350 radial.
Just for fun, he's a link to Barry Dalwig's 10 year thread. And he actually started on the model in 2007. Barry was a fire-fighting helicopter pilot so there were lots of times he wasn't building model airplanes.
https://www.rcscalebuilder.com...4&PN=0&TPN=1
Here's a couple of interesting spots.
Page 16: Shows the custom machines landing gear. Barry has a friend who's an expert machinist. It really helps.
https://www.rcscalebuilder.com...&PN=0&TPN=16
Page 29: The instrument panel. The model is 1:5 scale so you can show literally everything. It will also have all-operating bomb racks on the wings.
https://www.rcscalebuilder.com...&PN=0&TPN=29
Page 41: Bomb racks and ordinance
https://www.rcscalebuilder.com...&PN=0&TPN=41
That ought to get you hooked. He's not the only builder on RC Scale Builder that works at this level of mastery. Many do, but Dallwigs Skyraider has got to be one of the finest.
Back to Trains!
All the wood arrived from Northeastern Scale Lumber. It's a ton of wood! The packs all have a rubber band around them. That's because there's a few other packs of the same variety hiding below.
I'm running a resin exposure test series on my 3D printer to determine if my layer exposures are correct. I'll know the answer tomorrow. I think I'm already pretty close. The Elegoo ABS-Like Resin has an 8 second recommendation. But I'm mixing 20% Siraya Tenacious flexible resin to impart impact strength. Tenacious recommends 15 seconds when it's 100%. So what should a mix be? That's what I'm trying to dial in.
I also finished up the work bench mod and moved all my work tables. I put a power strip directly on my movable work bench so some of the all-the-time-used power tools would stay with the bench and not have cords stretched across open spaces. I put all the power tool tables on one wall so I now have an "Abrasion Station", with my bench grinder, and two sanding systems on the same table.
And here's a better shot of the modified work table. I'm starting to use pegs for some of the stuff that was on the pegboard on my main work benches. Definitely should have done this years ago.
Lastly, here's the reason why I love Spring showers. I predicted this rainbow. They always come with a late afternoon storm that moves off to the East and then have a bright sun break the clouds. The angle has to be just right. The trees are blooming like crazy around here in Louisville.
I may have to buy some more wood for the Rick House. I need the vertical spline that will make up the individual foundation ribs. Interestingly, the spacing between the ribs was determined to be able to get a skip loader in between them. The strips are 3/16" wide X 3/4" high X 16-1/4" long and I need 8 of these. There is a rabbet on 6 of these to support the first floor joists. I will make that by laminating a strip to the main piece. I think I'll build the ricks first and then use them to exactly space the foundation system. I will "excavate" the site so the foundation drops below the mean ground level. Luckily, this site is reachable from the aisle. I probably will have to build a perimeter chain link fence plus add some security lighting since this will be an active construction site.
