So after hours and hours of sanding, waiting for liquid green stuff to dry, and then more sanding, I just decided to prime the model to see how it would look. As this is just a proof of concept, I am ok with the irregular construction. I hadn't planned this to be a practice run, but hey, that's how things work out sometimes. I've learned quite a bit during the construction.
- I need to find a better way to cut out patterns. It was incredibly difficult to get anything to come out properly. I am quite pleased that the tank fit together at all.
- Don't use sanding to get parts to fit. If cut properly they should fit the first time.
- Don't rush ahead and put on rivets before all the sanding is done.
- Use as little glue on rivets as possible. Any pooling at all will mess up the integrity of the design.
- Measure rivet locations just as precisely as cutting the plastic.
- Casting links is incredibly boring, and despite being able to pressure case, I find myself just letting bad casts through. I think on this model it will look ok since I can just mud up the tracks.
- Pressure cast. My pressure casts are near perfect now. It just takes longer.
- Add more plates to the body overall, and use something as a spacer.
- Make just a turret next time.
- There are always 10 bullets.
I wish I had made more progress, since this tank is meant to serve as the base for a test paint job, but a friends 30th birthday got in the way, along with the resulting two day hangover!
I don't know if this will help regarding your patterns problem, but when I used to build robots I would print out the sheet metal parts on paper and then glue stick the paper to the sheet metal. Then all you have to do is machine to the lines on the paper. Soak the part in water after and the glue/paper comes right off! Worked fantabulously.
ReplyDeleteThat would have helped enormously! For some silly reason I thought I could cut out loose patterns accurately.
ReplyDeleteI agree with GSI above. If you use the spray tack stuff at hobby lobby and spray the back of the paper pattern, it will leave no residue on the plastic when you peel it off after cutting it out. That's how I did the patterns on my scratch built titan and it seems to work on plastic too. Just remember to spray the 'glue' on the paper only, otherwise the part gets sticky.
ReplyDeleteThe great thing about anything scratch built is they look better that most people's item, because most people don't bother to make one!