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 Rank: Amateur level 2  Groups: Registered
Joined: 28/07/2015 Posts: 42 Points: 122 Location: USA
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Well this is where we separate the men from the boys. Tonight was just a test to see what it would take to cut the aluminum, shape it and make the rivets. I must admit, this part is going to take what will seem like forever. I learned a lot, and I was hopeful I would come out with an acceptable piece, however my technique for cutting the notches for the doors didn't work well, no top of that I really messed up 2 of the rivet lines, you can see how terrible the angle is in the last picture. The aluminum panels do not cut easily, in some spots you are going over the spot 5-8 times before you get through, especially on tight curves. This is not for the faint of heart or impatient. Later this weekend i will take what I learned and re-make this panel. I was smart enough to scan the templates into the computer ahead of time just in case I ran into this issue. Wnt2Fly attached the following image(s):
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Rank: Administration       Groups: Registered, Forum Support Team, Administrators, Global Forum Support Team, Moderator, Official Builds Joined: 09/11/2012 Posts: 7,951 Points: 23,039 Location: East midlands
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Hi, It' definitely a game of patience. I checked the marks for the rivets twice before committing to the rivet tool and a tip for the two slots round the door hinges is to use a miniature triangular file. A lot easier than trying to cut them. Keep at it and you'll get there. Good luck delboy271155 (Derek) COME BACK GUY FAWKES "YOUR COUNTRY NEEDS YOU"
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Can see that is going to be a job requiring the highest level of patience to get to look just right... Think it was a great first attempt though and from your tests you are sure to work out a technique that will suit you best. As it progresses you will probably find you'll be able to produce these panels without too many problems.....  .. Superb work to date, very well done..... Regards Alan
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Rank: Amateur level 2 Groups: Registered
Joined: 28/07/2015 Posts: 42 Points: 122 Location: USA
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Quick update here
1. We are moving, so my updates will be slow over the next 2-3 months as we pack up and move. The DC-3 will be a stress relieve between packing boxes and such - so just not as frequent until the new model train/model building/workshop is setup in our new place.
2. For some reason, Model-Space never shipped me month 3, and month 4 is set to ship in a few days. Call them this AM and they aren't sure whats going on. So just more of an FYI.
3. I have cut 2 more aluminum pieces and found some contact cement that should work. I'll post that progress in a few days.
Thanks!
-wnt2fly
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 Rank: Pro Groups: Joined: 24/08/2009 Posts: 48,051 Points: -13,308
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Hello Wnt2Fly,
I hope your proposed house move went well and that you are now settled into your new home and workshop? I was also wondering if you had made any further progress on this fabulous DC-3 build as I was really enjoying your diary and I hope that you are able to continue with it some time soon?
All the best,
Kev 
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Rank: Amateur level 2 Groups: Registered
Joined: 28/07/2015 Posts: 42 Points: 122 Location: USA
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Kev,
We did move in early December, and then the holidays came! After this weekend, now that the new hobby build area is complete I will resume working on this project. I'll try to post some photos of the workshop in the coming week and the stack of parts/boxes that have accumulated!
A lot to do, but i will continue soon!
Thanks for following along!
Todd
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Rank: Pro Groups: Joined: 24/08/2009 Posts: 48,051 Points: -13,308
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Hello Todd,
Glad to hear that you are settled into your new home and just about ready to resume your DC-3 build - I shall look forward to it with great anticipation!! 
I'll happily be following this one through to its' completion, and very well done on your progress so far Todd, that's a very neat and tidy build.
Kev
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 Rank: Newbie Groups: Registered
Joined: 02/12/2015 Posts: 3 Points: 9 Location: Leipzig
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Hey Wnt2Fly, First of all great job! I'm following your steps, since I'm doing the same build - however, I'm a new-bee and it's a great challenge to me. I just received Pack 2 and try to follow your path of attaching the crew compartment with magnets - great idea from your side! Now my question: Quote:Of course I've yet to see how the crew compartment is going to attach to the fuselage, I'm guessing i'm going to be creative there as well.
Did you find a good solution to this issue - just using stronger magnets, or? Thanks for any suggestions and a great diary! BR Frederik
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Rank: Amateur level 2 Groups: Registered
Joined: 28/07/2015 Posts: 42 Points: 122 Location: USA
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Greetings all! Great news! I have resumed the build! After nearly 5 months of moving and getting resettled into our new place, I have started on Pack 3 (i have up to #8! i better get moving!). Here is the progress and photos of the new model building area. As you will see I'm also building model trains, so I split free time between both of these projects (And I have the Millennium Falcon to do yet!) New to the setup is are two air brushes from Iwata, a compressor (w/storage tank) and a ventilated hood for painting. Yet to try those out, should be interesting! Frederik, I used the magnets that came w/the kit and I bought more so that I could make other parts of the model come apart. See the photo below comparing the kit magnets (middle) with the other 3 sizes I purchased. Wnt2Fly attached the following image(s):
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Rank: Administration Groups: Registered, Forum Support Team, Administrators, Global Forum Support Team, Moderator, Official Builds Joined: 09/11/2012 Posts: 7,951 Points: 23,039 Location: East midlands
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Good to see you back.  Nice set up in the work shop. Regards delboy271155 (Derek) COME BACK GUY FAWKES "YOUR COUNTRY NEEDS YOU"
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 Rank: Super-Elite  Groups: Registered
Joined: 27/01/2014 Posts: 5,060 Points: 14,980
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Good to see you back, loving your man cave 
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 Rank: Elite Groups: Registered
Joined: 13/02/2011 Posts: 2,227 Points: 6,801 Location: UK
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Hi Todd, Your build is looking good as well as your train set up,just looking at your Iwatas,you will find the Revolution a very good brush,and with PTFE you will be able to use most paints without damage to the seals. Also I note that that you have a storage tank air compressor excellent buy as this will keep an even pressure while spraying. Well all the best with it all,watching for the next update. Regards Trev. Work in progress: Tombstone (Scratch) - San Francisco 2. -The Mayflower ( scratch by plan).
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Rank: Amateur level 2 Groups: Registered
Joined: 28/07/2015 Posts: 42 Points: 122 Location: USA
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tf64 wrote:Hi Todd,
Also I note that that you have a storage tank air compressor excellent buy as this will keep an even pressure while spraying.
Trev, yes I originally purchased a small compressor with no tank. First of all the regulator and condensation trap wouldn't even thread properly. Piece of junk and I returned it. Do you know how hard it is to find a decent compressor system? The one I purchased is a SPARMAX TC-620X. I could hardly find any sellers here in the US. Looks like most of them are on the other side of the pond in the UK - where, so it seems from reviews and ships, air brushing is much more popular. Everything here sold at the major hobby retailers is absolute junk. I figured I'd spend a bit more and get quality components. -t
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Now that's a man cave I could get lost in, you're very lucky to have that amount of space.... Great work on the build, enjoying your progress very much...... Regards Alan
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Rank: Amateur level 2 Groups: Registered
Joined: 28/07/2015 Posts: 42 Points: 122 Location: USA
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So did some work on it the past few days, and something is becoming very clear. Before I go on this mini rant, let me first say that this is my first Model Space kit, while I do not consider myself a professional modeler by any means and I am not out to make this 100% accurate. I do want to have incredible detail that can be seen. Now with that said it is becoming more and more clear to me that this model build is full of un-necessary steps and poor design. Both of which is clearly resulting in wasted hours, extra materials, extra paint glue with a net of a model that you can't see details. Now having instructions 1-8 (out of 12) I can see massive changes are in order. For example, all the work that goes into the cockpit, if you follow their directions you'll hardly see any of it because you glue all your hard work together! Am I modifying it? Yes. If you follow their directions the radio room will never be seen. In fact 90% of the green paint that is applied to the sub-structure is only covered with aluminum and can't be seen. The additional ribbing? Can't be seen and isn't even needed for any structural purpose. So where is this all taking me? Personally I understand there are people out there that are over the top with builds and despite not being able to see something they can't sleep at night knowing that shortcuts were taken for presentation purposes. I am not one of those people. I'm going to modify this build in a few ways. First I'm most likely only going to build half of the model. Yes you heard me right, one half. The sections will all be secured with magnets so they can be removed, but I'm going to build it in such a way that some areas of the aluminum skin will not be applied so you can see what lies underneath. This will also allow for better display as this thing will be quite large when done. With that said, here is the progress. The side you see with out the ribbing will most likely not be used. I'm not sure which side will have the wing just yet...The first picture shows some window frames and a jig I made to make them easier to build. File Attachment(s):  6.jpg (274kb) downloaded 47 time(s).Wnt2Fly attached the following image(s):
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Rank: Pro Groups: Joined: 24/08/2009 Posts: 48,051 Points: -13,308
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Lovely work on the fuselage sections Wnt2Fly, all looking very neat and tidy and very well aligned by the look of it - no twists in there!!
Great to see you back on this build, I was very much enjoying your diary before your house move forced the sabbatical but it looks like it is going from strength to strength now? I understand your reasoning for just building one half of the model and it will be a fairly unique approach amongst other builders of this model, though my feeling is, would it not be better just to spend some extra time constructing lots of extra removable panels, using your magnet system, in order that the detail which might be lost otherwise can at least be seen and you'll still retain the look of a completed model and justify the cost of all of the parts that would otherwise be discarded?
Not a criticism, just a thought and you are free to build your model how you choose of course?
Kev
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Rank: Pro Groups: Joined: 24/08/2009 Posts: 48,051 Points: -13,308
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Nice work on your build and good to see your back on it
Coming to your points, it does say in the official build that you are free to construct your model how you so choose. I agree, that a lot of work going into something you cannot later view can be frustrating.
An idea could be to leave certain skin panels off (or make them removable) so that interior detail can be viewed.
Interior detail that cannot bee seen is common place with many kit's, in which case, if you know the area is to be enclosed and will not visible, then a decsion needs to be made to put the work in to add the detail or not.
As with all model making, some advance thinking needs to be made of how you want the end result to look, consider any short cut's or to avoid unecessary work.
Look forward to seeing your next instalment and any mod's you make.
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Rank: Super-Elite Groups: Registered
Joined: 27/01/2014 Posts: 5,060 Points: 14,980
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Great progress being made, your build is looking fantastic, everything is so meat its quite a common practice amongst model builders to build the models in different ways, be it leave the skin off campletely to reveal all innards, half open half closed, completely closed up and everything in between. This makes the model more individual the builder, the instructions are aiming to cover as many possibilities as possible so people aren't left wondering what colour something should be Those magnets you got are definitely the way off going about the removable panels. Looking forward to more
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Rank: Pro Groups: Registered
Joined: 26/01/2014 Posts: 119 Points: 343 Location: Newcastle
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Looking good, I just hope my cockpit finish is as good as yours. I was thinking the same thing about the radio station but then thought you would be able to see it through the cockpit door opening and the through the door on the side? I'm keeping an eye on your build to see what modifications I might add to my model Current builds: HMS Victory, hachette black pearl, DC-3, R2-D2, Millennium Falcon
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Rank: Newbie Groups: Registered
Joined: 02/12/2015 Posts: 3 Points: 9 Location: Leipzig
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Hi Wnt2Fly, Thanks for sharing all your tips - more magnets are just ordered :) Since I am a complete newbie (which you probably will notice on my paintwork ;) ). I won't be able to give too many hints, however you posted earlier that you didn't want to use the flocking powder for the floor. I have followed the instructions on the flocking powder and must add that I am very happy about the carpet like texture that it gives the floor - I would definitely recommend you to use the flocking powder :) One thing I learnt in the process though... I thought I was smart to add glue and flocking powder as the part 2N was still attached to the fret - This was not clever! It looked great, but it was impossible for me to cut out the piece from the fret afterwards, without the dried glue/powder-mixture to slip from the wood. The result was unacceptable, so I had to cut out piece 2N out of the fret and clean it up by sanding down my work completely and the do the process all over again. The result you'll see on my attached pictures - Just in case it would be of any interest. Thanks again for great work from your side so far! /Frederik File Attachment(s): Frederik attached the following image(s):
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