tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-74173765164668950222024-03-05T07:10:13.500-08:00"Project Rainier" Build DiaryI'm a Seattle-ite and I'm building a Dalek. Here's my progress.SeattleDalekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01298625265184256865noreply@blogger.comBlogger89125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7417376516466895022.post-3704576181382837052016-09-13T13:01:00.000-07:002016-09-13T13:01:29.483-07:00Day 141 (who's counting at this point?) - Adding fender height, suspension, and underlighting!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ3J7ADjUenDiRhpwHa6SgqSz2Clf8WIlrKv1aONzvYMLtptNooBpPLN-a3r-hIStig0sJHDIxGHuevMiq7kBZU8ZVdHZNFZpwNZkvOBJge24QOU6RqjjFSZNhRTcHVc-jPt8L2qCwuDU/s1600/01+fender+underside.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ3J7ADjUenDiRhpwHa6SgqSz2Clf8WIlrKv1aONzvYMLtptNooBpPLN-a3r-hIStig0sJHDIxGHuevMiq7kBZU8ZVdHZNFZpwNZkvOBJge24QOU6RqjjFSZNhRTcHVc-jPt8L2qCwuDU/s200/01+fender+underside.JPG" width="150" /></a><br />
After over a year, Rainier finally got an update! After 13 months of trundling and scaring small children to the questionable delight of their parents, I got a little tired of my low ground clearance getting in the way of my Dalek's mobility. While thinking of methods to raise it, I also wanted to try and absorb some of the ricketiness that I experience when I travel over any kind of bumpy surface.<br />
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So I dismantled his pieces and (with the help of a friend) put his fender upside-down on the operating table. I wanted to examine the points at which I would need to add some height. The four casters were a given, and the mounting points for the motorized wheels would need to be lifted, as well.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuppVaG1E-e13ZUhH_c0h4sOmAjDPA4kMABL5p2aEGzs8oFahAV1FT41cXOv4HouLH_eW3A6GlDxXFIcEjoYZIaUL8DWzVo6UBMCBRfMWfMv4i2qDKSIhgwKPa7NP5Qovp8AAtTgsg41U/s1600/04+caster+suspension.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuppVaG1E-e13ZUhH_c0h4sOmAjDPA4kMABL5p2aEGzs8oFahAV1FT41cXOv4HouLH_eW3A6GlDxXFIcEjoYZIaUL8DWzVo6UBMCBRfMWfMv4i2qDKSIhgwKPa7NP5Qovp8AAtTgsg41U/s200/04+caster+suspension.jpg" width="200" /></a>I had thought of several ideas for adding height and suspension, including string steel compression springs, but eventually I settled on the same black rubber spacers that my DIY wall-mounted TV rests on. They are an inch in height, and about the same in width, and slightly conical in shape. There are 20 mounting points that I needed to elevate (hehe, "EL-E-VATE!"), so I bought 20 spacers at Lowe's in their hard-to-find parts section. I drilled a hole in the center through each one using a 5/16" drill bit.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6ksbffSP_1xaiskb6svJJM1v7wbvhScyDpja8U8JNglulIglPlEooiE5I03dohV2gMvhAZz2ncJARRfnKIRVi6TmI_jdARjlbR0tQ1Ow33iuCbft14qBJwbw46F4AvAIfOJKOZOqSfmU/s1600/05+casters+rebolted.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6ksbffSP_1xaiskb6svJJM1v7wbvhScyDpja8U8JNglulIglPlEooiE5I03dohV2gMvhAZz2ncJARRfnKIRVi6TmI_jdARjlbR0tQ1Ow33iuCbft14qBJwbw46F4AvAIfOJKOZOqSfmU/s200/05+casters+rebolted.jpg" width="200" /></a>Each of the four casters is mounted by four shortish 5/16" hex bolts (2.5" long, I think), so I bought 16 bolts that were an additional inch longer. I unbolted the caster and its mounting block, and, using a box cutter, I cut through the white paint that semi-adhered the block to the fender. I pushed the spacers onto the new bolts, and attached it all back to the fender, spacers now sandwiched in between the two wooden sections. I repeated this process for the other three casters.<br />
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One thing I noticed was that, now that there's rubber, there's nothing that resist against the hex nuts. You can tighten and tighten the nut, so you need to eyeball it to make sure they're all tightened the same so that one caster is level with the rest. I will need to add a second nut and perhaps a locking washer to make sure they don't come loose with vibration.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS-R8CVghFmh3cbOLl7WZf9qO7N94bUu7KfOhyphenhyphenPQvCNlErwvnZvm_xw1xu1jgTSiyZXgLM-Ojq8CMpNHB6-xMXl4VGtUdx5-hnZUI3SrfZQZ74xyZVX4eWmuqshyphenhyphenF8P6HYDOOXG-qtm2o/s1600/06+cutting+center+support.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS-R8CVghFmh3cbOLl7WZf9qO7N94bUu7KfOhyphenhyphenPQvCNlErwvnZvm_xw1xu1jgTSiyZXgLM-Ojq8CMpNHB6-xMXl4VGtUdx5-hnZUI3SrfZQZ74xyZVX4eWmuqshyphenhyphenF8P6HYDOOXG-qtm2o/s200/06+cutting+center+support.jpg" width="200" /></a>Now for the hard part, and it's a bit hard to describe. There were four mounting points for the electric wheels that needed to be raised. Simple, right? I removed the four long 6" hex bolts and immediately saw my problem. Jazzy Select wheelchair wheels are attached to their motors by a steel mounting assembly with three bolt holes. Two of these I use to attach them to steel square tubing, securing them to my fender. The third pokes through the top of the fender, and I have a long piece of thick threaded rod mounted to it to keep the wheels in a straight 90° angle to the ground (otherwise they would buckle under Rainier's weight). I couldn't simply add an additional inch to all this because the wooden fender top and a central piece of steel square tube were in the way.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQtImXgTrSogr-jx0kvjElNgEnf2yI-IKq-TsJlecRlsDjMH49B_DTcmDLvYlzwcEgXOxIepwt-Ua29S_thCLc637qiFOFNJAY_lTzfWGC3TzFjXdLH4kAVO889CiP2P_MFBmUBcw9qJo/s1600/07+cutting+center+support.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQtImXgTrSogr-jx0kvjElNgEnf2yI-IKq-TsJlecRlsDjMH49B_DTcmDLvYlzwcEgXOxIepwt-Ua29S_thCLc637qiFOFNJAY_lTzfWGC3TzFjXdLH4kAVO889CiP2P_MFBmUBcw9qJo/s200/07+cutting+center+support.jpg" width="200" /></a>I decided to simple cut through it. I took out a metal-cutting wheel for my Dremel, and began slicing away at the center square tube. It was ugly—there wasn't much room in there for cutting, so it was all at wonky cutting angles. Eventually I got through. Then I flipped the fender over, and took my jigsaw to cut away the necessary fender wood. Now I could add spacers to raise the wheels. Once again, I flipped the fender back over to add the final four spacers underneath.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOzdw09DXOqdW8155egFC_GTv4d8bIBvJN4D7N7pzupeMucchm69iEL0UeHoMJSvM8t4d_Iy7l6tXUyQPIYXXRYdhugJnzP6Z_y38OLwSl1IBTl87FQwsI7JpMgTVW8Ys_H1hfqqgA-ZY/s1600/08+motor+wheel+suspension.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOzdw09DXOqdW8155egFC_GTv4d8bIBvJN4D7N7pzupeMucchm69iEL0UeHoMJSvM8t4d_Iy7l6tXUyQPIYXXRYdhugJnzP6Z_y38OLwSl1IBTl87FQwsI7JpMgTVW8Ys_H1hfqqgA-ZY/s200/08+motor+wheel+suspension.jpg" width="200" /></a>For some reason, there is no 5/16" hex bolts that are 7" in length. Lowe's had 6" and 8", so I got four 7" carriage bolts instead. There's a squarish shape on the underside of each bolt head that raised the underside of the head slightly off the steel square tubing, so I added a couple of washers so that the bolt had something to sit on directly. Then I tightened all that down.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvopr6lR_jX6peGdhveSZCfZwFSiPCoU0bonTD7Guu0AeqqRog_uvwlXc_Q_-8Rj5VMdgazp4W1MfcUyaDWgVr-zBjFzq2Af23EiwJGJNwv-Z4SY7fl-sFYcpcEZmt2eLpd6Gkw9dFbuU/s1600/10+reinforcing+center+support.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvopr6lR_jX6peGdhveSZCfZwFSiPCoU0bonTD7Guu0AeqqRog_uvwlXc_Q_-8Rj5VMdgazp4W1MfcUyaDWgVr-zBjFzq2Af23EiwJGJNwv-Z4SY7fl-sFYcpcEZmt2eLpd6Gkw9dFbuU/s200/10+reinforcing+center+support.jpg" width="200" /></a>I was very concerned about hacking through the central steel support, so I bought a 3-foot long, 3/16" thick by 1" wide flat steel panel and cut a couple pieces to length with my miter saw. I marked some points where I wanted to attach it to either side of the compromised support (fender top and fender bottom), clamped them together and drilled 5/16" holes through both. This was where I could bolt it all together. I then clamped one on, drilled the remaining holes through the center support rod and the wood of the fender, then bolted it all together.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGe8ovych6BcAIvUQBF_J5ozklB3elObFKndruBPfgp0p2HgcIlDelvqTSngt1pwhJ8_tYO1zp0UA-cXbITbznu0hAntNhBQSL32EHlYAcXVzMjKJ975922c-KEealHXjx4HVSv-KGQdI/s1600/11+securing+LED+tape.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGe8ovych6BcAIvUQBF_J5ozklB3elObFKndruBPfgp0p2HgcIlDelvqTSngt1pwhJ8_tYO1zp0UA-cXbITbznu0hAntNhBQSL32EHlYAcXVzMjKJ975922c-KEealHXjx4HVSv-KGQdI/s200/11+securing+LED+tape.jpg" width="200" /></a>While Rainier's fender was up on the table, the idea struck me to add the LED strip lighting to the sides of the fender. I dug out where I had stored the LED strip reel, and traced a path around the inside of the fender, temporarily clamping the strip into place. I wound up using window screen mounting clips to secure it, each one facing the opposite direction to keep the strip stationary. <br />
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When I was finally all done with that, I took the fender off the table and re-assembled Rainier form the fender on up. The wheels were not at all even with each other, and the whole fender rocked back and forth like a bad restaurant table. However, a simple tightening of the nuts on the new bolts fixed that. Like I said earlier, I will need to find some way of making that adjustment stay in place, like locking washers and an extra nut.<br />
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I was very pleased with the additional 1" of ground clearance, and I wanted to turn the underlighting. I don't yet have a battery for it, so I used the wall outlet to take a look at its effect. I was a little bit blown away.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYU76NQuMbldq90uq6OoqxSVzApyPJLuUlCO-YktQ_gILw1NBXy4AVJ0QdpdguSYIC6pAzb6teFKdDpBV3FTq09keAdpjGrBv8Gg3daG8E2wVqxnT5V_FS7sxv_zMM90GbCliLIXluwdI/s1600/13+latest+stack+shot.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYU76NQuMbldq90uq6OoqxSVzApyPJLuUlCO-YktQ_gILw1NBXy4AVJ0QdpdguSYIC6pAzb6teFKdDpBV3FTq09keAdpjGrBv8Gg3daG8E2wVqxnT5V_FS7sxv_zMM90GbCliLIXluwdI/s400/13+latest+stack+shot.jpg" width="300" /></a><br />
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So anyway, that's my update, after a year's Daleking around. Back on the front page again! (At least for a little while!)SeattleDalekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01298625265184256865noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7417376516466895022.post-11275642746601519312015-08-26T16:06:00.001-07:002015-08-26T16:06:52.726-07:00Worldcon73 (Sasquan 2015)<i>NOTE: There are two Davids in this entry. I refer to one as "David W." and the other fully as "David Gerrold".</i><br />
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<b>Worldcon - Day 0 (Friday)</b><br />
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On Friday, I left work a couple of hours early to go home, pack up some clothes, and pack Rainier into the van. Except that there was no van on the street. It was missing, and the only thing near where it was parked was a wooden sign saying "Tow Away Zone, no parking 50' near this sign".<br />
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So I called the number on the sign and tried to see where the van had got towed to. After being told to call a separate line, I confirmed its location, hired a car service to get there, slammed down $249 to get it out of impoundment, and then spent the better part of an hour getting the van back home. With now only an hour to spend getting ready and packing Rainier, my clothes, and my dog, I set to work double-time. David W., one of Rainier's minions, helped me get Rainier inside, and off we went to pick up Rainier's other minion, Cavin, downtown.<br />
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Then, by about 6:00pm, we were all three of us (and one dog) finally on the road to Spokane. Spokane is a 279-mile trip from Seattle, and there's a direct route (I-90) that gets there. The trip was fairly uneventful, but I learned that the van has some fits and starts climbing extended hills or in-between 60-70 miles-per-hour. I learned a bit on how to handle it, though, so we were okay. Because of all the wildfires happening in Washington and other states, any time we took a washroom break, the air smelled of one gigantic campfire. It was hazy driving for the majority of the trip.<br />
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We eventually got into Spokane at about 10:30pm, and GPS directed us to the hotel where we had made reservations. We parked, examined potential spots for assembling Rainier, and made out way to the concierge desk. David W. sat in a lounge chair to rest, and Cavin took the dog outside to take care of that end of things. I got our room keys, and asked to confirm if I needed to put down a pet deposit.<br />
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"Oh, we don't allow pets on the property at any time."<br />
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Okay, that's not what I was told when I made the room reservation, but then I was told that it was a different hotel in the chain that accepted animals. I booked at the Davenport Grant, when what I wanted was the Davenport Tower. So, she kindly made the call over to the other hotel, confirmed that they (miraculously) had a room free during Worldcon, and that they were waiting to serve. She cancelled my original reservation with no penalty fee, and off we went, about a half-mile away to the other location.<br />
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We parked, checked in, and crashed for the night, smelling of campfire smoke.<br />
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<b>Worldcon - Day 1 (Saturday)</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigbgTg6Ig7ye7Z5BRrWSUotI7jf93Lt356I0MICVPXso1yiZbpg83YYWMqEPQO6OP3fAJ3YyZkzY_cHtn-CbMALSgLZ2JUwdwvX3Wa6xCzWidoBtiB8M2CspkLv2N5VdjwPmxCpjAWGEc/s1600/01+rainier+minions.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigbgTg6Ig7ye7Z5BRrWSUotI7jf93Lt356I0MICVPXso1yiZbpg83YYWMqEPQO6OP3fAJ3YyZkzY_cHtn-CbMALSgLZ2JUwdwvX3Wa6xCzWidoBtiB8M2CspkLv2N5VdjwPmxCpjAWGEc/s200/01+rainier+minions.jpg" width="200" /></a>The following day, we set out to find just where we were supposed to go. But before I continue the story of this weekend, this is now the part where I get to spill the beans on why I had to finish Rainier by Anglicon at the earliest.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEN2XBziL7yvkDoZF4_aPAf3px_aLdrn4aNhuri8pdMisFF1_bug3wzotbfigs5aTD9Yp2-q3RQbOhaGL7cmbGM6K7qs9jVNVA6YaCWxIAMQjmW27fRL87qNJ2YJPhUEy3sQq6rimycaw/s1600/02+rainier+minions.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEN2XBziL7yvkDoZF4_aPAf3px_aLdrn4aNhuri8pdMisFF1_bug3wzotbfigs5aTD9Yp2-q3RQbOhaGL7cmbGM6K7qs9jVNVA6YaCWxIAMQjmW27fRL87qNJ2YJPhUEy3sQq6rimycaw/s200/02+rainier+minions.jpg" width="200" /></a>A friend of mine, David Gerrold, is a writer, and we've known each other for over two years now. If you don't recognize the same, you'll be forgiven, but he's left a few bits of legacy behind in his long writing career. For example, he invented the Tribbles for the original Star Trek series, and wrote the accompanying episode, "The Trouble with Tribbles". He'd been following my progress on Rainier a few months after I started him.<br />
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Well, he was invited to be a guest-of-honor at this year's Worldcon (the 73rd annual), and to be Master of Ceremonies at the 2015 Hugo Awards presentation. Accepting the honor, he immediately started to formulate how he wanted the ceremony to go. He decided he wanted a Dalek. He decided it should be my Dalek.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfQCROV86P4n7pVp0Vj35or7ThtpFjUk1IXmzkpsNew5SQihcrOkwzMbsQYNHzwl44Rw8lDxwZOoY1hukpNvqXP-g52E6NntJhhUcjEYzykY1MmjUR34ZoLWlUN2n8V9PYZT9ztejXyBY/s1600/03+rainier+loading+dock.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfQCROV86P4n7pVp0Vj35or7ThtpFjUk1IXmzkpsNew5SQihcrOkwzMbsQYNHzwl44Rw8lDxwZOoY1hukpNvqXP-g52E6NntJhhUcjEYzykY1MmjUR34ZoLWlUN2n8V9PYZT9ztejXyBY/s200/03+rainier+loading+dock.jpg" width="200" /></a><br />
He called me up with a rough outline of the show, and what Rainier's part in it would be. Rainier was to present two awards: Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation - Short Form and Long Form. I set forth to finish Rainier's construction by Anglicon, and functionality by Worldcon. You've read about all that in previous entries.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOELZJc6ZOHf8gz3xLhSya91hl8xiVh5J4W0FdWcwiPIEe1txetTGEW5ODtgePHpG6kLF6vLyQ0rWKTn7GO4XqWBmIFe4D8B49NZn7IaQyCwkthvUHYI9OnT9Z3Wo-GuJe0sg8rbTuEGs/s1600/04+rainier+backstage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOELZJc6ZOHf8gz3xLhSya91hl8xiVh5J4W0FdWcwiPIEe1txetTGEW5ODtgePHpG6kLF6vLyQ0rWKTn7GO4XqWBmIFe4D8B49NZn7IaQyCwkthvUHYI9OnT9Z3Wo-GuJe0sg8rbTuEGs/s200/04+rainier+backstage.jpg" width="150" /></a>Anyway, back to the weekend. We arrived at the loading dock of the theater where the Hugos are to be held, and unloaded and assembled Rainier outside. Then we rolled him up the ramp into the loading room, and then into the backstage area. While we were there, we bumped into <b>Urban Jungleboy</b>—builder of the TDK Tiki-Style Dalek—busily assembling what would eventually become a very tall grim reaper ... commissioned by our mutual friend, David Gerrold! He was in a bit of a hurry, but we chatted for a bit, and became chums.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAknEvILEg0hFoC-dJ9OPapSHgUVybGggEWdatIFB32mvONeFOzlfAUaLvh8_rDYQ-SyznMLDr_bM4shbwKj0oRLRztMqVknvhGeeWyjZMX3UWbr4sZeeMhPNp0tvUsE7PpA-xP6xSnCc/s1600/06+inside+rainier.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAknEvILEg0hFoC-dJ9OPapSHgUVybGggEWdatIFB32mvONeFOzlfAUaLvh8_rDYQ-SyznMLDr_bM4shbwKj0oRLRztMqVknvhGeeWyjZMX3UWbr4sZeeMhPNp0tvUsE7PpA-xP6xSnCc/s200/06+inside+rainier.jpg" width="200" /></a>I tested out Rainier's electronic bits. They are still a bit of a shambles: some cables are too long and need trimmed and re-soldered; some pieces—like the MartMod and the various smaller batteries—need to be mounted somewhere and fastened down; I need a proper chair and not the folding aluminum one I've been using, etc. But, my minions buttoned me up inside Rainier, and we rehearsed.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEM7WBO1aruwiTTmYEncr8PEiGufNXJnCXdg7r6-k2xZjBW2GyiY9pDADhKg4ENvaAZs0GsvOJU9oZ9F_tOvvNaVCQKNcZGlPSpHYWbOPL3eiIfsD4cXnN4TlsZkfJmT6q8jR2RDDw5Pk/s1600/07+inside+rainier.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEM7WBO1aruwiTTmYEncr8PEiGufNXJnCXdg7r6-k2xZjBW2GyiY9pDADhKg4ENvaAZs0GsvOJU9oZ9F_tOvvNaVCQKNcZGlPSpHYWbOPL3eiIfsD4cXnN4TlsZkfJmT6q8jR2RDDw5Pk/s200/07+inside+rainier.jpg" width="200" /></a>When David Gerrold saw Rainier in person, he screamed in delight. Like a really high-pitched, elated yelp. He complimented the work, and said that it was honestly some of the best craftsmanship he had ever seen. And this is a guy that's worked in Hollywood. I was blown away and humbled by the compliment. I'm still kinda processing that, to be honest. Sophie Aldred, Colin Baker, and Jon Davey said similar things, and I don't really let myself believe it. Rainier's my first ever prop; how can it be that great?<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXOT9dPkQgGZPHWNQELNxaQ4WRmFSgb_-8cvhyphenhyphendeC7Ao4ul2e4RshgBr_EOI2cXv7DpaVDCc6rFyL3HHEEXqBRiDjwd6Itk_gZOyw3rj-TjG2B6LWokYjZBiIgj5WgG_qHLJlkJxyVRpY/s1600/09+inside+rainier.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXOT9dPkQgGZPHWNQELNxaQ4WRmFSgb_-8cvhyphenhyphendeC7Ao4ul2e4RshgBr_EOI2cXv7DpaVDCc6rFyL3HHEEXqBRiDjwd6Itk_gZOyw3rj-TjG2B6LWokYjZBiIgj5WgG_qHLJlkJxyVRpY/s200/09+inside+rainier.jpg" width="200" /></a>Back to the rehearsal. There was no script; David Gerrold and I lobbed ideas back and forth and settled on a loose framework for how I was to enter, introduce myself, present the awards, and exit. (I didn't interact with Tananarive Due—the other Master of Ceremonies, but she had her own stuff to do; she was impersonating Uhura fabulously.) The theater people hooked a transmitter to the headphone jack of the MartMod (my 4-ohm speaker proved to be too weak), and soon, Rainier's modulated voice filled the whole bloody house. It was amazing. They also worked with the grim reaper which was to start the show, and it was amazing.<br />
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After that, we checked out the con a bit, wandered the expo floor, swung by the Anglicon 2016 booth, read a lot of stuff about the late Sir Terry Pratchett and his involvement with Worldcon over the years, and had lunch. We went back to the hotel, took care of the dog, and then napped a bit to build up our energy for that evening's award ceremony.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiezDFwCjmZ9OQMzpHso8tiTy7RBMv39M7Mm_Z-q5jNFHYPSbr3rovkjCfvs31oTqRMuzTFSQUw2NFv4OyEKN2yQKmXdZkSu0vikda8AYoi62rp3_jzAF87AmjOTKomcYWX7rOtmjQt5JM/s1600/24+hugo+awards.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="107" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiezDFwCjmZ9OQMzpHso8tiTy7RBMv39M7Mm_Z-q5jNFHYPSbr3rovkjCfvs31oTqRMuzTFSQUw2NFv4OyEKN2yQKmXdZkSu0vikda8AYoi62rp3_jzAF87AmjOTKomcYWX7rOtmjQt5JM/s200/24+hugo+awards.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL5ojREijLokktcHZziw_0qA1QpKG1GeBremrX5ycTVpbtGkFZoeQA6HABzMZduxs7EIemlvFT_cTwJW4VG9JchUdt37Q25D1HukrrMdHbBjZ5MBcQN_JUpzz0Cf7NI1oWhmZ_HUjGrSQ/s1600/25+hugo+awards.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="107" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL5ojREijLokktcHZziw_0qA1QpKG1GeBremrX5ycTVpbtGkFZoeQA6HABzMZduxs7EIemlvFT_cTwJW4VG9JchUdt37Q25D1HukrrMdHbBjZ5MBcQN_JUpzz0Cf7NI1oWhmZ_HUjGrSQ/s200/25+hugo+awards.jpg" width="200" /></a>Getting back into the theater (and into the Dalek), we waited for the show to start. And waited. By the time the show started, I was inside Rainier for about 45 minutes. I didn't know how much more time it would be before my two Hugo categories came up. After another hour, they did, and I rolled out to center stage, to the absolute shock and wild applause of a full house who hadn't a clue that a Dalek was going to be there. I, of course, didn't notice—I instead saw that I'd forgotten to turn the transponder on for the sound. I did so, resumed a menacing stance, and started to yell "EXTERMINATE" at the audience.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3tfmAOBk5ksniPYCorALy0JsLyWNRiM8rPV0kHsLAoLSbk4xXzRwlrYvX7NjDMmkoBM6XTtLPEhewT4M3yUDzyGcxF-XkSLbCk49x_hrAXlmP9BfRzQ4qCVb3rew1LKcv1q2histxv4I/s1600/26+hugo+awards.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="107" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3tfmAOBk5ksniPYCorALy0JsLyWNRiM8rPV0kHsLAoLSbk4xXzRwlrYvX7NjDMmkoBM6XTtLPEhewT4M3yUDzyGcxF-XkSLbCk49x_hrAXlmP9BfRzQ4qCVb3rew1LKcv1q2histxv4I/s200/26+hugo+awards.jpg" width="200" /></a>David Gerrold (per our agreed-upon banter) rushed over and said "No, no! These are the Hugo nominees! We don't want to exterminate them!"<br />
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"WE DON'T? WHAT ABOUT ONES WHO DON'T WIN?"<br />
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"Well, I guess we can get more nominees next year. No! We don't want to exterminate them, either!"<br />
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"WHAT ABOUT JOHN SCALZI?"<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1MNnaN_SCpHkj8mCaGcfLznYquCAbj6sHN51dwTyY3D2yNjJi0V4pg6mBvGjrzMljHjYmBta5LOlKY3Ej9LLH9dnX8v4O6eHFN159BW4S_nL_-u4vDFcVy1Hf63pS4wHZJzzYU0-lWxM/s1600/27+hugo+awards.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="107" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1MNnaN_SCpHkj8mCaGcfLznYquCAbj6sHN51dwTyY3D2yNjJi0V4pg6mBvGjrzMljHjYmBta5LOlKY3Ej9LLH9dnX8v4O6eHFN159BW4S_nL_-u4vDFcVy1Hf63pS4wHZJzzYU0-lWxM/s200/27+hugo+awards.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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And so on. I went off the rails at that point, and kept David Gerrold in stitches. Hopefully there will be someone who surfaces a video of the thing. It's all a blur, and it was amazing.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXxwMB6KmLaz8d1eJs48LHlhlvS_5d-Yw16muoXX_mc3wfKa201w1Qw7gaPvv4hGIMtOIYbwTamtrGQUdn0EDLJ9TBuRTMULMXrDMBPp1gi_FKSLMAyxoMDHa9Oq8f3WZY5_s796ReZwM/s1600/11+david+tananarive+and+me+with+rainier.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXxwMB6KmLaz8d1eJs48LHlhlvS_5d-Yw16muoXX_mc3wfKa201w1Qw7gaPvv4hGIMtOIYbwTamtrGQUdn0EDLJ9TBuRTMULMXrDMBPp1gi_FKSLMAyxoMDHa9Oq8f3WZY5_s796ReZwM/s200/11+david+tananarive+and+me+with+rainier.jpg" width="200" /></a>(The Hugo winners for my categories were, by the way, Orphan Black for short form and Guardians of the Galaxy for long form.)<br />
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Afterward, we all breathed a collective sigh of relief. The ceremony was done (which was already built up to be a controversial one: google "sad puppies" and you'll read all about it), the winners deserving, and the tension released. David Gerrold, Tananarive, and I posed for a bit of backstage photos, and then it was time to take Rainier back to the van.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-jzUYrFdRW_DynrSZu8G4yKwPNT3Tc0Bw_d9Lgop6AQvG8KhzUf86OXAQoVQA6w5EgsqGwH_oTG7soQYTT0eWUS2mBkAUaNTTfsN9YUoKhrkpbF3B0w9svJYdymsykbZ9WEGZv1-cGwE/s1600/13+grrm+and+rainier.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-jzUYrFdRW_DynrSZu8G4yKwPNT3Tc0Bw_d9Lgop6AQvG8KhzUf86OXAQoVQA6w5EgsqGwH_oTG7soQYTT0eWUS2mBkAUaNTTfsN9YUoKhrkpbF3B0w9svJYdymsykbZ9WEGZv1-cGwE/s200/13+grrm+and+rainier.jpg" width="150" /></a>While rolling him back into the loading dock area, who but George R. R. Martin walked into view! He waved at Rainier as he walked by, but I just had to beg for him to return and pose with Rainier for just a few moments. He graciously obliged, said something about how he and the Dalek were alike in that they loved exterminating people, and on he went.<br />
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(Little did I know that I was going to hang out at his Hugo Losers afterparty that he's been annually hosting since 1976, but that's another story for another time.)<br />
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I got back to the hotel at about 2:00 in the morning, and promptly died in my sleep.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje7KL6CHiW_WCWKsc63OiftYykT466LJ4pWyvU_YEhyphenhyphen3RSQaerRyiE0UGQOWCOisQmfcnj9BqEl2u8feL7bdSSo63Q5SMoi-aQ8xGOxmT4JnUTN583N6i0dXzHXPd7DA4Eb8rZDWq9YVs/s1600/15+grim+and+rainier.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje7KL6CHiW_WCWKsc63OiftYykT466LJ4pWyvU_YEhyphenhyphen3RSQaerRyiE0UGQOWCOisQmfcnj9BqEl2u8feL7bdSSo63Q5SMoi-aQ8xGOxmT4JnUTN583N6i0dXzHXPd7DA4Eb8rZDWq9YVs/s200/15+grim+and+rainier.jpg" width="150" /></a><br />
<b>Worldcon - Day 2 (Sunday)</b><br />
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On Sunday, we slept in a little bit, grabbed our belongings, and checked out of the hotel. I was to volunteer a couple of hours at the Anglicon 2016 booth back at the expo hall. Cavin and David W. dropped me off, helped me assemble Rainier once more, and then went out to eat lunch and go shopping. I ran into Kevin (<b>Urban Jungleboy</b>) again, who was trying to figure out a way to get the fully-assembled Grim inside. I stopped for a picture that's very reminiscent of C-3PO and R2-D2, then wheeled Rainier inside and into an elevator.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9debo8xfptct6LZ-WlMi2QKLdHscnVkkdSTIY1z4QZQCVNrmJHjKwSIF5qxecdR3k4-ODRIkL3bmyH1kYzprI8mc0bYZej-AW0-A7Por21wDDDaX6Jqc9o0mFPvxS1hdOAit_pNk2BUs/s1600/16+rainier+at+anglicon+2016+booth.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9debo8xfptct6LZ-WlMi2QKLdHscnVkkdSTIY1z4QZQCVNrmJHjKwSIF5qxecdR3k4-ODRIkL3bmyH1kYzprI8mc0bYZej-AW0-A7Por21wDDDaX6Jqc9o0mFPvxS1hdOAit_pNk2BUs/s200/16+rainier+at+anglicon+2016+booth.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
Lots of people wanted his picture, and I obliged for awhile, but eventually I said that I needed to get to the Anglicon table and that he'd be there for two hours. That was a nice lure. Fresh from his notorious performance at the Hugos, people came up to the Anglicon booth to talk about him and our Seattle convention. I mentioned to them that he made his official debut at Anglicon, and that they'd get to see him again at the 2016 convention. I got a few people to sign up on the mailing list, at least.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMvbZIknGVVJRRA__iJw_cQMEyiv_YasC-nMIdkaF8E-dGZfovnbmEerRtssRz6hp5dsUPeDrXYCeroTU1JRwNB5yTYfMvIWA7i67vZQukOXpn_KW7y-xDxNaSYTcZQwjAAwO2hKaRjXI/s1600/19+me+and+little+doctor+with+rainier.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMvbZIknGVVJRRA__iJw_cQMEyiv_YasC-nMIdkaF8E-dGZfovnbmEerRtssRz6hp5dsUPeDrXYCeroTU1JRwNB5yTYfMvIWA7i67vZQukOXpn_KW7y-xDxNaSYTcZQwjAAwO2hKaRjXI/s200/19+me+and+little+doctor+with+rainier.jpg" width="150" /></a>When the time came to leave the expo hall, Worldcon, and Spokane behind, I wheeled Rainier over to David Gerrold's book booth to wish him farewell and on a job well done. He was unfortunately presenting at a panel, so I snapped a shot of Rainier there, at least, to give him later. I also bought two of his books.<br />
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I went outside with Rainier to wait for Cavin and David W. to pick us up, and while doing so, a young Japanese girl shyly stepped over and asked if she could get her picture with the Dalek. It was really very sweet; she seemed to be in heaven. Her parents explained that Doctor Who is her favorite show. I'm assuming that they flew all the way from Japan to attend Worldcon. She was just so delighted I thought she might pop.<br />
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Then, Cavin and David W. arrived, we packed up Rainier, and off we went, back to Seattle and home.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJPx9C6wRR9G57Hflp4g1FSLpbt9aw-d0MKPhnuGTabCawUmrxyNhnbCTVy-jp3NY4Mxf0ZZAr2RWbUnIW7kRbUFVTeqE1tr8uPdOVfF0VBbKBzzQN_RX1oBlJuOfjR6ZuaNqhHhjIkRs/s1600/23+rainiers+best+japanese+friend.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJPx9C6wRR9G57Hflp4g1FSLpbt9aw-d0MKPhnuGTabCawUmrxyNhnbCTVy-jp3NY4Mxf0ZZAr2RWbUnIW7kRbUFVTeqE1tr8uPdOVfF0VBbKBzzQN_RX1oBlJuOfjR6ZuaNqhHhjIkRs/s320/23+rainiers+best+japanese+friend.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />SeattleDalekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01298625265184256865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7417376516466895022.post-57399621572273602332015-08-17T21:37:00.004-07:002015-08-17T21:37:55.799-07:00Getting Rainier ready for his next convention<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS9no3Olhh6UYnJazpyMWziIGc8R2KEbXpaJV1kFfe9KHMv25I8sr6Jl7834knbZ4-C80QZuD613mKRV-O9X1Hnk21S3bExC-rv0mh-kMbSvMt-DCieR6xq0LCyGupQTrFsat1SaaPMbs/s1600/02+lens+taped+to+eye+front.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS9no3Olhh6UYnJazpyMWziIGc8R2KEbXpaJV1kFfe9KHMv25I8sr6Jl7834knbZ4-C80QZuD613mKRV-O9X1Hnk21S3bExC-rv0mh-kMbSvMt-DCieR6xq0LCyGupQTrFsat1SaaPMbs/s200/02+lens+taped+to+eye+front.jpg" width="200" /></a>It's gotten to the point in my diary where titling the build entries by the number of days worked doesn't make much sense (at least sometimes), so this entry will be about his post-Anglicon/next con update. I'll mainly cover the stuff I did to get Rainier ready for me to pilot him from the inside, but before any fancy remote-control stuff.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw5SdGNGaDmokSm0vJ7bOCsgfMY8gEcZ9dAgyZCl6Q36yj_SnerwLEyVrUlpAH3i48bcpGk0WvVvM3fQYjiDRKMaIfGKQL7lGy_DUcSRsFuXF3naVuQ6Emrj98VBccUjAVXrFmoZWZ2ec/s1600/05+inner-eye+assembly.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw5SdGNGaDmokSm0vJ7bOCsgfMY8gEcZ9dAgyZCl6Q36yj_SnerwLEyVrUlpAH3i48bcpGk0WvVvM3fQYjiDRKMaIfGKQL7lGy_DUcSRsFuXF3naVuQ6Emrj98VBccUjAVXrFmoZWZ2ec/s200/05+inner-eye+assembly.jpg" width="200" /></a>For <a href="http://anglicon.com/" target="_blank">Anglicon</a>, Rainier's eyestalk light was a small flashlight mirror that was screwed onto the threaded lamp rod exposed inside the back of the eyepiece (as seen in a previous build entry). My Neo-pixel LED ring was simply taped to it, and that was powered by a tiny 3.7v 150mAh li-poly battery. For what it was, it worked, but I wanted something a little closer to how I have the end result pictured in my head.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLPFGxylUnXAwB2hY6-MSzMrYq4O2WT3uxCvXCAW347VCF5KjkfjdUbVrX5s96mAq8rUdxk8jB2AjwjlDHUVpxbrsPQLgQ7nv-vXKL3YuuqVhKzz3uWKJ3lcqARulQeBnh6MQwMETGAyA/s1600/06+inner-eye+plugged+in.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLPFGxylUnXAwB2hY6-MSzMrYq4O2WT3uxCvXCAW347VCF5KjkfjdUbVrX5s96mAq8rUdxk8jB2AjwjlDHUVpxbrsPQLgQ7nv-vXKL3YuuqVhKzz3uWKJ3lcqARulQeBnh6MQwMETGAyA/s200/06+inner-eye+plugged+in.jpg" width="200" /></a>This is still a bit of a messy hack—I'm still using wax paper to cover my lens to diffuse the light, and I'm still taping this inside the eyepiece front to secure it. Then, sandwiched together, I've got a bigger parabolic flashlight mirror, a second acrylic disk on which the neo-pixel LED ring is taped, and then a spacer (simply a discarded chocolate truffle container lid, trimmed up a bit) to fill up the remaining space inside the eye, leaving little to no wiggle room. In the future, I want to replace that spacer with a motorized remote-controlled iris, similar to <b>Nzarra</b>'s build.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFBkL18K4gWRyKnSZVkmfhdH2Ct2DCZHN_DxQE4XZtT_2CKWVfKCesmCzZ8EICh4-Hq4GmAspYgdJl8ZEtsjHifEfMD6zF9XFlSwp8Lu7JnI2QwXU-I_ucLXZPvEjzwy7ei8z5sLQNbFQ/s1600/08-eyepiece-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFBkL18K4gWRyKnSZVkmfhdH2Ct2DCZHN_DxQE4XZtT_2CKWVfKCesmCzZ8EICh4-Hq4GmAspYgdJl8ZEtsjHifEfMD6zF9XFlSwp8Lu7JnI2QwXU-I_ucLXZPvEjzwy7ei8z5sLQNbFQ/s200/08-eyepiece-2.jpg" width="200" /></a>All of that is then connected to the wire leading to my 5-volt smartphone emergency battery (which gives me about eight hours of light), and now has a lovely, noticeably brighter, light.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMQw5551Tynx3KkinIfOfQpA04VkmSX5eg_J7BL6MgCFL_omtBhviOR8D7ngom92sQ6IoDWAvHMmUOvogbNuxg1rJkmsFqjKDeGkNckfqhw-eUZiwShctbbCdS0-FEZdNMO5unHRlmXV8/s1600/10+packing+raineir.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMQw5551Tynx3KkinIfOfQpA04VkmSX5eg_J7BL6MgCFL_omtBhviOR8D7ngom92sQ6IoDWAvHMmUOvogbNuxg1rJkmsFqjKDeGkNckfqhw-eUZiwShctbbCdS0-FEZdNMO5unHRlmXV8/s200/10+packing+raineir.jpg" width="200" /></a>Switching topics, I went ahead and let my Toyota dealership install the struts and shocks on my van because I really didn't have time to learn how to do all that myself. Of course, we paid a premium for that, but now we have a much more road-worthy van. Her name is Miss Cleo Van Gogh (which we pronounce "van go" here in the states—she's a van, and she goes). To test her out, we packed Rainier's various components inside, seeing if we could get away with just taking the back-most seats out. It worked great, so now we can pack Rainier, two passengers, and one driver.<br />
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I also wanted to get a test trundle in before his next con (to be reported on soon), as I didn't want to undertake my Daleking duties there under-rehearsed. We drove around to try and find a park with some fairly flat areas. Rainier's fender is so close to the ground that uneven terrain would likely get him stuck. We eventually settled on Cal Anderson Park where there's a stretch of wide, level sidewalk. As we were assembling Rainier, a family gathered close and were asking all sorts of questions, hardly believing their luck at witnessing such a strange sight at the park! It was quite flattering. They couldn't believe he was made entirely from scratch.<br />
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(Some shots and a quick video of Rainier interacting with the crowd are at the end of the entry.)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk2F7M7dBOuYRhXd4UjRjDEW-hBBuLnfJ44ggrNNXfaNyzrmJnMLArPopko3te5c65ZUMWvj-jFtg3ySzDFYckV33LgEUAhhXMO82oun9yj1NFEndERDYTQPiBuC2jIRLt1usOjb_jWDA/s1600/12+speaker+brackets.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk2F7M7dBOuYRhXd4UjRjDEW-hBBuLnfJ44ggrNNXfaNyzrmJnMLArPopko3te5c65ZUMWvj-jFtg3ySzDFYckV33LgEUAhhXMO82oun9yj1NFEndERDYTQPiBuC2jIRLt1usOjb_jWDA/s200/12+speaker+brackets.jpg" width="200" /></a>The following day (today), I took some of my lessons learned from the trundle and applied them, namely in the speaker department.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4ymwYAwPcOw0dG_QXCKJ7kG8J-i-TRmd826JVlELc96pEJiYObZCs6ARYCkNIzgfeEjNy12CfdL9Y9wwZToUte6eb73-7UVGKD-IAUtKsAhBZnfG5GuSKkEoh3V1rgP0pWFjVGAgS3sY/s1600/13+speaker+brackets.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4ymwYAwPcOw0dG_QXCKJ7kG8J-i-TRmd826JVlELc96pEJiYObZCs6ARYCkNIzgfeEjNy12CfdL9Y9wwZToUte6eb73-7UVGKD-IAUtKsAhBZnfG5GuSKkEoh3V1rgP0pWFjVGAgS3sY/s200/13+speaker+brackets.jpg" width="200" /></a>Nothing is really secured inside Rainier at the moment. I basically have a box in my lap where I keep the jumpstarter battery, the MartMod voice modulator, and the piles of untrimmed wire—all of which will need a better, cleaner solution which I haven't got to yet. When trundling, I have to hold the speaker in place with one hand, and steer the joystick with the other. Only when I come to a full stop can I move the dome, which has invariably wandered around a bit on the lazy susan. My arms were getting pretty tired doing this after awhile. It stayed surprisingly mild inside, temperature-wise, but that was probably because I had fresh air from outside blowing in.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKWTu90PduOouXuLStXupSfgN8an-00A_bBiW7f-RbsqregTroqAljsbaUPFBOBrqg4PWR6BC4qIS8bT6EpdywcxkOIP6el7zIh9hQ9UMEIXUBlcDiiRFrbe_Fe-WgFopF8_Lu3bwdQhE/s1600/15+speaker+attached.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKWTu90PduOouXuLStXupSfgN8an-00A_bBiW7f-RbsqregTroqAljsbaUPFBOBrqg4PWR6BC4qIS8bT6EpdywcxkOIP6el7zIh9hQ9UMEIXUBlcDiiRFrbe_Fe-WgFopF8_Lu3bwdQhE/s200/15+speaker+attached.jpg" width="200" /></a>I decided to at least secure the speaker. I had been trying to think of an elegant way of doing this, which involved taking apart my little 4-ohm speakers I picked up from Re-PC (two of which I got for $4.00 total), but I couldn't figure out how they were put together. So, I decided to potentially sacrifice one by drilling exploratory mounting holes and attaching them to metal brackets that I had. Once I put the screws in, I hooked it up to the MartMod for a quick voice test, and it passed; I had damaged nothing.<br />
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Now that that's taken care of, I can control the dome with one hand and the joystick with the other, which will make for a much more believable interaction with the crowd.<br />
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Next update will very likely be after this coming weekend, so see you soon!<br />
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<br />SeattleDalekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01298625265184256865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7417376516466895022.post-75061381048958983962015-06-23T16:18:00.000-07:002015-06-23T16:29:39.370-07:00Days 125 through 130 - Getting Rainier ready for Anglicon 2015<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh13SiFrrLd1gHJ85NE3N22anw8XER_97XoWEd3oPXOj0cYt76Oce0yxCxE47JDBRONXCrUykoavjHywp48irvVzLCVgEHYzI4NvZ1UvbQXxNPaN1wEibW8tK_pEuSfo0BSMfmISuxg7XI/s1600/09+fixing+broken+eye.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh13SiFrrLd1gHJ85NE3N22anw8XER_97XoWEd3oPXOj0cYt76Oce0yxCxE47JDBRONXCrUykoavjHywp48irvVzLCVgEHYzI4NvZ1UvbQXxNPaN1wEibW8tK_pEuSfo0BSMfmISuxg7XI/s200/09+fixing+broken+eye.jpg" width="200" /></a>After getting back home to Seattle from our holiday in England, Wales, and France (and re-adjusting to our local time zone!), I was left with about two weeks to get Rainier ready. In the mad rush, the days sort of ran together. I'm estimating I put in about a week's worth of time, so I've bumped up the counter to 130 full days working on him since July of 2013.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJCRAtbTHqDQy7jQDo8sy_SBIgfkbEJIEg_kK5U7vNBRWCFOa5PuNmR2Bi-M_hU5nhd7nOGQhcdbwrVNn01cZ1xnNDtDjDeuZnfyCLKFfsHPIOgGm2FZ1Mk6RgaXCqT-5gK3u_BwQ57ME/s1600/02+dalek+eye+parts.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJCRAtbTHqDQy7jQDo8sy_SBIgfkbEJIEg_kK5U7vNBRWCFOa5PuNmR2Bi-M_hU5nhd7nOGQhcdbwrVNn01cZ1xnNDtDjDeuZnfyCLKFfsHPIOgGm2FZ1Mk6RgaXCqT-5gK3u_BwQ57ME/s200/02+dalek+eye+parts.jpg" width="200" /></a>First and foremost was addressing the eyestalk tragedy. I mixed up some more ABS glue (ABS plastic melted in acetone), cut a new interior tube piece to attach to the cone front part of the eye. I sanded flat both the new edge of the tube and the damaged edge of the cone piece and glued them together. This I let sit until it was cured, and then sanded back as much of the clear sealer, black topcoat, and primer as I could, along with the glue seam. Then I re-primed and re-painted the pieces. Not perfect, but it'll do.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE_ReQDRW_f-RCzAAu-Q9gfLkwzKF1qxM2nA50RM-9LcIr93tvCF9YYI-DoeSS3oTHNDEaJbDwCeDXA6P1dooMKMBs3K1Qjb3Pcb8KFuGFHl6qPpFQ5pe0oqKqKB5j3JzbtiB7cA2mvMI/s1600/03+acrylic+eye+disks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE_ReQDRW_f-RCzAAu-Q9gfLkwzKF1qxM2nA50RM-9LcIr93tvCF9YYI-DoeSS3oTHNDEaJbDwCeDXA6P1dooMKMBs3K1Qjb3Pcb8KFuGFHl6qPpFQ5pe0oqKqKB5j3JzbtiB7cA2mvMI/s200/03+acrylic+eye+disks.jpg" width="200" /></a>While on the subject of the eye, I decided it was high time to put in his light. I got a cheap flashlight and magnifying glass from a great Japanese dollar store called Daiso in Seattle's International District. I removed the parabolic mirror and the lens (also pictured is an iris from a microscope that <b>Nzarra</b> used in his build that I've yet to install).<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbejFtD-C7hGwa8Iix38R4mLKuwWa6jE6w2abdcyrJm6o6e4tqjIKwcYe_d6MYRRbIVi2z6AWW-7xLI7j4u2dkR9eDYRFg-vtzBDYgWsEYrrh4Iobvcq2dxROwP7d8UGtmKToNfFmzbYs/s1600/04+caulked+lens.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbejFtD-C7hGwa8Iix38R4mLKuwWa6jE6w2abdcyrJm6o6e4tqjIKwcYe_d6MYRRbIVi2z6AWW-7xLI7j4u2dkR9eDYRFg-vtzBDYgWsEYrrh4Iobvcq2dxROwP7d8UGtmKToNfFmzbYs/s200/04+caulked+lens.jpg" width="200" /></a>Without easy access to a laser cutter, I decided to cut out some acrylic disks using my scroll saw from an acrylic sheet that I had laying around. I cut four of these (one each for the mirror, iris, lens, and potential small servo down the line). I sanded the edges smooth until they fit comfortably into the smaller of the two eye sections. So far, the only one I've used was to house the lens. I cut a hole in the center of one of the disks, and then sealed the lens using the same caulking that I used to secure my dome light ping-ping balls.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXaQnL3t2DZ0GGseROMd8p_-kBBL1u6B1CzF0bgwrI-tH5jBR1ckXLfiTCjR1JBGJLuQcxQ203bX7-rpB7iSCu0OChLZLoXu0XuGRnhviZqJJM_4O5_AloTuyQcu2VGg_AbBTz861cj2A/s1600/05+neopixel+parts.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXaQnL3t2DZ0GGseROMd8p_-kBBL1u6B1CzF0bgwrI-tH5jBR1ckXLfiTCjR1JBGJLuQcxQ203bX7-rpB7iSCu0OChLZLoXu0XuGRnhviZqJJM_4O5_AloTuyQcu2VGg_AbBTz861cj2A/s200/05+neopixel+parts.jpg" width="200" /></a><br />
For the eye light, I used a Neopixel ring driven by a Trinket microcontroller that I got from an Adafruit kaleidoscope goggles kit. These can be powered via USB or battery, but for the sake of Anglicon, I just used the included 3.7v LiPo battery. Later on, I bought a 12v car jumpstart battery that has a USB port, so I'll likely use that next time. I did a bit of surface-mounting soldering to attach the JST battery connector.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKs3RrCgf5rpt7fnMNOy0VXcPuN3Rg5roNVr8QGCmH3ac6BLMs-E-hRDDjFqHCt6DjoAHEumJHQpthG6aG4lIFY0_zuC_O-laRfmU1IIj0rly2g0V_6JVg0FkWXweglb6QnXvInVBFl2M/s1600/07+trinket+board.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKs3RrCgf5rpt7fnMNOy0VXcPuN3Rg5roNVr8QGCmH3ac6BLMs-E-hRDDjFqHCt6DjoAHEumJHQpthG6aG4lIFY0_zuC_O-laRfmU1IIj0rly2g0V_6JVg0FkWXweglb6QnXvInVBFl2M/s200/07+trinket+board.jpg" width="200" /></a>I've done programming before, so I'm pretty familiar with the syntax of both Java and C++, so I downloaded the Arduino IDE onto my computer, connected the board via USB, and started tweaking a sample block of code to get the LEDs to light up. Although I intend to use another acrylic disk to attach the Neopixel ring and mirror to, I just simple taped the two together, and uploaded the program to the board. And there was light!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguKdeDrS31UlE6apUNfyqJI-Yd6GzpWw7_oUQPHJiXwMKgeyI3NfzlxkjDomaeSH17i_d352JRkoVV1Z7HB8EmPKdkbn6vip9YwKWUyaXGiFrIxcXwD1NWpAWJ8W20yqNHZrTrg-m_e9U/s1600/08+neopixel+ring.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguKdeDrS31UlE6apUNfyqJI-Yd6GzpWw7_oUQPHJiXwMKgeyI3NfzlxkjDomaeSH17i_d352JRkoVV1Z7HB8EmPKdkbn6vip9YwKWUyaXGiFrIxcXwD1NWpAWJ8W20yqNHZrTrg-m_e9U/s200/08+neopixel+ring.jpg" width="200" /></a>(Later on, I spent some time programming an automated light sequence that utilized the LEDs brightness settings to simulate a random iris-like movement. It was subtle, but noticeable; the eye would dim or brighten a random amount, at random intervals. With the 3.7v battery, this effect lasted about 2.5 to 3 hours before depleting.)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgUDIlTK95WtXiYtweG_qDtDoS33EUuw2GTY3QK64eSjhy7-3rXF3z-G7Cj__w-A5-ruvzzFaHiG1VBoswZlLsaHnNdWEjjlOhqFGAszkcGpw6pMNB6X2sIvWwR13GDoD1H-RUuQ-NlcY/s1600/13+connecting+neck+to+shoulders.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgUDIlTK95WtXiYtweG_qDtDoS33EUuw2GTY3QK64eSjhy7-3rXF3z-G7Cj__w-A5-ruvzzFaHiG1VBoswZlLsaHnNdWEjjlOhqFGAszkcGpw6pMNB6X2sIvWwR13GDoD1H-RUuQ-NlcY/s200/13+connecting+neck+to+shoulders.jpg" width="200" /></a>Switching gears yet again, one other important physical aspect of Rainier that I hadn't done was attaching the neck to the shoulders. I once again took a page from <b>AdamSt</b>'s brilliant diary (though, not exactly the same way, as he's more skilled with wood chisels than I am), and placed four keyhole hangers on the surface of the shoulder top. Once these were screwed in, I temporarily removed them to drill out some extra space under the holes for the eventual screws.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI0P-KVcGdW2WhvhZrDicMVGfDEqYZANZ_NUYY8-tOXTRsbVkLzYOm7-AOkzrsP4Sz28tVoN6h9kAAOiXu8Z40PAOMn6ycrx3W341uzssHfHNuHu95W-3fc-OMG8zYwRfHy1s__23b19Q/s1600/14+connecting+neck+to+shoulders.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI0P-KVcGdW2WhvhZrDicMVGfDEqYZANZ_NUYY8-tOXTRsbVkLzYOm7-AOkzrsP4Sz28tVoN6h9kAAOiXu8Z40PAOMn6ycrx3W341uzssHfHNuHu95W-3fc-OMG8zYwRfHy1s__23b19Q/s200/14+connecting+neck+to+shoulders.jpg" width="200" /></a>In the exact corresponding locations on the underside of the neck (and offset by about 1/4" for the locking "twist" action), I screwed in button head wood screws, being careful not to buy ones that exceeded the thickness of the neck rings (3/4"), and that would fit into the holes of the keyhole hangers. Placing the neck on the shoulders, I lined up the screw heads to the keyholes, then twisted the neck into place with a firm jerk. It worked really well! The neck stays in place nicely, and can be attached from the inside as well. There's a gap in between the neck and shoulders, but I can either tighten the screws a bit more into the neck ring, or I can add weatherstripping for cushioning and filling.<br />
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<a href="http://www.projectdalek.com/uploads/monthly_06_2015/post-21487-0-51388000-1434407396.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.projectdalek.com/uploads/monthly_06_2015/post-21487-0-51388000-1434407396.jpg" height="132" width="200" /></a>That was all I got done before Anglicon. His debut was a huge success, and he was used for several of the group photo sessions with Colin Baker, Sophie Aldred, Katy Manning, and Jon Davey. It was more than I ever could have expected, and Sophie stated something to the effect of "These Daleks look so much better than what we worked with on the show!" Jon Davey hung around Rainier a lot and asked several questions, even having me open Rainier up so that he could take a peek inside. He was also amused that we saw the very same Doctor Who Symphonic Spectacular in Cardiff, where he played a Dalek on stage. Great times.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsOZtqWMqvxAkcrYqIQzzM05genwfYv7ar61074HCQ3EDOGFev7zvn8X126-m9zPWc7DF6KZhTXxL0-vrKT2g8mNZREvng9G617oBxP8xeOmNabx5bzue4uOKXRiXL3YzMwl7vYBO2c1k/s1600/11+rotation+plate+access+holes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsOZtqWMqvxAkcrYqIQzzM05genwfYv7ar61074HCQ3EDOGFev7zvn8X126-m9zPWc7DF6KZhTXxL0-vrKT2g8mNZREvng9G617oBxP8xeOmNabx5bzue4uOKXRiXL3YzMwl7vYBO2c1k/s200/11+rotation+plate+access+holes.jpg" width="200" /></a><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgprTrexwTgI1pnDsAvurJ3KIJZuh8DHFxdArP0LHXcO7KCll7tPFtB4Wae8NgFGFRgNs0xxYA44KxIQJvgGUA-fFLt9jUwBGquLHztC2FPx7kcEiT_tsTN5Cbl0fEXJWUqa9Qi4knrs2s/s1600/12+wiring+martmod+to+lights.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgprTrexwTgI1pnDsAvurJ3KIJZuh8DHFxdArP0LHXcO7KCll7tPFtB4Wae8NgFGFRgNs0xxYA44KxIQJvgGUA-fFLt9jUwBGquLHztC2FPx7kcEiT_tsTN5Cbl0fEXJWUqa9Qi4knrs2s/s200/12+wiring+martmod+to+lights.jpg" width="200" /></a>After Anglicon, I finally cut out access holes in the rotation plates (to make life so much easier). I didn't use any template, just chose the pattern that I've seen in countless build diaries. I am not giving Rainier 360° rotation, so the lower plate has a wedge where movement can physically stop (if I use a manual rod control before adding remote control and servos later). The top plate has three potential locations for installing a servo and additional battery, if needed. Then I sprayed the bottom of the lower plate black, as well as the inside edges of the eyestalk pivot jig.<br />
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And now for the final bit. I was determined to give Rainier his voice. I had tested the voice modulator much earlier in this build, but I hadn't connected it to the newly-installed dome lights. Taking Rainier's dome and neck to my friend Jeff's house, we worked in his shop connecting everything together and testing it against his heavy-duty gigantic 12v jumpstarter battery instead of the AC adapter we used before. Once it was all connected and tested, I took it home, hooked it up to my own jumpstarter battery and gave Rainier a little test. Enjoy!<br />
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<br />SeattleDalekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01298625265184256865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7417376516466895022.post-50677460497087479072015-05-07T22:43:00.000-07:002015-05-07T22:43:07.092-07:00Day 124 - The stack shot of stack shots<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0Kg-FPelZ3_TBYVwH4-DVHf4ASZq9P0Pcmxl3jk7LcXWYvOzRuLGa-LJ8IyNDD5X3QOd00vYq6NLVcXCPe1FGXS59sw0zirNgG7jKCupwdL8KYUcYQBhAqlWrfL2eJosAvo47cgQHKc8/s1600/03+first+stack.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0Kg-FPelZ3_TBYVwH4-DVHf4ASZq9P0Pcmxl3jk7LcXWYvOzRuLGa-LJ8IyNDD5X3QOd00vYq6NLVcXCPe1FGXS59sw0zirNgG7jKCupwdL8KYUcYQBhAqlWrfL2eJosAvo47cgQHKc8/s200/03+first+stack.jpg" width="150" /></a>Remember this? This was my first stack shot, featuring the first part to be completed—the skirt—along with the two objects that set the bar for me on this build: actual Heronrib matting, and actual Moflash lens covers. If I was going to build a Dalek, by damned I was going to make an accurate one.<br />
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Well, before I get to all of that, I'll talk a bit about some final touch-up stuff I worked on. I had a can of black spray liner that <b>ChristmasDalek</b> gave me quite awhile back, and I used this to dab onto the bare grooves that I cut into the fender. I sprayed a glob onto some paper, and used a sponge brush to tap the liner onto the groove. It worked pretty good!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYjuum-lPshyphenhyphenCKhtlvjmHL3W9Rm2-3WzgjUhaUKecUp-3eqCNZ84WiI36wjgAXc4UWbhVyJy-45yLia2iID88p96vZZvXgFQwuL-l1JGJJpCoQ_nN0GSTZ0L2mKWyj2JIVX6Uh6EyhKaE/s1600/03+fender+bolts.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYjuum-lPshyphenhyphenCKhtlvjmHL3W9Rm2-3WzgjUhaUKecUp-3eqCNZ84WiI36wjgAXc4UWbhVyJy-45yLia2iID88p96vZZvXgFQwuL-l1JGJJpCoQ_nN0GSTZ0L2mKWyj2JIVX6Uh6EyhKaE/s200/03+fender+bolts.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
Once that was dried, I focused on attaching the socket head cap screws I bought specially for the fender panels. I searched and failed to find an official measurement for these bolts, so I just looked at photos and eyeballed it. Basically I just measured 1cm in from the groove line and the top, and 1cm from the groove and 1.5cm from the bottom. Then I pre-drilled a hole slightly smaller than the screw, and twisted the screw in.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD07SaKCIm6h8S0dp3cdar0V7NBzB8ojogCVj4Ng10aY_g0sQDRAmH8ItgwNGUMOB441bAt1Z_dpD_HLDu3vYCzyKkzh6hC6Ny_ZDa-mO3W0kcuQMyjX20UZIA3lUZqEGkhar546SeVuE/s1600/06+gunbox+felt+pads.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD07SaKCIm6h8S0dp3cdar0V7NBzB8ojogCVj4Ng10aY_g0sQDRAmH8ItgwNGUMOB441bAt1Z_dpD_HLDu3vYCzyKkzh6hC6Ny_ZDa-mO3W0kcuQMyjX20UZIA3lUZqEGkhar546SeVuE/s200/06+gunbox+felt+pads.jpg" width="200" /></a>My first foray into gunbox felt lining wasn't too successful, so I tried a different method this time. I bought little adhesive felt pads and attached eight of them to the interior of the gunbox and the retention plate. I was going to use contact cement for those, but their own adhesive backing with seemed to work fine; plus, they will be compressed together when they surround the gazing globes.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN_Iky18tIa0FBR3Hn8dlDFXLdEONCkaEveaDA7MtHm_ERiJAffQkDRRV7k73q_5IyXrrmt93fEAJ8VJjyLJyVvlwrRqsYFGOU0t7PW4k2HIWqCKlvprfy4xt8l5CiYFMlSg7EaFHyOAg/s1600/07+skirt+weatherstripping.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN_Iky18tIa0FBR3Hn8dlDFXLdEONCkaEveaDA7MtHm_ERiJAffQkDRRV7k73q_5IyXrrmt93fEAJ8VJjyLJyVvlwrRqsYFGOU0t7PW4k2HIWqCKlvprfy4xt8l5CiYFMlSg7EaFHyOAg/s200/07+skirt+weatherstripping.jpg" width="200" /></a>I also applied weatherstripping to the fender and the skirt. Even though I cleaned the surfaces, it lifted up in places. The compression of Rainier's separate components against each other should be enough pressure, but I can always go back and try reinforcing the bond with contact cement.<br />
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Oh, speaking of contact cement, I did have to use some for one of my plungers. Somehow, the rubber split in the stem, right at the point where the bolt head is imbedded. Apparently, that's a weak spot, and the rubber is rigid enough to "break". I re-attached it by coating both ends with contact cement, letting them dry for about 15 minutes, and then sticking them together. The bond seems sound.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2M4XNWEzeiiUXABobWgH1-V9aosBalDyPZmSId764mNJEFmupHkjzv4HWep1BIMHBlWtuka1OJXwGD1YRLa3NB0bZ-2kLB-gMa53sA8qZlVEz4Y-xKwVqnzuOkmhm1kJ7-qostmygXYw/s1600/10+gunbox+details.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2M4XNWEzeiiUXABobWgH1-V9aosBalDyPZmSId764mNJEFmupHkjzv4HWep1BIMHBlWtuka1OJXwGD1YRLa3NB0bZ-2kLB-gMa53sA8qZlVEz4Y-xKwVqnzuOkmhm1kJ7-qostmygXYw/s200/10+gunbox+details.jpg" width="200" /></a><br />
And I finally got to attach the gunbox details! These were beautifully cut aluminum pieces traded from <b>gregg.nowling</b>, far better than the laser-cut baltic birch ones that I originally intended to use. The latter split slightly when I was trying to widen the bolt holes. To attach the metal ones to the gunboxes, I did the same thing as I did for the fender details; pre-drilling holes and then attaching the screws.<br />
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Then, I re-attached the plunger and gun arms, screwed on the shoulder slats, and covered the screws with chrome plastic caps. I attached all the bumps and oil seals. I re-attached the rotation plates and lazy suzan to the now-painted neck section, screwed in the pivot mounts and pivot onto the top plate, put the dome on, attached the eyestalk ...<br />
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... and with that, Rainier was externally complete. And I wasn't prepared for that. All of a sudden, I had a complete Dalek standing before me!<br />
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But before I get to that glorious stack shot, here are some up-close photos:<br />
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I only really have minor quibbles:<br />
<ul>
<li>the neck blocks wound up being a bit fuzzy from PVA-sealing, and I didn't do a great job sanding them back</li>
<li>the slat edges are a lot more noticeable than I thought they would be, should have cut rabbets (rebates) into a wider faceplate</li>
<li>there's a gap between the skirt and the fender (the weatherstripping hides this a bit), but the skirt bottom is ever-so-slightly warped like a rocking chair</li>
<li>some missed pockmarks in the dome cowl front</li>
<li>the dome is sitting a little too high (likely due to fiberglass reinforcement on the inner plate mounts)</li>
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But overall, damn. He looks good:<br />
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Next up: mostly just invisible stuff. Weatherstripping and attaching the shoulders to the neck; building a bench (although a standard aluminum folding chair fits nicely inside); cut access holes into the dome rotation plates; somehow getting the dome to sit a little lower, maybe by sanding back the resin on the inner dome inserts.<br />
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Oh, and also all the lighting and electronics.SeattleDalekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01298625265184256865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7417376516466895022.post-8379877002893034712015-05-05T12:07:00.002-07:002015-05-05T14:15:14.322-07:00Day 121 through 123 - Rainier is painted!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi7zN4uNVNOe2YmqAZXnaO1dkCyB_sZmW6i-hfd8BthUfP-8uNO6jMUE5E5Pv28A2gozmF3TjN7N5ntzXk32pw6uFyBjb4ySbsJ2ACikiDQgr6WqTEKeUaIPVkoQQFCcJG00hEbhyKVHQ/s1600/01+center+line+for+dome+light.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi7zN4uNVNOe2YmqAZXnaO1dkCyB_sZmW6i-hfd8BthUfP-8uNO6jMUE5E5Pv28A2gozmF3TjN7N5ntzXk32pw6uFyBjb4ySbsJ2ACikiDQgr6WqTEKeUaIPVkoQQFCcJG00hEbhyKVHQ/s200/01+center+line+for+dome+light.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
This is an exciting update for me! The <a href="http://anglicon.com/" target="_blank">Anglicon convention</a> is fast approaching, and I wanted to get Rainier painted very soon—especially since I'm headed to England in a little over a week. There's not much time left before Rainier's debut, so instead of attempting to paint him myself, I got in touch with a guy via Craigslist. (My apologies to <b>ChristmasDalek</b> for wasting her time getting me paint supplies! I'll repay you, I promise!)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvaBZHdorR5-_Kf0UKG3ly0exWp0OpN8uHrcbz1_We_qbceVAr5QaJAV67cFlZ1yUYEKNXw2X7b_2iNwYTGwDl0tZxsUgwn_cvzp4L519vidg7KHcXS8YRut4ToDjQ_Nl28M0eW97u17M/s1600/02+dome+light+holes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvaBZHdorR5-_Kf0UKG3ly0exWp0OpN8uHrcbz1_We_qbceVAr5QaJAV67cFlZ1yUYEKNXw2X7b_2iNwYTGwDl0tZxsUgwn_cvzp4L519vidg7KHcXS8YRut4ToDjQ_Nl28M0eW97u17M/s200/02+dome+light+holes.jpg" width="200" /></a>This guy, Brad, lives in a suburb of Seattle (city of Auburn) about 30 miles away. He texted me several photos of his auto body work and I was very impressed. He also quoted me a much lower price that was one digit fewer than other quotes I've received.<br />
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Before he arrived, I did some final prep to the dome, drilling in holes for the bulb housing and mounting points. I traced a pencil line between the two light cage bolt holes (making it look an awful lot like Baymax from Big Hero Six), and used a forstner bit to get the big hole, and a regular drill bit for the mounting holes.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit-ucQTwaDX5J_WjiJlm0wOYAzaQRY54VZXClrJImdhaTPytYlgP6_BJlFW_TWJOFyASd1m1EbzwM0G-gNFZ_Ytwg9UA2WSSD6uzFQ90gkOBTk4ENO2Vyr-ikAWopC3KpHZPNShNYM2TY/s1600/04+ready+to+paint.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit-ucQTwaDX5J_WjiJlm0wOYAzaQRY54VZXClrJImdhaTPytYlgP6_BJlFW_TWJOFyASd1m1EbzwM0G-gNFZ_Ytwg9UA2WSSD6uzFQ90gkOBTk4ENO2Vyr-ikAWopC3KpHZPNShNYM2TY/s200/04+ready+to+paint.jpg" width="200" /></a>Then I collected up Rainier's various bits and bobs (skirt, shoulders, shoulder slats, neck, dome, cowl, gunbox detail plates [courtesy of <b>gregg.nowling</b>], and hemispheres) and placed them in front of the garage for easy loading. When he arrived, I showed him the parts and gave him detailed instructions on what Rainier's color scheme is (choosing to stick with the colors as represented in the series 1 episode "Dalek"—specifically the lighter color of the lower shoulder band). He nodded in agreement, mentioned that it would take him about two or three days to complete, and off he went.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj25xGohxaQGySzkm07sWmuO3AQ5tDuxHYSD3140SUBieqY-GigKwTUx06FlWMDVhn4pBXIvfbd3QcYCuaqmvf7pNn11A9_wX4rnnrMf8dx_FG5LlBTnZurNxfureAZzqKGPZov-uMERg0/s1600/05+primed+fender+bottom.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj25xGohxaQGySzkm07sWmuO3AQ5tDuxHYSD3140SUBieqY-GigKwTUx06FlWMDVhn4pBXIvfbd3QcYCuaqmvf7pNn11A9_wX4rnnrMf8dx_FG5LlBTnZurNxfureAZzqKGPZov-uMERg0/s200/05+primed+fender+bottom.jpg" width="200" /></a>I must say, I was a nervous wreck. It was like sending my kid off to school. So, to keep my mind occupied, I decided to tackle the fender the next day. I didn't send this piece off with him because I had intended to paint it myself using primer and truck bed liner. To better reflect the underlighting, I used a couple of coats of oil-based white primer. While painting, I was asking myself just where in the heck I was going to place my LED strips. There are reinforcing bits galore, and not a lot of room for anything else.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrzYum2bejU7XxyGZtCcBRbW1FPyB7i5BSzVyijlFnCscyd_ibtFf5jjpKWRBGpYWm0Tj6Vf_A1kktdUacRD19bSzIDmj2S4zKiLUqBcAbcN0JQxZXiRVAqKwF3x0JCYvkNahD0oUtCaM/s1600/07+fender+with+herculiner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrzYum2bejU7XxyGZtCcBRbW1FPyB7i5BSzVyijlFnCscyd_ibtFf5jjpKWRBGpYWm0Tj6Vf_A1kktdUacRD19bSzIDmj2S4zKiLUqBcAbcN0JQxZXiRVAqKwF3x0JCYvkNahD0oUtCaM/s200/07+fender+with+herculiner.jpg" width="200" /></a>Once that was dry, I flipped the fender over and masked off an 8cm area all around the top. I purchased a brand of truck bed liner called Herculiner, which consists mainly of rubber granules pre-mixed with black polyurethane. I stirred that up thoroughly with a paint mixing attachment on my hand drill, and applied a coat with the supplied sponge roller. This stuff cures to a light tack in about four hours or so, and then you can coat it with a heavier second layer, which I did, but not before ...<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJCEhnJrzHOjSNTz5cPWzJ4VozRkKWgIurAI0HnCkimSmrJhtR_o0_3l7Mv-ie9KfOQVLigKKPqPpqUjy1Uh_mH316EC_BUr7FxJefmB0-2SYx5w2hwVURPbfW-gByejbHvIFVn6g1jno/s1600/09+attaching+bulb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJCEhnJrzHOjSNTz5cPWzJ4VozRkKWgIurAI0HnCkimSmrJhtR_o0_3l7Mv-ie9KfOQVLigKKPqPpqUjy1Uh_mH316EC_BUr7FxJefmB0-2SYx5w2hwVURPbfW-gByejbHvIFVn6g1jno/s200/09+attaching+bulb.jpg" width="200" /></a><br />
... I get a call from Brad saying that he's done painting and wants to deliver Rainer back to me that evening! Here I was, expecting him to be done in three more days! He explained saying that he needed the room in his shop for some other projects that he had lined up, so he spent extra time on Rainier to get him finished.<br />
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I put the second, thicker coat of liner on the fender while I waited for Brad's truck to approach. He finally appeared, about an hour after his ETA, and there Rainier was, bolted securely to a plank of wood in his truck bed. I can only imagine what other drivers on the road thought when they saw that image! And man, did that Dalek look good! He even painted the part of the dome black where the cowl covers, before hitting it all with clear coat. I'll save those pics for the very end.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg09k5Sk77Vqd_M7G5z3oGRji7f_esTRiGjH_IPmUtAqdatoPjS0SyNpk_xdsIr5awStKlzizU4Clg56ZShIAlNWIjbcycJ5J-khVVk17QMSctDeBbt9-laa4sWvSXh-L10nQEHRSXEvkw/s1600/10+fender+segments.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg09k5Sk77Vqd_M7G5z3oGRji7f_esTRiGjH_IPmUtAqdatoPjS0SyNpk_xdsIr5awStKlzizU4Clg56ZShIAlNWIjbcycJ5J-khVVk17QMSctDeBbt9-laa4sWvSXh-L10nQEHRSXEvkw/s200/10+fender+segments.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7SyJnokbbQAm35chuZw6HTceyI7J4R3DQqmdySUos0AjIJRyYQr0m0rl7wVRAK-WjZRThsYn31nCbh4VElHwfC3VLLie0X0v4QysWkC9kpc5WPQx_mx_0NRSQhs1hgHvQ_ytbBvxGPtw/s1600/12+attaching+mesh+and+voile.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7SyJnokbbQAm35chuZw6HTceyI7J4R3DQqmdySUos0AjIJRyYQr0m0rl7wVRAK-WjZRThsYn31nCbh4VElHwfC3VLLie0X0v4QysWkC9kpc5WPQx_mx_0NRSQhs1hgHvQ_ytbBvxGPtw/s200/12+attaching+mesh+and+voile.jpg" width="200" /></a>The next day, set about attaching the bulb housings to the dome. Easy job. I flipped the dome over, attached the bulbs to the housings, and put the dome light cage over the top. The ping pong balls surrounding the LED dome lights inside the lens covers look really nice, and has a height that matches that of the actual Dalek props, from what I can tell. I'm really pleased.<br />
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I cut grooves in the mostly-dried truck bed liner between each of the fender segments. (Not pictured: I dabbed black paint in the grooves later to cover up the exposed plywood). I will add the rivet details (socket head cap screws) soon.<br />
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Finally, I was able to unbox my Heronrib matting! Now that the neck section was painted, I could attach all that neck mesh! I had rectangles of the matting already cut months earlier, so I placed each piece inside the neck ring, and trimmed it into a trapezoidal shape corresponding to the tapered neck ring struts. Using some small wood screws, I fastened the mesh in place. I then attached the aluminum mesh and black voile to the Heronrib. The stiffness of the aluminum helps keep the curve flush against the neck interior.<br />
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And now for the big reveal! Here's Rainier just after unloading him from Brad's truck, and then later the next day after attaching the neck mesh. Ta-dah!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_NZ0cUxrbevaEcgP2QNcM04_z2KYSTzhHRqDRsUI1abse0mFPXwQRhnkTo9J-TzDKns-0MgcVlPuyyPdT-acf49DhHw5Clc_ucrEBa9sCEq87WpCYaE225zz4fWWjnjE4ecFoXjRU2KE/s1600/08+painted+rainier.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_NZ0cUxrbevaEcgP2QNcM04_z2KYSTzhHRqDRsUI1abse0mFPXwQRhnkTo9J-TzDKns-0MgcVlPuyyPdT-acf49DhHw5Clc_ucrEBa9sCEq87WpCYaE225zz4fWWjnjE4ecFoXjRU2KE/s320/08+painted+rainier.jpg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGmm0tCRd_qchCwPhWNUZL68xPYQd7cadj0YRSkK3Q1pMSDW-w1KvVMp5PlDEOS8vbG7l0yjS9P_4oo7LKVFk_lNyT6wepjhXEFS_q18bvzQfSWMdQsq60xI34iiqS6UD152eeTBa384s/s1600/13+completed+neck+mesh.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGmm0tCRd_qchCwPhWNUZL68xPYQd7cadj0YRSkK3Q1pMSDW-w1KvVMp5PlDEOS8vbG7l0yjS9P_4oo7LKVFk_lNyT6wepjhXEFS_q18bvzQfSWMdQsq60xI34iiqS6UD152eeTBa384s/s320/13+completed+neck+mesh.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
SeattleDalekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01298625265184256865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7417376516466895022.post-81576602221958251522015-04-29T12:21:00.000-07:002015-04-29T12:21:27.873-07:00Days 119 and 120 - Attaching eye pivot / attaching shoulders to skirt<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibFCPqF5iW20jxLxx28QB0HCOuJCXCkUsEm52muGtdNuQSWMv_ls_WjlsoxjzWA91na2G1ca8NwssDgsAnC6EOPfS44ccYZ6-dtWHWvi8wprCMSFUY4SMsurTcBo8j3FckA8vBK2Ldb4o/s1600/01+eyestalk+pivot+mounts.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibFCPqF5iW20jxLxx28QB0HCOuJCXCkUsEm52muGtdNuQSWMv_ls_WjlsoxjzWA91na2G1ca8NwssDgsAnC6EOPfS44ccYZ6-dtWHWvi8wprCMSFUY4SMsurTcBo8j3FckA8vBK2Ldb4o/s1600/01+eyestalk+pivot+mounts.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a></div>
Now that the painted eyestalk pivot was dry, I wanted to mount it into place. I cut out a couple of rounded pieces from some 3/4" MDF, using my dome former for the arc. I quickly placed them on the rotation plate and put the dome overtop, noting that it wasn't a flush fit because of the inner indentation of the dome grooves. I then drilled out the spot where they touched the mounts.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-ELKCm9EdhpWstz9Lw3lNZGNbUFPYX8do4yTYqCAP78SqE7roiGe8ebbimyWuuvtE0FTOB5nY9lDNvSbdPN0jICFyhe-p1uRKnMJTstqLV6g4bQMpU7VjuS0IBmEx3ToLHSVwISCJfwI/s1600/03+positioning+pivot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-ELKCm9EdhpWstz9Lw3lNZGNbUFPYX8do4yTYqCAP78SqE7roiGe8ebbimyWuuvtE0FTOB5nY9lDNvSbdPN0jICFyhe-p1uRKnMJTstqLV6g4bQMpU7VjuS0IBmEx3ToLHSVwISCJfwI/s1600/03+positioning+pivot.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a>Another thing I noticed was that the mounts wound up right where the upper cowl bolts would be placed. So, after making a couple marks through the holes and onto the mounts underneath, I later took a saw and flattened the MDF (not pictured) so that the bolts would be unobstructed.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz3ifHMZCrqo2dnxMWsGndRIatTSkvE16Ow5R-BoDQs39bccULrCqg337e1s13IJmENf3a9EHhxQwHBIZngrzVyLixM8o21IRBYtY9AS_e7Qq5kdRvq-7Hvy7hKcrVrQ0apBxOVGxCy3U/s1600/07+pivot+attached.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz3ifHMZCrqo2dnxMWsGndRIatTSkvE16Ow5R-BoDQs39bccULrCqg337e1s13IJmENf3a9EHhxQwHBIZngrzVyLixM8o21IRBYtY9AS_e7Qq5kdRvq-7Hvy7hKcrVrQ0apBxOVGxCy3U/s1600/07+pivot+attached.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a>Next was to try and determine just how much of the pivot I wanted to be outside the dome, and how high it should sit. There doesn't seem to be much in the way of measurements out there telling me what it is, so I just looked at several reference photos, and eyeballed it. One thing I noticed, though, was that the pivot axle's center point was going to be very close to the surface of the dome interior ... so my original idea of using my spare 1" pipe, in effect, wasn't going to let the pivot poke out of the dome that far.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4C3CMeP_9XWH_DEK0E8alZoL_hIt6mShzdJY-42awh9_3BLH61GdQHy48V7cTSqiZEvVEZdsIkxK7JlI1HpguQM4Pkr7TBQo2vf1z7uwDR1wgr13NBGr1KJK_tQkGlXtRsWmwK7thXOc/s1600/08+pivot+attached.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4C3CMeP_9XWH_DEK0E8alZoL_hIt6mShzdJY-42awh9_3BLH61GdQHy48V7cTSqiZEvVEZdsIkxK7JlI1HpguQM4Pkr7TBQo2vf1z7uwDR1wgr13NBGr1KJK_tQkGlXtRsWmwK7thXOc/s1600/08+pivot+attached.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a>I decided to plug the 1" hole I had previously drilled with some 1" wooden dowel, with new, smaller holes drilled in. You can see it here, and I made marks on the dome where it lined up with the center of that dowel (the lower mark was the more accurate one). Again, all eyeball measurements.<br />
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Now it was time to drill the pivot holes, both in the dowel and in the mounts. Then I sat the mounts back on the rotation plate to check and see how far the pivot jutted out.<br />
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Satisfied with that, I carefully put on the dome, the dome cowl, and slid the eyestalk on, to give that a good visual inspection. Everything looks good!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIq2jbJqLsgzCW_g_p3yQs9umh3xA3IIEjNlHpoqvMA8GcLWNxUYV2sSN2bqyofnAXRVU1x63JPbbqXn9ncfEpBVRqXmJtWqkNQHvFpWHZ40oISPeuqAI8T9mY_Wbxdz1ug3yOsyITuhE/s1600/12+sealing+rotation+plates.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIq2jbJqLsgzCW_g_p3yQs9umh3xA3IIEjNlHpoqvMA8GcLWNxUYV2sSN2bqyofnAXRVU1x63JPbbqXn9ncfEpBVRqXmJtWqkNQHvFpWHZ40oISPeuqAI8T9mY_Wbxdz1ug3yOsyITuhE/s1600/12+sealing+rotation+plates.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a>Carefully disassembling the eyestalk and removing it, and the cowl and dome, I duct taped the mounts in place so that I could flip the plate over and drill countersunk wood screw holes. I had to cut a hole in the rotation plate to make room for the pivot (and threaded rot that will stick out the back)—otherwise it would sit too high and scrape against the top of the dome's pivot hole.<br />
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The following day was beautiful and sunny, so I worked outside most of the day. I mixed up some PVA-water and brushed a few coats onto the rotation plates and mounts.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx5h9EQjty73hVbEbIouGoFElUjo4fk_ONKJxozZ8acpX9oSCOPxQD0TpLM3h35yxALmQKEmDiWRXtWzpG6gb0L9rwWtHLXaZSSuzl7c2ZdCp9kHsxzv_8U3jMJ4O4Kq94hn9i5e9lmDc/s1600/13+fiberglassing+mounts.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx5h9EQjty73hVbEbIouGoFElUjo4fk_ONKJxozZ8acpX9oSCOPxQD0TpLM3h35yxALmQKEmDiWRXtWzpG6gb0L9rwWtHLXaZSSuzl7c2ZdCp9kHsxzv_8U3jMJ4O4Kq94hn9i5e9lmDc/s1600/13+fiberglassing+mounts.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a>While that was drying, I decided I would add extra reinforcement to the plate mounts inside the dome (Bondo being the only thing attaching them) and use fiberglass tape and resin to lock them into place. So I set to work doing that, remembering to use less catalyst in the sun, and pretty soon had that finished. And only then did I remember that without the fiberglass, everything sat flush and even, and now I just made it all bumpy (and raised the overall dome a couple millimeters). So I'm going to need to address that somehow later, either by sanding it down a bit, or strategically using washers as spacers to re-level the dome.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiOBnyN0WBi7KbgppLHq5ouWvADnKC8PCu4S0n7Q8Dfwaz3imlqioxF61onhrluoEn_k7HRfRv13ox9pthyFddtKBXIkZ1ojpvDPX0LWvPElOTqlzQswlyDJ02l1gZLqJ-aSON0X0-vtw/s1600/15+attaching+shoulder+to+skirt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiOBnyN0WBi7KbgppLHq5ouWvADnKC8PCu4S0n7Q8Dfwaz3imlqioxF61onhrluoEn_k7HRfRv13ox9pthyFddtKBXIkZ1ojpvDPX0LWvPElOTqlzQswlyDJ02l1gZLqJ-aSON0X0-vtw/s1600/15+attaching+shoulder+to+skirt.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a>I also whipped up a bit of Bondo glazing putty and repaired a few more chips on the dome cowl, which will get sanded back a bit later.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyD541ugUkc_Qiv97SB_HQrM6oyp-hiwzp0nEhQiUInIc4sW5peeVoV_fPYs5a5TaENDyCQqiMaRbP-uXAeZdLnzjsir-t08hUV22V1oyqgr0BnclfqUgXtH8oF-4IByYXbF5RSP_fvbc/s1600/16+attaching+shoulder+to+skirt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyD541ugUkc_Qiv97SB_HQrM6oyp-hiwzp0nEhQiUInIc4sW5peeVoV_fPYs5a5TaENDyCQqiMaRbP-uXAeZdLnzjsir-t08hUV22V1oyqgr0BnclfqUgXtH8oF-4IByYXbF5RSP_fvbc/s1600/16+attaching+shoulder+to+skirt.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a>The final major thing I did that was to attach the shoulders to the skirt. This was a little acrobatic, as I had to climb inside the skirt, lean over the side and grab the shoulder section, and gently lower myself into the skirt, and set the shoulders on top. Then I had to lean over and grab my drill and bring it inside, being careful not to drill holes in myself as I did it.<br />
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I had to drill with the bit facing upward because that was the only angle I could use to assure a 90° hole in both sections of plywood. I used another bit of dowel (pre-drilled) to make sure that my drilled holes were going to be square. I did this in four places.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnqRiLEdUH0WrZBAj9w4QOTkwQnRf8yhQF4Jc7vIsB5IxgRmBLcNXANZiKpeKG_U3skBV3BfC0M27c38889I5kTVvbOQthS4EjwL4-6NY9xyP8dfxoJxNg3_QPCP2ywnmrWWhC8I2BXWc/s1600/17+attaching+shoulder+to+skirt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnqRiLEdUH0WrZBAj9w4QOTkwQnRf8yhQF4Jc7vIsB5IxgRmBLcNXANZiKpeKG_U3skBV3BfC0M27c38889I5kTVvbOQthS4EjwL4-6NY9xyP8dfxoJxNg3_QPCP2ywnmrWWhC8I2BXWc/s1600/17+attaching+shoulder+to+skirt.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a>I used threaded inserts (similar but smaller than the ones used in the fender) on the top of the skirt after boring out those holes with a bigger drill bit, and then spade-head thumbscrews with washers for the shoulder. Now the shoulders are securely attached to the skirt, and the skirt is attached to the fender!<br />
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Now I just need to attach the neck rings to the shoulder, and I'll have everything attachable. Again, I'll draw inspiration from <b>AdamSt</b>'s diary, as I can't think of any other way (besides rare-earth magnets?) to firmly attach them from the outside.<br />
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Not pictured: I've sanded everything down with 180 and 320 grit. I think it's just about ready to prime, just need to build a paint booth (or, ideally, find a garage made for that purpose).SeattleDalekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01298625265184256865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7417376516466895022.post-4237171641374968792015-04-10T15:25:00.002-07:002015-04-10T15:25:29.453-07:00Day 115 through 118 - Attaching the dome to the neck (and many other things)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6v1_9bgSXGZUs5114ZL2qGGr0cLE42XPkL4q9uT5RBY4nBFMqIi-l4L-Hl8na2c2srfty4feZ5jKn-3F1v_Il50p1wf3t8USjj6q_-9Xi7zN7FOlub1yWjBzBF_aH9sCOCfOPFHn1JZ4/s1600/01+dome+leveling.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6v1_9bgSXGZUs5114ZL2qGGr0cLE42XPkL4q9uT5RBY4nBFMqIi-l4L-Hl8na2c2srfty4feZ5jKn-3F1v_Il50p1wf3t8USjj6q_-9Xi7zN7FOlub1yWjBzBF_aH9sCOCfOPFHn1JZ4/s1600/01+dome+leveling.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a></div>
I've been quiet, but I've been busy, trying to get Rainier all ready for Anglicon in June! Any one of these tasks didn't really warrant a diary entry of their own—except for the dome leveling and attachment bit—but I worked on that whilst working on various other tasks, which you will discover below.<br />
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First, though, I want to talk about the dome stuff, as that's what I'm most proud of for this update!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFEFZNr2m43mX-gZRzlJmlcHfYG993zsJl1r_Gj7nJkgW-0SbVc3qvztcDxUrG1YYP-eN4YwJ0JPaN43M9Bw_r3VUHqjq7HBxfL4QLmlEhf_QzsdU4MAASmXlmt6qCna0DaFitEoerbjg/s1600/05+dome+leveling.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFEFZNr2m43mX-gZRzlJmlcHfYG993zsJl1r_Gj7nJkgW-0SbVc3qvztcDxUrG1YYP-eN4YwJ0JPaN43M9Bw_r3VUHqjq7HBxfL4QLmlEhf_QzsdU4MAASmXlmt6qCna0DaFitEoerbjg/s1600/05+dome+leveling.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a>So, in the previous update, I had shown how I sanded the bottom of the dome so that it would be a level reference for when I mounted it to the upper rotation plate. I didn't want Rainier's head to be all cattywampus when he turns to stare balefully at a potential victim.<br />
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I clamped a few blocks to the neck rings in order to hold a pen stationary to the dome rim, making sure it was 8.5cm below the chamfer line. I rotated the dome on the lazy suzan, dragging a straight line along the dome. Then I took my calipers to measure the discrepancy.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk1JWqyH0XL-UNrTUnJnUuN7HrfZglYY858Hx8LBV7KeQNnWuGlLUrwbhd2DEyZVnvVKRakMmn_pS2oCzghrFRPMevamOCTF8-UE1A9mSl7XwWUB_p4IcllZGUBxv32YoPt_zphyphenhyphenf_rTw/s1600/06+dome+leveling.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk1JWqyH0XL-UNrTUnJnUuN7HrfZglYY858Hx8LBV7KeQNnWuGlLUrwbhd2DEyZVnvVKRakMmn_pS2oCzghrFRPMevamOCTF8-UE1A9mSl7XwWUB_p4IcllZGUBxv32YoPt_zphyphenhyphenf_rTw/s1600/06+dome+leveling.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a>I was skeptical of my findings shown in the photos, so I instead measured several spots from the chamfer line and adjusted the line (not pictured). Then I took the Dremel tool and again rotated the dome while I held the tool stationary. This resulted in a beautiful, straight cut then I then re-sanded in the same way as before. The dome was level and ready for the upper rotation plate to be fitted!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL5ZIvQv5at2zRh4tDlbbcTYZPVoVXXQEJ-WRgROSrvH_jGLBtT-1QXVqNSV5BY-F0d7Dfj8V_a-2WtvhNNsH5I4R6soo3QgfhDZxro6Rfd_upYIB1zIngjI4JGhyoskhjLl6z2PdEOQI/s1600/10+dome+leveling.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL5ZIvQv5at2zRh4tDlbbcTYZPVoVXXQEJ-WRgROSrvH_jGLBtT-1QXVqNSV5BY-F0d7Dfj8V_a-2WtvhNNsH5I4R6soo3QgfhDZxro6Rfd_upYIB1zIngjI4JGhyoskhjLl6z2PdEOQI/s1600/10+dome+leveling.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a>To accomplish this, I took two spirit levels—one for the dome and one for the plate—and tweaked and bumped the plate until all the bubbled were centered. Once done, I drew a reference line along the interior, and made sure the line was the same distance from the rim all around the dome (in my case, 53.5mm).<br />
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My next tasks was to decide what to use to mount the plate into the dome along this line. I've seen some solutions use bent aluminum L brackets fiberglassed to the inner surface (I think that's mentioned in the Workshop Manual), but I ultimately settled on <b>AdamSt</b>'s method using wooden block sections.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhabfA-E75TU58563P_xODOkLVSc6NK2Ln_7pfdokogs-vN_duB0ge0CeG9MjTte4Uv5S61ANpJ9SmQvjcx2A0FCCQq4T8PDSEyUV0-QaqD2RxnGXxLG2D0RrUdnJq_Inf-1wpGYlgwDlM/s1600/11+dome+leveling.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhabfA-E75TU58563P_xODOkLVSc6NK2Ln_7pfdokogs-vN_duB0ge0CeG9MjTte4Uv5S61ANpJ9SmQvjcx2A0FCCQq4T8PDSEyUV0-QaqD2RxnGXxLG2D0RrUdnJq_Inf-1wpGYlgwDlM/s1600/11+dome+leveling.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqywx_IcAKC6t-rL3VsHtqPE25blX54xJiUepG8H7qefkzj3tLMa7feTsTqpHnM8flac5DVBwEzK-_l1Ost8JCgdB_IUYfE8WC1ssnUha1ved7hYb8CWf0TOrcAoCT2XZrvlgi8oUccZQ/s1600/15+dome+leveling.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqywx_IcAKC6t-rL3VsHtqPE25blX54xJiUepG8H7qefkzj3tLMa7feTsTqpHnM8flac5DVBwEzK-_l1Ost8JCgdB_IUYfE8WC1ssnUha1ved7hYb8CWf0TOrcAoCT2XZrvlgi8oUccZQ/s1600/15+dome+leveling.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a>But that raised the question for me of how to cut a curved, angled line that matches both the curvature and angle of the dome's interior. As I scratched my head, I idly looked around the garage, and my eyes fell on the old practice piece of MDF that I used when I was cutting my neck rings. From this, I cut four pieces out using my jigsaw, and then belt-sanded the existing 45° angle a little closer to the angle of the dome interior.<br />
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I placed the upper rotation plate back in the dome and test-placed the four blocks within to make sure they weren't touching any of the inset details or dome grooves. Ultimately, I decided to use just three of the four blocks I prepared, as I was able to place them the same distance from each other and not touch any uneven interior wall surfaces. I temporarily duct-taped them to the other side of the plate to see if they needed to be flush against the plate arc, or if they needed to poke out a bit by a few millimeters. The latter proved true. I shone a light inside to verify their placement.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz7ESa8gNjEs2oToMhmtXPuG6XmnRHHUN3b2QXvPbrC3fG1ap1FIPNy1ZSuL4yeaTYKFvDDXWz2ylbrqiKLjzfWLKkqn6uPjaFmxVEX4DveN1GyY7l1Zx7_Datxe8vyxmrVhptKe9U30s/s1600/18+dome+leveling.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz7ESa8gNjEs2oToMhmtXPuG6XmnRHHUN3b2QXvPbrC3fG1ap1FIPNy1ZSuL4yeaTYKFvDDXWz2ylbrqiKLjzfWLKkqn6uPjaFmxVEX4DveN1GyY7l1Zx7_Datxe8vyxmrVhptKe9U30s/s1600/18+dome+leveling.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a>The next step was to use wood screws to secure the blocks to the plate. Keeping the duct-tape in place, I drilled a screw hole into both the center of the block and through the plate. I countersunk the hole on the side that would be against the lazy suzan so that the screw wouldn't interfere with the bearing rotation. Because I was going to be using Bondo to adhere the blocks to the done interior, I taped some paper between the blocks and the rotation plate.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7blMLmgUaIjc45w2dXSt_JkhcM5mpYEXG3SD70miYkb4ocwZTzA4oiJx_aaxZSiGAkN_wzbjrtQEbgRwb2Drr8a7YZuCMNxTadapOsukINentGfJYOc5237Oe41XN80dKaAsFS2XTgPA/s1600/23+cowl+bondo+sanded.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7blMLmgUaIjc45w2dXSt_JkhcM5mpYEXG3SD70miYkb4ocwZTzA4oiJx_aaxZSiGAkN_wzbjrtQEbgRwb2Drr8a7YZuCMNxTadapOsukINentGfJYOc5237Oe41XN80dKaAsFS2XTgPA/s1600/23+cowl+bondo+sanded.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a>Whipping up some Bondo, I slathered the angled edge of the blocks. I realized that it would be much easier to place the dome over the top of that while it was on the lazy suzan and neck section instead of aligning it to the inner line I drew. And I could rotate the dome to see if there was anything askew, and adjust it before the Bondo set. I let this set for a few hours while I was out of the house, and when I came back, unscrewed the plate from the blocks, and removed the paper, everything looks super fabulous. I will later reinforce the blocks with fiberglass tape and resin. Yay! Level dome that attaches to the neck section!<br />
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(I took the opportunity to repair a few of the dome air pockets with the remaining Bondo.)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIL0YsedajxfS3CbLp7A0kz9_-_WZbkgAV5R5PcTirJQgKycduZjbf3lf5oxkwX0NHoGMQMYTZaedaJDS6FVl6umDFJKf8TuVe9NoiXECN9tN1uNKRPCzg9I8oEQxz3OVhJXztLQN-cGE/s1600/25+shoulder+bottom+bondo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIL0YsedajxfS3CbLp7A0kz9_-_WZbkgAV5R5PcTirJQgKycduZjbf3lf5oxkwX0NHoGMQMYTZaedaJDS6FVl6umDFJKf8TuVe9NoiXECN9tN1uNKRPCzg9I8oEQxz3OVhJXztLQN-cGE/s1600/25+shoulder+bottom+bondo.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a>Although this was done on a different day, now would be a good time to bring up my Bondo-ing of the dome cowl. Because of the combination of my weird linoleum cowl plug, my crinkly cowl mold, and air pockets that snuck into the fiberglassed finished product, the cowl needed a bit of Bondo repair to smooth everything out, especially the D-shaped sharp line at the very front. I troweled and smudged some filler onto all those points, and then sanded them down later, using 60-, 80-, 120-, 320-, and finally 1,000-grit (wet) sandpaper. I'm very pleased with how smooth everything is, and it should look really great once primed.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTq7gkCssN-bijvo0M9gPjPtFbxAfK-0qif2OpgURsZkUJ0m83qPhDbcyDXKBXHqJhZrEqcGbdwbT9iK8Ov5LhSde2EB7gLsiKpPQfHe9DyAUEO3lB8OQs9FK_Vpzp-H7SNNNcrlWo9SQ/s1600/26+plunger+detail+glued.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTq7gkCssN-bijvo0M9gPjPtFbxAfK-0qif2OpgURsZkUJ0m83qPhDbcyDXKBXHqJhZrEqcGbdwbT9iK8Ov5LhSde2EB7gLsiKpPQfHe9DyAUEO3lB8OQs9FK_Vpzp-H7SNNNcrlWo9SQ/s1600/26+plunger+detail+glued.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a>The final bit of Bondo news involved the top and bottom of the shoulder section, just so any plywood unevenness was filled up and sanded down. I still have a bit of work left to do here, but I've got it pretty flat. Might just need to apply a bit of glazing putty to fill in the Bondo holes.<br />
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I also assembled and glued together the plunger detailing, using a combination of JB Weld for the metal tube, and acrylic cement for the acrylic and plastic bits. Afterward, I sanded some of the sharp edges down to smooth it out.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQQfZLzTC1BTGNRi9u4mKlGvgpHI4uOfzAC6xtRGXaQw26u4u8AS7ZimTmm4fhTnXKSJwXTFxZ0pgA-0-V2hPieOXFcFaVjuDbrKcsTSk4p4mMae62qfVSx-YXHEYWEIs3_OS9d-I3SHg/s1600/28+primed+everything+(white).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQQfZLzTC1BTGNRi9u4mKlGvgpHI4uOfzAC6xtRGXaQw26u4u8AS7ZimTmm4fhTnXKSJwXTFxZ0pgA-0-V2hPieOXFcFaVjuDbrKcsTSk4p4mMae62qfVSx-YXHEYWEIs3_OS9d-I3SHg/s1600/28+primed+everything+(white).jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a>Next, I decided I wanted to prime and paint the plunger detail, the eyestalk pivot, a bit of the eyestalk tube, and the front and back section of the eye. All these were to be black, so I decided to do them all at once. Taking some advice from <b>ChristmasDalek</b>, I alternated priming layers as grey, white, and grey again, using Rust-Oleum spray paint. This also helped to fill in a few of the gaps in the plastic.<br />
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Once all that was dry, I sprayed a few coats of black Rust-Oleum onto all the parts and let them dry. To prevent paint from entering the back eye piece, I put in a circular cut of wood, sitting on top of the spray can lid.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHqOZVDBODQ32RNckqNbyYdZddaS5TrDlz3BF7tC3loDS4f9M1K6Ti-FMpX3s0JVnBrB5wCIn2JRx9tpLK1efbOWySsfGl9d30JOxn8fKMTvJ__r2fjEno_tzWS7qyKjHzqI7ax-Fmqvg/s1600/36+assembled+eyestalk.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHqOZVDBODQ32RNckqNbyYdZddaS5TrDlz3BF7tC3loDS4f9M1K6Ti-FMpX3s0JVnBrB5wCIn2JRx9tpLK1efbOWySsfGl9d30JOxn8fKMTvJ__r2fjEno_tzWS7qyKjHzqI7ax-Fmqvg/s1600/36+assembled+eyestalk.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a><br />
Once dry, I test-assembled everything, and was very pleased with the final result. I will be adding a few layers of satin clear-coat to protect these parts. I can't wait to next mount the eye into the newly-attached dome!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeOWNRWKzRHZjWNrPfYCEC-B9X-qVDGuauQAEDbm4YqnTsm2RkYEwoeYmgpRm88F3WAAHQ5B9Yttr_l_0DaIK-wm0QB6jboV-gBCNkSJQwDJBrFT6Yi2NsxkkwxFPorFnucZdF8Y8N62Q/s1600/37+dome+light+bulb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeOWNRWKzRHZjWNrPfYCEC-B9X-qVDGuauQAEDbm4YqnTsm2RkYEwoeYmgpRm88F3WAAHQ5B9Yttr_l_0DaIK-wm0QB6jboV-gBCNkSJQwDJBrFT6Yi2NsxkkwxFPorFnucZdF8Y8N62Q/s1600/37+dome+light+bulb.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a>Finally, I also messed around a means to make my dome light LEDs look more like actual NSD bulbs. I Dremeled a hole into a ping pong ball, snipped a few cuts all around it to segment it a bit, and then fitted the ball over the LED bulb. Then I took some clear silicone bathroom caulking to seal it in place, and hung it upside-down to cure. The bulb only produces 60 lumens of output, and so its heat is negligible; I'm not worried about damaging the caulk, bulb, or lens casing.<br />
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So, there you have it! A nice huge update to let you all know that I haven't fallen off the map!SeattleDalekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01298625265184256865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7417376516466895022.post-17569076221699306322015-03-10T15:21:00.002-07:002015-03-10T15:22:29.388-07:00Day 110 through 114 - Aluminum light cages, dome rotation, skirt/fender attachmentThere's been a large span of time where I've done various bits (and even longer spans of time where I've done nothing at all due to weather and video games), but I estimate there's been about five cumulative days of building that I've done here and there. Time to document it!<br />
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I liked the colors that <b>AdamSt</b> decided upon using on his NSD, but tracking down spray cans in the States was proving difficult. I discovered a place in town (called Wesco) that could mix Chevrolet Olympic Gold (hemis, slats, gunbox details, 1 pint) and Ford Aztec Gold (main body color, 1 quart) for use in a paint gun. I also got the corresponding clear coat.<br />
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These are PPG acrylic urethane paints, and although I got the less expensive Omni system, it was still pricey. These are to be used with a compatible Omni epoxy primer. This is a two-part catalyzed primer, but the catalyst does not contain isocyanates, and cartridge breathing filters are described as an acceptable breathing apparatus. I just need to see if it can go over bare plywood/MDF, or if I need to pre-prime it. I know, I know, test it out. I will. Once I build a paint booth.<br />
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Here are the codes that I gave Wesco, for everyone's reference:<br />
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<b>1997 Ford Aztec Gold</b><br />
<a href="http://paintref.com/cgi-bin/colorcodedisplay.cgi?dupont=B9704" target="_blank">PaintRef.com link</a> (Note: Both the gold [5230] and the "tangerine-ish" [5571] versions; I opted for the gold version)<br />
Ford Code: M6819<br />
PPG: 5230<br />
Dupont: B9704<br />
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<b>1969 Chevrolet Olympic Gold</b><br />
<a href="http://paintref.com/cgi-bin/colorcodedisplay.cgi?gmcode=WA3922" target="_blank">PaintRef.com link</a> (Note: Also known as "Trumpet", "Shalimar", "Topaz", or "Antique")<br />
GM Code: WA3922<br />
PPG: 2082<br />
Dupont: 5010L, 5010A, 5010D<br />
Acme Rogers: 5562<br />
Martin Semour: 4418<br />
Sherwin Williams: L11-N2882<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLT6gWqd4VbHCV4d81QbN2esV4u-_slNjs24rz1NxrQGnq01uWXrHcbC4zGXTWvu3Bfe26nRpU_V__-gTF7uQYFchusz-2g0QjU1Ft_jnoa8bNWFYqVSxaz7e4a8R4VejGsXWsXxxrIRo/s1600/00+light+cage+close-up.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLT6gWqd4VbHCV4d81QbN2esV4u-_slNjs24rz1NxrQGnq01uWXrHcbC4zGXTWvu3Bfe26nRpU_V__-gTF7uQYFchusz-2g0QjU1Ft_jnoa8bNWFYqVSxaz7e4a8R4VejGsXWsXxxrIRo/s1600/00+light+cage+close-up.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a></div>
I should show off my spanking new aluminum light cages made by <b>gregg.nowling</b>, which replace the laser-cut acrylic ones I had made. Ever since I bought the first bit of aluminum for Rainier's gun, I'd wanted as many of the metal-looking parts to actually be metal, especially the light cages. (My only fear is that, if ever the dome comes crashing to the floor, the weak point is now the dome itself rather than my cemented acrylic light cages which would have shattered on impact, potentially mitigating dome damage. The solution: don't crash the Dalek!)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtqCVtvyUwqbF6TJFrj6mSj-vhQcRsShYY0y9DsbNJ0j-cAb6QLu0rlmA1B4KZoEL_Slb1O1wYIxYIwuzpzMinGByVdPEeW0C6_S9M2H67yTM7k-KFfQDtHDqFs4XHpqHjpVwrSjYIuP8/s1600/01+positioning+bearing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtqCVtvyUwqbF6TJFrj6mSj-vhQcRsShYY0y9DsbNJ0j-cAb6QLu0rlmA1B4KZoEL_Slb1O1wYIxYIwuzpzMinGByVdPEeW0C6_S9M2H67yTM7k-KFfQDtHDqFs4XHpqHjpVwrSjYIuP8/s1600/01+positioning+bearing.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a>Next up, I installed the bearing ring that Gregg pointed me to. It had countersunk mounting points for attaching it to one side, but not the other. I took some masking tape and covered all the exposed areas where the bearings reside to protect them from wood and metal shards, and then I measured the center position on the bottom rotation plate. Clamping that in place, I hand-drilled through the bearing ring holes into the MDF plate.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghtCXauBh8AK02wowYec47rxlfdhnxwRIbMEoD9T2dH4JDw4XDc7N0EdkD3d13RBTnYQ-YtkSA49YYOpAXsRuGt7xyqPDFLC-DZlSJiUrrwayqh2ZVLJorJaMpkFU_Y169rT3ZLXxMHoI/s1600/02+drilling+bearing+holes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghtCXauBh8AK02wowYec47rxlfdhnxwRIbMEoD9T2dH4JDw4XDc7N0EdkD3d13RBTnYQ-YtkSA49YYOpAXsRuGt7xyqPDFLC-DZlSJiUrrwayqh2ZVLJorJaMpkFU_Y169rT3ZLXxMHoI/s1600/02+drilling+bearing+holes.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a>On the other side of the of the ring, there were six plastic spacer nibs inserted into holes that were only half as deep as the ring height. In order to mount the ring to the upper dome rotation plate, I would need to drill a few of them out completely. I wanted to take advantage of those plastic nibs, though (they would provide space above and below the bearing ring for both the rotation plates), so I decided to only drill out every other hole for a total of three. I took the ring to my drill press, clamped the ring into place, and quickly drilled out the remaining depth of the three holes.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaWddY2UU7MA3VmcFsrb7eNgjWZrlVVOsfGRJQkr_uaodk6yFHnO7Ywfq0R5y4Lm2FOgM223nA_axpDvhKVI9M4LrzacZ4X6Ci68mUaY5byKBZ84poYY4Qj-4bEWyFvwh9Klcc3tQ2mK8/s1600/03+aligning+bearing+to+top+plate.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaWddY2UU7MA3VmcFsrb7eNgjWZrlVVOsfGRJQkr_uaodk6yFHnO7Ywfq0R5y4Lm2FOgM223nA_axpDvhKVI9M4LrzacZ4X6Ci68mUaY5byKBZ84poYY4Qj-4bEWyFvwh9Klcc3tQ2mK8/s1600/03+aligning+bearing+to+top+plate.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a>I took the ring back to the neck bin, and secured it onto the lower rotation plate using the countersunk bolts, and placed the upper plate on top of that. The center holes that were previously drilled in the plates (waaay back when I was making the neck rings) were the exact width of a screwdriver that I had laying around, so I poked that into both holes to align the plates together. Flipping the whole thing upside-down, I drew a circle on the underside of the top plate. Then I detached everything, clamped the bearing ring to just the top plate (lining it up on the circle I drew), and drilled the upper bolt holes.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgBsqW191SX69e3TZkJtjVh_d1gIJMU4n_04dEqOz5zDRwW7C5y2tWquyTiEvMQebNWCT5BRhmQaXHfR4gFGle164kHy3M1Wf15ulZVikQvZMvyh4ME8dJrRj1h_kpegdunF76qeTEnRE/s1600/05+sanding+dome+bottom.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgBsqW191SX69e3TZkJtjVh_d1gIJMU4n_04dEqOz5zDRwW7C5y2tWquyTiEvMQebNWCT5BRhmQaXHfR4gFGle164kHy3M1Wf15ulZVikQvZMvyh4ME8dJrRj1h_kpegdunF76qeTEnRE/s1600/05+sanding+dome+bottom.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a>The next step for me was to trim the circumference of the upper plate so that the dome would sit on it at the correct distance from the neck rings. This is done by routing a few millimeters off the plate, sitting the dome on top of it, and measuring the distance from the bottom of the dome to the bottom of the upper neck ring. (In the plans, that distance is 6.7cm.) To make sure that it's 6.7cm in any given spot, I needed to sand the bottom of the dome so that its edge was uniform and level.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6Drw1OTqh4HpyZAETNBF4V2qM5KUF7mFXRkFC418Uwk3VGIWLcFKmepW1YLMES270lyMuwwAm-p2OVtuBCmp67A7DcKwNgiI_XOtHLiZNMWB0PqIXnD8ZOCDizoLkQYzOod3LDhCECRU/s1600/06+routing+top+plate.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6Drw1OTqh4HpyZAETNBF4V2qM5KUF7mFXRkFC418Uwk3VGIWLcFKmepW1YLMES270lyMuwwAm-p2OVtuBCmp67A7DcKwNgiI_XOtHLiZNMWB0PqIXnD8ZOCDizoLkQYzOod3LDhCECRU/s1600/06+routing+top+plate.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a>I approached this by taking 40-grit sandpaper, snapping each sheet in half, and carpet gluing them to a flat board. I used the board that I used for the dome plug, scraping off the remaining styrofoam. Then I put the dome on the sandpaper, running it in circles until it was a bit more uniform of an edge. (In the picture, I still had the old acrylic light cages attached.)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMJBIgzJSGCnRJ-5CNB-ln8-pC90MUrIcWdO6tqEk48ibUk7EhuRnpwPs8ESZBmT5uc1z89i1V1hVxWTNHULGHyxwCMm3yIV1ianKdRJysoSSstGGjgWNbUhHk2dMGPXP-YZdXeJ-_nUM/s1600/10+dome+positioned.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMJBIgzJSGCnRJ-5CNB-ln8-pC90MUrIcWdO6tqEk48ibUk7EhuRnpwPs8ESZBmT5uc1z89i1V1hVxWTNHULGHyxwCMm3yIV1ianKdRJysoSSstGGjgWNbUhHk2dMGPXP-YZdXeJ-_nUM/s1600/10+dome+positioned.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a>The way the bearing ring is attached is with the countersunk bolts pointing down and going through the bottom plate, secured with nuts. Just before doing that, I placed bolts pointing upward through the other ring's holes (that I drilled out earlier), and secured those with nuts, too. I bought a fancy adjustable circle jig that let me make small adjustments, and went around the circumference several times. Each time I finished trimming off a few more millimeters of MDF, I put the top plate on through the three upward-pointing bolts, and put the dome on top of that to see if I was getting close to the 6.7cm measurement. I eventually got it to 7cm, and that was close enough for me.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTQgpd780_Hi-ZwLg3W8Q9yQjACdoPOQBT0DCM314p-dseQOgqZOgK3QmayNOB-826qZsn9k5cMZC8K_b-RBV39rl1KDpzEgOOhfQ4_3wZ5UWHDG4LRSWBt2vXZ8VoR911LffceO__rmk/s1600/11+skirt+mounting+holes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTQgpd780_Hi-ZwLg3W8Q9yQjACdoPOQBT0DCM314p-dseQOgqZOgK3QmayNOB-826qZsn9k5cMZC8K_b-RBV39rl1KDpzEgOOhfQ4_3wZ5UWHDG4LRSWBt2vXZ8VoR911LffceO__rmk/s1600/11+skirt+mounting+holes.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a>Next steps are to take a stationary pen and draw a line around the rim of the dome while it's rotating on the bearings so that I can finally get that uniform line to dremel off and re-sand. Then, I'll cut some access holes into the rotation plates, seal it all down with PVA water, and make mounting points for attaching the upper plate into the dome interior.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDKYe15YupOTcJgaSZoI9eCcEgy08wvLFFveZAVnUGkjlZ63JWeKt4VxzD58vYDNB6qCHTER67X6RYqFZsKIbPKkF3vLNXtQfSSMyIM7yxbcTJ8mPGr-WcAX0ngNI4uW3Q2I3xDYqq0Kc/s1600/12+skirt+mounting+bolt+hole.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDKYe15YupOTcJgaSZoI9eCcEgy08wvLFFveZAVnUGkjlZ63JWeKt4VxzD58vYDNB6qCHTER67X6RYqFZsKIbPKkF3vLNXtQfSSMyIM7yxbcTJ8mPGr-WcAX0ngNI4uW3Q2I3xDYqq0Kc/s1600/12+skirt+mounting+bolt+hole.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a>Onto fender/skirt attachment: I went a little crazy with bolts sticking through the fender top when I attached the metal frame and wheels, so in order to sit the skirt on it, I needed to cut a bunch of holes where those bolts and nuts poked through. Measuring all that out was boring, and a chore, and I will totally not design it that way next time. I won't bore you with further details. The blue circles in the first pic indicate two additional holes that I drilled for large socket head screws with plastic caps attached for hand-turning. (There's a third one in the front of the skirt interior.) In the fender, I have threaded inserts that the screws connects to.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg51SagwllGEvDNM9eb5-HMwiWXaICRLrMJ1uiEygERdoO3W8bWJ47hlrJhY-gOdRFUkJBJ6ocliDsAfG_o3sJP4sxU6O3eJFBvksEUROx-BAEz2zYL_NXWwZkkXrGpWEJ3tHaqj7UZ7qM/s1600/14+sitting+in+the+skirt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg51SagwllGEvDNM9eb5-HMwiWXaICRLrMJ1uiEygERdoO3W8bWJ47hlrJhY-gOdRFUkJBJ6ocliDsAfG_o3sJP4sxU6O3eJFBvksEUROx-BAEz2zYL_NXWwZkkXrGpWEJ3tHaqj7UZ7qM/s1600/14+sitting+in+the+skirt.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a><br />
And, as I suspected from a long time ago, the gap of the uneven skirt bottom is causing some issues. I can only really get a happy medium by hand-tightening these screws, where the front of the skirt pokes up at about the same distance as the back if I tighten the socket head screws uniformly. And, the alignment with the threaded inserts is a bit tricky. Attaching these two things together at a con is not going to be a quick thing.<br />
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Finally, I found my wheelchair battery charger (it was inside my new and unused shop vac for some reason) and charged up the battery a bit. I placed it inside, added a folding chair, and sat down. I diddled a bit going forward and backward, checking how tight-fitting everything was and seeing if I needed to trim anything up. So far, so good.SeattleDalekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01298625265184256865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7417376516466895022.post-57259405049933680562015-01-15T10:14:00.000-08:002015-01-15T10:14:22.112-08:00Day 109 - Some finishing touches<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj34G_-utsvy1QlZaezMlple_VCYekP9quFVKIbQtQawUHc_vcEr0NaVnCWvVbhVGe3qGXAkoXZukm5HRAdpmTSKNjzJL5nB4YMeXGOzrXVsCD8Hw4YHXVwyt5oPNKWW1CL0ymaIgwOc7I/s1600/01+felt+gunbox+lining.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj34G_-utsvy1QlZaezMlple_VCYekP9quFVKIbQtQawUHc_vcEr0NaVnCWvVbhVGe3qGXAkoXZukm5HRAdpmTSKNjzJL5nB4YMeXGOzrXVsCD8Hw4YHXVwyt5oPNKWW1CL0ymaIgwOc7I/s1600/01+felt+gunbox+lining.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a></div>
I spent some time adding felt to the gunbox holes to prepare them for installation of the exterminator gun and plunger arm. I masked off the portions of the hole that were not chamfered, and sprayed a layer of carpet adhesive on the bevel. To achieve uniformity on the adhesive, I took a sponge brush and spread it a little more evenly along the beveled edge. Then I took one of the globes, wrapped an 8x10" rectangle of black felt around it, and pressed it firmly against the edge. I let that set while I went to work on the dome light cages.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVL8T7y2KsEneaQnePINL9UlJbVOPQ2V22ZQ0f3yA131R1AfeRUzUw8bMLtERKa5J97rsZMZuFAs1cyDsJmw_hM8n4Dj_QOCBsKUjWx-TG7-zZiyqOXvnQxW6KWGAqyc0hrgyILq2Dzq0/s1600/07+nsd+plans+dome+top.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVL8T7y2KsEneaQnePINL9UlJbVOPQ2V22ZQ0f3yA131R1AfeRUzUw8bMLtERKa5J97rsZMZuFAs1cyDsJmw_hM8n4Dj_QOCBsKUjWx-TG7-zZiyqOXvnQxW6KWGAqyc0hrgyILq2Dzq0/s1600/07+nsd+plans+dome+top.jpg" height="114" width="200" /></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaCfqLE7YFFwROyqA7WAyQADh_y2ezgqXDThFLsHtK8C8VhiFClkSlMK4jI6nh_DEf1eJerOgG69tA4KRDWmRKWlzDr4lFosbWOF-7cosCsPMAWluhvY6V_bZNBBRn28DHaDI-ygd4Es0/s1600/02+marking+light+cage+location.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaCfqLE7YFFwROyqA7WAyQADh_y2ezgqXDThFLsHtK8C8VhiFClkSlMK4jI6nh_DEf1eJerOgG69tA4KRDWmRKWlzDr4lFosbWOF-7cosCsPMAWluhvY6V_bZNBBRn28DHaDI-ygd4Es0/s1600/02+marking+light+cage+location.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a>The only place where I saw to position the light cages I inferred from the NSD plans .pdf file. It looked like the holes for the bulbs were smack in the middle of the 12cm distance between the top "D" groove on the dome and the dome chamfer line. So going off that assumption, I measured the distance between those two places on my dome (which wound up being 11.5cm). I also took a look at some reference photos from the episode "Dalek" which is what Rainier is mostly based on. The scene with Rose's handprint on the Dalek dome shows how the cages are attached, with the two bolts running parallel to the chamfer line. Based on these measurements and observations, I pencilled in a line.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGGmMkCJTo1WburnRp_GXg1kJdT4rz7svL2dw6gUKe0pnwY3W36Tvamm7OdfCYTUd3l2Cj8zedbJO3h1bniHY-cdNnj2fVWhzj1pAhtNJCPDx0HCS-eaBOcxWqhYHkUCk1kmFSZ61wX0c/s1600/03+drilling+light+cage+bolt+holes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGGmMkCJTo1WburnRp_GXg1kJdT4rz7svL2dw6gUKe0pnwY3W36Tvamm7OdfCYTUd3l2Cj8zedbJO3h1bniHY-cdNnj2fVWhzj1pAhtNJCPDx0HCS-eaBOcxWqhYHkUCk1kmFSZ61wX0c/s1600/03+drilling+light+cage+bolt+holes.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a>I had practiced drilling holes into the edges of off-cut sheets of acrylic to make sure I wasn't going to shatter anything, and then marked the areas on the underside of the light cages where the bolt holes aligned with the Moflash lenses' bolt holes. Then, very gently, I drilled in two 1/8" holes into both of the cages with the drill press. I didn't shatter a thing, and they were perfectly lined up with the lenses! Whew.<br />
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I marked corresponding holes into the lines I drew on the dome, and before long the cages were attached.<br />
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By this time, I figured that the felt on the gunboxes had set nicely. And, while it had set, it wasn't a good bond, so I wound up ripping it off quite easily. It was also pretty raggedly cut (I need new scissors). I'll try another method later, but this time using felt strips and contact cement.<br />
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Felt or no felt, I turned my attention back to the interior appendage retention plates. After a bit of sanding to remove the dried up bits of newspaper and PVA wash build-up, I test-fit everything. I found that I needed to bore out the bolt holes on the back-most plate; otherwise, the fit was too tight and the plate would get stuck when trying to adjust it using the wingnuts.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVSxAVV4Dfmn7V9ZhnP1oQFqqKUIVUEd3T7Iwxo8w66_LICExYg1_j0rJ2mAaOVoBEiOT7WDO53Oijgin2J81r75GsPOwJPgJebU7Ho2_t3-ms9NbybIn0aTuJnW2-ByYRQKZt2XLcjqs/s1600/04+attaching+middle+gunbox+plate.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVSxAVV4Dfmn7V9ZhnP1oQFqqKUIVUEd3T7Iwxo8w66_LICExYg1_j0rJ2mAaOVoBEiOT7WDO53Oijgin2J81r75GsPOwJPgJebU7Ho2_t3-ms9NbybIn0aTuJnW2-ByYRQKZt2XLcjqs/s1600/04+attaching+middle+gunbox+plate.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a>First, I used some 3/4" drywall screws (to mitigate the MDF splitting) and attached the middle plate directly to the back of the gunboxes, remembering to pre-position the alignment bolts first so that they stuck out the back. I had made pretty deep countersinks in these plates so that the screws would bite a nice distance into the gunboxes without going all the way through the MDF and poking out of the exterior (which would be bad). I only managed to reach seven of the eight holes, but that's okay. It's a nice fit.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkqlcgQRe4DKVNhHyYyQoo34BlD8nFtMrRpZ9YcZmGElM-yp7Jp6_BLiTF1z96XznIZ_AIJ15diSZgF3yNsKBgfot0LizetKFCf0YaTNlQl5nflcKvYk39JbqRUPkQJ40utQtCYEP6l1Y/s1600/05+gunbox+plates+attached.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkqlcgQRe4DKVNhHyYyQoo34BlD8nFtMrRpZ9YcZmGElM-yp7Jp6_BLiTF1z96XznIZ_AIJ15diSZgF3yNsKBgfot0LizetKFCf0YaTNlQl5nflcKvYk39JbqRUPkQJ40utQtCYEP6l1Y/s1600/05+gunbox+plates+attached.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a>Next, I positioned the plunger arm and gun (I had to do a bit of mental gymnastics to remember which hole got which appendage, since I was working on this with the shoulder section upside-down). I added springs to the alignment bolts and slid the rear plates onto them. Adding washers and wingnuts to the back of the bolts, I tightened the plate until it was snug around the globes. I'll add the felt later to prevent scuffing, but in the meantime, everything is nice, snug, and now positionable!<br />
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I re-assembled the stack, and now I am just getting the shivers. Rainier's personality is finally starting to shine through!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc_zL6YpmKRt9_wBLaaJFd3u5tjBKPHk2oX1ccGVZ1dJV61s6cw_mQhqpyzZaXqbNt9EjCGX0bPtde4YPVAXFUUvpSlX_2yxExYqH6dEITn-c6bd-sU4TGLcmgxfMW-Ol_I_AIG0TVxgw/s1600/06+latest+stack+shot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc_zL6YpmKRt9_wBLaaJFd3u5tjBKPHk2oX1ccGVZ1dJV61s6cw_mQhqpyzZaXqbNt9EjCGX0bPtde4YPVAXFUUvpSlX_2yxExYqH6dEITn-c6bd-sU4TGLcmgxfMW-Ol_I_AIG0TVxgw/s1600/06+latest+stack+shot.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a>SeattleDalekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01298625265184256865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7417376516466895022.post-11109812245319385992015-01-12T13:10:00.002-08:002015-01-12T13:13:32.590-08:00Day 107 and 108 - Dome work, eye, and plungerThis weekend was a pretty fruitful one, being able to get a good chunk of time dedicated to some detailed areas.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5Gzgf7PAEJIjkLSP4hDc7gF1aA5raRSB1gYBgt_ANVb38-Yr5H7eLY5cKEDfFJW8UKw4KMs01xVSHParxH3kTJOOCVaR7ikYH4c4XTPQFq6gk8FJMFBMFyvCbiH3nmJBBt6-O7NR0Oqc/s1600/01+bottom+rotation+plate.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5Gzgf7PAEJIjkLSP4hDc7gF1aA5raRSB1gYBgt_ANVb38-Yr5H7eLY5cKEDfFJW8UKw4KMs01xVSHParxH3kTJOOCVaR7ikYH4c4XTPQFq6gk8FJMFBMFyvCbiH3nmJBBt6-O7NR0Oqc/s1600/01+bottom+rotation+plate.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA_Bao1Jw8_jOuPJL70GPKtiDONj9IfgtT0w0R1QRr7HXiY6DVXTWOYb3xO-GxWZ0ozaD-tludcYwpU_TVtPJuKhgx36C5lzr5zL0i5U3ofK1YgUUfDJno-Z1sskrj6tBGjH9w379dE4g/s1600/02+bottom+rotation+plate.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA_Bao1Jw8_jOuPJL70GPKtiDONj9IfgtT0w0R1QRr7HXiY6DVXTWOYb3xO-GxWZ0ozaD-tludcYwpU_TVtPJuKhgx36C5lzr5zL0i5U3ofK1YgUUfDJno-Z1sskrj6tBGjH9w379dE4g/s1600/02+bottom+rotation+plate.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a>I finally attached the bottom rotation plate onto the neck section. I evened out the distances of each of the eight struts by measuring the distance from the top of the strut to the top of the upper ring. There were only millimeters of difference there, so I marked the length of the shortest one on each that were taller than it. After sanding the rest down to that length, I measured the length of the diameter between each pair of struts. If I recall correctly, it was something like 46cm and some change. I took one of the smaller off-cut circles of 3/4" MDF from the initial ring creation (back on day 19; my goodness, time flies) and routed the edge down little by little to match that length.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic1axDlBzRnufrlnAnEwELssz51A7l0NYLDH-XlFBgl9yFDom9ReZ9minkSS9IayOJKFUKJ6mWDf6n9U3J135srWLEQ_lilUz2Qp4DjhXz2gYIFImjU9mwFBBRiz10yWcqZEHBFwFmCnM/s1600/03+eyestalk+slot+marking.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic1axDlBzRnufrlnAnEwELssz51A7l0NYLDH-XlFBgl9yFDom9ReZ9minkSS9IayOJKFUKJ6mWDf6n9U3J135srWLEQ_lilUz2Qp4DjhXz2gYIFImjU9mwFBBRiz10yWcqZEHBFwFmCnM/s1600/03+eyestalk+slot+marking.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a>I was trying to factor in eventual dome rotation mechanics while doing this. Since my struts were already pretty tall, I decided to cut notches into the plate and attach it to the strut sides instead of directly to the top. If the plate were attached too high, the added distance of the second plate—along with the diameter of the rotation wheels—would exceed the proper distance between the bottom of the dome and the upper ring. To prove this to myself, I sat what will eventually be the top rotation plate (the largest of the off-cut ring circles on top, with some spacers representing the distance of the wheels/bearings. Then I placed the dome on top. Sure enough, I should be able to get the proper distance by just routing away the outer edge of the top plate, millimeter by millimeter, the way <b>AdamSt</b> did.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXv92hQqYd78C_JIP-Paetby_u42rtlkYdhw5wJ8fSyXu2S3TmzRO65IQzQ5LsL3k8Oo90ZwL0zWFigBcvejRF4kMljpnTTgjB3hDTg_kg6xGl7KWZLQpBqN5OAOW82hZkTF56BEl2c_U/s1600/05+eyestalk+stack+shot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXv92hQqYd78C_JIP-Paetby_u42rtlkYdhw5wJ8fSyXu2S3TmzRO65IQzQ5LsL3k8Oo90ZwL0zWFigBcvejRF4kMljpnTTgjB3hDTg_kg6xGl7KWZLQpBqN5OAOW82hZkTF56BEl2c_U/s1600/05+eyestalk+stack+shot.jpg" height="200" width="150" /></a>I'll cut the inner section of the plate out later once I figure out some other stuff. For example, I'm not sure which method I want for electric dome rotation (there are so many options that come up when searching the forums). This will determine which plate I mount the wheels, place the motor, etc. I don't know what any of that looks like at this point.<br />
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Now that I had the cowl in place on the dome, I could start to measure out where to place the eye pivot slot. I knew that I wasn't going to be exactly centered—but at least pretty close—so I needed to wait to make sure that when eventually fitted the eye pivot is clear of the hole edges, and that the eyestalk clears the sides of the cowl when being moved up and down. After a combination of relative measurements and eyeballing, and eventually marked out where the slot should be cut.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix4ixF3tZnq7jFCLuiFECpGM_ZCpdaawgrzrTsx_KHWWRx3l1H3BTE6VZ_rNKA8uPF13euXdj2dozzrPI-xerIuamnnJgo7wgnzk6HdD9IZnBF3iAobf8JWHcY9r1ubZS2RPt_ogdT0xM/s1600/08+epoxy+inner+arm+to+hose.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix4ixF3tZnq7jFCLuiFECpGM_ZCpdaawgrzrTsx_KHWWRx3l1H3BTE6VZ_rNKA8uPF13euXdj2dozzrPI-xerIuamnnJgo7wgnzk6HdD9IZnBF3iAobf8JWHcY9r1ubZS2RPt_ogdT0xM/s1600/08+epoxy+inner+arm+to+hose.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a><br />
Problem was, I initially only made it 10cm instead of 14cm, and was quite confused when it proved to be such a tight fit for the pivot. But I managed to get a couple cool photos anyway before correcting it and cutting out the extra 4cm.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmlygStzlNnHV9CcpOHPah58yXvid46adga8T4R9nbVLKgxJS_bZCvE6VklRbqn-BP6PGgtEnhS1JuGvGXOtLUE9nJY3_kDjfCAQ3lZbjMGwvaPY8BKUjAZ-v9q-tstoH_FnnypBPb4Xw/s1600/10+epoxy+inner+arm+plunger+bushing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmlygStzlNnHV9CcpOHPah58yXvid46adga8T4R9nbVLKgxJS_bZCvE6VklRbqn-BP6PGgtEnhS1JuGvGXOtLUE9nJY3_kDjfCAQ3lZbjMGwvaPY8BKUjAZ-v9q-tstoH_FnnypBPb4Xw/s1600/10+epoxy+inner+arm+plunger+bushing.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a>Next, I turned my attention finally attaching the bushings to the aluminum plunger tubes with epoxy. I used a product called JB Weld, which seems to be a recommended brand. I used their strongest bond, one that sets in like a day, rather than their quick-bond stuff.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV35YRb9CyXq6e143EgEAsmU0eKsVISmRcdvqm5kW80Gr7TRN9B_SVku1hqmj4p5puhawFZ7JCbAx03ak30XJ5F7eBE9IEBkEBsueK6lME65nNx0uFpn1LGRItcmndYHkp30xoGoKUojM/s1600/14+fitting+middle+and+outer+arms.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV35YRb9CyXq6e143EgEAsmU0eKsVISmRcdvqm5kW80Gr7TRN9B_SVku1hqmj4p5puhawFZ7JCbAx03ak30XJ5F7eBE9IEBkEBsueK6lME65nNx0uFpn1LGRItcmndYHkp30xoGoKUojM/s1600/14+fitting+middle+and+outer+arms.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a>I cleaned all the tubes with 1000 grit sandpaper and Brasso metal cleaner to get them nice and shiny. I then took a series of photos to make sure that I assembled everything in the correct order before attaching the bushings with the epoxy, because once those are on, they are not coming off without a serious fight (and probably major damage). The acrylic hose barely fit inside the rear outer tube bushing, so I roughed up the surface of the hose a bit with coarse sandpaper. But I ran into another problem almost immediately: once I had pushed the coupler into the hose, it expanded the circumference of the hose a fair amount, making it impossible for the bushing to fit around it. If I had the presence of mind, I would have simply slid the bushing on from the back end of the hose (duh!), but instead, I attached a sanding burr to my Dremel and whittled the hose wall down until the bushing could fit! What a silly person, me.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFTu0UAHWfxQJQnRUJ4Qr4-qLahgoLkf5GgZI-BFOnM4eNp5TLT_KELzrGC1TVfassV8eYYgebiL0ET-STkOFy9vRgVEDLLM_ozo-AV5RUzn80k3SoWde7DmAFfMKuxkxFzAH3Fzt0SQM/s1600/16+epoxy+outer+arm+rear+bushing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFTu0UAHWfxQJQnRUJ4Qr4-qLahgoLkf5GgZI-BFOnM4eNp5TLT_KELzrGC1TVfassV8eYYgebiL0ET-STkOFy9vRgVEDLLM_ozo-AV5RUzn80k3SoWde7DmAFfMKuxkxFzAH3Fzt0SQM/s1600/16+epoxy+outer+arm+rear+bushing.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a>I mixed some batches of epoxy, gobbed it onto both the bushing wall and the interior wall of the tubes, pounded everything into place with a rubber mallet, and set it all out to cure overnight.<br />
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The next day, the were all completely cured and looking very solid. I attached the (incomplete) plunger to the front, and snapped a couple more pics of it extended and retracted via the acrylic hose. Soon, I will add black felt to the gunbox hole chamfers and mount both the gun and the plunger arm with my gunbox mounts.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxY2ngoiVZ088Y48_GOU7kK7SJSJi9IwXy0ktuKEmjZh32LYFBFZAivPS1R4GTb7ythHwBgCTa1EtYJEfpXhWNMPaaUDALGlQMn_A6XWZm5ilBO8C0j75b8GikCGUpyaFXagjGusVVGzs/s1600/18+plunger+attached+extended.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxY2ngoiVZ088Y48_GOU7kK7SJSJi9IwXy0ktuKEmjZh32LYFBFZAivPS1R4GTb7ythHwBgCTa1EtYJEfpXhWNMPaaUDALGlQMn_A6XWZm5ilBO8C0j75b8GikCGUpyaFXagjGusVVGzs/s1600/18+plunger+attached+extended.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZLpwheBdHFXMfQNqpuNDM3vUvuhKTsIFzyenLfV883gr20Z6yxHCf7Ypo3sOULpd4TygPZqD6dBmZhp3i5MjD-nwCnVAuJImUhL2D9GPA3epprWEFadqf8Ut9ozTj_RXHb7hyWxKQNQA/s1600/21+eye+pivot+axle+inside+dome.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZLpwheBdHFXMfQNqpuNDM3vUvuhKTsIFzyenLfV883gr20Z6yxHCf7Ypo3sOULpd4TygPZqD6dBmZhp3i5MjD-nwCnVAuJImUhL2D9GPA3epprWEFadqf8Ut9ozTj_RXHb7hyWxKQNQA/s1600/21+eye+pivot+axle+inside+dome.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a>Since I was working with the aluminum tubing, I decided to take an off-cut of the 1" tube and make an axle for my eyestalk pivot. On the pivot itself, I noticed that the two-part Gorilla glue attaching the plastic outer skin to the MDF disk is coming loose, so I may need to re-glue it. Also, the two pieces of 1/2" MDF seem to have detached from each other. If they fall apart completely, JB Weld might be the answer! Anyway, I slid the tube into the pre-drilled center hole and made a 5/8" hole using the pivot hole itself as a guide. Once done, I sanded out the new tube holes a bit so that the threaded lamp rod could easily pass through. For now, it's temporarily mounted inside the dome just to keep it somewhere out of the way (and to make Rainier look terribly awesome at the same time.)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixKSi2buhQ1-OEkytygTWFFloVvMMYI20IjXLqnQel6EEzcc3OJ4ZauBp_frqMdMIenUvSY4Kb5WblFWHHh-2SxGD2FriNZ6GMohT-yb0gn9Owa89kHV-lT50sXip3vWnqs5imy_R1zpY/s1600/24+epoxy+inner+eyestalk+nuts.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixKSi2buhQ1-OEkytygTWFFloVvMMYI20IjXLqnQel6EEzcc3OJ4ZauBp_frqMdMIenUvSY4Kb5WblFWHHh-2SxGD2FriNZ6GMohT-yb0gn9Owa89kHV-lT50sXip3vWnqs5imy_R1zpY/s1600/24+epoxy+inner+eyestalk+nuts.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a>As the weekend was wrapping up, I finally got around to sanding all the excess ABS glue that had hardened around the seams of the eye section. Sanding ABS plastic isn't all that different than sanding wood, but I sure hated losing that smooth shine. Ah well, it will be all smooth again once primed and painted black. And, now that it was sanded (and then smoothed a bit more with a finer grain), I added the twelve 2.5cm "lugs". These were cut from Plastruct half-round styrene rods that I had previously ordered with all my other plastic parts. I initially used Krazy glue to secure them into place, and then ran a bead of acrylic cement to really bond them into place.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKKAlDRm5nsfz8l4g95wsKnXdrnEVpJw3zzsmBRwDFmLZHfFBJIVLFMp5fMRYqyIAKBMCsBrHL3ncAbKz2tKyYiXutlXy3fS1wQWP7Aj3y3N4qFhHmNwuvleuRpYkbm1IqJZrV1RiJbg4/s1600/23+adding+eyestalk+bolts.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKKAlDRm5nsfz8l4g95wsKnXdrnEVpJw3zzsmBRwDFmLZHfFBJIVLFMp5fMRYqyIAKBMCsBrHL3ncAbKz2tKyYiXutlXy3fS1wQWP7Aj3y3N4qFhHmNwuvleuRpYkbm1IqJZrV1RiJbg4/s1600/23+adding+eyestalk+bolts.jpg" height="150" style="cursor: move;" width="200" /></a>Then, for my final detail, I drilled the three holes for the eye piece bolts. There doesn't seem to be an "official" distance for those holes to be drilled from the rim of the eye, so I measured a length that didn't appear to be too fragile—1cm from the rim seemed fine. I used a bit more JB Weld to also secure some nuts to the interior for the bolts to be threaded into. When I got up the following morning, I made sure to take my pliers to remove the bolts form the semi-cured nuts lest they be permanently cemented together! It seems like that solution worked really well, and I'm quite happy with the results.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCnKYFHvnf_YkPZ4pEFVZyWJhbUneMqcLHVunjYgL0K7X-tp9faoJvAmcfE85iLdYxc_qQVFOZnL3k5p0wtcq_yez6OIf2XV0GIG6wxkygp80B_Av-qhfIEMbRHM2pAYTP44ASQFiQ134/s1600/06+it+came+from+outer+space.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCnKYFHvnf_YkPZ4pEFVZyWJhbUneMqcLHVunjYgL0K7X-tp9faoJvAmcfE85iLdYxc_qQVFOZnL3k5p0wtcq_yez6OIf2XV0GIG6wxkygp80B_Av-qhfIEMbRHM2pAYTP44ASQFiQ134/s1600/06+it+came+from+outer+space.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></div>
<br />SeattleDalekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01298625265184256865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7417376516466895022.post-12028626445539877732015-01-04T01:05:00.004-08:002015-01-04T01:05:53.387-08:00Day 106 - Cowl 2.0 demoldingToday, I spent most of the day's daleking demolding and working on the cowl. I took special care not to damage this second cowl attempt, unlike the first one. I added a number of slender wooden stir sticks all around the mold to separate everything evenly, instead of slamming wedge after wedge of thick plastic spreaders and risk warping and cracking the part.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBVHG8qb8Y3LJxsDnT8WyuodahYkWgdSmw2Lg84iAOZ2QwrZtOjYgvPynHV5qTD1qENF4yUww_8tPrKBHcREJwKcTLjs7zaJILpySlUefut16jyDW9BBrU1ECQNyzH5qiqOXH-KeVkx0c/s1600/01+cracked+cowl+mold.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBVHG8qb8Y3LJxsDnT8WyuodahYkWgdSmw2Lg84iAOZ2QwrZtOjYgvPynHV5qTD1qENF4yUww_8tPrKBHcREJwKcTLjs7zaJILpySlUefut16jyDW9BBrU1ECQNyzH5qiqOXH-KeVkx0c/s1600/01+cracked+cowl+mold.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a>Despite the fact that multiple pulls are supposed to get easier, I managed to literally "break the mold" this time! I don't think the mold is beyond salvaging; however, it would be wise to just make a brand new mold from a nice, cleaned-up fiberglass cowl. That is if I ever feel the need to explore this damnable part of Rainier ever, EVER again! This is the last bit of fiberglassing I needed to do, and for the foreseeable future, I am done working with that itchy stuff! I'll still be using resin for a couple things, but no more glass fabric! (Maybe.)<br />
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The cowl took quite a while to separate from the mold, but eventually, it did come loose. The name tag inset made with the cut-up PAX badge came off with it, but it was easy enough to remove, carefully, with a razor blade. I trimmed most of the fiberglass "fur" off of it with scissors.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirhGAxyzQMQYsxapzOgoo_J1hUT532wcDMuD7vXS1TPEuzzWQCB6ybq7GztI0CjEgKtxDnJLxzIcwbFWhd7CUj2wVY2p5XrIb35EEHj2F1dlTWzfWaJ1vArlG5XBRHxENnXVsf1BYfBBM/s1600/02+demolded+cowl.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirhGAxyzQMQYsxapzOgoo_J1hUT532wcDMuD7vXS1TPEuzzWQCB6ybq7GztI0CjEgKtxDnJLxzIcwbFWhd7CUj2wVY2p5XrIb35EEHj2F1dlTWzfWaJ1vArlG5XBRHxENnXVsf1BYfBBM/s1600/02+demolded+cowl.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a>I spent the next couple of hours using 80-grit sandpaper to even out all the ripples, bumps, and uneven surfaces. I haven't yet done this step with the dome; it still has all its unevenness and such. But the work on the cowl gave me confidence when I get round to sanding the dome. Much of the gel-coat came off, which is why it looks so patchy in its current state, but once sanded smoother and primed, it should look great.<br />
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I was especially proud with how even the multiple layers of fiberglass and resin turned out to be. I intentionally made the parts that were meant to be cut out much thinner than the rest of the cowl, so that my Dremel tool would pass through all that nicely and easily. The rest was quite thick and sturdy. There now appears to be a uniform thickness to the interior walls of the cowl where the eyestalk will eventually protrude.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipEmZ6SbCbKwQz9AzetRoVxsiFgNO8v_MuUDiu4zFY55OZNjpjeO2QAA4KWrK1bpzN99fDBqU6HXCwTAJUayu_0I3j1ILctmsbpvMTCX0X4_tIiUMU1OzLuFIJsyOlHAwEm1oYR7UlgtU/s1600/03+sanded+cowl.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipEmZ6SbCbKwQz9AzetRoVxsiFgNO8v_MuUDiu4zFY55OZNjpjeO2QAA4KWrK1bpzN99fDBqU6HXCwTAJUayu_0I3j1ILctmsbpvMTCX0X4_tIiUMU1OzLuFIJsyOlHAwEm1oYR7UlgtU/s1600/03+sanded+cowl.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a>I was completely covered in fiberglass and gel-coat dust by this point, so I also spent some time sanding the underside edges of the cowl so that it would lay as flat as possible on the dome. Once done, I carefully aligned the position of the cowl on the dome and used my calipers to make sure the top was centered and that the right and left sides were evenly spaced from the front dome insets. I used the calipers once more to determine a nice, secure, symmetrical place in which to place the four bolt holes so that the wouldn't be too near the edges (to prevent accidental cracking).<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUSFXzlf7fhk1OsZU_sdfOXNsG4gwA1_CZNDpacPYFr32lvOF9_r3-_9syNDt9oIxzLW2RMQvtGr3NitGSeDROORm4mIrbS_g5oWzc3IdYeO2eqDY9UWzM8wF8vxYf-20N_hTOEjKgLgs/s1600/04+cowl+air+bubbles.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUSFXzlf7fhk1OsZU_sdfOXNsG4gwA1_CZNDpacPYFr32lvOF9_r3-_9syNDt9oIxzLW2RMQvtGr3NitGSeDROORm4mIrbS_g5oWzc3IdYeO2eqDY9UWzM8wF8vxYf-20N_hTOEjKgLgs/s1600/04+cowl+air+bubbles.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a>I used a 1/4" forstner bit in my hand drill to make the holes in the cowl first. Then, holding it in place on the dome, made the first hole I've drilled into the cowl. I was a nervous wreck (never having marred the dome before now), yet I managed to drill a corresponding hole into the dome. I pushed one of my 1/4-28 steel button head screws through both the cowl and the dome, and made a pivot by which I could align the other three in place. Before long, all four bolts were in place.<br />
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There were a couple of air bubbles on the cowl that revealed themselves during the sanding process, so I just need to do a bit of Bondo work to clean up the rest of it, and also to smooth out the front a bit more. Then it will be ready for its eventual paint job.<br />
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(I also made plunger number 7.)SeattleDalekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01298625265184256865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7417376516466895022.post-28232618414757180382014-12-30T22:28:00.002-08:002014-12-30T22:29:48.365-08:00Day 104 and 105 - Recasting the plungers and making cowl 2.0<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWXIdu7B5R_-aXuYzuWnJrLOD2fgJPK0HfhWi63ICmpVPN2mxBHxq3-6Zqk9ytofRf9Od2B9im_XEAH79ZkwfyBDJVzw5QdLoeVeFtC3jr_gdPestFH0F1GOKed7pWKjUI2a0zlIqdAwk/s1600/02+a70+plunger+top.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWXIdu7B5R_-aXuYzuWnJrLOD2fgJPK0HfhWi63ICmpVPN2mxBHxq3-6Zqk9ytofRf9Od2B9im_XEAH79ZkwfyBDJVzw5QdLoeVeFtC3jr_gdPestFH0F1GOKed7pWKjUI2a0zlIqdAwk/s1600/02+a70+plunger+top.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a>I got my Polytek A70 rubber in the mail, and set to work on recasting the plunger. This stuff is so much different than the A30! It's still a two-parts-in-equal-measure substance, but the pour time is only five minutes (as opposed to 30), and the demolding time is only an hour (instead of 18 hours)!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp9yb5YqWrAINKw2HL70Wynq038fdNoSjdIolfzuJNfIV0Ql69cIPAMz_4rF0-Ve3z4-TUkKtgYXzFHpYJzC9laXhJNSYdRyj2eRi8Q8YXafeSbpJ4Paca-g9Ckzb9jdRYSrNdv1VZwtc/s1600/04+a70+plunger+squeezed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp9yb5YqWrAINKw2HL70Wynq038fdNoSjdIolfzuJNfIV0Ql69cIPAMz_4rF0-Ve3z4-TUkKtgYXzFHpYJzC9laXhJNSYdRyj2eRi8Q8YXafeSbpJ4Paca-g9Ckzb9jdRYSrNdv1VZwtc/s1600/04+a70+plunger+squeezed.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a>Once the first one had been released from the mold, I turned around and made five more that day. I've got six plungers in all, and a whole lot more of the stuff left! I'm debating on using it all, and that would net me about—at rough guess—18 plungers or so, since <br />
I've only gone through about a third of the two bottles.<br />
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(I've since discovered that two of them have one small air bubble each in the cup portion, but they're hardly noticeable, and I will probably just cover them with a few permanent marker penstrokes.)<br />
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In the meantime, the A30 plunger has all but fallen completely apart. Poor thing.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR1RULBa-ivDBAASiJFraroxiFEtcAGGiSaFxn3qdPUBmxjDU6w4s0jZPESzKhVa3C77sFHWP_H4-AMrQv03GSzs6G4vc871yLsPO0el1gdp3TuPYTj2UdvUdf3-MH7re2QG2N9XIhxGE/s1600/05+inner+cowl+fiberglass+pieces.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR1RULBa-ivDBAASiJFraroxiFEtcAGGiSaFxn3qdPUBmxjDU6w4s0jZPESzKhVa3C77sFHWP_H4-AMrQv03GSzs6G4vc871yLsPO0el1gdp3TuPYTj2UdvUdf3-MH7re2QG2N9XIhxGE/s1600/05+inner+cowl+fiberglass+pieces.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a><br />
Then I set to work on my second attempt at the dome cowl. I had again pre-cut my fiberglass pieces for the first layer (to make sure all the angles were shape to mitigate air bubbles), and then planned on using surfacing veil for the second layer, and thicker ripped-up chop mat for the third and potential fourth layer.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx-NVzLuwO08ulna1LWs5EHCnAqi5IqZb2nnfzv0DYXpWcLH_WG2xEfBSLNM5L-uQjZKHgVSquCqM9QwqKAOMEyHsq9k-lo5levtnRFyq_vaMCYr8eadxFB3o1W1OSNj-t5Y20k8UjLwk/s1600/06+prepped+cowl+mold.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx-NVzLuwO08ulna1LWs5EHCnAqi5IqZb2nnfzv0DYXpWcLH_WG2xEfBSLNM5L-uQjZKHgVSquCqM9QwqKAOMEyHsq9k-lo5levtnRFyq_vaMCYr8eadxFB3o1W1OSNj-t5Y20k8UjLwk/s1600/06+prepped+cowl+mold.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a>I got out the dome cowl mold and washed it. Having neglected to add the name tag indentation on my first attempt with the cowl, I corrected that this time. I took an old plastic convention entry badge (PAX, for those who are curious), cut two 7.5cm x 3cm rectangles out of it, and cementing them together with carpet adhesive, clamped for a nice amount of time. Then, I sprayed a lesser-grade adhesive (the one I used for the rubber dome inserts) onto one side, let that get tacky, and clamped it onto the cowl mold for about an hour.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjakyeZI2Tdm-lubc0nJmQnyUERaOY8nfswVMK6lQwURbpXaXDu0XTX2F19fvRMc1v4a61YpULnofLMFEATMXGNrUa2A1hJ_wBxFSHr2iwnOuCgPOLAJ0dUtxvReMQeLz1UJfYg2jGhoEY/s1600/07+gel-coated+cowl+mold.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjakyeZI2Tdm-lubc0nJmQnyUERaOY8nfswVMK6lQwURbpXaXDu0XTX2F19fvRMc1v4a61YpULnofLMFEATMXGNrUa2A1hJ_wBxFSHr2iwnOuCgPOLAJ0dUtxvReMQeLz1UJfYg2jGhoEY/s1600/07+gel-coated+cowl+mold.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a>I coated the mold with a sponged-on layer of PVA (left to dry), and then a few passes of silicone release agent spray. No wax this time. My leftover can of gel-coat had set in its tin since the time I had last cast a cowl, so I needed to go get another one, grumble, mutter.<br />
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With the fresh tin in hand, I stirred it all up so that it wasn't all settled and separated. Then I poured myself five ounces or so in a separate pot, added the catalyst, and stirred, stirred, stirred. I sponged all that on (with about an ounce left over), and let it sit for two hours with the heater on in the garage.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkCb4vYCuc84hxiCkIpsrwDAErJoAPZWfp1tH1jHPzsbvr1bln9zEb7ujt-RzpRLvR_jFnw6Jw6cvR7QnWUx8F4vgAXDGqkEYf-Kxcqzd85nwbLnPL6QklFbydg0Ol4HjkYxT2yyeA2zg/s1600/08+first+cowl+layer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkCb4vYCuc84hxiCkIpsrwDAErJoAPZWfp1tH1jHPzsbvr1bln9zEb7ujt-RzpRLvR_jFnw6Jw6cvR7QnWUx8F4vgAXDGqkEYf-Kxcqzd85nwbLnPL6QklFbydg0Ol4HjkYxT2yyeA2zg/s1600/08+first+cowl+layer.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a>Once it was mostly dry, I placed the pre-cut pieces into position and mixed up about four ounces of resin. Once those pieces were in place, I added a layer of surfacing veil glass over the top, ensuring that I had taken care of any visible air bubbles. I took about an hour break, and then tackled the next layers of chop mat, mixing up six more ounces of resin for that.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXAx7ffsdYtRq1hYp7qU-E8wghMyt0GjR9L5-P-SuxEu7MeaVYt4W6VYpO8W4JfqFU35p3lNvEHYJNTisl2P1BOdXZK6rMUNv1nOAY3qwfB4LRsxFk0-UCWp1RP7qTiRhba-lH_lNPZyw/s1600/09+second+cowl+layer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXAx7ffsdYtRq1hYp7qU-E8wghMyt0GjR9L5-P-SuxEu7MeaVYt4W6VYpO8W4JfqFU35p3lNvEHYJNTisl2P1BOdXZK6rMUNv1nOAY3qwfB4LRsxFk0-UCWp1RP7qTiRhba-lH_lNPZyw/s1600/09+second+cowl+layer.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a>All in all, I think this one will turn out much better than the first. I'm still going to need to do a lot of repair work on it to smooth it all out due to the rough, ripply texture of the mold, but hey, that's what Bondo and sandpaper are for.<br />
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I'll get this Dalek done if it kills me! (Or rather, unless it kills me!)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4RxiuLszElNoexVeGYAvpm9JaI521QYqzaiJovC_vPYsMJiOOJ90fJ8PI1jWXtFQarG91VKyQKMOy0YRGKe1hF9RlEY5So0Z_z6DsMU9Yn87R_b_I2iqu29W_m1MNWwYLPDB9tsGvqMM/s1600/10+charlie+plungered.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4RxiuLszElNoexVeGYAvpm9JaI521QYqzaiJovC_vPYsMJiOOJ90fJ8PI1jWXtFQarG91VKyQKMOy0YRGKe1hF9RlEY5So0Z_z6DsMU9Yn87R_b_I2iqu29W_m1MNWwYLPDB9tsGvqMM/s1600/10+charlie+plungered.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a>SeattleDalekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01298625265184256865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7417376516466895022.post-78044667972723324032014-12-15T10:39:00.003-08:002014-12-15T10:39:51.685-08:00Day 101 through 103: Floppy plunger time!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZOtDMppPYq7K6l8B6PwZIEORZ4N9cekplDW_rTCgRQ-u_NCAZz5YbGwEYefkYH_MgYag6x8oxUoRvAcJjfLpjVxahEgPB-sSYth97hq7WYTg6G2YEtNg1gSP0TSFnXnEhEW5kwUC8X38/s1600/02+lego+mold+box+top.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZOtDMppPYq7K6l8B6PwZIEORZ4N9cekplDW_rTCgRQ-u_NCAZz5YbGwEYefkYH_MgYag6x8oxUoRvAcJjfLpjVxahEgPB-sSYth97hq7WYTg6G2YEtNg1gSP0TSFnXnEhEW5kwUC8X38/s1600/02+lego+mold+box+top.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a>This will hopefully be an informative yet amusing post. So, where did we leave off? Oh yes, I had made a plunger master mold out of ABS plastic and PVC pipe. Let's show the kiddies what I did with it!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxoMtge9FjdABcydKnQxcQ83CjkNzWP3NLp9tcLPAGlmxxkPGSQoCPFcYYylui7PyGUjcBYbYNVoA3tjTNaYgP6qVay2Gk8GpUED7DKO3K2cIBvZBD5IQvn9ToxU0iq3SinM9pXpShsDo/s1600/03+lego+mold+box+bottom.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxoMtge9FjdABcydKnQxcQ83CjkNzWP3NLp9tcLPAGlmxxkPGSQoCPFcYYylui7PyGUjcBYbYNVoA3tjTNaYgP6qVay2Gk8GpUED7DKO3K2cIBvZBD5IQvn9ToxU0iq3SinM9pXpShsDo/s1600/03+lego+mold+box+bottom.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a>I was very inspired by <b>chrisosborne</b>'s post about making a two-part silicone mold for the plunger, but I didn't want to build a mold box out of acrylic sheets. I looked around on the web for alternatives, and after perusing a few YouTube videos on the subject, I decided to build one out of Lego bricks.<br />
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Keeping this mold exactly centered was very important to me, as I wanted the final rubber plunger to have a uniform wall thickness (the thinnest part of the plunger only being 1/8" thick). The main advantage of having a Lego mold box, according to my thinking, was that all the Lego studs would keep everything very much in center. I used a forstner bit to drill a hole in one of my sacrificial Lego bricks (*gasp!*) to center the PVC portion of the plunger.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdaZupqZxdKb7fYV0AAJ1sUWGzaV4Y1ibNiV0rmZrxFaYbIGiZ2HM5RxvXiQiiRuDj2714nkHkXuVDMzUrW7OiQd1yg5sVIiicaRUxEux7FOU_Z2doQ8O4fcx-JysuiGnYpMcPnHLTUxs/s1600/01+filling+plunger+with+putty.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdaZupqZxdKb7fYV0AAJ1sUWGzaV4Y1ibNiV0rmZrxFaYbIGiZ2HM5RxvXiQiiRuDj2714nkHkXuVDMzUrW7OiQd1yg5sVIiicaRUxEux7FOU_Z2doQ8O4fcx-JysuiGnYpMcPnHLTUxs/s1600/01+filling+plunger+with+putty.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a><br />
For the bottom of the mold box, I made an extra reservoir space with a grilled floor. This would force the cured bottom mold to be perfectly in place and not move around, again ensuring the centering of the final piece.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxvDnI7DYz09IysfGf2fRPjBnNSkEPah4p9GUbTQd4tsI7IVvJ3yifAEzp7RThhkX5uuHSCH71CO5WSyq7v0yR2xIwkrGWycwq9Clx3q6drB2dM6GAnR2lR8aODe1EuPtS0awTkMDxD8M/s1600/04+silicone+mold+system.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxvDnI7DYz09IysfGf2fRPjBnNSkEPah4p9GUbTQd4tsI7IVvJ3yifAEzp7RThhkX5uuHSCH71CO5WSyq7v0yR2xIwkrGWycwq9Clx3q6drB2dM6GAnR2lR8aODe1EuPtS0awTkMDxD8M/s1600/04+silicone+mold+system.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a>To keep the plunger master mold in place, and to prevent silicone from seeping into the inner cup, I filled the plunger bowl with plasticine putty. When I placed the master mold back into the mold box and centered it, it stayed put.<br />
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(Not pictured is the event known as the "cup overfloweth", where I lost about $75 worth of leaked silicone when I tried to mold the bottom part first without making sure things were sealed. Lego like to come apart when weight is placed on them. Who knew?)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAUgQdm3va_dTrLNuRJuhIaGhcOuZYMdVWADK2IvwGNb-aGUCQ7J2TZXwUK1HFzo_XLnUuhhyphenhyphenkhgLSfYcCdKMv5zP4iHWBpDe0fr5kiDT5UeFTa4K8f3xNeMdLBpk24ZdLsf3s3ldUMfo/s1600/05+mold+top+poured.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAUgQdm3va_dTrLNuRJuhIaGhcOuZYMdVWADK2IvwGNb-aGUCQ7J2TZXwUK1HFzo_XLnUuhhyphenhyphenkhgLSfYcCdKMv5zP4iHWBpDe0fr5kiDT5UeFTa4K8f3xNeMdLBpk24ZdLsf3s3ldUMfo/s1600/05+mold+top+poured.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a>Next up was to mix up a batch of the silicone (I used something called a Squirrel mixer, which caused me no end of amusement, ah, the visuals) and whipped up a bunch of blue goop in no time. It has a nice 30-minute pour time, too. I placed the mold box on the floor, and from about three feet up, I poured the silicone in a very thin bead to reduce air bubbles. After a few long minutes, I was done and the mold was filled. Now I just had to let it set for 24 hours.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPXqoDZErj50SkjCobXwRyA15V2SxAvkMMeTCsuhdgyfYUyGl-m07z8SmZy6JPfA1JELoU0OY5iUqocOB1RwQGLOMcBbpMnLiBXvtshyphenhyphenAuRW9I1c2T8lYNu-h1hRBiwkFK7z7Y0lOf0y4/s1600/07+top+and+bottom+demolded.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPXqoDZErj50SkjCobXwRyA15V2SxAvkMMeTCsuhdgyfYUyGl-m07z8SmZy6JPfA1JELoU0OY5iUqocOB1RwQGLOMcBbpMnLiBXvtshyphenhyphenAuRW9I1c2T8lYNu-h1hRBiwkFK7z7Y0lOf0y4/s1600/07+top+and+bottom+demolded.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a>A day later, I checked on the mold and the silicone was nice and firm. I took the bottom part off and cleaned out all the putty, wiping off any remaining smudges of it with paper towels and a microfiber cloth. I placed the bottom of the mold box back on, prepare more liquid silicone, and fill in the bottom part of the mold. And then wait another 24 hours.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi14qUjyw8A2ZCaqHlhpNOj_jNVmkTwhZBtIzBwdNLTTU66fVrTldiwjnUD-zSH1BBT3BIfL2yjCNa6bp8YM9jRcS7hdq0yV2OGHSFiB2yKCXKAm9YkNiNnhTzZ2pGAULr1x9Kw8TQd2hU/s1600/10+jig+for+centering+plunger+bolt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi14qUjyw8A2ZCaqHlhpNOj_jNVmkTwhZBtIzBwdNLTTU66fVrTldiwjnUD-zSH1BBT3BIfL2yjCNa6bp8YM9jRcS7hdq0yV2OGHSFiB2yKCXKAm9YkNiNnhTzZ2pGAULr1x9Kw8TQd2hU/s1600/10+jig+for+centering+plunger+bolt.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a>When the other half of the mold was ready, I removed the whole lego enclosure and looked at my handiwork. I had two wonderful halves of the plunger mold, complete with alignment keys and perfectly centered. The man at TAP Plastics told me that nothing sticks to silicone like more silicone, so I used some release wax and an oil-based agent (called Pam cooking spray) on the mold interior. I was thrilled to mix up a batch of black rubber and get to work!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTvzSaA6jTSDEdrCRb3IovJB6SwQ66VXIXevMgnPKsnslf8Ymc2sI7MUHtDYTZo_z2BoCZDGO9n9ZdXdU3N2wp2sb76yo1LJMfv0NBBhGWXlQ-4BzrogiS2yueWp82sKWMAlIX9Jqefr4/s1600/09+jig+for+centering+plunger+bolt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTvzSaA6jTSDEdrCRb3IovJB6SwQ66VXIXevMgnPKsnslf8Ymc2sI7MUHtDYTZo_z2BoCZDGO9n9ZdXdU3N2wp2sb76yo1LJMfv0NBBhGWXlQ-4BzrogiS2yueWp82sKWMAlIX9Jqefr4/s1600/09+jig+for+centering+plunger+bolt.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a>I modified the Lego box a bit by only using a few rows of bricks around where the two mold pieces meet, to prevent leakage. In the center of each side, I built pillars all the way to the top of the mold to lay a jig, which would be used to suspend and center a bolt within the plunger stem. This would then screw in the plunger to its arm bushing. I destroyed another sacrificial lego by drilling a centered 1/4" hole for the bolt. I then mixed up some of the two-part rubber and added the black pigment to it (note that it says "shore A-30" on the bottles, this will be important). This mixed very thinly, so I needed to slap a bit of the plasticine clay onto the Lego to prevent leakage.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmRXc3949AQMsEh0fzTuhiojqrsJLEhOwS1eSPr_y3i-RllI4O9N6LG-7LK2uKMdS2c5oXAJnfK3sAaqtgpCV2iOlMxBggJtORIMadH5PFp6t7-G-LHlZPvVUOnzCOKXpeaIEQxwW4K9Y/s1600/11+jig+for+centering+plunger+bolt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmRXc3949AQMsEh0fzTuhiojqrsJLEhOwS1eSPr_y3i-RllI4O9N6LG-7LK2uKMdS2c5oXAJnfK3sAaqtgpCV2iOlMxBggJtORIMadH5PFp6t7-G-LHlZPvVUOnzCOKXpeaIEQxwW4K9Y/s1600/11+jig+for+centering+plunger+bolt.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a>After about 18 hours or so, it was time to demold the plunger. I was very excited! The bottom mold popped off easily enough, and before too long I managed to get the top part off, too! And then I held my plunger to the light, and it ... started ... to ... droop. And there were weird and bumps on its surface. The drooping, I later found, was due to the shore number (remember A-30?). A-30 is softer than a pencil eraser (which is A-40). A-70 is about the strength of a car tire. A-85 is a wheel on an inline skate. TAP Plastics doesn't carry anything beyond A-30, since they're selling mold-making materials.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ5886sGIMZCKzsHygzMOtZh4_YC_WXDdy4gz-N8o28i1tzexFZE3eEpXMXzegVh0tX26Zq1HaaKdT-nf-E_t0ZTwphezReA1XxyP3G1Wk4h0590nEuhBuWZcfYLXLNpfyQ7fvPGUjfmQ/s1600/13+demolded+plunger+top.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ5886sGIMZCKzsHygzMOtZh4_YC_WXDdy4gz-N8o28i1tzexFZE3eEpXMXzegVh0tX26Zq1HaaKdT-nf-E_t0ZTwphezReA1XxyP3G1Wk4h0590nEuhBuWZcfYLXLNpfyQ7fvPGUjfmQ/s1600/13+demolded+plunger+top.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a>So, again, I referred to <b>chrisosborne</b>'s post, and saw that he ordered A-70 rubber, which I promptly <a href="http://www.polytek.com/products/liquid-castable-rubbers/poly-pt-series/poly-pt-flex-70/" target="_blank">went online and ordered</a>, too, from the very same store! It hasn't come in yet, but when it does, you'll be the first to know how it goes! (Well, after me, obviously.)<br />
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As far as the pits and blemishes, I can only assume that the TAP Plastics guy was wrong about the vegetable oil. I think it reacted to the liquid rubber and made things kinda weird, chemically. The plunger is still a bit tacky (bits of rubber fall off when a finger rubs it) even after several days, now. <b>ChristmasDalek</b> expressed a potential interest in it, but I'm not sure its ability to survive in our harsh world.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbErrDL4WCe15XHMSp3ql9ldtmsHk9cx95G1wnPwhyZhVpNWEM5rrhDbBDSWxRalfbqy2GFVBuugU9J6LZ5iGN9YzZBjiEtGyxef-wJK4qUV-atlo-Nh8kbocRn3Tg36nEH7CGgAJMhYY/s1600/15+flaccid+plunger.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbErrDL4WCe15XHMSp3ql9ldtmsHk9cx95G1wnPwhyZhVpNWEM5rrhDbBDSWxRalfbqy2GFVBuugU9J6LZ5iGN9YzZBjiEtGyxef-wJK4qUV-atlo-Nh8kbocRn3Tg36nEH7CGgAJMhYY/s1600/15+flaccid+plunger.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />SeattleDalekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01298625265184256865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7417376516466895022.post-40722461301224857212014-12-04T11:53:00.002-08:002014-12-04T14:51:47.567-08:00Day 100 - Eyestalk pivot and plunder plug assemblyAlthough I've been working on Rainier since July of 2013, this marks day 100 of active work on him! So, I wanted to post something iconic: the completed eyestalk and the plunger!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqUoy9YDHt_fPpwY_drWzoI8lHejMQCQPne6X0GGXsHqvYucIRMMV5oCDPXaQSUwzBRpms7GjVpnjILl5p492KIBA7W1LFQ0xA69t0k1sxJIq6FOxxyIC00GAV8BQutEpIiDOGLv0d3jU/s1600/02+cutting+eyestalk+pivot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqUoy9YDHt_fPpwY_drWzoI8lHejMQCQPne6X0GGXsHqvYucIRMMV5oCDPXaQSUwzBRpms7GjVpnjILl5p492KIBA7W1LFQ0xA69t0k1sxJIq6FOxxyIC00GAV8BQutEpIiDOGLv0d3jU/s1600/02+cutting+eyestalk+pivot.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a>My previous attempt at making the eyestalk pivot wasn't too successful, as I had neglected to make sure that the circular pieces of MDF and HDF were all lined up perfectly when I glued them together. I found, after sanding them, that there was a slight angular tilt instead of a perfect cylindrical piece. Because of this unevenness (and the fact that it was already cut in a circular shape), it was very difficult to drill a shallow hole where the eyestalk tube would be inset.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYI488Mrgzwm1ZXj9TKXudI6a3zlKqHE0WKAscD7Q6lQ1VEmH4Ox9XZ4AQ8NB1EDRIpWLwIe-omWuC7z3H7uTgZXZJi3cCWrDpRerjlg7Y9i5_5W6eaL6NWH2sDcGXKEG6fB1MSsLR43E/s1600/03+cut+eyestalk+mdf+pivot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYI488Mrgzwm1ZXj9TKXudI6a3zlKqHE0WKAscD7Q6lQ1VEmH4Ox9XZ4AQ8NB1EDRIpWLwIe-omWuC7z3H7uTgZXZJi3cCWrDpRerjlg7Y9i5_5W6eaL6NWH2sDcGXKEG6fB1MSsLR43E/s1600/03+cut+eyestalk+mdf+pivot.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a>I mulled over in my mind how else I wanted to approach this. What I decided to do was to take larger rectangular pieces of MDF and HDF—cut to the same size and squared on the table saw—and glue those together as before. Once the glue had set, I marked off the square I wanted to work with, found center, and drilled the shallow where the eyestalk rod would be inset. I also took the opportunity to drill the centered 3/8" hole for the lamp rod to pass through. Then I took the 4" circular saw blade to it, and cut out the circle.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfJDiwURiMrlfgeCTw3k3ehzbUTZhlBr9tZilHYvZDMCxIaW5lcUkSgyhjOFXX9cSI-TDjbXJBWXYgkrH7tjDbtYIzfTfZ2Y6rhC437Ad-3Sd-Dy_KL21xwsnUXCtjQN4TLyl3-zlW0SQ/s1600/06+abs-clad+eyestalk+pivot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfJDiwURiMrlfgeCTw3k3ehzbUTZhlBr9tZilHYvZDMCxIaW5lcUkSgyhjOFXX9cSI-TDjbXJBWXYgkrH7tjDbtYIzfTfZ2Y6rhC437Ad-3Sd-Dy_KL21xwsnUXCtjQN4TLyl3-zlW0SQ/s1600/06+abs-clad+eyestalk+pivot.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a>To solve the issue of how the lamp rod and axle rod would meet, I decided I would use my leftover 1" aluminum tubing for the axle. Using the same 1" forstner bit, I drilled a hole all the way through the center of the pivot on its side, then test-fitted the tubing. When I get ready to fit the lamp rod, I will simply use the eyestalk pivot itself as a jig to drill the 3/8" holes through the aluminum tube.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinUc_aIjogeYQJlGkB3dBYylIcj8nRhHqlkOfDacQKJS1AZ5jbShUGSgDbEjE6iHbvDEjo-GUMQtasUqNvWE9Ogpetaqv6MhJU1K2lNpcuU-CBAZSnM3fyW89sMfb5p28QCRiU6leda8Q/s1600/07+adding+pivot+strips.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinUc_aIjogeYQJlGkB3dBYylIcj8nRhHqlkOfDacQKJS1AZ5jbShUGSgDbEjE6iHbvDEjo-GUMQtasUqNvWE9Ogpetaqv6MhJU1K2lNpcuU-CBAZSnM3fyW89sMfb5p28QCRiU6leda8Q/s1600/07+adding+pivot+strips.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a>The outside diameter of the saw is 4", which means that the resulting piece is shy of that by about an 1/8". Using some of the 4" Plastruct ABS tube I bought for the eyeball, I measured and sliced off a section and clamped it on with a two-part epoxy glue. Once that had set, I carefully drilled (starting small and working my way up with larger and larger bits) the eyestalk tube hole.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia7_jrSou9B5SLiX3SIF8wn-FPAwUemkKw9_VsUz-2HXPjeOCONzYplcuA0wM3ejjik2CL7ol7fOzhG8ZIAeDoPY_fV0ixCoYIfRfNO2Qbfy8btTotSo1Lc425wv5dSazEBAK8-0_HHSU/s1600/10+eyestalk+with+new+pivot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia7_jrSou9B5SLiX3SIF8wn-FPAwUemkKw9_VsUz-2HXPjeOCONzYplcuA0wM3ejjik2CL7ol7fOzhG8ZIAeDoPY_fV0ixCoYIfRfNO2Qbfy8btTotSo1Lc425wv5dSazEBAK8-0_HHSU/s1600/10+eyestalk+with+new+pivot.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a>A nice advantage of having the ABS plastic on the outside was that I could now adhere the pivot strips. I took a tip from <b>Jon Place</b>'s build diary and used zip ties. I couldn't find ones that were flat; the only ones I could find had a texture on them, but I actually quite like it. It compliments the more industrial look of the NSD-type daleks in my opinion. One problem with the plastic these ties were made from, however: it basically ignores my acrylic cement. So, what I used instead was simple super glue. To space the strips evenly, I used a blade from my jigsaw. Afterward, just for kicks, I ran a bead of acrylic cement along each space, let that set for a bit, and then took an X-acto knife to trim off the excess.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7yYbgzzYRGPJWgmRgyLnO4HdxrGC7jBblwaZS4ck671Ie7nPOx4IBkT-TtZa2MsqP0quAo_o9qfrTGC7J9q6SiJ3OlkEk8SquI_NgM6z-is4-JMtISu4ryTc5nNP_Y4MA6NyOb4-IYfE/s1600/11+measuring+plunger+cuts.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7yYbgzzYRGPJWgmRgyLnO4HdxrGC7jBblwaZS4ck671Ie7nPOx4IBkT-TtZa2MsqP0quAo_o9qfrTGC7J9q6SiJ3OlkEk8SquI_NgM6z-is4-JMtISu4ryTc5nNP_Y4MA6NyOb4-IYfE/s1600/11+measuring+plunger+cuts.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a>I carefully trimmed the zip ties along the inset hole and test-fitted the eyestalk tubing. It was a very nice fit, so I assembled the eyestalk with the new pivot, and am very pleased with the result. It is now set aside for eventual sanding and painting, not to mention the electronics.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg66hqIZQZWgGA0hfd1MnlekVpDbjZq4f0vs7pHpfyKoAS6TfjBKwYGzJy44x3dP7azT_nwt_3C-7_mG0sSoCy-hwg9xltH7s8tmcWtqkFKLbTy1w0w1XOg07mWl8LlLAkK0TD0Q7SmH_s/s1600/13+sanding+plunger+rim.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg66hqIZQZWgGA0hfd1MnlekVpDbjZq4f0vs7pHpfyKoAS6TfjBKwYGzJy44x3dP7azT_nwt_3C-7_mG0sSoCy-hwg9xltH7s8tmcWtqkFKLbTy1w0w1XOg07mWl8LlLAkK0TD0Q7SmH_s/s1600/13+sanding+plunger+rim.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a>Moving onto the plunger, I followed <b>lochsloy</b>'s method of measuring out and cutting the inner and outer Plastruct cup parts. For removing these sections, I used my Dremel tool for the major work and some 80-grit sandpaper for fine-tuning. I switched to finer and finer grits to polish it off.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJG12ZpSVLsKFb74IrlZjJirqrtNFJb8C7EkSu4CBMfNGnFlUdkZKAVHbGJdKu3LhOAX-H9jX_A2bcxFAu0cd1ONoNhIcR2pIafcuLfYpsTg7wy-DO4fBjPcZrOVu8GWFvdvfEXGfc3G8/s1600/16+plunger+exterior.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJG12ZpSVLsKFb74IrlZjJirqrtNFJb8C7EkSu4CBMfNGnFlUdkZKAVHbGJdKu3LhOAX-H9jX_A2bcxFAu0cd1ONoNhIcR2pIafcuLfYpsTg7wy-DO4fBjPcZrOVu8GWFvdvfEXGfc3G8/s1600/16+plunger+exterior.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a>The part of the plunger that had me confused the most was the outer flare. In <b>lochsloy</b>'s diary, he leaves the part as-is, only sawing away the hole for attaching it to the plunger. In screenshots and prop photos that I've seen, the outer flare seems to be trimmed quite a bit. My decision was to leave it as-is, and when I cast the eventual rubber plungers, either trim it down with an X-acto knife or just leave it alone. What I did have to do, however, was cut back the four outer ribs by about an 1/8" so that I could attach the flared rim to the outer bottom part of the middle plunger cup.<br />
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Attaching everything together was done by using the same acrylic cement I used for assembling the light cages. I didn't need to use melted ABS glue as I did for the eyeball, since this is intended to just be a plug for an eventual silicon mold. I also took some two-part epoxy glue and attached a measured length of 3/4" PVC pipe for the stem. This will then fit in nicely with my 1" tubing I will be making the "hard" back section of the plunger out of.<br />
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And there we have it! Next up: making the silicon mold of the plunger!SeattleDalekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01298625265184256865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7417376516466895022.post-36470696412534044982014-11-16T18:55:00.000-08:002014-11-16T18:55:00.398-08:00Day 99 - Neck bin mesh<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeeu3q5QZdZwTzgOR8OwqapMZJ6lHS-knNNhsHnXvG03bSBkTPHNPBduXVqnug9aE-FpyL0ahlr_MIv-WVF6wzFQmXFmxb-lRzGk6vDS0nRWGSaZF5QWf-yYOYhbgsAHi18spA-ihK-FI/s1600/01+neck+mesh+template.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeeu3q5QZdZwTzgOR8OwqapMZJ6lHS-knNNhsHnXvG03bSBkTPHNPBduXVqnug9aE-FpyL0ahlr_MIv-WVF6wzFQmXFmxb-lRzGk6vDS0nRWGSaZF5QWf-yYOYhbgsAHi18spA-ihK-FI/s1600/01+neck+mesh+template.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a></div>
The cold weather is preventing me from working on dome cowl 2.0, so I decided to return to work on Rainier by crafting the mesh segments for the neck section. This was very exciting for me, as I've had the material components for this for quite some time, just sitting in their boxes.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTsarlr7LTGFtKCbX1h7a7CMUJq0Gcpvf1jh3gdJSN0xZ4FlKcVsOfwGzaxfg9pbG5IK4rxf5Cs3RCcLqvvvy0gfaurF42x-HNDckUdOTEgkbMy54Dojk3mg8uJzd-GnIB9mxrJPL1uCI/s1600/03+aluminum+mesh+sections.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTsarlr7LTGFtKCbX1h7a7CMUJq0Gcpvf1jh3gdJSN0xZ4FlKcVsOfwGzaxfg9pbG5IK4rxf5Cs3RCcLqvvvy0gfaurF42x-HNDckUdOTEgkbMy54Dojk3mg8uJzd-GnIB9mxrJPL1uCI/s1600/03+aluminum+mesh+sections.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a>First thing first, I needed a template to account for the curvature of the interior of the neck section. Taking some leftover scrap cardstock from when I measured out the shoulder section cladding, I placed it inside the neck and traced out and cut a few quick lines. I checked this single template on each of the eight interior sections of the neck, just to make sure the measurements were accurate all the way round, in case the neck was a little lopsided.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr7cRL6NYUpxPGcKi26DOkSKiJMlolOEl1oIuscoBmEiSCDK3Q6KP4EpqTCF_N5UKl2I1wT7wf_a8jx4k4COAZAJfiuXNV_bOdt6dzBcAC-g_xwDy9KiwWFi6F9E9Vu2GObmGXazH3CqA/s1600/04+ironed+black+voile.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr7cRL6NYUpxPGcKi26DOkSKiJMlolOEl1oIuscoBmEiSCDK3Q6KP4EpqTCF_N5UKl2I1wT7wf_a8jx4k4COAZAJfiuXNV_bOdt6dzBcAC-g_xwDy9KiwWFi6F9E9Vu2GObmGXazH3CqA/s1600/04+ironed+black+voile.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a>The template was a good fit for each section, so I used it to trace an outline on the eight aluminum BBQ grills I had stored away. I took my Dremel tool and carefully cut out each of the aluminum sections with a metal cutting blade. The speed of the blade coupled with the delicate nature of the grills meant that a few of the aluminum "tines" were a little bent, so I took some pliers and straightened them back into their "V" positions.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3bIRBFoLI3GTHpYvTo58MbCupX7PEJhTd36QMw_MtXNausklmelUVwHLXndv3Ku77u7-swVcd-Fsf2Tg6GFJvEPpTrSsXnKWXZlNZuw_Lt_-s3CRFYqxwGIeYINd9d3uxFkJsPfcERxU/s1600/06+adhesive+webbing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3bIRBFoLI3GTHpYvTo58MbCupX7PEJhTd36QMw_MtXNausklmelUVwHLXndv3Ku77u7-swVcd-Fsf2Tg6GFJvEPpTrSsXnKWXZlNZuw_Lt_-s3CRFYqxwGIeYINd9d3uxFkJsPfcERxU/s1600/06+adhesive+webbing.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a>Taking the black voile cloth out of its box, I cut out several oversized square pieces with scissors. The cloth was a bit wrinkly from being stored away for so long, so I stacked the squares on top of each other, placed them between two towels, and ironed them out. (I didn't place the iron on them directly, as they are polyester and I didn't want the iron to burn them.)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS_jz-HeKFfV1P9uTtypnTSyx5zYV11CzlacO3lcxS-q0sUQkQuKrraZjchgeeipUMAhHFXQ_8Wjfn1pt3xM4KVQkcRolmidu9n9CYDSsVBoD-d3g902ZVH8kFA4gth7dbJFPU1VC_Fro/s1600/08+burned+voile+edges.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS_jz-HeKFfV1P9uTtypnTSyx5zYV11CzlacO3lcxS-q0sUQkQuKrraZjchgeeipUMAhHFXQ_8Wjfn1pt3xM4KVQkcRolmidu9n9CYDSsVBoD-d3g902ZVH8kFA4gth7dbJFPU1VC_Fro/s1600/08+burned+voile+edges.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a>At Lowe's, I found that Loctite made an aerosol carpet adhesive (stronger than the other adhesive I used for placing the rubber inserts into my dome mold), so I procured some and used it on the BBQ grills. The instructions on the tin said that for a stronger hold, spray one layer and let it sit for 2-5 minutes, and then spray another layer on top of that. I did just that, and then placed the black voile carefully onto each grill, gently smoothing it on with my hand. I took a large spare board and covered the freshly-sprayed sections, applying some hefty weight to them (a combination of myself and my electric wheelchair batteries, somewhere around 200 pounds). Then I played Bejeweled on my phone for 5 minutes.<br />
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After that, I took the board off. I noticed that, similar to <b>AdamSt</b>'s diary, the adhesive sprays in a spiderweb-like pattern, which would need to be cleaned up. Rubbing the grill with the abrasive side of a standard kitchen sponge did the trick on that front.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge41VMj2pYU1Kvoes1g3SinwcSLvvS2r9ZhBWbTvGpOX7K1Op1AR_iorCn1j3IElK6pnMVZ8ICCwMBYXcCbig_aQ6lzXw-hoFY-3T1JJrThngVvhHr7hBtOoVmPeG5lm36Th1OIyHrrn8/s1600/09+neck+bin+mesh+sections.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge41VMj2pYU1Kvoes1g3SinwcSLvvS2r9ZhBWbTvGpOX7K1Op1AR_iorCn1j3IElK6pnMVZ8ICCwMBYXcCbig_aQ6lzXw-hoFY-3T1JJrThngVvhHr7hBtOoVmPeG5lm36Th1OIyHrrn8/s1600/09+neck+bin+mesh+sections.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a>I then trimmed off all the excess voile with scissors, and for an extra measure, very carefully burned off any frayed bits with a cigarette lighter. All eight sections were finally complete! I also had my Heronrib nearby, still in its box, so I cut out eight sections of that for eventual trimming. I will trim them to shape once I'm ready to attach them to the neck section, which won't yet happen until it's sanded, primed, and painted.<br />
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Looking through the mesh, I finally have my first hint of what my obscured vision will be like inside Rainier!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPEd-AObjuofdz7LEZrfSzqVRubmjNHhwLceBAcFAs_rR7P-epucmg9U5P_NWSJTbGoQXt4stTCnYV-pyYOV7skX5bm-FUG_G22Pl4GMc1UsamZDJ5lLD2bkVD6FNpHQkssg3eRQFiEeM/s1600/10+mesh+stack+shot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPEd-AObjuofdz7LEZrfSzqVRubmjNHhwLceBAcFAs_rR7P-epucmg9U5P_NWSJTbGoQXt4stTCnYV-pyYOV7skX5bm-FUG_G22Pl4GMc1UsamZDJ5lLD2bkVD6FNpHQkssg3eRQFiEeM/s1600/10+mesh+stack+shot.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
SeattleDalekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01298625265184256865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7417376516466895022.post-56400548415254062262014-10-19T17:05:00.003-07:002014-10-19T17:05:50.277-07:00Day 98 - Eyestalk<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwgd-O1VFN2jv-HmOmVOiY77uWMA5byWNdNoDa8mOaln1oOf9ZmGl__MWmMq4FTR0NA5yw0Wvpki7viHMDLG8cMw8zkeBD0GGtdIwA6H3zlhD-3ZVFDVTu87p8I23v5TAljTMpSNtogow/s1600/01+drilling+eye+disks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwgd-O1VFN2jv-HmOmVOiY77uWMA5byWNdNoDa8mOaln1oOf9ZmGl__MWmMq4FTR0NA5yw0Wvpki7viHMDLG8cMw8zkeBD0GGtdIwA6H3zlhD-3ZVFDVTu87p8I23v5TAljTMpSNtogow/s1600/01+drilling+eye+disks.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX1jWUcAzd7BiO1DKeLpI7vAiWNhvuF3CHNCfytmP2LEe3O9aKggC_Ax7B9ooG-cc1BLMz-6l5DKHT_SU0c0CzGNCtPen4RrNyjhAcq1TKeRezbuBStq8je-QIgakHpSyKtcANEVuK7-g/s1600/02+drilling+eye+disks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX1jWUcAzd7BiO1DKeLpI7vAiWNhvuF3CHNCfytmP2LEe3O9aKggC_Ax7B9ooG-cc1BLMz-6l5DKHT_SU0c0CzGNCtPen4RrNyjhAcq1TKeRezbuBStq8je-QIgakHpSyKtcANEVuK7-g/s1600/02+drilling+eye+disks.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a>I got inspired to work on the Plastruct disks that I had bought, and to see what kind of further progress I could make on the eye and eyestalk. First, I needed to make a simple jig with each of the disks measured out on it and four flat nails to dissuade the disk from wandering while being drilled. This way I could make sure I drilled in the center each time. I decided to use a 3/8" forstner bit for cutting the disks after practicing first on a spare bit of acrylic. Even with the jig, there was a small amount of eye-balling I needed to do make sure that the bit didn't wander too far off-center while tapping.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAFzTdMVOy07fkbnL26YHrnNHMHgXsjkudDm6wd6Guamd-x5UFr7sg14c_8KigkLxjBLsHVmQj9tuK7KKLET-mVnucIeFXdCHWADJNab53STxXZ71I1rOxt9PdNeLaf4P6Ze5OKz4Wbxk/s1600/03+trimming+eye+disk.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAFzTdMVOy07fkbnL26YHrnNHMHgXsjkudDm6wd6Guamd-x5UFr7sg14c_8KigkLxjBLsHVmQj9tuK7KKLET-mVnucIeFXdCHWADJNab53STxXZ71I1rOxt9PdNeLaf4P6Ze5OKz4Wbxk/s1600/03+trimming+eye+disk.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a>After the largest of the disks was done, I hammered in another set of nails for the next size down. After drilling those, I repeated that for the smallest of the disks. After all six disks were drilled, I also drilled the same sized hole into the back of the eye I had made previously.<br />
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I cut a small length off of my 3/8" threaded lamp rod and secured a disk onto it using two nuts above and one below. I made sure that these were very snug (worrying a bit that I might crack the plastic) so that nothing came loose while the drill was spinning. I put the lamp rod into the chuck of my drill press and proceeded to use a variety of methods to trim off the excess plastic that I didn't need.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1FhxAn0y8GHx5PNAbBHJBnNa2M9ZnsuXlHxmcj6-OlSHrfx1R1GIZwp6iGw-NZUkCFh0tR8_BcXFhv4CpYQjTMcSAFs7VXFZFJoZwT_h3Gecs4_5jmAhEpt0BNhbck6foZpoASg6RDKI/s1600/04+finished+eye+disks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1FhxAn0y8GHx5PNAbBHJBnNa2M9ZnsuXlHxmcj6-OlSHrfx1R1GIZwp6iGw-NZUkCFh0tR8_BcXFhv4CpYQjTMcSAFs7VXFZFJoZwT_h3Gecs4_5jmAhEpt0BNhbck6foZpoASg6RDKI/s1600/04+finished+eye+disks.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a>Gently pressing down on a sheet of 80-grit sandpaper worked for a bit, but soon the plastic heated up and got somewhat soft. I turned off the drill and waited for the disk to cool. After that, I tried a hacksaw blade, and that seemed to work much better. While the disk was spinning, I placed the hacksaw blade under it teeth upwards, and gently scraped it along the bottom of the disk, frequently checking the diameter with my calipers to make sure I was adhering to the plans. After several minutes, I had trimmed off all that I needed. I repeated this for the remaining disks, getting faster with each one.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnpJk4wsz-WH-89aHERutWQN3D1h5Po7D9OILCYxQo8gpaTl69qL3gM9prVsQGtbRxNnWxgqb8hwrvR-05E0DHZyPaWfOW9QB4pAtBQTlhLC4TMGW4DvJJDdJLfccpwgBsXY2K0vVFlxM/s1600/06+gluing+eyestalk+pivot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnpJk4wsz-WH-89aHERutWQN3D1h5Po7D9OILCYxQo8gpaTl69qL3gM9prVsQGtbRxNnWxgqb8hwrvR-05E0DHZyPaWfOW9QB4pAtBQTlhLC4TMGW4DvJJDdJLfccpwgBsXY2K0vVFlxM/s1600/06+gluing+eyestalk+pivot.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a>After that, each disk was scuffed using steel wool and a 320-grit sandpaper sponge to get a nice frosted effect. A quick spacing check using the aluminum I had previously cut seemed pretty satisfactory to me. I then set these aside for a bit.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuvZhtSAsKacb_9IldG-eBY8SzDxibTws5UDycXpgIQFunvfoX4o7lSByg2E-gIaLSKvvW01spTiNyIC_zTF6U4ZAtCRK8hf3vEuzspaWsFuzL14ZGNvXbFA6c7ShyphenhyphenVOf65KJwfvLWbDc/s1600/07+pvc+inserts.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuvZhtSAsKacb_9IldG-eBY8SzDxibTws5UDycXpgIQFunvfoX4o7lSByg2E-gIaLSKvvW01spTiNyIC_zTF6U4ZAtCRK8hf3vEuzspaWsFuzL14ZGNvXbFA6c7ShyphenhyphenVOf65KJwfvLWbDc/s1600/07+pvc+inserts.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a>Back when I was making the inner gunbox assemblies, I kept the two 1/2" thick MDF circle offcuts my hole saw had made. These, along with two circles of my thinner HDF board, were the 3.6cm thickness I needed for the eyestalk pivot. I glued and clamped these together, and they're curing as I type. Later, I will sand it smooth and drill a hole to accommodate the lamp rod. It's just shy of the 10cm diameter needed, but the outer ribbed detailing I'll add to it should make it just the right size.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTDsljiS6ibGQadc26F53oEUELYVVMqx-uP5eGj5X1t4v8e_tLTjo1_aVgPcJtvyFQ3ZfvkpD38U2TH5VWnP9OyuZri8caFpnvHn51qwFGGxD2o7FzsnhUwFBaMZOTu4vduW6wdcVSr3U/s1600/09+assembling+eyestalk.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTDsljiS6ibGQadc26F53oEUELYVVMqx-uP5eGj5X1t4v8e_tLTjo1_aVgPcJtvyFQ3ZfvkpD38U2TH5VWnP9OyuZri8caFpnvHn51qwFGGxD2o7FzsnhUwFBaMZOTu4vduW6wdcVSr3U/s1600/09+assembling+eyestalk.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a>In order to make the optical illusion that the eyestalk consists of a single piece of metal, I needed to think outside the box a bit. I have 3/8" threaded lamp rod to run the eventual wires through, but the thickness of the actual eyestalk is one inch. This means I need to have layers built up around the rod. Several weeks ago, I looked and looked for anything that would let me make nice, snug layers for the eyestalk, but the only thing I could find was some 3/4" PVC pipe. It fit fairly well inside the 1" aluminum tubing that I have, but it still rattled around a bit. Further, the threaded rod was much smaller than the PVC's inside diameter.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7SRbdxC-SpPt867x9LmwwASeB6GACy8WJGfz4rV5SlQ2-xsHKDR9lTcK248fCnjWPLTgr7zIqppXNkmyQPWsS_nOUP_W1GOch_BNjugla116rH8yg6yUuyjHj2EjT-3RruP5QPLYlq0o/s1600/10+eyestalk+assembled.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7SRbdxC-SpPt867x9LmwwASeB6GACy8WJGfz4rV5SlQ2-xsHKDR9lTcK248fCnjWPLTgr7zIqppXNkmyQPWsS_nOUP_W1GOch_BNjugla116rH8yg6yUuyjHj2EjT-3RruP5QPLYlq0o/s1600/10+eyestalk+assembled.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a>One day while looking for the very nuts that I used above to secure the disks onto the threaded rod, a thought struck me. These nuts looked about the same size at the inner diameter of the PVC pipe. A quick experiment showed me that I could fit the PVC over the nuts quite snugly, and that the whole assembly was nice and centered.<br />
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I made sections of PVC that were slightly shorter than the aluminum that will surround them (to accommodate the curvature of the eye disks once assembled). To make the aluminum fit more snugly, I added a layer of trimmed duct tape to the PVC.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiID4hxuNpPL6vHfYHfi3C1b7_FLpGniVdLmDPYlJ3PfjBpdOzxRcCJsgBq45L_mXlMoXlEKLe7GkRbsCVY3Mh1eNaIk6GSy4x3B8G5jx5ofD6JshGYOW-9G3x5Ir5UeZd6v3dKkmfVDds/s1600/11+eyestalk+disk+spacing+detail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiID4hxuNpPL6vHfYHfi3C1b7_FLpGniVdLmDPYlJ3PfjBpdOzxRcCJsgBq45L_mXlMoXlEKLe7GkRbsCVY3Mh1eNaIk6GSy4x3B8G5jx5ofD6JshGYOW-9G3x5Ir5UeZd6v3dKkmfVDds/s1600/11+eyestalk+disk+spacing+detail.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a>Then, I took two of the nuts and spun them way down the threaded lamp rod. The longest piece of PVC covered them, one at each end to keep it centered. Then I surrounded it with its aluminum part, slid an eyestalk disk down on top of that, then another nut/PVC/aluminum bit, another eyestalk disk, etc, etc, etc.<br />
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Before too long, I had finished it all off by placing the eye onto the rod, and securing it in place with a wide washer and a nut. I was particularly pleased with how even and centered the eye disks were, keeping the illusion of one solid piece of tubing.<br />
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Now I just need to wait for my LED to arrive so that I can start with all the inner eye pieces, and get this bad boy lit up!SeattleDalekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01298625265184256865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7417376516466895022.post-78897510059480138892014-10-13T18:57:00.000-07:002014-10-13T18:57:16.054-07:00Day 96 and 97 - Dome cowl<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjXVyktNDxHc8kx3H2zgC5z80NFp4FDt38XhaMuEH5sKOPysHkQyBohV2K5KJES6XhIyPbRGg9abUVaBVUP7ug6gFYDeQfOPjHcdryUVv8lDv29YzJYd7AUsNCDQpnCjNrXFP0468wYHg/s1600/01+prepping+gel+coat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjXVyktNDxHc8kx3H2zgC5z80NFp4FDt38XhaMuEH5sKOPysHkQyBohV2K5KJES6XhIyPbRGg9abUVaBVUP7ug6gFYDeQfOPjHcdryUVv8lDv29YzJYd7AUsNCDQpnCjNrXFP0468wYHg/s1600/01+prepping+gel+coat.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a>I finally decided to stop being afraid of the dome cowl and actually finally make it. I set out and bought a few more fiberglass supplies from TAP Plastic, then began cutting up pieces of cloth for the angled sections inside the mold.<br />
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I waxed the interior of the mold several times and let that sit for a bit. Then I applied a layer of PVA and let that dry. Finally, I dusted a few coats of silicon mold release. I wanted to make sure I had plenty of release layers between the mold and the final part!<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBa-c1ndxbZ7bLoBAJlxU98O_9gYtHDlgBzarajSXTGe3yfVlvFwh_LLuWp88u6qlIyjwpYbqcc-N09RpW09Omr_x3olBdKCrguGkLqrk5jB4sUvhUQL1yNKz1UUV6Wzrf7aU4tICkgYg/s1600/02+gel+coating+the+cowl+mold.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBa-c1ndxbZ7bLoBAJlxU98O_9gYtHDlgBzarajSXTGe3yfVlvFwh_LLuWp88u6qlIyjwpYbqcc-N09RpW09Omr_x3olBdKCrguGkLqrk5jB4sUvhUQL1yNKz1UUV6Wzrf7aU4tICkgYg/s1600/02+gel+coating+the+cowl+mold.jpg" height="150" style="cursor: move;" width="200" /></a><br />
After a little more time, I mixed up about 3oz of gel-coat and spread that on with a brush. As it is getting colder, I added the maximum recommended amount for the catalyst. I let the gel-coat sit for about three hours until it was only just slightly tacky, mostly dry.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3KOGudau6rY1QejaJxKWOcEuKczhcl0TLPcFZKjTbJcke7_CME-Sl5ClwMIBTicqyCKAVPZH3XyqzebKHc0ZstJgPEB7k_q83iMNIVEZEdERSwGv7fObWuQ6Vfemh2FBejWwn1vJhuBU/s1600/04+initial+glass+layer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3KOGudau6rY1QejaJxKWOcEuKczhcl0TLPcFZKjTbJcke7_CME-Sl5ClwMIBTicqyCKAVPZH3XyqzebKHc0ZstJgPEB7k_q83iMNIVEZEdERSwGv7fObWuQ6Vfemh2FBejWwn1vJhuBU/s1600/04+initial+glass+layer.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a>I took some fiberglass strands that I pulled off of some woven cloth and placed that in the small trench in the top of the mold. I was really afraid of having air bubbles in this little section, so I made sure to reinforce it as much as I could.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg37s4EjBR37ae55hgGPKGzu-cO7Ag09mOxh_D3E5m8jQesgSDodtsborMLPcSRGn-wjuP2Cl0zw82HG2Zi6hHJAkZdrewp388WVxVdWk4sNpxV3n5h6mn3SBMsCrH7AlwUN_k79DLdyyk/s1600/07+layer+two+resined.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg37s4EjBR37ae55hgGPKGzu-cO7Ag09mOxh_D3E5m8jQesgSDodtsborMLPcSRGn-wjuP2Cl0zw82HG2Zi6hHJAkZdrewp388WVxVdWk4sNpxV3n5h6mn3SBMsCrH7AlwUN_k79DLdyyk/s1600/07+layer+two+resined.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a>Then I placed the rest of the cur pieces in their positions, mixed up about 4oz of resin, and started brushing it on. These cut sections didn't really overlap each other, so I then took some thin torn-up surfacing veil and applied some overlap. Then I applied a heavy layer of overlapping chop mat on top of all that, with another 5oz of resin sealing it into place. I rolled the mold all around in my hands while the resin started to set. Once I no longer saw movement of the liquid, I sat it down and waited for it to cure.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9kt0gA0ZKlF6ik7WVmd6iAn6QA91SELQCuBtt6-BLQul_iwQjhq0e33HK4_oEx-xKKnqCKFwPBnsCAL9Ej0vtcy1PYW_jTxj-BZsCIFdkp5AIqRBOwXjLFPg2dLZ_Kvntshi1Uu50tyA/s1600/08+dome+cowl+fresh+from+mold.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9kt0gA0ZKlF6ik7WVmd6iAn6QA91SELQCuBtt6-BLQul_iwQjhq0e33HK4_oEx-xKKnqCKFwPBnsCAL9Ej0vtcy1PYW_jTxj-BZsCIFdkp5AIqRBOwXjLFPg2dLZ_Kvntshi1Uu50tyA/s1600/08+dome+cowl+fresh+from+mold.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a>The next day, I attempted to separate the part from the mold. I have read many stories on how difficult it is to remove a cowl, but I didn't want to resort to cutting the mold into two pieces. I placed putty wedges in similar to how I separated the dome from its mold. On the bottom of the mold, however, I placed too many, and the cowl started to crack and split slightly. Panicked, I removed all the wedges and decided upon a different strategy.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWyzut9sq4JtjBAbrNim2u9XAR9H496-jOULsU48w0cVtEaPb0DtnMcKW6I7dcxFSsHf1WbYDlBEzoaWYbsyVQChRx5f9hGfHGfuT9HFdAMnwH-0lMPdUXaktI41GGQuxnNRa9_Mj776s/s1600/09+split+in+the+middle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWyzut9sq4JtjBAbrNim2u9XAR9H496-jOULsU48w0cVtEaPb0DtnMcKW6I7dcxFSsHf1WbYDlBEzoaWYbsyVQChRx5f9hGfHGfuT9HFdAMnwH-0lMPdUXaktI41GGQuxnNRa9_Mj776s/s1600/09+split+in+the+middle.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a>All around the mold, I put in one wedge, and then a second on top of it. I then hammered in a wooden stir-stick in between the two wedges. The stick always went in quite a bit further, so they were clearing the beveled edge of the cowl. I repeated this this all around the cowl.<br />
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I poured in some boiling-hot water between the cowl and the mold, and eventually the two parts separated! I quickly washed off the cowl and took a closer look at it.<br />
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The split in the middle was the most obvious. It's going to need to be Bondo'd up a bit to conceal that. But that's okay, because I also noticed that I had totally forgotten to place an indent in the mold for the recessed ID tag area! When I Bondo this part, I'll be sure to include the ID tag indentation. There was also an air pocket in one of the four corners; again, totally repairable.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsvicrRt4ikVz0XBkmKV63iU0BNNOSEg2_EPxgd6Kt1gHa0dY_-432bie_BNp2t1Jkdgha39KfwYp4mIRcUusVI3sIAokP8QdtsqC__ny4r9eWFFJTkqE6BMCicd1_Q2eWKNdnkPN9gnY/s1600/11+cowl+detailing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsvicrRt4ikVz0XBkmKV63iU0BNNOSEg2_EPxgd6Kt1gHa0dY_-432bie_BNp2t1Jkdgha39KfwYp4mIRcUusVI3sIAokP8QdtsqC__ny4r9eWFFJTkqE6BMCicd1_Q2eWKNdnkPN9gnY/s1600/11+cowl+detailing.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a>I was especially happy with how well the detailing turned out on the top of the cowl! This was the part I thought would be the most mangled. But it's great!<br />
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I took my Dremel tool and cut/ground the hole in the cowl where the eventual eyestalk will be, and temporarily attached the cowl to the dome for a quick photo op!<br />
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Next steps: Repair the cowl and put the ID tag indentation in place, then sand the whole thing because all the ripply roughness of the mold transferred to the cowl.<br />
<br />SeattleDalekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01298625265184256865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7417376516466895022.post-88498268049099515872014-09-28T21:52:00.004-07:002014-09-28T21:52:47.744-07:00Day 95 - The light cages and the eye<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3lGweEMSUS1NCvn6_EgjYG-b54Ez_nZ7Yce2sh6Fe1DzFuKhLAc_h-zIQ8NpORPIp8_TxbdEhO5-oNGdN89ifaVNj22QeM7r4uxPb7ALCzK4jTs9cpK_nkoR3Vug3zIxOyssVU3kj5yM/s1600/01+scoring+the+light+cage+base.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3lGweEMSUS1NCvn6_EgjYG-b54Ez_nZ7Yce2sh6Fe1DzFuKhLAc_h-zIQ8NpORPIp8_TxbdEhO5-oNGdN89ifaVNj22QeM7r4uxPb7ALCzK4jTs9cpK_nkoR3Vug3zIxOyssVU3kj5yM/s1600/01+scoring+the+light+cage+base.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a>I spent a productive day working on the light cages and the eye piece. Back in February of this year (2014), my plastic parts from Plastruct were delivered to me. Prior to that, in November of 2013, I had a local maker shop laser-cut the parts for the light cages. Assembling these was another task I was afraid to tackle, mainly because of the cost of the ABS plastic, and the cost of the laser-cut acrylic. In addition, I had no back-up pieces in case I screwed up. I hadn't ordered any glue from Plastruct, either, so I didn't have a means of gluing them together.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9P9ddHUYcZgORjY_RfFkK2ydOmdVL_fL-GJjV2R9k2L7CUIZ6QVYyAnRR6MQTT2k_RN08rvXHzDH_FphNM2Vx66znqGoBuD5Be-pHDVVcs5jlUn-gmFmANY-XUI9jD8SaXQgLO73cqFs/s1600/02+cementing+the+light+cages.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9P9ddHUYcZgORjY_RfFkK2ydOmdVL_fL-GJjV2R9k2L7CUIZ6QVYyAnRR6MQTT2k_RN08rvXHzDH_FphNM2Vx66znqGoBuD5Be-pHDVVcs5jlUn-gmFmANY-XUI9jD8SaXQgLO73cqFs/s1600/02+cementing+the+light+cages.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a><br />
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I had, however, obtained acrylic cement from TAP Plastics, and so I started there, with the light cages. First, I drew a square, with the sides being the same as the diameter of the bottom part of the light cage. I drew diagonals to find the location where the light cage struts were to be cemented, and lightly scored the acrylic with my box cutter blade.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1RjklEfp5m24BtEl3xcbUhJn5drxnqSaeQ7THwp4ShJ4_R5pbLD7TmyhJPNRs1RmCVuvnpqzteZoz3aeuUzE7zKFFlJY2qrTHeS7Ha9qnQW8Ho-ZWQbbrWxIkYLvjfmg_qT_jbKxhKrM/s1600/03+assembled+light+cages.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1RjklEfp5m24BtEl3xcbUhJn5drxnqSaeQ7THwp4ShJ4_R5pbLD7TmyhJPNRs1RmCVuvnpqzteZoz3aeuUzE7zKFFlJY2qrTHeS7Ha9qnQW8Ho-ZWQbbrWxIkYLvjfmg_qT_jbKxhKrM/s1600/03+assembled+light+cages.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a>Afterward, it was essentially a breeze to cement everything together. The cement applicator has a needle nose, and, while holding the strut to be glued in place with one hand, I gently dragged the needle along the base. The capillary action of the cement allowed it to draw itself directly under the piece. After holding it in place for several seconds, a secure bond had formed. I repeated this for all the remaining pieces, and eventually, I had to lovely (unpainted) light cages assembled! In 24 to 48 hours, the molecular bond of the welded pieces will reach maximum strength.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFdkwO9txXhEpep87vPsL4TFQuvS-q_yxJsbLZgpoCNylroI2dSZO8MoYMhZqZuIxck_1dRn_h8FNPvkHTk9s7LajdBWhpsIbmzcSmnU-Aey1_UlfrKgu776t8WnzQMdLRDyfRzrtNwcU/s1600/04+measuring+eye+front.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFdkwO9txXhEpep87vPsL4TFQuvS-q_yxJsbLZgpoCNylroI2dSZO8MoYMhZqZuIxck_1dRn_h8FNPvkHTk9s7LajdBWhpsIbmzcSmnU-Aey1_UlfrKgu776t8WnzQMdLRDyfRzrtNwcU/s1600/04+measuring+eye+front.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a>(Of course, I would prefer to have aluminum light cages, but so far it's been prohibitively expensive for me to do that. Maybe someday!)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHlv5VWEyvPtkUhiTeucZfY1Is73-Vn7iO4T-hCzN5W2jH23y_s7ob4VxGvKoDTqMyOCiVwzP8BkpuYlv0-SZbjCQY2hSCjmlEwEeMMFU5G2HN3V8njtKB5Vfxu-StOi1ZSnSkS0ACpWg/s1600/07+the+eye+front+pieces.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHlv5VWEyvPtkUhiTeucZfY1Is73-Vn7iO4T-hCzN5W2jH23y_s7ob4VxGvKoDTqMyOCiVwzP8BkpuYlv0-SZbjCQY2hSCjmlEwEeMMFU5G2HN3V8njtKB5Vfxu-StOi1ZSnSkS0ACpWg/s1600/07+the+eye+front+pieces.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a>Next up: Cutting up the stepped cone for Rainier's eye. I took the smaller of the long tubes and sat it in the cone to find where I was going to cut it. I marked out the spot and made a test cut one step higher for practice. It wasn't too difficult of a job; I mainly just gently scraped the razor along the "L" of the step, over and over again until it was free. Then I repeated that on the marked line once I was confident.<br />
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The resulting piece needed to be cut into two sections. I again marked the places that needed to be cut, and soon I had both pieces ready to assemble.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoZGpk2yPkDmLm5Zo5jqz5EOR75qyB2xgEXnce41qnXSQFmE7sqXYr0oVkxPsYOqNtEUSDXpplLsDGDRniUGiFJgBIUXDcKQy9iWSZplDXSUgWU1TFnP6c8ALbq_vY0LBb8yqxyN7585U/s1600/09+making+abs+glue.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoZGpk2yPkDmLm5Zo5jqz5EOR75qyB2xgEXnce41qnXSQFmE7sqXYr0oVkxPsYOqNtEUSDXpplLsDGDRniUGiFJgBIUXDcKQy9iWSZplDXSUgWU1TFnP6c8ALbq_vY0LBb8yqxyN7585U/s1600/09+making+abs+glue.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a>I also needed to get the tubular sections of the eye piece cut to length per the plans, so I used my miter saw to do that on both the small tube and slightly larger one. The miter saw wasn't my first choice for this, but I didn't have a miter box for a handheld saw. Very carefully, I cut until I couldn't lower the saw further, then rotated the tube, continued the cut, and soon the job was done. Some light sanding using 120-grit paper, and I had the pieces I needed.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHyrdzlXT9WoPModDFp3FkYkiQcmoC2vnlCFQG8n8kYls7_Vik6JJTkGkX_9H45SKgSTtybEtOCH6gakp6RQqPu3mPcdvrRJRIotUABxixumN4FNeuvu-TjBCehwur_Mpo0EWetPz9oXA/s1600/10+making+abs+glue.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHyrdzlXT9WoPModDFp3FkYkiQcmoC2vnlCFQG8n8kYls7_Vik6JJTkGkX_9H45SKgSTtybEtOCH6gakp6RQqPu3mPcdvrRJRIotUABxixumN4FNeuvu-TjBCehwur_Mpo0EWetPz9oXA/s1600/10+making+abs+glue.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a>Now, how was I going to glue all of this together? I went to the web and googled what the proper bonding agent for ABS plastic was. I ran across several videos where people demonstrated making their own glue using acetone and scrap pieces of ABS. Eureka! I thought, and decided to give it a try. Heck, it made sense to me—use ABS as a means to weld other ABS together.<br />
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First, I chopped up the scrap rings from the cone I had cut, and threw them in a jar. I added a small amount of acetone to it, screwed on the lid, and let it sit for about an hour. When I came back to check on it, it was all pretty much melted. I gave it a good stir with a stick, and was very satisfied with the consistency.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFncM6TXeOTW0AyMspVdHbxNFC2VKEZZkIfo9U3O_ZNs5KVmnwQHxrNsd4IGUyUf9D6mponJtVmfqvIUDqNDXnzq2FLAFRHGnvzHrTHJoxmuG5LCIb9iJfhV0AFHP92tkhud9Xgpskqlg/s1600/11+gluing+the+eye+front.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFncM6TXeOTW0AyMspVdHbxNFC2VKEZZkIfo9U3O_ZNs5KVmnwQHxrNsd4IGUyUf9D6mponJtVmfqvIUDqNDXnzq2FLAFRHGnvzHrTHJoxmuG5LCIb9iJfhV0AFHP92tkhud9Xgpskqlg/s1600/11+gluing+the+eye+front.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdel4kcbiVkLDEJ1fmafP1PXgKUklK0_ZdPQQdOhkbo9Sm3vDJj-b1aJPG_0CHPLpHuzt4Cx2J3L7ZksR37Mxminb3E1F0Iu3W9_jGpEzDa2qKzeOVjvTUAIjyBZc2btZLRr5_JrenOQA/s1600/12+glued+eye+pieces.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdel4kcbiVkLDEJ1fmafP1PXgKUklK0_ZdPQQdOhkbo9Sm3vDJj-b1aJPG_0CHPLpHuzt4Cx2J3L7ZksR37Mxminb3E1F0Iu3W9_jGpEzDa2qKzeOVjvTUAIjyBZc2btZLRr5_JrenOQA/s1600/12+glued+eye+pieces.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a>After flipping over the two front eye pieces and placing them in their final position, I took a cotton swab, dipped it into the goo, and ran it along the edge of the seam. I made sure a good amount of the slurry covered the piece. Then I let that sit for about 30 minutes or so. I was very pleased. It was still slightly malleable, but, like the acrylic cement, it should be nice a solid once the acetone has completely evaporated. I then added my glue to the edge of the smaller tube, and pressed the eye front onto it. I repeated this for the larger tube edge, and squeezed the back eye hemisphere onto that.<br />
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Now they're both curing, so I'm going to give them all the time they need to dry. Later, I might add another layer to the front piece and to the interior joins of both the tubes, just to make sure everything is nice and secure.SeattleDalekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01298625265184256865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7417376516466895022.post-52241467024258191812014-09-25T13:28:00.003-07:002014-09-25T13:46:33.278-07:00Day 94 - Gunbox interior assemblies<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFYWfK99ZAlnNCyU4SPXzU-WSgyvG9zbliQUeT7RTPu8o43DUZRWglQ_fi2DaLZ9d4m9K5D7pjl86VNimDV4nLb7AVDzFGjU1eT7u45g5K8q5qPIODrB_1NrwoXIxNQ00_ERr0zBnW4h4/s1600/01+cutting+gun+box+backs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFYWfK99ZAlnNCyU4SPXzU-WSgyvG9zbliQUeT7RTPu8o43DUZRWglQ_fi2DaLZ9d4m9K5D7pjl86VNimDV4nLb7AVDzFGjU1eT7u45g5K8q5qPIODrB_1NrwoXIxNQ00_ERr0zBnW4h4/s1600/01+cutting+gun+box+backs.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a>Again, following the path <b>AdamSt</b> paved, I have been working on a job that I've put off until now—the gunbox interior assemblies which keep the gun and plunger arm in position within the shoulder section. Since nothing is currently holding the globes in place (except gravity), the approach is to "sandwich" them in using MDF plates, bolts, springs, and wing nuts. The front of the gunbox (the exposed part on the shoulder section) can't be marred with the bolt holes, so similarly-shaped internal plates need to be made and installed.<br />
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I couldn't find my protractor, so I went back into my own build diary to see if I had logged the front angle of the gunboxes, and I thankfully had done that. It has a 20° angle, so I set my table saw blade accordingly and cut four pieces of 1/2" MDF to match, two per gunbox. One of these will be attached via wood screws onto the interior of the gunbox as the middle part of the "sandwich", and the other will be the back.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizWxJU8cBl7CviNy5ZoMOYfd2YOlm2zmGIGmHaeimLGnqQKLIGfsAk48xpZlisaFuwIo50BSAS4FxoVpAQ2lrYyPpV-HUlS9-yhDHnfVp0iXGuLt-URMg0dDbmK-1En-77_tLMRrSCP8c/s1600/04+gun+box+middle+hole.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizWxJU8cBl7CviNy5ZoMOYfd2YOlm2zmGIGmHaeimLGnqQKLIGfsAk48xpZlisaFuwIo50BSAS4FxoVpAQ2lrYyPpV-HUlS9-yhDHnfVp0iXGuLt-URMg0dDbmK-1En-77_tLMRrSCP8c/s1600/04+gun+box+middle+hole.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXYYjil2-R_wFkv4QdEoPdjkXdPElhGr1c2KOqLSD0dBcjB-m2vNG5MjBvUZY9PpHEnrbI7rhmvsk-FIm4eXcSCMnTGT_U_-v-khi0BMDPSFCAFdJVBJ_s34n0uu3iB8W_yAn3VAATfwA/s1600/05+gun+box+middle+test+fit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXYYjil2-R_wFkv4QdEoPdjkXdPElhGr1c2KOqLSD0dBcjB-m2vNG5MjBvUZY9PpHEnrbI7rhmvsk-FIm4eXcSCMnTGT_U_-v-khi0BMDPSFCAFdJVBJ_s34n0uu3iB8W_yAn3VAATfwA/s1600/05+gun+box+middle+test+fit.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a>Now, I should have made these assemblies at the same time as the gunboxes themselves, because getting the exact measurements of the interior was a bit tricky since they're now part of the shoulder section proper. As such, I cut the plates with a larger initial width, then trimmed them until they fit in each gunbox. I then took a pencil and ran it along the edge of the gunbox holes, tracing a rough circle onto the two "middle" plates. This was so that I knew the approximate location for where to drill with my 4" hole saw. I traced an accurate 4" circle on top of that and drew a square around it to find the center. Then I cut holes in both the left and right plates.<br />
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Not an exact science by any means! I checked my work thus far by seeing if the globes would pass through the 4" hole untouched (the middle plate doesn't hold the globes in place, that's the back plate's job). I also checked to see if the holes lines up with each other, and if the 20° angle was accurate for the slant. The globe still poked out of the gunbox unobstructed. Success!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih-3ninhSQymL71NdGr9SyAND6u5UiQGVhM_C858SWGX0hYsckDQzzwFvypnQjz3JLV7icjA8yeLOAt0bLe08v_SdrH96-ClqXcbJKaFRT7TRtNVoO-Q-_7r4Mc2gRuElT-AEDR96euq0/s1600/07+gun+box+back+hole.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih-3ninhSQymL71NdGr9SyAND6u5UiQGVhM_C858SWGX0hYsckDQzzwFvypnQjz3JLV7icjA8yeLOAt0bLe08v_SdrH96-ClqXcbJKaFRT7TRtNVoO-Q-_7r4Mc2gRuElT-AEDR96euq0/s1600/07+gun+box+back+hole.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a><br />
Next, I lined up the back plate to the middle plate, and traced around the 4" hole that I just drilled. I repeated my process for finding the center of the circle. Now, since this back plate will be butted up against the other side of the globe, the hole needs to be smaller. I switched from my 4" saw to my 3.5" one and cut those holes. Like the front of the gunbox, it needed to have a 45° chamfer. Switching to my hand router, I added that detail.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiitrX8-rW1T5LlswsnEkl0W3Grov8TTLC_kMnHhInaUJftZW9_9z7Zs8rSHRgCodIcO6e3YHrB2AKJsZpd0X6lqklGuIwNbiLTN7an1H6W1DztXZEkB198dRW-n5Cx_e7tLg5WNt0nEKw/s1600/08+20+degree+angle+jig.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiitrX8-rW1T5LlswsnEkl0W3Grov8TTLC_kMnHhInaUJftZW9_9z7Zs8rSHRgCodIcO6e3YHrB2AKJsZpd0X6lqklGuIwNbiLTN7an1H6W1DztXZEkB198dRW-n5Cx_e7tLg5WNt0nEKw/s1600/08+20+degree+angle+jig.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a>Now that I had all four holes drilled and lined up, I set to work creating a 20° jig for drilling the bolt holes. These need to be parallel in relation to the top and bottom of the gunboxes. Some quick work with scrap 2x4s (from when I mounted the wheels to the fender), the table saw, a hammer, and some nails, and I had a nice jig.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNbk7srqYgCvjoKDt88-cJmevWcePXUDzit6p4o7V9LEEuC0XBFqbydmyxte06PjHPmbNtH4keQlH2QwzU9Yie985_Zw_Bqms_fMS40sLw6ThocN4Kijzn0e0xFpWtkl6o4BJH6kf1hUQ/s1600/10+corner+wingnut+test.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNbk7srqYgCvjoKDt88-cJmevWcePXUDzit6p4o7V9LEEuC0XBFqbydmyxte06PjHPmbNtH4keQlH2QwzU9Yie985_Zw_Bqms_fMS40sLw6ThocN4Kijzn0e0xFpWtkl6o4BJH6kf1hUQ/s1600/10+corner+wingnut+test.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a>When I drilled the bolt holes, I made sure to clamp the middle and back plates together so that the holes were evenly lined up. After a bit of time, I had them all drilled, and added bolts to test the alignment. I was worried that the the tightness of the corners nearest the shoulder walls would be tricky to allow the addition of the eventual wing nut, so I tried to keep that in mind when deciding where I wanted to drill. All these angles were making my head hurt! I did a quick test to see if the wing nut had enough room to spin, and it indeed did. Whew!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3BEmGqOmPcfJNbqVDfgSbNlm2QTKBFJfR_lRA8spWPds7QIV3R2VKUGN5-FkzrMb7-WlQuXMUP4DGC_lhdnsrkkibG3yLQd5YcmK3xfgyRK7uiwp16hEBgpX-S5-hVt3XXErOytYTcfg/s1600/11+forstner+countersink.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3BEmGqOmPcfJNbqVDfgSbNlm2QTKBFJfR_lRA8spWPds7QIV3R2VKUGN5-FkzrMb7-WlQuXMUP4DGC_lhdnsrkkibG3yLQd5YcmK3xfgyRK7uiwp16hEBgpX-S5-hVt3XXErOytYTcfg/s1600/11+forstner+countersink.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a>Since the middle plate is going to be attached to the back of the gunbox with wood screws, it needs to sit flush against it. The bolt heads currently prevented that from happening, so a little countersinking was in order. Switching to a forstner bit and using my jig, I added the proper countersink to each of the bolt holes.<br />
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I also switch to a small countersink bit and drilled (not at a 20° angle this time) the holes that the wood screws will use for attaching the middle plate to the interior of the gunbox (not pictured).<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEBUZqUbhBDmDd0eKEFVWa2R8utV3hFZI24Yaz17oMh57EDKLUnQZMtK5u8_pco7LoDn-ldYJ1nwsVxSLsxXO977LG8__LCDOp2FlD7Vo-FyPU1cqxJ3HBxJXjUR426Hy7ZDD8GJN5wog/s1600/12+countersunk+bolts.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEBUZqUbhBDmDd0eKEFVWa2R8utV3hFZI24Yaz17oMh57EDKLUnQZMtK5u8_pco7LoDn-ldYJ1nwsVxSLsxXO977LG8__LCDOp2FlD7Vo-FyPU1cqxJ3HBxJXjUR426Hy7ZDD8GJN5wog/s1600/12+countersunk+bolts.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHAyNTyCJoGgcntYnRJ4xBgaLr1ppFGhlaLvvBUI-I5s7rRAULDwgUFR9A_XSjTHQrMlJWNbbHVy_-QGE3f-lXRGqeyGm2QwELr-yEXu_68Fj7H_vO7D9Ev7BzMr5f4s4WYfxt7RJBMok/s1600/13+pva+spritzing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHAyNTyCJoGgcntYnRJ4xBgaLr1ppFGhlaLvvBUI-I5s7rRAULDwgUFR9A_XSjTHQrMlJWNbbHVy_-QGE3f-lXRGqeyGm2QwELr-yEXu_68Fj7H_vO7D9Ev7BzMr5f4s4WYfxt7RJBMok/s1600/13+pva+spritzing.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a><br />
Now that everything was cut, trimmed, and drilled, I spritzed the pieces with my PVA wash (4 parts water, 1 part Titebond III) and waited for it to dry. Since these pieces are going to be inside, they'll be exposed to water vapor from my breath, so I decided to seal them up before eventually painting and installing them.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmjgBYKLt9aKiVc_3kqR4bMnH7oUzmW_HPO8hMSobLT0DC9CvAXueeANx9jfCtA_qVew9B0A2gdm5_CNnuGuwjuSU7qLXklhUwq68XL7LKeSgycuSsNZghXM51N-q7z1pNjTpxgE7QkKQ/s1600/14+pre-mounted+globe+retainers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmjgBYKLt9aKiVc_3kqR4bMnH7oUzmW_HPO8hMSobLT0DC9CvAXueeANx9jfCtA_qVew9B0A2gdm5_CNnuGuwjuSU7qLXklhUwq68XL7LKeSgycuSsNZghXM51N-q7z1pNjTpxgE7QkKQ/s1600/14+pre-mounted+globe+retainers.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a>Once dry, I re-added the bolts, springs, and wing nuts. I haven't installed them inside the shoulders yet, as I want to prime and paint them (and the rest of the shoulder interior), which will come later. Once painted, I'll attach a soft felt lining so that the globes don't get scraped when the gun or plunger arm are moved about. Then they will be installed into the shoulder section. Until then, they are resting comfortably in the same box where I keep my shoulder slats.<br />
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(As an aside, while I waited for the PVA wash to dry, I shopped for some proper exterior bolts to eventually attach to the fender, eye piece, dome cowl, dome lights, and gunbox details. I was having a hard time converting the metric description of the bolts to what's available in the US, until I ran across <b>acrodrome</b>'s post in the "2005 Design Dalek Appendages" forum.)SeattleDalekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01298625265184256865noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7417376516466895022.post-16178674999741403632014-09-21T00:39:00.002-07:002014-09-21T00:39:33.262-07:00Day 93 - Cutting bits for eyestalk and plunger arm<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1ZfanxjmLh0eABUEXnq8P6Cl5YAPWJsBNf7QjClCjzOa-yVwrBVkm0sNtKzH25gMHXNlW5LIJo-pU6P-af4U_5Jq-XfL4JfE5ZR2BFTombBqjColV-29yVdZBygLBgnzT550e2RzxqAQ/s1600/00+cowl+mold.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1ZfanxjmLh0eABUEXnq8P6Cl5YAPWJsBNf7QjClCjzOa-yVwrBVkm0sNtKzH25gMHXNlW5LIJo-pU6P-af4U_5Jq-XfL4JfE5ZR2BFTombBqjColV-29yVdZBygLBgnzT550e2RzxqAQ/s1600/00+cowl+mold.jpg" height="193" width="200" /></a></div>
Wow, it's been a month since I last posted! I feel neglectful! Part of it is that I'm in a weird phase where I'm losing confidence in the build, and most of it has to do with the bloody dome cowl.<br />
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<b>ChristmasDalek</b> did as best as she could removing all the stuck-on linoleum remnants and other crud, but it's still a pretty nasty, crinkly mess inside. So I just put it (and Rainier) out of my mind for awhile and sulked.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr35Nn2f2694UO2zyfb69CaXq4he5jQTilWuC226N9M3Zz8mRrk0lQhODoIxc6RXjNbvcAEWrhb7PPdNCVH_6M6FCpVMduUq1jmtYIVT2clCT14aY18nio7-cdoYjDBRrztyJ7y3LdVhk/s1600/02+cleaner+garage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr35Nn2f2694UO2zyfb69CaXq4he5jQTilWuC226N9M3Zz8mRrk0lQhODoIxc6RXjNbvcAEWrhb7PPdNCVH_6M6FCpVMduUq1jmtYIVT2clCT14aY18nio7-cdoYjDBRrztyJ7y3LdVhk/s1600/02+cleaner+garage.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a>But, I'm trying to muscle my way through the funk. I cleaned up the garage (which was one MAJOR thing that was keeping me from continuing), and that helped a lot. The after shot should speak volumes. No, I'm not a hoarder. (At least I hope not!)<br />
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Now that my tools were back in reach with elbow room to spare, I set about on something else entirely (eschewing the cowl for now). I decided it was high time to cut up all my aluminum tubing that I've had laying about.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisWfNRzXCMoIPUF10oF2LMRPnMOyu9vSJo6TNfNarDJm-I15gbp-fyWMoPuiPcHPIxYG0LkAltNUj8HiGZijeagJ_QYo5xdO1jlLAtnsCToum9FQAEGGM-ihU-amKrNNC4w34lMYOtdUY/s1600/03+eyestalk+outer+tubing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisWfNRzXCMoIPUF10oF2LMRPnMOyu9vSJo6TNfNarDJm-I15gbp-fyWMoPuiPcHPIxYG0LkAltNUj8HiGZijeagJ_QYo5xdO1jlLAtnsCToum9FQAEGGM-ihU-amKrNNC4w34lMYOtdUY/s1600/03+eyestalk+outer+tubing.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a>First I set to work on the various pieces for the eyestalk, per the manual. Now I need to get the eyestalk lenses cut to size and drilled.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCEGlrgToH9N3Xe-_rWidqZKszn5Dvv6FX73rYzARJ4GYiAaKF_oj8VgBODdSCLop6yO3WM6AlQTguG-JdV_d-gfYN4bU1FL6PYTy_KOz5GsuBL60ECSEA_14FWf23IWyb0dCPqVbbbu8/s1600/04+plunger+arm+bushings.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCEGlrgToH9N3Xe-_rWidqZKszn5Dvv6FX73rYzARJ4GYiAaKF_oj8VgBODdSCLop6yO3WM6AlQTguG-JdV_d-gfYN4bU1FL6PYTy_KOz5GsuBL60ECSEA_14FWf23IWyb0dCPqVbbbu8/s1600/04+plunger+arm+bushings.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a>Then I cut up the large plunger tube so that I had 20cm sticking out the back end for me to grab. This matches what's currently the inner length of the gun tube, but I may trim both down if they prove too awkward for me to wield once I'm situated snugly inside. From the front of the globe, 39.5cm of tube protrudes, per the manual. For now, I also cut up the two smaller tubes to approximately the same lengths. I'll be using 1" diameter acrylic hose as a means to extend the arm rather than longer lengths of tube, for safety's sake.<br />
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I can't remember if I mentioned it earlier in this diary or not, but the same friend who micro-lathed my gun bosses also carved me up some top hat bushings that I designed one day in Goggle Sketch-Up for my plunger arm tubes. I've been keeping them in my freezer for months (thermodynamics and all that) and finally attached them to the cut up tubes.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIpggEA5yDCqRZ86GCmu-n4PW1VGfoyv5LLlwUSrhYQ0Wk2LbG8P0VtEjd6_Lch6x3Ss442ouRkWCl5zlFSf1xmOpNNrPpzBtNnYwNznJTMXQ3-o8HQ_Ud11QZbWHzm4PeTLgbOe_k9RI/s1600/05+plunger+arm+assembly.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIpggEA5yDCqRZ86GCmu-n4PW1VGfoyv5LLlwUSrhYQ0Wk2LbG8P0VtEjd6_Lch6x3Ss442ouRkWCl5zlFSf1xmOpNNrPpzBtNnYwNznJTMXQ3-o8HQ_Ud11QZbWHzm4PeTLgbOe_k9RI/s1600/05+plunger+arm+assembly.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a></div>
On each of the inner tubes, I temporarily affixed masking tape 20cm from the top as a means to stop them from falling completely out of their respective housings. Here's a shot of Rainier with his new arm fully extended! Note the screw in the front bushing; a similar screw will be set within the eventual rubber-casted plungers that I'll be making. Then, they can simply be screwed on to the arm!<br />
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That's all for now ... perhaps I'll try and fiberglass up the cowl soon after repairing some of the air pockets. Or I may work on the eyestalk lenses ... we'll see!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5HbizZjqlYhqW88Hdv-M8wA9eZAyv8WxGSkUA6VtcMpUFpMLHo0YW85YcFNA9nRzw4Ig7nfPepI3rZ4tlgA_s02QIuh7NBz_ZXbJsUJlV7ZGPfPZq5Ay2RtBGBXGEwinz-VBN_zuQSKc/s1600/06+plunger+arm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5HbizZjqlYhqW88Hdv-M8wA9eZAyv8WxGSkUA6VtcMpUFpMLHo0YW85YcFNA9nRzw4Ig7nfPepI3rZ4tlgA_s02QIuh7NBz_ZXbJsUJlV7ZGPfPZq5Ay2RtBGBXGEwinz-VBN_zuQSKc/s1600/06+plunger+arm.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />SeattleDalekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01298625265184256865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7417376516466895022.post-6460395269363967062014-08-07T11:56:00.001-07:002014-08-07T11:56:11.602-07:00Day 92 - Removing the cowl mold<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4G_6rRBua1LJCNfn0cEplMblbXkGj46IcZAtwssrofyOMfcKb-EHTH2eUAZpc7uTPYdw_bL-AtCpg83Nh0m9FL8iY5ZrAuukopcyRlx1L9mFssmQYbL2Pz9YpdQRe1_JsekFBPDRydaM/s1600/02+cowl+mold+removed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4G_6rRBua1LJCNfn0cEplMblbXkGj46IcZAtwssrofyOMfcKb-EHTH2eUAZpc7uTPYdw_bL-AtCpg83Nh0m9FL8iY5ZrAuukopcyRlx1L9mFssmQYbL2Pz9YpdQRe1_JsekFBPDRydaM/s1600/02+cowl+mold+removed.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a></div>
The next day, after work, I checked up on the progress of the dome mold. It had hardened nicely, so I took it outside for removal.<br />
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It was attached pretty securely, so I used the same method to remove it from the dome as I had used to remove the dome from its mold: filler spreaders. I lightly hammered several of them between the painter's tape and the dome, and eventually the cowl mold popped off.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEDTZuHX3mQkLQ7hcl6UgvbJW9f0SVk85cigpAcprRalMV4oOZ-PSTvVBBpThnGhI_YfKvtK1-KghWbEKkIJs1GbLmlRwRarjk5pFT54N0lxuHWlG55X5TfJ1VC43TPhowrkoo2RbxVnY/s1600/03+cowl+mold+inside.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEDTZuHX3mQkLQ7hcl6UgvbJW9f0SVk85cigpAcprRalMV4oOZ-PSTvVBBpThnGhI_YfKvtK1-KghWbEKkIJs1GbLmlRwRarjk5pFT54N0lxuHWlG55X5TfJ1VC43TPhowrkoo2RbxVnY/s1600/03+cowl+mold+inside.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a></div>
What a sticky, nasty mess it was. The spray adhesive was still wet and slimy, which made peeling off the linoleum strips quite a slick chore. I removed most of it, but there were bits that I couldn't get to.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0SztsoOB6j1NmmiBOOMg7SYosPQ4Tb0Cvb7ztZEJRF57IBVn3xDJGdSTAsh0HBmkU1ujDIewyglmgJONCqktkUeZ-U_2Fy49Vpr4sg9oQKLgvki1HgEHRsizqvco3TpWuLy6PtTi9K-A/s1600/04+gutting+the+cowl+mold.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0SztsoOB6j1NmmiBOOMg7SYosPQ4Tb0Cvb7ztZEJRF57IBVn3xDJGdSTAsh0HBmkU1ujDIewyglmgJONCqktkUeZ-U_2Fy49Vpr4sg9oQKLgvki1HgEHRsizqvco3TpWuLy6PtTi9K-A/s1600/04+gutting+the+cowl+mold.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a>Additionally, the linoleum didn't behave like the plumber's rubber I used for the dome indentations. In the case of the red plumber's rubber, the inserts peeled off the gel-coat with the greatest of ease (I even had forgotten to use release agent on them). With the linoleum, it started to separate from itself, leaving bits stuck to the gel-coat. The rippling effect is very prominent, as well, but I'm not too concerned with that. Once I made a cowl from this mold, I'll just sand that down before priming.<br />
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Also, I couldn't easily get to the bits of balsa wood I used for the top "lip" portion of the cowl. They're stuck in there pretty tightly. <b>ChristmasDalek</b> has generously offered to clean up the cowl with her set of specialized picks and knives, and I'm very grateful for that. We met to have lunch recently, and I passed the mold onto her.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLIGuw9mWqZRmisbiAX_8ebMwxhixrVUw9frw-qFX_jGpmLs81qd0_VZmiTyygT8QONRIu4LWg9th7bo3rex0pL59SffjVE2roomu3J9Nbj8WQnURJLBSgjTy3dWdvDmA6Uo4sgs0wfjQ/s1600/05+cowl+mold+interior.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLIGuw9mWqZRmisbiAX_8ebMwxhixrVUw9frw-qFX_jGpmLs81qd0_VZmiTyygT8QONRIu4LWg9th7bo3rex0pL59SffjVE2roomu3J9Nbj8WQnURJLBSgjTy3dWdvDmA6Uo4sgs0wfjQ/s1600/05+cowl+mold+interior.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a><br />
So that's all the news that's fit to print at the moment.SeattleDalekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01298625265184256865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7417376516466895022.post-35940168898256847632014-07-28T23:23:00.000-07:002014-07-28T23:23:54.056-07:00Day 89 through 91 - Glassing up the dome cowl plug<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVbJGe-Ku1_RXd-JO8zNwgpBei4hjiNshvuUwtD_B1QEdKsuJJt7vZ61CPhOKmcpzXomJOi_nyvEhuMeUCSbDjoEzXD1PZnwDrt9LXw3o5yfZ7emz_7Cna35R0dhh96s0U9XV8ovYRPf8/s1600/02+filled+cowl+plug.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVbJGe-Ku1_RXd-JO8zNwgpBei4hjiNshvuUwtD_B1QEdKsuJJt7vZ61CPhOKmcpzXomJOi_nyvEhuMeUCSbDjoEzXD1PZnwDrt9LXw3o5yfZ7emz_7Cna35R0dhh96s0U9XV8ovYRPf8/s1600/02+filled+cowl+plug.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a></div>
I found some stuff called Bondo Bumper and Flexible Part Repair, which is a rubbery version of Bondo spot filler. It also uses a catalyst to activate it, but they are used in equal parts. Then you smear it on. Also, it smells like burning tires, yuck! A few applications of this goop filled up the gaps between the linoleum pretty nicely.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh507jxqh4HRPTAJNZUIXM8AwFOIfBLNQbHSk2dYu6HVeEZJ_jKT_WurSmXzcmrjcPN2OCBiFqhdyDVIvS-H7CmSEQy28CIWHLzy6KHO86ZL2YzSlckOhXra0Naqbzrm_VHTvyjPAfGjuA/s1600/03+varnished+cowl+plug.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh507jxqh4HRPTAJNZUIXM8AwFOIfBLNQbHSk2dYu6HVeEZJ_jKT_WurSmXzcmrjcPN2OCBiFqhdyDVIvS-H7CmSEQy28CIWHLzy6KHO86ZL2YzSlckOhXra0Naqbzrm_VHTvyjPAfGjuA/s1600/03+varnished+cowl+plug.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a>After that cured—which was pretty quick—I took out the Minwax oil-based polyurethane varnish that I had also used to coat and seal my dome plug months ago. I applied a couple of coats every 4-6 hours or so, around the time each coat got tacky. Then I left it to dry overnight. In the morning, I noticed that it was still tacky, so I left it sit while I was at work. Still tacky. After chatting with <b>acrodrome</b>, I learned that there was no area for the oils in the varnish to soak into, linoleum being non-porous. I was thinking that I needed to clean the whole thing off with mineral spirits, or, worse, scrap it all and start over. For the <i>third</i> time. But then, the weather turned very sunny, and I left it out in the brilliance for several more hours. It finally cured!<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixsb12ibn3MnrG_8Clo_fRnVjmi2j2vnRQPAKD2cishlGm_cbppBJfw8LqIt8nsMJTL3odWu6LpwdWzhSbD-1wx-RqxBA_wrMZzOXgIhA4OdBMhp7mn8nQMRcLqDb3gcO-iaC2lWDrabA/s1600/04+gelcoat+on+the+cowl+plug.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixsb12ibn3MnrG_8Clo_fRnVjmi2j2vnRQPAKD2cishlGm_cbppBJfw8LqIt8nsMJTL3odWu6LpwdWzhSbD-1wx-RqxBA_wrMZzOXgIhA4OdBMhp7mn8nQMRcLqDb3gcO-iaC2lWDrabA/s1600/04+gelcoat+on+the+cowl+plug.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a><br />
(In hindsight, I probably didn't even need to do this step. I remember when I had applied the rubber panels during my second dome attempt, and had neglected to even spray release agent into them, and they turned out just fine in the end. Rubber and gel-coat seem to work well together.)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4b-Rs3SGXTY0QtgwqSdy4C3xd9Ux3ZGfBIECdiqUmGullTgj4El7HZU1g4ds4AMhu9PaYg60WLdla5eKu-zJSKEHM9h_RY_QYClw56u7cv34fGr7lf1rLsUx9lB6QBvwM06PPU7Nm6xc/s1600/05+blemishes+on+cowl+plug.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4b-Rs3SGXTY0QtgwqSdy4C3xd9Ux3ZGfBIECdiqUmGullTgj4El7HZU1g4ds4AMhu9PaYg60WLdla5eKu-zJSKEHM9h_RY_QYClw56u7cv34fGr7lf1rLsUx9lB6QBvwM06PPU7Nm6xc/s1600/05+blemishes+on+cowl+plug.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a>So, after that, I sprayed it down with silicone release agent and mixed up a small batch of gel-coat with some dye in it. I added the catalyst, stirred, and sponged it on pretty liberally. And, after a few minutes from finishing up, those weird chemical reactions happened again, like what happened when I was making the dome plug months ago. So strange. I wonder if it's the Minwax that somehow causes it.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5mvTpT6DVY52H_Sdh5LRZ9jV1LPcgf5lx7eTiz8KpfE3MoYxdDh-ywvCDNUMYl3z5varf_RJpNwseZh_h4mlX-v1Ti4jAqekj6WT6zQzbeFkcggBXKWe1DJQmjPUx-NSCiAnXjqG6_sU/s1600/09+resining+the+chop+mat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5mvTpT6DVY52H_Sdh5LRZ9jV1LPcgf5lx7eTiz8KpfE3MoYxdDh-ywvCDNUMYl3z5varf_RJpNwseZh_h4mlX-v1Ti4jAqekj6WT6zQzbeFkcggBXKWe1DJQmjPUx-NSCiAnXjqG6_sU/s1600/09+resining+the+chop+mat.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a>While that was getting nice and tacky, I tore off some pieces of surfacing veil and chop mat from their respective rolls. I was really hoping that I wouldn't run into a problem with air bubbles given all the sharp angles. It was starting to get darker outside, so I didn't let the gel-coat get as tacky as I would have normally wanted it. <br />
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I spent most of the early evening and night applying the glass—two layers of the surfacing veil, and two layers of the chop mat (give or take). I tried to work out the air bubbles as much as possible, and give good coverage to the cowl plug (especially on the sharp corners). I put it back in the garage, turned on the heater, and left it to sit for another 24 hours.<br />
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I guess we'll see how it turns out tomorrow! *crosses fingers*SeattleDalekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01298625265184256865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7417376516466895022.post-12943884921995903802014-07-21T01:26:00.000-07:002014-07-21T01:26:05.162-07:00Day 86 through 88 - Dome cowl<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh55MdLGi0aKbidee17euvzB7dDbV6LeL7710CI9tFgJk9qYRAzjtK0A0bX8KN3RBM7kVOiDdS6EHg43qdRJlqX-TzhPa0-7jY_teheBno8pJVBMgfc_QXL2I9Kilho2iPRm0yAaTQQHgc/s1600/02+filling+the+cowl+plug.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh55MdLGi0aKbidee17euvzB7dDbV6LeL7710CI9tFgJk9qYRAzjtK0A0bX8KN3RBM7kVOiDdS6EHg43qdRJlqX-TzhPa0-7jY_teheBno8pJVBMgfc_QXL2I9Kilho2iPRm0yAaTQQHgc/s1600/02+filling+the+cowl+plug.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a></div>
Back at the beginning of June, I started to make the dome cowl. I was originally going to follow <b>ccain</b>'s method of using cardboard, but when I started to Bondo it, I was running into many frustrations. First, I just don't do a very good job of sanding detailed pieces. Second, the duct tape I was using to attach the pieces of cardboard onto the cowl were not flush with it, so the arc of the cowl was lifting off of the dome's arc.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHWdmTOVEOoWrxd3JELNYBog7-iTCvR_QK1Zs8H3R1ujBbGYIJbka5pVpMFORHXEWcbRJZaNoHKChlVDLdu8ZZiXrqzUrL6M60jWEjYGwY2gfjWHZ1guquB1v49otlrdaln724xakmsHU/s1600/03+sanding+the+cowl+plug.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHWdmTOVEOoWrxd3JELNYBog7-iTCvR_QK1Zs8H3R1ujBbGYIJbka5pVpMFORHXEWcbRJZaNoHKChlVDLdu8ZZiXrqzUrL6M60jWEjYGwY2gfjWHZ1guquB1v49otlrdaln724xakmsHU/s1600/03+sanding+the+cowl+plug.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a>So, fast-forward to now. I took a big break from Rainier (mostly to enjoy two full weekends of other activities and travel), and have been coming back to him slowly. I had lunch with a friend when it hit me: I don't need to use cardboard! I could totally use rubber sheets like I used for the details in the dome! Even when forgetting to apply release agent, the cured gel coat let go of those details perfectly! This will be perfect for the dome cowl!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYNdoXXiFCdk5ejeQelaEvwZ6L9GtPIxIXiWJ8uGpx6nGJhvZCpO_8VGLmOX6Sr4h_Q7kIVY_frG6ZCyrih_Cik8vRTNqybr8M3ffEZeP-Op3V92kYA91opxBch68bGaGRuW60ZpSqxFo/s1600/06+cutting+linoleum+rubber.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYNdoXXiFCdk5ejeQelaEvwZ6L9GtPIxIXiWJ8uGpx6nGJhvZCpO_8VGLmOX6Sr4h_Q7kIVY_frG6ZCyrih_Cik8vRTNqybr8M3ffEZeP-Op3V92kYA91opxBch68bGaGRuW60ZpSqxFo/s1600/06+cutting+linoleum+rubber.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a>I went to Blick, a craft store here in the States, and looked around for suitable rubber. I needed bigger pieces than the plumber's rubber that I had found at Lowe's for the dome details. I was directed down an aisle, and I found large linoleum rubber sheets that were nearly 5mm thick. I bought these, a mat cutter for slicing them up, and some stronger spray adhesive than what I had before. (I didn't want a repeat of the rubber panels sliding off while gel coat was smothered over them.)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYybtNVvxRzPXqdmHm7r7NQKt1_KZTbk0SRpFpGQ2pMmhb_husL4eSwt8VBgJKrfwdK-0U3i2n9aphvgQH-7g11dLqmJJVLCPlRSCE50bYMW8gCVdTDmNHfd3rmkblcdUw8Me2rtZappU/s1600/08+attaching+pieces.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYybtNVvxRzPXqdmHm7r7NQKt1_KZTbk0SRpFpGQ2pMmhb_husL4eSwt8VBgJKrfwdK-0U3i2n9aphvgQH-7g11dLqmJJVLCPlRSCE50bYMW8gCVdTDmNHfd3rmkblcdUw8Me2rtZappU/s1600/08+attaching+pieces.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a>Back at home, tore off the old mess of a cowl, leaving the painter's tape attached to the dome. I made paper templates to get the general shapes I needed for the new linoleum version. The linoleum cut like a dream with the mat cutter, and in fairly short order, I had the main outline of the cowl base cut out. I sprayed some adhesive onto the backs and onto the painter's tape attached to the dome, and let that get tacky. Then started I attaching the pieces.<br />
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Even the stronger version of the spray adhesive was still not sticky enough, and some of the pieces were lifting off of the painter's tape. However, a little brushing of Krazy Glue solved that problem.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSd7YbIf6ghc4dBUnJe6ElODyu_SkvDDOSDG3KmZpJSFJsvoHCItKaju2nO6XToiwkhTD6NHQ6fGNCRuYchMjnZsYcGE33pa0w-wuFCu92HlnUCQxVo5incjilLEhaFiQ1deVtqJDJBMo/s1600/05+drawing+the+front.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSd7YbIf6ghc4dBUnJe6ElODyu_SkvDDOSDG3KmZpJSFJsvoHCItKaju2nO6XToiwkhTD6NHQ6fGNCRuYchMjnZsYcGE33pa0w-wuFCu92HlnUCQxVo5incjilLEhaFiQ1deVtqJDJBMo/s1600/05+drawing+the+front.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a>I remade a cardboard structure—this time a little smaller than the plans to taking into account the thickness of the linoleum—for the interior of the main cowl piece. This is because the linoleum is very bendy; it's basically like rubber. I needed a stiff inner structure to adhere to the outer pieces. Then I drew out and cut the front, top, and sides, similar to how I did it back in June. Spray adhesive and Krazy Glue kept it all together.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieVYGCw40wh2gtjdRwVuzjMhcXj1bmyvBz_yPw1K85oLrGZmdxsM2VHOGI-OR1hkWbiPyjD0Q6qD_kkv-RZh3-XoRex29_JZwlkL4UJIyKADdK7CASrkaVBGlgpWUp90RtJSO3csV3H8g/s1600/09+cowl+front.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieVYGCw40wh2gtjdRwVuzjMhcXj1bmyvBz_yPw1K85oLrGZmdxsM2VHOGI-OR1hkWbiPyjD0Q6qD_kkv-RZh3-XoRex29_JZwlkL4UJIyKADdK7CASrkaVBGlgpWUp90RtJSO3csV3H8g/s1600/09+cowl+front.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a>Eventually, everything was attached to the dome. I am extremely pleased with the result, and how sharp the details are. I still need to fill in gaps between the various linoleum pieces, but I'm not sure if Bondo is the way to go, since the linoleum substrate is so rubbery and flexible. I just learned about another filler called Dolphin Putty that is used for repairing rubber car bumpers, so that might be a thing to try. It's also sand-able and paintable. After that, I'll probably throw a few coats of polyurethane varnish—goodness knows I still have a whole gallon of the stuff.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6JrAhJFMLn4g_MvBhDm74KG4oHTf8QI134K0_fUhCUJOAob1Zr4CMJP2hWANWI2ONnY2QLpVsLl9AiJGR4xI_bHX7onYZL1vbevXjiKotLi47GWtWQjb4Tq2m9G2eY_MVv-nE7AHko4s/s1600/10+cowl+angle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6JrAhJFMLn4g_MvBhDm74KG4oHTf8QI134K0_fUhCUJOAob1Zr4CMJP2hWANWI2ONnY2QLpVsLl9AiJGR4xI_bHX7onYZL1vbevXjiKotLi47GWtWQjb4Tq2m9G2eY_MVv-nE7AHko4s/s1600/10+cowl+angle.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a>(Note that the front piece has a large semi-circle cut out from the bottom. This was inspired by <b>MrsCarleigh</b>'s 80% scale Dalek cowl. I didn't like the way the front of my old Bondo version bulged out. This semi-circle will also be filled in and smoothed. Also, I will be attaching the name tag piece in the eventual mold rather than on this cowl plug.)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju5JDVQJPULyvgyce2H4UX-exNzGitBZBhijyOfkymZ0QnBYucCMYg3kBxOy3JOg-Pdn1oMkjNpTd7koN-Y8Yrizs4Z9jPozxnUYlJkt9B67hizOM3oC9xhdYch_qNij9-I9CYLm4vFeg/s1600/12+powder+coated+globes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju5JDVQJPULyvgyce2H4UX-exNzGitBZBhijyOfkymZ0QnBYucCMYg3kBxOy3JOg-Pdn1oMkjNpTd7koN-Y8Yrizs4Z9jPozxnUYlJkt9B67hizOM3oC9xhdYch_qNij9-I9CYLm4vFeg/s1600/12+powder+coated+globes.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a>OH! And I would be completely remiss if I didn't mention that <b>ChristmasDalek</b> was kind enough to take my gazing globes in for powder-coating, in exchange for the Imperial dome that I made for her several weeks ago. They turned out to be gorgeous!<br />
<br />SeattleDalekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01298625265184256865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7417376516466895022.post-42906860095351029222014-06-12T23:55:00.000-07:002014-06-12T23:55:07.404-07:00Day 84 and 85 - More fender motorization<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGI1gm7ill3toY4CrDFZHnh9yC1wIdKDNXQmwaFZgjnC0dYCfTqqkVm5vxWOXSeGSFe5MS70BknFFAGqfw3-o5lZhP-hFaMEkbPg1smWqhaqmQ0ioUUim6CKaq35YxDmlDoaA6k6Ldq4g/s1600/01+mounted+the+wheels.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGI1gm7ill3toY4CrDFZHnh9yC1wIdKDNXQmwaFZgjnC0dYCfTqqkVm5vxWOXSeGSFe5MS70BknFFAGqfw3-o5lZhP-hFaMEkbPg1smWqhaqmQ0ioUUim6CKaq35YxDmlDoaA6k6Ldq4g/s1600/01+mounted+the+wheels.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a>I spent a good chunk of time drilling various bits of metal and wood, and making sure everything was all lined up. Finally, the wheel assemblies were ready to be bolted to the rest of the frame.<br />
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The problem with that much frame, however, is that there are not a lot of places to mount casters. I got a set of small 2" casters at Lowe's and placed them temporarily onto the topmost and bottommost wooden struts using self-tapping screws. I then eagerly took the fender outside for a spin.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlfeE4OSZhOLL75Nfd1SMIe8IiAjJ3kzaPCQThNNRzQ1xTNhAUEVNY5OoZKw8IUD3ke8t5tLSV-lfNKUBuLmo6_brGNll1c1D2u0zankeVcPdl5Yf9VZdVhGEopejpujHhgjsDyStL6cQ/s1600/02+temporary+front+casters.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlfeE4OSZhOLL75Nfd1SMIe8IiAjJ3kzaPCQThNNRzQ1xTNhAUEVNY5OoZKw8IUD3ke8t5tLSV-lfNKUBuLmo6_brGNll1c1D2u0zankeVcPdl5Yf9VZdVhGEopejpujHhgjsDyStL6cQ/s1600/02+temporary+front+casters.jpg" height="150" style="cursor: move;" width="200" /></a><br />
After a few minutes of loud, rough trundling, one of the back casters snapped off. As you can see from the photos, the screws were pretty close to the edges of the wood, so there wasn't a lot holding them into place. A rough, pebbled cement driveway extends from my townhouse front door at an angle, and that also contributed.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxHPZUE6f_gB3coA7OH36eUdWpmVS_-fG1JwmXDIHqvmE52NYtpFoToRXh5cDN0lbZZ-YxUEkwDJ4ZygIa6D6dwMvmNJm2MYVHS8phvuBTFPpuktzgiauOkf8kPtnX2UZJ5WUJe7NhCuA/s1600/03+temporary+back+casters.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxHPZUE6f_gB3coA7OH36eUdWpmVS_-fG1JwmXDIHqvmE52NYtpFoToRXh5cDN0lbZZ-YxUEkwDJ4ZygIa6D6dwMvmNJm2MYVHS8phvuBTFPpuktzgiauOkf8kPtnX2UZJ5WUJe7NhCuA/s1600/03+temporary+back+casters.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a>The next day, I described some of my progress to some of my chums at work, and one of them (who builds robots) put in his thoughts on what I could also do. He suggested reinforcing the third mounting point on the motor casings, which I hadn't yet done. Since the wheels are mounted on parallel metal beams running the length of the fender frame, sufficient weight placed on them could splay them apart.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkr0NHlKoOmHo3VpFCrqYiwltAjQe8oOL93PjkexFluOPNrvXHcP91HxRe5VKbcdcv2vn-a76oo1P-F84JuAUBoLyUTRpYqkyQnplYr96KuLM2ArwmLpDtfxrd9PtpMADAo_WaYK9VjxM/s1600/04+reinforcing+the+motors.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkr0NHlKoOmHo3VpFCrqYiwltAjQe8oOL93PjkexFluOPNrvXHcP91HxRe5VKbcdcv2vn-a76oo1P-F84JuAUBoLyUTRpYqkyQnplYr96KuLM2ArwmLpDtfxrd9PtpMADAo_WaYK9VjxM/s1600/04+reinforcing+the+motors.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a>So I pondered a bit on how I could solidify this, and came up with adding a length of 5/8" solid threaded rod, bolted on either side with nuts and locking washers. It's pretty rock solid. In fact, I had to detach the wheels to even get the rod in place. Once re-assembled, it wasn't going to splay at all.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwyoykqr5VDn0TsBEH7oAyTXw701JOwSb1m3KM9JMMFw9NUb4r51y-jX3QucRBR6T251CoMO9wrAjtHc3ONV7Yk_rscUFXoxYMAx08T3D06754cW9YYmZnSYhOoe1cIQ9wDlern1yMpEg/s1600/05+better+front+casters.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwyoykqr5VDn0TsBEH7oAyTXw701JOwSb1m3KM9JMMFw9NUb4r51y-jX3QucRBR6T251CoMO9wrAjtHc3ONV7Yk_rscUFXoxYMAx08T3D06754cW9YYmZnSYhOoe1cIQ9wDlern1yMpEg/s1600/05+better+front+casters.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a>Another chap had inadvertently eavesdropped on the conversation at the point when I was talking about the crappy urethane casters, and not knowing where to get ones that would really be able to handle a nice solid load. He mentioned a store I hadn't even heard of that's still here in Seattle, called RH Brown. I'm glad he told me about them! I went there right after work and bought 3.5" and 4" rubber casters and took them home. I didn't yet know what size I was going to use, and they said I could take back the set I didn't use for a refund.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpgLDIxmB4MDTHTzLAqssc1Pbpupv3kg7jRtOGyig8a1BXU4AEKmx-KcwIiA3k7iM8sXUnHlOU351vm9SmLO8asX-qv0_2LKGf1vYXcND0Ho2kjmJMteJ4Xj-NawIm9gYrbV28eg9gSIE/s1600/06+better+back+casters.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpgLDIxmB4MDTHTzLAqssc1Pbpupv3kg7jRtOGyig8a1BXU4AEKmx-KcwIiA3k7iM8sXUnHlOU351vm9SmLO8asX-qv0_2LKGf1vYXcND0Ho2kjmJMteJ4Xj-NawIm9gYrbV28eg9gSIE/s1600/06+better+back+casters.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a>There was no place on the frame to put them, initially, so I decided that I was going to trim some of the workings off of my monster assemblage. I took my metal-cutting blade off of the miter saw, threw it onto my circular saw (same size blade), and cut off the upper and lower parts of the square steel tube on which the wheel motors are mounted. I then unbolted that and the uppermost and lowermost wooden beams.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwwje51LB5ZjkAe76xwEM6gblxA0-JkWqb0bLuQx-ouJJ-WuqSe2yc_BiBQ2Pzu8Be7k4JBHbTuQPPGWH0j4gR07-Up0EruXlzSX64ZZRwsHEGMBwM9v1RMrnD1-zdMNNzMkoxhl72LMM/s1600/07+fender+bottom.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwwje51LB5ZjkAe76xwEM6gblxA0-JkWqb0bLuQx-ouJJ-WuqSe2yc_BiBQ2Pzu8Be7k4JBHbTuQPPGWH0j4gR07-Up0EruXlzSX64ZZRwsHEGMBwM9v1RMrnD1-zdMNNzMkoxhl72LMM/s1600/07+fender+bottom.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a>This cleared a large area for me to add the new casters. In order for them to be just about level with the main tires, I needed to mount them on top of two 1/2" pieces of plywood. I chopped up some offcuts, and secured everything into place, this time with 5/16" hex-bolts (and not self-tapping screws).<br />
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It looks a lot less complicated down there, now. Still weighs in at a hefty amount, though. We took some video of me test-driving it, but because it was so dark, it didn't turn out very well. Also, I need to sand off a bit from the front plywood caster mounts, because at times the middle tires weren't in contact with the ground. On a flat surface, this might not matter, but I know I'll hit angles from time to time.<br />
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Video of me trundling around likely to be posted soon!SeattleDalekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01298625265184256865noreply@blogger.com0