NASA ACES suit disconnects

[antarusfree]

Here's some photo showing the installation of the spring and grub screws into the locking tabs, a little fiddly but not as bad as I expected the worst part was tapping the M2 thread in the locking tab, I didn't enjoy doing that, thankfully the parts were all okay.

View attachment 1689881View attachment 1689882

Step 1 insert the grub screw the place the spring into the slot keeping the grub screw below the surface.
Step 2 slide the locking tab into position with the hole and the grub screw are in line.
Step 3 tighten the grub screw so that the locking tab slides freely and doesn't fowl on the bottom of the slot.

Here from the inside you can just make out the grub screw visible.

View attachment 1689883

Whole setup works really well, once again many thanks to antarusfree for his excellent CAD modelling without whom this wouldn't have been possible.

Thank you Alex, I am glad that everything works so far

 

[antarusfree]

Kudos for antarusfree and your workmanship, detail oriented machine skills made it a work of high quality

Thank you

 

[alexbailey]

I apologise for the lack of updates, I had been very busy with work.

However I have sent a sample part (a spare bearing ring and locking ring) to the anodiser. To get an idea of the colour, should have it back next week and will share some photos. Fingers crossed it will look in keeping with the real thing. Looking through my reference, there is some colour variation in the real parts so we have a bit of wiggle room on the colour.

Some good reference material recently become available, as i'm pretty confident the Orion suits share the wrist rings - as do the modern suits used on the U-2 and WB-57. Nice high resolution photos are on the NASA Johnson Flickr relating to the Artemis 2 crew announcement.

 

[alexbailey]

I have received the sample from the anodisers, I think it looks pretty good, both colour and surface finish. I have now sent the rest of the prototype to the anodiser.

 

[joberg]

F.A.B.

 

[alexbailey]

I have got the anodising back turn out well.

All the parts to a set.

Some closeups

Now going through final finishing and getting everything put together.

 

[joberg]

"My God, it's full of stars"

 

[antarusfree]

It turned out really nice, but the colour needs to be worked on.
Alex, look for the official high res NASA astronauts portraits with the flag.
The neck ring is also the same colour as the wrist disconnects.
Paul

 

[alexbailey]

First attempt with the yellow paint for the markings.

 

[alexbailey]

It turned out really nice, but the colour needs to be worked on.
Alex, look for the official high res NASA astronauts portraits with the flag.
The neck ring is also the same colour as the wrist disconnects.
Paul

Do you think they're a bit too blue? I agree it should probably be more gray. I'll see what I can do for future versions.
Also they look a little darker in real life, I tried to get some bright lighting for nice photos.

 

[antarusfree]

Do you think they're a bit too blue? I agree it should probably be more gray. I'll see what I can do for future versions.
Also they look a little darker in real life, I tried to get some bright lighting for nice photos.

Yeah, they are definitely too blue. You are right with the colour. I think they are a darker grey with a litle bit of blue.

 

[antarusfree]

First attempt with the yellow paint for the markings.

View attachment 1710850

For the paint I suggest to make a stencil or drop a blob of paint on the bottom surface of the engraving and let it naturaly spread out. No need to trying to paint the sides of the engraving.

 

[alexbailey]

For the paint I suggest to make a stencil or drop a blob of paint on the bottom surface of the engraving and let it naturaly spread out. No need to trying to paint the sides of the engraving.

After this attempt I started using a thinner enamel paint as opposed to acrylic which spreads out as you suggested, worked out well, just requires a couple of coats. Had a couple of overflow situations easy enough to wipe off the excess with a paper towel. I will share some photos of the finished result shortly, haven't finished all of the painting just yet.

 

[alexbailey]

Here's the completed, in fill painting. I may have to add a little more paint in certain areas, and use some thinner to clean up a few small areas of paint outside the lettering. Thankfully the thinners doesn't affect the anodising so it easy enough the use a paper towel with a little bit of thinner to wipe of any excess. Enamel paint is definitely best. I started with some acrylic but just wasn't thin enough to fill the area nicely and produce a smooth result.

 

[joberg]

So lovely and sharp

 

[Astronaut9kid]

do you also make the neckring? contact me to discuss both..can i type my email in here?

 

[antarusfree]

do you also make the neckring? contact me to discuss both..can i type my email in here?

PM

 

[antarusfree]

Due to a few questions about the ACES neck ring I will be making a working model of it in the near future.
So if someone has some good reference photos or any dimensions it would be really helpful.

Paul

 

[alexbailey]

Some photos of final assembly of the prototype rings. After some small adjustments everything is working nicely.

A couple of modification I will make for any in the future sets.

1. Make the slots that hold the springs slightly deeper to stop the spring rubbing on the bottom of the locking tab. Really small maybe only 0.15mm deeper. This was cause one of the tab to catch and not operate smoothly. This is a small machining error likely due to the part being slight off centre on the rotary axis.

2. I will reduce the height of the bearing cover section that sit down into the bearing track, mine were slightly proud, this was easily correct with some gently sanding. Initially the bearing wasn't running smoothly but after adjustment they are running much better.

3. Anodising colour adjustment as previously discussed above.

I will get some photos of the the completed set in some better light.

If there is still interest the small run of these I will make a limited number.

Excellent entertainment while putting them together

 

[Astronaut9kid]

I would like to order1 set. Thanks!