Snowspeeder build. 3D print w/ a little scratch build fun

[tsenecal]

If i need to make identical simple parts like the little fins you showed, i will create as many rough multiples as i need, then glue them all together with elmers glue, sand them to shape while glued together, drill any holes i need, etc, and then stick them in warm water til the glue is dissolved. for more complex shapes, a mold is the best way to make many identical parts.

 

[mjhenks]

If i need to make identical simple parts like the little fins you showed, i will create as many rough multiples as i need, then glue them all together with elmers glue, sand them to shape while glued together, drill any holes i need, etc, and then stick them in warm water til the glue is dissolved. for more complex shapes, a mold is the best way to make many identical parts.

Of course. That makes sense and is simple. Thank you.

 

[mjhenks]

The canopy fit was bothering me. It was too narrow for the panel lines along the sides of the cockpit. You can see it here.

Spit it in half and extend it out a little. Much better fit and after some body work you won’t be able to tell.

 

[Studio Kitbash]

Impressive how the impression of the eye makes the patience of the mind make a critical decision like this -- satisfying to see you are not taking any shortcuts through the "good enough from my house" or "good enough for government work" perspective -- always a pleasure to watch a true crafstman at his craft. Very much enjoying this build thread.

 

[mjhenks]

A few hours of work last night while it rained.

Need some sort of way to mount this thing. At first i made a small plate to mount a 1/4-20 wood anchor but realized i needed to distribute the load better because the mount is way behind the center of mass. I made a steel plate across the cockpit base to do that and epoxied the heck out of it. I know i will have to update the cockpit to accommodate but worth it.

Next problem to tackle are my rear lower spoiler fins. You can see below they do not align with the lower inner wing root. The outer edge of the spoiler should align with the wing root edge. Off by about 4mm and guess what... The wing root is off by about that much somehow. (Centerline on this model sometimes is elusive) Not sure how to fix this.

Can't really tweak the spoiler fin enough to make it work. I think my options are:

- Live with it.
- Force it over an glue in place the best i can.
- Shift and shave the spoiler a little.
- Make a custom spoiler fin and shift the mount over to shift the fin to align. (CAD work)

Note the pencil lines on the first image and read on.

There are very few images of the bottom of the real prop. Nothing in the Chronicles book and anything in the movie that shows the bottom is so fast that you can't stop the screen and see anything other than blur. It bothers me that the spoiler fin hinges do not have a companion hinge on the wing rear edge. There would be one there with an exposed hinge like that on the spoiler.

Took a scrap fin and cut out the hinge. What do you guys think?

Working on the canopy and of course i broke another pillar. This thing is soo weak. Any normal canopy would have a lower frame boundary area that interfaces with the cockpit. This has a really small one. Well since i have a rather wide cockpit threshold (Hence the widening i had to do) why not put a boundary frame down there to add strength? Has to go in the inside edge or i lift the cockpit so....

Below i the plate and using primer to figure out the outline of the inside of the cockpit.

After some tedious work i have a lower frame and a little stronger canopy. I will have to adjust the front once the cockpit is built as the front display is really close to the canopy when in place but i think i can manage. (Or i will build it again...)

Anyways... Making progress.

 

[mjhenks]

Back at work on the canopy. Not pleased at all with firmer of printed rear canopy/cockpit.

Let’s cut out the cockpit and start over.

Flat panels. Bent them up but that did not work out and I just ended up gluing the four independent panels together.

Test fitting and sanding here and there. Also installed the rear deck with pivoting gun post.

Not bad. Good fit now and still get to keep the rear cockpit detail.

Looking at the main cockpit and canopy figment. Not happy with main cockpit. Poor print and not easy to recover.

Front canopy got some tuck and roll upholstery to the top.

Staring on a new cockpit. Side panels with tuck and roll done. Floor plate in and front panel fits. We will see where this ends up.

Where can I get pilots? Anyone know of resin ones or printable models?

 

[mjhenks]

More cockpit work. I am not even remotely trying to match the movie or any other cockpit layout here. Soooo…. I dug out my left over greblies from my Y-wing and went to town.

Laying things out.

It is a jigsaw puzzle to install. The side panels will be grafted in to the cockpit threshold.

If you look close I detailed out the floor boards with fake panels and the foot wells.

I still have to build out the seat side panels but ran out of super glue activator.

I have no plans to light this model and the cockpit painting will be simple.

Thinking about how to hinge the front canopy to the rear. Hmmm.

 

[joberg]

The greeblies in that cockpit look fantasticDon't forget guitar strings: they make great hoses

 

[tomwardill]

This looks amazing, the snowspeeder has always been a favourite, but I've struggled to find decent printable models for it.

For your resin printing problems, I've had much better success switching to the 'ABS-like' resins. They've got a bit of flex to them and are much tougher overall. Supposedly you give up some extreme fine detail with them, but I've not noticed it so far even printing some pretty tiny D&D minatures.

 

[mjhenks]

A bit slow the last few weeks. Ran out of CA glue accelerant…

Been working on the cockpit the seat console and considering air line routing. The console has been tedious as it kept being too tall or too wide to fit.

Pleased so far.

Start to add some air lines.

If you recall I was unhappy with the lower rear fins. They would not align.

I printed up some spares, cut off the actuators on one set and the fin plate of another and built my own so things would fit. Not totally symmetrical but pleased.

Test fit for location

Plating

Compare

Finally started work on seat belts. Going with a 5-point harness. Never done this so let’s see.

 

[joberg]

Looking very good: cockpit instruments + rear flaps

 

[mjhenks]

I think the cockpit build is done but I am open to input. What is missing? The only thing I would like to do is a hinge for the canopy. Not sure how to pull that off right now.

Making seatbelts.

5-point harness seemed appropriate

Hose work using bass strings

The whole ensemble

There will be no pilots or lightning in the interior. I have no plans for micro bible wrap seat covers either.

What is missing?

 

[joberg]

I think the cockpit build is done but I am open to input. What is missing? The only thing I would like to do is a hinge for the canopy. Not sure how to pull that off right now.

Making seatbelts.

View attachment 1778043

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5-point harness seemed appropriate

View attachment 1778044

View attachment 1778047

Hose work using bass strings

View attachment 1778045

The whole ensemble

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There will be no pilots or lightning in the interior. I have no plans for micro bible wrap seat covers either.

What is missing?

Seat belt is looking spiffy! As for something missing inside the cockpit...I know that you can have 3-D decals of gages and instrumentation for jet fighters models. That would put your detailing to another level

 

[Studio Kitbash]

This is looking GREAT!

"Not perfectly symmetrical" means you are doing it exactly like ILM.

Very impressive - keep up the awesome work - it's very inspirational.

 

[mjhenks]

joberg thank you. I just educated myself on what 3D gauges are... What a wonderful idea but what scale? I think SS Snowspeeders are 1/6 scale or near that. I see a few 1/24 gauge kits. Lots of 1/35. (Kelik & Quinta Studios) Hmm. If you have any further guidance let me know.

Studio Kitbash thank you. I know but the engineer in me says otherwise. You have no idea how much i stress over perfection.

Yesterday I was "inspired" by a fellow R2 builder (BrianM) that i should re-think lights so.... I pulled out my Y-wing left over fiber optics and started drilling some holes in the cockpit. Will not be as extensive as my Y-wing though. I did not plan for wire routing or a power-source. Not sure where to stick a battery pack and I have never liked the idea of batteries in a model anyways due to corrosion.

I may have to put a 3mm jack somewhere and plug in to that to provide power. Maybe where the tow cable would go and that would be my cable. Hmmm. Have to find good images of that.

anyways....

 

[joberg]

Yes, difficult to find 1/6 scale instruments...some could be used in your cockpit, albeit at a smaller scale (1/24). We can imagine that some of the gages are smaller than others. As for lighting; you have to be careful not to go "Xmas decorations" in your cockpit.
It's easy to go overboard with too many lights. Eager to see your next update

 

[mjhenks]

frustrated…

Spraying to all fields today. Started the weekend looking for 3d gauges and 1/24 is the largest out there. Ended up getting some for a dehavilland Mosquito and Junkers Ju-87d in 1/32. We will see.

I drilled for fiber optics and started to look at how to route power but did not get far.

My guns keep warping on me so I cut out the middle abs replaced it with wood dowels. Much better.

Painting…. I figured I would start on the cockpit as I cannot finish the body until it is installed. Using Tamiya paints I sprayed it light grey and started hand painting details. That went well.

So why am I frustrated…. Reefer white is why. I started spraying parts using modelersdp acrylic paints. I am using an itawa eclipse HP gun @20psi and if it were a spitting contest I would win. No matter how long or vigorously I shake this paint it is filled with debris. Brand new paint. If I filter it it seems like I am taking all the pigment out. I do not understand.

This is the part of model making I hate…. What am I doing wrong?


The good. Base coat black using rattle can paint.

Older bottle of reefer white. Same brand but 18 months old. A little spitting but ok results so far. (Needs a few more coats)

Again the old paint.

The bad. This is new paint ordered a week ago

Using my lathe to mix for 20min in various orientation and the pigment just will not desolve.

In the cup and jams the gun right away

The tip. So the crap in the brass tip.

The mess

Frustrated…

 

[joberg]

I usually use automotive paint for my airbrush. No problems concerning crap/spitting when using it...then again, you have the "Spit Perfect" way of using that paint later for the various washes of your wear and tear

 

[StevenBills]

What are you thinning the paint with?

 

[mjhenks]

I usually use automotive paint for my airbrush. No problems concerning crap/spitting when using it...then again, you have the "Spit Perfect" way of using that paint later for the various washes of your wear and tear

Automotive is what i am most familiar with. Been trying to get comfortable with model paints again. Back in the day i used Tamiya and have alot of that still but not in the colors I "need". (And man Tamiya paint is expensive now days and the bottles are smaller... I'm old....

What are you thinning the paint with?

This is supposed to be ready to shoot. They suggest thinning with IPA but it is so thin to begin with that making it thinner does not seem right.