Hi Gang...
Time for an update? Sure... This is a 2 Part update. Enjoy
Part I: Getting Things Aligned and Reinforced
Started by creating a test joist for the 1/4 scale door housing
Perfect!
Now let's laser cut some 1/4" MDF joists
Layer upon layer...
This was SO difficult to design because no matter what I did I had to make sure the door would still fit.
Still 28" wide
After a slight error and mod'ing the panel... we now have a complete door housing section
Filler added
I laser cut the entrance trim pieces and panels - dry fit
I sanded and painted the housing
Dry fit the main trim pieces
Adhered into position
When I cut the main trim pieces I also cut the panels all at once. This gave me a perfect alignment tool/guide to use. Lay in place within the trim pieces
Adhere the panels
Remove the guides
Primer
Let's jump to the door... Started with two 1/4" layers of MDF
I added once "face" side to the basic frame (no greeblie details yet - I'm debating whether to add some LEDs to the door)
Back side to remain open for now
I then designed a track system for the door to slide open and close - very simple and basic
From the top of the door
The top piece rests inside the track
The track is then covered with two pieces of MDF on each side
That's the basic door track
Up close
Track adhered into position - looking into the door housing
Slides pretty well
Cockpit side - with door!
There are 6 individual large MDF pieces cut creating 5 different layers to the door housing. I had to increase the depth of the "Pad" and "Door" sections to allow for all the LED strips/wiring, acrylic tubes and the door to slide. I'm hoping the spacing will look ok
Because of the outer radius of the main cockpit body, the door doesn't open all the way
I then moved on to the main body panels
Let's get all these interior sub-panels laser cut and dry fit!
WOW... everything still aligns!
Adhering into place
As difficult as it was to design and align everything... it's been a total blast!
WOW... that looks familiar
Note how gravity is ALREADY pulling parts off center
Side view
Panels are not aligning - turns out one of the main joists (going left to right) was cut too short
To make matters worse... the bay door was open and a rain storm came through creating a HUGE gust of wind and flipped the cockpit off the table... CRASH!!!
UGH
OK... Shake it off, hunker down and get it fixed!
It seemed to good to be true... Things can't always go smoothly!
It was at that moment I thought "OK... time to bolt these parts together... tabs aren't enough". I designed a hole guide - note the smaller holes
Laid into place
Drilled the holes
Temp screwed in the bolts
I then designed and laser cut a floor piece for the door frame housing / section. Note the LONG opening in the panel for the door to feed through and mount to the slider
Since this is Part I... I did do a few other things. The nav chairs!
Knocked and sanded the raised lettering and details off the PVC parts
Ejection tube
Tubes
The head piece saw some major work!
I designed and laser cut these 1/16th plexi parts
Used a heat gun to bend and mold to fit
This one shifted during drying
I had so much fun doing these
Still lots of work to do on those little stray cut lines
Tube is now adhered in place
The silver back plate will be the LAST piece to be adhered into position
As many of you know, fellow RPFer Izzy and I are working VERY closely together on both the 1/4 scale and a new 1/6th scale version of the cockpit! I did a practice "run" of the nav chair
Chair base
Hi Lil Buddy!
Finally... I started this little project
Sure looks familiar
Hey now... we have the beginnings of a 1/4 scale console!
If you notice, there aren't a lot of tabs. I'm trying to make the exterior side of the console as smooth as possible
The armrest panel will see MAJOR changes in Part II
This area of the console NEEDED tabs in order to make all these flat areas fit together
Front panel added
Broke out the belt sander and had some fun with these edges
And this is where we are...
Part II Coming!
Sneak Peak... 1/4 scale cockpit panels primed. I swear it feels like I'm looking into the full scale cockpit!
More to follow so stay tuned!