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Fed CA's and managing all the wobbly bits.

 
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djdood
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Joined: 01 Feb 2007
Posts: 3412
Location: Seattle, WA

PostPosted: Thu Jun 28, 2007 7:37 pm    Post subject: Fed CA's and managing all the wobbly bits. Reply with quote

So, I'm in the process of assembling a bunch of Fed CA-hull minis (2 CC's, a CVS, a CF, 2 GCA's) and repairing 2 old plastic CA's.

Does anybody have any clever tricks for keeping the engine nacelles and saucers aligned during cure-time for the glue? The slots and tabs are all loose, due to the needs of the casting processes - this leaves a lot of wiggle-room and opportunities for things to set-up out of alignment.

I've been building a fixture to hold the curing mini (using popsicle sticks), but it's taking a lot of trial and error. I've added and torn sticks off of it several times as I keep finding ways that it will trap the finished mini (that darn saucer...). It has to be a two piece tool, to allow it to slip off the mini from the front and the back.

I *think* I've almost got it now, but after all this work I'm wondering if someone more clever has had a better idea (to spare others the work).

If not, I might put up some dimensioned drawings of my fixture.
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Scoutdad
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Joined: 09 Oct 2006
Posts: 4754
Location: Middle Tennessee

PostPosted: Thu Jun 28, 2007 10:28 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

What I do is this...

I typically assemble multiple CA-type hulls at one time. I mix up a bit of 2-part ribbon epoxy (knead-atite or equivalent).
I put a small ribbon of the putty in the slots for the engines and then press the engines into the putty to form a hole the correct size, shape, and orientation for the nacelle struts.
I remove the warp engines and set the hull off to the side to allow the putty to cure.
Do the same wih the slot in the underside of the saucer and the dorsal strut.
Once the green putty has cured, you have a perfectly sized hole for the saucer and the warp nacelles.
A bit of super glue and you're good to go.
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Squire of Gothos
Lieutenant JG


Joined: 25 Jun 2007
Posts: 26
Location: Bristol, UK

PostPosted: Fri Jun 29, 2007 7:50 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I tend to use lots of blue or white tac to help hold the mini in place while the glue hardens. It allows me to bend it into the right shape and length for each different model.

That said after reading Scoutdad's explanation, I think I'm going to start doing it his way Smile
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Scoutdad
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Joined: 09 Oct 2006
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Location: Middle Tennessee

PostPosted: Fri Jun 29, 2007 2:06 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I like my way simply because I don't have to keep track of a bunch of different jigs for holding the different ship classes stable and I can do more than one CA (or other ship) at a time.

It also holds the pieces steady enough to use a 2-part epoxy adhesive if you prefer...
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djdood
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Joined: 01 Feb 2007
Posts: 3412
Location: Seattle, WA

PostPosted: Fri Jun 29, 2007 7:38 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I tend to use 2-part Epoxy.

I think I'll finish building my jig, as I am still concerned about getting things aligned correctly (which I think I could still mess up when using the kneadatite technique Scoutdad uses).
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Steve Cole
Site Admin


Joined: 11 Oct 2006
Posts: 3827

PostPosted: Mon Jul 02, 2007 4:22 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I only have to glue them together to take a shopping cart photo, but I use super-glue and lots of "shims" to hold them in place.

I have a small plastic toolbox full of erases, blocks of wood, washers, postage-stamp-size pieces of cardboard of various thicknesses, coins, and assorted other things. I dry-fit the pieces and build a set of shim-stacks to hold the parts in place. I've been known to drive map tacks through the shim-stacks to make sure they stay put. Then take it out of the shim, take it apart, apply glue, and set it back into the still-stacked shims.
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djdood
Commodore


Joined: 01 Feb 2007
Posts: 3412
Location: Seattle, WA

PostPosted: Mon Jul 02, 2007 6:19 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

So far, the Fed CA hulls and the Fed BB are the only two that I've resorted to building fixtures for (and the BB was just a platform to hold the saucer straight while the epoxy cured).

I'll be building so many CA hulls (6 for now, more to come later I'm sure), that I decided to just go ahead and build a permanent jig. It will definitely get re-used. I pretty much finished it and got all the parts for those hulls cleaned-up and ready yesterday. A little more work tonight to add braces for the engine nacelles and I'll be into assembly.

My wife made a really good suggestion of using the notch cut into clothespins as cradles for the engines.

I did use Scoutdad's approach to repair one of my BB's that had a bad glue-joint holding the saucer (the epoxy never cured). I didn't have any blue-yellow ribbon (It never seems to be in stock locally...) but I made it work with the two-part grey epoxy putty.

I'm really looking forward to moving this fleet ahead into the primer stage of work Wink
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dave
Lieutenant JG


Joined: 26 Jun 2007
Posts: 82
Location: Canton, NY

PostPosted: Thu Jul 05, 2007 5:00 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I assemble my fed CA's with gel type superglue and build them upsidedown. The saucer goes on fist, then rest the mini on the saucer and the engine nacels and square it up. A little blu tac to hold things while the glue sets.

With the new castings this is much easier than it used to be.
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djdood
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Joined: 01 Feb 2007
Posts: 3412
Location: Seattle, WA

PostPosted: Thu Jul 05, 2007 6:18 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I made some really good progress on my Fed fleet yesterday - before heading off to worship the fire gods and celebrate American independence from British hegemony Wink

My Fed CA-hull fixture is tweaked, tested and ready to go. I should be able to bang out all 6 ships in a couple of hours. I have the aft hull and engines of one finished and everything is nice and straight.

It looks a bit like McKinley Station from ST:TNG. I'll post some pictures tonight.

I also had time to finish repairs on my two old plastic CA's. I had to add steel pins to the struts on both engines on both ships. Seeing them assembled and together with the new metal CA's, they look dramatically different. I think I'm going to get decals for them that marks them as old "R-class" CA's from the Early Years (Republic, Reshadije). I do need to remember to add some epoxy dots to them for the aft hull phasers though.

I've really fallen in love with the new Fed CC saucer and the metal aft-hull and engines. They just look darn cool.
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djdood
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Joined: 01 Feb 2007
Posts: 3412
Location: Seattle, WA

PostPosted: Fri Nov 16, 2007 10:31 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I had meant to post pictures of this jig I built but never did. Here it is:


Last edited by djdood on Thu Jun 30, 2011 8:20 pm; edited 1 time in total
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DKeith2011
Lieutenant Commander


Joined: 16 Jul 2007
Posts: 209
Location: Oklahoma

PostPosted: Fri Dec 21, 2007 2:15 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I have a multi-arm painting stand thats worked pretty well so far.

The only trick is getting everything in position for a good visual inspection before applying the glue.
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