Egilman

Yellow Papa is one of those colors that benefits greatly from a light colored primer underneath..., oranges and reds do as well if you want them bright and vivid...

Ok, another small update.... I wound up reworking the compressor body again... Those pesky detail pics!!! I went to put the bolts on the flanges and found that none of them line up where they should be in relation to the grooves... (isn't that always the way?) So I spent a bit of time finding accurate pics to get the groove pattern down and then the bolt pattern and yes they both have a variable spacing pattern.... Real life... My approximation of the above... Both patterns get narrower and closer together the closer to the aft end as they go... It was the dickens to find images that show this clean enough to measure... Here is a closeup... Getting closer.... Anyway I'll keep plugging along and eventually It will be done.... Thank you for following along and all the compliments... It's appreciated...

Everyone thank you for your support and confidence and well wishes.. The procedure is a carotid stent to keep me from having a stroke... It's been showing up in weird little ways over the last couple of weeks and the doc ordered a few scans and exams and they found a blockage... Something they are moving on quickly... I should know when I go into the hospital in three days and at max I will only be in for two days... It will be over before we know it... Thank you all very very much for your well wishes, prayers and support, it means a great deal to me... EG

Thank you Ed, trust me it's motivating to see the interest... I've put more work into this than I intended, maybe it will be worth it... I think I'm gonna be fine as long as nothing breaks before I get to the procedure... The doc is a great one, (good looker too) and I get to be awake during it so it can't be all that bad... I think I'll be fine....

Thanks Dan, I'm feeling it will be ok... and the build isn't going to stop.... ONWARDS!!!! {chuckle}

Thank you Ken, I'll be ok, it's a common procedure, preventative in nature, akin to correcting hardening of the arteries, no big deal I've been told... (famous last words?) {chuckle} Eduard's a great company, has had it ups and downs in the past, but currently they are producing some of the BEST aftermarket products in the world... A go to name in the model world... I've been researching 3D printing for some time, so I'm familiar with the work flow, I know of several people producing for themselves and considering marketing one off 3D printing is a non-starter, too slow for production unless you have a large bank of printers running all at once... That is how the FDM services are doing it And your friend is a pioneer in the coming ways of modeling/marketing.. Pick something you like and repeat it... Casting from reusable molds is the fast way to make parts, 3D printing in making the master part is where it is at right now... that's the garage business model today... Not something I'm really interested in, but if it turns out good I would probably post it to one of those websites that allow you to sell your designs to interested parties, but I have a lot more investigating to do before I go that way.... We are looking at the future happening right before our eyes my friend... it's an interesting time...

Thank you Alan, I'm still not sure about the marketing aspect, it's a pretty esoteric subject.... Shapeways has always been pretty expensive to me for what you get, and the idea that you draw it up and pay them to print it for you with the chance that others might buy it adds so many cost level to it it becomes prohibitive in my mind for the one off modeler... But then they are surviving so I guess people are paying the markup for it... They do have some stuff in the larger scales that looks pretty nice but most of it in the normal scales just doesn't work... for what we do.... Besides it's something aimed at designing and building things that model companies will never produce.... I'm hoping it comes out ok...

I thought it was a great thing for them to do that, it surprised me greatly... A high quality outfit... I'm glad your ok my friend... I'm pretty confident in the upcoming procedure, it's a common one for people our age and should take care of any future problems from that direction....

Oh, I forgot... A word about aftermarket upgrade product support.... Several week ago when I started this and was working on the cockpit, I opened my Eduard cockpit interior set and found that there was a packing error on Eduard's part... they packed the wrong fret #2 for the set..... I looked around for another set available on the net and none were available and looked at Eduard's store to see that the set #32643 F-86F-30 Interior had been discontinued and has been for over a year.... So, as a last ditch effort to get the parts, before I launch into more esoteric solutions, I contacted Eduard's customer support... I explained the problem and included a pic of what I received... And I'm here to tell you, it was four days over the weekend before they responded and I was beginning to have my doubts when they responded that it was no problem, just provide them my shipping address and they will ship out the correct fret in 7 days.... That's right, a single part they haven't had in stock for over a year.... Ok, I thanked them profusely... Well it arrived yesterday... Fret #2 containing the parts for the canopy frame and seat.... THAT my friends is how customer service should be handled... How many other companies out there will make up a single part from a discontinued line to resolve a packing error that is over 10 years old? THIS is the way it aught to be but so seldom is... Kudos to Eduard, they KNOW how to take care of their customers.... (right up there with Krakken Hobbies in my book) Great respect for them and will recommend them to everyone as a trustworthy part and kit supplier... (and very happy to say it) EG

Update: The last few days have been a bit hectic with RL intruding in a big way... but I've been muddling along trying to make progress... Last update I left you here.... The basic barrel of the center section roughly modeled... Next step are the side flanges.... Split in half down the middle with 3/8ths bolts holding the halves together... Seems simple to model, but looks can be deceiving.... (one of the most difficult things I've modeled yet) I went thru three complete rebuilds of the center section until I arrived at something I think is passable.... The issue is the 3/4" fillet from the side of the tube to the flange, you notice how the grooves cast into the casing follow the curve of the fillet? And to make it easier, {chuckle} the grooves are different sizes requiring slightly different treatment for each different size... But I got it figured out.... (still learning as I go) Any way, that is now how it looks, built completely different than the first image I posted.... I'm almost back to where I was with version 1.... A few required surface details and I'll be figuring out the maze of the aft compressor frame... And real life is going to put a crimp on my style in the near future... So if I'm not around for a few days/week or so, rest easy that I expect to be back soon.... (although the Admiral is a bit worried) But we gotta pay for the excesses of our youth.... The surgeon assures me that I'm not going anywhere... (but they always hedge their bets when they say that) I figure in a week or so we will be spinning the medical roulette wheel, such is life on the backside of life's hill.... Anyway I will be posting till I go.... So don't worry I'm not going anywhere... EG And of course signing off with an image of the current assembly status..... (might make this my build log sig {chuckle})

Thanks Dennis, Yeah I looked at them several years ago, and have several friends that stand by them, (several are shapeways clients) but they are not for me... I've seen what they produce and the work that needs to go into what they print to get to a decent part.... It's isn't that they aren't using the cutting edge in FDM equipment/materials, they are, it's that FDM for modeling will not satisfy me on the quality issue, and their prices are relatively astronomical for what you get... It's what motivated me to buy the resin printer, it's the ship aftermarket guys like Model Monkey and Kraken Hobbies that are using it to do their gorgeous ship upgrades... (and there are beginning to be upgraded aircraft parts in resin being printed as well... Resin is the future of modeling, FDM, not so much... MM used to be big in Shapeways, but not so much anymore since he's switched to mostly resin for his upgrades... SLA Resin printing right now is the cutting edge of model part printing....

Amen Chris, Get well Dan....

Yep, we are the modeling step children... {chuckle} Welcome to the forum for everything non shipping related... (even such, it is still the best modeling forum on the net, bar none)

I think we've all been there and done that..... {chuckle}

And a note... The start of the Compressor main body.... Just roughing out the basic shape before adding the details... Onwards.... EG

Well an update... Compressor Section forward frame.... Scaled to full size and straightened... Cropped HD view of the left side section.... (of course scaled to full size for measuring) Front compressor frame modeled... Outside of a few mounting bosses and the aft bolt pattern, it's just about done..... Backside... And yes, those are brass screen caps for the internal vents, they are actually colored like that on the real deal... Detail shot... In a day or two I will be starting the center compressor section... Onwards my friends.... EG

Thanks Mike, I agree 100% and wholeheartedly second the motion...

In many ways it feels good to be back drawing again, reminds me of what it was like in the ages before computers.... (drew a lot of those images back when line technique really mattered) Today all it takes is the click on a button.... Makes technical illustration easy.... Maintaining your energy, drummed into a combat pilots head today, it saves lives.... Energy (momentum) is the cash in your pocket spend it wisely... Loss of airflow is loss of airflow, no matter what they choose to call it... In the engine it can destroy the airplane in several different ways, around the wings, you find out just how heavy one of those birds are real quick when gravity takes over.... On the other hand, too much airflow can have just as disastrous of consequences... Must stay within the envelope... Thanks my friend, will keep on going.... (update in a bit)

AMEN! My Admiral the nurse seconds this treatment... Very nice landscaping brother... Keep going.... This is the ticket to outstanding trees, the only thing I could add is paint your tree trunks and lower branches first... then when you apply the hairspray, use a cloth to wrap the painted parts and only spray the upper branch ball... It goes quick, lightly spray, and bounce around in the dark leaves, let dry, when dry, lightly spray and lightly bounce around in the lighter leaves... You will be amazed at the results, best part about it, you can still shape the branches afterwards if you need to with a pair of needlenose... Old model railroaders technique... (and you can do almost any type or size tree with it)

You take care of yourself brother, and as much as we would like to see more, as long as we have patience, in good time we will I'm sure... Don't push yourself....

Homage to an earlier time in my life when I could only work in ink, pencil and paper... Isometric Projection... Hidden line view....

Islands, not much to see, (nothing but a stamped piece of sheet aluminum) but perform a very vital task... I created the basic shapes and included the holes common to all of them... I'll add the rest for each individual when it's time to add the peripheral details... In place on the Intake Plenum... And a closeup... The grooves are plate stiffeners and the side holes are for fastening the plate to the sectors... The hole near the leading edge provides the access to the leading edge of the vanes for the de-icing system.... I have one more minor part to add to the back, a set of four spacers to space the Plenum away from the Front Compressor Frame to account for the lip of the islands overhanging the rear.... Once it is completed, it's on to the Compressor.... And as typical, another view of the assembly at this stage.... (a more fore end view this time) She's coming along.... EG

Thanks Mark, that was my thought about giving heads up... It does happen occasionally that there are delays, but saying you got it when you don't? everyone needs to know... Oh well, they are here now... Next update in a few....

Thank you Alan, the deeper you get into it the more you see.... I was thinking that the other day, just as a build test before a final reduction... (I'll have to think about that one) Yes when the FOD screens were closed it caused a 15 - 20% reduction in thrust, very flyable still, but it's why they were automatically opened when clear of any foreign ground matter induction danger.... If they failed to open, it was a mission abort situation...

I'm here Chris, nice model... I guess we will see if GPM deserves it's reputation of being difficult....