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I'm happy for you that the Shapeways canopy worked out!

Awhile ago I had a canopy SLA printed at Shapeways using something called "Accura 60". After sanding out the layer lines and dipping in Future, the canopy was crystal clear. Here's some info:
 
https://www.shapeways.com/materials/sla-accura-60
 
Not sure if this will help you, but thought you might be interested.
 

 

 
--Derek
 
 

Awhile ago I had a canopy SLA printed at Shapeways using something called "Accura 60". After sanding out the layer lines and dipping in Future, the canopy was crystal clear. Here's some info:
 
https://www.shapeways.com/materials/sla-accura-60
 
Not sure if this will help you, but thought you might be interested.
 

 

 
--Derek
 
 

Awhile ago I had a canopy SLA printed at Shapeways using something called "Accura 60". After sanding out the layer lines and dipping in Future, the canopy was crystal clear. Here's some info:
 
https://www.shapeways.com/materials/sla-accura-60
 
Not sure if this will help you, but thought you might be interested.
 

 

 
--Derek
 
 

Awhile ago I had a canopy SLA printed at Shapeways using something called "Accura 60". After sanding out the layer lines and dipping in Future, the canopy was crystal clear. Here's some info:
 
https://www.shapeways.com/materials/sla-accura-60
 
Not sure if this will help you, but thought you might be interested.
 

 

 
--Derek
 
 

Awhile ago I had a canopy SLA printed at Shapeways using something called "Accura 60". After sanding out the layer lines and dipping in Future, the canopy was crystal clear. Here's some info:
 
https://www.shapeways.com/materials/sla-accura-60
 
Not sure if this will help you, but thought you might be interested.
 

 

 
--Derek
 
 

Awhile ago I had a canopy SLA printed at Shapeways using something called "Accura 60". After sanding out the layer lines and dipping in Future, the canopy was crystal clear. Here's some info:
 
https://www.shapeways.com/materials/sla-accura-60
 
Not sure if this will help you, but thought you might be interested.
 

 

 
--Derek
 
 

Awhile ago I had a canopy SLA printed at Shapeways using something called "Accura 60". After sanding out the layer lines and dipping in Future, the canopy was crystal clear. Here's some info:
 
https://www.shapeways.com/materials/sla-accura-60
 
Not sure if this will help you, but thought you might be interested.
 

 

 
--Derek
 
 

Awhile ago I had a canopy SLA printed at Shapeways using something called "Accura 60". After sanding out the layer lines and dipping in Future, the canopy was crystal clear. Here's some info:
 
https://www.shapeways.com/materials/sla-accura-60
 
Not sure if this will help you, but thought you might be interested.
 

 

 
--Derek
 
 

Awhile ago I had a canopy SLA printed at Shapeways using something called "Accura 60". After sanding out the layer lines and dipping in Future, the canopy was crystal clear. Here's some info:
 
https://www.shapeways.com/materials/sla-accura-60
 
Not sure if this will help you, but thought you might be interested.
 

 

 
--Derek
 
 

Awhile ago I had a canopy SLA printed at Shapeways using something called "Accura 60". After sanding out the layer lines and dipping in Future, the canopy was crystal clear. Here's some info:
 
https://www.shapeways.com/materials/sla-accura-60
 
Not sure if this will help you, but thought you might be interested.
 

 

 
--Derek
 
 

Awhile ago I had a canopy SLA printed at Shapeways using something called "Accura 60". After sanding out the layer lines and dipping in Future, the canopy was crystal clear. Here's some info:
 
https://www.shapeways.com/materials/sla-accura-60
 
Not sure if this will help you, but thought you might be interested.
 

 

 
--Derek
 
 

Awhile ago I had a canopy SLA printed at Shapeways using something called "Accura 60". After sanding out the layer lines and dipping in Future, the canopy was crystal clear. Here's some info:
 
https://www.shapeways.com/materials/sla-accura-60
 
Not sure if this will help you, but thought you might be interested.
 

 

 
--Derek
 
 

Awhile ago I had a canopy SLA printed at Shapeways using something called "Accura 60". After sanding out the layer lines and dipping in Future, the canopy was crystal clear. Here's some info:
 
https://www.shapeways.com/materials/sla-accura-60
 
Not sure if this will help you, but thought you might be interested.
 

 

 
--Derek
 
 

Awhile ago I had a canopy SLA printed at Shapeways using something called "Accura 60". After sanding out the layer lines and dipping in Future, the canopy was crystal clear. Here's some info:
 
https://www.shapeways.com/materials/sla-accura-60
 
Not sure if this will help you, but thought you might be interested.
 

 

 
--Derek
 
 

Awhile ago I had a canopy SLA printed at Shapeways using something called "Accura 60". After sanding out the layer lines and dipping in Future, the canopy was crystal clear. Here's some info:
 
https://www.shapeways.com/materials/sla-accura-60
 
Not sure if this will help you, but thought you might be interested.
 

 

 
--Derek
 
 

Awhile ago I had a canopy SLA printed at Shapeways using something called "Accura 60". After sanding out the layer lines and dipping in Future, the canopy was crystal clear. Here's some info:
 
https://www.shapeways.com/materials/sla-accura-60
 
Not sure if this will help you, but thought you might be interested.
 

 

 
--Derek
 
 

Completed
 
All done. The base of the display stand was cut from poplar. The vertical portion  is a temporary mdf template that will be replaced with clear acrylic.

 
With clear acrylic display stand, cut from 3/8" sheet:

 

I happened to notice that photobucket has recently rescinded their image ransoming blockage and that all the pictures in this thread (and many other sites) are visible again! I just finished binge-reading from beginning to end in one sitting and enjoyed it so much. This project was so well documented I felt like I was looking over your (Pete's) shoulder the whole time. I'm amazed tyou could sustain the level of concentration required to work for so many years on this without permanently burning out. Understandably you need to put it away from time to time until enthusiasm returns. Hope that's the case here. Would love to see this epic play out to the final conclusion. Thanks for sharing all your work over the years!

That video was pure pleasure to watch. Looking forward to the next installment.

I used original Rockwell / North American Aviation drawings for the B-1B, obtained here:
 
http://www.aerospaceprojectsreview.com/catalog/drawndoc.htm
 
"Airdrawing 2" and "Airdrawing 18"
 
This was a great resource. You place an order via paypal and he email's you a temporary web address and password from which you download the .zip file containing the drawings.
 
I used a program called "Imagemagick" to convert  and rescale the desired image ("B-1b.gif") into a pdf file that I took to a local Office Depot and had them print on one of their big architectural printers (48" x 36") for about $7.

I'm planning on adding "EL" (Ellsworth) markings eventually. My son will be PCS'ing there sometime this year as a pilot. I'm waiting to see what plane(s) he'll be flying so I can pick something appropriate.

Thanks all for the kind words. It was a lot of work. I had to put it back in the box a few times after frustration with fitment issues, but finally decided to beat it into submission with clamps and glue. It all worked out in the end. It will be interesting to see what ModelCollect comes out with if/when they release a kit.

Completed
 
All done. The base of the display stand was cut from poplar. The vertical portion  is a temporary mdf template that will be replaced with clear acrylic.

 
With clear acrylic display stand, cut from 3/8" sheet:

 

Painting
 
I was looking for a worn, somewhat aged appearance. After priming with Tamiya gray liquid surface primer, I sprayed multiple thin coats of Tamiya XF-54 "Dark Sea Gray", stopping before obtaining complete coverage. For walkway markings I used XF-24 "Dark Gray". For the nose cone and dielectric panels I used a 50:50 mix of XF-54 and XF-24. The wing pivot areas are X-31 "Titanium Gold". Lastly, I dirtied things up a bit with some XF-1 "Flat Black". The flat paints look good but are delicate. For final assembly and handling I wear thin cotton gloves (thanks wife!).