LSP_Ray Posted May 16, 2015 Share Posted May 16, 2015 Definitely do a walkaround! Never enough F7f pics. NORMCO, clarkis and airscale 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris McMillin Posted May 26, 2015 Share Posted May 26, 2015 The lower photo airplane has been "outside" for a long time, the metal covering on the elevator is static display expedience and not airworthy. Ailerons, elevators and rudder are fabric covered on the F7. Chris... airscale 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
richdlc Posted May 26, 2015 Share Posted May 26, 2015 awesome stuff, looking forward to seeing more of the build airscale 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
airscale Posted May 27, 2015 Author Share Posted May 27, 2015 (edited) evening folks ..it's been a while and it has taken me this long to actually sit down and do something - I lost my way for a few weeks after going to LA and catching up afterwards... ..to get me back in the groove I thought I would start nice and simple - a panel on the tailfin. I have learned a lot since I started skinning in litho so having done the opposite panel on the other side of the tail with no detail, I felt confident enough to try pre-detailing this one before laying it down.. ..it's the leading edge panel here.. ..usual process to burnish down a bit of masking tape, run a sharp pencil around the edges to get a template that should be a perfect fit... ..after marking out for rivet detail, I scored all the straight edges and used a PE tool to bend and snap off the waste - I use scissors for anything not totally straight, like where this panel meets it's opposite number on the fin leading edge.. ..after riveting, I laid the panel flat and used a sanding stick on the rear face to get rid of bumps & burrs and also burnished it before the next step - taking the masking tape off and annealing it over a cooker gas ring for a few seconds to make it more flexible.. ..I taped the panel in place and worked the leading edge shape with a wooden paintbrush handle so it doesn't mark the part, I also prepared where the two panels meet at the leading edge so there are no gaps... ..as it was made to fit in exactly this position I just folded it back on the tape and masked up to apply the adhesive.. ..a quick brush or two of adhesive and removed the masking ready to fit.. ..used some masking tape to hold tension across the leading edge and burnished again to get good shape and adhesion... ..it came out ok, and more importantly has got me back in the chair to keep going ..I also started to think about starting on the wings and used some brass stock to get some idea of the overall size - I have no idea how I am going to work this on my bench when the time comes.. ..so that's it for now - building a Tigercat, one panel at a time... TTFN Peter Edited May 27, 2015 by airscale sandokan, geedubelyer, Mal_Belford and 3 others 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shark64 Posted May 27, 2015 Share Posted May 27, 2015 oh yeah!!!! airscale 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
richdlc Posted May 27, 2015 Share Posted May 27, 2015 cool! I have a query re: adhesive - what are you using, and how strong is it? In the past I've used simple all purpose adhesive from the local *insert hardware store as appropriate* - the downside being that it splurges out of the edges and has to be cleaned up. Can also sometimes cause the occasional bump.. that stuff you are using looks like a much better option.. airscale 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Peterpools Posted May 27, 2015 Share Posted May 27, 2015 Peter Just keeps getting better and better Keep 'em coming Peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geedubelyer Posted May 28, 2015 Share Posted May 28, 2015 Good to see you back Peter. Hope your holiday was enjoyable and relaxing. building a Tigercat, one panel at a time... TTFNPeter Your cunning plan appears to be working. Slowly but surely she's taking shape. This is spellbinding to watch and most inspirational. Please keep at it. Cheers. airscale 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zaxos345 Posted May 28, 2015 Share Posted May 28, 2015 Peter i have told it in the past but i will tell it again. I really envy your skills, your builds are of the best i have ever seen!! Now some questions, what is the thickness of tha aluminum sheet you use? What kind of glue do you use?Are there any special considerations you have to take into account? Thanks for your effort to show us new things and techniques, John airscale 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BiggTim Posted May 28, 2015 Share Posted May 28, 2015 As far as glue, he is using Micro Metal Foil Adhesive from Microscale, IIRC. I ordered some of it myself, but have yet to try it. Tim airscale 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
airscale Posted May 28, 2015 Author Share Posted May 28, 2015 Peter i have told it in the past but i will tell it again. I really envy your skills, your builds are of the best i have ever seen!! Now some questions, what is the thickness of tha aluminum sheet you use? What kind of glue do you use?Are there any special considerations you have to take into account? Thanks for your effort to show us new things and techniques, John Thank you John - very kind I think I might do a little tutorial and put it in the Tips & Techniques forum - it is pretty simple and only requires basic tools but I have learned a few things the hard way so would be worth sharing that.. cool! I have a query re: adhesive - what are you using, and how strong is it? In the past I've used simple all purpose adhesive from the local *insert hardware store as appropriate* - the downside being that it splurges out of the edges and has to be cleaned up. Can also sometimes cause the occasional bump.. that stuff you are using looks like a much better option.. Hi Rich - I just use this impact adhesive from Homebase - forget about the spray, it's no good for this kind of work. The cleaner below is mandatory, it just dissolves the glue (even when dry) so cleaning up is just a wipe or two (but it is a solvent so pretty destructive in the wrong place) let me put a tutorial together and I can go through all the bits and bobs.. TTFN Peter Harold and richdlc 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LSP_Ray Posted May 28, 2015 Share Posted May 28, 2015 Amazing work with the lithoplate. Having it all riveted and then getting it on the aircraft perfectly without loosing detail or messing up the alignment blows me away. I would be swearing the whole time, then giving up and reaching for the Alclad. airscale 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
airscale Posted May 28, 2015 Author Share Posted May 28, 2015 hi folks - added a tutorial on metal skinning here hope it helps / inspires someone to try it TTFNPeter Uilleann and Anthony in NZ 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Radders Posted May 30, 2015 Share Posted May 30, 2015 Peter, fantastic work. You have inspired me to finally start a scratch build myself... in the WIP section. Looking forward to seeing this at Telford! airscale 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
airscale Posted June 1, 2015 Author Share Posted June 1, 2015 Hi folks ..just a little update with some more skinning done.. ..I have been doing the rear fuselage slightly differently to the other side - I have been adding a few raised rivets and have been alternating the metal grain to get a contrasting panel effect. I also added in some new panels that I only found when I got up close to the F7F in Chino, so each side is different but I can live with that.. ..I added a bottom panel where the tail hook once was - this has pretty chunky rivets on the real thing... ..its the bottom panel here.. ..the made up panel.. ..and in place.. ..also wanted to add the chine that runs along the top of the rear fuselage so bent up a test part and learnt enough to make the real part.. ..masked the top fuselage to add the adhesive.. ..and the part in place.. there is a fairing at the front I still need to make.. ..you can see the panel contrast and the chine better in natural light... ..and this is where I am at - should have the final panels done soon... ..back soon TTFN Peter BiggTim, leoasman, TaffyMan and 2 others 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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