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1/32 Electric Intruder - Grumman EA-6A Conversion


allthumbs

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1 hour ago, Scale_artisan said:

Hi Rich,

 

Excellent job so far mate.

 

I keep looking at this vacuform machine and wondering how much it costs and from where I can get one because it gives you very good results.

 

-Bill

Hi Bill...and thanks a bunch!
 

I purchased mine off eBay about 5 years ago. At the time they were readily available from multiple sources for approximately 100.00 to 150.00 USD’s - search “dental vacuum forming machine.”

 

It’s very convenient and easy to use. The only drawback is the relatively small stage size (5x5 inches) which limits its applicability.

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Thanks Rich!

 

I had a look at eBay and saw that the model you have is Chinese. I presume that for having it without any issues for 5 years it is a trustworthy and safe machine.

 

As for the dimensions, I don't have right now something that is larger than that so, I guess I'll be OK. In the past I have mostly tried to copy canopies.

 

Now, where did I hide those $150????:huh:

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On 2/22/2021 at 11:51 AM, Rainer Hoffmann said:

Woah, a thread almost as old as my own. How did I miss this?

 

Very crisp and clean work, mate. And a great subject as well!

 

Cheers

Rainer

 

 

Hi Rainer, thanks for your kind words. And yes, I guess you could say we are both “in it for the long haul.” I’ve considered changing my screen name to something like slowmodeler or tortoise!

 

11 hours ago, misha71 said:

brilliant work

misha71, I appreciate the comment. Thanks for checking in!

 

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'I had a look at eBay and saw that the model you have is Chinese. I presume that for having it without any issues for 5 years it is a trustworthy and safe machine.'

It's not as if you would be using it alot.  Depending on your project, you can go a year without using it.  Then you would be using it regularly to get a good vac.  The thing is solid and sturdy, cast aluminum, heating element softens the plastic quickly enough.  No long waiting like the Mattel vacuum form.  And it has a powerful vacuum draw.  As Rich stated, the platform is small.  But it makes really good vacuum forms.

 

https://www.micromark.com/Compact-Vacuum-Forming-Machine

MicroMark.

 

Rich, your skillset is unbelievable.

 

Sincerely,

Mark

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On 2/24/2021 at 2:56 AM, dodgem37 said:

'I had a look at eBay and saw that the model you have is Chinese. I presume that for having it without any issues for 5 years it is a trustworthy and safe machine.'

It's not as if you would be using it alot.  Depending on your project, you can go a year without using it.  Then you would be using it regularly to get a good vac.  The thing is solid and sturdy, cast aluminum, heating element softens the plastic quickly enough.  No long waiting like the Mattel vacuum form.  And it has a powerful vacuum draw.  As Rich stated, the platform is small.  But it makes really good vacuum forms.

 

https://www.micromark.com/Compact-Vacuum-Forming-Machine

MicroMark.

 

Rich, your skillset is unbelievable.

 

Sincerely,

Mark

Mark, thanks for your continued support, means a lot!

 

On 2/24/2021 at 4:35 AM, jeroen_R90S said:

I just spent a considerable amount of time reading through this -wow, that's really awesome work so far! Honestly, IMHO, it doesn't matter how long it takes, as longs as the process is enjoyable. Happy that my build did a little bit to inspire :) 

 

Some really clever and cool ideas in there :)

 

Jeroen

Jeroen, thanks for the kind words. I’ll be watching for updates on your A-6A build.

 

On 2/24/2021 at 7:16 AM, HerculesPA_2 said:

Nada como ser americano e estar nos USA para poder ir e tirar as medidas no próprio avião. Parabéns pela montagem!

 

Hercules de Araujo

Hi Hercules, muito obrigado!  And yes, we are indeed very fortunate to have so many aircraft museums located in the United States.

 

Scribing outside the lines:

 

Some of the Intruder’s exterior panels are irregularly shaped and therefore do not lend themselves well to commercial scribing templates.

 

For these shapes I fashioned custom templates cut from soda can aluminum. Because these panels had rounded corners, male, or “positive” forms were created, that is, ones in which the scribing tool would have to be guided along the outside edges of the templates.

 

I was hesitant at first, imagining that the required scribing technique might be too difficult to master. But experimentation proved otherwise; proceeding slowly and with light pressure, the operation was much the same as conventional “inside the lines” scribing.

 

The metal forms were temporarily fixed to the model with small amounts of thin CA, the glue being applied through punched holes in the metal (the templates were later peeled off and the residual glue marks sanded away).

 

Hopefully, the following sequence of pictures helps illustrate the process...

 

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CcgHc15.jpg
 

vfbtPjc.jpg
 

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KHlVjB6.jpg

 

C8d6gkd.jpg

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Scribing perfection!

I've use the (somewhat) same technique on a 1/72 RF-101C (still need to finish that...) as some parts were inaccesible with normal tempates. Sometimes I also use a tape rectangle-ish shape (depends on what it should be), but you can't get rounded corners easily that way.

 

I'm still working on my A-6, the cockpit is ready for final varnish (just finished making the throttle yesterday), and now working on the metal gear legs. A real PITA to clean up and fill the pin-marks for sure, but slowly getting there. Hopefully an update on my part soon :)

 

Jeroen

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