Rainer Hoffmann Posted December 20, 2015 Share Posted December 20, 2015 Freakin' awesome, Eric. Are you happy with the Proxxon machines? I've been thinking about buying one myself but so far I'm not sure they are worth the money, beeing 12V "toys". But from your close-up pics they look like serious tools. Cheers Rainer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ericg Posted December 21, 2015 Author Share Posted December 21, 2015 (edited) Hi Rainer, I am extremely happy with the Proxxon Drill press. It is actually 240 volt. Whilst I was initially surprised by how small it is I couldn't have asked for something better suited to our hobby. At $650 Aussie dollars for the drill press/compound table/vise combination, it wasn't cheap but the high quality feel of each of the components quickly puts it out of the toy league and into the high end precision machine category. I am aiming to get more of their range as they make many small tools that I could use. http://www.proxxon.com/en/micromot/lathe_and_milling_systems.php Eric Edited December 21, 2015 by ericg Rainer Hoffmann 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rainer Hoffmann Posted December 21, 2015 Share Posted December 21, 2015 (edited) Hi Eric, thanks for the info. I wasn't aware about their 240 volt range of machines (should have known, as they are a german company...). Good to know, that they are high quality tools and not toys! I'll start saving then and try to convince SWMBO that I desperately need to update my machine inventory... Cheers Rainer Edited December 21, 2015 by Rainer Hoffmann Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hubert Boillot Posted December 21, 2015 Share Posted December 21, 2015 FWIW, I recently acquired their (220 V) TBM220 drill-press, and it did pass my test with flying colors, the said test being to drill a hole in plastic card with a 0.2 mm drill bit at the end of a long (> 30 mm) descent. Any false alignment or lack of concentricity would have resulted in a broken bit (0.2 mm hard steel is about as sensitive to lateral loads as crystal) and it did not, repeatedly. Proxxon ! Jhubert Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dutik Posted December 21, 2015 Share Posted December 21, 2015 Great work, Eric! But A STRONG WARNING NOW: Never, I repeat: NEVER blow away aluminium dust or any other metal dust, particles or other sanding, drilling, lathing residues! You put your eyes and visus at risk! While an opthalmologist is able to remove steel/iron particles from your eyeball (they have strong magnetos to do this) there is no way to do so with nonmagnetic metals or other materials. Also not that nice procedure with iron particles. Just use a brush or small broom to remove particles and dust. They taught me also during metalworking lessons that it is wise to wear protective goggles (and a cap, to keep long hair away from spinning machine parts). Take care of your health! Regards - dutik Fooesboy, clarkis, Shaka HI and 2 others 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GuildAero Posted December 21, 2015 Share Posted December 21, 2015 Whilst my Proxxon (special deal) minidrill is still usable, the electronic speed controller went West after just a couple of months, so I stripped it and wired straight through, which means it's always on flat-out and has survived that for years now, but essentially all these things are just 540 buggy motors. The bearings and chuck are the main things. My other Proxxon (I was given) runs slightly eccentrically. I've always found the Mini/Maxicraft series to be value and good quality. I have the orbital sander, circular saw and sanding disc, none of which cost more than £25 each. I had a Proxxon drill press, but it stuck and was dubiously vertical. Then I moved house and lost it! But I have an ancient Triumph fine feed pillar drill which is a joy to use. Cheers, Martin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alaninaustria Posted December 18, 2016 Share Posted December 18, 2016 Any updates Eric?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ericg Posted December 18, 2016 Author Share Posted December 18, 2016 I have done a bit of work on it since the last update but nothing of substance. I decided to sand off all of the ribbing detail on the fuselage and rework it and have become a bit bogged down with it as well as having other projects on the go. Eric. alaninaustria 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Peterpools Posted December 19, 2016 Share Posted December 19, 2016 Eric I can imagine the work involve and look forward to an update when you're ready Peter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Texan Posted December 19, 2016 Share Posted December 19, 2016 Eric, truly a wonderful build! I have always marveled about the Spirit of St. Louis and have seen it many times at the Smithsonian Air & Space museum. To think that Lindbergh sat in that cramped cockpit and crossed the Atlantic. You are doing it a mighty justice! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Uncle Fester Posted December 19, 2016 Share Posted December 19, 2016 Hi Rainer, I am extremely happy with the Proxxon Drill press. It is actually 240 volt. Whilst I was initially surprised by how small it is I couldn't have asked for something better suited to our hobby. At $650 Aussie dollars for the drill press/compound table/vise combination, it wasn't cheap but the high quality feel of each of the components quickly puts it out of the toy league and into the high end precision machine category. I am aiming to get more of their range as they make many small tools that I could use. http://www.proxxon.com/en/micromot/lathe_and_milling_systems.php Eric Eric, you are a masterful thinker and doer. Brilliant reasoning led you to a logical conclusion and, even better, you produced convincing results from your thoughtful process. For the rest of us with not-so-deep pockets, here in the 'States, I might suggest Harbor Freight. They have both a small lathe as well as a small milling machine. They are virtually identical to the Micro-Mark products that are very expensive but made in the same factory in China. I'm not sure about the Proxxon equipment and although it looks similar, I would hesitate to say they are made in China as well. However, more to the point, I have used the lathe to make many things but I have yet to use the milling machine. eBay provides the answer when you need a graduated turntable and other accessories for either machine. They, too are made in China but when Micro Mark charges $300 for something, often you can find one on eBay for much, much less. One of my projects I intended was to make a certain type of wheels out of aluminum rod for a 1/24 scale car. I later found them in a kit and since haven't had reason to use it. However, look at Proxxon and its prices...then look at Micro-Mark, then look at Harbor Freight. Sometimes you can find the Harbor Freight machines on eBay as well...But you can get these machines that seem to work quite well on a budget. Plus. Harbor Freight has the occasional 25% off coupons. Currently, the HF small milling machine is US $699. With the 25% off coupon, it's $524. The Micro-Mark machine is currently $825 plus $75 shipping. If there's a HF store nearby, freight can be mitigated. And then....there's craigslist..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shark64 Posted December 22, 2016 Share Posted December 22, 2016 impressive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ericg Posted December 26, 2016 Author Share Posted December 26, 2016 Any updates Eric?? OK, I have decided that I will work on my 4 WIP's that are out of their boxes at the same time (being the Mirage, Eurofighter, Winjeel and this thing) I figure that I have finished 8 this year, so completing something soon is no big deal. One of the reasons this one was set aside for a while was for the simple fact that yet again, I found myself neck deep in heavy modifications that I probably shouldn't have started in the first place. Of course, it is precisely this method that delivered me my Comet, which i consider the jewel of my collection. The fuselage sides were very `gaunt' and each stringer lacked definition, almsot like the fabric was loose. To do the aircraft any justice I just had to re-do them. I sanded each side of the fuselage flat (a fairly uncomfortable exercise on a $250 kit!) and started again. Using Tamiya tape, I masked up the 3 stringers. I then sprayed a few heavy coats of Mr Surfacer over each one to build up the detail. Removing the masking reveals some sharply defined lines. I then freehand sprayed thick coats of Mr Surfacer over each one to build up the stringer further and to blend it in. After this process was completed I gave it all a light overcoat of the Mr Surfacer to check the progress. Pretty good! I will be able to sand in between each one to further refine the shape once it has cured. As can be seen, it already looks like tightly stetchd fabric over thin stringers. Hubert Boillot, Big Texan, Anthony in NZ and 3 others 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hubert Boillot Posted December 26, 2016 Share Posted December 26, 2016 Way to go Eric ! I agree with you the surface detail of the kit is not great ... When I opened my box, this was one area of dispointment, to which I should add the single piece wing (heavy on the struts and undercarriage) and the thick fuselage shells (when the original was thin fabric on tube-and-stringers). God knows I wanted a NYP badly, but that prompted me to store the box until further resolve to tackle it came by. Your build may just be the inspiration I needed ! Hubert Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simmo.b Posted December 26, 2016 Share Posted December 26, 2016 Good to see this one back, looks great Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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