I noticed a manufacturing blooper. In the image below, follow the ladder up and over the canopy. There are joins that devide the area into its own section.

Below you can see the instruction sheet has the mentioned joins but, look at the canopy. It is missing that detail.

It is things like this that are a velocity killer. Do I ignore the flaw? Nope. I must deal with that before I progress on the remaining frames.  Blah!

This is a slightly better image that shows the problem.

Bakster

This is a slightly better image that shows the problem.

 

 

I found and have some in stock of  .030 Evergreen strip that should be a very close fit. My biggest issue now is... what glue to use and how do I keep from making a mess of the canopy. I am leaning towards UV epoxy. I can shine UV light through the bottom of the canopy. 

If anyone has other thoughts... feel free to comment. 

Solarez UV Resin was the correct answer.

1. For the curved portion I made sure to prebend the styrene. That takes the tension out of it.

2. I fitted and taped one end down so as to hold it in place. 

3. I lifted the untaped end and applied resin underneath. Carefully, I pressed it down into position. 

4. Any oozing resin can be wiped off with a cotton bud. That is a huge plus. Though, you can wipe it off, I tried to minimize the amount.

5. Making sure the piece is aligned correctly and pressed flat, I flipped the canopy and hit the location with UV light.

6. Then I followed the procedure on the taped end.

Boom! It looks good. It will not have the strongest bond but if I am careful, it should get through the build. If not, I will need to reattach it. I still need to do the other side but it shouldn't be too much trouble. I hope.

The styrene strip should give a pretty good representation. It's not exact but close enough for my taste.

Overcoming adversity is part of the drudgery of life.

When it works, though, the success is well worth it.

It looks perfect to me Bakster! 

CapnMac82

Overcoming adversity is part of the drudgery of life.

When it works, though, the success is well worth it.

 

And there is wisdom.  

Gamera

It looks perfect to me Bakster! 

 

Glad to hear it. Can't disappoint a LIS fan!

Lol, not sure I'd call myself a 'fan' yet but it's fun! 

The last one I saw Smith was torturing an alien he thought was Satan. 

I mean, where else can you see something like that!?!??!! 

Wow.... 

Gamera

Lol, not sure I'd call myself a 'fan' yet but it's fun! 

 

The last one I saw Smith was torturing an alien he thought was Satan. 

 

I mean, where else can you see something like that!?!??!! 

 

Wow.... 

 

Lol...

Smith torturing Satan, that's a good one.

Not having done this before I am not sure if all this effort is worth it. I could have glued curtains to the canopy and called it a day. In the end, I hope it is. I will soon find out.

For the most part, constructing the frames is done. From here I will check final fit. Adjust here, and adjust there... then off to paint. After paint, it is making and installing the curtains. 

Speaking of curtains. I did preliminary testing using Bare Metal Foil. Trying my idea to layer sheets back to back looked, I think, so so. Too crinkly, I think.

Something tells me the frames portion in all this was the easy part. Getting the look I am after may require some magic mixed with a good portion of luck. That will be the deal killer in all this, where the rubber meets the road as they say.

That is all for now.

Looks good to me Bakster, you're a braver man than I for tackling all that clear canopy. I hate clear parts, guess that's why I've been stuck on armour the last few years. 

Looking forward to seeing how you work out the curtains. 

Watched the episode last night where an alien mad scientist drains the Robinson's emotions out into his super android. He pronounces Dr. Smith to be too crafty and sneaky and Major West too aggressive and violent to want their emotions so he leaves them be. So Smith and West must work together to get the Robinsons back as people instead of emotionless zombies. It was pretty entertaining and I hope they did more with Smith and West working together. It was fun watching them bicker and snipe at each other while trying to work as a team. 

Then tonight in 'The Golden Man' episode Judy gets trapped in a mine field with exploding beach balls as mines. 

Exploding Beach Balls... 

WTH!?!?!?!? 

Bakster

Not having done this before I am not sure if all this effort is worth it.

Well, if nothing else, it looks good right now.

The hard part gets to be whether you hit that wall, of "It could look better, I ought to rip it out" versus, "I'm tired, and it's good enough."

You simply cannot model things and not wind up between that rock and hard place.  (This can apply to non-modeling life, too, sad to say.)

On the clear parts issue, I hear Gam's "pain."

That they moulded this that well at all is flat-out amazing.

Were this "to scale" quarter-inch tempered glass would be 0.007" (around 0.18mm) thick, so, the only real option if the casting wer flawed would be to try and vac-form some 0.005 clear sheet--which would be a different nite-mare.  (If one all too close to hacking the 'glass' bits out leaving only the frame, and using super-fine clear sheet to infill the remaining frames--taking a boat up the Congo to drag old Col Kurtz out by his ear sounds far more sensible.)

The horror the horror.

"Well, if nothing else, it looks good right now."

I should stop while I am ahead! Lol.

"The hard part gets to be whether you hit that wall, of "It could look better, I ought to rip it out" versus, "I'm tired, and it's good enough."

So true! Lol. I am not quite there yet but getting close. Robot is screaming, Danger! Danger!

"On the clear parts issue, I hear Gam's "pain."

Ditto.

"That they moulded this that well at all is flat-out amazing."

Also, so true. And will it survive the yet, long build journey, is the question. Tons of masking to do on this thing. And that does not include fitting the curtains and some floodlight wiring. Ah...but its the journey!!!

"Were this "to scale" quarter-inch tempered glass would be 0.007" (around 0.18mm) thick, so, the only real option if the casting wer flawed would be to try and vac-form some 0.005 clear sheet--which would be a different nite-mare.  (If one all too close to hacking the 'glass' bits out leaving only the frame, and using super-fine clear sheet to infill the remaining frames--taking a boat up the Congo to drag old Col Kurtz out by his ear sounds far more sensible.)"

I'd guess vac-form might offer the best option, if so inclined.  I imagine the frame option a true horror show.

"The horror the horror"

Apocalypse Now...

"Looks good to me Bakster, you're a braver man than I for tackling all that clear canopy. I hate clear parts"

Yeah Gam. I am not a fan either. It is danger at every turn.

"It was pretty entertaining and I hope they did more with Smith and West working together. It was fun watching them bicker and snipe at each other while trying to work as a team."

You are enticing me to watch the show, Gam. Oh the pain.

"Then tonight in 'The Golden Man' episode Judy gets trapped in a mine field with exploding beach balls as mines. "

That is some stellar writing there, Gam. Exploding beachballs... that is amazing stuff. 

Capt: If I tried to cast a new canopy I'd be running around, waving my arms wildly,  and shouting 'DANGER, DANGER!!!' 

Bakster: Thanks for turning me onto the show. Tonight a green dude turned Bill Mumy green too. I'm watching just to see what kinda crazy **** they're going to do next. 

Gamera

Capt: If I tried to cast a new canopy I'd be running around, waving my arms wildly,  and shouting 'DANGER, DANGER!!!' 

Bakster: Thanks for turning me onto the show. Tonight a green dude turned Bill Mumy green too. I'm watching just to see what kinda crazy **** they're going to do next. 

 

Lol. You crack me up, Gam!

Bakster

"The horror the horror" Apocalypse Now...

Trick question, actually, it's the last line in Conrad's Heart of Darkness.

Used to be taught more for the deliberate non-use of a comma.

CapnMac82

 

 

Bakster

"The horror the horror" Apocalypse Now...

 

 

Trick question, actually, it's the last line in Conrad's Heart of Darkness.

Used to be taught more for the deliberate non-use of a comma.

 

Darn. I missed the boat.

Yeah, never read it or seen the movie either.... 

Bakster

Darn. I missed the boat.

Charles Marlow, in Conrad's novella, arrives in the congo on the Sloop "Nellie."

The steamer taken up the river, which spends months being repaired after being wreced repeatedly, is never named (although popular modern opinion is certain it's the "Nostromo"--it's  not, that's a different Conrad novel, set in South America.)
(It's also not the Sulaco, depite internet lore.)

CapnMac82

 

 

Bakster

Darn. I missed the boat.

 

 

Charles Marlow, in Conrad's novella, arrives in the congo on the Sloop "Nellie."

The steamer taken up the river, which spends months being repaired after being wreced repeatedly, is never named (although popular modern opinion is certain it's the "Nostromo"--it's  not, that's a different Conrad novel, set in South America.)
(It's also not the Sulaco, depite internet lore.)

 

That is too funny. I didn't know a boat was involved and here you go... a sloop. 

Sounds like a good story, Capn. Question: What is the context of, the horror the horror. Where does that come into the story and why?

So, after a few more hours of fiddling... here is what I came up with.

1. Remember how I said I did not like the crinkly look to the BMF? I found that if I sandwich a layer of tracing paper between the foil I can minimize that look. An added benefit is it gives the material more body and holds the shaping better.

2. I built an extra frame to experiment with. Trying this and that, see below.

I like it. The problems... it is extremely fiddly to do. I can deal with that. What I can't deal with is another BIG problem, the glue. For some reason, CA is not holding well. Then I tried UV Resin and that had an odd reaction as well. The resin turned a brownish color when hit with UV. Scratching my head on both issues.

I might have success fighting through this but at this point ... I am rethinking the issue. What really concerns me is when it's time to attach the panels to the canopy. If my only solution is to slather the heck out of things... it is a recipe for disaster. 

I might need to try the more traditional methodology of how we can model tarps and such. Maybe I can make the curtains that way, and then paint em.

Not sure. 

Bakster the curtains look great in the photos! But I can see what you mean about being really fiddly. Not sure what to do for cement. I use Gator Grip on a lot of stuff like that but the owner shut down the company so you can't buy it anymore. When my bottle is gone, it's gone..... (sniff)

If you get glue spots I guess you could say Debbie drooled over the glass. Or maybe Dr. Smith did..... 

That is interesting Capt Mac. I had no idea.... 

Watched 'The Questing Beast' episode last night. In it a knight arrives on the Robinson's planet chasing a pink (actually it's more a mauve) dragon. 

Really, I... am... not... making... this... ... up...

The knight takes Will on as his squire and Penny befriends the dragon, whoops now we've got family drama... 

I did like that Smith did the first decent, good, and selfless thing I've seen him do in the series. When Will becomes cynical and depressed by the knights over-the-top tales of combat and gallentry (aka he's a bull**** artist) Smith acts to restore Will's sense of awe and wonder. Best part of a painfully gawdaful episode... 

Gamera

Bakster the curtains look great in the photos! But I can see what you mean about being really fiddly. Not sure what to do for cement. I use Gator Grip on a lot of stuff like that but the owner shut down the company so you can't buy it anymore. When my bottle is gone, it's gone..... (sniff)

If you get glue spots I guess you could say Debbie drooled over the glass. Or maybe Dr. Smith did..... 

 

That is interesting Capt Mac. I had no idea.... 

 

Watched 'The Questing Beast' episode last night. In it a knight arrives on the Robinson's planet chasing a pink (actually it's more a mauve) dragon. 

Really, I... am... not... making... this... ... up...

The knight takes Will on as his squire and Penny befriends the dragon, whoops now we've got family drama... 

I did like that Smith did the first decent, good, and selfless thing I've seen him do in the series. When Will becomes cynical and depressed by the knights over-the-top tales of combat and gallentry (aka he's a bull**** artist) Smith acts to restore Will's sense of awe and wonder. Best part of a painfully gawdaful episode... 

 

Say Gam, thanks. Actually, I do have some Gator Grip. It's a few years old but probably still good. I have not used it much. I am pretty sure that the product is made of acrylic gel. I could be wrong but the smell, texture, color, and drying properties is similar to the acrylic gel I purchased from Hobby Lobby several years back. For this purpose, GG might work for installing the panels but for attaching the curtains to the frames, it is too slow setting, and probably not strong enough.

I have a couple thoughts about the glue issue. The first is, my CA is getting old. By now, it must be well over two years old. Maybe it's gone bad. I have noticed it takes a little longer than usual to set. I will buy a new bottle. Regarding the UV resin and discoloration. It might be a chemical reaction to CA and/or CA accelerator. I had used both just prior. So, maybe, still hope along these lines.

With the above in my back pocket, I will try the tissue/glue method. I have not tried that process before, it is a good excuse to.

And boy. It sounds like you are hitting the LIS wall of horrible writing. I am interested to see if you can stomach it. Lol. It only gets worse as you progress. 

It's a darn shame the glue is reacting so oddly to the current iteration of the curtains.  They looked superb in the test fit.

Random thought.  Whenever I see that clear plastic canopy I can't help but wonder how much time Bakster spends cleaning off fingerprints before he takes a photo.  ;-)   :-D

Good luck Bakster! I've gotten so I don't use any CA anymore. Generally I just use the GG or two-part epoxy. Not sure epoxy would work any better though. It'd be stronger but it's really slow drying. 

And I know what you mean Phoenix. I wash my glasses about five times a day and still they have something smeared on them constantly. I can't imagine what Bakster is going though...

As to LiS tonight was 'Space Mutiny'. And yeah, I think I've crossed the Rubicon. It stank, nothing good about the episode at all. I'm still watching just to see what sort of batguano insane plot they come up with next... 

PhoenixG

It's a darn shame the glue is reacting so oddly to the current iteration of the curtains.  They looked superb in the test fit.

Random thought.  Whenever I see that clear plastic canopy I can't help but wonder how much time Bakster spends cleaning off fingerprints before he takes a photo.  ;-)   :-D

 

Hey PG, thanks for chiming in. Your opinion of the current iteration encourages me to keep going in that direction. 

You might be surprised to learn I am not cleaning the canopy much. Very little, actually. Maybe the camera is not capturing the grimy prints!  

Gamera

Good luck Bakster! I've gotten so I don't use any CA anymore. Generally I just use the GG or two-part epoxy. Not sure epoxy would work any better though. It'd be stronger but it's really slow drying. 

And I know what you mean Phoenix. I wash my glasses about five times a day and still they have something smeared on them constantly. I can't imagine what Bakster is going though...

 

As to LiS tonight was 'Space Mutiny'. And yeah, I think I've crossed the Rubicon. It stank, nothing good about the episode at all. I'm still watching just to see what sort of batguano insane plot they come up with next... 

 

Hey Gam... I tested GG on the bare metal foil. It shows promise! It seems to stick. Yeah... it not fast acting, but I must say, not terrible either. That might be the solution. It will take a lot of patience but it might just work! Thanks for suggesting that. 

I just built another test frame. I will try a test run using foil and GG glue.

Btw. I just tested the facial tissue water and glue method. I can see where this would work very well for lets say, cloth curtains. But for the look I am going after, it's not gonna do it. I think this is a punt.

Oh no about the rubicon. I was enjoying your reviews. Wait until you get to the great vegetable rebellion. As a kid...it was that episode that made me say, I am done. Lol. I watched a video where Don West talks about that show. They had to keep doing retakes because Don could not stop laughing at how bad the carrot dudes costume looked. If you watch the shot that they eventually use, you can see Don trying not to laugh.

I am glad the GG seems to be helping some. I guess like anything it's a matter of just fiddling with things till you find something that works. 

If you did the facial tissue I wonder if you hit it with a good solid coat of primer and then sprayed it with Alclad aluminum or so other metal shade would it work?

I'm going to keep watching the show. It's fun in how goofy it can be. I watched the carrotman episode with some friends in a watch party a couple months ago. Good grief it's bad. I am not surprised the actor playing West couldn't stop laughing. My hat's off to all the actors there, anyone who could do that with a straight face is a heck of an actor in my book.