Space Shuttle Launch Complex 39A with Challenger STS-6 (1:144)

Spaceman · 25 April 2025 19:38

Hello everybody,

in the meantime, the modeled transitions have been carefully plastered on both pipe frames, using different tools for grinding to reach to the respective points.

These were for the bigger roundings beside normal grinding sticks also again my handmade small sticks as well as fine files and especially Grinding sponge (Tamiya-2000). Since the grinding sponge adapts particularly well to the contours, I have glued a small sponge stick from a narrow strip and a balsa stick, with which one can carefully grind around the transition without producing unsightly nicks.

Since hardly any rework was required on the 18’’ outlets, existing unevenness were eliminated with a thin needle file (Ø 1,0 - 0,5 mm).

Now also the other 9’’ transition on the ring line behind the LOX-TSM could be glued, whom I had to give especially care while further handling, since the glue point with Ø 1,5 mm is highly sensitive and extremely fragile.

The thin support rods under these transitions can only be glued at the very end, because their support webs are simply too narrow and would hardly provide support.

Then the other two-part clamping ring came next into line.

After I had marked the position of the screw connections with a tape strip,

the clamping ring was glued step by step.

Thereby the two ring lines are now finished, so that now the 28 clamping rings can be glued, which certainly will become a stressful affair.

At first, however, the positions had to be marked, for which I have used a small tape template, which was very helpful.

And now my drawing of the ring line behind the LH2-TSM came again into the game,

by means of which I marked the position of the six-part (green) and four-part clamping rings (blue) on the ring line, therewith nothing can get jumbled, because the arrangement of the clamping rings on the ring line behind the LOX-TSM looks a little different.

So it can now finally get started with the clamping ring orgy, of which I already a bit dread.
Because this time I have to go back again to the CA, because with MEK the disaster would be preprogrammed, if you can remember, long, long time ago …

The important thing is a secure holding of the ring line, in order to be able to position the clamping rings correctly, because the first contact has to be fixed straight away, especially since correction is extremely difficult. Because if the starting point does not glue, one has to clean the glue point again, because on the old CA strangely enough no new CA glues.

That’s it for today. Bye for now.

Johnnych01 · 26 April 2025 17:34

Good to hear you are on the mend

Spaceman · 26 April 2025 21:00

Hello friends, yep I’m back again, let’s go on!

Now for the gluing of the first clamping rings on the ring line behind the LH2-TSM, which has proved to be the expected tricky affair to do.

As can be seen in the image, it started with four four-part clamping rings behind the TSM first, followed by five six-part rings.

At that I proceeded during gluing in such a way that I first glue only the first screw connection on the underside of the ring line with CA, and the remaining ring then stepwise until shortly in front of the last screw connection, where the end of the strip is glued fitting exactly connecting with the first screw connection after cutting off the overhang.

In order to allow the ring to be attached better when gluing, it is advantageous if the starting point behind the first screw connection is carefully pre-rounded. But already the start was a complete flop, because the first screw connection was broken off, which has surprised and frustrated me of course.

I can only explain it to myself, that the strip has been scratched too much during the chamfering of the screw connections and thus unfortunately had a predetermined breaking point.

This can happen already, but should not throw me off track, which is why I then went on still more cautiously.

So I have glued the barely 1 mm long tiny screw connection and behind it then the remaining clamping ring, which still looks quite neat.

And in the same way followed the next two clamping rings, but unfortunately again not without slip-up. Because as I had already emphasized, one must clamp the ring line somehow, so that one has free hand, in order to position the clamping ring exactly and to press it smoothly.

I had the ring line in my little vise already, but the inner 18’’ outlet layed obliquely at the vise, and during the careful pressure of the clamping ring there was suddenly a quiet click, at which I already suspected something bad …

And after clamping out of the ring line I got prompt the receipt, because the outlet had done its name all honor, and had gone out off the ring line, by which I was badly served and needed fresh air.

Afterwards, I have the ring line again in the SRB chamber inserted and the outlet again glued on. And this gave the opportunity to try out the supports just under the first clamping rings.

Now I just hope that the next clamping rings do not create similar difficulties and become good.

Spaceman · 27 April 2025 11:55

Hello everybody,

I would like to give a new update too.

But in any case, I have now come up with a new and relatively flexible mounting technique.

In doing so, the ring line is received in the rear small opening of a clothespin, which is then clamped into the vice. In this opening, the ring is easy to turn, which makes the step-by-step CA gluing of the clamping rings enormously easier, since the rings can be reached optimally from all sides, without instantly to risk the breaking off of fragile parts somewhere.

At first the last four-part clamping ring still followed,

before it went on with the six-part clamping rings.

And the procedure becomes even more flexible, when the clothespin is clamped into my smaller Proxxon vice,

which I can also put on the side or place upright as required.

Although all this looks almost like a children’s game, the whole handling needs getting used to and is not completely harmless, as one quasi always juggles with raw eggs.

But gradually these sequences become more and more familiar too, and in my little box there are still a lot of clamping rings, whereby I almost have the impression that it would become no less but rather more.

But fortunately, this impression deceives and it goes slowly but surely forward, because all takes a lot of time.

Thierry90 · 27 April 2025 16:25

Very impressive job, your skills are awesome

Spaceman · 28 April 2025 23:18

Thanks for your nice compliments.

Spaceman · 28 April 2025 23:31

Hello everybody,

and first of all, to all those who are still faithfully with this boring string-pulling, an extra thank you for your patience, but now the finale is approaching inexorably.

After the first side has been completed, follows now the oblique on which there are two six-part clamping rings on either side of the 36" inlet pipe, as can be seen here,

Source: NASA

of which the former is already glued.

When searching for the most favorable clamping position for the stepwise gluing of the clamping rings, the line must be re-clamped several times.

…

On the following straight piece also sits a pipe support, but which has no clamping ring, as one can see in the first image.

And so it goes around the corner to the inner part of this ring line, where on the front and rear each a four-part clamping ring sits and in between them three six-part rings.

Source: NASA

The faded markings had to be re-drawn several times.

And then finally the last mark was reached,

and this clamping ring also glued.

But then followed the total disillusion like a bolt from the blue, because that was nevertheless also a six-part clamping ring and no four-part ring … and I felt me in the wrong movie.

But this can happen to you, when the concentration slows down in the evening and one should rather stop building and better go to sleep … what I then also repentantly done.

Today I had to strip off the clamping ring heavy-heartedly which was replaced by a four-part.

Thereby the one ring line now is finally complete, and so tomorrow I can leap with fresh courage on the clamping rings at the ring line behind the LOX-TSM.

Namabiiru · 29 April 2025 11:35

Your work is truly amazing, and even if I could manage your level of detail, I would have broken everything a dozen times in the handling of it.

I do have a question about the two guide pins in your small Proxxon vice. Did you add those yourself? I have a Proxxon vice that looks very similar to yours, but does not have those guide pins. I think the jaw would be much more stable with them.

Barney · 29 April 2025 11:46

Again my mind is blown to the amount of detail. I hope you publish this to a magazine because this so worthy of it. Heck, you could make a book on scratch building just with this one project! I have learned lots of scratch building techniques from following you.

Spaceman · 29 April 2025 22:34

Thanks Mark for your nice comoliments,

Well, you hit the nail, one has to be extremely careful already not to ruin everything with one clumsy movement.

This is my Proxxon MS 4 machine vise, which has these two sturdy guides, and has proven itself to be very useful so far.

It’s simply indispensable.

Spaceman · 29 April 2025 22:44

Thanks Steve for your kind words.

My building report is my book.

Stay tuned and learning by following, and the doing!

Spaceman · 29 April 2025 22:54

Hello together,

it’s getting late again, but in view of your continued interest in an update, I would like to share some images of the progress of the last days.

But it does not help, and therefore keep smiling and bite teeth together.

Now for the gluing of the first clamping rings on the ring line behind the LOX-TSM, and here is the overview of the arrangement of the 14 clamping rings with three four-part and 11 six-part rings.

As can be seen in the picture, it first started again with a four-part clamping ring behind the TSM, followed by a six-part and a four-part ring.

And then there are four six-part clamping rings on this strand.

Source: NASA (Google Street View)

Now half of the clamping rings on this ring line has been made, and my little box has now emptied quite nicely.

And now there remain only seven clamping rings on the other half of the line, which I also will still create.

That’s it for now.

Johnnych01 · 30 April 2025 09:01

This thread is never boring… its a testament to hard work, research and wanting to build the near perfect model …which this is going to be !!

Spaceman · 1 May 2025 22:11

Thanks John, I try and give my best, but nobody is perfect.

Spaceman · 1 May 2025 22:19

Hello everybody,

and now to the final spurt of the clamping ring chapter, which has occupied me long enough, where now these two six-part clamping rings on the SRB Blast Shield follow.

Source: NASA

The arrangement of the following five clamping rings can be clearly seen in this picture (right strand), where behind the bow a six-part clamping ring is followed and then a four-part and three six-part rings.

Source: NASA

Therewith this crazy chapter has finally been done, because this Sisyphus work of the tricky 28 clamping rings with a total of 150 screw connections was extremely exhausting and moreover very stressful.

And so I have now to relax and regenerate a little bit …

Spaceman · 3 May 2025 00:13

Hello everybody,

after a welcome pause I will now return to the base and have been busy in the meantime again with the Water Bags, which also belong to the SSWS.

Source: flickr.com (Jen Scheer)

Whether these water bags were already red and yellow, or uniformly red in the early missions such as STS-6, I have unfortunately not yet been able to find out. On this older image here, it looks as if they were uniformly red at the time.

Source: capcomespace.net

To warm up, I have looked around again and followed up some details, which I noticed during the analysis of the clamping rings again and again.

These are, on the one hand, these rings on the anterior four outlets of the two ring lines, which one can zoom within the panorama pic.

Source: NASA

And then there are also several fastening hooks for the yellow water bags suspended around the SRBs,

,
Source: http://www.youtube.com

which can be seen on these pics,

Source: flickr.com (Jen Scheer)

and are marked here.

Source: NASA

At first I have tried the rings and searched for a suitable insulating sleeve to cut off thin discs, just as I had made the transport rings on the covers of the [Rainbirds() between the H-beams.

While I was able to use a Ø 0,7 mm sleeve at that time, these rings had to be even smaller with Ø 0,4 mm, so I wanted to try it with my smallest insulating sleeve (Ø 0,5 mm), what certainly would be still a little too big.

And then I remembered PE Bolts and Nuts (ABER) of different size, which I had bought earlier, which should be suitable, if a suitable diameter were thereby.

Source: ABER

These are bolts and nuts in increments of 1,5 mm - 1,25 mm - 1,0 mm - 0,8 mm - 0,6 mm up to 0,4 mm, , which however are so tiny that one can hardly see them in the last two rows.

And from these nuts I then have drilled out the first two (right) with my smallest drill with Ø 0,25 mm,

and then cut out, which should become even better.

And then I tried again with a smaller cutter.

But how to fix this tiny ring onto the 18’’ outlet, which is sitting on an insect needle (Ø 0,25 mm), which can not be held in place with the most pointed tweezers.

That took a bit longer and was pure stress, which is why I almost wanted to give up.

For this I have dabbed a tiny CA droplet to the bending and then tried to place the ring, which was sitting on the tip of the needle, so carefully, and at the same time pull out the needle, so that both do not glue together.

After several failed attempts, it actually worked well, and the result looks pretty good as I find.

But whether I should really do this effort, I do not know yet, if so, then I would have to come up with a better gluing handling.

Dioramartin · 3 May 2025 01:33

Just a suggestion – does it need to be CA glue? It’s not like there will be any weight or stress on the contact point. I’ve used ordinary PVA/white glue for some very small PE parts without later problems. It just allows more time to correctly position things and remove any excess.

Spaceman · 4 May 2025 12:37

Maybe Tim, but the UHU CA still allows for short-term corrections and, in my opinion, holds up better.

Spaceman · 4 May 2025 12:50

Hello everybody,

in the meantime, I have a tough time of it with the rings, because I do not give up so quickly.

Here are some more or less well done rings together with the needle (Ø 0,25 mm), which I can safely forget in order to hold the rings when gluing.

On the macros, these midgets still look quite grippy, therefore here for the relativization a shot from normal sitting position. And therefore the handling is only possible with the headset-magnifying glass, of course.

And also the solution with the Pattafix tip on the toothpick is not the yellow of the egg, because sometimes tiny remnants of Pattafix stick to the ring, which can be removed only badly, without the ring thereby perhaps tear off again.

Therefore using a toothpick with a tip made of a masking tape is much more suitable for this purpose, with which the ring can be gently taken up, in order to be able to deposit it over the CA droplet on the outlet arc, where it should then glue.

And this technique has then worked well with the following ring, as one can see here.

And so it went on with the two rings at the outlets on the inside of the ring line (right circles) behind the LOX-TSM,

Source: NASA

which can be seen here.

And strengthened by this partial success, I now also want to equip the outlets on the ring line behind the LH2-TSM with these rings.

Well, and then I’ve experimented with the hooks for the lateral Water Bags.

Source: NASA

To do this, I have initially put simple plugs of lead wire (Ø 0,3 mm) in pre-drilled holes on a dummy.

And these are two hooks, to the left of my thinnest rods (Ø 0,3 mm) and right of brass wire (Ø 0,3 mm),

which are still too high with 1 mm and have to shrink to half.

Since I’m not enthusiastic about the result, I have to outbrake myself now and will cancel these hook tests.

In addition, the fragile outlets could break off during pre-drilling, what I would not risk at all.

With these details, I am moving in the border area of what is doable with reasonable effort, because they are so tiny that one can hardly recognize them, which is why the effort is not worthwhile.

Spaceman · 9 May 2025 21:58

Hello friends,

sorry for the silence. Unfortunately, I had problems with my PC monitor (black screen) and couldn’t do anything for a few days except troubleshooting. Meanwhile I have bought a new monitor and can continue.

Hello friends of the rings,

although this fiddling is getting slowly but surely on my nerves too, I have still to pull through the four rings at the outlets of the other ring line, earlier I give no rest.

But that was once again a hard patience test, especially since the handling while gluing these tiny rings even with my cool tape tweezers was really stressful, because it didn’t release the rings occasionally at the crucial moment.

But then the two rings on the outside of the ring line were finally done.

But even taking photographs of this bulky pipe skeleton is not a simple matter, and it is also quite time-consuming, if one wants to represent the details sharp, because it depends on a favorable perspective as well as the light conditions.

And since for good macros one has to approach as close as possible, one must be careful, in order not to bump with the Digicam somewhere and even to damage.