Thread: Sopwith Camel, 1:16 Scale, Model Airways by Script

Do you mind if I ask where you go the scrapers Jeff.
Thanks Frank.

Originally Posted by elderly

Do you mind if I ask where you go the scrapers Jeff.
Thanks Frank.

Frank, my set came from Carbatec about 18 months ago, (Stock #CT-MS4PCE, $14), but I can't find them now. Might be worth a phone call in case there's still a set sitting about somewhere.

Thanks Steve.
Cheers Frank.

Originally Posted by Hermit

Looking pretty good Jim. You're reminding me why I don't build engines or other extra-small details for my models.

I see in one of your pics that you use mini scrapers similar to mine.
Pretty handy for detail, aren't they?

Mini Carving Scrapers.JPG


Anyway, keep up the good work. I'm enjoying watching this build progress.

Steve,

Can never have enough tools.........

Your set looks much better than the ones I picked up at a local craft store and then had to sharpen.....

A lot of my stuff comes from dentist tools and other crafts such as jewelry making. I'll see an interesting tool and just buy it thinking it may come in handy some time.

Anyway, on to progress.

I thought it would take much longer to profile the propeller. The attached pics are not of the finished version but very close. Took me a while to conclude that the pictures in the instruction manual were not to scale..... Looking at the pics lets me see where more work needs to be done prior to stain and seal.

Cheers,

Jim


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That propellor looks fantastic Jim. Nice work.

My carving scrapers were pretty blunt when I got them too. I had to do a bit of shaping and sharpening to get them right. You'll find that's the case with most chisels and scrapers - they're blunt or misshapen straight out of the box and even the best of brands need sharpening before use.

Frank, I suspect that wax carving tools are the same thing, or very similar. They can be got from eBay fairly cheaply. I've been meaning to buy some and try them out. Here's a couple, though the pics aren't good enough to see if the cutting edges are exactly what we want:

11 WAX Carving Carvers Polymer Clay Sculpting Tools | eBay

12pc WAX Carving Carvers Scrapers Spatulas Polymer Metal ART Model Clay Tools | eBay

Thanks Steve,

.....I think I'll make the prop light oak....the pictures in the instructions show a very dark finish but all I've ever seen on wooden props is natural with sealers and virtually all light wood. My thinking is that it probably showed any stress cracks or damage to the prop more easily.

Never thought of rib day as anything other than a great meal!

But today I finished cutting out and trimming the first load of ribs for the wings........

Cheers, And Merry Christmas to All!

Jim

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I come in midway on this one but will be watching this one just because I like the name of the plane.

Enough ribs for all of us there.
Cheers Frank.

Okay, the Holidays are over and the guests are gone so now it's time to get back to some different fun.....building!

Finished trimming all the ribs and then set up to add the caps..... I had intended to try and figure out a better process than the one described in the instructions..but alas...I decided to start the recommended method and just plodded along until I finished....reminded me of some of the tedious tasks involved in ship modeling......
As a side note, the instruction recommend using a piece of the cap material to offset the rib but I found it was too high so instead used a piece of plank material from my ship wood inventory. The lath is 1/32 X 3/32 and the cap is supposed to offset equally. The variation in the rib thickness made this next to impossible with the 1/32 side laid flat. So I replaced it with a piece of lath about 1/64 or so. ( my wood inventory is metric so it's a guess...)

Anyway, got them all done to the best of my ability.

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The next step involved setting up the plans to have a template to place the ribs. I had saved a piece of shelf glass from our remodeling for just that purpose...

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The next step involved placing the ribs in the correct positions on the spars. I started by putting all the ribs on the larger front spar only to discover it was a pain trying to get the smaller spar through all the ribs. I went back and removed all the ribs and then slid them on both spars at the same time....worked great!

The front spar is 5/32 and the rear is 1/8.....before starting I gave each spar about eight passes with a very fine sanding block. (Both to make them a bit smaller and to smooth out any roughness.)

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The ribs are held in place with a dilute white glue that I brushed on.

This is the main body of the top wing...the next step is to complete the tapers and radii as well as the cables, edges and edge bands.

Then the process is repeated for the bottom wing.

Cheers,

Jim

Looks good Jim.
The wings are more complex than I imagined. You'll be sick of ribs by the end of the lower wing.

There is a lot of painstaking work involved there Jim but after your boat building you clearly have the skill and patience for it.
Cheers Frank.

Steve,

Perhaps a bit of barbeque sauce would help with the lower wing......

Thanks!

Frank,

I never thought patience was one of my strong suits but I do enjoy building a variety of projects.

Thanks!

And thanks to those who punch the 'like' button even if they don't comment!

Oh, thanks for stopping by, Christos!

Cheers,

Jim


These pics show some more of the wing components....the ailerons will eventually be detached and then reattached with hinging so they will actually work.

There is also some additional cross bracing added.

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Next to come will be the wing tips and the leading edge as well as the nose ribs....(about 25 more ribs per wing...but tiny....)

Originally Posted by Script

Steve,

Perhaps a bit of barbeque sauce would help with the lower wing......

Thanks!

Frank,

I never thought patience was one of my strong suits but I do enjoy building a variety of projects.

Thanks!

And thanks to those who punch the 'like' button even if they don't comment!

Oh, thanks for stopping by, Christos!

Cheers,

Jim


These pics show some more of the wing components....the ailerons will eventually be detached and then reattached with hinging so they will actually work.

There is also some additional cross bracing added.

IMG_2914.jpgIMG_2915.jpgIMG_2916.jpg


Next to come will be the wing tips and the leading edge as well as the nose ribs....(about 25 more ribs per wing...but tiny....)

G'Day Jim, If you never thought patience was a strong point then some of us are as good as lost in the wilderness.....
Sir, You have a heap of patience to tackle and build some of the beautiful models I've seen you do!!
Keep up the good work; THANK YOU for the photos & notes.
Cheers, crowie

Crowie, Thanks for stopping by... I appreciate your comments!

The last bit for the upper wing was shaping and fitting the leading edge, wing ends and nose ribs as well as deciding on a protective finish. Seemed like it would be easier to do before adding the metal parts and cabling.

I found some transparent amber shellac and got the approval of my wife as to the color. (I think it is good as well )

After attaching the leading edge I was happily painting away when I noticed that there were a bunch of nose ribs just waiting to be attached....Oh well...

The metal wing ends required solvent glue as neither the CA I tried or the maximum hold Elmer's worked. It also acted as somewhat of a space filler where the beams didn't quite meet. Still got some fill and trim to do there but I really wanted to finish a wing.......

My next step will repeating the process for the bottom wing.........
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Pardon the order of the pics...something has changed about the manage files system and I haven't figured it out yet.

Cheers,

Jim