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SE5a CONSTRUCTION BEGINNING TO . . .

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  • Guest

    #676
    stitching

    Originally posted by \
    PeterIt’s always a bit of a juggling act trying to explain how things are done in sufficient detail without making the post too boring, also having done the job myself I understand what I’ve written!

    The fuselage is covered with Solartex as usual, first bottom, then sides and finally the top. The seams are made from 12mm wide Solartex strips, I folded 4mm back onto itself, adhesive to adhesive, and ironed it together; this resulted in a strip 8mm wide, with 4mm of the adhesive still available, which I used to attach the strip to the fuselage in the appropriate place. I then attached a second strip immediately below the first with the loose “flaps” next to each other. When I did the stitching it only went through the two loose “flaps”, this held them together and tight to the fuselage side.

    I hope the above, read in conjunction with the photos from the earlier posts, make things a bit clearer. If you’re still not sure pm me with your email address and I’ll send you some photos and sketches. It really is an easy job, which makes a big difference to the scale appearance of the model.

    If there’s anything else you think I may be able to help with just ask.

    Grahame
    Grahame,

    Many thanks, that sounds more do-able now though I am experimenting with an off-model pannel as I am finding neat stitching difficult enough as it is.My plane is slightly smaller. My plan is to fold back 6mm to form the seam but then to add a layer of solartex to attach to finished pannel to the frame; in other words I will be stitching through three layers of solartex. Thanks for the info Petrus

    Comment

    • Greyhead
      • Oct 2004
      • 581

      #677
      Peter

      The advantage of only stitching through the loose” flaps” is that you don’t have to get inside the model, which makes things a lot easier. I did try “proper” stitching but it was very difficult to keep all the stitches evenly spaced.

      Grahame

      Comment

      • Greyhead
        • Oct 2004
        • 581

        #678
        Andy

        You can get litho plate from printers’ suppliers, some model shops and quite often on ebay but I prefer to get it for free! Getting hold of litho plate is getting harder these days as printers turn away from the old offset printing methods so it’s just a case of visiting as many printers as you can find locally, when they’ve used it they return it for recycling but it’s so light I’m sure they don’t get a fortune and it’s no good to them but used is as good as new for what we want; I usually put a donation in the charity box. Luckily there’s a little “back street” printer local to me and having spoken to him he hasn’t got any plans at present to upgrade I’m glad to say.

        I made my building board from an 1ft x 8ft sheet of melamine cut in half and glued and screwed together, a laminate is a lot better than one thick sheet, much less likely to warp. The top surface is covered with “K Class” pin board, which is very long lasting but quite expensive, a friend of mine uses plasterboard as a top cover, it has to be replaced regularly but it’s dirt-cheap.

        Comment

        • Guest

          #679
          Originally posted by \
          AndyYou can get litho plate from printers’ suppliers, some model shops and quite often on ebay but I prefer to get it for free! Getting hold of litho plate is getting harder these days as printers turn away from the old offset printing methods so it’s just a case of visiting as many printers as you can find locally, when they’ve used it they return it for recycling but it’s so light I’m sure they don’t get a fortune and it’s no good to them but used is as good as new for what we want; I usually put a donation in the charity box. Luckily there’s a little “back street” printer local to me and having spoken to him he hasn’t got any plans at present to upgrade I’m glad to say.

          I made my building board from an 1ft x 8ft sheet of melamine cut in half and glued and screwed together, a laminate is a lot better than one thick sheet, much less likely to warp. The top surface is covered with “K Class” pin board, which is very long lasting but quite expensive, a friend of mine uses plasterboard as a top cover, it has to be replaced regularly but it’s dirt-cheap.
          Thanks for the info mate, i have tried emailing a few printers locally that i found on YELL.com only one has come back so far but that was negative. I'm sure if i look hard enough i could find another substitue for it.

          Andy

          Comment

          • Greyhead
            • Oct 2004
            • 581

            #680
            Andy

            I think that the “personal touch” works a lot better than email, I always take an example of something I’ve made, it usually arouses a bit of interest. I realise that as yet you’ve not used litho plate but perhaps a photo of what you’re trying to achieve could help.

            If you only need quite small pieces you can use aluminium beer cans, of course the problem with this is that you have to drink the beer first, but we have to make some sacrifices for our hobby!!

            Comment

            • Guest

              #681
              Originally posted by \
              AndyI think that the “personal touch” works a lot better than email, I always take an example of something I’ve made, it usually arouses a bit of interest. I realise that as yet you’ve not used litho plate but perhaps a photo of what you’re trying to achieve could help.

              If you only need quite small pieces you can use aluminium beer cans, of course the problem with this is that you have to drink the beer first, but we have to make some sacrifices for our hobby!!
              Hi Mate,

              i did think of beer cans, we are doing a lot of work at Cores Brewery, i might see if i can get on site and go to the canning plant, see if i can get any off cuts.

              Andy

              Comment

              • Guest

                #682
                Hi Grahame,

                First of all congratulations on an amazing model I am truly astonished by the attention to detail and functionality of the working parts. I just wandered how you decided on the aircraft number E.5808 and how much history you have about the original plane. I beleive my Great Uncle William Ewart Clarkson flew it in WW1. I have a photograph of the original plane that may be of interest to you.

                Thanks

                Graham

                [ATTACH]18990.IPB[/ATTACH]

                Comment

                • Greyhead
                  • Oct 2004
                  • 581

                  #683
                  Hello Graham

                  Thanks for posting the photo; it really adds some historical interest to the post and shows up a couple of things on the model that are not correct. Your great uncle obviously had the headrest removed; a common practice to improve the pilots view to the rear, also the Foster mount has the taller rear support.

                  Getting information about any particular aircraft from WW1 is very difficult. The model is really a composite using details from different aircraft, mainly the Shuttleworth Collection (F904) and a French restoration (C1096) plus numerous photos from the Internet.

                  I decided to finish the model as E5808 simply because I liked the look of the squadron markings etc. and I’m afraid that is the limit of my knowledge of the aircraft.

                  Grahame

                  Comment

                  • Guest

                    #684
                    Grahame,

                    Thank you so much for getting back to me. sorry if i've uncovered some 'detail issues' on your model. Your attention to detail is obviously a skill as I hadn't even noticed the head rest which is glaringly obvious now you have pointed it out. Do you have the reference image/s that you used for the markings? Or, do you know where you originally found them?

                    Regards

                    Graham

                    Comment

                    • Guest

                      #685
                      Hi Grahame,

                      I couldn't let this one slip by without mentioning it - have a look at this fantastic pic - yours would fit very nicely in there too !!

                      BBC News | Enlarged Image

                      Regards.........Mark

                      Comment

                      • Greyhead
                        • Oct 2004
                        • 581

                        #686
                        A quick post to let you know what’s happening, or to be more accurate, what’s not happening with the SE5a.

                        This time last year I packed all my modelling paraphernalia into boxes because we thought we’d sold the house only to be let down when the “buyers” pulled out at the last minute. Well, this year the same thing’s happened again but with one notable exception, the buyer hasn’t pulled out and the house is sold! Once again everything is in boxes and now in storage, we are living temporarily with our son (in two rooms) so no space for modelling at all.

                        Hopefully next year things will have settled down and I’ll be able to continue with test flying the SE5a.

                        Comment

                        • Guest

                          #687
                          Originally posted by \
                          A quick post to let you know what’s happening, or to be more accurate, what’s not happening with the SE5a.This time last year I packed all my modelling paraphernalia into boxes because we thought we’d sold the house only to be let down when the “buyers” pulled out at the last minute. Well, this year the same thing’s happened again but with one notable exception, the buyer hasn’t pulled out and the house is sold! Once again everything is in boxes and now in storage, we are living temporarily with our son (in two rooms) so no space for modelling at all.

                          Hopefully next year things will have settled down and I’ll be able to continue with test flying the SE5a.
                          Good luck with the move, hope you get up and running soon.

                          Andy

                          Comment

                          • Ian M
                            Administrator
                            • Dec 2008
                            • 18272
                            • Ian
                            • Falster, Denmark

                            #688
                            Next time I find a thread this long I will look at the last page first. 69 pages of a very enthralling build that dried up in August last year.

                            Does any body have any ideas as to the fate of this subject. Did It get to fly? Did Grahame find a new home or is he still living with his son, everything packed away in boxes?

                            Two hours reading a fascinating build and an ending that just isn't there. A bit like reading a book to find some one has torn out the last chapter!!!!!!

                            I hope all it well and I also hope for an update.

                            Sorry to sound so negative but I was/am disappointed.

                            Ian M
                            Group builds

                            Bismarck

                            Comment

                            • Greyhead
                              • Oct 2004
                              • 581

                              #689
                              Is no news good news?

                              Sorry you were disappointed Ian, but I can assure you that you aren’t half as disappointed as I am; at least as far progress with the SE5a is concerned!

                              He reason I haven’t posted in 2010 is that there is absolutely nothing to report; no modeling at all this year, building or flying.

                              In answer to your questions: yes, yes, no, yes!

                              To elaborate; the model has been test flown (see posts 644, 647 & 652). We moved into our new home in April 2010, (“home” might be a euphemism, living in the middle of a 5 acre field with no water, electricity, gas or sewage isn’t that homely). All summer has been spent getting the place habitable for the winter; we finally got the last of the utilities, electricity, in mid November! Still waiting for the telephone line though so Internet access is somewhat restricted.

                              All things considered I have to agree with “the boss” that the bathroom was more important than a modeling room, so all modeling gear is still in boxes.

                              I’m hoping to get the garage / modeling room built in 2011 so if all goes to plan there will be an update in the summer.

                              Comment

                              • Guest

                                #690
                                Hi Grahame, how good to hear from you again! This build thread remains one of the most outstanding build threads I have ever read on any forum so all credit to you for that. I can't imagine living without the utilities you list so hats off to you for getting through such a challenge. I'm not sure I would get away with it as my missis gave me a hard time when the central heating packed up in December so i was in the garage surrounded by pieces of boiler for a couple of days!

                                Hopefully when you eventually get settled in and the house becomes habitable you will get around to sorting out a modelling room and we will get to see something of the SE5a again. It remains a stunning example of the best in scratch buiding and I for one am quite happy to wait as long as it takes to see some more of it!

                                Comment

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