Blackadder Attempts to build an Emperor Titan

    Hands, Touching Hands, Reaching Out, Touching Me, Touching You!


    You have to imagine these skeletal fingers cut down to proper diameters but for now we are going for size and flexibility.


    https://i.imgur.com/lZteifU.jpg


    I modeled my own hand for size


    https://i.imgur.com/BnEPqx1.jpg


    The first joint indicated by the axles will be where the finger joins the palm so three joints all together to the fingertips except for the thumb which will have two.


    https://i.imgur.com/UqVfGp0.jpg


    I may make the thumb eventually capable of crossing the palm but not for now.

    "It is easier to deceive people than it is to convince them that they have been deceived."

    A Failed Attempt:


    One of the duties of posting these updates is to show my failures as well as triumphs.


    I've wasted a few days on trying to make the coils on this Plasma Blaster and I am not enthused with the result so before I try a different approach I'll show what did not work out.


    https://i.imgur.com/kIFXXt3.jpg


    I came up with a new idea that I believe will produce a better result and in the long run be much quicker to produce.


    Once I have a good start on the procedure I'll post an update.

    "It is easier to deceive people than it is to convince them that they have been deceived."

    This Is Definitely the Better Way To Go:


    In the space of one hour I've exceeded the work of several days.


    https://i.imgur.com/EadMMJl.jpg


    Note: The rods are staggered only as a demonstration. When they are glued they will be flush with the edge.


    Of course I shall have to bend these to the shape of the coils.

    "It is easier to deceive people than it is to convince them that they have been deceived."

    Bend Angle Radius:


    The relationship between the strength of a material and the amount of curve that can be imparted to the the material before the fatigue point where it will crack instead of take the curve.


    In aircraft it applies to aluminum alloys etc and the metal fatigues when too much stress crystallizes the area being bent to a point of material failure.


    https://i.imgur.com/qGaviga.jpg


    plastic is subject to similar restrictions. That is where we are now. How to impart a bend and not fatigue the styrene?


    https://i.imgur.com/9rRdwgv.jpg


    I am soaking the assembly in Tamiya Cement for the test tomorrow to see if I can get the parts to bend without fatiguing.


    A judicious application of heat may be necessary.

    "It is easier to deceive people than it is to convince them that they have been deceived."

    Win One For The Gripper


    Or Fail to do so; it's the moment of truth when we'll see if my makeshift bender will work or not.


    https://i.imgur.com/mpEkKz4.jpg


    After a hiatus of three days I finally had the time and nerve to see if all my work was for naught.


    https://i.imgur.com/GCK6X9J.jpg


    I put a lot at stake with this wooden jig which in spite of its crude appearance is actually pretty precise.


    All that needed to be done is boil up an quart of water and pour it over the clamped sheet of Styrene.


    https://i.imgur.com/0jQKQbQ.jpg


    In my moment of mental anguish all my better half could say is, "Couldn't you have Hoovered the Floor?"

    "It is easier to deceive people than it is to convince them that they have been deceived."

    Finished!


    Two weeks in the making but the coils are finally moulded. All the dire predictions were circumvented


    https://i.imgur.com/6F25N1C.jpg


    and judging by the on screen scale my estimate of 1/8 inch (3,2 MM ) coil rods was pretty accurate afterall.


    https://i.imgur.com/k03OmcZ.jpg


    The biggest problem is I overestimated the size of the gun. The onscreen gun is 18 inches (46 CM ) overall


    https://i.imgur.com/QF2zA9j.jpg


    Whereas my coils could work on a gun upward of 20 inches but I made the coil extra long to allow for selvage. BTW Nature does that on the DNA molecule and is the reason we age.


    https://i.imgur.com/sA7NpvV.jpg


    Suffice it to say I am pleased with the outcome. :D

    "It is easier to deceive people than it is to convince them that they have been deceived."

    Step 2


    I'd like to take credit for foresight when I manufactured these coils but it was pure luck that I made them oversized. As it is I made the depth about a half inch too long but it did give me a smoother curve to the coil segments when glued and clamped where they would have been too hard to glue successfully had they been manufactured to a precise size.


    (I think that statement makes sense)


    https://i.imgur.com/NLriT3c.jpg


    In the image above we see the foreground segments cut down albeit crudely to the proper depth and the back ground segments still to be cut.


    The image below shows both top and bottom segments cut down and ready to be sanded.


    https://i.imgur.com/7qrUAAf.jpg

    "It is easier to deceive people than it is to convince them that they have been deceived."

    SunFury Channel Details:


    The Channels between the coils are first on the agenda today now that I need to replicate the detail.


    I reassembled the Imperator to check if the 'SunFury' (Doesn't that sound like an old Plymouth with a roof hatch?) Blaster is of the proper size befitting a weapon of this calibre compared to a Titan of this stature. and it seems like it's a Goldilocks fit. I'll have to whip up a temporary hanger to take a picture.


    Meanwhile there are some linear coils in the 12 and 6 o'clock position on the coils that I have to address first


    https://i.imgur.com/Sj602ZO.jpg


    An old spool of 0.062 60/40 resin solder supplied the coils and the core is 1/8th inch rod


    https://i.imgur.com/BFM2FEm.jpg


    They nestled in quite well so now onto the 9 and 3 o'clock channel detail.


    https://i.imgur.com/jbGqnzB.jpg

    "It is easier to deceive people than it is to convince them that they have been deceived."

    Naked Frenzy:


    When I get in one of these "Everything's Coming Up Roses" moods I lose track of I'm supposed to be documenting the work process.


    https://i.imgur.com/yJ9c5ye.jpg


    The image above shows the naked channel with the beginnings of the detail and both of the channel filling detail basic runners completed.


    https://i.imgur.com/tIBCwd7.jpg


    And this next shot with the basic runner in place.


    Well it's not all that big of a deal but it does show how I plan to work around replicating the umpteen castings that constitutes the equivalent FW masterpiece.


    Ha! He said, "Naked."

    "It is easier to deceive people than it is to convince them that they have been deceived."

    Annihilator Muzzle:


    I bit the bullet today and expanded the muzzle channels to what I believe is the proper width and depth.


    Here seen in the original which is too cramped and closed in. Note I also have made allowances to extend the length of the muzzle.


    https://i.imgur.com/JMqUhMZ.jpg


    The muzzle ( temporarily ) installed now appears to have enough room for all the detail although I still have to jimmee the length a bit.


    https://i.imgur.com/HqQ93BH.jpg


    End on although crudely sanded at this point and a tad asymetrical


    https://i.imgur.com/e3hwYvT.jpg


    The top view reveals I glued the muzzle upside down and which in spite of all my efforts has a distinct mirror asymmetry.


    https://i.imgur.com/p5EHFmk.jpg


    Coil Channel detail in place and ready for fine detailing.


    https://i.imgur.com/Ss3xWjI.jpg

    "It is easier to deceive people than it is to convince them that they have been deceived."

    Establishing the Profile:


    I remove the muzzle to work on it and reattach it for the images.


    My first consideration is the muzzle length which should be about half the length of the coil section. I can extend it about 8 more millimeters if needs be hence the excess on the nose of the muzzle.


    https://i.imgur.com/6hFW20K.jpg


    One problem with the shape of this is the templates I have installed to make the exterior form will have to be broken out after the outer cowl is completed so I can build the inner surface of the four cowl pieces.


    https://i.imgur.com/80BM2Ds.jpg


    This end on shape gives some idea of the interior structure once the templates are broken out.


    https://i.imgur.com/aLjohFZ.jpg


    I can't wait until this monster is done and I can relax with the easier weapons. :D

    "It is easier to deceive people than it is to convince them that they have been deceived."

    A Horrible Bollixed Up Mess:


    Or, who knows, this just might work out after all.


    https://i.imgur.com/Pl4cvpI.jpg


    I've put a lot of work into this thing and it's finally time to apply the finishing strakes. Each one has to be custom fit but we'll follow this together.


    Right Now I am cautiously optimistic. ;-)

    "It is easier to deceive people than it is to convince them that they have been deceived."

    That Wasn't So Hard:


    I don't know why I dreaded this, it wasn't so hard.


    I figured out the secret of layering strakes ( Contoured planks on a frame ) and where I have previously gone awry with this sort of construction. What you need to do is install backing strips to the inner surface of the main planks so you have something to glue the filler planks.


    Previously I attempted to add the filler planks without backing. I used 1,0 MM X 6.3 MM styrene for the planking which moulded easily but was still thick enough to take a finishing sanding.


    https://i.imgur.com/GJbJxNz.jpg


    The image above shows the upper nose segment rough sanded and the lower segment with the plans in the rough unsanded stage.


    The image below may make the explanation clearer.


    https://i.imgur.com/r0ZrGeM.jpg


    Once I have the muzzle segments completely rough sanded I'll wet sand the whole cowling.


    I never use filler such as Greenstuff and Milliput because it looks like hell ( Especially the Green Stuff ) and you have difficulty gluing additional styrene to the foreign surface. Plus flaws in the contours are difficult to see until the surface is painted.


    Anyway, "Onward and upward" as the saying goes I'm quite pleased with the result.

    "It is easier to deceive people than it is to convince them that they have been deceived."