Work in Progress of soldering a little Piper

1
May 18, 2023
Of course, this model is again soldered as far as possible, here the fuselage.
2
May 18, 2023
Nicely detailed underside
3
May 18, 2023
Very nice details, here the firewall; with the engine bonnet, which I sawed off the plastic fuselage. I think the quality of the plastic parts is bad, but we don't need much. I don't know which model they come from.
4
May 18, 2023
Already mounted
5
May 18, 2023
Rear seat frame and cockpit cover are also soldered in place.
6
May 18, 2023
3 (in words: three!) individual struts have to be separated from the plate and installed individually diagonally in the rear. A job for the desperate!
7
May 18, 2023
The ribs are bent and two spars are inserted individually into the wings.
8
May 18, 2023
A detail picture of the ribs
9
May 18, 2023
And in case someone calls out "no solder joints to be seen" again, here they are. All still unfinished, by the way. There are still some small ribs missing on the edge of the nose.
10
May 18, 2023
The front spar is continuous, but still gets reinforcements.
11
May 18, 2023
Here is a sample of the wing attached to the fuselage, it seems to fit.
12
May 18, 2023
This is where self-clamping tweezers are used, ...
13
May 18, 2023
... to hold the half-ribs on the front spar. 20 pieces are to be installed, 22 are included on the board.
14
May 18, 2023
Here you can see how they push through the covering - oh, there are still two missing far out! But the spar doesn't have a slot! Let's see if I can still get them in.
15
May 18, 2023
The tip is supported and held by filigree brackets
16
May 18, 2023
Then the wings would be finished - except for the rudder horns on the ailerons, brace holders (which I'm thinking of making completely from brass) and cleaning the whole thing.
17
May 18, 2023
After several attempts I finally got the back of the fuselage on! It's so delicate and etched even thinner at the bends that it's hard to handle. Hold it a little with your thumb and index finger - and you've already bent something with your middle finger ...
18
May 18, 2023
On the wing I described in the last update that the ribs on the outside were missing. The half ribs (right in the picture) were there, but the slot in the spar was missing. Would have been easier before assembly, but I decided to do some tuning. So I used an etched saw blade to cut a slot in the two outer spars.

Probably equivalent to open-heart surgery - I was warned how easily the wings bend - but it worked.
19
May 18, 2023
Next mess - the rudder horns. How is the barb supposed to get into the hole in the ailerons? It's brass, not rubber, and Copperfield couldn't get it through either. So I snipped it off and just put the pin in the hole and soldered it.
20
May 18, 2023
After cleaning up the soldered joints, the wings are now ready for assembly.
21
May 18, 2023
With the Fokker I painted the fuselage and wings separately and glued them together with superglue, but here I decided to solder them together. It is so delicate, otherwise I would have doubts about the "robustness".
So the wedding: I put the surfaces on and soldered them. I measured the edges and worked on the soldering points until everything was reasonably straight.
22
May 18, 2023
The stability inside should be provided by this frame!
23
May 18, 2023
Soldered upside down.
24
May 18, 2023
This small frame is placed on the front of the ribs and is supposed to hold the covering (I forgot a picture of the installation).
25
May 18, 2023
But in the middle you can see the frame - that is also the current state. The number of etched parts still to be processed has already decreased rapidly. Another window frame is still missing at the top.
26
May 18, 2023
Can you build a kit out-of-the-box? Especially if it is a stripdown? You can. But you don't have to. Especially not if you are said to have AMS.
That's why I made the strut from brass. First 0.7mm round brass filed flatter and soldered. It still looks "bulky", but it is more filigree than the flabby plastic struts with 0.9x1.1mm.
27
May 18, 2023
The length is adjusted, there are recesses in the bars. Of course, they are fixed by soldering.
The smaller supports (about in the middle) are made of 0.5mm brass.
28
May 18, 2023
Completely from the bottom.
29
May 18, 2023
And back to normal.
This has significantly increased the robustness! The whole plane flew off the table onto the floor today due to a little carelessness (stupid carpet monster!) but "only" one edge bow was totally bent.
30
May 18, 2023
I didn't like the undercarriage after all, although I actually wanted to use it.
31
May 18, 2023
It was made from 0.5 mm round brass and a miniature sheet metal strip. I will add the missing rubber damper covers later.
32
May 18, 2023
The Piper-typical side props are ready.
33
May 18, 2023
This most filigree window still belongs on the wings and the back of the fuselage, it is drawn the wrong way round in the instructions!
34
May 18, 2023
After soldering the rudder, an etched part strip is added to the fuselage spine and tail unit attachment.
35
May 18, 2023
One of the most delicate parts of the kit: the tailwheel holder with linkage chains.
36
May 18, 2023
But it looks different from the drawing!
37
May 18, 2023
Nevertheless, soldered on, the innards of a clock can't be more complicated!
38
May 18, 2023
And looks great, I think.
39
May 18, 2023
This is getting pretty darn close to a Piper and is now ready for a spirit wash to remove the colophony.
40
May 18, 2023
The control sticks (double control) also had to be mounted, according to Eduard the plastic things. There were two 0.7mm holes in the base plate. How should I fix this bead? It looks like nothing!
One of the easiest exercises: scratch in brass. 0.5mm brass with 0.7mm tube piece as handle and base plus narrow 0.9mm ring as stop.
Top plastic, middle parts, bottom finished. Yes!
41
May 18, 2023
I wasn't finished with the soldering after all, when I was looking through the small plates I discovered the handles. According to the construction plan, I had left them out so that the fuselage could be laid down better. So I soldered them on.
42
May 18, 2023
Fiddle in and solder the control sticks.
43
May 18, 2023
In addition to the handles, the boarding aid also had to be added.
44
May 18, 2023
After thorough rinsing with alcohol to remove the colophony (luckily I have an air exhaust system!) I brushed the brass with Mr. Metal Primer (it's clear, so no picture) and later the Piper in grey. It takes time to get all the corners inside.
45
May 18, 2023
Eduard indicated a wood tone for the entire wings, but this is wrong, because the ribs were made of aluminium (there is a great video). In any case, the spars were made of wood, so I painted them.
46
May 18, 2023
Another view.
47
May 18, 2023
48
May 18, 2023
For the completion of the interior some parts are still needed, e.g. the instrument panel.
A nice etched part, already matted.
49
May 18, 2023
Despite the tiny scale, the instruments can almost be read on the enclosed film after I whitened the background. Unfortunately I forgot to take a picture after gluing (with white glue), unfortunately you can't see much of it at the end.
50
May 18, 2023
The rear seat with straps. It has no classic backrest, the pilot can throw himself into the harness.
51
May 18, 2023
The etched frame of the front seat ...
52
May 18, 2023
... and in the complete view.
53
May 18, 2023
The fuel tank was soldered ...
54
May 18, 2023
... and painted with Alclad Alu.
55
May 18, 2023
There was also work to be done on the wheels. The brake discs are included as etched parts (top), but the outside shows terrible sink marks (bottom wheel) - but there are no etched parts for that.
56
May 18, 2023
During a conversation with my friend Claus I had the idea - you have a lathe. So today I turned the special punch-and-die and punched the lids out of 0.05mm brass. Actually, there should be a raised "CUB" on it, but even the smallest letters are still too big.
57
May 18, 2023
The tyres got the tyre colour from Gunze, the discs Alclad Steel.
58
May 18, 2023
The tail wheel should be carved out of the plastic part, but this is too thick for the etched parts of the holder. So I scratched it out of a black casting and added a 0.3mm brass axle
59
May 18, 2023
... and mounted after painting with the tire paint.
60
May 18, 2023
I airbrushed the outer covers yellow after priming. As you can also see, the cockpit was completed.
61
May 18, 2023
Tank and instrument panel are also mounted.
62
May 18, 2023
It took 21 attempts and a far greater number of curses to fit the front seat, as it was almost impossible to thread it through the remaining openings.
The ribbing of the tank can be seen nicely under the instruments, just like on the original. And here you can also see the rudder pedals - 4 etched "T", the smallest etched parts of the kit! Took a lot of time, as the 4 flicked out of the tweezers during assembly and it took me half an hour to wrest it back from the carpet monster!
63
May 18, 2023
I painted the thicker handles of the control sticks (see further ahead) black, the black throttle sliders on the left cockpit wall got yellow handles.
64
May 18, 2023
These yellow wheel supports must first harden before they can be glued.
65
May 18, 2023
Rigging. Some will ask themselves, bracing? Surely this is not a WWI biplane and it is already braced?
In the skeleton drawing linked earlier, the surfaces are braced crosswise on the inside and I was of the opinion that I absolutely had to reproduce this.
In the drawing, there are such strange parts painted in, it almost looks like the ribs - but in a different grid. The video gives the resolution - these are tubes so that the bracing doesn't squeeze the ribs together.
So I soldered brass 0.5 to 0.05mm remnants.
66
May 18, 2023
Filed into shape and slightly bent to accommodate rigging
67
May 18, 2023
Painted dark grey ...
68
May 18, 2023
... and glued in the 8 supports of version 1.0 (that sounds bad!) according to the plan.
69
May 18, 2023
Then I tried to glue in "invisible yarn" with superglue. But that came to nothing! Even after what felt like 100,000 attempts, it looked terrible. Superglue didn't hold, when I tried to tighten a corner with heat, another spot opened up again, etc. .... Having to build THE plane completely with superglue would be the ultimate horror for me!
70
May 18, 2023
And skewed bracing does not look good.
Conclusion: Abort. Give up? No way!
0.5mm brass wire, 0.7 and 0.4mm tube and 0.05mm sheet metal ...
71
May 18, 2023
... give the supports version 2.0, after I had looked at the part in the video again. The support plate was also round. The invisible sewing thread can now be threaded through the 0.4mm tube.
72
May 18, 2023
All 8 supports are finished, here still a bit filed into shape and washed with alcohol.
73
May 18, 2023
After priming with Mr. Metal Primer, they are painted dark grey. The version is also closer to the original in the video.
74
May 18, 2023
Second try to rig it is started.
75
May 18, 2023
Hard to photograph, but both sides are tightened and glued! Partly I had to unthread again because I noticed that I went through the wrong opening of the ribs and the tension wire kinked at one rib.
76
May 18, 2023
Another detail macro ...
77
May 18, 2023
... and in comparison to the drawing (against the light background the crossing out is better visible)
78
May 18, 2023
Since I couldn't find a better engine in the aftermarket, I had to do it myself.
So I filed an M3 screw into shape.
79
May 18, 2023
A hammer, an old cutting mat, barbecue aluminium and a few blows on the screw head result in this after a few attempts (and adjustments with a file). If one flank is too steep and you hit too hard, the aluminium cracks.
80
May 18, 2023
And the best specimens were carefully removed from their aluminium environment with a cutter - the Piper now has four metal covers for the cylinder heads.
81
May 18, 2023
With the covers, metal housing and black cylinders, the Continental Boxer already looks pretty good to me, considering the size.
The motor housing was not glued to the propeller shaft as intended (would have been drilled crooked), but only pieces of it were inserted and the motor glued so that everything sits straight. Extended with a piece of cast iron branch and then drilled 0.7mm for the brass shaft.
82
May 18, 2023
Even though you won't see much of it, I have added the valve levers below.
83
May 18, 2023
At least the typical boxer cylinder offset is well reproduced.
I have added ignition cables with blue enamelled copper wire.
84
May 18, 2023
The Piper-typical air deflectors, as Eduard has provided them ...
85
May 18, 2023
... now also fit much better to the large cylinder heads, the ones from the kit were much too small.
86
May 18, 2023
For a defined reference point for mounting the motor, I have inserted an additional wall.
87
May 18, 2023
The exhaust holes are also drilled.
88
May 18, 2023
Have I forgotten anything else or can I glue the cowling?
89
May 18, 2023
The undercarriage was not quite finished yet.
I had newly constructed these chassis struts in brass, but note the thickening. In the original, there are the tightened rubber dampers, which are covered to protect them from petrol, oil and sun.
90
May 18, 2023
How to reproduce it, and how to do it better than this rounding?
First a thickening with the all-purpose weapon Tamiya tape.
91
May 18, 2023
And then my friend Claus had the brilliant idea of using aluminium foil (matt side outside) - you can still fold and crumple it nicely, because there are press studs or rivets on the original. That worked out great.
92
May 18, 2023
This was then, of course, painted black.
93
May 18, 2023
The airbrushed yellow undercarriage supports from the kit are also mounted. These are the only covered parts, so to speak, and could have been replaced by 2 brass rods each. But this gives a nice touch of colour.
94
May 18, 2023
Now I have to work again with 0.7mm brass, because new exhaust pipes are needed. After the bend, the plastic parts were too short for me to disappear under the cowling and were not boxer-typical, i.e. on one side to the wrong side of the cylinders.
95
May 18, 2023
There is not much left of it.
96
May 18, 2023
In the Kopro kit there were two knobs that were supposed to be the outlets of the silencer. But my drawings and photos all show only one outlet, and it should also be a tube.
So 0.7mm tube with a piece of 0.9mm for thickening (already soldered on the back) plus another one that I first turned thinner.
97
May 18, 2023
The thick pipe, painted with Alclad Alu, represents the thermal insulation around the exhaust, the inner pipe is painted with Alclad Exhaust Manifold, i.e. exhaust colour.
98
May 18, 2023
From below you can see the distance between the pipes quite well.
99
May 18, 2023
The other exhaust pipes are of course also in exhaust colour.
100
May 18, 2023
The whole thing again from below, already with the oil cooler. One could also have glued it cleanly.
101
May 18, 2023
On its front is another etched part from the kit.
102
May 18, 2023
I originally wanted to convert the air deflectors so that they were closed at the back. But then I wouldn't have been able to fit them, because I wouldn't have been allowed to fit the cylinder head covers beforehand! Even if the AMS-infected community will not like to hear this - you can and must leave the church in the village and mount an etched part as intended.
103
May 18, 2023
The much too thick propeller shaft was replaced by brass, a screw plate is included in the kit by Eduard. But what is that 1mm knob at the front of the propeller? Searched for photos in the net - ah, that is a tube with holes, probably for starting. So it has also been remodelled.
104
May 18, 2023
The protective edge of the propeller was metallised, and with courage I glued the finished cowling in front of the Piper.
105
May 18, 2023
And a few more impressions.
106
May 18, 2023
107
May 18, 2023
Done!

Kommentarer

34 18 May 2023, 16:22

bughunter Forfatter
Now I'm done with adding all the pics from the old build log and translating the picture description. I hope there are not to much errors.

18 May 2023, 18:49

Erik Leijdens
Wow wow wow Bughunter. I'll take my hat off for you. I've already seen your other album covering this build but with the captions it gives so more info in how hard it must have been to achieve this result. The eye for detail is very "Bughunterlike" 🙂. I really like the work on the braces supports and the engine, great scratch building! Amazing build overall!!

23 May 2023, 19:44

Michael Kohl
Very nice superdetailing of this Stripdown-kit. May I ask how you prep those delicate parts before soldering? Light sanding and an alcohol wash? How do you avoid solder points to be disconnected again when soldering in the vicinity? Do you tin the parts before and apply only heat when they are aligned or you proceed differently? Which tin and which temperature do you use? Sorry for all the questions but your results are convincing and those points are the ones I still struggle with when soldering delicate parts.

24 May 2023, 01:49

bughunter Forfatter
Thank you very much mates!
Temperature? I don't know, as I used a small 20W soldering iron without temperature control from DIY store. But it has a real copper tip which is important for me. If the tip is to thick to solder inside I replaced it by a thick copper wire.
I do not prepare the brass parts. The neighbor soldering points can be protected with clamping tweezers and only do it quickly.
I use colophony as a flux. Yes, the one from the violin store. It's soluble in alcohol and so you can make your own solder lacquer.
The main thing are nearly 50 years soldering experience 😉 I was drilled in this as a young guy while training to be a telecommunications technician.

24 May 2023, 09:04

Spanjaard
yep, that experience shows 😉 beautiful model

24 May 2023, 09:15

Michael Kohl
Thanks Frank for the details. Yeah, experience definitely matters, as I experience the hard way. But improving is part of the fun. 🙂

24 May 2023, 12:20

Villiers de Vos
Fantastic work.

24 May 2023, 15:21

gorby
Remarkable work Frank! Incredible in fact.

24 May 2023, 16:51

Zach Wilson
holy shit

24 May 2023, 16:51

Alec K
My anxiety went through the roof just looking at this… magnificent work indeed 👍

25 May 2023, 13:40

bughunter Forfatter
I am very pleased that you like the soldering! The finished model was to be seen here for a long time, but there you can hardly guess what is under the paint.

25 May 2023, 20:28

Album info

According to the pictures this was done between 19. Okt. 2014 – 2. Jan. 2015, loooong ago.

I added all pics from the build log and translated it from German.

Strip down Piper L-4

117 bilder

1:72

Fullført

Alle album

Se alle albumer »