[Alan Hawkins]

YES!

[Venkman's Swagger]

Oh how much respect I have for scratch builders. This is immense

[thebigone2087]

Seriously? How did I miss this?!

Brilliant work bud, one of the nicest scratch builds I have seen. Forgive me if this has been asked and answered, but are you considering molding and casting the pack in fiberglass once done?

[bustermedic]

Scored a 4x8 sheet from a sign shop next to the fire station I work at for free since it had an old election ad on it... After watching your video, gonna try my hand at this styrene building game! Great work so far!

[Batfly]

Seriously? How did I miss this?!

Brilliant work bud, one of the nicest scratch builds I have seen. Forgive me if this has been asked and answered, but are you considering molding and casting the pack in fiberglass once done?

I did answer this earlier and there are no plans to cast, mould, or duplicate this pack. That's not to say it's out of the question if in the future there is a house/garage/car port/work room. As it is right now, I'm in a one bedroom apartment and this is all being done on my couch and tv tray. Lol. Glad you are enjoying the build.

[Batfly]

Quick update before lunch. Cosmetic plating is done.


First I plotted out the middle raised piece on scrap from yesterday's work.



Scored and snapped apart.


Testing fit. Near perfect





I realized that only a few sides would actually be visible, the rest will but up against other parts of the pack and synchronous generator. The sides marked with circles are the viable sides and x's won't be. I still wanted some support but didn't have to complete all sides. This saved a lot of time and material no to mention some weight.



Side pieces scored for lower plating.



Hand mitered. Good practice for all the pieces I'll have to do on the synchronous generator.





Sides glued on. Again, circles are visible sides, x's won't be.




Beautiful dry fitting if I do say so myself .

Time so far today spent is 3 hours 10 minutes. Now it's time for lunch then hopefully I'll get the synchronous generator done minus the radiused edges.

[Alan Hawkins]

Nicely done!

[Batfly]

Alright, last update for the night and maybe some days. Depends on how strenuous work is the next 5 days.

After lunch was south 4 hours and 50 minutes of work. Funny how this plus the 3 hours 10 minutes earlier equals 8 exactly . Anyway, on to the good stuff.


Decided now was the best time to cut out the 9 inch circle under the cyclotron. Figured this would be not as easy with sides on the synchronous guy. Used my digital calipers as a compass to score the initial circle as it's really sharp. Then I went over that with the blade about 10 times! I positioned the score over the corner of my tv tray and bent it carefully while rotating. Went around about 3 times bending till I could see the stress marks on the back.


Was pretty easy to pop out while bending the opposite direction.


Holes is holes[emoji14]

All the little dastardly tiles to miter-file and glue.


I started with the bottom center tile. Then I worked to the left, only mitering one edge of each tile. Worked great this way as the angle isn't much and I could custom file per tile. Then I worked center to the right.



All done except the two radiused top pieces.


You can see all the bracing I put in. The bottom tile that gets the block and acts as a possible rest got extra bracing. All inside seems got extra glue after completion.



All of today and yesterday's work.

And...



The money shots! Everything done to present. Funky lil puzzle this guy.

[Alan Hawkins]

Can you use that disc as the top of the Cyclotron?

[Batfly]

Should be. It's 9 inches in diameter. Will have to build up the inside for all sanding to get the curved edge. right?

[Alan Hawkins]

Yep.

[Venkman's Swagger]

HOLY MOLY!!!!

[rayp_Stantz]

Impressive...so clean

[Batfly]

Small update for today.


Cut all the tiles for around the synchronous generator for application tomorrow.


Finished the synchronous generator itself minus clean-up sanding (again, will be done tomorrow before adding tiles). Turns out 2"pvc was prefect for the top radius. Used a string marked with a sharpie to rough in the length of the longer curved piece. Bent that around a section of 2" tube to get the curve.


Cut a section for the HGA, the connection piece for the two N filter couplers, and the booster tube. Screwed up cutting the booster tube as it's 1/4 too short.

I'd have to pick up another section of 2" pvc to cut another booster tube. Should I sweat the quarter inch? It will be slightly under the top of the EDA-box/pack top. It's supposed to slightly clear it. Doubt my OCD will let this slide.

[Batfly]

And everything so far shots.

[Batfly]

Today was a scattered day for what got worked on. Had to get another section of 2" pvc and made a new booster tube.


You can see the comparison of the old and new pieces. Was almost half an inch difference. Already I'm glad I redid it.


Got the injector tubes done.


Wasn't too worried about the caps being perfect circles and I'll be making fake welds. Same with the HGA which also got done.


Added the discs to the EDA. These I was very much concerned with their roundness. Turns out one of the hole saws in a kit I have is the perfect size. Slapped that sucker on my drill press with a wood block under the plastic. Worked like a charm!

Also sanded in the angled edge on the bottom left. Much easier to implement than I thought it would be. I liked how it looked on other packs. Also did clean up sanding on the EDA before fluttering the discs.

Not sure I'm going to add the nipple rivet detail as this is an idealized pack. I'll practice on some scrap styrene with a small rotary tool I bought awhile ago on the cheap (not much power) and see how it goes.

That's it for now. Stay tuned for more later this week.

[Batfly]

As* I'll be making fake welds. Gluing* the discs. I hate phone auto correct.

[Batfly]

Quick update before lunch. Last night I sanded glue seems on ALL pieces done so far. That sucked. A lot lol.

Today, so far, I glued on all the synchronous plates. Took my time sanding them all to the same size with sides true. Dry fitted each piece as I went along. Really happy with how they turned out.








I haven't made the little angled piece the injector lines go into yet. I want to drill the holes for them before gluing it to the synchronous generator.

I notice the injector lines are not attached with any kind of exposed fitting. Just heat shield tubing on the ends. What diameter holes should I drill for these tubes? {Edit: looks like 1/4" holes is what most use}

I need to review some builds on this section.

Might have more to update if I get to the cyclotron today. We'll see, feeling lazy [emoji12]

[Batfly]

Yay, I wasn't lazy!

I found the circumferences I needed and measured out the side strips for the cyclotron and it's little step. Since they were such thin, long pieces that were the entire walls, I wanted to make sure they were as strait as possible.


So I used my digital calipers as a blade and used the machined edge of the styrene as a guide and scored both pieces.

I used the calipers as a compass and blade as I did before on the synchronous hole. Worked great one again! I'll be very sad if this caliper's ends ever get dull[emoji14]

Popped out the ring and extra 9 inch lid. I'll be using it with the disc from the synchro cutout. Laminated together they'll give me the material needed to sand the radius into the cyclo.


I bent the strips around a half pipe piece of 2"pvc left over from the top of the synchro. Was easier than a solid tube in the hands. Used the cut out hole scrap for a jig to glue the ring wall and apply the top of the ring step.






Did the same jig idea with the synchronous generator cutout. Bent the ring wall the same way as the step, glued on the first disc cutout and then laminated the second on top. Now a heavy year book is sitting on top while the glue cures.

[Alan Hawkins]

[Batfly]

Here's the inside if you're curious.



And some money shots








So not looking forward to sanding the cyclotron! Lol. Working tomorrow then more time off. Sandapalooza, after this weekend! Tickets on sale now.

[Batfly]

Also, just want to say thanks to everyone for all the comments and praise throughout this thread. Definitely helps one stay motivated! [emoji3]

[fearless-freak]

it's beautiful man, it's goddamned beautiful!

[Venkman's Swagger]

So so so so good!! Very talented Mr Batfly

[Batfly]

My hands! Oh my hands. Lol. Enough whining. Sanded the cyclotron top today. 5.5 hours total spent.



Here's what I'm starting with. The before shot. 11:20am start time.


I sanded around the edge first. Took till 11:44am.



This way I can run a straight angle around the edge with a piece of styrene held to it and a pencil held to that. The piece of styrene is 9.5mm which is the radius needed for the curve.


Did the same for the side and filled it them in. 12:10pm


Started sanding. Pic was taken at 1pm, so a quarter of the radius sanded took 50m.


Half way done at 1:47pm



Circumsanded and did a once around sanding. I was checking curvature with a sanding sponge edge pressed over the radiused edge to see its form. Finished at 4:50.

Very pleased how it turned out. There are some seems along the edge where there were pockets of no glue from laminating the two tops. I'll get them in the bondo stages.

Please excuse the slightly off positioning off some pieces. Bumped the thing while vacuuming up cyclotron cocaine. [emoji12]




What's reconvened: cutting n-filter or cyclotron to fit? I've seen both. Doubt I'll ever put a vape vent mod in it, although I love how those look! I'm thinking cut n-filter as it's easier to replace should it go astray.

[Alan Hawkins]

Random GB nerd - Nice pack! Who's shell did you use?

Batfly - MINE B*TCH! MADE WITH MY OWN TWO HANDS!!!

[Venkman's Swagger]

5.5 hours on sanding alone?? That's why I buy a shell lol. Seriously man you have the tools, you have the talent. This is immense!!!

[Batfly]

Haha, Alan, I love that! Lol

Venkman's Swagger, I was thinking after the first hour, "this is why people buy shells! Wtf"

Also ment to write at the end, "what's recommended?" Not reconvened

[TENIME_art]

You are a true craftsman with this. An artist. (But turn off your Autocorrect. )

[Batfly]

Thanks Tenime. I think I actually will turn it off and see how it goes lol.

About to head out to get some more weld-on #16 glue from Petersen Brothers Plastics. Will also pick up the red and blue transparent acrylic for cyclotron and powercell.