Steampunk scratcher-" THUNDER CHILD"

madcow rocketry
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Yes, think 1800's. A nice Biedermeier touch in the cockpit would add historical significance that less that one percent of the viewing public would even want to understand. The heavy wood finishes would act as good nose weight! Just don't get caught in the doll house section of Hobby Lobby!

Biedermier.jpg
 
And here I was thinking a nice touch would be a scale LV steamer trunk in the cabin containing expeditionary gear could make a great counter-weight to the rear pods for Cg purposes...how limited my imagination is....
 
Daddyisabar said:
Yes, think 1800's. A nice Biedermeier touch in the cockpit would add historical significance that less that one percent of the viewing public would even want to understand. The heavy wood finishes would act as good nose weight! Just don't get caught in the doll house section of Hobby Lobby!

View attachment 180299
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Don't laugh, I've been trying to figure out how to incorporate just that without going over the edge. And yes, I've already been in the doll house section. Fortunatly the scale is a bit large so no sale there but I did get ideas !! I need to say, sorry , right now for the quality of some of these pics. My camera does not take good close ups. I will borrow a buds camera tonight and retake some of these. I continued with the nose build out. I picked up some of those little needle point pattern thingies at walmart on clearance for 50 cents. they looked like they might make some sort of good grate and they were round--all the easier. Out of the package they were a perfect fit for the rear bulkhead. I painted it gunmetal and the pattern copper. I did the same for the flooring area, but I "samiched" a piece of plastic between the two pattern pieces. I used spray adhesive to hold the parts together and then epoxied the flooring to the bulkhead.--100_2651.jpg-100_2657.jpg--I'm pretty happy with this and it gives me a good starting point for the cockpit area. I went ahead and added some rivits to the interior of the cone--this was a PIA.--100_2664.jpg-Here's what it looks like roughed out--100_2659.jpg--Also got some work done on the ladder and hatch area , although I still need some work in this area--100_2660.jpg-100_2663.jpg--I'm going to turn my attention to the landing legs--having a mental block on those at the moment as well as the cockpit seating. I'll get a glass of wine and loosen up !! I promise to get some better pics out later.
 
hornet driver said:
Don't laugh, I've been trying to figure out how to incorporate just that without going over the edge. And yes, I've already been in the doll house section. Fortunatly the scale is a bit large so no sale there but I did get ideas !! I need to say, sorry , right now for the quality of some of these pics. My camera does not take good close ups. I will borrow a buds camera tonight and retake some of these. I continued with the nose build out. I picked up some of those little needle point pattern thingies at walmart on clearance for 50 cents. they looked like they might make some sort of good grate and they were round--all the easier. Out of the package they were a perfect fit for the rear bulkhead. I painted it gunmetal and the pattern copper. I did the same for the flooring area, but I "samiched" a piece of plastic between the two pattern pieces. I used spray adhesive to hold the parts together and then epoxied the flooring to the bulkhead.--View attachment 180305-View attachment 180306--I'm pretty happy with this and it gives me a good starting point for the cockpit area. I went ahead and added some rivits to the interior of the cone--this was a PIA.--View attachment 180307-Here's what it looks like roughed out--View attachment 180309--Also got some work done on the ladder and hatch area , although I still need some work in this area--View attachment 180310-View attachment 180311--I'm going to turn my attention to the landing legs--having a mental block on those at the moment as well as the cockpit seating. I'll get a glass of wine and loosen up !! I promise to get some better pics out later.
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Well, if the furniture doesn't fit you are just going to have to build a bigger house! I think I just came up with a good excuse to try out on the wife for a bigger rocket budget!:D Looking good so far.
 
I think I figured out the direction I want to go with the chairs. I looked at "The Time Machine" for insperation. Basically big ole barber chairs--lots of work at this scale to make it work--esp. with my old eyes!!!-time machine chair.jpg---YIKES
 
I havent been around much,but I see you have not changed any...thats some sick building!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
Thanks guys, I'll get some pics out tomorrow but I got the seats roughed out and have an idea how to diamond tuck them---even at this scale !!!-I'm focusing on the interior for now so this falls more into the modeling part of the build and less rocket so hang in there with me. I'm hashing out some ideas for the cockpit area. It's tough to make it look real and sensible but be from an 1800's alternate reality. anyway, I have settled on a design for the landing legs---which will be in the retracted position---I'm a couple days from getting them done--more pics soon---H
 
I tinkered a little more with the LM. Got the landing legs on. They are shown in the deployed position. Of course this is gonna cause a lot of turbulence up front so it won't be launched this way but I imagine this is what they would look like--100_2672.jpg100_2673.jpg100_2674.jpg-- this is the retracted position--a little less draggy--100_2675.jpg100_2676.jpg100_2677.jpg--I really had to put some thought into these as simple as they look. I didn't want them to look or act like fins in the retracted position. I figure these are more draggy surfaces than control surfaces. Also I have no illusion about getting some kind of damage so I kept everything as compact as possible. Still working on the cockpit area but you can see the direction I'm headed in.
 
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That's awesome HD!
You've got some time in it and it shows.
Nice work.

JP
 
Thanks JP. It's your baby, if it wasn't for you this project wouldn't be off the ground !!
 
wow man this is looking really really good! I love the way it has come together and i just cant wait to see it all together!
 
Looking cool. As usual I am always coming up with annoying suggestions (those of us that can't do, make comments from peanut gallery!)
Is the anterior section going to fall with the front of the nose cone DOWN? This of course is the usual way nose cones fall, but might be a bit rough on this one. With the steam punk design, it might not stick out TOO bad to have an external shock cord attachment forward enough that the nose SECTION falls nose tip UP. May require a longer nose section, like adding a payload section. For the attachment, I was thinking something like the faucet handle for a fire hose (in miniature, of course.). You could either leave the shock cord unattached during display, just attaching it for launch, OR come up with a creative shock cord external component (chain? Simulated fire hose?) that would accent your current decor scheme.

I just have a bad feeling about have a transparent nose cone hitting directly on Terra Firma, especially if the Terra is particularly Firma.
Anyhow, as usual it I another of the TYPICAL (for you) pieces of Flyable Rocket Art.
 
I know our launches don't work well with your schedule, but please bring some of these creations to a DARS launch sometime. Pretty please. I think you could sell tickets to the launch of this and 20 mill.
 
BABAR said:
Looking cool. As usual I am always coming up with annoying suggestions (those of us that can't do, make comments from peanut gallery!)
Is the anterior section going to fall with the front of the nose cone DOWN? This of course is the usual way nose cones fall, but might be a bit rough on this one. With the steam punk design, it might not stick out TOO bad to have an external shock cord attachment forward enough that the nose SECTION falls nose tip UP. May require a longer nose section, like adding a payload section. For the attachment, I was thinking something like the faucet handle for a fire hose (in miniature, of course.). You could either leave the shock cord unattached during display, just attaching it for launch, OR come up with a creative shock cord external component (chain? Simulated fire hose?) that would accent your current decor scheme.

I just have a bad feeling about have a transparent nose cone hitting directly on Terra Firma, especially if the Terra is particularly Firma.
Anyhow, as usual it I another of the TYPICAL (for you) pieces of Flyable Rocket Art.
Click to expand...

Yea, I've been giving some thought to that little problem. I may have an idea for an external mount that might work. The other option is to simply have a removable cover for the nose--but that's no fun.
 
Ya know, I could hand a rocket or two over to you guys to launch for me !! Not sure how close you are to me but samb is in my area.
 
hornet driver said:
Ya know, I could hand a rocket or two over to you guys to launch for me !! Not sure how close you are to me but samb is in my area.
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I got terrified just thinking about that. Way too much pressure there. If I crash my own that is one thing, but I can't be responsible/irresponsible for these flying art pieces. I'll wait impatiently for fortuitous scheduling, and until then content myself to your build threads.
 
Well it's been 5 months and I've dusted off the old girl and I'm back at it !! I got the cockpit/observation area done--That was a real sticking point!! added a few details. I'll get some pics out in the A.M. when the light is better. BUT, that's just modeling stuff. Time to dig into the guts of this beast. After looking at a few posts , I think I'll do a couple of different mmt's . Maybe one for a 29mm and one for a couple of 24's or three 24's or maybe 3 29 bp's---and so my world turns---more later---H........oh yea, did I mention the chains? Your gonna love the chains !!
 
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So it turns out my phone takes some pretty good pics. Those silver things in the cockpit area are roll down sun shields if anyone was wondering. The chains are attached with pins and epoxied on. I still have to get the lugs on. I think that will happen today.IMG_20150114_105015.jpgIMG_20150114_104938.jpgIMG_20150114_104927.jpgIMG_20150114_104913.jpgIMG_20150114_104856.jpgIMG_20150114_105048.jpg--it's far from perfect but it will do. Now to move on to the guts of the project !!
 
THANK YOU ALL !! The lugs are on--I needed something out of the ordinary--I think this fit the bill--IMG_20150114_161458.jpgIMG_20150114_161507.jpgIMG_20150114_161601.jpg---I needed a standoff because of the lip on the lander.
 

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