DH88 - I can rebuild her!

[Chris Bott - Moderator]

Just to show that something does happen every now and again, here's today's installment.

 

Yesterday I found time to pop over to Breakwells Paints to get some colour matched to the DH88. The idea was to buy some ready for the day I can start painting.

 

Well you know when you get that irresistible urge? The one where you know you shouldn't be doing it, you're not ready but you just do it anyway?

 

I just found myself having a play with the paint.

I'm right at the start of the airbrush learning, so am pretty pleased with the result.

It is only painted back to a slanyed panel line, so you can see how good the match is.

 

And then of course we have to see the full effect..

 

[Tim Mackey]

Come out very well that Chris - theres a certain satisfaction I find, from resurrecting something from the scrap pile, even more so than building from new.

[Danny Fenton]

Looks great Chris, really looking forward to seeing the 88 all back to the same color again. Breakwells did a great job matching the color.

 

Cheers

Danny

[Stephen Grigg]

Its coming on very well and the end is now in sight,excellant paint job looking forward to seeing the finished model congrats.

[Chris Bott - Moderator]

Many thanks everyone.

 

That bit of red paint has spurred me on no end

Quite a bit of prep for painting going on today.

Engine covers were also stabilised (very thin glass fibre that had torn a lot) and brought close to the right shape. Nothing to see really so no photos.

Edited By Chris Bott on 03/09/2011 23:08:02

[Biggles' Elder Brother - Moderator]

Keep at it Chris - very nice job - you'll soon be there.

 

BEB

[Chris Bott - Moderator]

Blasted Comet has decided to fight back.

The small matter of the crumpled and torn engine covers.

 

Most of the jobs on this rebuild have been worried about for a while, and then I've attacked them with a "just get on with it" attitude and all has turned out OK.

These flippin things, well one of them really, has had other ideas.

 

They seem to be a very thin glass fibre part made of a single piece of woven cloth with a white gel coat and red paint. So thin that the really don't hold their shape unless fixed to the model.

The crash tore the screw holes, tore other gashes in them and crumpled them a little. So I attacked them with my patented (should be) technique of pink zap and skinning cloth on the inside, building up the screw hole areas with extra layers.

 

However, when I started flatting the outsides down, one went OK except for revealing a couple of creases that needed reinforcing flat, but the other - flippin eck!

As soon as I started with the wet n dry it was clear that there were cracks in the gel coat. If I'd left these cracks then any amount of painting would have cracked again. So I bit the bullet and sanded off the gel coat on the cracked side. That was a difficult job as I was getting down to the cloth an a few areas. That done, a coat of skinning resin was put on the outside. That does seem to have cured the problem, but this component wasn't finished with me. Having done so much work on the *** thing, holding it, sanding it etc, of course the other side was now showing a few cracks, and the more I rubbed near those cracks, the more appeared!

 

So now here we are, second side rubbed right back. This time with the help of a Dremmel. I'm now thinking it may have been quicker to make some new engine covers.

 

This is the second side ready for it's skinning resin replacement surface.

Thanks for listening. Apologies if this post was too long for what it's worth. But it's been very good therapy to write it down, so thanks all

 

[Tim Mackey]

Ah well, I suppose something had to get tough eh Chris!

I know how you feel though -but perhaps a good nights sleep and it may be less problematic tomorrow. Keep at it mate, its looking great so far.

[Pete B]

One of the most satisfying aspects of this hobby is overcoming the frustrations and dead-ends that seem to accompany most builds - well, mine anyway!

 

There's more than a few folk behind you on this, Chris - hang in there!

 

Pete

[Chris Bott - Moderator]

Many thanks gents. Pete you're absolutely right, satisfaction is proportional to difficulty.

Great positive spin, just when i needed it.

 

(If it was a more important part then I wouldn't mind the effort )

Another positive is that I had to mix far more resin than necessary just to see the mix ratio, so some as yet undecided reinforcement to the fus underside behind the wing has been completed too.

[Chris Bott - Moderator]

We've had another rubbish weekend for flying so I've stolen a couple of hours from domestic chores duties to turn some more parts shiny red

 

[Danny Fenton]

Thats coming along great Chris wont be long now

[Chris Bott - Moderator]

Another little setback, but I guess it's better found at this stage.

 

The floppy ABS fus skin, from the wing L/E rearwards has only been repaired, inside only, with skinning cloth and cyano. While this appeared strong enough, when I apply pressure with wet n dry the odd crack has opened up in the outside surface.

 

This one requires glassing on the inside I think and then filling on the outside again.

I've already rubbed it down to the ABS.

 

I'm also finding the ABS too floppy to do a full smooth reshape as I fill and sand, so it looks like the fus is going to end up with some ripples in it. I must be careful, or I'll sand away too much where the formers are and less everywhere else.

[Chris Bott - Moderator]

I've had a hectic week, 42 hrs at work by Thurs evening, Fri and Sat revolved around 3 kids and 3 different universities. We've bought a car and sold another and I've fixed some faults on the new (to us) one.

So today I was quite surprised to get an hour or two on the Comet just as the clouds separated and the sun came out.

 

Due to time constraints and the dark and damp approaching, only one side has been done. But that hasn't stopped me posing her for yet another "photo of inspiration"

 

[Danny Fenton]

Wow! What a transformation Chris, well done

[Lazygit]

ABS needs a solvent based glue to weld it back together Nothing else sticks properly. I have to do this on Thunder Tiger Readys etc. Very difficult to make them look as good as you've got it though.

[Chris Bott - Moderator]

Thanks Lazy, my repair technique seems fairly sound in most places.

I think I may end up with the odd crack in the paint appearing in time.

The skin is just so floppy, I'm not totally convinced that the filler primer is flexible enough.

Still as you say, it's looking better than I expected at this stage

[Chris Bott - Moderator]

Caught a bit of dry still daylight this evening after work. We are all red now

 

Time will tell if it dries patchy or needs the odd touch up. But this paint seems to lend it's self perfectly to re-painting problem areas and blending in well. (thank goodness)

 

Photo is pre polish, I'll have to wait till the end of the week to do that.

 

 

[Tim Mackey]

Shes beginning to look like her old self again Chris - paint looks good to me

[Chris Bott - Moderator]

Travelling for work in the morning so couldn't wait and broke out the T-cut. Just did a couple of inches behind the join. Going to bed pleased as punch soon

 

 

[Danny Fenton]

That really looks fantastic Chris. Better get the plotter/cutter out and rustle up some lettering

Its hard to tell from the picture but it looks much better than original, I much prefer celly especially when its been t cut, it gives a lovely patina.

Cheers

Danny

[Steve Hargreaves - Moderator]

Hi Chris....great looking rebuild...you must be really proud.....

 

I've been having some ABS/glue interface issues also....might be a bit late now but some interesting stuff on this thread regarding flexible cyano glues from the guy who runs 5 Star adhesives....

Edited By Steve Hargreaves on 27/09/2011 10:17:29

[Chris Bott - Moderator]

Yes just a tad late Steve but thanks. Because I was but joining very thin ABS at effectively perfect joints, the tape on the outside with pink zap wicked in from the inside worked well. I had skinning cloth in place inside too while I was applying the zap, that has added some strength.

 

I really rate the 5 star adhesives dopes. Very clear in colour and show no signs of cracking whatsoever with age. So if their cyano is of the same quality then it will be very good.

[Steve Hargreaves - Moderator]

I have also used fibre glass tissue (cor body repair stuff) & cyano to repai/strengthen plastic mouldings & it does work extremely well.....the process is extremely exothermic however....even discolouring the paint on the outer surface

 

Good luck with the maiden of the repaired model...... That will be a nerve-racking time methinks!!!

[Chris Bott - Moderator]

I think you're right, nerve racking it will be.

 

Having said that, I've really enjoyed the rebuild. I've probably had more out of this model than I ever would have just flying it. Especially with how little flying time I seem to get.