Scratch Build – In Progress SSR-X: Update - Bottom Cover Fiberglass Part 2/De-Mold

Update: Reinforcement of Main Compartment

I've been working long hours over this climate paper. So I had no time for SR-X last week and started to work again on SR-X this week. Update time.



I took off both sides of the Main Compartment to drill holes for mounting the internal frames.





drilling





Frames mounted into place. These frames will undergo further cutting and bending to get the angles for the main cover of SR-X. These frames are utilized for mounting the main cover



I needed to reinforce the Radiator Compartment. So I had a long hard thought about what to do! Maybe put in more bulkheads around the compartment and I than thought about a bar of some sort. So I dug around in the scrap bin and came out with this piece







I had to trim off about 8mm of material cause of clearance issues with the bottom of the radiator. What a ......!!!! After about 2 hours of cutting horizontally, that I had to file the rest of the piece down and I had to due the whole process twice.



the scrap pieces, I felt like Attila here







Pretty sturdy for now. Figuring out what to do exactly next.

 

Update: Cutting the Skin

Hello. Google is being a complete failure!!! I have SR-X rendered in Sketch-up 8 and have been drawing blueprints and such from the model. Now, one would think that with a model and Google, that cutting the material to specs shouldn't be hard!! Wrong!! When dealing will complex shapes, you have to position them to be completely flat in Sketch-Up before outputting them to Layout to get the Dimensions. The dimension tools in Sketch-Up suck, ugh!!

Well anywayz, time to log.





Got the measurements and angles down and this is where the problems start.



Top of the wing





While these pieces fit, they are not perfect, so I am not happy!!

I decided to move away from the wing and onto the front of the Main Compartment.





These pieces went alot easier and alignment up correctly.







These pieces confirmed that Google was boon-doggling me with my specs. I running into the same problems that I did on Aelro Dynamic and Aelro didnt even have blueprints. It has been somewhat of a frustrating weekend, I starting to figure out remedies to the problems at hand.

 

update: more main compartment work...

Hello. In trying to get to the molding process as quickly as possible I continued on the coverings for the main compartment.



after alot of re-measuring and google work, I came to a comprise







perfect! The angles were 2+ more degrees from what google stated they were. I got it figured out thanks to builds like Aelro, in which, free-hand impovising was necessary.



Started on the side coverings.





The frames still have to be modified for brackets for holding on the coverings. That may not happen till after molding, due to not wanting to put holes in the covering and than later having to go back and fill them in.







aligning up to the middle

Going to start working on the back covers of the main compartment next.

 

Big Update: Weekend Part 1!

With a break this past week in trying to finish my climate paper, due to my Professor being absent, I went to work on SR-X. This weekend the upper left wing assembly will be complete with coverings along with the main compartment. Lets get to it.



Drawing to finish the rear cover of the Main Compartment. These covers will be later modified after the molding and infusion process to cut slots for the cables and wires.





This is the view from the back and directly to the right you can see where I started the coverings for the Mid-Radiator compartments. I didnt have my camera with me so I jus kept pushing forward.



The view lines are looking real nice. These covering had to be slightly pitched due to the upward trending angle on the Radiator compartment. The angled appearance gives the Mid-Rad. compartment a very nice feel and look.



The coverings for the Radiator compartment. Once this whole cover assembly is tac welded and later infusion, the cover will provide additional support for the wing assembly and any interior part or hardware that will reside in there.





Have to go back and do some trimming.



The precision on these lines with the cuts made me real happy. With Google boon-doggling me, I definitely thought that I would have to go back and re-do most of the compartment frames. It turnes out I dont have do. The rest on there frames exactly how there suppose to.



Up Next













This piece is for the rear exhaust side. I got this paint pen to help me mark lines on bare metal. I still preferr pencil, though, this paint pen is permante. I do recommend.





Both side of the exhaust upwards towards the front are done nearly.



The rear wing covering









The geometry has been pretty tricky so far. I have to finish quite of few pieces of the front part of the left side of the wing. I will show those later this weekend, when I get them done. Than I have to do the entire process a second time for the right side of the upper wing. I dont know just yet if I'll wait on that and go onto the bottom part of the wing. SR-X may not fit entirely on my work bench, ugh, hey what can I do, lol! Beyond all that, I have to figure out the support struts/landing gear for SR-X, so I can get it properly up and off the bench. Well I think that is enough said for now. Mod On!

 

Update: Time for It!!!

Finally got the climate paper done, so I could turn my focus back to SR-X. I have to side-step for a minute. I made the August issue of Custom PC magazine for my Aelro Dynamic.





That is just an awesome feeling!!!

Back to SR-X. Last time I logged, I just got done with the left side of the wing assembly. During my little break, I did do work here and there, though, I waited till I had enough material to post an update.





The lines on the front face are looking real means.







With the geometry mistakes that I and Google made on the left side with measurement, I did a more thorough inspection of the angles and measurements. No ROOM for error. This part of the wing assembly turned particulary trickery so in conforming to be symmetrical I had to make sure my measurements were on point. Symmetry can be a real mind-bender and fabricating nightmare if not thought out properly ahead of time







The covers for the radiators





Seeing the rear exhaust outlets in the flesh excites me, cause it looks better than the render. Once you can start to rub your hand across the angles and lines, I dont know, it jus makes me want to keep pushing myself in my design.

The whole top cover is essentially done at this point. The next step will be to get it tac welded. I trying to formulate a plan of attack next. Whether to go to weld or start on the bottom. The bottom is even goin to be trickier than the top due to the power supply. The render looks like a mess on the bottom and I havent gone back and played with the render. I got some ideas in my head.

Than there is the great debate raging in me in how I am going to mold the front face. Do I combine the top and bottom portion of the front face to be one piece or do I incorporate the bottom front face into the top cover in the mold process?? That leaves the mold from sitting flat and that adds another dimension in the infusion phase.

Beyond all that I still have to get the bracketing made for the top and bottom covers. hhhmmm, that is going to be interesting!!! I still rackin my brain over how many countersuck bolts I should use to secure the cover, cuz this my make it into a wind tunnel. I guess I'm crazy!!!

 

Do you cut your metal by hand or do you machine it?

Either way what a clever build, must be really nice to see it take shape once you put the outer layers on. Keep up the awesome work.

 

Just looked all through this build and am in awe of the design and your persistance. Its a complex design but looks awesome. I will be following your work! Keep going.

 

This looks huge! Will it sit on your desk? or maybe hover above it, suspended from the ceiling?

 

Thanks!!

I was just measuring the wing span the other day, it is like around 7 feet or like 2.2 meters for you international people.

I may just 3M sticker it to the wall, lol!!! Thanks for the support

 

I cut the metal using a angle die grinder with a fiber disc. I will get you a picture. I wanted to get this laser cut, but just couldnt get my files outputted right for getting the laser done. Maybe next time. Thanks for the support

 

Dude... I would have rather sawed through my wrists than cutting those to pieces of aluminum like that...

But that is why you are in the August issue of Custom PC magazine with your other build, and I'm not!

Very nice build, and amazing pursistance!

 

Update: Bottom Main Compartment

Update Time!

I started on the bottom of the entire assembly this weekend.



The bottom turns out to be a little more tricky than the top due to the mounting of the power supply. I already stated that I didnt like my initial render, so I re-designed the render this morning and went work on carving out the pieces for the main compartment.





The front.







The power supply will pull the air in from vents, with those locations still to be determined, but the main fan will exhaust air straight out the bottom, as pictured.



The pump is probably going to be located in the front section there. Lets you all see the room and clearance I will have to work with and it all looks good.





The power supply will be mounted in its current orientation. SR-X will be able to hold a 1200W power supply if needed, though, I dont think so, I over design at times.











This work went fairly fast. I still have to go back and create two bulkheads that will hold the power supply in place and add support structure to the cover. I believe that I will do small angled brackets on the main frame pieces to hold the cover in this section.

The optical device will also be located in the rear bottom of the case. I'm goin to try a slot-loading drive this time around. Will give a cleaner look.

That's all for now.

 

More of the bottom wing

Hello! I've been in the doledrums of modding for some reason. Guess I'm playin to much MOH, gettin ready for BF3. Anyways, I been doing some modding here and there and now I am getting out of the doledrums.

I continued work on the lower wing.



made myself a little diagram again and I'm off.



I'm working from the front to the back, though, I can't exactly get around to the front, so I have to lean all the way over SR-X to do these measurements and stuff

















These adjacent section went fairly quickly. I than stopped and took the week off and I than picked up and continued again on the lower radiator section portion















The lower radiator portion is now finished.

I did talk to my friend Andrew this week about the plan for welding. The welding of the cover may not happen till September due to busy schedules. I am anxious to get past this, so I can begin constructing the exterior mold box.

The next step after the bottom wing segments are complete is to fabricate the supports for SR-X. There will also have to be additional bracketing made along with custom housing. That's it for now

 

7 feet, 2.2 metres.... either way you put it, it'll be HUGE.

some nice work in here, can't wait to see more!

 

Update: Completion of Lower Wing and Main Supports Part 1

Hello. Lets get right to the work!!



I went ahead and finished off the rest of the lower wing assembly. In this work there is good cause for error, due to differing angles between the top and lower wing covers. Ultimately when I take the wing portion off for main strut supports, I will see how good my fabricating and measurements were and will make changes accordingly.





I am in need of advice on good alternative epoxy or glue for the seams!!!!



I had to rip apart the main compartment section next, because the covering's were off and had to be remade. This also let me contemplate more about exactly how to fasten the power supply in place.











End of Part 1

 

Part 2

Part 2.

Main Strut Support / Landing Gear, if you want to call it that

I thought for a long moment about doing actual replica landing gear for this build and whether they should be retractable. I made the decision Not to due it, cause this is not a true flyable R/C aircraft. This is a computer which should adhere to its own style. I would never use the retractable landing gear, so it would be impractical to go thru all the work. Would it be awesome!!! Ya it would, though, I'm going to have to mount this on the top of my truck for transport in the end. Anywayz.....



I had a solid design in the my head and tried to sketch it on Google, to no avail. Back to fabricating straight from my head. I wanted the design to be triangular and slanted, for an agressive stance and look.













I than labeled and disassembled the wing sections so I could cut and make the proper bracketing for the Main Supports.







Had to remove some screws and cut into some brackets.







Cut out a plate that the main support will be bolted to from the top. The top and bottom sections of the Main Support or made out of .090 Alum, which it thickness, gives me the ability to tap and bolt.











I dont know if I will make a lower cover for the Main Support compartments. I'm thinking about it though. I should have the entire frame off the bench this weekend on it supports.

I'm still in frame work construction and still have the styling portion of this build to move onto. Getting more excited by the day cause I am moving closer to molding and vacuum infusion!!!

 

Getting SR-X off the Bench!

Finishing off this weekend's update with installing the main support's on SR-X and getting the build off the bench!!

In a situation like this, I can't full pre-determine how the build will sit balance-wise. I guess if I had intimate CAD with animation knowledge, than that answer would be yes, but for me, it is just visualize, fabricate, and have faith.



Have to finish fabricating the supports. Which means drilling and taping for the bolts to hold the supports to the frame pieces.







I aligned the support piece to the frame, so to make sure that the support is aligned straight.



I figured out an location for the Main Compartment support, which will sit behind the front bulkhead. The reason for this location is the bolts are out of the way and it seems an ideal location for center of mass. Hopefully





Taping 10-32



Installing



Ya that is my verison of cheap welding, lol!





The Result!!







So I have some slight problems. First, I noticed that the SR-X was slighty tilted towarded that back. Second, I noticed torsion being exhibted in the radiator compartments.

Overall, not to big of a deal. When the radiators are installed, those compartments and there torsion effect should disappear. What I did for the slight tilting is what I am about to show you next.



I removed 20mm from the front support. Now SR-X slightly tilts toward the front and the torsion also disappears slightly, due to the re-alignment of the center of mass. That is my best guess.





Now to get those radiators on order and installed this week!!!

 

So much work! I'm impressed and also looking forward to see how this turns out and where it will be located...

 

Thanks for the support!! Ya, it's goin 2 take up so much space, lolz, screw it!!

 

Power Supply Void

Finally, voided a power supply for the first time, I think?!! I may ditch the surrounding housing for an "external" look. That would be really awesome if people could view the power supply from underneath, somehow, and actually see its insides, instead of a box. Problem is that, the compartment for the power supply will be sitting so low, that, that wont happen, unless I put a arcylic window in, hhmmm Anywayz....





Thanks Thermaltake, you guys rock at building power supplies! Serving me well for over 3 years.



The big debate!!! If I leave it all exposed, there is the chance it could short-out somehow. Secondly I would still need to provide a cooling pathway for the power supply. I thought about it for awhile and I figured I'd roll with some sort of Alum. housing to cover the power supple.



Now to Bend











Last bend and...



wow, that came out pretty awesome looking!! Wait, it jus a plain cover. I sitting back and thinking about the styling for this cover. So No cutting for now.





Good fit with plenty of clearance. Now I have to go pick out a fan, which is crucial, to the overall look and meaning of SR-X.