Scratch Build – In Progress Project: Aerodyne

The garnet-based fingernail files (not emory) are nothing but sandpaper on a stick. Very useful for doing precision work. Don't tell your mates though. I send the wife out to buy mine. She knows I'll just steal hers if she doesn't.

 

Yeah I found some in a draw while rooting around for modding bits & just thought they'd be excellent for some detail sanding .

 

I love the look of this build. Can't wait to see what you do with it from here.

 

Hahaha, another item on the list to steal from the misses!
Hairdryer - bending plastics
Tweasers - soldering aid
Stockings - airbrush detail
and now
Nail files - precision sanding
Nice !

 

Probably the same story on how I first started using them. A McGuyver moment I guess.

Thanks and welcome to the "show".

Makes the wife feel like she's participating...besides getting me a samwich now and then.

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Cut the birch plywood "base" to the dimensions that look right...to me.






The four square pegs are friction fit to just barely protrude above the surface. I can now sand the ends so they are as flat as possible. This will all become clearer later...hopefully.


Made up some end caps and glued them into place. These complete the enclosure structure and makes it very solid.






Final trimming of the grille. It's just about ready to be sent out for casting Casting?

 

Aluminum?

 

I think, if you mean the grill bit .

 

That's the plan.



The sand cast aluminum grille in this photo is "pinched" in place between the aluminum cover and Bakelite base. I built mine the same way.

 

Sweet, fantastic wood work, as always

 

I'm on board! mini-ITX, Slipperyskip without a rush, Bliss.

Oh, and Sally's Beauty Supply is a scarey place for neat detailing tools. Bring an available female and just browse. Be sure to scope out the small white nail sanding blocks - just sayin.

john

 

^

Nice the wood version looks sweet too though but yeah I guess it needs to be for a nice cast it'll be awesome.

 

Casting? We have been a bad influence on you. I'm really happy there's a SS build to watch for the holidays!

Please say it's gonna be brass. Polished brass and wood looks sweet.

 

Thanks phinix! I appreciate you stopping by and commenting.

Hey John! Walked by a Sally's last Friday and thought of you. Gotta sneak inside there one of these days.

It will either be cast or look like cast. Most people can't tell the difference from a photo and I'm not sayin' unless asked.

Brass would be sweet especially against mahogany. They go well together. Don't think I can fake polished brass with all the paint in the world. I'm talking to several foundries about pricing so we'll see. I'm hoping to find a fan of my work at one of these places or at least an easy bank to rob.


My four "pegs" attached to a piece of 6-ply 1/8" birch plywood.




Four small brass wood screws are countersunk and driven into the backs of the pegs.




A design I'm playing with. A subroutine is constantly running in the back of my head concerning a decorative element for this thing. Lots of others to try out.



Thanks for stopping by and looking!

 

That would actually be cooler IMO as it wouldn't cost anywhere near what casting would .

The pattern looks nice to me .

 

The alternative to casting would be hammering some bars into shape, a little soldering on the brackets, and a lot of sanding.

Neat design. It would look cool with the round area as a flattened hemisphere of wood, and the 'wings' as raised metal bars.

 

Cost is the excuse I've used in the past to not cast. I always just assumed it without actually checking it out. This time I'm getting quotes, talking shop and checking out alternatives and quantity price breaks.

Get out of my head man! Bending bars and soldering is not going to happen because I don't think the quality (and accuracy) would be there no matter who or how well it was done. I have a few design ideas that are in-line with your suggestions. I'm looking primarily at aerodynamic-themed stuff. You know...looks like it is going 100 mph while sitting stiil kinda stuff.

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A refresher on how I cut panels. A stationary fence used with a finger fence and razor saw. It takes about 45 minutes for each cut. The result is a very clean edged cut that promotes adhesion for the following veneer layer. Power saws rip up plywood along the edges and thus lose a significant percentage of adhesion surface where it is needed most. Did I just say thus? Damn. Watching too many shows on the BBC.




Identical panels. I mark the corners that are factory laser cut so they can be matched up later.


First course for the sides.


Second course creating a pocket for the USB ports. Ends are criss-crossed.


Need to figure out how to do better close ups on this new camera.


Same corner as above after third course and trimming.


Fourth side is different. It has to be thinner to accept various switches and plugs.


Gathered up my remaining mahogany. The higher quality stuff comes in thinner widths but these pieces are laser cut so matching edges is easy. An acceptable compromise IMO.

Thanks for looking.

 

loving your wood work skills

 

I love the grill look. Reminds me of some 50's art decor.

 

Thanks peteski!

If you are talking about the design I sketched on the side then this is the inspiration. If not then...nevermind.


Inverted photo of a 1937 Philco 610T Radio.

 

Every bank is easy to rob! It's the getting away part that's difficult!

Looking really nice! Can't way for this to go further!