Custom Bike Project

[ALEX GAROLI]

Looking good man!!!
keep the good work...cant wait to see more!!!

[Tombag]

Once again, fantastic!! I have some of the stuff I need so I'll probably start the engine soon but could be VERY busy in the coming weeks. I'm still waiting for Milliput so I can't do the frame just yet

[Tombag]

I finally made some time to try and paint something! Again, since I'm totally new to this the results haven't been great. Here is an actual (lack of) progress pic, could anyone give some good tips for brush-painting parts so they don't look so... Rubbish?



(Apologies for the bad hastily taken photo as well!)

[ALEX GAROLI]

More!!! More!!!
I havent done anithing in a while because of work and ocupations, and your work here is perfect motivation.

[joelwideqvist]

Well, it's really hard to get decent results when brushpainting pieces a bit bigger than the tiniest ones. Mix the paint well and see to that you have the paint thinned. That will make the brush strokes level out properly. Try on some plastic until you get the right consistency. If you paint right from the jar you are destined to get results like that due to the thicknes of the paint.
/Joel

[Tombag]

Unable to work on anything major (My Dad is always at home so working right under his nose is a challenge!) I started looking at the donor kit wheels. The two spokes with arrows I have started filing just to take the edge off and make them a bit more rounded, the difference is only just noticeable but at least it'll be more accurate.



Also, this is a bit of a long shot but has anyone built a Rossi NSR500 without using the NGK fairing decals? I'm getting on ok with the various decal designs but I haven't been able to get any of the spark plug vectors for that one, the decal for that bike looks the perfect size so it might be easier than trying to get them printed. See here:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...Rossi_1999.JPG

[joelwideqvist]

I'm sure I've got a spare sheet. PM your address and I'll send them over.
/Joel

[Tombag]

I constructed one of the front photo-etched brake disks today only to find that they're slightly too big... Does anyone have a suggestion of how best to grind them down a little?

[MPWR]

Too big in what way? Pics?

[Tombag]

Originally Posted by MPWR

Too big in what way? Pics?

Just the overall diameter. Roughly the area highlighted green is what I'd like to remove, I don't need to worry about the holes as I always intended to fill them in.

[MPWR]

I seriously doubt you will be able to cut or grind half of the disk away without bending/destroying the part. PE parts tend to be too fragile to stand up to that kind of operation.

But if you were going to do without the drilled rotor anyway, you could consider making yourself a new rotor and using only the center portion of the PE part. With a drawing compass with the drawing point replaced with a hobby knife blade or similar, you could cut yourself some new rings out of sheet styrene. Cut the disc off of the PE part and replace it with the plastic, paint it, and you have a custom sized rotor.

[Tombag]

Hmm, I may have to do something like that. Thanks for the advice, I have a styrene sheet already so I'll definitely think about it.

[joelwideqvist]

I too think that would be the way to do it.
Joel

[Tombag]

How do you guys think I should go about cutting the inner section without damaging it?

[Tombag]

So despite not having any putty still I decided to take the plunge on re-working the frame. I'm still a bit apprehensive about sizing etc but fingers crossed it'll do the job!


I swiped one of Wuen's photos to give an idea of how the Tamiya frame started, hope he doesn't mind! I stupidly forgot to take photos beforehand:




This was my only reference image with a good view of the frame:




Here are the results so far, everything is in place but could do with cleaning up a bit:








Cheers!
Tom