Official 3DP Thread

[rifleman_btx]

Im hoping to have her flight ready this coming weekend. However we are expecting rough weather. Luckly after those 2 days of the rough stuff, the weekend turned out very nice so we got some much needed flying in:Cool:

[Elbee]

RMBTX, Can't wait to restart mine. Great work. Best, LB

[rifleman_btx]

Heres some of the install done

[rifleman_btx]

Have all the electronics installed in the fuselage including fan esc and all servos programmed all those in, have the airbrakes on one of the side sliders separate from the flaps. One thing i was surprised with was the fan being aluminum, i had thought it to be plastic. None the less im very happy with how it installed and sounds in this bird. All functions checked out, and the fuselage is 98% ready. Just need the nose gear retract and thats being fedexed from china, god help them if they loose another package of mine.... only thing i had to do to get the fan to fit well was cut the mount tab a bit between the 3rd and second hole. Otherwise it slips right in. The fan I'm using is the Freewing 12 blade 90mm for 6s. By the time the retracts come in i should be 100% ready to fly. Im printing the left and right section 6 parts right now, and that leaves 7-10. With 9 and 10 being on the same file. Then its just ailerons and flaps. So looking forward to getting her airborne. :Cool: and yes, all those electronic parts minus the gear came from our friends at Motion.

[rifleman_btx]

Yeah it is, I'm almost surprised it isnt a 120mm or something like that, im kinda scared to see how big the wing surface area is.:Scared:LOL

[RCjetdude]

It's a beast isn't it? Mine is not quite as far along as yours.

[rifleman_btx]

Fuselage is complete, got the left drop tank printed, printing the right one overnight. Just ordered all the electronics 87% of which from motion, 10 servos, esc and 12 blade fan. Ordered retracts through hobby king, and reciever off Amazon. Going to have 3 completed projects done before i get my motors for my pby, and the print, radio program, escs and servos are all set ready to go. :Angry:

[F4ucorsair]

hey guys just finished watchin a motian video,, jeremy solt painted an L39... 6 months old sorry// he did an awsome job.. but am i the only one who hates the extreme shine,,, 4 me i like a flat finish.. never been to an airshow here with polished waxed warbirds.., u can get matt clears,, they do protect the the surface... im an auto painter.... one more thing any house hold masking tape has low tak,,( NO PEEL BACK) use thinner tape and add a little masking paper ,,, or newspaper its free happy painting ..one last thing if u wana save weight,, there r many thin lightweight ,, adhesion promoters available,, auto trade dupont etc.. only light coat req again happy flying

[slamdance64]

Very cool looking Rifleman! It's pretty big when put together. I am ready to start my MiG-15 tomorrow night. I was just waiting for some new PLA material to arrive which it did today :-)

[rifleman_btx]

I'm in the process of priming my parts.Cant wait to see how much smoother they will be on the second coat.

Wooohoo! Looking great brother!:Cool:

[rifleman_btx]

RM, Lookin' Good. Have you printed the canopy parts? I bought a neutral or clear and printed it, but will need to find a matching silver or grey to paint the fuse portion of the canopy parts. What's your plan? Best, LB

Yes sir i did, im going to just go with black for the canopy glass... i know, easy way out. But i didnt want to change filament midstream jinxing my progressLOL

[Dirty Dee]

I'm in the process of priming my parts.Cant wait to see how much smoother they will be on the second coat.

[Elbee]

Black primer is a must on metallic finished airframes, or else you get so much variance, it drives you to drink Marker's Mark..... Oh wait... That is why there are imperfections!!! :P:P:Cool::Cool::Cool::Cool::Scared:

HRDWY, Great to read your voice LOL hope all is well in your part of the Texas. Best to you and yours, LB

[fhhuber]

Got the nose done.
Just that part... almost 7 hours

Started the main fuselage

[Hardway]

Black primer is a must on metallic finished airframes, or else you get so much variance, it drives you to drink Marker's Mark..... Oh wait... That is why there are imperfections!!! :P:P:Cool::Cool::Cool::Cool::Scared:

[Elbee]

FHH, that is why I use black primer if I am painting an airframe for the first time. I like the way silver or any metallic paint looks on black though if one is color matching or repairing, I see your point that could be a problem. Best, LB:Cool:

[fhhuber]

Silver paint also has a really hard time covering other colors. Worst coverage of any paint color. I'm repainting a Dynam P-51 and its taking several coats to cover white places the foam shows through the old silver. Each coat on the old silver makes it more solid... so the defect keeps showing as thinner paint than the surrounding area.

[Elbee]

Silver paint is a problem...

most of the good metallics are not water based, so the common recommendation of Home Dept sample latex will not work. Color match is pretty much not going to happen.

Metallics also amplify all defects.

So I'd plan on a sandable automotive primer, wet sand it smooth then a good metallic spray paint.

My 3D prints in silver PLA (looks more like aged aluminum with the grey patina that develops) have a different color appearance just by changing orientation of the print. Metallics are that sensitive.

FHH, That is precisely why I was asking. I do like your idea about priming and THEN painting the clear parts and I also like the finish of the silver PLA. Thank you. Best, LB

[fhhuber]

RM, Lookin' Good. Have you printed the canopy parts? I bought a neutral or clear and printed it, but will need to find a matching silver or grey to paint the fuse portion of the canopy parts. What's your plan? Best, LB

Silver paint is a problem...

most of the good metallics are not water based, so the common recommendation of Home Dept sample latex will not work. Color match is pretty much not going to happen.

Metallics also amplify all defects.

So I'd plan on a sandable automotive primer, wet sand it smooth then a good metalic spray paint.

My 3D prints in silver PLA (looks more like aged aluminum with the grey patina that develops) have a different color appearance just by changing orientation of the print. Metallics are that sensitive.

[Elbee]

8 of 12 printed and glued together

RM, Lookin' Good. Have you printed the canopy parts? I bought a neutral or clear and printed it, but will need to find a matching silver or grey to paint the fuse portion of the canopy parts. What's your plan? Best, LB