Only the Second Try!

[Gil]

I have, at least, a few models in my collection which are taking shelf space due to my former inability to handle open petal designs without blowing my blood pressure profile. Alas, this is no longer an excuse not to build them. If this sounds like I'm boasting, I am, so that's settled...,

Below is the nose piece of a GPM Me 262 Schwalbe that I've threatened myself with many times but never had the guts to forge on ahead because I new that nose would stop me dead, ruining the whole build experience and I'd wimp out. The model contains other less formidable open petals but the nose is the item that everyone notices first and foremost. Mess it up and it's like, well, over. Have to get a new gig on another site. Below are the results of the second (yes only the second!) attempt at building it with the new building toy (that's it beside it). The first attempt was just an OK half-hearted attempt at seeing how it would turn out. The second attempt was a full court press with edge paint, careful preforming, external tape for internal seam tab gluing with final assembly in the roll-up.

Enjoy! :D

+Gil

[dansls1]

Very nice!

[bclemens]

Wow- this is a real breakthrough! The results are outstanding.
Thanks,
Bruce

[shrike]

Hats off to you for a technique sure to make you world famous - You need to name the thingie - GilRoll p'raps.

Have you experimented with the width of the rolls? Have you found a point at which the friction of forming the shape exceeds the strength of the formed (or forming rather) part?

Any idea where to find .005" HDPE sheet?

[Gil]

Thanks for the cudos folks. It happened as an accidental consequence but that's how these things go.

Shrike, I've experimented with the aspect ratio of the height vs. the diameter of the roll. The best ratio is larger than 2 but less than 4. On low ratios the friction becomes too high. On high ratios the risk of the roll coming apart becomes too great but if your careful it's the better solution. HDPE sheet at 5 mils should work and would be non-stick, another plus. Really need a roll of teflon tape stiffer than plumbers tape. I'm sure that once this idea gets around we'll see some interesting material applications. By the way, the inner radius can be made into a stiff ring the winding made with a glued outer ring to form radial cowls. Oval cowls like Grumman and Republic is simply a deform of the inner fixed stiff ring..., As for the name, I like "flexible roll-up form"...,

+Gil

[Lex]

Thanks for the great tip Gil!! This may well be a petal-buster!!

[lee4752]

Gil,
Do you use anything special to evenly cut the 3' long strip? I don't think I could get it even with a metal straight edge let alone free hand.

[Thomas Meek]

Gil;
That's a very useful idea, one of those things that makes me wonder why someone didn't think of it long ago. I know why I didn't think of it, but I mean why some smart person didn't come up with it. Then again, I'm getting the idea that you are kind of special.

I'm thinking that this would be a good trick for architectural models as well, and I plan to try it next time I have to make one of those cursed "petal" structures.
You have given a valuable gift to all of us; Thank you.

Thomas

[Gil]

Originally Posted by lee4752

Gil,
Do you use anything special to evenly cut the 3' long strip? I don't think I could get it even with a metal straight edge let alone free hand.

Hi Lee, I use a straight edge clamped to a bench to cut the strips. Doing a long strip freehand is too dicey. Once assembled the disks surfaces can be flattened by sanding on a piece of sandpaper on a flat surface.

Hi Thomas, Glad you like it. Architectural models should be able to use this technique easing the pain of open petal construction.

+Gil

[birder]

That is a neat tip, Gil. Very creative. I have found some petals stubborn to shape nice, although not a rare papermodel part