the Firefly project - Page 51

**Duaner** · #**501** 06-12-2014, 08:39 PM

When I have to laminate large areas I cut a wide piece of stiff paper and use it like a putty knife to spread the glue. Carefully put them together and press. When the glue starts to set and is still soft I take a dulled #11 blade to clean up any extra glue that there might be.

**SJPONeill** · #**502** 06-12-2014, 10:09 PM

I do much the same as Duaner but let the glue (I'm having a lot of success at the moment with PVA woodworking glue) get tacking before joining the sheets so that any surplus is less likely to ooze into any interior cut-outs where it might be difficult to remove...

**Mirco** · #**503** 06-13-2014, 01:27 AM

The problem here is there are more holes than paper. Yep, spray glue should work nicely.
And another idea: double-sided sticky tape, although I'm not sure about its long term stability.

**legion** · #**504** 06-14-2014, 07:58 AM

Here is an option: Compact Glue Roller I think you can get it in several widths as well.

**Mirco** · #**505** 07-02-2014, 05:14 AM

Debugging continues. No wonder the beta team had problems with the build - I haven't seen anything this buggy for years

.

So this is the cargo bay from the outside:

Rear wall is a pure artistic license, it was never shown on screen or any available drawings.

Front wall was the trickiest part so far:

To fold cardboard is always a problem, much worse if the folds stay visible and there is not much material to hold it by (i.e. more holes than paper). I must redesign the layering and split the cardboard stiffeners into separate flat panes.

This is how it looks inside:

The gray card is the mentioned problematic area. All the corrugated stiffeners are flat and easy. There are gaps between them, so the outer folds can be sharp and neat. The cargo ramp is hinged on a wire.

Next: hot glue the internal stiffeners together to avoid bulging at the edges. Then glue the interior floor and walls in.

BTW, a usable glue for the gratings has been found: Soudal FixAll. It's a universal plumbing putty/glue (originally bought for other reasons than modeling), rather thick and stringy white gooey, but easy to clean off. It takes 24 hours to cure regardless of how thin the layer is, so you have plenty of time for alignment and cleaning. Just be sure to put the parts under some heavy weight, because the glue doesn't "grab" and the layers tend to come apart before it cures.

**Cforrest900** · #**506** 07-27-2014, 07:22 AM

any new progress Mirco?

**Mirco** · #**507** 07-27-2014, 02:20 PM

Well, not much. Some more test-building and debugging on the cargo bay, last one solar panel to draw. Too much RLI

. The weather is either too nice to stay at home, or too stormy to turn a computer on without risking it getting fried.

BTW, Cforrest, did you manage to build any of the beta parts I've sent you so far?

**THE DC** · #**508** 07-28-2014, 05:32 AM

Your work is impressive! Keep it up, your doing well!

**Cforrest900** · #**509** 07-28-2014, 11:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mirco

Well, not much. Some more test-building and debugging on the cargo bay, last one solar panel to draw. Too much RLI

. The weather is either too nice to stay at home, or too stormy to turn a computer on without risking it getting fried.

BTW, Cforrest, did you manage to build any of the beta parts I've sent you so far?

Unfortunately no. due to lack of paper and lack of time, I've decided to wait until the final textured model is released to build it, as I can't really afford to use up that much paper twice (once for beta and then again for the real thing)

**Papa Oneal** · #**510** 08-12-2014, 10:47 PM

Mirco convinced me to post my "neck' test build, I made a mess out of it and I know I did, so try to take it easy on me...