The Y-Wing "Green Leader" Project - NOW OPEN SOURCE!

You're making some awesome parts Dave!

I looked again at the Ladd Y and see that the parts on top seem to be a little cramped naturally. Widening the fuselage would be a mistake. Also because the wings need the space. Thanks for guiding me back to studying that instead of builds! :) I've also noticed that the detailing on the sides of the fuselage are different than what I've been studying. It really is the best source for studying the real thing ain't it?!
 
Those molds look amazingly crisp, especially the panel lines. I cannot wait to see what the castings look like when done. Fantastic job on everything.


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Castings! Canopy and Torpedo Bay.

IMG_1830.jpg IMG_1826.jpg IMG_1824.jpg IMG_1828.jpg
 
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It really nice that you are showing how you made some of these parts.

The rotocaster is awesome for a DIY solution. I've wanted one for a long time even though I don't know what I would do with it. Where did you get the aluminum tube? How much does it cost?

The molds look nice too. I don't see any pour or vent holes. :wacko Where are you pouring the resin? Pressure casting?
 
Hey Scott,

Originally I was hoping to cast those parts by pouring the resin in the hollow side and then dropping on the other half squishing the resin out. Didn't work! So i've cut fill ports and vents and am pressure casting.

The aluminum extrusion is from Misumi USA. It's the 20x40mm size. You can also buy it from Instructables.com, although its a bit more expensive from them. Total materials for the roto-caster cost about $325 including the gears and hardware from McMaster Carr. The DC gear motor cost $50 from a surplus house and I already had the speed controller.

I'm going to be writing an article about it for Tested.com and will Open Source the plans and 3D printing files for it when I do.
 
I've been working on the 3D model for the tail shrouds. Tweaking, stretching, shrinking. trimming. I'm pretty happy with it. It's based mostly on the Alan Ladd Y-Wing. I've noticed that the plating patterns around the outside of the shroud vary from model to model, so it looks like those may have been individually made. Likewise the vanes vary slighting from model to model. Again, probably hand cut.

The L'Egg shell with plating and the mounting brackets for the Tee struts will be molded and cast as a single part. The 'shock absorbers' and the horizontal vane (the one with the SeaLab crane parts) will be 3D printed, the vertical vane will in all likelihood be assembled from laser cut parts.

Tail Shroud 1.jpg Tail Shroud 2.jpg

I think it would be fun to take the tail shrouds and add some additional details making them a little more realistic in how the mechanics would work. Adding pivots and linkages, etc. And control wiring running down the struts from the engines...

(I've also been working on the forward fuselage 3d model, remodeling the front to make it a little more accurate... stay tuned for pix of that.)
 
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DaveG said:
I think it would be fun to take the tail shrouds and add some additional details making them a little more realistic in how the mechanics would work. Adding pivots and linkages, etc. And control wiring running down the struts from the engines...
Click to expand...

Yes it would be fun ! A what if Y would be a great subject for the general forum !
 
Reworked the front of the forward fuselage, flattening out the surface in front of the canopy and redoing the cut in the nose to add the notch on the sides. I've also re-engineering how the parts will be printed with a mind towards eliminated warp issues and making the parts easier to mold and cast. Now it's off to the 3D printer!

Fwd Fuselage Rework 160523.jpg
 
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Looks so good! Would you be willing to share an image of the top view of the forward fuselage?
 
That does look pretty sweet. I am really looking forward to getting my hands on these parts.

Every time I look at the prices in the tail comes they remind me of the vertical an horizontal stabalizers on high performance RC gliders. Maybe that's where the RC guys got the idea.

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CyberGolem said:
Wow. Your skills are off the hook. I suppose that's why you have an Emmy on your mantle. BTW, what was it for?
Click to expand...

Thanks! I've won two Emmys, the first in 1995 as Modelshop Supervisor on Earth 2 (ABC) and the second in 2010 as Visual Effects Supervisor on The Pacific (HBO). I was also nominated for an Emmy in 2007 as Visual Effects Supervisor on Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee (HBO) but did not win that time.
 
DaveG said:
Thanks! I've won two Emmys, the first in 1995 as Modelshop Supervisor on Earth 2 (ABC) and the second in 2010 as Visual Effects Supervisor on The Pacific (HBO). I was also nominated for an Emmy in 2007 as Visual Effects Supervisor on Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee (HBO) but did not win that time.
Click to expand...

Two Emmys and you made your own rotocaster to scratchbuild a Y-Wing?? I can relate, since once in LA traffic someone politely waved at me when I let them in front of me. It felt really rewarding at the time. Okay, maybe you had to be there ... :D Seriously dude, I'm starting to hate you.

LOL

Take care and I look forward to further developments. Cheers!
 
An update - casting of the L'Eggs, canopies and torpedo bay shells continues... I'm expecting the 3D printed detail parts for the tail shrouds back from Shapeways in another week or so, once I check the fit then I'll be able to mold the shrouds and start casting those parts.

Getting decent 3D printed parts of the forward fuselage shells has been a bit of an ordeal. I rejected two sets of prints from Shapeways due to the parts being warped and not the same size. At this point I'm sending them the files to Hong Kong to be printed by the same company that does the excellent parts for Industria Mechanika's resin kits. The cost is almost triple what Shapeways charges but it will be worth it to get clean sharp prints from which to mold and cast. Even though the cost for 3D printing is higher I'm goin to keep the price of the fuselage shell set the same at $125.

More news as events warrant...
 
RED HERRING LIST
I've not seen it anywhere else, so I'm beginning a list of "Red Herrings" -- model kits you "thought" were on the Studio-Scale Y-Wing but which, after purchase and painful discovery, you realized they WERE NOT. Please help save others from this expensive series of mistakes. This list does not include modern remakes of older kits.

NOT ON the Studio Scale Y-Wing, ANY VERSION
Revell 1/535 Missouri Ship
Dragon 1/700 Bismarck
 
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