[MagicWazard]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zap Rowsdower

...it's a 2-in-1 stud that allows the user to choose their preferred mounting method.

...ladies.

In all seriousness, looking good. Should fit on a modern Skystriker as well, right?

[F14 Tomcat]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zap Rowsdower

I have some new test prints in hand now. First up, the replacement Skystriker engine nozzles:





The "closed" version:







And the "open" version:

When and where will these be available, and will they be available in black?

[Zap Rowsdower]

Quote:

Originally Posted by MagicWazard

...ladies.

In all seriousness, looking good. Should fit on a modern Skystriker as well, right?

Well, I now have a modern-era Skystriker so the development for ME parts can begin in earnest. With that said, given the screw hole location on the ME versions the TCS/IRST pod would mount about like this on the modern-era models:



The problem is that the screw hole in the ME planes is about 3/100" or so smaller than the screw hole on the vintage planes. I will have to make a separate version with a thinner stud or else buyers will have a lot of sanding to do.

[Zap Rowsdower]

Quote:

Originally Posted by F14 Tomcat

When and where will these be available, and will they be available in black?

I need to rework the "open" version of the nozzle because it's actually a little too open, but after that they will be available on my Shapeways shop. The material I offer my items in is a nylon material that is always white, however there are tutorials available on using fabric dyes for nylon/synthetic fabrics to color this material. It also seems to accept acrylic paints just fine from the time I tried it. In either case, a warm water bath/rinse and a scrub with a toothbrush is advisable to remove un-sintered nylon powder prior to adding any color.

[Xerofall]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zap Rowsdower

The problem is that the screw hole in the ME planes is about 3/100" or so smaller than the screw hole on the vintage planes. I will have to make a separate version with a thinner stud or else buyers will have a lot of sanding to do.

Why not make the part for the modern version, and then an adapter sleeve that can slide over the stud for the vintage?

[Zap Rowsdower]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Xerofall

Why not make the part for the modern version, and then an adapter sleeve that can slide over the stud for the vintage?

That's not a bad idea but the minimum wall thickness for printing in this material is about 0.027" and such a sleeve would require walls no more than 0.015" thick. Shapeways would reject the print. I could make a single unit with two separate studs that can be plugged into the TCS/IRST pod, but my fear there is that people would end up pulling the pod off while the stud stays in the hole. Bad times.

The most reliable approach is to have two separate models but I'll give some more thought to methods of making the same item work in either plane. Maybe I could make the stud the smaller diameter and then add fins to it to make the larger diameter (like vintage backpack pegs' "plus sign" cross section). Then you just shave off the fins if you're going to use it on the ME version. Dunno. I'll roll it around a bit.

[Zap Rowsdower]

Ohhhh, I have some eye candy to show you guys later.

In the meantime, are you folks more likely to be upgrading/modding a vintage Skystriker, a modern-era version, or both, generally speaking?

Does anyone have interest in upgraded/replacement seats for the vintage Skystriker, complete with backpack studs for the vintage figures to plug into? The new seats wouldn't have parachute attachment unless people REALLY want that, but the seat tops would have improved appearance for the ejector seat mechanism and the seat surface would have some decorative belt detail sculpted onto it. I'm hoping to do a 2-seater overhaul for the ME Skystriker and I am wondering if there is any point to adapting the seats as separate parts to use in the vintage model. Your thoughts?