T-1 Rise of the Machines

These sections are for the raised neck area which will be back filled for a radius.




As you can see we now have all the neck sections glued in place.




Lower radius now refilled to a larger radius and the neck area also filled.




Close up of neck area.




Rear neck area being built up with balsa wood.




Rear side angle shot showing the complex curve.




Profile curves for the radius back filling, Note the beveled front edge, Critical for a smooth finish.




Rear has now been radiused.





Starting to take shape now.




Take away the MDF supports and you can see that it is getting close to the required shape.




Front/side view.




Fitting the bottom in place.




This is the area where the rotational bearing will go. Has to have a 10mm spacer under the alloy ring.




Other half of the rotational bearing plate on the main body. This area will be fiber glass or carbon when cast.





10mm balsa spacer, this will be cast into the fiber glass mold




Alloy bearing plate on top of spacer..




Disc on the end is for the spring system.




Another angle of the disc.

Seeing that we are getting close to the molding process here is a list of items that we require to make the plugs and molds for the two main bodies.

Products that will be used are:
[1] Polyester resin for the mold
[2] Fiber glass tissue: First lay up after the gelcoat.
[3] 200g chopped strand matt: Second lay up after the tissue.
[4] 400g chopped strand matt: Third lay up after the 200g Matt.
[5] Release wax: used to polish the mold and prior to laying up.
[6] Release agent: PVA based liquid so glass does not stick to mold.
[7] Gelcoat: Used in the first coat in the lay up.
[8] Plastiscine: filling in gaps when making the box to hold the mold.
[9] MDF fiber board: Making jigs to hold the plug.
[10] Polyester thinners or acetone: Washing brushes and thinning.
[11] Duratek: Used for spraying into the mold then lay up, to get a smooth gray finish, Also used for the final finish on plugs.




Upper and lower body plugs have now been primed with a sandable laquer filler.




MDF box for holding the upper body shell, The upper body is placed on it's side in the box.




These MDF supports will fit around the upper body shell.




Upper body plug in the box ready for the MDF supports.




Notice that the MDF supports are as close as you can get them against the body, These will support the 3mm mdf which will be contured against the body plug, This is to form a platform to which the fiber glass will be laid on to form a flange.




Bottom view of upper body plug.




Larger MDF box for the lower body plug. The same process will occour as for the upper body plug.




Lower body plug, with supports ready for the 3mm MDF platform.









This is all I have to date, more pics when i have done some more work, This project could take up to another two months or more as there is a lot of work ahead yet to be done.