Side floats - I can't believe I got them right at the first try...
View attachment 170954
View attachment 170958
View attachment 170959
..prototypes don't count.
View attachment 170955
Interesting thing about build process was that the gluing order matters a lot when doing curves like these (well duh).
I found out that doing spine, then the back and only then gluing front "triangles" produced best result. Initially I tried gluing skin to side formers and witch didn't work well as the rigid sides then prevented smooth curves.
There was also tricks that I figured for cutting the skin: first just score cut outlines, then remove paper from other side, form longidutal curve and only then cut otlines through. Specifically cutting through only after paper was removed made cutting through cleanly much much easier.
In case someone is interested to try building one the pdf for the float is attached.
Build process (this also here for myself in case I'll need to build more of these):
Cut formers and skin, remove paper fom one side of B and C. Glue formers B and C to A , B to front and paper sides facing to middle.
Note that hole on the skin should be on unpapered side. Also lots of bevels, but not on the sides of the skin (refer to picture)
View attachment 170961
Glue spine of former A to skin starting from front former (B) to the end spine.
Glue sides on the stern to the spine, then the stern.
View attachment 170962
View attachment 170963
View attachment 170964
View attachment 170965
After that glue the triangles on the bow starting from middle. Dont burn your fingers.
View attachment 170966
After you have cooled your fingers glue side formers to skin - just a bit of glue.
Before adding bottom skin you should attach struts because it's easier to see where they go when bottom is off.
Struts are bent for 1/16" wire.
(in retrospect: should have ignored scale looks even more and make symmetric floats for spare part logistics)
Cut slots for struts so that the go inside formers B and C
I am using gorilla glue here because it works with metal much better than hot glue (at least for me) I then seal the cut with hot glue.
View attachment 170969
Then its the bottom skin from cardboard.
Make a bend to the cardboard, then glue the bend to the straight part of the keel.
After that glue straight part of the sides - mark beforehand with pen where the glue should go
View attachment 170970
Cut a seam from the front along the bend
Then bend one side of the cardboard to see where you need to remove excess in the middle with hobby scissors.
(Hobby scissors are just like ordinary scissors except that the other household members won't go medieval on you if you use them)
Be very careful to remove cardboard in very small increments because it's very easy to take off too much.
View attachment 170972
Glue the side to the skin when you are happy with the fit
View attachment 170974
Then do the same to the other side. Finally cut excess cardboard with hobby scissors.
I ironed seams a bit but you have to be _very_ careful not to overdo it or you may end with "Mr. Bean tries to fix Whistler's Mother"-situation Do just one to three swipes with not too hot iron.
It is also a good idea to check that all seams are water tight, seal with hot glue or some other preferred method.
Attachment to the wing:
It just so happens that I have these q-tips that are perfect fit for the 1/16" wire.
I cut a seam in them and glued them to wing.
Presto! Removable side floats
View attachment 170979
View attachment 170981
View attachment 170982
I painted the float and then taped the bottom with a clear packaking tape.
(reminder for myself: next time do just the bottom - i turned the tape over to the sides but it doesnt sit and/or hold very well.
Also I put water resistant acrylic coat on floats (whole plane really). I'm hoping it's good enough
Snakes Floats on a plane:
View attachment 170990
View attachment 170986
View attachment 170987
