1:1 Spitfire K9817 Cockpit Build

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Thanks Terry, thanks Hugh,


I should have mentioned, the sign was done the same way I did "Moody Blue". Chris laser cut a paper stencil with "sticky" back. This was transfered to the door and sprayed white first. The final colour is "engine red", the best and closest paint I could get to a flat red. It is a bit shiny but will fade. Because it is engine paint, it is also fairly thick and so stands a little proud..which is inaccurate but certainly made cleaning up any seepage under the stencil much easier. With a sharp blade I was able to actually cut off any overrun and retouch the original door surface.
Overall I'm very pleased. Now if the damned outside of the door will just fade to match the rest quickly!! :(

Next job is the second (rear) latch guide this weekend. I've put that off as far as I can now that I won't have the lathe. I'm not really sure what scares me about it, except maybe hand filing the "square" hole to be firmly fit with the claw...the front one is absolutely smooth now that the keyway is painted..hope it wasn't a fluke :) ;)
 
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Thanks Vic..will leave it out "cooking" for a while....



Alright, anybody who has done a million metalwork jobs, gets bored easily or thinks I just like to hear myself type, tune out now....long post, large number of pictures alert!!!

Having said that...I have now finished the door, its associated locks and the door pier and slots for the fitting. I confess that until recently (last year) I really ahd NO idea how solid chunks of metal became"things". I guess there are not THAT many people who have been living under rocks or exclusively in an office, (like I have) for 30- 40 years but for those who have, I thought I would post somee shots of the door latch guide making process.

To start I drilled the 16mm hole in the end of the bar stock, which hole will eventually become the square hole in
the guide.I did this first as last time I learned that the cut down guide is not very stable in the vice, after
large portions of material have been removed. Then I began to carve away the centre of the latch guide.

You can just see the edge of the hole in the right of the picture as the cutting beins.

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As material "disappears" the shape starts to look vaguely familiar.

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The first (front) side finished, now time to start carving out the rear part.


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(The middle swathe will be taken out last. On the front latch guide I used a 20mm cutter twice which caused some
vibration etc..so this time I used a 16mm with a slower speed and that worked better..but meant three sections had
to be cut instead of two. Time vs tool vs material..there is quite a bit to get your head around with this milling lark!!)



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The job starts to look even more like a latch guide. (about an hour and a half to here with setting up, measuring and cutting)


Next, testing size, position and general comparison to the front guide.

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Domed rear end of guide started (at this point there is still over 1mm finishing cut to be taken off one side, you
can see the hole is not central) This just fit with the bar stock size and not having to trim BOTH sides of the
bar (another simple thing I had to learn LAST time!!)

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The small cutter machining and fine hand filing begin to convert the round 16mm hole into an 18mm x 16mm rectangular hole with squared corners.

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An hour, some fine hand filing and two broken 4mm cutters later, the claw starts to get close to fitting into the
(only now) "squaring" hole.

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Finished, fitted and painted. The door on half lock.

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And full...

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A very snug (MUCH to my relief!) fitting door and latch.

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And the view from afar....

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(if you don't mention that the f##king door is a different colour, even though from the same tin of paint, due to the main body floor seal coating fading over time, then I won't..I have had a week's therapy and I am no longer annoyed about it...well, no longer murderous about it..well, I'm still ever so slightly p1$$ed off...actually I'm pretty mad...in fact, I ate my therapist, with a some fava beans and a nice Cianti.....)
 
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Fantastic process shots and explanation Darryl and a fine bit of engineering. Shame about the therapist though, but what the heck, I just hope you polished off all the Chianti!!

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Thanks Terry, Vic and Hugh!

Terry, I know what you mean. It took over 30 years for me to overcome a loathing for metal work caused by a mongrel high school teacher (and the smell and dirt don't do much for me!!) but the first time I held a finished bit and realised that it felt far more "permanent" than wood, I was sold. The preparation time is a killer though. I am still desperately trying to get it through my head that a job which requires 50 minutes of "set up" and takes 10 minutes IS a one hour job...not a ten minute job with 50 minutes of inconvenience. I am getting there and the work is getting easier and more accurate because of it. But I still hate that side of it.

Vic...no chianti today..17th March, a somewhat more darkererest drink required :) :)
 
Hello all,
Ive been away for a while, but check in once and a while. Great work, door looks fantastic.
I just bought a Ki Gass decal/sticker off ebay, it looks great, and the price was good too; for those of
looking to complete the primer knob.
Cheers,
Nate
 
Cheers Nate,

I have an original with the original plate on it..but it is out of the cockpit in the photos as I am currently (when the damned lathe is fixed) interfacing it with a pot to make it work in sim.
 
Awesome work Darryl.

Bad experience too with metal. In grade 9 we had to make steel tack hammers in shop class. This big brute of an a$$hole told me I was making his too while he wouldbuild a hash pipe instead. I told him to pound sand. He punched me in the face. I made his hammer and I still have both today.
 
G'day Andy, and thanks.

Yes, familiar type story. Anyone who says "school days are the happiest days of your life" may be talking about THEIR experience...but certainly not about mine. I hated the place..start to finish... and NEARLY went to my 25 year reunion JUST to see how far every smartarse "popular kid" or tough guy sporting hero HADN'T got (and they hadn't) . But in the end, even that was too much effort..I had a few drinks at home and read a good book instead. I missed the 30 year one too, so sad.... :)

I know, I know...one really shouldn't be like that.... ;)
 
Thanks guys!

Geo, until a little while ago, my workshop was the same.


Nate, Yes, but it cost me an arm and a leg. It is a nice one though and totally original:


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Plus a fitting kit (other arm and leg)

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