I has been a long time since I had time to work on the LM but finally I’m back on the ole horse!
Last time iI posted I had just started adding panels to the ascent module. It is a very timeconsuming and somewhat repetitive task of cutting the panels to size, adding details and making the thin frame around each panel.
I use a small nail to create rivets on the panels by carefully pressing it against the backside of each panel making small dimples that protrude on the front. for the frame around the panels i use a aluminum takeaway boxes that i cut strips out of and detail by carefully cutting all these little nobs and shapes. It takes forever, on a good evening i might get two or three panels done.
I have a lot of pictures showing the progress but I’m lo lazy to put them up today so for now you will have to do with these:
Wow, looking good. I’m glad to see you are back at it. Wrinkles are really nice, they make the model look full size!
Yes the wrinkles are something that I really wanted to get in there. Those panels where very thin. On Apollo 16 the whole rear of the ascent module where deformed by the stresses when they left the moon. It looked like a crushed coke can. They where only used to keep micro meteors out and insulation in and they needed to keep the weight way down. Each mission had different paneling materials on different parts of the modules. They where trying out different configurations to get the optimal thermal insulation characteristics. On 15 they used white paint to reflect light. They used that again on 16 but it started flaking so they ditched the paint for 17.
My panels are made out of photo paper that i had printed at a local photo store. They make these wonderfully accurate prints using a durst lambda printer. No raster or any artifacts. I crumple them quite agressively before I glue them on. It took me quite a while to find the colors i wanted. Most images of the lunar modules are shot on film in strange light so it is hard for me to know exactly what it looked like. I ended up searching the web for anodized aluminum and found a lot of parts that had similar anodization applied. I then white balanced the pictures and averaged the colors from all those sources. So i guess im probably way off anyway but it was the best I could do.
I think that the glossiness of the photo paper is resonably close to that of the aluminum.
Coolest would have been to have some aluminum anodized but it is hard to get the right kind of aluminum and the right process done to it. So the cost would have been excessive.