Ariane 5 1/96, pt. 20 - the EAPs [part 6]

Slowly but surely. The EAPs got their struts today. Not completely finished yet but nearly.

Full story after the jump.

This is how the struts were started. Brass tubes and rods. Used my mini-powertool to grind the tubes in an angle. Carefully drilled holes in the thicker ring around both of the EAPs.

The first test fits were almost perfect. Just a tiny little bending and fiddling and they were ready for the  job. First I thought the EAPs had side struts on both of the arms but that was not the case, as the pictures proved. Just one side of each EAP had the extra side strut. I saw that before I did all the work so I only had to cover up the little drill hole.

This is the result of all the eyeballing and trying to reproduce in paper. The protruding brass parts slide into the tubes I placed into the core stage. The slight bend causes them to stay put very well. The boxes at the roots of the struts are all scratch built and fitted, cut, refitted and glued. silver strips are aluminium tape.

... Then disaster struck. I was using a blue marker to mark the length of the brass tubes for sawing off and some of the ink must have gotten on my finger. I discovered a big blue smear over the side of the other EAP. ☁☠⚡☢☮☭☹♨⚛☠!
I tried to scratch it away but with no effect. I then tried some denatured alcohol to dissolve it (first tested it on a little piece of the same paper to see if it would stain or do other harm) but that too was no good at all. Last straw: white paint. It worked but the dried paint differed too much from the original white cream colour. so it was no good.

Then it suddenly struck me. Seams? Where are the seams? Nowhere. I can replace the segment. I took my Xacto and carefully cut out the segment, using the rib above and the strut ring transition below as guides. I knew I had to cut the new part extremely exact to get a good fit but hey, I had to try it. Rebuilding the EAP once again was not really what I had in mind...

I reprinted the part. Measuring and rolling. and then the moment of truth.

Just a dab of gloss clear coat over the new cable runs and voilà. Move along, people. Nothing to be seen here. Just another booster rocket.

Moments later the struts were on the repaired EAP and I had to do a quick test fit. Looking good. Slowly but surely were getting there.

Next time finished struts and the start of the fairing. About time. I want to do another project soon. Lots, actually. Well, see you next time.
Thanks for stopping by and having a look.
 --PK