Lozzer86

Well, it's back to the 3D software in the pursuit of perfection !!! In the meantime, here's how to do a really simple leather look surround for your Sonix Step 1: Cut out 5 sections of cardboard (I used a shoe box, you don't want anything too thick). Each piece needs to be the same size as the sides of your Sonix. We cut the bottom piece in two so that you can finish at the base of the radio Step 2: Cut your pleather to size ! This will be twice as wide as your cardboard and a little bit longer than the total length. Accuracy is not that important at this stage. Then cover the back of your pleather with double sided sticky tape. Step 3: Remove the backing from the double sided tape. TIP ! Don't rest your arm on it like I did. I now have a really smooth arm with no hairs Step 4: Place your cardboard onto the pleather. Start with the bottom half piece, then the side, then the top, a side, and finally the last bottom half. Make sure they are in the middle and you leave a small gap between each part. The gap allows the pleather to bend around the corners of your Sonix, making a sharp edge Step 5: Bend your pleather tightly over the cardboard ! Start at one end and work your way down one length, then do the other side. It doesn't matter if there is a gap in the middle Now is the time to replicate stitching if you want. Step 6: Add the same double sided tape to the top, sides and bottom of your Sonix. You can see how the new pleather surround follows the shape of your Sonix due to the cardboard inserts Now is the time to trim the excess from the bottom of your surround. Step 7: Lie your Sonix on its back ! Remove the double sided tape from your radio and (starting with the top) place your sexy new pleather surround on your Sonix, pressing as you go ! And voilà !!!! Now you can add the rest of your greeblies ! I thought that might be useful

As I thought

It's still not right !!! If you look at the picture below, the opening for the strap is smaller and appears to framed by a small recessed line that runs around the outside. I could be making the last bit up, but it definately needs a smaller strap opening. I WILL GET THIS RIGHT... I WILL GET THIS RIGHT.... I wish someone had one, so that I could copy it for reference

Thanks Guys, Your feedback is definitely helping The new strap plates came out ok, so I'll give them a quick sanding and a paint and try and get the old ones off. These new ones are slightly wider than the previous ones and seem to be more like the reference photos. I might have to make a new pleather surround again, based on how carefully the other ones can come off. Although removing them is likely to destroy the surround. Not to worry, I have a bit more pleather and another cereal box waiting to give their lives to the cause More photos to come .....

So i've made a little montage of reference pictures, against my new model. Do you think it's close enough ?

Well, it looks like my Sonix Strap Plates are wrong. Shame, I was quite proud of them. So I'll be redesigning the model again and having another go ! At least I didn't stick them to the vinyl with Super Glue, making them almost impossible to remove !!! Yeah. I did that

Light plays some interesting tricks. The colour in the top photo is the same colour as the bottom seed tray. Came out of the same spray can. Might be a magic can

They are not permanently fixed (obviously), but the bottom seed tray has paint

In the sun today Got pretty much as far as I could before the paint ran out. But I have made some progress on the seed tray placement;

Thanks Charlie

Thanks Bro that means a lot. No, I'm just taking my time and enjoying it.

Here's my version of the Strap Holder against the one that came with the kit. Charlie does an awesome kit, i'm not taking anything away from that, but i'm trying to integrate some 3D printed parts that are a little more accurate where I can. Hope you don't mind, Charlie Here she is, complete with Antenna, attractive pleather surround, new Strap Plates and a pair of side jacks. All ready for weathering once it's on the Field Pack. I'm please with that !

Thanks Strider I think i'll just go with what 'looks' right to the pack. If i'm a little off here and there, it's ok. My 3D Printed Sonix Radio straps are coming out great. I've also made and fitted the pleather surround now. I'll get some photo's up soon

Thanks Charlie The Faceplate components appear to be Resin cast, stuck on to a 2mm black ABS sheet. It's got flex so should be fine. I'll keep an eye on it though. Updated Strap Holders printing now

Some large cabinet door magnets hold the faceplate in place, and the speaker is countersunk into the polystyrene layer with a 3" tube to amplify the sound. I did drill out the holes on the faceplate to allow the sound out. I'll line the back of the faceplate speaker area with some black speaker cloth. I covered the polystyrene inside with some adhesive black felt, just to keep it nice and tidy. As the MP3 player PCB is not a serviceable item anymore, it's hidden in the polystyrene layer underneath the felt. Nice and clean

My Awesome little Crashmann Sonix Radio ..... Obviously needs weathering and a pleather wrap around, but inside are all the goodies It's now a proper Radio ! Only station it can pick up is TD chatter on Mos Eisley

Thanks Buddy. I forgot to mention that I also weathered both straps and coloured one of them darker to give the two tone appearance from the reference

Well.... I found out the limits of my molding skills (and patience) this weekend So it's back to Plan A and use the actual 3D printed masters on the T21, and I must say, they don't look half bad So I've made a few changes; Added the Top and Bottom 3D printed Greeblies Added the 3D Printed Gas Key Made 2 rings from Copper Wire and soldered the joints around the barrel Remade the extending part of the Energy Coil out of Brake Line for a better finish Added the Blue Wire and fashioned it similar to the screenshot Repainted the entire barrel and lightly weathered I'm much happier with the result now, and apart from some very minor missing details, we should have a pretty good T21 for trooping So she's back on the wall until the rest of the ensemble is finished

Some progress today while I was "Working from home" We have revised the models and changed the size slightly..... They're a bit 'orange' but that's the filament we have. When I get some more time this weekend, I'll fill them, sand them and mold them to make some acrylic masters Then I'll drill, sand and finish those and mold them to make a master cast. So far so good !

Hi Juan, Thanks for the confidence This is my first time 3D Printing anything, so it could be a complete disaster ! I'll post up progress as I go Lee

Decided to have a go at 3D printing the Barrel Greeblies for my T21. Heres a nice set of Top and Bottom Greeblies with "MACHINE" engraved into them Not canon I know, but as I'm making them for myself I might as well add a personal touch to my BFG. Here's a new front sight; And finally, a new Gas Reg Key. (This one I designed specifically to fit the bolt I have now). And I can just about fit them all on to a single printing base Once they have printed, I'll finish them up and mold them. This way I can make copies from acrylic resin and sand them / work with them for a better finish. A way to go yet, but getting there

Ok... I spent some time with photoshop tonight, getting as many measurements as I could "realisticaly". First things first, we need to align and scale both side and rear views so that they exactly match in height. I only scaled the image on the right to match, I didn't skew it at all so it should be pretty close to the original photo and was enlarged to match. I took a number of reference points to ensure that the images were completely aligned. Now we have the images aligned (left to right) we can do some simple math and start the process... I know that my bare Karimor Frame (and I'm working on the assumption that the frame used was very similar, if not the same), measures 23 1/2" from the top to the bottom and is 14 1/2" wide. Now I just need to overlay the frame based on the photographs below, using my best judgement as to it's position. Measuring the lines in PhotoShop, I know that the outline of the pack is 10.62cm high (In Photoshop, not reality). Therefore, a quick sum tells me that to get the size in inches, every 1 cm in PhotoShop is multiplied by a factor of 2.221 So I used the same formula and measured the length of the Mortar Tube. It comes out at exactly 35" cap to cap (Excluding dish). Which seems pretty accurate for this Back Pack. Then I started measuring all kinds of things using the same formula for reference.... Now I appreciate that I could be off here and there, and the method I used doesn't take into account distance from the camera. But it should give me a pretty good starting point to work from

I'm going to re-measure everything from the reference photos. Hopefully I can use the Mortar Tube (with satellite dish) as the baseline length and scale everything from that. What I need though is the 'agreed' length of this tube. I've read a variety of sizes from 30" to 36" for the Move Along pack. Any thoughts on this ?

There's still some more greeblies to do on this. So I'll get some more photos up once I get round to adding them

Here's my 'freshly delivered' Leather Stolla Wein replica pouches from Blaster8266. Obviously need to weather here and there, but not a bad effort at all. I also have the fleabay MP38/40 shoulder pouch from china. I used the matt black spray can effort with some balsa wood mag inserts and it it definately black now. Although it is a bit 'crispy'. So I've ordered another one to hand dye. The wife will never again let me use the washing machine to dye stuff anymore apparently. I've got some black furniture dye and have been coating my back pack straps with it. Covers well and once dry it doesn't seem to come off. I just used a paint brush to apply it neat, straight from the bottle. I expect that the shoulder pouch will take the dye a lot better than the straps, as they have had 2 coats now and might need a third. Nice and soft still though. Not cripsy like the spray can method.