SPA Modeler

You nailed it Bruce! So much more detail than the kit part and that placard fits perfectly. Once you get the junction box and wiring on it will look like the real thing.

Clint—Thank you so much! I was gonna wait until after I attached the cable to trim the height, which would have been a challenge. The toothpick would have to be sawn down to avoid splitting or splintering—so the last issue I wanted to have was a wire hanging off the front. I also was worried about the placard coming off. Fortunately Gators Grip gripped, lol. I also started to worry about the 020 rod being too thick but I think it is alright.

Really did well on that stick as well as the initial stages of the interior Bruce.

Joe—Thank you so much. I sincerely appreciate your words!

Bravo, Bruce! The control stick looks great! I'm not a fan of wood as scratch material for the reason you just mentioned but you made it work just fine! I love the little data plate on the grip... must've been touchy getting it lay flat and straight given the size and the curve that it sits on.

Thank you so much, John—I sincerely appreciate your thoughts, and encouragement. I am not sure why but I am missing my Albion tubing, so that was part of the reason a toothpick was used. Believe me if I had brass or possibly styrene I would have tried those instead. However the wood was easy to carve, and I wanted the height, too. Honestly it was a bit of a break to use an organic material.

So tonight I temporarily fitted the lower 2-piece IP section - and what a challenge it was to fit properly from every side! I ended up grinding away plastic on the inside as I relocated the PE. I needed temporary adhesion so I used white glue.





What you wrote far earlier, John will be my guide. I will not paint the cockpit to match Eduard—I will paint Eduard (top layer) to match the cockpit. Unless another idea appears!

Just my opinion, but I would paint the IP to match the cockpit, not a fan of Eduard's purple RLM02

This pit is coming together terrific! You have great scratch building abilities!

Clint—Agreed. I am just trying to determine if masking any of details will work before painting begins!

Brent—Thanks so much!

The good news—the Eduard placards PE set has a few replacements for the IP, so I will use those instead of trying to mask off these details.

Before-After color coat