Member Tutorials
Radar Eye – A Tutorial on Building and Painting and
Mounting a Resin Eye
Kelly R. Krider
Here is
some of what I did concerning the main eye box.
When I did mine, rather than masking off the new paint job and risking pulling
up paint when the mask is removed, I used a very small hobby paint brush to
paint the silver details on the right side of the eye. Either way works, It’s a
matter of choice.
If you
choose the paint brush method of detailing the eyebox, here is another use for
the paint brush. For added detail, and real world look, I used the paint brush
to lightly hit areas of the data slot in the eyebox. This gives a look of use.
It looks like many discs have been put in the slot over the years. It makes for
nice weathering. You can also use the brush to paint on "scratches"
on the corners of the eyebox. Just try to think of where paint would get
scratched during normal use. Here is a pic of what I
mean.
The lens
cutting I did was also different. I used a wax pencil, with the lens in the
eye, I traced a small "lip" around the where the lens would touch the
eye from the back.
Rather than cutting it with a dremel I choose to
score it with a knife. After a great deal of scoring the cut out, I then
snapped of the parts i wanted off. I then too the
lens to a table grinder and smoothed out the sharp and jagged areas where I
snapped of the extra plastic. By doing this I felt I was less at risk of
scratching the main lens area.
When I
mounted the main eye to the dome I didn’t need any glue for the lens. It is
sandwiched between the main eye box and the dome, thanks to the "lip"
I left when cutting the lens. It was a tight fit so the lens doesn’t rattle or
move. Again either way works well; it is a matter of choice.
Here is how
I mounted my main eyebox, there is an attached sketch
of this process. It is a simple 30 second sketch, but It
will give an idea of what I am trying to explain below.
First you will need to put the eye to the dome where you want it positioned.
Take a wax pencil and trace around the eye. Figure out where the most mass
is on the four corners of the eye box and pre-drill the holes (the screws shank
should fit in the holes) in the dome in the same areas you chose on the eye.
Now put the eye back in its place on the dome. You will need to tape it in
place or have someone you trust to hold it in place. While the eye is positioned
in its place take a marking device (pen, pencil, whatever will mark on resin)
and mark the holes to the eye box from inside the dome.
Now to drill the main eyebox.
Make sure the holes are not the same size as
the screw; obviously the holes should be a bit smaller than the screw
size for the screws to thread themselves in to the eye box. Next wipe
off the wax markings from the dome and mount the eye!
That’s it, nice and easy!
Kelly Krider
FOLLOWUPS
And
remember the value of depth stops on your drill bits. Drilling all the way
through the frame can be “disastrous”.- Alan