Guys:
Thanks for all the nice comments and I am not sure of the scale but we tried to scale it to the bat mobile model seen in the picture.
This main part was tough to get correct and I am still not sure if it is correct but now on to the bottom half. You will be pleased to know I have been working on this part for a couple of weeks prior to re-joining the forum, I wanted to be sure I could do it and now I am far enough along to share lots of progress photos. So hang on and enjoy the ride.
I went with styrene and PVC for the main part but decided it was too hard to work with so the bottom half will be made out of 1/8" birch plywood
I cut 9 strips of the 1/8" birch plywood and laminated them together with double side tape.
I then drew the flat side of the upright "I" beam provided by my son in photoshop onto this block of laminated pieces.
My thinking here was all I have to do is cut out the shape and the 8 pieces I need plus one to combat splintering when I drill the holes just have to be separated no saw blade marks on them worked like a charm!
Here you see the block after the shape has been cut out and the holes drilled. Anyone trying this should note there are seven holes large at the top then a little smaller one then five smaller ones that are the same size the rest of the way down.
Once the holes were drilled I separated the individual pieces which at that time had residual glue from the double sided tape on them. I first tried soaking a test piece in vinegar worked some but not good enough. I then went with rubbing alcohol and after a two stage soaking (Clean them after the first soaking then soak them and clean them again) it worked like a charm!
Next came sanding as my band saw cuts were not level enough I had to do a lot of sanding to get the edges flat enough to receive the outside part made from popsicle sticks thus making them look like "I" beams.
Here you see the popsicle sticks being glued into position, they were not long enough so I joined them by mitering the ends. I glued these on with Locktite crazy glue the type that allows you to get the position correct before it dries, works good but I hate getting it on my hands and up my nose.
And another view.
Here is one of them with the popsicle sticks cut to size I only want the front side done at this stage.
I have to leave the back undone until I determine where the middle octagon will be I have it mocked up just not made out of wood yet still tweaking the size. There is also a bottom octagon that helps hold everything together.
Here is a very early mockup before the popsicle sticks the middle octagon in this mockup
was too big. I will eventually post my sons photoshop drawings perhaps files so anyone can use
them if they want to.
That's all for now a lot more to come!
I welcome all feedback, ideas, pointers etc.
Thanks
Charles
