I'm starting to make one of the arm doors. This shot shows a chord clamped on one end of the inner skin cutout.
A chord clamped on both ends of the cutout.
Here is the cutout with the chord glued on both ends. At this point, the chord doesn't really put much curvature onto the cutout.
This is all the parts for the arm door: The outer skin cutout (top), the inner skin cutout with chords and center strip added (center), and the 3mm door back (bottom)
The 3mm door back before chamfering. I added masking tape right up to the chamfer marks, to help me see when I've hit the mark.
These door backs get chamfered 1/8" on both sides to make it easier for the door to open and close.
The chamfered door back
Here's the back and inner skin assembly clamped together. The entire door now has a nice curve over its whole length.
I have taped the door in place to test fit.
Here I'm beginning to make some 1/2mm shims to go under the hinge bearings. You need the inner race to sit on a shim so that the outer race does not contact the hinge mount. Without this shim, you'll just tighten the whole bearing (inner & outer races) against the hinge mount and it won't turn.
I drilled the 1/8" hole in the shim, then cut it out (roughly circular) with scissors.
I laid the shim onto the inner bearing race to make sure the size was good. I wanted it to be bigger than the inner race but smaller than the outer race.
This is how the assembly will work. The screw will go thru the bearing, thru the shim and into the hinge mount.
I glued the shim onto the hinge mount, making sure the holes were lined up.
Here's one of the top hinges test fit against the door back.
Two arm doors ready to attach
The arm doors glued to the hinges, opening and closing smoothly.
Moving on to the detail door. It's built the same way as the arm doors.
Detail door
The small "power door." This one is so small it doesn't need a center strip.
Power door
The detail door and power door have a back-detail piece made from 1mm. I drilled out the rounded inside corners on the drill press.
The back-detail pieces with holes drilled
This is the back-detail for the detail door with the cutouts removed. I still have to do some filing to clean up the corners.
Back-detail attached to the detail door. They overhang the ends slightly so I'll have to file.
The detail door taped in place
The detail door hinge is now glued to the back of the door
Detail door
Detail door
Power door
Power door. For the power door and detail door hinges, I didn't use flange bearings like I did on the two tall doors. I just drilled 7/32" holes thru the hinge and thru the body ring, inserted a 4-40 screw, and put a nut on it. Works fine. I can always come back and enlarge these holes for flange bearings if I have problems with this setup.
Adding the detail door frame. I taped it in position with a uniform gap all around, then glued it
The frame glued in place