USS Centaur project

maxx1969

Member since
May 2004
From: Oregon

Posted by maxx1969 on Saturday, December 4, 2004 9:26 PM

Sure, I got both at Michaels craft store. I would think that most will stocked art and craft stores will have them. For more info on their products here is their web site,
http://www.olfa.com/home.asp
You will be very hapy with OLFA's cutting tools.

Matt

~Matt T Meyer

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Anonymous

Member since
November 2005

Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, December 4, 2004 9:16 PM

QUOTE: Originally posted by maxx1969

QUOTE: Originally posted by Woody

How did you do it?

Not as hard as I thought it would be at one time.
Step 1: From scale drawings I took the widest diameter first, in this case the bottom of the saucer(5 7/16")

Step2: Again from the drawings find the height of the saucers edge(1/4").

Step3: I set a compass to the widest measurement 5 7/16 the bottom of the saucer and drew a half circle on the sheet stock. The second line inside the first is the top of the saucer at a width of 1/4".

Step4: Using a set of circle cutters makes this alot easier, for thicker stock I have a compass cutter(bottom) and for thinner stock a rotary circle cutter(top) both from OLFA.

Here you can see one of the saucer edges for an extended saucer on another build.

Step 5: Attatch the two ends together and you have your outer tapered edge. The top and bottom can then be cut out with the cutters.
One other advantage to the compass type cutter is that you can drag the back side of the blade in circles around the saucer to scribe in the panel lines. Hope this helps.

Matt

Hi Matt
Can you tell me where you can get the compass cutter?

Thanks
Chris

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Woody

Member since
December 2002
From: Third rock from the sun.

Posted by Woody on Saturday, December 4, 2004 11:31 AM

Great tutorial Matt. There is only one thing wrong with it . . .you showed me two more tools to put on my must have list! Tongue [:P]

Seriously thanks for showing us your technique.

" I wish to have no connection with any ship that does not sail fast; for I intend to go in harm's way." --John Paul Jones

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Anonymous

Member since
November 2005

Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, December 4, 2004 9:02 AM

Looks great Matt. You gotta post this over at SSM too(sorry, I keep saying that).

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maxx1969

Member since
May 2004
From: Oregon

Posted by maxx1969 on Saturday, December 4, 2004 1:14 AM

QUOTE: Originally posted by Woody

How did you do it?

Not as hard as I thought it would be at one time.
Step 1: From scale drawings I took the widest diameter first, in this case the bottom of the saucer(5 7/16")

Step2: Again from the drawings find the height of the saucers edge(1/4").

Step3: I set a compass to the widest measurement 5 7/16 the bottom of the saucer and drew a half circle on the sheet stock. The second line inside the first is the top of the saucer at a width of 1/4".

Step4: Using a set of circle cutters makes this alot easier, for thicker stock I have a compass cutter(bottom) and for thinner stock a rotary circle cutter(top) both from OLFA.

Here you can see one of the saucer edges for an extended saucer on another build.

Step 5: Attatch the two ends together and you have your outer tapered edge. The top and bottom can then be cut out with the cutters.
One other advantage to the compass type cutter is that you can drag the back side of the blade in circles around the saucer to scribe in the panel lines. Hope this helps.

Matt

~Matt T Meyer

Reply

mark956

Member since
February 2003
From: USA

Posted by mark956 on Saturday, December 4, 2004 12:50 AM

Looking very nice so far. Can't wait to see the finished model.
Mark956

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Woody

Member since
December 2002
From: Third rock from the sun.

Posted by Woody on Friday, December 3, 2004 12:20 PM

QUOTE: Originally posted by maxx1969

QUOTE: Originally posted by Griffworks

Looks good! Did you use an ERTL Excelsior kit's primary hull as the base for yours?

No its all scratch. The taper on the saucer edge was fun. But I worked out a way to do it on two other in-progress builds so it wasn't to bad on this one.

Matt

How did you do it?

" I wish to have no connection with any ship that does not sail fast; for I intend to go in harm's way." --John Paul Jones

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maxx1969

Member since
May 2004
From: Oregon

Posted by maxx1969 on Friday, December 3, 2004 12:04 PM

QUOTE: Originally posted by Griffworks

Looks good! Did you use an ERTL Excelsior kit's primary hull as the base for yours?

No its all scratch. The taper on the saucer edge was fun. But I worked out a way to do it on two other in-progress builds so it wasn't to bad on this one.

Matt

~Matt T Meyer

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Griffworks

Member since
June 2004
From: The House of Blues Clues

Posted by Griffworks on Friday, December 3, 2004 11:19 AM

Looks good! Did you use an ERTL Excelsior kit's primary hull as the base for yours?

The greatest measure of a man is his children and what kind of people they are.

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stipp

Member since
March 2004
From: Chulak/Jaffa Cree!

Posted by stipp on Thursday, December 2, 2004 5:49 PM

Neato Matt!

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Anonymous

Member since
November 2005

Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, December 2, 2004 1:44 AM

That is so cooooolllll

Chris

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maxx1969

Member since
May 2004
From: Oregon

Posted by maxx1969 on Wednesday, December 1, 2004 9:50 PM

QUOTE: Originally posted by Woody

I don't know much but I know what I like. It looks great so far.

Thanks guys. I suppose I could have offered a little more info Dunce [D)]

The USS Centaur NCC-42043 was seen in DS9 "A Time to Stand". The studio model had a heavily modified Excelsior class primary hull and some Miranda class parts in a different scale as the secondary hull. The nacelles look to be new to this ship. Here is the pic I used,

Matt

~Matt T Meyer

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Buddho

Member since
March 2003
From: Newport News VA

Posted by Buddho on Wednesday, December 1, 2004 6:59 PM

WOW, Matt....Looks great so far....!

Regards, Dan

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Woody

Member since
December 2002
From: Third rock from the sun.

Posted by Woody on Wednesday, December 1, 2004 4:28 PM

I don't know much but I know what I like. It looks great so far. Big Smile [:D]

" I wish to have no connection with any ship that does not sail fast; for I intend to go in harm's way." --John Paul Jones

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maxx1969

Member since
May 2004
From: Oregon

USS Centaur project

Posted by maxx1969 on Tuesday, November 30, 2004 11:42 PM

Here are a few pics of a USS Centaur scratch build in 1:1425th scale. There is still alot of surface work to be done as I'm only two weeks into this but you can get the basic idea. I'd like to hear what you think.