I'll be watching this one.

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You have bitten off a large chunk, but you'll enjoy the build!  I did the Polar Lights 1/350 NX-01 and it is indeed a well-made kit.  I chickened out on the lighting, though!

For what it's worth, TOS enterprise did not have aztec - that was a feature they introduced in the motion picture.

Although, Defiant did have an aztec pattern when we saw her in one of the last episodes of Enterprise. Whether you consider that canon or not...

Nope, No aztecing here, I have the Aztec dummy window masks. The masks cover the windows so you can build the complete kit with the lights and paint the whole thing. They also have a few other nice little masks. For the bussard domes, and under nacelle pattern. Quite nice really, but applying the masks to each window will be tedious.

As of now I'm planning on an overall white/grey color.

I've filled/painted the grid lines. The top of the saucer is done, the bottom is 1/2 done.

I'm using Mr. Surfacer 500 from a jar. I'll sand and then hit it with a auto filler/primer from a rattle can.

I just put mine on layaway today!!! Soo excited!!! I will be watching your progress!! I am only getting started on the refit kit after having it for over two years......lol!!

Terrific work here, I'll be following along for sure!

Playing around with my kit the primary hull is so heavy I'm a little afraid that the whole thing will hold up though without some sort of interior metal bracing though.

Guys who have built her say it is VERY sturdy. I agree, the plastic is very thick. The dorsal extends very far into the Primary and secondary hulls and has a large glueing surface. I hope this helps.

I sanded both hull halts and got a coat of primer on.

This is prepped for primer:

http://i.imgur.com/zpWpRl.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/PLxmXl.jpg

Thanks Mach71, Polar Lights said it would hold up under the weight but it's good to hear people who have actually built her concur.

The primary hull looks great, looking forward to your next update!  

1st coat of Primer:

http://i.imgur.com/zSqGRl.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/1b6akl.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/crsmfl.jpg

The gridlines are still very prominent, I'm thinking with another coat of primer and 2 coats of final coat it should just about be where I want. At least thats what I hope.

Ohhh she's looking good, please keep us posted!

I know,, the original did not have gridlines, and in the past the kits with them have been desastrous, but at this scale I kind of like them. I'm a huge TOS fan but still I like them.

Your build is looking great. I will be eagerly looking for your updates. I'm building one too and can always use a tip or two.

I got a 2nd coat of primer on today. The lines are still very visible, but I think they are coming along.

Work is going to be taking up most of my time for the next week, so I don't expect to get much done.

Great job so far!  Just one thing.  There are panel lines, I was just watching "Balance of Terror"

thay are there, just not really deep.

'

I barily saw them, also in this episode you can see the "Rust" line and alot of the collected space dust and blast marks.

The grid lines are there, they were just drawn on with a mechanical pencil. I have seen them on the untouched saucer top of the filming model at the NASM in DC. You can also see them in 'The Tholien Web"

Were they to represent panel lines? or the deflector grid? or something else.

I believe that they are labeled deflector grid in at least drawing done.

The issue I have with the kit is how large they are. I'm not looking to remove them, just reduce the appearance of them.

I managed to get a little work done on the Enterprise.

I spayed a 3rd coat of primer on the saucer.

Next I lined the inside of the saucer with foil for light blocking.

On another forum I've read that some people have had problems with light leaks.

I think the problem will just be adjacent to the inner ring where the LED's mount.

i.imgur.com/tcgLmlzl.jpg

i.imgur.com/fNkqhVml.jpg

I think I'll be starting the bridge next.

You can also paint the interior flat black first to prevent light bleeding through

I did that in the first post as did others but they still had light leaks. I think I'm ok now but I wont know until I test it out.

I think the bottom blister of the saucer will be ok. The lights are mounted on the top aimed down.

I started painting both bridges today.

Got some more work done today.

I primed the B/C deck, pylon half's, and secondary hull half's with Tamiya primer.

I also got a lot of bridge painting done, Because I have the lighting kit I have both the opaque and clear bridge's. I'm painting them both. Don't know why really but it is fun!

I still have some touch up work to do on the bridge's but you can get the idea.

i.imgur.com/tnybyTVl.jpg

i.imgur.com/SN3w7bgl.jpg

I like your bridges, and I too had a lot of fun painting those, I don't know why.

For light leaks overall I just sprayed a heavy coat of silver inside, and one outside.

Nothing gets through metal paint. Then a primer outside for the real paint, then paint.

No leaks except at some joints of course and those are small. Filler/putty, silver,primer & paint

each.

Keep taking pics and posting. I'm enjoying watching your build.

Wow, that bridge looks fantastic! Great work there Mach71!

A little more done. Got the PE installed

i.imgur.com/UM1JvCdl.jpg

And the decals

i.imgur.com/FuZvJhAl.jpg

Looks great.  Do I understand you correctly that they molded this kit WITH grid lines?  Even AMT removed them from the old classic kit.  They are barely visible on the real model, and molding them in is just not right.

It's been a while and I've made some progress.

3 12+inch snow storms did slow me up.

I have all the major hull exteriors painted, but not assembled. I don't usually build this way but the size of this kit is daunting. I figure I'll build her, then clean up the seams, then touch up.

I'm using Tamiya IJN grey.

Here are the saucer parts.

i.imgur.com/E6YvDOWl.jpg

i.imgur.com/QOUU4qIl.jpg

The windows in the B/C deck

i.imgur.com/BIkiyxel.jpg

i.imgur.com/MG0Pbh6l.jpg

The PE crew

i.imgur.com/wa0aAwcl.jpg

And the crewed bridge

i.imgur.com/wa0aAwcl.jpg

Finally Everything installed

i.imgur.com/l6AMW3dl.jpg

i.imgur.com/FevH14Rl.jpg

Next up is lighting the saucer.

Nicely done, I like your bridge a great deal.

I'm also working on this model. At about the same point as well.

Though I've been stopped by some lights going out. I have to rebuild a string.

I'm putting my putty around the saucer for light leaks, then I'll paint.

I liked the people on your bridge. I didn't put them in, yours look so good wish I had :)

A bit of progress.

i.imgur.com/NcvNHezl.jpg

The top of the saucer lights are installed.