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Update: My Polar Lights 1/350 Refit repaired, and back together..

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58 replies
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  • Member since
    February 2003
Posted by coose73 on Monday, June 20, 2005 5:39 PM
Chris, thanks for the reply - I can't wait to start on mine.

Bart

Palm Harbor, FL
USA
MJH
  • Member since
    April 2005
  • From: Melbourne, Australia
Posted by MJH on Saturday, June 18, 2005 6:32 AM
Thanks for taking the time to reply in such detail Chris - it is appreciated.

If the side panels of the lower hull are already permanently joined it would be difficult to fit the lower hull (with the shuttle bay in place) because of the brace which joins them and crosses the hull underneath the shuttle bay. I presume one would leave the two pins under the landing stage uncemented and flex the shuttle bay away from the hull to slide over the brace. (Not sure if I've made that clear)

The joint between secondary hull and pylon seems (in a practice run) to be the most problemmatical stage of construction - just as it was in the very first Enterprise kit that I built in 1968 (and still have somewhere....).

Michael

!

MJH
  • Member since
    April 2005
  • From: Melbourne, Australia
Posted by MJH on Friday, June 17, 2005 8:41 PM
Thanks Chris;

It hadn't occurred to me to tackle it that way but I can see the advantages - many thanks for the tips!

Michael

!

  • Member since
    November 2004
  • From: Fukuoka Japan / Brisbane AUS.
Posted by Chris_in_Japan on Friday, June 17, 2005 7:21 AM
Michael, you will need to make a small cut from the bottom of each pylon half in order for you to put wires through to the nacelles.. I would also suggest putting a hole on the top section about 1cm wide on the top section in the middle of where the neck will join to allow wires to go through to the neck and saucer..

I would then build the top of the secondary hull, with the side panels and pylons first, putty, sand, and then paint.. once done, you will then be able to feed your wires through the holes in the bottom of the pylons to the top for later.. Although difficult, do not add windows until all paint and finish work is completed....

Build your power sorce in the bottom section, and if you plan to add a lit shuttle bay, then this will need to be tight and neat.. I think you will work the rest out.. I would also join the neck to the secondary hull before painting also, so you can fill the seem to avoid light leakage, and can also putty if needed.. I painted my neck seperate, and had a hard time joining it, which meant having to go back and clean up.. also you will need to shave your neck pegs, they are too thick..

The Nacelles, and the saucer can be done seperately!.. Another reminder.. Make sure you have all your clear parts put in place before you put your side pieces on the saucer.. They are a pain to remove once in place...Always double check!... I had actually planned to light this thing in the first place, but later decided against it, and had it all planned out... Hope this all helps...

Chris in Japan

On the bench:

                          1/48 RAAF 3 Sqn F/A-18B

                          1/150 /1/160 N Scale Japanese Rail diorama.

MJH
  • Member since
    April 2005
  • From: Melbourne, Australia
Posted by MJH on Thursday, June 16, 2005 9:32 PM
Chris;

I picked up my kit yesterday, inspired by your pic and comments. I want to light it, probably with CCFL’s and LED’s to avoid heat problems and the difficulties of replacing blown light bulbs. To that end I intend to spray the interior surfaces matt black to minimise light leakage and then white again to reflect as much light back around the interior as possible. I have no idea yet how to handle the reflector dish!

Do you think it’s better to paint the exterior surfaces before assembly and then repair gaps and touch up as they arise, or complete each section and then paint it overall? In the latter case masking all the transparencies would be a problem wouldn’t it?

Michael

!

  • Member since
    November 2004
  • From: Fukuoka Japan / Brisbane AUS.
Posted by Chris_in_Japan on Wednesday, June 15, 2005 6:53 PM
Bart, it was quite simple.. All I used was flat white for the base, and then sprayed the aztec on with pearl white..

Chris

On the bench:

                          1/48 RAAF 3 Sqn F/A-18B

                          1/150 /1/160 N Scale Japanese Rail diorama.

  • Member since
    November 2005
Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, June 15, 2005 3:52 PM
Looks Good.
  • Member since
    February 2003
Posted by coose73 on Tuesday, June 14, 2005 12:07 PM
Chris, the build and paint so far look terific! I plan to start mine in a month or two. I'd like to know what colors you used to paint the aztek scheme? Not just the type/brand paaints, but the actual colors.

Look forward to seeing more.

Bart

  • Member since
    November 2004
  • From: Fukuoka Japan / Brisbane AUS.
Posted by Chris_in_Japan on Wednesday, June 8, 2005 8:04 PM
Thanks for your interest.. I do plan on lighting it at some stage. But I am in a transitional period at the momment.. Although my wife is Japanese, I really dont have plans to die here, and so would like to return back to Australia at some time in the future.. I have built this to be displayed here. But I havnt completely built it as a solid model, as I have thoughts of being able to transporting it easily in the future, and then once settled, I will light it.... The warp nacelles will be joined to the pylons, but they will just slide on and off...And I am currently trying to figure out a way to have the dish connected by a screw that can be removed.. all naked to the eye of course...

Chris in Japan

On the bench:

                          1/48 RAAF 3 Sqn F/A-18B

                          1/150 /1/160 N Scale Japanese Rail diorama.

  • Member since
    January 2004
  • From: Arizona
Posted by ua0124 on Wednesday, June 8, 2005 7:08 PM
Nice job Chris. I bought one a few days ago. It looks like a daunting task. After readfing some posts some questions have been answered. I will not start it until July I am stil researching other peoples methods on how they have approached this model. Besides I have three other models that I am working on. I must say that I am disappointed in your decision not to light it up, but I understand your reasoning behind it. Looking forward to the final product.

Cheers
Ernie If I can not do something about a problem, it's not my problem; it is a fact of life...
  • Member since
    November 2004
  • From: Fukuoka Japan / Brisbane AUS.
Posted by Chris_in_Japan on Friday, June 3, 2005 10:26 PM
Or, you could just GIVE the Reliant to me??? hehehe

Chris in Japan

On the bench:

                          1/48 RAAF 3 Sqn F/A-18B

                          1/150 /1/160 N Scale Japanese Rail diorama.

  • Member since
    July 2003
  • From: Perth, Western Australia
Posted by madmike on Friday, June 3, 2005 7:36 PM
Better to be satisfied with a build than not

I am going to redo my NCC-1701D one day, I have s spare set of decals for the task so that makes it easy. would love to have spare set of decals for my old AMT orginal Enterprise and the Reliant then I could redo those one day...

cheers

Mike
"I do not feel obliged to believe that the same God who has endowed us with sense, reason, and intellect has intended us to forgo their use." - Galileo Galilei
  • Member since
    November 2004
  • From: Fukuoka Japan / Brisbane AUS.
Posted by Chris_in_Japan on Friday, June 3, 2005 6:56 PM
yeah, I had pre-painted everything, in the hope that it would all go together nicely.. I simply wasnt happy with all the gaps and lines, so I simply had to refill them and re-do.. Infact I am glad that I did, because my secondary hull design has come out better than it originally did, and I also changed the colours around a bit.. I am in the process of redoing the pylons, once they are dry, I will post update pics!

Chris in Japan

On the bench:

                          1/48 RAAF 3 Sqn F/A-18B

                          1/150 /1/160 N Scale Japanese Rail diorama.

  • Member since
    November 2005
Posted by Anonymous on Friday, June 3, 2005 9:20 AM
Wow, I'm sorry you had to go refit the refit, but it looked great once, so I'm sure it will be again. Had it been me, I'm not sure I would have been able to motivate myself to a rebuild. I may have just gotten the firecrackers and made it a pyro effects model, and gotten another to start from scratch.

Good luck, and keep us posted!

Brian
  • Member since
    December 2002
  • From: Connecticut, USA
Posted by Aurora-7 on Friday, June 3, 2005 8:29 AM
QUOTE: Originally posted by AusLexusJapan

.. Once established that we will be in Australia for the long haul, then I will take the time to re doing it lighted..


Shock [:O] Whoa! You mean like crack it open an redo it!!?? With all the work your putting into it now!!??

 

 

  • Member since
    November 2004
  • From: Fukuoka Japan / Brisbane AUS.
Posted by Chris_in_Japan on Thursday, June 2, 2005 8:36 PM
I was going to light it, but have decided against it.. In fact as I live in Japan, I may need to head back to Australia at some stage, and so would like to transport it with me.. So I have been building this in order for easy movability in the case that we do intend to head back.. Once established that we will be in Australia for the long haul, then I will take the time to re doing it lighted..

Chris in Japan

On the bench:

                          1/48 RAAF 3 Sqn F/A-18B

                          1/150 /1/160 N Scale Japanese Rail diorama.

  • Member since
    December 2002
  • From: Connecticut, USA
Posted by Aurora-7 on Thursday, June 2, 2005 8:23 AM
Chris,

How are you lighting up the shuttle bay and botanical sections? I've been thinking I need at least to light up these two sections in order to show what work was put in there but I've never lit-up a kit before.

I looks like your using foil for light blocking. Are you using batteries for a power source? What type of light elements are you using? Do you need to use resistors?

 

 

  • Member since
    July 2003
  • From: Perth, Western Australia
Posted by madmike on Thursday, June 2, 2005 8:17 AM
Looking good Chris!

Keep up the great work....

cheers

Mike
"I do not feel obliged to believe that the same God who has endowed us with sense, reason, and intellect has intended us to forgo their use." - Galileo Galilei
  • Member since
    November 2004
  • From: Fukuoka Japan / Brisbane AUS.
Posted by Chris_in_Japan on Thursday, June 2, 2005 8:08 AM
Thanks, I appreciate the nice comments, so thank you!

Chris in Japan

On the bench:

                          1/48 RAAF 3 Sqn F/A-18B

                          1/150 /1/160 N Scale Japanese Rail diorama.

  • Member since
    December 2002
  • From: Connecticut, USA
Posted by Aurora-7 on Tuesday, May 31, 2005 1:22 PM
Chris,

Thanks for the template picture and good luck on the repairs. So far it still looking great.

 

 

  • Member since
    May 2004
  • From: Oregon
Posted by maxx1969 on Monday, May 30, 2005 9:55 PM
Keep posting Chris and I'll follow your lead. I won a bet (friendly of course) with my wife today and now she owes me that bad boyParty [party]Laugh [(-D].

~Matt T Meyer
  • Member since
    November 2004
  • From: Fukuoka Japan / Brisbane AUS.
Posted by Chris_in_Japan on Monday, May 30, 2005 7:28 PM
Here is a pic of her back on the bench!



Chris in Japan

On the bench:

                          1/48 RAAF 3 Sqn F/A-18B

                          1/150 /1/160 N Scale Japanese Rail diorama.

  • Member since
    August 2003
Posted by 46 mech on Monday, May 30, 2005 6:58 PM
Awesome job Chris. Truly fantastic!!! Thumbs Up [tup]Thumbs Up [tup]Thumbs Up [tup]
  • Member since
    May 2004
  • From: Oregon
Posted by maxx1969 on Monday, May 30, 2005 2:25 AM
Shock [:O] Bummer! It could be worse though. A couple of weeks ago my son ( 8 ) decided to stand on the fireplace mantle and pretend a broom was a guitar. Apparently in the middle of a great solo riff his guitar tagged three kits on a shelf. The look on the pour kids face as he was telling me what hapend I almost bust out laughing (I saved the tears for the bench). I now have to rebuild my Slave1, Pod Racer and ST TOS shuttleBlack Eye [B)]. Best of luck on the repairs Chris.
~Matt T Meyer
  • Member since
    November 2004
  • From: Fukuoka Japan / Brisbane AUS.
Posted by Chris_in_Japan on Sunday, May 29, 2005 11:24 PM
Well guys.. After all the time spent doing this baby, she has had to go back onto the bench.. First things first.. I wasnt happy with the fit of the side panels and pylons.. When I dry fitted them apon recieving the kit. I thought they would go together with little fuss.. Mine just didnt want to go together at all, and I ended up withg 4 different hights to the front and back corners of the pylons.. I also didnt like the join of the top section with the side sections.. So out came the putty, and I re-started, there goes that secondary hull paintwork I did.. But I will try to limit the putty work so that all is not lost and I can touch most of it up.. Lastly, I put the saucer together, and simply am not happy with the gaps around the edges, so have decided to redo them also, as I was setting the saucer down, the glue holding the recreation deck, and the impulse crystle decided to give way, and they fell into the saucer.. Now the whole thing has to be pulled apart!.. Boy oh boy.... I will say in finishing.. I really love this kit!, hahaha

Chris in Japan

On the bench:

                          1/48 RAAF 3 Sqn F/A-18B

                          1/150 /1/160 N Scale Japanese Rail diorama.

  • Member since
    November 2005
Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, May 29, 2005 6:20 PM
That looks fantastic Chris.Big Smile [:D] After seeing pics of yours and going to Wonderfest and seeing Mark King's build, from culttvmans web site, I will have to get going on mine. I can't wait to see pics of yours finishedThumbs Up [tup]
  • Member since
    November 2004
  • From: Fukuoka Japan / Brisbane AUS.
Posted by Chris_in_Japan on Sunday, May 29, 2005 6:01 PM
Well, F91.. I have you to thank for getting this in Japan so quick!.. Thanks mate..

Chris in japanBig Smile [:D]

On the bench:

                          1/48 RAAF 3 Sqn F/A-18B

                          1/150 /1/160 N Scale Japanese Rail diorama.

  • Member since
    November 2005
Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, May 29, 2005 1:12 PM
Wow, very nice. [:0]

I used the provided templates for my saucer as well. For paint, however, I sprayed with a high gloss. I thought about pearl, but I wasn't sure what kind of effect it would have; but wow, that looks really nice.

Liking the shuttlebay/hangar too.

BTW, what is that blue you are using for the engineering area?
  • Member since
    November 2005
Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, May 29, 2005 10:54 AM
Best work you've ever done mate? How the heck did you get that in Japan already!?Smile [:)]
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