Group Build "Star Trek Free For All" Early 2006

First pic of bottom cut out:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v72/ussarcadia/IMG_0377.jpg

Something else I've been working on:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v72/ussarcadia/IMG_0379.jpg

Nice start on the Lyran cruiser!  

What kit is the Rommie scout? Scale?

That scout is SWEET!! Is that scratch built or a kit? I ran across this site about a year or so ago. They have some cool designes on this site. I stumbled on it about a year ago. Many of them are waaaaay out there but I like the Davidoff design. It has some kit bash potential. The dual exhaust impulse drives on each side of the refit version doesn't appeal to me. PL TOS Constitution class kits are hard to come by in my area...

http://www.ussmiranda.com/frames.htm

http://www.ussmiranda.com/ships/davidoff.htm

http://www.ussmiranda.com/ships/davidoff2.htm

Welcome aboard to both MartianGundamModeler and Kevlar! 

Been outta da show a few days, but back looking in now.  Wow that is one nicely fried whatsit-ship, Kevlar! 

We have a nice spread of projects running, eh?  Am back on my ship, but very frustrated with wiring issues from the nacelles to the main body - how to run the wires discreetly and all is a pain without doing serious damage to the support struts. 

Also have decided to wait on painting the model until AFTER construction.

I used to love Mr. Surfacer 1000, goes on like a dream, but I can't find it around here anymore.

The Rommie scout is a Fed Models kit. Out of production for a while, I noticed back in stock and grabbed one. Its supposedly in scale with the ERTL Ent. A(1/537?). Nice little kit, great detail. The nacelles had huge bubbles in fronts, but they replaced them ASAP.

Laying down side pieces around rim on the Lyran and ready to start building the front nose areas. One question though: should I drill portholes and them back them up with styrene or leave smooth? I'm going to try to build this as castable.

I have that Rommie Scout! Bought it back in the early '90s; it had some rather nasty bubbles here and there. It's been packed away for some time.

I like that Lyran Cruiser!! I started building one some years ago, finished it's construction about a year ago and gave it some basecoat painting. It still needs it's county colour, numbering/lettering, etc. I used the old mini plan sheets and photocopy enlarged it about 400%. Final length of the model is just a shade under 13" long. I sized it to the miniatures and I think I got close to the old TOS E/ Klingon D7 model, supposedly 1/650. That's what I am calling it. I had fallen out of practice for use of an airbrush and I replaced my air source this last fall, so I'm practicing once again. I'd post pics if I had any idea of how to do that here (I've just relogged back in and perusing the forums after a LONG hiatus.) but I hope to find out sooner or later.

Windows: mine has no windows at this point. I'm thinking decals of some sort but if they need to be white, that could be a problem.

I just started posting pics a little over a week ago. I use photobucket. Load your pic into a photobucket folder, like you would upload any file, and all you have to do is put a link in your post to the pic in photobucket. There are other sites that hold pics free of charge but I don't know who they are.

http://photobucket.com/

Here I have my next "major move" now that the holidays are through.  Wired one nacelle for light, to see what it looks like.

I carved a channel into the nacelle arms, and notched the insert hole of the nacelle a bit for wire passage.  Everything's still rough, but after I tuck the wire a bit better, fill and smoothe the whole lot it should look fine.

Note the black coating of the inside.  For light-proofing as I plan to have bulbs mounted within the body when I decide the best way to make small square window holes.  Anyone got pointer on that? 

Also considering spotlight holes but really unsure of that working at all.

Gawd, look at them cracks in the model seams, eh?  More filler work for sure!

I am going to have to re-coat the inner surface of the outside nacelle dome because of a run in the paint, but otherwise I think it looks fair.  Once masked and all painted things should (I-hope-hope-hope-hope) look much better.

This photobucket's a pretty nifty thing!

Same effects guys that shot the phasers out of the photon tube in "Darmok"!!

Can't wait to see your phaser strips. Yes specialty styrene is pricey, but what else can you do. Glue isn't cheap either. I spent about the same amount on two bottles of CA.

Hey Savion, do you have any pics of your Lyran?

More pics of progress: http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v72/ussarcadia/LyranProgress.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v72/ussarcadia/LyranProgressFront.jpg

I had to install re-inforcing. A "beam" across and some bracing for the front as the bottom piece is thin and was flexing.

I have never used "CA". I primarily use Ambroid plastic weld or Tennax (both a little over $3 a bottle). Nasty stuff (so the bottle says) but much faster. Great for Gundams, it melts the plastic for a moment and rehardens it in about 10 seconds! Then all you do is sand off the excess no filling necessary! I also use both gel and liquid super glue which I hear is the same as CA. Is that true?

(Edit: Correct my post. Full of spelling errors. I post from work so i am often posting in a hurry!LOL)

Nice to see the step-by-step Lyran coming into shape.  Very cool.  Will really like to see how you use "artistic license" to trick it out and work over detail features.  I used to have a headache trying to figger out how those Star Fleet Battles ships might look way back when playing the game in the late 80s/early 90s.

QUESTION FOR THE EX-SPERTS!

In doing the 1/1000 Conny-prise, what would you suggest for getting the plate pattern effect on that "just-too-featureless surface?"

Woody, sign me up for the Group Build.  I'm working on two subjects:

1. Accurised AMT/Ertl Enterprise D

2. Starcrafts Oberth-Class, marked as the U.S.S. Tsiolkovski

Fish-Head Aric wrote:

Nice to see the step-by-step Lyran coming into shape.  Very cool.  Will really like to see how you use "artistic license" to trick it out and work over detail features.  I used to have a headache trying to figger out how those Star Fleet Battles ships might look way back when playing the game in the late 80s/early 90s. QUESTION FOR THE EX-SPERTS! In doing the 1/1000 Conny-prise, what would you suggest for getting the plate pattern effect on that "just-too-featureless surface?"

Thanks Aric. I haven't given too much thought to the sceme. My last one(at 3' long) had a simple tiger strip pattern. I may dig into a "Aircraft of the World" book I have for a scheme.

As to the pattern on your Conny, do you mean like on the Defiant in the mirror universe on Enterprise?

ProfKSergeev wrote:

Woody, sign me up for the Group Build.  I'm working on two subjects: 1. Accurised AMT/Ertl Enterprise D 2. Starcrafts Oberth-Class, marked as the U.S.S. Tsiolkovski

That's great news indeed but Master Aric is calling the shots on this one.

Hey there new guy here.  I'm in.  I've been meaning to give my first try at lighting a kit and I figure the klingon bird of prey would be a good start.  Lets rock and roll. 

                                                                                    TL

StevenQ wrote:

Fish-Head Aric wrote: Nice to see the step-by-step Lyran coming into shape.  Very cool.  Will really like to see how you use "artistic license" to trick it out and work over detail features.  I used to have a headache trying to figger out how those Star Fleet Battles ships might look way back when playing the game in the late 80s/early 90s. QUESTION FOR THE EX-SPERTS! In doing the 1/1000 Conny-prise, what would you suggest for getting the plate pattern effect on that "just-too-featureless surface?" Thanks Aric. I haven't given too much thought to the sceme. My last one(at 3' long) had a simple tiger strip pattern. I may dig into a "Aircraft of the World" book I have for a scheme. As to the pattern on your Conny, do you mean like on the Defiant in the mirror universe on Enterprise?

Does anyone know where I can find pics of the Enterprise TOS Defiant. I saw the episode and it made me fall in love with the "Old Grey Lady". But I can't find pics.

Woody wrote:

That's great news indeed but Master Aric is calling the shots on this one.

Oops, sorry!  Should have paid better attention to the thread.  Well, Fish-Head Aric, if you'd sign me up, I'd be grateful.  Thanks!

Lauren Oliver

Ummm, Woody... Thanks fer the Ego Boost, but I only have one person that call me Master... and she's not here ;)

ProfKSergeev,
Welcome to the Build! Will get you plopped into the first message with the Roster. 

deathbringer,
Welcome aboard, getting you on the head count.  Any details on model kit, etc?

The count just keeps rising.  It's really too bad that the Star Trek model theme has been run into the ground, eh?  Just kidding.

StevenQ wrote:

....As to the pattern on your Conny, do you mean like on the Defiant in the mirror universe on Enterprise?

I haven't seen the Defiant episode of "Enterprise," but would really like to see that episode as I really liked the "Mirror Mirror" from TOS.  By plate patterns, I mean along the lines of this shot from the Smithsonian Enterprise... like this link:

http://www.culttvman.com/assets/images-STAR_TREK-2005/mwsmithenterprise11.JPG

Of course the scale of the 1/1000 ship means being much, much more simplistic, but I was just now wondering if just using a fine line pencil might look good, and somehow maybe a light rub to fade it slightly.  Maybe a clear coat to seal it on?  What do you guys thing? 

As for my quandary on how to make viable small rectangular windows, am going to try drilling small holes and squaring them on some spare styrene, and if it works draw out the windows and do the same on the model itself.

I have only attempted cutting out square windows once on the green Arcadia from Captain Harlock. Took a lot of patience and an exacto knife and I finally got tired. All I learned was not to try that again on such a small model. It's about the same size as the 1/1000 Enterprise, however the plastic was much thinner. The plastic on the E is easy to sand but very thick. But still don't give up there maybe a solution. You could cut and place reflective tape in the windows and black out the ones that are unlit. I I think I heard that trick on some site but I can't remeber where. Here is an adavnced way to make windows (complex for me anyway) but it will require masking the area when done.

http://culttvman.com/clear_windows_by_dave_hackett.html

Is this what you're aiming for?

http://www.starshipmodeler.org/gallery8/gb_entp.htm

StevenQ wrote:

Is this what you're aiming for? http://www.starshipmodeler.org/gallery8/gb_entp.htm

That look with the plate lines and all, the overall look of that model is what I am after, yes. 

My biggest challenge in paint scheme is that I am not using airbrushes.  So am thinking on techniques limited to rattle cans and such..

As for windows, am wanting to make some of the windows lit from within if possible, and some will be dark as though the room is not occupied.  Therefore after I have the windows cut right (how ever I end up doing that...) I am thinking of filling the holes with a clear filler, then paint them with the white colored glaze paint similar to what I did with the nacelle dome lighting in previous posting some messages back.  That should give the sense of lighting without being solid looking, but not transparent either.  I did repaint the nacelle dome that had the run in it, and it came out nicely.  The port and starboard lights on the saucer (red and green respectively) will have those small lightbulbs mounted next to them as well to allow them to glow.  I tested that and it works well.  I have to get a replacement red glaze-paint because the container I had as a part of the multi-color set from Michaels was dried up.

Thanks for posting that website.  The builder did a fine job, and while he didn't go to building in deep detail, he did show the results and give a general overview of some of his work.  More than anything the detail painting really is sharp, eh?