Group Build "Star Trek Free For All" Early 2006

COUNT ME IN BOYS!  This has given me the opportunity to build my movie era Constitution Class refit/upgrade to Next Generation/DS9/Voyager standards. Here is my work so far...

First I have modified the deflector by cutting it out and replacing it with a soft drink bottle cap creating an Enterprise-B type deflector. The innner lineing will be painted alumminum like on the B...

http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c191/MartianGundamModeler/deflectorbottlecap.jpg

http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c191/MartianGundamModeler/deflectorassembled.jpg

I have also removed the bridge, sanded and filled the holes and cut out a hole for the new submerged bridge...

http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c191/MartianGundamModeler/saucertop.jpg

The warp nacel pylons have been flipped and lowered to the mid line and the prior holes smoothe and filled along with most of the surface tiles. I am going for that Intrepid Class smooth grey skin....

http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c191/MartianGundamModeler/profilestarboardc.jpg

http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c191/MartianGundamModeler/portprofilephotorp.jpg

http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c191/MartianGundamModeler/portprofilefront.jpg

http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c191/MartianGundamModeler/secondaryfronttop.jpg

http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c191/MartianGundamModeler/secondaryhullbelly.jpg

http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c191/MartianGundamModeler/secondaryheadon.jpg

bigjimslade wrote:

I'd avoid an Aztek. Worst painting implement I've ever bought. You can get a Paache or Badger double action at a reasonable price. Throw in an air compressor from Sears or Home Depot. $100-$200.

I heard that Aztek brushes aren't very good but then again a couple of people have praised them.  I use a Badger double-action and I get great results.  The compressor i have is from Micro-Mark.  Not very expensive and cheaper than the Home Depot ones.  Everyone I have talked to about airbrushing says for beginners or someone with a limited budget, Paasche or Badge is the way to go.  If you go to the Painting Forum here in FSM Forums do a search on Aztek Airbrushes or just airbrushes and you will get a lot of information. 

I'd avoid an Aztek. Worst painting implement I've ever bought. You can get a Paache or Badger double action at a reasonable price. Throw in an air compressor from Sears or Home Depot. $100-$200.

Everything I do is in 1/1000 scale. It's the perfect scale for me. It doesn't take up too much self space but the models are big enough to lavish detail on.

Thanks. No that was a project I put on a back burner because somebody else offered it as a kit. It is the Avenger Class from Masao's website. It's also the vessel in my sig.  I will finish it when I stop feeling so disappointed about somebody beating me to the punch.

This is the light cruiser I'm going to be doing.

Woody wrote:

SNOOPY wrote: Thanks Woody!  That is something I did not think about of course now I have to see if I can get the Waldron or Specialty hole puncher set.  I tried making discs by cutting out octagonal shapes and doing the drilling of the center and chucking up into a rotory tool and use a file to make it into a circle/disc.  It works okay but your suggestion will probably work better since the laminates will be thicker than my .020 thick disc I was trying to make.  Any suggestion now on how I places the discs so that they are concentric (center being the same on each size disc)? Is not this the way you made the saucer section on your last build or was there more to it?  I would have tried one with a saucer section but have not gotten past the "I cannot make that shape unless I have expensive fancy equipment" feeling. One last thing.  How did you get my sketch to actually show up instead of showing the URL link?  First off to have the discs concentric I would start by making a dimple in my sheet plastic with the tip of a very sharp #11 blade. Place one point of a pair of drafting dividers in the dimple and use the other point to scribe the desired circle. After you have the discs cut out use the center dimple to guide your drill for the center hole. I used this technique to make the Avengers saucer section. I copied your drawing to my hard drive and opened it with paint to modify your picture. I then hosted it on my account and reposted it using that URL. The modifications I made to your picture didn't show up very good. Sorry bout that.

Woody - Thanks for the tips.  I think my build will go a little smoother now.

SNOOPY wrote:

Thanks Woody!  That is something I did not think about of course now I have to see if I can get the Waldron or Specialty hole puncher set.  I tried making discs by cutting out octagonal shapes and doing the drilling of the center and chucking up into a rotory tool and use a file to make it into a circle/disc.  It works okay but your suggestion will probably work better since the laminates will be thicker than my .020 thick disc I was trying to make.  Any suggestion now on how I places the discs so that they are concentric (center being the same on each size disc)? Is not this the way you made the saucer section on your last build or was there more to it?  I would have tried one with a saucer section but have not gotten past the "I cannot make that shape unless I have expensive fancy equipment" feeling. One last thing.  How did you get my sketch to actually show up instead of showing the URL link?

First off to have the discs concentric I would start by making a dimple in my sheet plastic with the tip of a very sharp #11 blade. Place one point of a pair of drafting dividers in the dimple and use the other point to scribe the desired circle. After you have the discs cut out use the center dimple to guide your drill for the center hole.

I used this technique to make the Avengers saucer section.

I copied your drawing to my hard drive and opened it with paint to modify your picture. I then hosted it on my account and reposted it using that URL. The modifications I made to your picture didn't show up very good. Sorry bout that.

Ooops, Double post.

Thanks Woody!  That is something I did not think about of course now I have to see if I can get the Waldron or Specialty hole puncher set.  I tried making discs by cutting out octagonal shapes and doing the drilling of the center and chucking up into a rotory tool and use a file to make it into a circle/disc.  It works okay but your suggestion will probably work better since the laminates will be thicker than my .020 thick disc I was trying to make.  Any suggestion now on how I places the discs so that they are concentric (center being the same on each size disc)?

Is not this the way you made the saucer section on your last build or was there more to it?  I would have tried one with a saucer section but have not gotten past the "I cannot make that shape unless I have expensive fancy equipment" feeling.

One last thing.  How did you get my sketch to actually show up instead of showing the URL link? 

SNOOPY wrote:

I am in the build process of the Daedalus (I was unable to start in the last group build) but I am having problems trying to get the prpoer part made.  I have included a link to photobucket of the sketch of the part. http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y134/SDL/dad-1.jpg  Any ideas on how to make this part would be helpful.   Scott

Well Scott I'll tell you what I would do. I would cut discs of styrene out and glue them together in a stack.

I would then drill a hole dead center in the stack that will except a bolt that sticks out about an inch. I would then put a nut on the bolt and snug it up. Chuck the bolt in a drill or drill press and grab a dremel with a small course sanding drum attached. As the disc assembly rotates I would remove the waste or high spots until I have the profile I want. Does this make sense?

Hmmm, maybe cut the bottom of a plastic container or cup.

This build will give me the oportunity to do my AMT Refit Enterprise kit bash. I have two. One will be a Nex Gen upgrad constitution and the other a movie era custom. I'll have to decide on which. I also have litte NX enterprise waiting to be bult. That aztec pattern gives me the willies just thinking about it!LOL

I am in the build process of the Daedalus (I was unable to start in the last group build) but I am having problems trying to get the prpoer part made.  I have included a link to photobucket of the sketch of the part. http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y134/SDL/dad-1.jpg  Any ideas on how to make this part would be helpful.

Scott

As to the lighting of other areas of the model, the pack I bought with the glazing paint has red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple, and two white (fogged) colors, so will be using these to give the shades of colored translucence where ever a light will work. 

The photo of the lit nacelle dome above is not doing the right justice to the actual appearance.  The glow is more diffused, and there is not such a bright core look as it seems to show there.  But will mess with that when I get it all together.

Yah, I too have been very busy and not able to give this ship the attention it begs yet, beyond coating the insides of the model for light resistance from within.  I tried rattle-can painting the parts but >gawd< that was an overspray nightmare!  Only the top half of the saucer section came out smoothe!  Rest of it got the rag-wipe treatment!  eeww what a mess.  Back to ground zero on paint.  Am seriously weighing buying an airbrush, but don't want to cough up a lung to do it, so don't have any idea what is reasonable and good without breaking the bank.

Playing with lightbulbs and "glass glaze paint"... for the PL 1/1000 TOS Enterprise:

The lightbulbs (from Michael's Village Crafts):

Lightbulb - Unlit

Lightbulb - Lit

Nacelle with orange frost-glaze paint

This bulb was lit with 2 AA batteries.  The bulbs don't get hot hot, just warm to touch.  I will be using them to light up the bridge, the "port and starboard" saucer lights, and thinking on putting window holes into the hull for more light, if I can do it in a way that isn't cheesey-looking.

Bingo!! Thanks Woody. I just needed to see what compoments were assigned to each area of detail. They're not called out on the plan views, just colors to paint them. Thanks a heap.

My bad I guess I was thinking that the paint guides would be more useful for a scratchbuilding reference. Maybe these will be of use.

http://img210.imageshack.us/img210/2292/scan00022oo.jpg

http://img372.imageshack.us/img372/8418/scan00036bz.jpg

http://img372.imageshack.us/img372/9730/scan00041dj.jpg

http://img372.imageshack.us/img372/2090/scan00055zc.jpg