Building The Death Star - PRODUCTION

Heres where I'm at with the lights on the upper dome...

051215 002.jpg
 
So, not sure if I'm mentioned before (probabaly have), but the process for the lights is pretty straight forward...

Through various sources I (as you know) have a fairly extensive collection of images of the original - shots I've taken, published images, etcetera.

I have a PC set up in the shop, and am simply finding the most revealing image I have of the area I'm working on, and duplicate the lights, hole by hole. Once I've exhausted all the clearly discernible lights shown in the image, I'll move to the next image; wash, rinse, repeat. There is notable content overlap between images, so I am able to "cross-reference" all the lights in each city block across multiple images to help insure I have got them all accounted for, and drilled into my model.
 
Couple hundred more lights tonight...

By the way, as a reminder, I left a trapezoid of crystal clear (not even hazed) acrylic in the back of the upper dome (access hole for lights is in the back of the lower dome). left the open window as an homage to the fact that the original is clear acrylic on the entire rear 40% of the sphere.

But...

I am 95% sure I'm going to paint over this, and close it up (primer >>> silver >>> base grey), and maybe even do city blocks and lights. But rest easy; if I go the full route (city blocks and lights), it will be after ALL else is done.
 
Unbelievable project. I am sure you mentioned this before, but what type and color temperature of lights are you using inside? I assume the availability of relatively cheap bright cool led lamp bulbs reduces any concerns about heat buildup? And you will not need to replace them as often.
 
moffeaton said:
So is it almost a form of meditation to do the work at this point?
Click to expand...

It really is, Jason...

As you know, I'd taken some time away, and most recently when I started up doing lights again, I was thinking "Gawd, this is tedious and boring and will take me forever!". But after only a day or two, I'm in the groove, and fall into a "zen-like" mode drilling holes.

Even though the actual drilling itself is broken up by comparing where I am to reference, and tallying up the number of holes drilled on my count sheet, I still fall into a rythym.
 
belloq said:
Unbelievable project. I am sure you mentioned this before, but what type and color temperature of lights are you using inside? I assume the availability of relatively cheap bright cool led lamp bulbs reduces any concerns about heat buildup? And you will not need to replace them as often.
Click to expand...

Currently I have four incandescent bulbs (not sure of the wattage).

They produce the correct yellow/gold color temp for the model. To the eye, the amount of light emitting from each hole seems just right, compared to how the model should look in our mind's eye (and screen caps). Not sure if there is enough light for a movie camera - highly doubt it, and don't want that much light anyway, as in person it would not look right (and would probabaly melt my acrylic!).

The four incandescents DO generate heat. The exterior surface gets warm to mildly hot after about 20 minutes. But even after an hour or so, there is no concern of deformation of the acrylic. Its fairly robust. But after I'd drilled all the lights, I will revisit the interior lighting, and see if I can find a cooler source that provides as much light in the right color temperature.

There is a hole in the back of the lower dome, larger than the dish, that gives me access to the light sockets.
 
Cool. I have been testing some Cree lamp bulbs from Home Depot over the past year. They have equivalents to incandescent 40, 60, 75 and 100 watts. The "warm" 2700K color temperature is the one you want. They are dimmable and MUCH cooler and efficient than incandescent. They range $7-$20 each. I find the quality of the led light inferior to incandescent regarding the colors reflected in its light (it washes out some colors, especially red,) but they would be perfect for your needs.
 
I see you're working on your lights....Iike I have been tonight. Thanks for the pics. Any new pics you take can help me as well, so keep going....ha.
 
looks fantastic sir. The incandescents would freak me out.......I would go with warm white LED bulbs. They give the same color light as the incandescent and none of the heat. Probably have to be replaced much less often as well. You'll find them in the hardware stores with all the other light bulbs.
 

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