Polar Lights 1/350 TOS Enterprise build resumed

[Chrisisall]

Sometime in 2020 I purchased this kit, and the lighting for it. I did some assembly, and all the light blocking. Then life interfered, and I lost momentum.
Now after a few phasers & stuff, I wanna finish it. But suddenly, I find I want to go old school with it. I wanna make a model, not an electronic replica of the filming miniature. Just a simple (albeit big) model. I know some will say, "How could you NOT light it?"
Basically, I want it to look good all the time, not just when it's lit.
I wanna walk by it and smile without having to flip a switch on, and then off as I go to appreciate it.
In short, a model like I made in the 70's- just bigger, more accurate & not with the droopy nacelles.

 

[Millenniumf]

Nice start so far! When you say you want to make a model and not an electronic replica of the filming miniature, I'm curious what you mean. Do you mean going full-out with effects and making it something that represents what the Enterprise looks like to you as opposed to just replicating the filming miniature? Regardless, I am looking forward to seeing the results!

 

[Chrisisall]

Nice start so far! When you say you want to make a model and not an electronic replica of the filming miniature, I'm curious what you mean. Do you mean going full-out with effects and making it something that represents what the Enterprise looks like to you as opposed to just replicating the filming miniature? Regardless, I am looking forward to seeing the results!

I mean I started out making models. I have lit stuff for clients, but filming miniature replicas have a shelf life. LED's fail, motors die, and some day my kids would inherit something that wouldn't work. But a static model will always work, because it's made to look great without power or motors. Just throw light at it.
The paint. The paint's the thing. Wherein I will catch the conscience of the king!

 

[Chrisisall]

Checking the Aztek Dummy vinyl paint masks...

 

[Chrisisall]

Today I did fitting, a touch of sanding, and re-familiarizing myself with this kit & the parts that still need assembly. I glued one small piece into the secondary hull. I taped the saucer section in prep for when I glue it (just to make it easier to put together- it's a bit finicky).
The seams that will need to be attended to will be extensive, especially the one around the saucer. Even without lighting it, it's a big job.

 

[alensatemybuick]

I mean I started out making models. I have lit stuff for clients, but filming miniature replicas have a shelf life. LED's fail, motors die, and some day my kids would inherit something that wouldn't work. But a static model will always work, because it's made to look great without power or motors. Just throw light at it.
The paint. The paint's the thing. Wherein I will catch the conscience of the king!

You mean the conscience of the offspring?

Not at all questioning your build, since it's...your build (!), that and I am not a great modeler myself, but a fully lit model can still look pretty amazing even when "off:"

 

[Chrisisall]

You mean the conscience of the offspring?

Not at all questioning your build, since it's...your build (!), that and I am not a great modeler myself, but a fully lit model can still look pretty amazing even when "off:"

Nah, the bussards would be orange-ish gray & the windows all dark gray. It would look like what it would be- a filming miniature replica turned off. Fully painted up, it will look 'on' all the time.
(That offspring bit was funny, btw)

 

[alensatemybuick]

Nah, the bussards would be orange-ish gray & the windows all dark gray. It would look like what it would be- a filming miniature replica turned off. Fully painted up, it will look 'on' all the time.
(That offspring bit was funny, btw)

Cool; I look forward to seeing what you come up with when it comes to "lit bussards" as a painted effect.

 

[Chrisisall]

Cool; I look forward to seeing what you come up with when it comes to "lit bussards" as a painted effect.

Me too....

 

[Chrisisall]

Okay, important to consider: I was just doing more pre-fitting with the idea that I'd just start gluing immediately, and it suddenly hit me that some areas I had light blocked needed to be glued for structural integrity. The saucer section is rather weighty and can't afford to be loose in any way. So instead of gluing it I did extensive search & destroy of surfaces that needed paint sanded off so the glue holds well. Also, since I'm not lighting it I was planning on not bothering with the assembly behind the bussards, but I also realized that that would be a mistake because any weight in front would be better to balance (as much as possible) the back end (I'm thinking long term here).

 

[Chrisisall]

The major pieces are glued together. Tomorrow I'll begin seam fill (the most important part as far as I'm concerned).
All dried, tape off. I added a reinforcement inside the secondary hull because the edges of the neck receptor area in the there didn't go flush together. Not wanting to be anal, but not wanting problems down the road either. Primary hull went together well, but must sterilize seam. Ster-il-ize....

 

[Chrisisall]

After a quick surface sanding... My Goddess! It's like a micro Grand Canyon. This ain't your usual sand & done seam, but I expected that. This will take some time...