USS Cygnus 1/700 - The Black Hole
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szarchie
Well-Known Member
Cheers! Have to give credit to my son on that one. It was his idea and it worked out really well.
I started collecting parts for this model when Primitive Dave and Krennem were working out the kinks. then as usual, life gets in the way, I’ve finally ordered everything that’s at Shapeways and will finally have the exterior ‘kit’. I’ve seen the armature setup you have used and the updated PDF files on the thread. Can you give a little more detail on where you got the armature info and who is the group who cut the pieces? I am a machinist and can scratch out all of the ‘light boxes’ if I have to. However, I’m getting lazy in my older years. Nice model you’ve done.
szarchie
Well-Known Member
I used a company called Pololu (Pololu Robotics and Electronics) to cut the acrylic armature for me. The plans for the center and stern sections were what Primitive Dave published. The bow section was never completed properly. I did get plans for the bow somethere but its been years now so I don't remember where I got them from. But they needed work as the fit to the center section was not right. That's called out in the build thread. My son was able to design some parts and it was a bit of trial and error to get it all sorted out. Its not a perfect fit but unless you were looking closely I can get away with it.
Thanks for the clarification on pololu. You won’t believe how many companies you get on google just searching Polou. I’ll check Dave’s old forum for other info. Back in the day I was trying to rework the MPC offering into a lighted version. I thought that the results were pretty good considering I was learning stuff on the way. I used thin white sheet styrene painted a shade of yellow. I liked the results.
However, time passed, interest was lost and events changed my modeling direction. I posted on that thread today for the first time in years mainly to bring the story there to an end.
However, time passed, interest was lost and events changed my modeling direction. I posted on that thread today for the first time in years mainly to bring the story there to an end.
szarchie
Well-Known Member
Just saw your post and I am very sorry to hear about your wife. Life really is fragile. Its important to make the most of it and enjoy the here and now. Never know what tomorrow will bring of if there even is a tomorrow. Take care of yourself!
Wow, that really was an amazing run at the MPC Cygnus. I have two of the kits and and upgrade "kit" from a guy called Bob Green. Not sure I will ever get to it given that I did the Primitive Dave one. But your work is stellar. Would loved to have seen it finished. Did you sell it?
Wow, that really was an amazing run at the MPC Cygnus. I have two of the kits and and upgrade "kit" from a guy called Bob Green. Not sure I will ever get to it given that I did the Primitive Dave one. But your work is stellar. Would loved to have seen it finished. Did you sell it?
Thanks. Life is short and odd sometimes. When we were dating in the early eighties, Monique told me she did not expect to live to an old age. Pretty heavy stuff to hear when you’re 19. It would get mentioned on and off until we hit our 30’s. However, in the hospital (after reality set in) Monique reminded me of her premonition. She was 58.
As for my Cygnus project. My mindset was to make hard choices and learn to do the half of my life that she took care of. At the same exact time, I hand to relocate all my hobby kits and tools from my shop to my small home due to ownership change. All of the project parts and molds got tossed along with many other projects that had ground to a halt. Early on I did sell my last Cygnus kit along with two Venator star destroyer kits and other high value subjects. I had done the same with my high powered rocketry stuff about four years before when my wife left the family business in a disagreement with my folks (which put an end to the thought of taking over the business). I had a lot of rocket stuff at the shop and had to do what the government has a tendency to do… toss a bunch of stuff. A lighter load in case I had to make an escape. Sorry, to much in the weeds here.
Now that it’s been just over a year and I’m finding myself in the new now (and have a better grasp on my finances), I’m now acquiring model subjects that were out of reach or interest. I did reacquire two Cygnus and one Venator kits just in case I get the bug. Meanwhile, I’m looking forward to the 1/700 scale Cygnus. Apologies for being wordy, but if you read my other posts, I like to exercise my creative writing gene.
As for my Cygnus project. My mindset was to make hard choices and learn to do the half of my life that she took care of. At the same exact time, I hand to relocate all my hobby kits and tools from my shop to my small home due to ownership change. All of the project parts and molds got tossed along with many other projects that had ground to a halt. Early on I did sell my last Cygnus kit along with two Venator star destroyer kits and other high value subjects. I had done the same with my high powered rocketry stuff about four years before when my wife left the family business in a disagreement with my folks (which put an end to the thought of taking over the business). I had a lot of rocket stuff at the shop and had to do what the government has a tendency to do… toss a bunch of stuff. A lighter load in case I had to make an escape. Sorry, to much in the weeds here.
Now that it’s been just over a year and I’m finding myself in the new now (and have a better grasp on my finances), I’m now acquiring model subjects that were out of reach or interest. I did reacquire two Cygnus and one Venator kits just in case I get the bug. Meanwhile, I’m looking forward to the 1/700 scale Cygnus. Apologies for being wordy, but if you read my other posts, I like to exercise my creative writing gene.
szarchie
Well-Known Member
So sorry. 58 is very young. Well my definition of old changes as I get older. I hit mid 50s this year. Glad that you seem to be finding your feet and the hobby is of interest again. Please post progress pics on your 1/700 Cygnus build. Its one of my all time favorites and I would love to see your take on it.
And family stuff can be some of the hardest to deal with. Hang in there!!!
You’re right about the family stuff. I had a half hour ride home with the wife and she was a fire brand. At the time I disliked both sides of the conflict. I miss it/her now.
I found the PDF files and even upgraded my membership to avoid the annoying adds. It’ll be a couple of weeks before the exterior parts arrive. I did lay out the upper half parts that I have. I’ve had my bow section for several years . It sat (stuck together) near my TV for a while. Got to remember to see if I can wash the dust discoloration off of it.
I found the PDF files and even upgraded my membership to avoid the annoying adds. It’ll be a couple of weeks before the exterior parts arrive. I did lay out the upper half parts that I have. I’ve had my bow section for several years . It sat (stuck together) near my TV for a while. Got to remember to see if I can wash the dust discoloration off of it.
szarchie
Well-Known Member
Its great seeing the "fresh" parts like that again. Brings back memories. Its a tough but fun build and Primitive Dave really did an amazing job. Would be great if he was still around as I would like to thank him. If I was to do it again I would engineer some way to have a metal rod going through the whole thing from bow to stern. The acrylic armature is good but the bow and stern end up having some weight to them and its got the potential to droop. Easier said than done perhaps but something to think about as you construct yours.
szarchie
Well-Known Member
I used the dark green color: Amazon.com
Not really the right color but the ship was darkly lit so I went with it.
I was thinking dark green. The color you picked matches up well with the Palomino flyby scene early in the film. Many years back, there was an MPC Cygnus that was posted somewhere (I can’t remember) that the builder painted the silver abomination as the ship with the lights out. Shades of greens with greys/gray and some nice weathering. I posted pictures of all of the Cygnus models that I could find when I was doing my MPC Cygnus project, however, I couldn’t find the lights out model.
I can tell you why 308 Bits domes are so expensive… they are meant for the bigger 1/350 scale model. How do I know… I bought them using the description and just assumed that the dimensions were in error. My bad for not reaching out for clarification. However, the info for his domes and antenna boxes is not accurate. Don’t get me wrong, I’m posting this because I used this info for my parts acquisition. I’ve reached out to the artist on Shapeways about this error. Picture below.
Okay, let me finish this item. I reached out to 308 Bits and he has corrected the issue. Both sizes (350 and 700) are now available. I’ve ordered the new size and will know soon. Also plan to give him the proper height of the shorter antenna boxes when I get the,parts.
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