Zvezda Star Destroyer-a WIP
- Thread starter Robiwon
- Start date
Well I got the package of concave LEDs that I bought off eBay from a seller in Germany. The envelope contained heat shrink tubing, resistors and an invoice.......but no LEDs! There was a sealed Mylar pouch that was empty. I have contacted the seller thru eBay. Will wait a few days to see whet their response is.
Doh! He had one job!
WarpeD
Active Member
Looking forward to learning how you intend to paint the SD, Robiwon - in terms of procedure in dealing with the preplaced fiber optics. Since one isn't going to mask the FO, and you can't slice off an FO porthole that's in a recess (if using the "leave it long, paint and trim method), there has to be a trick that I cannot deduce. I am but a padawan learner when it comes to some of this stuff - and way out of practice.
WarpeD
Active Member
Indeed you do. Sorry for missing the images on page 5 - need to scan slower. I'm getting the goodies in the pipeline for the assault on this kit. Currently estimating how much .5mm FO strand to get. Definitely part of the fun!
Edit: Found my answer - somewhere between 150 to 200 feet or so. Extra will be good for practicing on stuff from the bash stash.
This is a really good build thread, thanks for going to the trouble. The kit itself OOB is pretty doggone good from everything I've seen, and from a build standpoint, pretty easy. I need easy when getting back into the hobby at long last. The FO looks to be tedious, voluminous and relatively forgiving of a noob given the simplicity of the task, as log as one uses the right tools, as you say. I'm in no rush to complete this, but figure I need something to absorb the impact of seeing Rogue One finally for the first time two days ago. Hit me with the same creative zing that Star Wars first did to me back in 1977. Talk about nostalgia. Then I find this beast from Russia...
Edit: Found my answer - somewhere between 150 to 200 feet or so. Extra will be good for practicing on stuff from the bash stash.
This is a really good build thread, thanks for going to the trouble. The kit itself OOB is pretty doggone good from everything I've seen, and from a build standpoint, pretty easy. I need easy when getting back into the hobby at long last. The FO looks to be tedious, voluminous and relatively forgiving of a noob given the simplicity of the task, as log as one uses the right tools, as you say. I'm in no rush to complete this, but figure I need something to absorb the impact of seeing Rogue One finally for the first time two days ago. Hit me with the same creative zing that Star Wars first did to me back in 1977. Talk about nostalgia. Then I find this beast from Russia...
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Yes, practise makes perfect. Get extra fiber. I bought a 5 foot cable with 32 strands. That equals 160 feet. I pushed it with that. I would grab a 10 foot cable. Cable seems easier to use than a spool where you have to cut every strand individually.
I highly recommend the Tamiya Handy Drill over a Dremel, less chance of melting while drilling. See my mod for using a bit that small in the Handy Drill.
Any questions, just ask away.
LETS GET MORE BUILDS GOING!
I highly recommend the Tamiya Handy Drill over a Dremel, less chance of melting while drilling. See my mod for using a bit that small in the Handy Drill.
Any questions, just ask away.
LETS GET MORE BUILDS GOING!
Scarecrow Joe
Sr Member
What is this mod you talk about with the Tamiya drill?
WarpeD
Active Member
<Teal'c> Indeed. </Teal'c>
Too late on the cable - I've got 200' in looped coming. Saves the de-jacketing process, anyway. I do have that little Tamiya drill gun coming, and also have a bitty drill press I'll be using quite a lot, I think. 24 drill bits too.
To make matters worse, I downloaded the 3D model that the Anigrand SD is allegedly based upon. That will give me good detailing ideas, at least. I want to do an R1/Ep4 version as much as is practical. That means including the three vanes on each of the main engines and whatever else that's an obvious detail. Would love to redo the whole front of the bridge, but I think it better to get to the "done" stage sooner rather than later. That will start the dominoes falling....it's the first one that's the hardest. I need to not be afraid too, as Dave Guertin once wisely advised me. Taking the plunge...might even start my own build thread for everyone's amusement!
Too late on the cable - I've got 200' in looped coming. Saves the de-jacketing process, anyway. I do have that little Tamiya drill gun coming, and also have a bitty drill press I'll be using quite a lot, I think. 24 drill bits too.
To make matters worse, I downloaded the 3D model that the Anigrand SD is allegedly based upon. That will give me good detailing ideas, at least. I want to do an R1/Ep4 version as much as is practical. That means including the three vanes on each of the main engines and whatever else that's an obvious detail. Would love to redo the whole front of the bridge, but I think it better to get to the "done" stage sooner rather than later. That will start the dominoes falling....it's the first one that's the hardest. I need to not be afraid too, as Dave Guertin once wisely advised me. Taking the plunge...might even start my own build thread for everyone's amusement!
PHArchivist
Master Member
Every single light (all 15,000 so far) in the Death Star has been hand-drilled; a Dremel chuck held in my figners and hand-spun... For whatever that's worth...!
Does the kit give a typical off-the-shelf model kit sense, or does it feel more like a studio-scale kit (even though it is not)...?
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Here is a good analogy I think. Its like a Monogram model car from the 80's. If you ever built one, you know what I mean. Nice large parts, nicely detailed but not overly so, fit is near perfect but not fiddly, when finished you had a nice solid model car that sat right.
This kit has very nice molded in detail. They could have added more scale fidelity y making many parts as multi piece assemblies, like the hanger and engine block. But, this would have added much cost to the kit by requiring more molds cut. Zvezda compromised some areas to keep cost down on such a large kit. If they had done like a Bandai kit with everything as separate parts the cost of the kit would be double or higher. It's an excellent kit as is, but also lends itself easily to being super detailed. Fir those who can't afford an RC or even the Ani, this kit is perfect. That's my two cents.... your mileage may vary....
This kit has very nice molded in detail. They could have added more scale fidelity y making many parts as multi piece assemblies, like the hanger and engine block. But, this would have added much cost to the kit by requiring more molds cut. Zvezda compromised some areas to keep cost down on such a large kit. If they had done like a Bandai kit with everything as separate parts the cost of the kit would be double or higher. It's an excellent kit as is, but also lends itself easily to being super detailed. Fir those who can't afford an RC or even the Ani, this kit is perfect. That's my two cents.... your mileage may vary....
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Scarecrow Joe
Sr Member
Oh I see. I now know why my bit get broken so much. They are smaller than what you are using here. What size is that bit? I decided to go with smaller, only slighter bigger, bit than the optic fiber diameter itself. The hole is much more delicate and the fiber kind of grabs better and stays there.
PHArchivist
Master Member
Brilliant!
Testing the remote control lighting.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nC5pdr9w-sg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nC5pdr9w-sg
Goodtime
Active Member
I'm very limited in my electrical experience. The models I've lit in the past have worked out very well in spite of my experience. If you dont mind me asking, what are you using to control / vary the brightness of the LED's?I've used variable resisters in the past if I wanted some LED's dimmer than others but being able to change them with a remote switch is brilliant!
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