Polar Lights 1:350 Enterprise refit - my build up
- Thread starter ob1al
- Start date
opal1970
Well-Known Member
hey Orb1al,
that is looking very nice indeed. I noticed that you have two microcontrollers along with capasitors etc. on your strobe board, what is your setup? It is probably too late now to go back and change but if space is a problem you should be able to run your green & Red nav LEDs and the white strobes all from one microcontroller chip alone without all that other stuff.
that is looking very nice indeed. I noticed that you have two microcontrollers along with capasitors etc. on your strobe board, what is your setup? It is probably too late now to go back and change but if space is a problem you should be able to run your green & Red nav LEDs and the white strobes all from one microcontroller chip alone without all that other stuff.
jedimaster
Sr Member
Never thought I'd say this but you have inspired me to build.. A ... Cough, cough, Star Trek.. Cough model. This is an awesome build and I have decided to pick one of these puppies up. Gonna get the resin hangar bay kit and the lighting kit also me thinks. Great work.
ob1al
Sr Member
Thanks guys. Jedimaster, glad to hear your tackling the same build! It's an endurance trial alright, but I think it'll be worth it in the end.
I've had a spell off to work on some other projects as I was feeling a bit of Enterprise burn-out, but today I worked on a couple of small details so I guess I'm officially back into it. I think hand wiring all the lights took so long that I ended up being sick of the sight of the thing, but absence makes the heart grow fonder.
This week I'm hoping to glue together all the sub-assemblies and start the masking and painting of the entire ship.
I realise that I still have a way to go, but it feels like the finish line is becoming a reality rather than a vague notion. That's got to be a good thing, right?
I've had a spell off to work on some other projects as I was feeling a bit of Enterprise burn-out, but today I worked on a couple of small details so I guess I'm officially back into it. I think hand wiring all the lights took so long that I ended up being sick of the sight of the thing, but absence makes the heart grow fonder.
This week I'm hoping to glue together all the sub-assemblies and start the masking and painting of the entire ship.
I realise that I still have a way to go, but it feels like the finish line is becoming a reality rather than a vague notion. That's got to be a good thing, right?
Garbaron
New Member
I hear you!
I was so glad when I did the final soldering on her saucer /secondary hull power connectors that I immediately put the solder iron in to storage when I was finished.
I will have to unbury it one more time to install the NAV/ACL circuits but all in all I am done.
But doing the electronics yourself is a tough thing to do and can easily burn you out on the kit. I paused on the construction because of the soldering more than once. Same goes for the putty / sanding routine, there comes the day when you just have had enough on trying to get rid of seams.
But in the end it all pays out:
So keep your head up and know, you will be so proud once you have her assembled that you forget about the annoyances you had to go through to get there.
I was so glad when I did the final soldering on her saucer /secondary hull power connectors that I immediately put the solder iron in to storage when I was finished.
I will have to unbury it one more time to install the NAV/ACL circuits but all in all I am done.
But doing the electronics yourself is a tough thing to do and can easily burn you out on the kit. I paused on the construction because of the soldering more than once. Same goes for the putty / sanding routine, there comes the day when you just have had enough on trying to get rid of seams.
But in the end it all pays out:
So keep your head up and know, you will be so proud once you have her assembled that you forget about the annoyances you had to go through to get there.
vaderdarth
Master Member
Wow, one of the cleanest builds of this bird yet. 
Dave
Dave
BPOnTheAir
New Member
That is absolutely beautiful! I'm hoping to begin work on the Enterprise-C soon. Not sure if I can pull off what you did!
ob1al
Sr Member
That's so true Garbaron!
I definitely reached burn out point on this build and after an extended lay-off of several months, finally went back to it a few days ago.
Currently in the putty/sanding stage which is a chore, but at least all the electronics are finished and working well!
It won't be long now until I can finally paint this bird, add the decals and call it done!
I definitely reached burn out point on this build and after an extended lay-off of several months, finally went back to it a few days ago.
Currently in the putty/sanding stage which is a chore, but at least all the electronics are finished and working well!
It won't be long now until I can finally paint this bird, add the decals and call it done!
judgedredd
Sr Member
i need to start mine great work so far i will watch with interest i am building myself upto starting its only been a few years now i keep opening the box and thinking wow then realising how much work there is
i keep opening the box and thinking wow then realising how much work there is
judgedredd
Sr Member
ob1al
Sr Member
i need to start mine great work so far i will watch with interest i am building myself upto starting its only been a few years now
I think the best way to approach it is in bite-sized chunks - maybe start on the sub-assemblies first like the garden or hanger bay. Then leave it for a while before going back to it.
The problem I had was trying to keep the build intensity up in my spare time - it ends up being a bit all-consuming and frustrating, because there is a lot of work in the kit - especially if you scratch build all of the electronics like I did. NEVER again.
It's taken me three months since doing anything on the build before finally having the motivation to go back to it. It's a beast alright.
I was originally hoping to have it ready by next week as I'm meeting the Shat and getting my photo taken - that's not going to happen now. At best, I might be able to finish the base and have him sign that.
judgedredd
Sr Member
i was hoping play.com would stock them heres the reply i got from round2
Hi Rob,
It looks like we will not be selling this kit to any vendors in the UK. I am sorry.
Doug Ridge
Hi Rob,
It looks like we will not be selling this kit to any vendors in the UK. I am sorry.
Doug Ridge
Last edited by a moderator:
Creative Models
New Member
This is a great kit. Check out Trek Modeler for reference and light sets. Josef is a great source for lights.
