S.S. Death Star?

Prop Nut...

Prop Nut...

Well-Known Member
Hi all. I've been thinking about getting a prop that I think would be really COOL: A Studio Scale Death Star!

Anyway, I've done somesearching, and it seems that the only one that pops up is the original movie prop that was rescued, after being thrown out.

Has anyone ever attempted making one? Anyone ever seen one for sale? I figure now that Master replicas has lost there license, I won't be seeing one coming from them, so I figured I'd venture out on my own, and try and find one.
 
Prop Nut... said:
Hi all. I've been thinking about getting a prop that I think would be really COOL: A Studio Scale Death Star!

Anyway, I've done somesearching, and it seems that the only one that pops up is the original movie prop that was rescued, after being thrown out.

Has anyone ever attempted making one? Anyone ever seen one for sale? I figure now that Master replicas has lost there license, I won't be seeing one coming from them, so I figured I'd venture out on my own, and try and find one.
Click to expand...

Lasse Henning made a damn good one:

http://starwarz.com/modelshop/make/deathstar.htm
 
An elusive subject...

Been talked of occasionally - a handful of times in the past. But it has never seen the light of day, so to speak.

Kurt and Bob's project was halted IIRC, and it was DSII. Any more on that is their story to tell.

I know of one person and one person only to actually have tangible proof and progress towards a true studio scale DSI, but I'll be damned if I can remember his name.

It's a project that seems simple enough at the outset, but gets more complicated.

What is needed are two 3' clear acrylic hemispheres with a fairly hardy wall thickness (as I understand, structural intergreity of the sphere is an engineering challenge), and these will cost probably about $300 - $500 once you've found a source, then you have to get them to you (I have a mini-van and a semi-local source; just need the cash!).

The domes will require some creative engineering, not only for structural integrity, but to create the dish, and the equitorial trench. Plus you have to get them to the correct shape (somewhat oblate is current conjecture). And it has to accommodate a light source.

Painting depends on your reference and your skills, and probably a creative method (see Lasse's article).

Then you have to make the holes for the lights. On my 1/4 scale commercial model kit, I drilled 10,000 holes to cover 75% of the surface. So count on probably at least 40,000 - 50,000 holes.
 
Wouldn't be studio scale but I saved this 24" sphere from the trash.

ds.jpg


I also live in Seattle, where the Death Star lives.
 
"I know of one person and one person only to actually have tangible proof and progress towards a true studio scale DSI, but I'll be damned if I can remember his name."


PLEASE, PLEASE...THINK! try and remember... MEDITATE if need be! We need to know that name!:cry
 
Lasse certainly has the talent to do anything he decides to do! He is amazing!

I would love to see a SS Death Star done by another!

As for the DS II? Your right Rob! ;) :D It has been pushed back a bit and it has been decided that a SS Ep IV DS will be done first to see how the surface deatiling comes out. Then we'll be in a far better area of practice to do the more detailed and larger SS DSII.

There are about 6 builds for that artist to do before that project gets going though, so it would be very kewl to see someone else start on one as well!

I always love to see the differences in creation styles of two identical pieces. ;)

Time will make these beasties come to life! :)

I look forward to viewing anyone's progress that will take one on! :D It will be a pleasure to view! ;)
 
I do Kurt, i talked to him a few times, hes an amazing builder and his DSII is stunning.
Ill have to check up on Vincenzo, not sure if hes working on anything, the last build was a jaw dropping ROTJ livery Tantive, hes got mad skills!

lee
 
I still have 2 acrylic CCTV domes in storage at work that I want to use for a DS. However, they are smoked acrylic...will they still work well. Or should I find clear domes....paint and etch for lighting?
 
Haven't measured them yet, but I'd estimate them at least 24" diameter. I also spotted a couple of bigger ones the other day as well....I'm gonna grab the whole lot and bring them home. I'll post some pix....
 
I think there are three basic ways to light something like this -

Using a transparent dome that has an internal light source and is covered in opaque paint to prevent light leaks you could:

1. Scrape away little windows of lights to reveal the internal lighting.
2. Drill holes all the way through the paint and the dome.
3. Drill holes all the way through and install fiber optics.

With an opaque dome, you're limited to choice 2 or 3. With a smoked dome, you'd just have a dimmer set of windows depending on the degree of tinting (and if you went for option 1).

Drilling holes all the way through is a recipe for frustration and broken drill bits. Really, if you were to go that route, you should use fiber optics. Just drilling holes won't work because as soon as you look at a group of windows from an angle, they will disappear. The fiber optics act as a lens allowing a wider field of view. But they are a pain to install.

Scraping the paint is a better way (and the way they went back in the day) - though still tedious. The benefit is that the windows will be visible when viewing at an odd angle. And there will be a subtle variation in the opacity and that adds a randomness that tricks your mind into thinking it is real. It adds scale. A perfectly round (or square) light looks just like that - a light. Add a little bit of texture or color and it looks like there is something "in there" behind the surface.

With die-cut vinyl masks being what they are, you could theoretically develop a series of window patterns in different shapes that could be affixed to a model in large groups or rows. That way you at least take care of keeping them in straight rows. After all the painting is done, you could then peel them up. Yeah, that sounds like fun........

Gene
 
GKvfx said:
With die-cut vinyl masks being what they are, you could theoretically develop a series of window patterns in different shapes that could be affixed to a model in large groups or rows. That way you at least take care of keeping them in straight rows. After all the painting is done, you could then peel them up. Yeah, that sounds like fun........

Gene
Click to expand...

LOLOL... Sounds absolutely tedious Gene! ;) But it also sounds like the result would be SOOOOOOOOO WORTH IT!!! :D

Bob is still going to be the master of the two beasties that we have re-slated for 2008. Let's keep our fingers crossed fellas! ;)
 
Crikey this thread makes you wanna go out and buy some domes lol.
Im eager to see anybody start one.
Not having a book to hand, what were the dims on the ANH DS?
Id love to see a DSII though, its gotta be one of the ultimate replicas to have in any display!

lee
 
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