1:1 Millennium Falcon Cockpit Replica - Group Build

[SofaKing01]

Re: 1:1 Millennium Falcon Console Replica

Just take some black or gun metal spray paint and spray it into a small bowl, then thin it with acetone until it's watery. Then take a paper towel, soak it and just rub it into the cracks, drizzle it with a Q-tip, etc. Then wipe off the excess. That's what I did when weathering the R2 I used to have.

Before:
[url]http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj179/trooper_trent/a38a02b7.jpg[/URL]
[url]http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj179/trooper_trent/ddf82f90.jpg[/URL]

After:

[url]http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj179/trooper_trent/eca9d369.jpg[/URL]

[url]http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj179/trooper_trent/1623106f.jpg[/URL]

Hi T,

WHOA - Love your R2! Wanna trade? I'll definately use your suggestion when dealing with the finer areas/details on the body. I'm still wrestling with the overall "wash" effect. I think coffee might be a good idea. I can start out with decaf and see where it goes from there.

- - - Updated - - -

Lovin it!

What you have there is a well engineered piece of awesome!

Thank you, Sir! I'm really happy with the overall look and feel. Still a few more paint details to add and then I have to decide on how to weather this piece of junk... She's going to the Maker's Fair in Nashville along with the cockpit at the end of the month. Not a whole lot of time left.

 

[Gigatron]

Re: 1:1 Millennium Falcon Console Replica

Great job, SK :thumbsup

I have a few small suggestions:

1. I'd remove the spring contacts from the battery box contact. If it's too recognizable, it takes away from the larger picture.

2. You need to do something about the front brace bar. There has to be a better way to integrate it into the design. I know it's necessary to keep the cannon from drooping, but it looks like something Han (or more likely, Chewie) would have to get out there and add/remove, before flight. Maybe some angled steel tube from the support brace to the box between the vertical supports. Even a tube under each barrel going back to that box. It would look like an electrical conduit, and still offer the support.

And finally

3. Weathering. Mix a solution of Fullers Earth with isopropyl alcohol. It should be a thin, watery mix. Spray heavy coats, using your new sprayer. Let it run, drip into crevices, collect in low areas - whatever it does. The alcohol will evaporate, leaving the dirt behind, in random patterns. You can then seal it with hairspray, or better, a clear coat (but then you'd have to follow up with a matte clear). I'd use Fullers' in dark colors - browns, blacks, and greys.

-Fred

 

[SofaKing01]

Re: 1:1 Millennium Falcon Console Replica

Great job, SK :thumbsup

I have a few small suggestions:

1. I'd remove the spring contacts from the battery box contact. If it's too recognizable, it takes away from the larger picture.

2. You need to do something about the front brace bar. There has to be a better way to integrate it into the design. I know it's necessary to keep the cannon from drooping, but it looks like something Han (or more likely, Chewie) would have to get out there and add/remove, before flight. Maybe some angled steel tube from the support brace to the box between the vertical supports. Even a tube under each barrel going back to that box. It would look like an electrical conduit, and still offer the support.

And finally

3. Weathering. Mix a solution of Fullers Earth with isopropyl alcohol. It should be a thin, watery mix. Spray heavy coats, using your new sprayer. Let it run, drip into crevices, collect in low areas - whatever it does. The alcohol will evaporate, leaving the dirt behind, in random patterns. You can then seal it with hairspray, or better, a clear coat (but then you'd have to follow up with a matte clear). I'd use Fullers' in dark colors - browns, blacks, and greys.

-Fred

Hi Fred,

Thank you for the kind words and your input.

Battery Boxes: While the springs add nice detail, you are correct - the springs really should be removed. I considered adding wires but I'm not sure how much that would really add.

Barrel Vertical Support Bar: I AGREE 100%!!! I never liked the vertical bar but the weight from the 4 barrels puts a lot of stress on the PVC arms. Had I been able to fabricate a steel sub-frame - that would have solved most of the issues. I've been tinkering with the idea of using a long "bolt" and drilling a hole though to the bottom of the platform. The "bolt" would feed through the platform and then fed through the back of the quad body and locked in place with washers and lock nuts on either end. The idea is this would keep the body from tilting forward (I hope that made sense). BUT... do the barrels, in theory, move the "fulcrum" forward too much making the entire platform tilt forward? I hope that made sense! lol

Weathering: I like your idea with the Fullers Earth. I plan to weather everything at the same time but I'm going to cover the quad base when I weather the body. I don't want to drip too much on the platform (there has to be an equal balance - IMO)

Thanks again and I REALLY do appreciate the input / guidance

 

[Yodamann]

Re: 1:1 Millennium Falcon Console Replica

This quad gun is looking FANTASTIC! The painted and raised panels are spot on! This build thread just keeps getting better.

So... what about that Cockpit?

 

[Gigatron]

Re: 1:1 Millennium Falcon Console Replica

Hi Fred,

Thank you for the kind words and your input.

Battery Boxes: While the springs add nice detail, you are correct - the springs really should be removed. I considered adding wires but I'm not sure how much that would really add.

Barrel Vertical Support Bar: I AGREE 100%!!! I never liked the vertical bar but the weight from the 4 barrels puts a lot of stress on the PVC arms. Had I been able to fabricate a steel sub-frame - that would have solved most of the issues. I've been tinkering with the idea of using a long "bolt" and drilling a hole though to the bottom of the platform. The "bolt" would feed through the platform and then fed through the back of the quad body and locked in place with washers and lock nuts on either end. The idea is this would keep the body from tilting forward (I hope that made sense). BUT... do the barrels, in theory, move the "fulcrum" forward too much making the entire platform tilt forward? I hope that made sense! lol

Weathering: I like your idea with the Fullers Earth. I plan to weather everything at the same time but I'm going to cover the quad base when I weather the body. I don't want to drip too much on the platform (there has to be an equal balance - IMO)

Thanks again and I REALLY do appreciate the input / guidance

I've seen, in plenty of hardware stores, long, threaded rods. I've seen them as longs as 4', in this one place by me. What you could do, is put one rod under each barrel pair (on the backside of the cannon), and use corrugated, or braided, hose, to hide the rods - functional AND decorative.

The C.o.G. has been a bit of wonderment. How heavy is the back of the cannon, compared to the weight of the barrels, in relation to the pivot point? I suspect the back is heavier, because of all the MDF, compared to the mostly-PVC front end. And once the back end is locked in place with those threaded rods, you shouldn't have any balance issues.

But, if you do find it tipping forward, you could always make a hidden compartment in the base (it is the Millenium Falcon, afterall), where you can add weight plates, in as little as 2.5lb increments).

Looking for to your continued progress.

-Fred

 

[krusinclone]

Re: 1:1 Millennium Falcon Console Replica

Looks great!!!

 

[SofaKing01]

Re: 1:1 Millennium Falcon Console Replica

I've seen, in plenty of hardware stores, long, threaded rods. I've seen them as longs as 4', in this one place by me. What you could do, is put one rod under each barrel pair (on the backside of the cannon), and use corrugated, or braided, hose, to hide the rods - functional AND decorative.

-Fred

Hi F,

I'm not quite sure I understand what you're saying - a rod under each barrel? Can you elborate?

I've been looking at pics and if I can find a "bolt / threaded rod" long enough I might be able to secure the body of the quad to the platform through the very top - inbetween the two "hose" boxes on top. But again, the rod would feed straight down.

 

[laellee]

Re: 1:1 Millennium Falcon Console Replica

Hi F,

I'm not quite sure I understand what you're saying - a rod under each barrel? Can you elborate?

I've been looking at pics and if I can find a "bolt / threaded rod" long enough I might be able to secure the body of the quad to the platform through the very top - inbetween the two "hose" boxes on top. But again, the rod would feed straight down.

I love McMaster Carr... McMaster-Carr

Just out of curiosity, is the swivel point just a male-female overlapping PVC pipe connection? If so, I would think you could quite easily drill and install clevis pins on each side. If you wanted to get fancy, scribe and drill multiple holes on the inner PVC to allow multiple position settings if the structure is strong enough.

 

[Gigatron]

Re: 1:1 Millennium Falcon Console Replica

Hi F,

I'm not quite sure I understand what you're saying - a rod under each barrel? Can you elborate?

I've been looking at pics and if I can find a "bolt / threaded rod" long enough I might be able to secure the body of the quad to the platform through the very top - inbetween the two "hose" boxes on top. But again, the rod would feed straight down.

Here's a rough diagram of what I was talking about. Just imagine that the red lines, are threaded rods, over which, you can run hose, to hide them.





-Fred

 

[SofaKing01]

Re: 1:1 Millennium Falcon Console Replica

I love McMaster Carr... McMaster-Carr

Just out of curiosity, is the swivel point just a male-female overlapping PVC pipe connection? If so, I would think you could quite easily drill and install clevis pins on each side. If you wanted to get fancy, scribe and drill multiple holes on the inner PVC to allow multiple position settings if the structure is strong enough.

Hi L,

Yes, the swivel PVC connection is a simple male - female configuration. The weight of the quad body and barrels makes it difficult to swing the structure around - and it will be sitting in only one position. That same weight is causing a little concern as well... I was just looking at that exact point and thinking how I could make it a little more sturdy.

- - - Updated - - -

Here's a rough diagram of what I was talking about. Just imagine that the red lines, are threaded rods, over which, you can run hose, to hide them.

[url]http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c362/gigatron_2000/Cannonsupport1.jpg[/URL]

[url]http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c362/gigatron_2000/cannonsupport2.jpg[/URL]

-Fred

Hey F,

You and I are thinking almost the same thing. My idea was to go through the "main" body. The "fins" you have selected are too fragile to support the weight of the barrels and the body. If I drill the holes through the body and then connect to the platform it should be ok - I hope!

 

[SofaKing01]

Re: 1:1 Millennium Falcon Console Replica

This quad gun is looking FANTASTIC! The painted and raised panels are spot on! This build thread just keeps getting better.

So... what about that Cockpit?

Hi Y,

Thanks! I wanted to concentrate on the Quad before the Maker's Fair at the end of Sept. better to have at least prop nearly / finished than two unfinished props.

The cockpit is in pieces all over the house right now. I removed the brackets I installed on the platform and hope that will resolve the "warping" issue I've been having. Once I get the quad finished, I'm going to rush to try to create a canopy frame along with other minor details to bring the cockpit up to "show" quality. I just wish i had seats...

- - - Updated - - -

Looks great!!!

Thank so much! It's been a very productive holiday weekend!

 

[SofaKing01]

Re: 1:1 Millennium Falcon Console Replica

Here's a rough diagram of what I was talking about. Just imagine that the red lines, are threaded rods, over which, you can run hose, to hide them.

[url]http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c362/gigatron_2000/Cannonsupport1.jpg[/URL]

[url]http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c362/gigatron_2000/cannonsupport2.jpg[/URL]

-Fred

Hey Fred,

I just had a thought... instead of a hose covering the threaded rod... I could use an old "phone cord" style cover to give the appearance of flexibility?

I'm also considering creating a window to sit behind the quad... I'm thinking it would have to be a stand alone piece but it would really capture the look.

 

[Kevlarr]

Re: 1:1 Millennium Falcon Console Replica

Great idea with the phone cord and the window, I'm looking forward to see the result!

 

[ssnake66]

Re: 1:1 Millennium Falcon Console Replica

This is unreal :love Awesome work

 

[SofaKing01]

Re: 1:1 Millennium Falcon Console Replica

Great idea with the phone cord and the window, I'm looking forward to see the result!

Hey Kev,

My fear... if I start the window and add the little details... I'll wind up creating the entire gun port... I call it Steve Starkiller Syndrome!

Shadow of Reflection: Movie Screencaps R-S: Click image to close this window

This would be my face if I were to do it!
http://ladymanson.com/galleries/movies/MoviesRS/displayimage.php?pid=103397&fullsize=1

Which would be AWESOME!

- - - Updated - - -

This is unreal :love Awesome work

Thank you so much! Still along way to go but these last few days have seen lots of progress!

 

[mattkelly]

Re: 1:1 Millennium Falcon Console Replica

SofaKing - which Maker Faire are you attending? In New York?

 

[SofaKing01]

Re: 1:1 Millennium Falcon Console Replica

SofaKing - which Maker Faire are you attending? In New York?

Hi Matt,

It's the one in Nashville, TN - see link

Nashville Mini Maker Faire

G

 

[SofaKing01]

Re: 1:1 Millennium Falcon Console Replica

Hi Gang,

I just realized the Maker's Faire is Sept 21. I thought it was a week later giving me 3 more weekends to work on the quad and cockpit. So, with that I'm going to create the vertical brace for the quad and then leave it as is. I'm not going to weather it. I really want / have to focus on the cockpit. I HAVE to deal with the warping and I would at least like to try to have the canopy framed out giving it a finished look...

It's going to be an interesting few weeks!

 

[Kevlarr]

Re: 1:1 Millennium Falcon Console Replica

Hey Kev,

My fear... if I start the window and add the little details... I'll wind up creating the entire gun port... I call it Steve Starkiller Syndrome!

Shadow of Reflection: Movie Screencaps R-S: Click image to close this window

This would be my face if I were to do it!
Shadow of Reflection: Movie Screencaps R-S: Click image to close this window

Which would be AWESOME!

And you end up to use all the space in your front/back yard to parts of the Millennium Falcon!

You should be done with the original project first and then think about making the entire gun port

 

[SofaKing01]

Re: 1:1 Millennium Falcon Console Replica

And you end up to use all the space in your front/back yard to parts of the Millennium Falcon!

You should be done with the original project first and then think about making the entire gun port

I think the quad and the cockpit will be staying in Nashville for a few months (2 different shows). So, this will not only clean out my garage but also give me an opportunity to work a few other projects. I've been tinkering with: a 1:6th scale XWing, the quad port or a snowspeeder (size TBD)

The quad port sounds fun!