1/350 NX-01, yet another build but dont get too excited!

[jimpeachey]

This arrived in the post today. I have no idea when i will get around to starting it or how well it will come out but i'm really looking forward to it. My biggest issue is the paint job, i don't have the decals or masks and they cost nearly as much as the kit did so don't want to pay out any more, i do this for the hell of it after all. No doubt once i have her lit and sealed up ill make a decision as to which is the best way to go. Once i get to start it ill do more thorough out of the box check.

Model kit - Check

Strip LEDs - Check

Individual LEDs - Check

Cable - Check

Flasher Circuits - yet to build but components - Check

Glue, paint and all the usual stuff - enough to be getting on with!

Reference sites by the dozen - Check.


Wish me luck!





I cannot believe that they recommend this for ages 10! and above.

 

[jimpeachey]

OK, here we go. I started on the NX-01 today and i reckon i got quite a lot done, i have the whole weekend so hoping to thoroughly immerse myself in this and see what i can get done, without rushing of course. Today i spent time priming, light blocking and getting some white on the interior to diffuse the lights. I also laid and wired the LED strips that i am using to light the main saucer section. The configuration was 'stolen' from Trekworks who has done an amazing job on this model, I'm sure he wont mind. Tomorrow I'm hoping to get the LEDs for nav and collision lights and perhaps some fibre for those small areas (Trekworks again). For day one I'm pretty satisfied that i am where i need to be. I'm creating two separate circuits, one of 9v and one of 5v so that should be interesting although i may use some voltage regulators and do it all with 9v, I'm not quite sure yet but i have more than enough spare cable to cut in another circuit somewhere and it will be quite some time before I'm fully ready to decide on power supply configuration. For all of the paintwork so far i have used rattle cans although i need some more of the aluminium, primer, black and white can be any variation as it is all internal or over-sprayed later but i do need to go get me some more aluminium of the same kind i used today. Well i hope you like how it is coming on and hopefully ill post some more tomorrow. now for the pics and there are quite a few!





































Whew! Well that's it for now, hopefully the pics will reduce now that all of the internal stuff has been done and i can stick to lighting shots and further pics as i start to put her to together. Thanks for your time

 

[Wes R]

Looks good so far. I'm seriously kicking myself for not getting one of these 2 years ago, not sure if it was a Polar Lights though, when we hit a hobby shop that was going out of business.

 

[jimpeachey]

Thanks very much. I am under no illusion that i am still at the easy bits stage and so have to tread carefully with my enthusiasm, once i get some of the Nav and collision lights in today ill feel a whole let better; if i can finish the lighting for the upper hull that would be great but ill take it in small steps as i really do want to make a good job of this one.

 

[jimpeachey]

Did some more today but nothing worth taking pics of. i scratch built a circuit board for the Nav and collision lights so i could get 1hz and .5hz flashers on the same board, it works OK. The inside of the saucer section is just filled with cable and chocolate block connections now but none will be seen once she has been put together. I fitted the windows to the upper saucer section and cut down some LEDs to make sure they fit the anti collision light holes. I also managed to get some fibre optics into the section above the sensor dish, that was pretty cool. Next week i need to do the Nacelles and star trying to get the major assemblies together for all of the detail work. A LONG way to go yet!!

 

[Creative Models]

Hey really nice build. We are working on the polar lights 350th scale 1701A right now with the additional light kit from Trek Modeler. And then we added another 25 leds to get the right lighting effect. And of cours the runway landing lights to increase the effect. Now there is so much electric inside it is going to be hard to seal this up. I like your lights much better.

 

[jimpeachey]

Thanks for the comments. There is still some wiring to go in yet although this model does have plenty of room. I may have to use some of the space inside the primary hull for some circuit boards for flasher units for the Nacelles but i think it should be OK. As i said there is a long way to go yet but ill see how far i get next weekend.

 

[jimpeachey]

OK here we go with round 2. I was hoping to get both Nacelles done today but it was all a little bot more difficult that i thought it might be. I have got the lights in that i need with a bit of a squeeze but have yet to sort the flasher circuits that i need, not too sure where i am going to put those yet. Once all of the clear pieces were sprayed up i started to put the nacelle together, you can get a good idea from the pics as to how it all works. I'm not having any rotating lights in the collectors, just flashing red so i am hoping it will turn out OK. I hope you enjoy the pics. Any comments, suggestions or feedback is always very much appreciated.

 

[Ratbone]

Nice to see this ship. And good work so far !
I have the smaler NX-01 from polar lights. My first model with lights (isnt working anymore...damn) , build it 2 years ago. I always wanted the big one. A very nice ship and a great model.

Good luck ! And keep it going !

 

[jimpeachey]

Thanks,along way to go yet but i am enjoying this build.

 

[jimpeachey]

Both Nacelles now put together, filled and seamed. I need to sand down some bits and then respray and finish off the detail. The lights are on two separate circuits so that i can get some of them to flash. The flasher boards have been built but i will put them in the base of the model once i build it! Hope you like the pics, i'm getting to where i can fully assemble the ship soon, still some holes for fibre to be drilled, a couple of extra LED to light the fibre and see where she goes from there. Progress is not as good as i would have liked but she is definitely getting there!

 

[jimpeachey]

Did some more work on the main saucer section today. I want to get to a position where i can get this together tomorrow hopefully as i have some additional wiring to run through from the engineering section after i have added some LED for the impulse engines.

 

[jimpeachey]

I also discovered to day that i have no idea where the main sensor dish is! This could be serious setback as up to now i am quite enjoying this build and it would be a shame not to have it for the finished article. I also discovered that Plastic Puty is so much better than the two part miliput stuff i have used up to now, so much easier to apply and work with. The engineering hull assembly is all clamped up with the nacelles attached and although it will need some serious seam filling i think it will look OK, it just didnt seem to go together to well and the way that the nacelle struts attach is seriously weird, CA and Poly cement seems to have worked OK though. Still taking longer than i would have liked but i have pretty much all of the LED and lights that are going to go in sorted and now i have to sort out the final connections between the engineering hull and saucer section so that i make sure i only have the power leads coming down the stand into the base which i have yet to build.

 

[Ratbone]

I hope you will locate this sensor dish... *fingers crossed* Some big model and some complex wiring. opcorn

 

[jimpeachey]

Thank you, the wiring is far more complex than it need be, that's the result of building as you go as opposed to having a plan! There will only be two circuits in the end 1 5v for any flashing lights and a 12v one for the rest of the lighting. Power supply will feed into the base so i just need to ensure that i get the final pieces of wiring sorted out and then route only two sets of wire into the base once final assembly has been done. It will be fine i'm sure . I already have a new sensor dish on the way!

 

[d_jedi1]

Did you ever find the deflector dish? I may have a spare...

 

[jimpeachey]

I got one from a guy on another board but thanks for the offer. Progress is a bit slow due to family stuff but this build is still going on!

 

[jimpeachey]

Hey,i actually got to do some more today. Is it just me or is masking up a model actually quite therapeutic. I didnt get as much done as i would have liked today but i also did some filling and sanding. The masking is to allow me to do some detail on the various sub assemblies before i finally get the sections together. I also did some more on the wiring so that it will all work once i get the sections together. Any comments greatly appreciated.

 

[Ratbone]

Nice and clean
Are you going to do the main hull aztec pattern? I have the small version of the model. And painted the aztec by hand Not very accurate, but ok for the small one.

Keep it up nice work

 

[jimpeachey]

I really am in two minds about the Aztec pattern, its a complicated one. I am not going to buy the decals or the masks although i could probably make my own masks and see how it goes. I do not want to ruin what i have done so far so will have to think some more about it. I have plenty more i can be getting on with so will have a look at the options and take it from there. If i do the Aztec i will probably do most of it before i fully assemble, it could be awkward getting into everywhere once it is assembled. Thanks for the kind comments.