Building The Death Star - PRODUCTION

[PHArchivist]

Yeah - cool pic.

That light rectangle just above the black strip is a patch of silver still visible on the model today.

Plus, the model still exhibits duct tape residue to this day.

 

[Whiskey]

So when are we gonna see you master the SS Death Star II? :love

 

[REL]

That's just fabulous!

 

[SpyderDan]

So when are we gonna see you master the SS Death Star II? :love

That would be pretty crazy to try to replicate. Not that the DS1 isn't crazy enough already, and Rob has done an oustanding job of that so far.

Have you seen the SS Death Star II in person? Here are a few pics I took of it back in '95 at the Yerba Bueana exhibition:

It is interesting, though, to see how they approached the surface details on this one.

 

[Jedifyfe]

Great Googly-Moogly! I can't imagine where you would eve start on the DS2.

I heard that most of the DS2 was acid etched brass but what is the "outer skin" made of? Plexi ball as well?

 

[SpyderDan]

DS2 was just a half-sphere, but it did appear to be cut from a plexi sphere as well.

It looked like tons of photo-etched brass sets of ship railings and train parts. Not only were they phyically used for the superstructure, but it looks like a lot of the surface paint detail was sprayed using them as a stencil. It even looks like they weren't tacked down, so you get fuzzy edges around the parts.

Still, from a distance or on screen, the effect looks just like the original, despite being created so differently.

 

[PHArchivist]

Best pics of the DSII I've ever seen! Love to see more if you have them and are willing to share!

PHarchivist@aol.com

 

[REL]

Looks to me like the area circled, which all this time I thought were cut out sections, are electrical tape or black vinyl.

What a revelation.

 

[Mutant-Enemy]

Rob,
Just fabulous work here, can't say much more than that except:
Please add my name to the interest list for when you do a run of these!

 

[PHArchivist]

Took the last couple of days off from the project, but am working on it today, and will post some new progress shots.

 

[Mike J.]

There is the unpleasant possibility that the DS was, at some point after being thrown out, but before being displayed at the SFM ... cleaned.

 

[PHArchivist]

There is the unpleasant possibility that the DS was, at some point after being thrown out, but before being displayed at the SFM ... cleaned.

I think it was "cleaned" by mother nature - UV and H20...

 

[Heimidal]

Yeah...when it was "found" wasn't it sitting outside in the elements at the Mexican Hillbilly? And that was in 1988 right? So it could have been sitting outside for almost 10 years? Probably explains why the lines are missing more from the top half than they are from the bottom half.


Man I love this thread. Everytime I see a pic of this beast you're making it makes me smile ear to ear.

 

[PHArchivist]

Keep smilin'...

 

[Richard_2001]

PHArchivist,

I have been watching the project since the beginning and I must say this is stunning!!!! It seems to be true that a great paintjob makes the model... :cool

Jawdropping is too tame of a word for this beast! super nice job!

Richard

 

[Whiskey]

I bow to thee, sir!

Can we see it lit??

 

[PHArchivist]

PHArchivist,

I have been watching the project since the beginning and I must say this is stunning!!!! It seems to be true that a great paintjob makes the model... :cool

Jawdropping is too tame of a word for this beast! super nice job!

Richard

Thank you Richard, and welcome! I'm envious though - you're quite a bit closer to the real one!

I bow to thee, sir!

Can we see it lit??

Not too much to show for lights so far... But soon!

 

[modeleers]

Fantastik! Each time you execute an aspect of this build it's a Reveal in & of itself.
The Sphere, Dish & Trench builds, cityscape Flecks, boulevard Lines & Tape, soon be completed & complimented by hundreds if not thousands of Lights. Well done, Bob!

 

[sapper36]

I think thousands upon thousands of lights. I've done about 1/4 of my 6" DS & I'm already around 400 holes!

And might I just say - Wow! That really takes my breath away!

 

[PHArchivist]

Off to the shop. Lines from hell today... The next section (just left of the dish) is the most complicated on the entire model.