Building The Death Star - PRODUCTION

This is a fun build to watch PH!

One vote for Wonkiness! :thumbsup

Of course you could build two, one wonky, one idealized.

-DM
 
Is there any evidence of similar wonkiness at 2:00 and 4:00?

Even if there isn't, if you included undulations at these points that duplicate those we see at 8:00 and 10:00, you could have the best of both worlds, creating an "idealized" symmetrical piece that nevertheless incorporates the wonky spots of the original. Just an idea. :angel

I agree with everybody else: this is a fun build to watch! Thanks for sharing it with us. :thumbsup
 
Thanks guys... Will be doing the radial details next.

Check this pic - almost looks as if they used an adhesive backed paper that is peeling up:

DS009.jpg
 
I'd almost bet it's just masking tape or something. It could be really thin acetate film, but that stuff doesn't seem to curl like paper would.

Dave
 
man you gotta offer castings of this dish to us morons who hate scratch building.....LOL. I'd definitely pay for a dish!!!

Dave :)
 
Reading this thread makes me want to finish my SSDS. Good for you Rob, I shelved my project when it came time to cut the dish hole.
 
I was just going to mention the paper...

I spent a bit of time at Ralph McQuarrie's over the years, and he mentioned a couple of times, when we'd talk about matte paintings and model work, that indeed the Death Star surface was done with colored paper as well as paint.
 
Clerval said:
I was just going to mention the paper...

I spent a bit of time at Ralph McQuarrie's over the years, and he mentioned a couple of times, when we'd talk about matte paintings and model work, that indeed the Death Star surface was done with colored paper as well as paint.
Click to expand...

Paper? That's funny. Nice spotting that Rob!

" Yeah 210, 220, what ever it takes..."
-Jack Butler (Mr Mom)









Brad
 
Clerval said:
I was just going to mention the paper...

I spent a bit of time at Ralph McQuarrie's over the years, and he mentioned a couple of times, when we'd talk about matte paintings and model work, that indeed the Death Star surface was done with colored paper as well as paint.
Click to expand...


Clerval, you gotta tell me more...!

Was he referring to the dish in particular, or on the surface proper? Any more details?

I've actuall though that taking a photo of the granite-speckly surface and creating decals, but that seemed ridiculous considering the amount of surface area.

And, thanks Brad!
 
It's hard to tell on your dish, since you have direct lighting on it, but it looks like it may not be concave enough. Any chance of getting some shots replicationg the shadow from the production stills?

Regardless, this is looking ridiculously awesome so far.
 
Unfortunately there isn't much more to tell... he was pretty matter of fact about it. Not just the dish, a lot of the surface. We never got into what it would take to be certain it was being shaped properly for the contours... but the next time I'm down, it might be a while, I'll bring it up again.
 
TridCloudwalker said:
It's hard to tell on your dish, since you have direct lighting on it, but it looks like it may not be concave enough. Any chance of getting some shots replicationg the shadow from the production stills?

Regardless, this is looking ridiculously awesome so far.
Click to expand...

Yeah I'm battling with that...

I question the veracity of Lorne Peterson's statement that they simply inverted the remainder from the superlaser hole. I used a 9" acrylic disc cut from a spare dome the fabricator made as a buck for my heat-formed styrene disc. So the depth/concavity matches the acrylic disc.

But it does look shallow.

I'm not sure if it is in fact a lighting effect. Or possibly the radial details enhance the illusion of depth. Also, the center disc (smallest) still has to have a cone-shaped hole drilled out of the center. Perhaps once these elements are added and it is painted, it will look deeper.

Interestingly, Moes dish looks a bit shallow too...

I've been sweating the details. The thickness of the styrene for each of the smaller discs was given critical thought. I hope I got it right.
 
I think your dish is fine Rob, TBH looking at it in plain white styrene is going to throw it off and make it look more shallow, i reckon once primed and fitted in there, the correct depth, and thus shadow will be spot on!

Thats my theory anyway :lol

lee
 
I agree with Ralphee. I don't feel your dish is much shallower than the original. I think it's a lighting thing. The original was filmed in low light so the "windows" would show up better etc... However, you can always make both the one you have and create a deeper one and see which one you like best in person. :)

Dave
 
vaderdarth said:
I agree with Ralphee. I don't feel your dish is much shallower than the original. I think it's a lighting thing. The original was filmed in low light so the "windows" would show up better etc... However, you can always make both the one you have and create a deeper one and see which one you like best in person. :)

Dave
Click to expand...

Ha! Problem is, if I DID build another, it'd be taken from another dish created with the same buck!

By the way, I think I've got a handle on these little doo-hickeys. I'm pretty excited about my approach to these. Its always been a bit of a mystery to me, especially since the original dish is gone, but I'm pretty sure I know how they did it, and my method should be just about the same.

DS010.jpg
 
I wouldn't worry too much about the apparent shallowness of the dish.

That close-up that you've been referencing has the lighting at a very shallow angle compared to the dish - notice the terminator falls right through the middle of the dish. We may be assuming a greater depth due to the extent of the shadows and our various psychological preconceptions about the Death Star.

Terminator: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terminator_(solar)


-Mike
 
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