Cracker's 1/144 Finemolds Millennium Falcon Asteroid Field Diorama (3D)

[crackerjazz]

Re: Cracker's 1/144 Falcon

El Visitor, thanks!

The model has grilles in the back.

All the prop had, though, was what looks like some sort of translucent plastic strip. This old
alcohol plastic bottle might do the trick.

This might help with lighting up the engine too - not yet sure if I'll do that.

 

[tek2graphics]

Re: Cracker's 1/144 Falcon

Looks good!
BTW How's the thumb?:$

 

[Scratchy]

Re: Cracker's 1/144 Falcon

That piece cut out of the bottle is a good idea, it should do the trick. As for the plastic piping, I've been cutting some off around the vents on mine. I've been using an xacto chisel blade, a small chisel set and rotary tool, followed up with some fine sandpaper.

Sweet work Crackerjazz!

 

[crackerjazz]

Re: Cracker's 1/144 Falcon

Thanks, guys! tek2graphics, my thumb's all healed up now, thanks. I made sure I covered it so that plastic dust won't find its way into the wound. I had that happen to me once and suffered for a whole month and had to perform self-surgery to take the foreign matter out.

Removed the tabs in the back:

For preventing light leaks and reflecting the light:

Oh my, what poor soldering skills! Still have lots of spare super-bright LEDs but I wish I hadn't cut their legs off. Hot glued them side by side. I'll probably glue together about 20 of these in an arc for the whole back. This is just a quick-and-dirty setup (to become permanent if I get lazy) - just want to test what 4 of these can do. If it doesn't work I scrap the lighting part.

Borrowed my kid's toy's battery holder.

Hmmm, not bad. I noticed the lights shouldn't sit too close to the diffuser but farther inwards. Otherwise they show as individual round lights even when packed together. Here the LEDs are actually way in there - close to the turret.

 

[tek2graphics]

Re: Cracker's 1/144 Falcon

SUPER NICE!!! Lighting looks easy!
Was it?

 

[crackerjazz]

Re: Cracker's 1/144 Finemolds Falcon

Thanks, tek2graphics! : ) found lighting quite enjoyable but I have to admit I'm not an expert - just the simple circuits for me. I don't really light up my models but I guess the Falcon is meant to be lit, especially if you want to display it in-flight. Oh, I use silver solder now - nice! - I used to use rosin-core lead which can "spit" at you, not to mention the harmful effects of lead.

 

[tek2graphics]

Re: Cracker's 1/144 Finemolds Falcon

Cool, thanks. I have a FM Falcon too.. and I agree.. it's meant to be lit! Never done it, but am really tempted to!

 

[crackerjazz]

Re: Cracker's 1/144 Finemolds Falcon

tek2graphics, do post pics when you get started on it. I'll probably try to make a frame for the LEDs - I'm not yet sure if they'll heat up and soften the hot glue that's holding them together, haha. The things we worry about.

 

[crackerjazz]

Re: Cracker's 1/144 Finemolds Falcon

Filed the sides of the LED flanges flat then tried some CA to glue the LEDs together and, strangely, that doesn't work. Some strange type of plastic they're made out of that CA glue won't bond them together? I ended up cutting styrene in an arc and spread some water-weld on it like spreading peanut butter on bread then pushed the LEDs in one by one. I'll wire these up and see how they perform.

 

[crackerjazz]

Re: Cracker's 1/144 Finemolds Falcon

Wired it up and checked lighting. Sorry for the number of photos - just had to take a lot.

Bleed-through is evident on areas not covered with foil. Will work on those and extend another LED to the cockpit and that's it for lighting I guess. Probably won't light up the turret as it looks like unchecked bleed-through when lit.

 

[3d-builder]

Re: Cracker's 1/144 Finemolds Falcon

Wow let there be light beautiful JOB!!!!!!thumbsup:thumbsup

 

[crackerjazz]

Re: Cracker's 1/144 Finemolds Falcon

Thanks 3d-builder!

Finished shaving off all the molded-on piping from the maintenance pits and glued the pits on. Will work on the tiny piping next. I wonder if shaving them off was worth the trouble - they're so small the difference won't be that noticeable.

Also cut up some spokes from an old bike wheel for the stand. Wanted a solid slab for the base but I thought a hollow one would be better to put batteries or any electricals in so I cut up some 1/4" plywood pieces and glued them together.

 

[tek2graphics]

Re: Cracker's 1/144 Finemolds Falcon

Cant wait to see more updates!!!! :thumbsup

 

[sqbiedoo]

Re: Cracker's 1/144 Finemolds Falcon

What the hack....you stole my idea for the stand mate ;-) guess I have to come up with a new one:-(

Excellent work CJ, two thumbs up!

 

[crackerjazz]

Re: Cracker's 1/144 Finemolds Falcon

Thanks, tek2graphics and sqbiedoo! Hey, sqbie, didn't know you had a similar idea for the stand, sorry. That proves we Falcon fans are connected to a collective mind and can communicate telepathically.

 

[ozzyguanche]

Re: Cracker's 1/144 Finemolds Falcon

Stand looks great! nice update.

ozzy

 

[crackerjazz]

Re: Cracker's 1/144 Finemolds Falcon

Ozzy, thanks!

Lately I've been dreaming about making fake space rocks. I know I bought a nichrome wire styrofoam cutter a long time ago but I couldn't find it anywhere so I have to make do with the razor blade. Hard to cut deeply with it though. And harder to make curves.

I read about grout being a prime candidate for surfacing fake rocks. It can crack, though, if not mixed with acrylic polymer. Acrylic polymer?? I wasn't sure if I can obtain that easily from a nearby hardware center, so maybe I'll just try the wall filler - I just hope it's not something that would melt my styrofoam asteroid.

 

[MARK M3]

Re: Cracker's 1/144 Finemolds Falcon

Looking great Sir!

 

[tek2graphics]

Re: Cracker's 1/144 Finemolds Falcon

AW MAN!!!!! THat's GREAT!!!!!! :facepalmthumbsupthumbsup:thumbsup

 

[crackerjazz]

Re: Cracker's 1/144 Finemolds Falcon

tek2graphics, thanks!

Slopped on the filler.

And put on some pockmarks. I'll try to experiment a bit more.