Death Star Christmas Tree Topper

[genZOD]

Hello all,
I’m building up the AMT Death Star as a lighted Christmas tree topper. The tube in the middle is how it slides onto the tree without pulling the internal lighting apart. I added a trench that cleans up an area that I didn’t really like on the model & allows it to open up so that I can fix any electrical issues in the future.

I’m thinking about making the finish a little extra metallic so that it will interact with the rest of the lights on the tree. But then again, the Death Star is iconic for being a big grey ball…

For this to work the model needs to be built up pretty cleanly. That’s proving to be pretty difficult, but I’m getting there… I plan to light the windows with fiber optics and the laser with a ring of small green LEDs surrounding a larger green LED.

I’m sure the idea of putting a Death Star on a Christmas tree has been done before. To be honest, I built a much sloppier version a few years ago. I’ll post more pictures as the project progresses.

 

[publiusr]

The bottom had an even bigger superlaser from the looks of it

 

[JediMichael]

That should be pretty cool once done.
Its a weird kit in how they made it, with the random panels and lines that are nothing like from the movie.
But, as you can see from my avatar, it can turn out good with enough time.

 

[genZOD]

That should be pretty cool once done.
Its a weird kit in how they made it, with the random panels and lines that are nothing like from the movie.
But, as you can see from my avatar, it can turn out good with enough time.

Thanks, I have a pretty solid plan for lighting it. I haven’t quite figured out how to walk the ornament/model kit line when it comes to pain & surface details…if that makes any sense.

 

[JediMichael]

Thanks, I have a pretty solid plan for lighting it. I haven’t quite figured out how to walk the ornament/model kit line when it comes to pain & surface details…if that makes any sense.

Mine is just glow in the dark paint, so when a black light is shining on it, it glows pretty bright.
If you need good reference pics and want to make it pretty accurate, Rob's death star studio scale is by far the best way to go.
Heres a link to page 146, as there are good pics around that area. You can go back and forth as needed.
Either way, can't wait to see what you come up with and how it all turns out.

Building The Death Star - PRODUCTION

looks fantastic sir. The incandescents would freak me out.......I would go with warm white LED bulbs. They give the same color light as the incandescent and none of the heat. Probably have to be replaced much less often as well. You'll find them in the hardware stores with all the other...

www.therpf.com

 

[genZOD]

Mine is just glow in the dark paint, so when a black light is shining on it, it glows pretty bright.
If you need good reference pics and want to make it pretty accurate, Rob's death star studio scale is by far the best way to go.
Heres a link to page 146, as there are good pics around that area. You can go back and forth as needed.
Either way, can't wait to see what you come up with and how it all turns out.

Building The Death Star - PRODUCTION

looks fantastic sir. The incandescents would freak me out.......I would go with warm white LED bulbs. They give the same color light as the incandescent and none of the heat. Probably have to be replaced much less often as well. You'll find them in the hardware stores with all the other...

www.therpf.com

Thanks!