Death Star surface - pyro model reproduction

[3DImpact]

The Reveal

This is going to be a 'retrospective WIP' thread - I've just completed the model actually but didn't bother to start a WIP thread as I was working along. I figured I'd just wait until finished this time and do it all at once.

So, first, here's the reveal:

Dan

 

[3DImpact]

The Idea

Back in January I purchased Bandai's Death Star Attack Set mainly to get the X-Wing models in it. But of course, with the nice Death Star tiles in there I started thinking about what I might do with those some day. Not wanting to limit myself to just a small section of trench afforded by the couple copies of each tile section they supplied I thought about a more extended sampling of the surface.

Then I ran across these two images online, showing one of the outdoor filming pieces constructed by the ILM model shop for some of the pyro shots:

Okay - I'm going to reproduce this section!

Dan

 

[3DImpact]

Planning and Casting and Printing

But to do this I was going to need a LOT more sections of tile! I made silicone molds of the Bandai panels and then cast resin copies. But I didn't want to do pure, thick, resin casts since those would be heavy and dense for the eventual cutting that I would need to do to piece the big puzzle together. So I made these almost the way the original filming models were made - thin shells of resin rolled around in the molds to capture the fine detail and then back-filled those with expanding foam. Much lighter for the eventual mounting and a lot easier to cut.

But if you look carefully at the original model there are many half- and quarter-scale copies of the tiles inserted here and there to break up the detail, and several custom tiles designs not represented in the Bandai standard set. So, off to modo for 3D modeling and then 3D printing.

Dan

 

[3DImpact]

Assembly

Map out where every tile goes.

Build a back board for mounting that will be sturdy and lightweight for wall mounting. Two panels of half-inch-thick foam core glues together to incorporate the mini trench recess. Line everything up straight and square and a little bit of hot glue, epoxy, and CA glue.

Dan

 

[3DImpact]

Finis!

Dan

 

[moffeaton]

THIS is BRILLIANT

 

[modelerdave]

WOW!!!

 

[GCLAMBERT89]

Excellent attention to detail!

 

[stevielewis]

Awesome!

 

[Keiko]

You're living my dream. Well done!

 

[division 6]

Way Cool.

 

[Bjorn]

Amazing execution! Well done!

 

[Hagoth]

Stumbled across this and I'm... wow! What a fun off the wall project! Amazingly well done replication here.

 

[metaform3d]

Fantastic work! Always nice to see Modo too.

 

[Krats]

Love it!

 

[tdb68]

WOW!!

 

[joberg]

WWAAIIITTT a minute here At first, when I saw your model, I thought that this was in the same scale as the ILM one
Then I saw your WIP and the pics of the tiles you were using...very clever and great project

 

[3DImpact]

Thanks everyone! This was a ton of fun to do. Just the process of figuring out how to do it and then make all the little tiles was a good skill-building exercise.

Of course as I continue to look at it I see all the little flaws - especially the two tiles that I need to try to pry off and adjust their vertical positioning (one sitting too high and the other too low) - but overall I'm very pleased with it and can't wait to get it hanging on the wall.

Dan

 

[3DImpact]

WWAAIIITTT a minute here At first, when I saw your model, I thought that this was in the same scale as the ILM one
Then I saw your WIP and the pics of the tiles you were using...very clever and great project

Oh man - I'd LOVE to make a full 1:1 replica! Might need a bigger basement for that though...

Dan

 

[Hunk a Junk]

Great idea, great execution! Love projects like this.