Kit of the USS Daedalus NCC-129?

[space rat]

WOW!!! Steve, Love watching a true Master at work.

 

[crackerjazz]

It's just like being there, Steve. I'd probably have a thousand questions while I watch you work. It's just so interesting.

 

[SteveNeill]

Thanks a bunch. I'll be glad to get past this part of the process and on with building a model. Molds are a work out but once you have them it's great.

Tomorrow I'll remove the molds from the mounting boards while keeping the masters inside. They are only tacked to the boards and will break away easily. Then I water base clay the around the edges of the molds. Brush in a bit of silicone and back it with more tool stone or Ultracal 30.

I should then be able to start pouring parts this Wed. The spec sheet says the strength of the silicone is best after 72 hours.

Steve

 

[REL]

What a cool process. Your threads are like a tutorial on all aspects of model building.

 

[SteveNeill]

Hey thanks Richard.

Steve

 

[Smiling Demon]

Yes Steve, I agree with Richard. I have learned a great deal from watching your builds and reading your posts. I hope I have the funds when you start selling this kit.
That is one sweet build!!

 

[cosmic_x]

thatnk you very much Steve for the many details you providing during the whole process.

Kostas

 

[JP Modelworks]

Thanks for the great photos of the process, Steve. Now I'm inspired to try it on something!

 

[SteveNeill]

Thanks you guys I hope you put it to good use.

Not much to tell today. Removed the molds from the boards and cleaned them up. Added a barrier of clay and brushed up a thin layer of silicone. The green is a different silicone I used to thicken up the edges and thin corners. I ran out of the other blue silicone.

Once the silicone set up I remove the clay and added clay over the the edges of the Ultracal to aid in venting over low of Alumilite and to relieve surface area. Keys were made with a router bit and drill.

Then I poured up Ultracal 30 to back the silicone. I will let these sit until Wed. when I can open them. Thursday I'll run three kits. One as a master to put away. One to build for ads, instructions, video and my own pleasure. Another as a gift to Doug Drexler.

More on Wed.

Steve

 

[SmilingOtter]

So at this point in the process are the original plastic parts still in there, now sandwiched between silicone?

 

[SteveNeill]

Yep! 100 % correct.

Steve

 

[SteveNeill]

Today I got to open all the cored molds and clean them up for pouring. It all went very well and I didn’t need to drill any relief vents or injection holes. I did a few tests and got good results just pouring and shutting the molds. I did get a few bubbles more than the usual on the engineering hull with all the raised detail but I found the talcum powder worked spectacularly and I didn’t have to use the pressure pot.
Tomorrow I’ll have the rest of the parts I need. I poured up three sets today of the balls and the secondary hulls. One set gets put away for a raining day if the molds every need to be remade.
More tomorrow,

Steve

<img src="http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l114/U-812/Daedalus%20Class%20Star%20Ship/IMG_7099.jpg">

 

[trekman1017]

WOW!!!

 

[bmused55]

Wow indeed! That looks fabulous.
C'mon... put us out of our misery, how much for a kit?

 

[robn1]

Those are great looking castings, well done!

 

[clancampbell]

Stunning work! These castings are so clean and detailed looking it makes my mouth water!

Rich

 

[healvis]

Fantastic work Steve. I noticed the Nick Foreman/Chris Bently UFO technical manual on your bench, have you any plans to build some Anderson craft?

 

[SteveNeill]

Thanks guys. I'm Still not sure yet on the price but at the rate it's using up Alumilite and the time to cast the parts I'd have to guess over 100 easy. But we'll see.

Steve

 

[Spoddy]

Is that a phaser in the background there?

 

[trekriffic]

Could be a dustbuster.