Kuhn Global Studio Scale Cylon Raider

[Hand Solo]

About an hour ago, the resin SS Raider kit arrived on my doorstep. I've finished carefully opening the package to inspect and lay out the parts.

Other than slight warpage of the canopy, the parts are very clean, almost entirely free of flash and bubbles and very well done. Very little in the way of 'defects' were noted.

^ Here I've laid out the parts along with a Monogram Raider for scale. The Monogram is being built along side this SS kit for myself.

Dollar bill and Monogram Raider showing how large the SS is by comparison.

I've reviewed the contents of the included disc and verified that all parts and accessories such as the decal set ( two Cylon pentagons ) are present and accounted for.

This commission will not be built with the included lighting or cockpit interior per request of Kurt. These parts will be retained, however, for future needs.

 

[REL]

Sweet. It looks great so far, excellent job laying out the pieces, even though they're not laid out on a trampoline.

Very clean looking kit.

 

[Hand Solo]

<div class='quotetop'>(REL @ Aug 22 2006, 07:14 PM) [snapback]1305440[/snapback]</div>

Sweet. It looks great so far, excellent job laying out the pieces, even though they're not laid out on a trampoline.[/b]

Actually, I think your trampoline's weave makes a nice 'High Tech' backdrop for your Starship parts.

<div class='quotetop'></div>

Very clean looking kit.
[/b]

It's physically very impressive. This is a Jesse Meyers kit, BTW. I'll be doing pretty much just prep tonite. A little cleanup and washing is all.

Rough dimensions are 17" W by 12" deep.

 

[Kuhn Global]

Ahhh gooooood...GOOOOOOOD.


LOL


Glad it made it there ok... I am looking forward to your build of this commission Mr Hand. Sweeeeeeeeeet.

 

[Hand Solo]

^ It's going to be fun.

I've noticed that the Monogram has quite the curvature fore and aft as compared to the SS.

I always knew the raider was somewhat flatter in looking at the photos, but BOY is it flat in cross-section.

I'm sure that this has been covered before, but it seems to me the Monogram is based more on the proportions of the full scale mockup than the filming miniature.

 

[Hand Solo]

The resin used in this kit sands easily, but retains it's details and shape very well. It's low odor to boot.

I've run into only tiny voids and bubbles in a few places, but that's been mostly on some part edges. Parts clean up rather well.

By far the biggest issue to address and it's standard for just about any resin kit, is filling the big seam that runs all the way around where the upper and lower main hull mates. I think once the hull halves are joined, filled and sanded, then the bulk of the 'tough and tedious' work is out of the way. I recommend the use of epoxy for this assembly stage because of the size of the pieces, the weight of the pieces and the nature of the join. Regular CA glue in liquid or gel form seems to be adequate for all other assembly.

There IS an alignment issue with the starboard lower hull, but I think some creative clamping will fix that. It bows out slightly beyond the upper hull on that side.

The detail is crisp with only a few tiny blobules of resin to clean up and in a couple of rare instances, some specks of the green mold material needed removal. Panel lines are well-moulded and only minor scribing was needed to fix any material left in the lines from casting.

I spent about 3 hours on cleanup of the large parts. I have only a few small parts left to clean up and assembly can begin in earnest.

 

[Jestefarean]

Good luck. Please ask questions if you have any. Ive built a couple of these now and the mating of the top and bottom is the toughest part IMO.

 

[Kuhn Global]

Wow Bob. Sounds like you've really jumped into this project. Kewl.

Great review of Jesse's Kit too.

I can't wait to see some of the "mating issue" solution photos.

Thanks to Jesse for offering any pointers. Who better to give them than the master of the kit?

GREAT WORK BOB..

 

[Hand Solo]

<div class='quotetop'>(Jestefarean @ Aug 23 2006, 04:28 AM) [snapback]1305617[/snapback]</div>

Good luck. Please ask questions if you have any. Ive built a couple of these now and the mating of the top and bottom is the toughest part IMO.
[/b]

I plan to tackle that with a pipe clamp to square up that starboard side and I have regular caliper-type variable pressure clamps to hold the sides together. My hope is that the epoxy will also help fill the gap between the halves.

On the canopy and its slight warping problem ( it is slightly depressed in the center, causing the sides to splay out a bit) , I'll probably try immersion in very hot water while the canopy is clamped carefully on the sides to bring it back into shape.

I appreciate very much your offer to have any questions answered. Do these strategies sound good to you?

<div class='quotetop'>(Kuhn Global @ Aug 23 2006, 08:22 AM) [snapback]1305704[/snapback]</div>

Wow Bob. Sounds like you've really jumped into this project. Kewl.

Great review of Jesse's Kit too.

I can't wait to see some of the "mating issue" solution photos.

Thanks to Jesse for offering any pointers. Who better to give them than the master of the kit?

GREAT WORK BOB..
[/b]

I'm 'On The Clock', Brah. :thumbsup

 

[Kuhn Global]

<div class='quotetop'>(Hand Solo @ Aug 23 2006, 08:52 AM) [snapback]1305713[/snapback]</div>

On the canopy and its slight warping problem ( it is slightly depressed in the center, causing the sides to splay out a bit) , I'll probably try immersion in very hot water while the canopy is clamped carefully on the sides to bring it back into shape.

[/b]

Hey Bob.

I just got off the phone with Salzo and he told me that the warping of the canopy is not exactly that it is warping, but what the actual molds of the real deal are shaped like. They have the master of the original from Jim Key's shop and he thought I may want to tell ya about it before spending time on it.

I will leave it up to you on what to do. Either way.. I am certain you will make this beastie look the best it can be.

 

[Hand Solo]

<div class='quotetop'>(Kuhn Global @ Aug 23 2006, 01:42 PM) [snapback]1305887[/snapback]</div>

I just got off the phone with Salzo and he told me that the warping of the canopy is not exactly that it is warping, but what the actual molds of the real deal are shaped like. They have the master of the original from Jim Key's shop and he thought I may want to tell ya about it before spending time on it.

I will leave it up to you on what to do. Either way.. I am certain you will make this beastie look the best it can be.
[/b]

Ok. Thanks for the heads. Since that's how the original is, I'll leave it be. It's only noticeable when you look at the canopy from the rear cross-section anyway and is NOT severe.

Better to leave it than to risk stress fractures from an attempted reshape.

 

[Lynn TXP 0369]

When I built my SS raider I was just able to tape the two halves closed and I then let drops of CA glue every inch or so wick into the gaps of the two halves. No need for clamps or any thing fancy, masking tape worked fine to hold it together.

I then filled the gaps with AVE's 2 part epoxy putty, fit it with red spot putty after priming as needed and it worked like a charm.

Lynn

 

[Hand Solo]

<div class='quotetop'>(Lynn TXP 0369 @ Aug 23 2006, 02:40 PM) [snapback]1305923[/snapback]</div>

When I built my SS raider I was just able to tape the two halves closed and I then let drops of CA glue every inch or so wick into the gaps of the two halves. No need for clamps or any thing fancy, masking tape worked fine to hold it together.

I then filled the gaps with AVE's 2 part epoxy putty, fit it with red spot putty after priming as needed and it worked like a charm.

Lynn
[/b]

Yeah. I'm also a woodworker so I tend to view things thru that filter as well. I like clamps for just about everything... the tape I have is just too low-tack to hold as I'd like...Thanks for the tip, though. I have liquid CA of course, but I think I'll simply epoxy for the big joint as planned. It'll bond and gap fill to an extent all in one step....and be stronger then heck...

 

[Hand Solo]

An addendum....

The reason I can't use tape...not only because of the tack issue, but because the starboard side is far enough out on this particular unit that clamping is the only way I can ensure that the alignment is straight and STAYS straight.

 

[PHArchivist]

Awesome, guys. Thanks for posting the comparison to the commercial kit, too.

 

[Hand Solo]

<div class='quotetop'>(PHArchivist @ Aug 23 2006, 05:21 PM) [snapback]1306005[/snapback]</div>

Awesome, guys. Thanks for posting the comparison to the commercial kit, too.
[/b]

The commercial kit...for being a commercial kit...especially one that's about 28 years old in design...ain't really all that bad. With the detail references available from the SS kit, I can really make my little Monogram Raider a little bit more accurate.

 

[Jestefarean]

<div class='quotetop'>(Hand Solo @ Aug 23 2006, 11:52 AM) [snapback]1305713[/snapback]</div>

<div class='quotetop'>(Jestefarean @ Aug 23 2006, 04:28 AM) [snapback]1305617[/snapback]

Good luck. Please ask questions if you have any. Ive built a couple of these now and the mating of the top and bottom is the toughest part IMO.
[/b]

I plan to tackle that with a pipe clamp to square up that starboard side and I have regular caliper-type variable pressure clamps to hold the sides together. My hope is that the epoxy will also help fill the gap between the halves.

On the canopy and its slight warping problem ( it is slightly depressed in the center, causing the sides to splay out a bit) , I'll probably try immersion in very hot water while the canopy is clamped carefully on the sides to bring it back into shape.

I appreciate very much your offer to have any questions answered. Do these strategies sound good to you?

<div class='quotetop'>(Kuhn Global @ Aug 23 2006, 08:22 AM) [snapback]1305704[/snapback]</div>

Wow Bob. Sounds like you've really jumped into this project. Kewl.

Great review of Jesse's Kit too.

I can't wait to see some of the "mating issue" solution photos.

Thanks to Jesse for offering any pointers. Who better to give them than the master of the kit?

GREAT WORK BOB..
[/b]

I'm 'On The Clock', Brah. :thumbsup
[/b][/quote]


Sounds fine. I didn't have to clamp either, but I can understand why you would want too. Im sure it will work. The canopy is "supposed" to be warped...the master was. Im sure heating it could unwarp it...I left them on mine and it looks fine...a little styrene and putting can be used to extend the edges to mate with the rear piece.

 

[Hand Solo]

<div class='quotetop'></div>

Sounds fine. I didn't have to clamp either, but I can understand why you would want too. Im sure it will work.[/b]

It worked. And it simplified things...at least for me. Mating took very little time. I've got pics...

<div class='quotetop'></div>

The canopy is "supposed" to be warped...the master was. Im sure heating it could unwarp it...I left them on mine and it looks fine...a little styrene and putting can be used to extend the edges to mate with the rear piece.[/b]

Right. Test fitting has revealed that this part will need some 'finessing'. Won't be a problem.

And now...progress. 3 more hours of work ( including more detail cleanup and some assembly of some of the detail parts and this is the result:

^ Lower half of the hull in an improvised alignment jig made of scrap wood and an antique bar clamp from the 1920's. We carpenters tend to overbuild things and we like our antique tools. Some of mine were inherited from my great-grandfather and grandfather...both cabinetmakers.

First thing to go were the locator pins. I wanted total freedom of finessing.

^ Prior to mating, I did the engine bells per instructions except for the white hi-output LEDs. Those were omitted. I brushed on some black paint for masking purposes since painting back in here will be a little more difficult after assembly. Since there will also be no on/off switch mounted, I also left off the detail piece for later. It can easily be installed after hull-mating.

^ Clamped in the jig. I used two-part 5-minute epoxy resin and plenty of clamps. I had at least 3 minutes to spare before unworkability. Misaligned starboard side eliminated, although the port side has a slight misalignment in reverse. This I can eliminate via shims and putty. The trade-off was well worth it.

^ Rear of hulls showing the engine housings. The hull will stay in the clamps until tomorrow, although that isn't strictly necessary. I'm building this commission to survive transit, so overbuilding in this case is erring on the side of caution. Tomorrow I'll be blending in the major seam with epoxy putty and beginning other assembly.

 

[Hand Solo]

It's out of the clamps now. All I can say is that those hulls are NOT coming apart.

Those old 'Glue, Screw, and Clamp' assembly habits are hard to break...

 

[Kuhn Global]

:thumbsup :thumbsup

My drool factor is beginning. :lol