Need references! First Contact - Borg Cube

[Duncanator]

Brassy, brass McBrasserson

This one shows one of the "paper clip" looking bits. Unfortunately most of them have been clipped off.

This one shows more Borg Cube and Borg Sphere parts.

This last one may have only been used on the Sphere due to the weird angles, but they might have been on the Cube.
Memory gets soft after 25 years...

 

[MangyDog]

Wow seriously amazing... Honestly this and the photos I have so far should be more than enough to build it...

I can only hope my etchings come out this good.. Though I suspect not... But we will see... Electro etching stainless steel might be too aggressive at this scale... But I hope it would be OK...

Only using stainless because it's cheaper than brass. And at this reduced scale should be a bit stronger than brass.

Again thanks for all the help... If you do end up finding more greebie details and and casts and are allowed to show. That would be great.

I night end up modeling and creating duplicates of some original parts and shapes too. But I don't want to stray too far from the original... I want it to look busy but correct... Will see how it goes when I get to it.

 

[Duncanator]

Glad I could help!

 

[MangyDog]

You have, Also im amazed that these are still around... After so many years. Well done

 

[Duncanator]

I just happened to know where to look.

 

[Cluis]

Hey there!
My buddy and I are working on a somewhat massive Borg Cube in the game SpaceEngineers and I had been hunting all over for some basic quality imagery of the various styles and methods that are out there. Since there are limitations in the game base shape wise we will not be able to be "accurate to cannon" on this but once I found this post I was pretty pumped. There is NO WAY we could mimic the fidelity and density of what you have done here but your work and the images you have posted have given me quite a bit of inspiration and I really appreaciate the work you have done and are doing.

I am a designer by trade, if there is ANYTHING graphically speaking you need help with in your various projects just let me know. I would love to pay you back for putting stuff like this out there.

Beginning images of outer shell attached, each tiny cube you see in these is 2.5 meters, it is 121x121 of these cubes across. The second image is the lighting we are making for the interior shell to give it some depth visually once we start adding internal components.


Anywho, happy building and thanks again.
Cluis

p.s. Do you or anyone else happen to know anything about the Borg grid and subjunction system for relaying coordinates inside the cube? I found this post Borg Cube but I have to assume a hardcore trekkie out there someplace has done the work and figured it out.

 

[zapwizard]

I just wanted to stop in and say to Duncanator, thanks for digging up the info, and you work on the real thing. Also, for reminding me how much more detail was in the real borg cube (instead of the Saturday morning cartoon style of the cube in Picard)

MangyDog, I am trying some experiments in etching stainless steel. I haven't gotten around to trying the actual acid, but I did try painting and then laser etching the steel. I had a heck of a time laser-etching the paint off smoothly, so before you go etching any large areas, try some experiments with different paints or other coatings. Remember that even a sharpie works as a mask for the acid, so don't get heavy with the paint.

 

[MangyDog]

Hi Zap thanks, Yeah ill be doing some experiments before I start... I also wont be acid etching the stainless, but electro etching so I have an abundant source of electricity to etch the thousands of parts and not have to worry about the acid diluting and wearing out.

Also Im still undecided weather to go 0.2 or 0.5 mm Stainless steel foil. I had a test strip of 0.2 stainess send to me... and it was rolled up... And sadly it didnt unroll flat at all... In fact it was really a mess D: So im going to have to really do more research into where to buy from and make sure its flat.

Also apologies to everyone for not starting this project yet... Ive also actually put it back one place in my projects to do list... Im going to get my stargate project done and out the way and do another "product" design, as I really need to do some portfolio stuff to try and get work...

Ive been unemployed for far too long and i REALLY need work in product design and development. But im struggling badly :/

So i have a everyday product thing for my next project.

After THAT Ill do the borg cube project.... This does mean that this project will likely now be put back to autumn at the earliest... Sorry

 

[Dapper]

Hey we get MangyDog. Real life happens. I'm just happy this thread even exists. Seeing the crazy level of detail used in cube has been wonderful. Wish you all the best and hope to see move forward on this in the future.

 

[MangyDog]

Now at this rate it's looking to be next year.... This stargate project really had been a right pian...
Trying to resin cast the main face of the gate but had real problems with bubbles on the surface detail.

Finally found a way to get the detail without surface tension bubbles forming, using talc. But my old silicon mould I made finally failed after 12 pulls... So I'm currently making a new mould.

Anyway now looking like next year.

 

[Zombie Killer]

....hell of a project. Those are some great shots of the brass sheets. I swear one day im going to build the Phoenix from FC. Where is this pic from? I see the phoenix there in the background

 

[MangyDog]

just photos i randomly found online when scowering the interwebs...
Was some short term exhibition someplace...

 

[Duncanator]

....hell of a project. Those are some great shots of the brass sheets. I swear one day im going to build the Phoenix from FC. Where is this pic from? I see the phoenix there in the backgroundView attachment 1339983

Let me know when you want to start your Phoenix project. I have a couple behind the scenes pics of it too. I satisfied my Trek nerd fantasy by making the "First" warp engines for the Phoenix. I'll need some lead time to dig them up.

 

[skahtul]

Let me know when you want to start your Phoenix project. I have a couple behind the scenes pics of it too. I satisfied my Trek nerd fantasy by making the "First" warp engines for the Phoenix. I'll need some lead time to dig them up.

That would be awesome, love to see someone build the Phoenix!

Also, all these pics of the cube and your insights into the model, just the best! Thanks for sharing.

 

[Treadwell]

The Okudas posted this on FB the other day

 

[Millenniumf]

Man, I need to make some photo etch brass sheets of this for when I do my Borg Assimilator project! The reference in this thread is absolutely perfect for that!

 

[MangyDog]

Hope no one minds the bump.... but, Just wanted to say thank you to everyone, and again to Duncanator.
While im no where near ready to start building. Im about to deal with a house move :/
I have finally! started some planning and prep.
Ive even started tracing as much of the discernible brass etch parts as I can. But without a doubt theres going to need some artistic lisence and extra parts that I will have to make up.

Im starting to also figure out how im going to make this and maybe save some time on some parts...
When I start building proper, ill make a real thread for the build.
Again thank you all, if you feel you have new even better references, please post them here. Its always good for mine and others builds.

Also I still plan to build mine at 50CM cubed.

 

[publiusr]

Anyone ever use circuit boards as backing?

 

[MangyDog]

Anyone ever use circuit boards as backing?

How do you mean?
Do you mean using FR4 as a structural frame?

 

[PHArchivist]

Looks like a box of paper clips spilled onto a death star model. I started rewatching TNG after joining this forum and on the Borg introduction episode, I thought- wow so many greeblies!

Death Star is round...

(just sayin'...!)