Polar Lights 1/350 Enterprise refit

[Lynn TXP 0369]

Well, Since the MR Enterprise is coming out I really wanted the Polar Lights 1/350 Enterprise to go along with it since they are the same scale.

I intended to do so and failed with my first attempt to build it because of those stupid Aztech dummy stencils. I bit the bullet and decided to get another one and build her up plain jane with NO Aztech scheme or lights. I will just do the base colors, give her a shot of pearl and decal her up and be done with it.

I think it will look fine and be a very excellent build up done in this fasion.

Has anyone else built one this way in either the AMT/Ertl kit or the Polar lights one, LETS SEE IT..

Please post any pics here, or links to builds, I would love to see it.

Lynn

 

[jakob2121]

I looked at a lot of different builds of E models - most of them the big DeBoer versions - and as awesome as they were, I just didn't feel like making that big of a job of it.

So I mimicked the paint job on the Bandai E, misted it with a white, and it looked pretty decent. Unfortunately I've never had a room to put it together in, so the painted parts are wrapped up and in the box. I think a lot of people have done some pretty amazing work on these things, but almost everybody who sees the Bandai thinks the blue is wrong, that it's a basic gray and white ship. After TMP, they really whitewashed the thing.

Instead of going no-lights, why not frost the windows before you put them in and then light it with some basic neon lighting? No need to get fancy and it still wows people.

 

[Lynn TXP 0369]

Did you do any of the Aztech patterns or just the basic colors on the various parts of the ship, then misted them?

I still don't see why you just can't stick one largeer sized LED or medium sized bulb in the body and and the saucer just enough to get some glow into the windows.

IMO I think poeple go over board with trying to light windows by having a bunch of LED's.

Lynn

 

[Lord Abaddon]

I've got the two PL Enterprise 1/350 kits and have been debating what to do. I love the look of the ships with running lights, windows, warp engines, etc. all going strong but my electronic skills are a big fat zero. The azteching worries me too as I have heard way too many horror stories (not just yours Lynn, StarshipModeler is loaded with them).

But...dammit...when you look at this:

http://www.trekmodeler.com/services/ent170...ent1701_PL1.htm

You just want to have it look that way. To me the movie Enterprise has always been the coolest of all starships. I know I won't be able to do it that well, and maybe it'll take years (especially if I end up painting each aztech panel by hand. :lol) but I really do want a nice piece (and I'll never be able to afford the MR models).

 

[jakob2121]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Lynn TXP 0369 @ Jan 7 2007, 06:08 AM) [snapback]1392261[/snapback]</div>

Did you do any of the Aztech patterns or just the basic colors on the various parts of the ship, then misted them?

I still don't see why you just can't stick one largeer sized LED or medium sized bulb in the body and and the saucer just enough to get some glow into the windows.

IMO I think poeple go over board with trying to light windows by having a bunch of LED's.

Lynn
[/b]

i did the aztec pattern, but only in pearl white - i know I've seen models built where people painted the individual "panels" in the aztec different shades of pearl...I admire the workmanship, but....

I actually did the whole big E like i did my TOS E in 1/1000 - i drew the panel lines over the entire ship in pencil. Then I hand-painted in the aztec and panelling with pearl and blue acrylics. It makes rational sense to use the vinyl templates and an airbrush, but I don't have an airbrush, and I like the hand-painted look. Besides, once the lines are on there they can be smudged a bit and you have instant weathering.

I have a set of panel templates that I got from the board - not true templates, mind you, just a set of grids of what the panels are like on the models. I used that as a reference.

Since my base coats were krylon (white, with pewter gray and twilight for the blues) I'm not worried about what happens when i put all the pieces together. The pieces fit together very snugly when i did a test fit before i painted, and the seams are along seams onthe real model as well. If the gaps are too bad, it's easy to fix a hand-painted job. Then again, I didn't have gaps in my bandai. I guess i'm just lucky.

As far as the single led - it'd be hard to find leds with a wide enough angle. It'd probably be easier to get a couple of cheap auto light tubes and stick them in there. Somebody here on the board had posted a light scheme that was maybe twenty leds for the entire ship plus really basic wiring. I can't find the thread again, though.


I know the pencil-panelling probably sounds like a hell of a job, but it actually only took about an hour and a half to do all the pieces, and it made hand-painting a snap. I taped the nacelles together to make sure my panels lined up. The acrylics I used for the blues and pearlescent white I got at walmart for about $.97 each. I can get the tubes and give you color codes if you want. They match the bandai colors pretty well.

 

[jakob2121]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Lord Abaddon @ Jan 7 2007, 09:06 AM) [snapback]1392302[/snapback]</div>

I've got the two PL Enterprise 1/350 kits and have been debating what to do. I love the look of the ships with running lights, windows, warp engines, etc. all going strong but my electronic skills are a big fat zero. The azteching worries me too as I have heard way too many horror stories (not just yours Lynn, StarshipModeler is loaded with them).

But...dammit...when you look at this:

http://www.trekmodeler.com/services/ent170...ent1701_PL1.htm

You just want to have it look that way. To me the movie Enterprise has always been the coolest of all starships. I know I won't be able to do it that well, and maybe it'll take years (especially if I end up painting each aztech panel by hand. :lol) but I really do want a nice piece (and I'll never be able to afford the MR models).
[/b]

I've heard nothing but horror stories with the vinyl aztec patterns. hand painting was easier than you'd think. I did the base krylon coats (blue, gray, white, and the blacks...forgot to mention the black in my previous post) then did all the accent and aztecing by hand, and it took me about six hours over the course of a few days. it was very easy. it's a big model, but once the base coats are on it's mostly just accents.

I love painting with acrylics. I used a #1 round brush and had zero problems. Just be sure to use an acrylic sealer after each thing that you're happy with so you can wipe off any changes you're not happy with.


Tim Ketzer's E (a DeBoer) is the prettiest of the non-studio ships I've seen. Just gorgeous. Plus, his lighting scheme was really straightforward. Definitely worth a look. Tim Ketzer's Big E

 

[PHArchivist]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Lord Abaddon @ Jan 7 2007, 03:06 PM) [snapback]1392302[/snapback]</div>

I've got the two PL Enterprise 1/350 kits and have been debating what to do. I love the look of the ships with running lights, windows, warp engines, etc. all going strong but my electronic skills are a big fat zero. The azteching worries me too as I have heard way too many horror stories (not just yours Lynn, StarshipModeler is loaded with them).

But...dammit...when you look at this:

http://www.trekmodeler.com/services/ent170...ent1701_PL1.htm

You just want to have it look that way. To me the movie Enterprise has always been the coolest of all starships. I know I won't be able to do it that well, and maybe it'll take years (especially if I end up painting each aztech panel by hand. :lol) but I really do want a nice piece (and I'll never be able to afford the MR models).
[/b]

My sentiments exactly... I hate to admit (and its hard to do so) but I know the limitations of my skills, and I know I cannot produce what I want from this kit. So Mike, I too am looking into a commissioned build...

This guys work looks very good too... But good god what was he thinking with the aztecing on his Enterprise D....?

 

[Lord Abaddon]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(PHArchivist @ Jan 7 2007, 09:45 PM) [snapback]1392737[/snapback]</div>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Lord Abaddon @ Jan 7 2007, 03:06 PM) [snapback]1392302[/snapback]

I've got the two PL Enterprise 1/350 kits and have been debating what to do. I love the look of the ships with running lights, windows, warp engines, etc. all going strong but my electronic skills are a big fat zero. The azteching worries me too as I have heard way too many horror stories (not just yours Lynn, StarshipModeler is loaded with them).

But...dammit...when you look at this:

http://www.trekmodeler.com/services/ent170...ent1701_PL1.htm

You just want to have it look that way. To me the movie Enterprise has always been the coolest of all starships. I know I won't be able to do it that well, and maybe it'll take years (especially if I end up painting each aztech panel by hand. :lol) but I really do want a nice piece (and I'll never be able to afford the MR models).
[/b]

My sentiments exactly... I hate to admit (and its hard to do so) but I know the limitations of my skills, and I know I cannot produce what I want from this kit. So Mike, I too am looking into a commissioned build...

This guys work looks very good too... But good god what was he thinking with the aztecing on his Enterprise D....?
[/b][/quote]

There are a few builders out there who do finished works, and I know I've seen a few on eBay, but they are definitely not reliable from the feedback I've read.

StarShipModeler usually has ads for builders and many of them are members so you know if they are good or not. The prices though...hoo boy. In a few cases might as well get an MR.

I honestly don't know what I'll do. I think for the NX-01 I'm going to do it myself and see how it goes. I like Archer's ship, but it's not as special to me as the 1701A. I'll give the Voodoo FX kit a shot for it and if it works I'll be patient and hope they come out with a Refit lighting kit.

Jakob, thanks for the comments on the azteching. I love acrylics as well and have never had troubles doing small stuff by hand. I think I could pull it off.

Patience is the damnable thing though. The further along you go the faster you want it done.

 

[jakob2121]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Lord Abaddon @ Jan 7 2007, 10:18 PM) [snapback]1392756[/snapback]</div>

Jakob, thanks for the comments on the azteching. I love acrylics as well and have never had troubles doing small stuff by hand. I think I could pull it off.

Patience is the damnable thing though. The further along you go the faster you want it done.
[/b]

That ain't no lie. But most of my props - and i consider my models 'props' for better or worse - go through several rebuilds or reworks. I've taken apart my bandai E at least ten times. I've never put the decals on the parts i have so that once we get the new house and I get it set up in my office, I can go through and add in the multi-colored paneling if i want. I'm sure I probably will.

The lighting I don't think would be that hard. We move this weekend into a one-bedroom apartment in Austin, and I have to pick one project to take with me and not pack up...all this talk all but has me thinking I should take the E. I had been thinking about another polar lights 1/1000 TOS and adding lights to it, but....


What's everybody looking for in a lighting kit? Just pre-wired leds/ciruit board and instructions? Flashing lights?


Edited to add:

Definitely give it a whirl with the acrylics LA; I'd suggest starting off with the sensor ring at the front of the secondary hull. If it doesn't look good you can just wash it off, but it's amazing how quick it goes. That's one of the hardest pieces to paint if you're going for detail. I was really dreading trying to paint it, but it went surprisingly easy.

 

[Lynn TXP 0369]

Thanks for the help guys.
I wonder how light bulbs with the reflective dishs from flash lights would work??
Take and use the reflective dish inside to help throw the light where you want it. Use one for the navigational dish and one behind it to light those windows up. use two in the main saucer to light those windows up.

Nothing fancy, just a something to give it a little light.

Sound good, plausable??

I don't want to put a lot of $$$ into the lighting should I choose to.

Lynn

 

[redshirt]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Lord Abaddon @ Jan 7 2007, 09:06 AM) [snapback]1392302[/snapback]</div>

I've got the two PL Enterprise 1/350 kits and have been debating what to do. I love the look of the ships with running lights, windows, warp engines, etc. all going strong but my electronic skills are a big fat zero. The azteching worries me too as I have heard way too many horror stories (not just yours Lynn, StarshipModeler is loaded with them).

But...dammit...when you look at this:

http://www.trekmodeler.com/services/ent170...ent1701_PL1.htm

You just want to have it look that way. To me the movie Enterprise has always been the coolest of all starships. I know I won't be able to do it that well, and maybe it'll take years (especially if I end up painting each aztech panel by hand. :lol) but I really do want a nice piece (and I'll never be able to afford the MR models).
[/b]

Maybe a crazy question, but how well does the TrekModeler people do on a job like this. I'm pretty picky about details if I pay a hefty fee to have it done professionally.

Tom