S.S. Death Star?

[PHArchivist]

I'm becoming more convinced...

Doing similar "geometric gymnastics" with the photos from Gus's site offer similar results. The "circle" in the image attached is not truly a circle.

I think what is throwing me a little bit is our verbiage, or terminology. To be technically accurate, I don't believe it is "wider at the equator", but (again to be technically correct) "shorter at the poles".

I'd bet real money that when the original was built, the hemispheres were cut such that the result was slightly less than a true hemisphere, reducing the height of each individual dome, and making the end result shorter at the poles (and, yes -- subsequently wider at the equator! ).

We've hashed all this out in the past, haven't we...? Sorry for bringing it up again... :unsure

 

[BrianM]

I think what is throwing me a little bit is our verbiage, or terminology. To be technically accurate, I don't believe it is "wider at the equator", but (again to be technically correct) "shorter at the poles".

So I'm not wider around my middle I'm just shorter at my poles. :lol

I've ordered plastic domes in the past (R2 related) and found them not to be round when trimmed and put together. "short at the poles". Must be something about the manufacturing process. When you trim the flange they are always short.

I wonder if the trench wasn't added to make it taller.

BrianM

 

[Mycroft Holmes]

I have a friend who is impaired by his poles. I will have to tell him it's not his equator after all:lol

I can't wait to see someone build one of these! That sub woofer rocks!


Mark

 

[PHArchivist]

You guys are killing me! :lol

But it does make sense, doesn't it...?

 

[PHArchivist]

By the way, the red "circle" in the image attached earlier is not truly a circle. It too is shorter at the poles/wider at the equator.

 

[Treadwell]

monitor settings?

 

[PHArchivist]

monitor settings?

In the photo I posted, I created the red "circle-like shape" in Power Point to as closely as possible match the circumference of the DS in the image.

When isolating the "circle" alone, and measuring it, it was "wider at the equator/shorter at the poles".

 

[PHArchivist]

Something that vexes me about this project is the sheer size...

My neighbor has the Lego model which is less than two feet in diameter (probably not eveh HALF the size as the three-foot ANH DS. It makes an impressive display -- big enough to grab your attention notabley when entering the room, yet small enough to be an indoor display.

I can only imagine that if I built a full three foot model, it would never leave my garage workshop. Or if it did, that it would be far too imposing in my home theater and look too big and a tad out of place...

 

[jcoffman99]

You could hang it from the ceiling and mount your projector in it.

 

[PHArchivist]

Took some pics of the clear acrylic fountain I referred to earlier, showing the pinch at the equator. Will try to post them later.

 

[SgtFang]

You could hang it from the ceiling and mount your projector in it.

That's actually pretty good! Have the superlaser pop off like a giant lenscap! :lol

Big props are always better when they also perform some useful purpose around the house!

-Sarge

 

[Prop Nut...]

OK...so we have a lot of discussion, but no one has stepped up to the plate to make this project a reality. Ayone?...Anyone?...Beuler?....Beuler?:confused

 

[PHArchivist]

OK...so we have a lot of discussion, but no one has stepped up to the plate to make this project a reality. Ayone?...Anyone?...Beuler?....Beuler?:confused

That's what I was thinking...!

 

[PHArchivist]

OK here are the clear spheres in the fountain referred to earlier. Note the pinch at the equator.

My theory is that the ILM modelers perhaps also noted something similar, and trimmed each hemisphere back a bit to avoid the pinch, and in the process, wound up making the entire sphere (once assembled) shorter at the poles.

 

[GKvfx]

Oh my God! They're growing Death Stars!

It's started.........................

 

[micdavis]

It makes perfect sense that the pinch is there.

To get acrylic spheres you have two choices. CAST or Formed sphere.

Cast is VERY expensvie, especially back then in that size.

A formed sphere, much easier to make but you can't do more than half a sphere easily and you would always trim it short. Unless you added a run out bulkhead to allow for trimming. Not likely on a low budget "space" movie.

 

[PHArchivist]

OK...so we have a lot of discussion, but no one has stepped up to the plate to make this project a reality. Ayone?...Anyone?...Beuler?....Beuler?:confused

I'm getting darn close...!

Regarding the challenge of keeping the hemispheres to the correct shape, would concentric circles or rings of plywood, positioned inside the hemispheres, help add stability and structure?

I know on the original, there is a series of visible "buttons" where they apparently drove screws (or some other type of fastener) through the outside surface on into the internal frame.

 

[PHArchivist]

OK I've made a call, and the supplies are reasonably priced, so I may be going forward with this project fairly soon.

 

[Prop Nut...]

OK I've made a call, and the supplies are reasonably priced, so I may be going forward with this project fairly soon.

Keep us posted.

 

[Eagle]

Coolage.