scratch built death star

[lunacyfx]

ok so i am new to this community i have always been a huge fan of star wars so its fitting that i took on this task of building a death star. so i started this project off with a 60" inflatable beach ball that i purchased online for like $40 so i have begun to paper mache the outside to make my death star shell i figure i would do like 3 to 6 layers of paper mache before i remove the ball and then cut it in half in preparation for me fiber glassing the inside of the dome so that this model lasts the test of time . let me know what you guys think as i wanna learn as much as possible cool

 

[darth_myeek]

Welcome Luna,

That is ambitious man!

If you haven't, read this thread. It's definitely the DS Haynes manual.

I think studio scale is 36", so this may need to move to the general modeling forum.

Good luck with the build,
Mike

 

[TazMan2000]

Quite an ambitious project. For all the trouble you are going to in paper macheing and fiberglassing, have you thought about buying an acryclic sphere (or two half spheres)? It may be a cheaper, and much quicker solution.

TazMan2000

 

[lunacyfx]

i priced it out for the size i am doing i am at $70 dollars so far and with fiberglass and resin a might spend another $70. two half acrylic domes shipped to florida at the size i am doing it is way more expensive for what i would spend for two half's i can make 4 or 5 models

 

[lunacyfx]

its like over $900 just for two half's and thats not including shipping just check it outhttp://www.globalplastics.ca/domes.htm

 

[TazMan2000]

900 bucks? Whoa...forget what I said. I had no idea they would be that expensive.

TazMan2000

 

[Jedifyfe]

900 bucks? Whoa...forget what I said. I had no idea they would be that expensive.

TazMan2000

Rob spent more than that on his Studio Scale domes.

 

[michelmoermans]

Sounds like an awesome project. Any thoughts on how you are going to make the outside details? What sort of accuracy are you going for?

Perhaps I'm running ahead of the current state of the project seeing as you still have to fiberglass but I'm interested to see which way you are going to go with the laser towers and such. My first thought would be that you make one and then vacuumform it so that you can mold several duplicates.

Also what is your budget for this?

Looking forward to see what you make of it

 

[lunacyfx]

Sounds like an awesome project.Any thoughts on how you are going to make the outside details? What sort of accuracy are you going for?:

Perhaps I'm running ahead of the current state of the project seeing as you still have to fiberglass but I'm interested to see which way you are going to go with the laser towers and such. My first thought would be that you make one and then vacuumform it so that you can mold several duplicates.

Also what is your budget for this?

Looking forward to see what you make of it

well the budget i am gonna try to keep at minimal because i wanna inspire people to tackle this on there own that being said i wanna make it a model that you look at and cant step away from it because there is just so much to see it keeps you there looking at every last thing but i will need help with scale as i suck at math and scaling lol also i need some good plans for a vacuum former i really nice sized one in case i wanna do halo and iron man armor and the styrene sheets

 

[Atlanthia]

I'm loving this thread already! I'm in the process of a budget build myself, involving papier mâché and other household junk. Hey! Maybe between us we can recreate the whole Star Wars universe Scale 1:1 in newspaper and glue!!! Lol!

Seriously though, I will be watching this thread regularly... Long live us papier mâché-ers!

 

[lunacyfx]

I'm loving this thread already! I'm in the process of a budget build myself, involving papier mâché and other household junk. Hey! Maybe between us we can recreate the whole Star Wars universe Scale 1:1 in newspaper and glue!!! Lol!

Seriously though, I will be watching this thread regularly... Long live us papier mâché-ers!

thumbsupnice see thats what i am talking about pm me some pics of what you got going on

 

[PHArchivist]

Glad to see I have inspired another project. It will be fun watching your progress.

Though I am mildly concerned about your approach, using an inflatable ball. In my experience, these never seem to come to a precise sphere. How perfectly round is yours? Does it seem to be working OK for you?

Good luck with the project and have fun!

 

[lunacyfx]

very very true i figured that after i fiber glassed the interior of the sphere i would bondo the outside to make what ever imperfections on the sphere so its perfectly round. i did super inflated the ball so its quiet round. i did find a solution to the beach ball warping that i will try out once i am done with this build.i bought i large 48" exercise ball witch is a thicker material and once you inflate the ball with enough air its provides a better structure that really doesn't warp like the beach ball has. but i tell you what this is definitely way cheaper than any other way i have found. and with the next ball i am gonna make the second death star. the model that is like half built i think i will look amazing with you being able to see the layers inside the death star