Scarecrow Joe
Sr Member
Glad it has been helpful!
Star Destroyer by Zvezda: in my workbench
- Thread starter Scarecrow Joe
- Start date
Ben Noob
New Member
Love what you've done man! My SD is in transit from Russia right now!!
What I want to ask is about power supply. What to use? How to change when it's flat etcAwesome build very detailed and easy to understand!!
Can you explain how you trimmed flush the FO (and what you used) after painting was complete..........Maybe before & after pictures......Did you do anything else to the FO after it was trimmed flush?
I read 2 ways:
Leave extra FO sticking outside ship......paint and weather ship..........then trim flush
Or drill holes.....run fiber through holes......heat the ends to make a lens then pull fiber back into hole flush and secure/glue from inside.........cover fiber ends with liquid mask then paint ship.......remove mask
Thanks in advance!!
ginuz
New Member
Hi,
just a quick info: what size for the fiber optics? You drill 0,6mm so I guess 0,6mm fiber optics. All the same size? some bigger? And do you color the light font differently or put some colored cell to do red lights? Thanks. I am new here and, let's say, pretty new to modeling world, so I am not so good, yet.
Right now I am building Zvezda Star Destroyer. I just finished my mpc Falcon with a little dock94 diorama. I will post some photos soon.
I am not very fast as I have few time to dedicate to this wonderful hobby but I am really passionate about it.
Thanks a lot! it's a fascinating world, it brings us back to childhood but in a thoughter way
just a quick info: what size for the fiber optics? You drill 0,6mm so I guess 0,6mm fiber optics. All the same size? some bigger? And do you color the light font differently or put some colored cell to do red lights? Thanks. I am new here and, let's say, pretty new to modeling world, so I am not so good, yet.
Right now I am building Zvezda Star Destroyer. I just finished my mpc Falcon with a little dock94 diorama. I will post some photos soon.
I am not very fast as I have few time to dedicate to this wonderful hobby but I am really passionate about it.
Thanks a lot! it's a fascinating world, it brings us back to childhood but in a thoughter way
gt350pony66
Master Member
hey man, welcome aboard! I don't think we'll see an answer from Scarecrow for a while yet, he lives in PR and I've tried to message him to see if he's ok, which I'm sure he is but I'm thinking he's got power and net connect issues that might go on for awhile.
Anyway, to your question...I'm in the middle of my Zvezda ISD and I've decided to go with .25mm FO for the most of mine, smaller than what Joe and Robiwon (God rest his soul) used which I believe was .50mm. I reckoned the smaller size would allow for a lot more light points, though I am going to use .50mm in about 20% of it where it looks appropriate. I also got the upgrade hangar bay from 3D Falcon parts which already has the lighting holes in it, which appear to be 1.0mm. I also plan to use a bit of .75mm and try to gently mash it flat on the ends in an attempt to produce some rectangular shapes for the windows that are such. it worked pretty good in my MPC Falcon cockpit, so it should do the same here. that in itself is a lot more work particularly getting the openings the right size for the FO. We'll see, if it's too much hassle I may not do too many of those. As far as color...I've seen a lot of models in google images where guys used a lot of red, orange and yellow, but if you look at movie images, there isn't any. Color does add to the effect and is pleasing to the eye, but some how it doesn't look right to me. I had considered using a few red for "hazard" type lights, you know for shuttles and tie fighters that would be buzzing around, bit very few, and if I do they'll be the blinker LED. Further on colors, if all you have is white LED's, you can sand them with emery cloth to rough them up and color them with Sharpies. depending on the shade you want, you may have to color them a few time, letting them dry good in between, but one shot is usually enough. Also, and very important for your FO to LED light distribution, if all you have is round tip LED's, take a fine file to the end till it's flat and polish it up with the gray emery cloth. then you have a flat tipped LED that the FO won't go past the tip. and for that, arrangement, get some black plastic tubing that fits snug to the LED and cut into 1/2 to 3/4 inch sections and glue those to you LED, that gives you something to stuff you FO in to gather light. I've been using the Laserbond glue, in the "As Seen on TV" isle at the super market or the drug store. works great and won't melt you FO like model glue, or make them brittle like super glue. And if you want to flashing LED's, there on ebay or I'm pretty sure the Fiber Optic Store sells them too. I use the pre-made pigtails that already have the resistor built in and one that are for 9V. There are even flickering LED's available out there, I'm using blue ones for the engine bells. Hope that wasn't too much info, but I hope that helps :thumbsup oh, and I'm not sure what size drill bits to tell you to get, but your local REAL hobby shop should have a micro drill bit set for you for cheap. then just size up the bit you need for each size FO. lots of guys have those tiny hobby drills which are nice, but I have a pin vice for the tiny bits, and then just put the pin vice in my Makita cordless drill. the pin vice is like the size of a bic pen, works for me. And drill slow straight and steady or you'll snap bits like crazy. I've drilled almost 400 holes for .25mm FO so far, and only broke one in the beginning. if you have any other question, feel free to ask, there's lots of us here happy to help. a lot of it we picked up from our dearly departed friend Robiwon, he was a master. happy building my friend
Anyway, to your question...I'm in the middle of my Zvezda ISD and I've decided to go with .25mm FO for the most of mine, smaller than what Joe and Robiwon (God rest his soul) used which I believe was .50mm. I reckoned the smaller size would allow for a lot more light points, though I am going to use .50mm in about 20% of it where it looks appropriate. I also got the upgrade hangar bay from 3D Falcon parts which already has the lighting holes in it, which appear to be 1.0mm. I also plan to use a bit of .75mm and try to gently mash it flat on the ends in an attempt to produce some rectangular shapes for the windows that are such. it worked pretty good in my MPC Falcon cockpit, so it should do the same here. that in itself is a lot more work particularly getting the openings the right size for the FO. We'll see, if it's too much hassle I may not do too many of those. As far as color...I've seen a lot of models in google images where guys used a lot of red, orange and yellow, but if you look at movie images, there isn't any. Color does add to the effect and is pleasing to the eye, but some how it doesn't look right to me. I had considered using a few red for "hazard" type lights, you know for shuttles and tie fighters that would be buzzing around, bit very few, and if I do they'll be the blinker LED. Further on colors, if all you have is white LED's, you can sand them with emery cloth to rough them up and color them with Sharpies. depending on the shade you want, you may have to color them a few time, letting them dry good in between, but one shot is usually enough. Also, and very important for your FO to LED light distribution, if all you have is round tip LED's, take a fine file to the end till it's flat and polish it up with the gray emery cloth. then you have a flat tipped LED that the FO won't go past the tip. and for that, arrangement, get some black plastic tubing that fits snug to the LED and cut into 1/2 to 3/4 inch sections and glue those to you LED, that gives you something to stuff you FO in to gather light. I've been using the Laserbond glue, in the "As Seen on TV" isle at the super market or the drug store. works great and won't melt you FO like model glue, or make them brittle like super glue. And if you want to flashing LED's, there on ebay or I'm pretty sure the Fiber Optic Store sells them too. I use the pre-made pigtails that already have the resistor built in and one that are for 9V. There are even flickering LED's available out there, I'm using blue ones for the engine bells. Hope that wasn't too much info, but I hope that helps :thumbsup oh, and I'm not sure what size drill bits to tell you to get, but your local REAL hobby shop should have a micro drill bit set for you for cheap. then just size up the bit you need for each size FO. lots of guys have those tiny hobby drills which are nice, but I have a pin vice for the tiny bits, and then just put the pin vice in my Makita cordless drill. the pin vice is like the size of a bic pen, works for me. And drill slow straight and steady or you'll snap bits like crazy. I've drilled almost 400 holes for .25mm FO so far, and only broke one in the beginning. if you have any other question, feel free to ask, there's lots of us here happy to help. a lot of it we picked up from our dearly departed friend Robiwon, he was a master. happy building my friend
Hi,
just a quick info: what size for the fiber optics? You drill 0,6mm so I guess 0,6mm fiber optics. All the same size? some bigger? And do you color the light font differently or put some colored cell to do red lights? Thanks. I am new here and, let's say, pretty new to modeling world, so I am not so good, yet.
Right now I am building Zvezda Star Destroyer. I just finished my mpc Falcon with a little dock94 diorama. I will post some photos soon.
I am not very fast as I have few time to dedicate to this wonderful hobby but I am really passionate about it.
Thanks a lot! it's a fascinating world, it brings us back to childhood but in a thoughter way
gt350pony66
Master Member
Ginuz, btw I forgot to ask if you had used any Shapeways or HH Miniatures upgrade parts for your MPC Falcon? I've built 5 so far, each successive build is better than the last, but those upgrade goodies really make a difference in the accurate appearance of the model. I went nuts buying those Falcons on ebay when I found them cheap. thinking I was going to build them to the max and sell them on ebay. I think I've still got 10 or 12 in the closet! :unsure if you've got a hanker to build some more...I've got a few. I can probably even pony up a set of upgrade parts to go with. if you're interested, send me a private message and we can talk about it.
Cheers brother!
Cheers brother!
gt350pony66
Master Member
It took building 5 to get to this level, the first one was lit too, but it was built with all the box stock parts...it was a learning process :lol
Scarecrow Joe
Sr Member
Recently got power back but the internet is still a bit faulty. Thanks gt350 for getting back to that guy, nice work on the MF too.
gt350pony66
Master Member
HEY! Can't tell you how happy I am to hear from you dude, really glad you're ok man! I'd imagine you've been through a rough time over there, but I hope it's getting better. I take it you got the word on Robiwon...sad days, he was a really great guy, like you :thumbsup Guns Akimbo started another thread on ISD and I'm working on mine finally. Great kit, really enjoying the build. And thanks for the comps on the Falcon, much appreciated.
Scarecrow Joe
Sr Member
What happened to Robiwon???
He passed away a couple of weeks ago from complications after his bypass surgery.
gt350pony66
Master Member
I guess it was something to do with his health condition, he passed away. the way I understand it, he had had some surgery like the beginning of this year, I'm guessing heart related, and he had recovered well, but something went sideways on him. heart attack I think. There's a thread on it. I'll see if I can't figure out how to link it for you, I'm kinda dumb with that stuff.
- - - Updated - - -
I don't know how to do that stuff...but the thread is, RIP fellow RPF member ROBIWON
the way I understand it, he had had some surgery like the beginning of this year, I'm guessing heart related, and he had recovered well, but something went sideways on him. heart attack I think. There's a thread on it. I'll see if I can't figure out how to link it for you, I'm kinda dumb with that stuff.
- - - Updated - - -
I don't know how to do that stuff...but the thread is, RIP fellow RPF member ROBIWON
Joe, was looking at your engine exhausts....THE ENTIRE SHIP LOOKS AWESOME, BTW!!!...But, have you (or anyone else) tried painting the INSIDE of the exhaust with "reflective" paint? Maybe a Krylon clear reflective paint, maybe? I was just thinking of the lightsaber-reflective tape idea, and if it would add to the glow of the engines. IDK. Anyone?
Similar threads
