Star Trek TOS Inspired Home Office Remodel
- Thread starter Starbase101
- Start date
Starbase101
Sr Member
Weather turned blustery today so I had some time to finally get back onto this project. I used to be an "expert" with our old Silhouette Cameo 2, but we've upgraded it (allegedly) to a Cameo 3 which I hadn't used yet, until today....
The first cardstock cutting attempt:
Alright, I think we can all agree that's crap.
So I changed some of the settings and tried again:
Yep, still crap, so the job was cancelled before any of the LED holes got cut.
I tweaked the settings some more and got an "okay" cut, but Silhouette America's cruddy software glitches-out whenever cutting more than 1 pass on large shapes:
So that was yet another wasted sheet of cardstock. (Hey, with the prices of everything lately, yes the quantity of wasted cardstock sheets matters.)
Finally, after several more trials (and a bit of non-repeatable language), I finally got a usable cut:
Next it got wired up. This is the first of 3 cardstock layers which will be behind a mirrored vinyl top layer:
It's not pretty, but it doesn't need to be. The multiple cardstock layers are simply to build up thickness around the LEDs, resistors, and wiring so the mirrored vinyl will lay smoothly (hopefully) over the top. There are fewer LEDs per row at the top of this sheet because this is the box's ceiling and the interior walls will be curved at the back corners. (It will make more sense later when there are pictures showing it more finished.)
The last step is power it up and make sure nothing got fried while soldering. (Got your UV glasses on?)
It's looking as expected, so it's now ready for the next cardstock layer, which will have the resistors covered and cutouts only for the LEDs and wiring.
The first cardstock cutting attempt:
Alright, I think we can all agree that's crap.
So I changed some of the settings and tried again:
Yep, still crap, so the job was cancelled before any of the LED holes got cut.
I tweaked the settings some more and got an "okay" cut, but Silhouette America's cruddy software glitches-out whenever cutting more than 1 pass on large shapes:
So that was yet another wasted sheet of cardstock. (Hey, with the prices of everything lately, yes the quantity of wasted cardstock sheets matters.)
Finally, after several more trials (and a bit of non-repeatable language), I finally got a usable cut:
Next it got wired up. This is the first of 3 cardstock layers which will be behind a mirrored vinyl top layer:
It's not pretty, but it doesn't need to be. The multiple cardstock layers are simply to build up thickness around the LEDs, resistors, and wiring so the mirrored vinyl will lay smoothly (hopefully) over the top. There are fewer LEDs per row at the top of this sheet because this is the box's ceiling and the interior walls will be curved at the back corners. (It will make more sense later when there are pictures showing it more finished.)
The last step is power it up and make sure nothing got fried while soldering. (Got your UV glasses on?)
It's looking as expected, so it's now ready for the next cardstock layer, which will have the resistors covered and cutouts only for the LEDs and wiring.
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Starbase101
Sr Member
Second layer of cardstock is applied to the ceiling lights:
This layer covers the resistor "holes" and continues building up height around the LEDs and wires. The cardstock is just leftover material that's been kicked around the house and finally being used for something, and my wife has donated some of her Scrapbook Adhesives sheets for "laminating" the layers together. These sheets are thin 12"x12" double-sided adhesive with paper liners and can be run through the cutting machine after applied to the cardstock. The final layer will cover the wiring and include the mirror film.
This layer covers the resistor "holes" and continues building up height around the LEDs and wires. The cardstock is just leftover material that's been kicked around the house and finally being used for something, and my wife has donated some of her Scrapbook Adhesives sheets for "laminating" the layers together. These sheets are thin 12"x12" double-sided adhesive with paper liners and can be run through the cutting machine after applied to the cardstock. The final layer will cover the wiring and include the mirror film.
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Starbase101
Sr Member
The next 1:1 scale project has arrived, so now more work to do taking precedence over the office remodel.
A very brief peek at work-in-progress for the transformation:
A very brief peek at work-in-progress for the transformation:
I assume the Corvette is a shuttlecraft, have you decided on a name? They're all scientist or explorers. There have been a ton of great ones between Original Series and Next Generation...
Starbase101
Sr Member
Nope, no name - it's a themed car, not a shuttlecraft. For awhile I entertained the idea of having a name/number on the car, but I couldn't come up with anything really good and in a way it crosses the "too geeky" line. I'm doing minimalist accent theming so it's recognizable as something which could be an in-universe vehicle while also not screaming "Trek Nerd!" everywhere I drive. (Maybe it's already too late for that last part.)
Starbase101
Sr Member
Deleted content.
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Starbase101
Sr Member
This is why there hasn't been any recent updates.
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Starbase101
Sr Member
"Are you sure these were the correct coordinates?"
"We need to get out of here NOW. Damn!"
Happy Holidays (especially if you're in a red shirt).
xlowes
Well-Known Member
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Starbase101
Sr Member
A divorce has put an end to this project.
Starbase101
Sr Member
This project will be coming back to life in a little town named Star (how appropriate). There will be a long intermission though, because it will take a good 6 months for the new location to be built, and then there's all the unpacking and moving in, but at least this project is no longer ended.
The new "starbase" site as it looks today:
Architect rendering of the build:
(I also re-uploaded an edited version of the "runabout" configuration and delivery video in post #349 with certain references removed.)
The new "starbase" site as it looks today:
Architect rendering of the build:
(I also re-uploaded an edited version of the "runabout" configuration and delivery video in post #349 with certain references removed.)
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Tiberius Kirk
Sr Member
Starbase101
Sr Member
knight1705
New Member
Where did you get the graphics for your "Runabout"?
I don't have the fighter,
I have an Escape Pod (Ford Escape) that I would like graphics for. I have a photoshopped rendering of what I hope to end up with, could be decals, a "wrap" or even magnetic signs, but those might get stolen or come off.
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knight1705
New Member
I am sorry to hear that. I have been following this thread and really am impressed by all your work.
Prayers for peace and comfort for you and all concerned during this difficult transition.
knight1705
New Member
Are these painted on or decals? Where was it done? Or did you do this work yourself?
Starbase101
Sr Member
With the price bracket of my new house, I will not be doing any permanent "crazy" things that cannot easily be undone, in the event this house might need to be sold someday. I learned the cost of doing such customizations when unexpectedly selling my old house and needing to undo all the work I had done on the room. So although my new office will still be Starfleet themed, it will not be as "elaborate" as what was being done at the old house. No custom gray wall paint to match the desk, no silver stripes on the walls, no red closet doors (unless I replace the doors like I did before, but this time hang on to the OEM doors so they can be restored), no large holes in the walls for intercom panel and red alert light (which I'm still planning on having, will just need to work out a "nicer" way of implementing), etc. The desk will still have the colored rocker switches, an intercom panel with Echo behind it, and a few other things. Basically this is going to be toned-down from "remodel" to "theming". Since I've now got no woman in my life, my New Year's Eve is spent re-assembling the desk....
(A 3D printed "plant on" decoration will cover the hole which was cut for aligning with a wall outlet at the old house. There will also be GNDN tubes under the desk for concealing all the electrical cables.)
(A 3D printed "plant on" decoration will cover the hole which was cut for aligning with a wall outlet at the old house. There will also be GNDN tubes under the desk for concealing all the electrical cables.)
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