Studio Half Scale TOS Enterprise Scratch build

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Anyone here from Toronto who has seen the ceiling-hung TOS studio-scale (seems like) Big-E at Scarborough Town Center Mall Cineplex? I've always wondered what it's made of - maybe fiberglass.

Anyway, this is turning out to be one beautiful monster of a ship, Steve. The balsa sheeting magically curving over the formers never fails to put a smile on my face. I always find myself coming back to those photos.
 
Went flying yesterday at my field and took the day off. This project can be tiring.

Today I spent sanding and pointing up the masters for the secondary hull and the pylon neck. This needs to be done before I glass. You can always fill valleys but it's hard to get rid of them mountains!

Additionally I started work on the hanger bay structure. This assembly when done fits deep inside the hull. Currently until I have a casting of the hull in glass I can't show that.

The final part will have the rear bulkhead, doors and the outer structure as one piece if it works out like I hope. The idea here is to make a rough balsa and acrylic dome master. Mold it and cast it from Alumilite and really point it up again and make another mold for production parts. This works very well as you can tool up the resin to be perfect unlike balsa or clay.

Tomorrow I hope to finish off the hanger bay and move to the sensor array concentric circles and outer cone. These need to be all roughed out and attached to the hull and cehcked before I glass it to make sure every thing is right.

More tomorrow.

Steve

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I added this part just for a look to check profile and measurements. It doesn't get used. The larger piece with the template is the actual part to be.

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Steve, I have to say that I'm gutted about the Nautilus. Man, that's... horrible.

That said, I've always found it ironic that a shipping company has a name that can be vocalized as "oops."

I know that with insurance, the money can be restored. But that's not the issue. It's the time, the energy, and the art that are all gone.

My condolences. I feel for you. I really do.
 
Thanks guy I was there but missed by the camera. Fred was a good friend and I worked in the makeup department on that film. I was involved in the Aliens and Spock's ears. Thanks so much for the link it really brings back memories.

Thanks guys for all the nice replies. And don't worry abut the Nautilus. They are making another. When it's done I'll pick it up from Custom Replicas as they are close by me.

Steve
 
Another long day on the Big E. First a trip to Kit Craft. What a place. Go check it out on line. Got the half domes I needed for the nacelles and the hanger door. As fate would have it they had exactly the correct size for both. In a perfect world. Huh?

The technique I'm using for the hanger door panels is an old one used on model airplanes to simulate panel lines. Primer the surface first. Cut thin strips of tape. Lay them on until the look perfect. They are easy to readjust. Then primer the hell out of the surface lightly sanding in between ever 4 coats or so until it builds up thick enough. Once you remove the tape it leaves nice deep relief. Lightly sand the sharp edges off and one last light coat of primer. Works every time.

Got that difficult outer sensor array cone built today using PVC sheet for formers and styrene. This came out nearly perfect. I'll mold this and produce a resin part, point that up and make the final mold. Same with the little structure over the hanger door with the window. I made this out of balsa foam. Neat stuff. Never tried it before.

More tomorrow.

Steve

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Awesome work Steve!

How many coats of primer do you usually end up spraying to get the right thickness/look? (for a nice, deep panel line)
 
Brandon,

Best thing to do is what I didn't. Do a test. But it's safe to say when you see the tape begin to submerge you are there. ;)

PHArchivist. Maybe. But you could be one too. It's fun. LOL!

Steve
 
This has been so much fun watching such an amazing wonderfully detailed step-by-step build, but I have to say as fantastic as it is, I'm starting to worry about how accurate it will be once you attach that black propeller...
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:lol

Seriously, this just gets more and more awesome. You make it look far, far too easy!
 
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