Studio Half Scale TOS Enterprise Scratch build

[SteveNeill]

Thanks Spock Boy and the answer is yes. I will make a few for those that really want them.

What the heck is that picture? An early prototype??

Well I just about have these nacelles where I want them. I still have to cap the ends of the main bodies with some styrene and zero them out for a clean fit of the bussards and the end caps. And yes I did the end caps a second time.

The recess is looking nice but now that it's nearly all cleaned up I glued the detail parts on. Now I still need to go around with a bit of putty and clean their fit. But overall all the hard stuff is done.

Next week I'll be working on the Nautilus but a couple of hours a night I'll work on the clean up and the intercoolers and vents.

Steve

 

[REL]

That is so smooth.

 

[Commander Max]

I remember seeing these pics a while back.
The pylons are(were metal), I don't know what they are now.
I will say the motors on the MR E are noisy. There are much better and cheaper solutions, since your an RC guy Steve. I'm sure you have a better solution in mind(like direct drive?).

I'll be lighting up the same lights as well, After all in my case they are the size of an LED.

 

[SteveNeill]

Thanks Rel.

Max yes direct. 3 volt motors on a potentiometer. And in your case. Yes sir.

Steve

 

[Zombie Killer]

Those nacelles look really clean. Great work. I am very interested in seeing how you glass them up in the mold with "buttered" edges. This sounds like something i would like to try with some gun shell molds i have. Once you close the molds how do you keep the glass in the top mold from falling due to gravity?

 

[SteveNeill]

Well first I lay up the glass cloth and epoxy so it's right near the edges. Let it gel a bit so it holds it's shape and stays in the mold halves. Then I mix up some epoxy and micro balloons, butter the edges and close the two halves. Next I go in through the open end of the mold and smooth it out and add a strip of fiber glass tape, Works great.

Thanks Zombie Killer they still need a bit more smoothing still. Pick, pick.

Steve

 

[REL]

Do you know anything about vacuum bagging fiberglass? I'm very interested in learning that skill for casting my Defiant. I noticed on your RC builds that it looks like some of the hulls, namely the Seawolf (amazing build by the way) that it looks like it was cast using vacuum bags.

 

[SteveNeill]

Rel that hull was made by my good friend Matt Thor. And he does the best layups I've ever seen. Completely dry inside, no puddles. He squeegees out the excess epoxy with and old credit card or something like it. I do the same. And no gel coat is used. We just brush in some epoxy and lay the cloth in. Dab it with a disposable brush and remove the excess.

I have another friend that vacuum bags. Mostly wing surfaces for model radio controlled airplanes. But you can also vacuum bag molds.

Do the lay up as I do and then put the mold inside the bag and vacuum the air out. The bag will comform to the mold.

What this does is crush all the bubbles and captures all the detail. This might work better with something as detail as your Defiant. She's a tough little ship.

Steve

 

[SteveNeill]

Today was mostly spent on the Nautilus but I did do a bit more cleaning up on the nacelles and out them on the ship for a look. I'm happy.

More tomorrow,

Steve

 

[Onigiri]

you do realize that painters tape is neither vintage nor screen accurate....*whistles*

 

[SteveNeill]

Yes but it sure does stick good without removing the primer! LOL!

Steve

 

[Jm419]

you do realize that painters tape is neither vintage nor screen accurate....*whistles*

*Slaps loudly upside the head*

Sssh! He might stop the miracle work if anyone says anything isn't right!

 

[SteveNeill]

Never!:lol

 

[DrMcoy]

actually, the blue tape is spot on...i think i have some pics somewhere that prove it

 

[DrMcoy]

found the pics...behind the scenes shot from Space Seed -- you can clearly see the blue tape in shot, which I've drawn red circles around.

So Oni, back off, man.

 

[SteveNeill]

Ahhhh...Guys?

 

[DrMcoy]

sorry, steve...back on topic...

 

[SteveNeill]

I was just having fun too...LOL!

 

[LrdSatyr8]

Hey Steve... quick question... what are you going to use to do the molding? Just curious, because you're probably gonna need alot of it to handle this beast!

 

[SteveNeill]

RTV silicone GI 1000. Mother molds will be Ultra cal 30 for some and for the saucer epoxy glass.

Yes indeed I figure at this point about 10 gallons.

Steve