Studio Scale Galactica

[jvasilatos]

From someone who is not experienced enough to do it but curious since there are others here who might be able to.

What's the feasibility of creating and then molding reproduceable "skins" that one could use on the surface of a Galactica body created from a set of blueprints everyone agreed were the right measurements?

I.E. builders fabricate and build the body shell of a studio scale Galactica, and then use pre-molded surface detail "skins" created by studio scale experts like to detail it?

Obviously a huge undertaking but more feasible than the idea of studio scale Galactica "kits" because of the size.

It would be an interesting group effort, made a little easier than having to gain every kit and maybe more affordable as a group project.

Just thought I'd toss the idea out for either debate, or flaming...

JV

 

[Treadwell]

This kind of collaboration has come up many times in the past, concerning other models, and I've never seen it actually happen. Not to this degree, anyway. Would love to see the precedent set, though.

 

[cobywan]

Honesty the structural considerations for SS Galactica models are so advanced that by the time they are dealt with, detailing the model is the easy part.

I think it's a wonderfull idea but there would be gallons of resin per kit. I think casted panels could possible tripple the weight of the model.

What would be more feasible would be a half studio scale or 1/2500th scale model.

 

[star-art]

What Coby said. Being well along on this particular model myself, I'd say the idea of a set of cast "skins" makes perfect sense conceptually but is not very practical IMO when you see what's involved in actually doing it.

First, this model is HUGE and it needs a well-engineered structure. Resin skin panels would need to be well supported. Fiberglass skins would work better but still require some sort of sub-structure plus an armature.

In general, the surface detail parts are not suitable for molding en masse. Here and there you'll find some parts that could be added to the base panel before molding, but not as many as you might think.

Most parts need to be individually molded. The variety and number of parts on this monster means that would cost so much as to be impractical. A better approach would be buying as many kits as possible and casting the rarest and hardest to find pieces. A group effort can go a long way toward helping with that goal.

Really, to go to all the effort of trying to make a base-level "kit," you'd be better off doing a laser-cut "kit" of acrylic parts for the underlying structure to get the base shape. That would leave each person to detail their's out.

For what it's worth. . .

 

[jvasilatos]

Well I guess that answers my question... owning a studio scale Viper and Cylon and hopefully Basestar when they are being sold made me wish I could also add a Galactica to complete the collection but I know it's one of the most complicated models of all.

 

[cobywan]

And biggest too. It's, what, 7 feet long or more?

 

[JediG60racer]

How about a carbon fiber galactica structure?

 

[cobywan]

Aluminum seems to work just fine for most Galactica replicas. (As long as you don't weld it. )

 

[SSR]

I guess anything is possible for replicas these days, but there are some problems in producing "skins". Many parts are layered on each other, there are some parts which are simply a bugger, no matter how you do them (a certain set of engine grilles come to mind ). The other challenge would be in ensuring that the underlying structure would be identical no matter who built it; really would be better if the underlying structure came from the same person as made the skins, but then you might as well be commissioning them to build you the whole thing.

 

[swhite228]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(cobywan @ Apr 8 2007, 09:32 AM) [snapback]1457875[/snapback]</div>

And biggest too. It's, what, 7 feet long or more?
[/b]

Acually a tad over 6ft.

The kit part count is crazy. And now it's been long enough that a lot of those kits if still in production have been remastered. The steam locomotive on top has had major changes to the molds, as well as the Phantom II kit.

Add to the kit problem is a lot of the kits are used in Star Wars ships so Galactica builders are biding aginst SW builders, and the Space 1999 builders, it just gets crazy.

Cost wise.....Glad to say I haven't found any Sealab parts....YET.