AMT Enterprise D Build

PHArchivist

PHArchivist

Master Member
Finally tackling the classic kit. Standard version (not clear) and not lighting it.

Who has building tips or advice?

For example, the clear parts... Leave them shiny / glossy, or hit them with a satin coat?

Tips on painting windows?
 
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Re: AMT Enterprise D Build Tips?

First thing is how accurate do you want it? It's missing many saucer rim windows, the ventral indent just forward of the Captain's Gig and its windows, and a few others here and there; it has no detail/texture on the phaser strips or sensor grooves; and, most headache-inducing, the raised lines for the aztec-ing are offset to one side. So if you didn't want to try to sand them off, like the raised lines on the TOS or movie Enterprises, they'd be in the wrong spot. Someone screwed up in milling the dies.

I'll take and upload some pics of one of my saucers that I'm going to be specifically doing as the Enterprise-D (I have others being converted to Nebulas, one I'm doing as the three-nacelled Dreadnought from "All Good Things...", several that are parts donors for Cheyenne, Challenger, and Springfield builds...). I pored over all the photo reference of the studio model and its lighting pattern, so I've got the dark windows blacked out and the lit windows outlined. If you don't care about lighting them (or the rest of the kit), Testors' paint markers work just fine if you have a steady hand. Use an X-acto knife to shave a bit more off the nib if you want better control. If you have some other finer-tipped paint markers, go with those.

Lightly sanding the navigational deflector, and the nacelle endcaps and grilles with 400 grit or finer will give them a nice satin, frosted finish. Beyond that, any recommendation I would give depends on whether you're lighting the model or no. There's a lot of aftermarket/accurizing stuff available out there, from that ventral-saucer indent to photoetch phaser detailing to tinted clear nacelle pieces to aztec masks... to even a fully detailed main shuttlebay if you want to display it with the door open.

--Jonah
 
Re: AMT Enterprise D Build Tips?

Thanks Jonah, for the awesome insight...!

Hadn't picked up on the missing indent / windows forward of the yacht... :( Probably won't correct that since I'm not going for a hyper detail.
 
Re: AMT Enterprise D Build Tips?

Don's Light & Magic has most of the stuff I talked about. Linky. Those windows are a pretty straightforward cut a hole and drop it in fix. If you scroll down that page, you'll also find the painting masks, which will make your life easier.

--Jonah
 
Re: AMT Enterprise D Build Tips?

Found an entirely new use for CA accelerator.

Took Rust-o-Leum primer right off, good as any paint stripper.

Thought about paiting some white on the back sides of the clear blue parts to simulate light...
 
Re: AMT Enterprise D Build Tips?

My tip...

When doing the nacelles DO NOT gouge/hog or drill out any channels! Instead use copper tape.

You can get copper tape from any guitar store and it is MUCH easier to run a positive and negative buss with the tape up to the nacelles and just tap into them. You can run it along the edge of the pylons or where ever you want and blend it in much easier than cutting channels and then trying to fill them in, This is probably the hardest area of the entire kit... that and the rear lights. I use copper guitar pickup tape and it works like a champ.
 
Re: AMT Enterprise D Build Tips?

PHArchivist said:
Ideas for painting the ribs on the deflector dish?
Click to expand...

Since I know you're not lighting it, and are going for simulated lighting effects... The housing and dish are both a pumpkin-y orange. The rectangle on the dish is illuminated, and there's light spill from its connector bouncing off the housing...

latest?cb=20121127023405&path-prefix=en.jpg


For the housing, I'd recommend matching that orange and hitting it with a couple layers of satin clear. Then drybrush white fanned out from the center, followed by fluorescent blue just slightly short of the edge of the white and blended. Similarly, white in the emitter's rectangle, then a light line of blue round the middle of that, feathered out toward the edges. Then mask the rectangle off and paint the rest of the emitter.

--Jonah
 
Re: AMT Enterprise D Build Tips?

Inquisitor Peregrinus said:
Since I know you're not lighting it, and are going for simulated lighting effects... The housing and dish are both a pumpkin-y orange. The rectangle on the dish is illuminated, and there's light spill from its connector bouncing off the housing...

https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net...ision/latest?cb=20121127023405&path-prefix=en

For the housing, I'd recommend matching that orange and hitting it with a couple layers of satin clear. Then drybrush white fanned out from the center, followed by fluorescent blue just slightly short of the edge of the white and blended. Similarly, white in the emitter's rectangle, then a light line of blue round the middle of that, feathered out toward the edges. Then mask the rectangle off and paint the rest of the emitter.

--Jonah
Click to expand...

Thanks Jonah! Great tips.

As you may have seen, I received the JT Graphics decals. Sort of wish the life boats were printed as 10-20 boats connected in a single arcing decal, but otherwise they are fantastic.
 
Inquisitor Peregrinus said:
Nice. :) Were you going to fill the seam where the two pieces meet on the pylon transverse?
Click to expand...


Hmmm.... Didn't think about that. Needs to be filled? Damn

Have also learned that not all AMT lifeboat hatches are created the same. While the JT decals are perfecty uniform and exact, the molded hatch covers vary in size and shape.
 
My filler of choice is actually Elmer's wood filler.

Works wonders, really. And can be shaped and smoothed with water. And takes less sanding effort than styrene.

So I suppose I can fill the seam, spray some of the base coat into the rattle can cap, and brush it on.
 
robn1 said:
Not sure what you're asking. Which transporter emitter? Both look correct for their respective locations.
Click to expand...

Is that what the gold rectangles are!? LOL...

Was going to use the after-market set, but damaged one.

The version with the heavier black lines is the original kit decal. The more "plain" one is the after-market set
 
Personal preference. The kit has way too exaggerated surface detail. I've spent ages sanding and filing off raised aztek color separation lines -- that are misaligned anyway, transporter emitters, escape pods, adding, filling, and reshaping windows... I frisketed each segment as bounded by engraved shield lines, phaser strips, and window cutouts and traced the emitters and pods before flattening everything. I like the series version of the lifeboat covers better than Generations -- a little height. A square hole punch the right size and some cardstock and boom. But the transporter emitters are conformal. The only significant surface detailing is the power transfer conduit covers on the fantail top. Decals are more accurate than photoetch, there, and I prefer JT's aftermarket decals to those supplied with the kit.
 
Inquisitor Peregrinus said:
Personal preference. The kit has way too exaggerated surface detail. I've spent ages sanding and filing off raised aztek color separation lines -- that are misaligned anyway, transporter emitters, escape pods, adding, filling, and reshaping windows... I frisketed each segment as bounded by engraved shield lines, phaser strips, and window cutouts and traced the emitters and pods before flattening everything. I like the series version of the lifeboat covers better than Generations -- a little height. A square hole punch the right size and some cardstock and boom. But the transporter emitters are conformal. The only significant surface detailing is the power transfer conduit covers on the fantail top. Decals are more accurate than photoetch, there, and I prefer JT's aftermarket decals to those supplied with the kit.
Click to expand...

Would love to see your finished model. Sounds like a masterpiece!

I ended up using the original kit decals for all four transporter emitters on the ventral surface, since I had to use two already. Vote is still out for the remainder.

Torn on the lifeboat hatches. The after-market decals have the additional markings and numbering from the Generations version, but my model will largely represent the opening credits model.

I suppose in the end it will be a hybrid. Seems many Ent-D build-ups end up being somewhat personalized by the builder.
 

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