Building The Death Star - PRODUCTION

Small problem and I need your all's advice...

I finished the "cog wheel", inserted it, and affixed it with four screws.

The problem is that the compression deformed the dome so it is no longer round and the upper dome doesn't align.

I removed the screws and the cog wheel, and the domes align fine.

So I have the wheel with four screw holes, and the dome with four carefully cut holes as well.

My theory is that if I redrill pilot holes in the wood at about 1/8" lower than the existing ones, then reuse the holes in the dome, then that would raise the cog wheel by 1/8" and hopefully lessen the compression, and hence the distortion of the circumference of the dome.

Make sense?
 
Small problem and I need your all's advice...

I finished the "cog wheel", inserted it, and affixed it with four screws.

The problem is that the compression deformed the dome so it is no longer round and the upper dome doesn't align.

I removed the screws and the cog wheel, and the domes align fine.

So I have the wheel with four screw holes, and the dome with four carefully cut holes as well.

My theory is that if I redrill pilot holes in the wood at about 1/8" lower than the existing ones, then reuse the holes in the dome, then that would raise the cog wheel by 1/8" and hopefully lessen the compression, and hence the distortion of the circumference of the dome.

Make sense?


I think that will work fine. Or you could also use custom spacers between the wheel and the dome, just adjust the quantity according to the required thickness per mounting point until you get the perfect alignment with the top dome. Awesome build! :thumbsup
 
If the cogwheel is fighting the internal curvature of the dome, it might pay off to find a cabinet maker with a shaper. Shapers can put a curvature on the edge to match the hemisphere.

Was also thinking, it would might be easier to place & level the cogwheel on a large flat table, lower the hemisphere over the cogwheel & then drill.

Would love to see set up pics.

- Also agree with Zorg regarding his question about bonding and gluing. Was thinking you could glue brackets/blocks internally and then screw the cogwheel into that.

-DM
 
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That's really helpfull - so the white circle then is the original dish?

The hole in mine is 9 1/8"

I experimented with both 8 1/2" and 8" paper cut-out templates, taped to the dome. I didn't get around to posting the images, but the 8" was closest. I think 7 3/4 may even be better.

I'll do a template at 7 3/4, snap a pic, and post all the images. I will be cutting a new hole for sure, though. Mine is just too big. But it will make a great access hole in the back!


Good GOd.
Switch to METRIC already. Far more accurate.
 
Or you could also use custom spacers between the wheel and the dome, just adjust the quantity according to the required thickness per mounting point until you get the perfect alignment with the top dome. Awesome build! :thumbsup

Your on to something there, knowingly or not.

I think I've made a small discovery (of which some of you will say, "Well --- duh!"). The screws are actually working as adjusting screws. By either backing them off or tightening them down more it (and here's the "duh" part) flexes the plastic in or out.

Right now I've only got four screws in place. With eight total (should have built for ten) I should have enough adjustability to align both domes.

I still have te pieces I cut out to form the "cogs". I may cut two more cogs out of them, and bring some screws in from the backof the ring to affix them between the ring and the plastic

ToPost009.jpg


ToPost010.jpg
 
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Another consideration is that - set up as is - the wood can move a bit, as well as the plastic, undermining the accuracy/capability of the adjusting screws.

But in the final assembly, the wooden "cog wheel" will be attached solidly to the central support tower. That way, when tightening or loosening the screws, it should be only the plastic that moves.
 
OK ladies here's the latest...

Below the hub of the "cog wheel" I used layers of foam as a spacer so that in tightening the screws that hold the wheel in place, the foam would compress and allow adjustability to level the damn thing.


These two are just a test fit. I can already tell fitting the top dome so that the equator matches up will be a painintheass.
 
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this might sound like a silly question - once its all assembled and what not, have you checked you can get it through the doors etc.. to where ever its going to be displayed?

thats the sort of thing i overlook :confused
 
this might sound like a silly question - once its all assembled and what not, have you checked you can get it through the doors etc.. to where ever its going to be displayed?

thats the sort of thing i overlook :confused

Good question, actually. It's being built where it will be displayed. Regrettbly, I simply do not have room, nor spousal permission, to display inside the house. So in the shop it remains.
 
I just had an epiphany...

The bracing structure of the original model incorporates a cog wheel style ring very similar to what I have in the lower hemisphere. The original is mounted in the lower half just about where mine is.

On the original, there is a matching cog wheel wooden ring in the upper hemisphere, however it is near the top (about where Canada would be on our globe). My theory is that they did this to clear the super laser dish. The two rings are then connected with steel vertical supports.

Well...

If I had a ring in the upper hemisphere but mounted fairly close to the equator, then I could effectively use the upper ring as and adjustment tool to get the domes to align - tighten and loosen screws in both the upper half and lower half accordingly to expand and contract the plastic so the two domes will match.

If I were to cut a cog wheel for the upper hemisphere, cut to be installed just a few inches above the equator, why couldn't I duplicate the first cog wheel, but just REMOVE the portion of the outer ring that would interfere with the super laser?

I can already tell fitting the top dome so that the equator matches up will be a painintheass.
 
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Here's what I mean - cut out the ring portion illustrated within the orange elipse (though have the wood connect/reach the plastic where the two spokes on the left are).

Epiphany001.jpg
 
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Try thinking of the upper dome as a lampshade. You go up and pop-out a ring at the top that everything then "hangs off of". I think slavish devotion to the interior armature is not truly needed - as long as the outside looks correct - and I think you've got that. A smaller ring above the superlaser dish makes perfect sense from the "lampshade" theory of construction ;) Basically it just needs to be stable and sturdy However you get there from the inside is kinda up to you IMO... Also use pipe and drill a hole in the center of your bottom ring so you can run a couple of lamp cords up there for lighting purposes later ;) Pipe flanges are cheap and sturdy and ARE available at home depot ;) The also have the added advantage of being threaded so the height can be somewhat adjustable... A good thing ...

Jedi Dade
 
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Also use pipe and drill a hole in the center of your bottom ring so you can run a couple of lamp cords up there for lighting purposes later

Good call - yes, all the wood you see in the shots now have a 1" hole drilled to align with the pipe for the electrical cord.
 
Were you flying x-wings around your Death Star and cheering the rebels on with your pom-poms??

Nice pom poms huh!? My six-year old loves them!

Finished the new super laser hole today. That was nothing less than a beeyatch... Drilled a whole****load of holes around the perimeter. Finished cutting it out with the dremel. Hand sanded it (nearly) round until my fingers are raw.
 

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