Who here was building the USS Enterprise?

[asimov]

Someone here was. I remember seeing the thread but buggered if I can find it again! It was the 1/350th scale Polar lights NCC 1701-A Enterprise kit I reckon..

Cheers.

[Wodnas]

Hi John,
I think it may be in this thread
http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/showthread.php?t=98062&highlight=enterprise
Cheers Bob

[asimov]

That be the one Bob! And look, I even replied in it a couple of times lol. Too many threads; not enough time to search them out :lol:

[04Stefan07]

That was me who has the Enterprise!! :D

Still yet to start it. I have so many other projects in the pipeline, currently working on a Mini Cooper as shown below:

https://s3.amazonaws.com/assets.svpply.com/large/1991111.jpg?1359471594

Once I start work on the Enterprise I will definatly start a thread and post pictures and progress reports. It might be a while when I start it, I really want to do a good job on it plus considering the size and work involved the time it would take to make it would be between 6-12 months.

[asimov]

Hi Stefan. The reason I was wondering how you were progressing is because I picked up the same model 2 days ago & I'm about 60% done. What a great build it is too. Polar Lights know how to make models so the user has a minimum of fuss regarding trimming, dry fits etc.

Making my own lighting kit for it too :thumbsup:

Pics later in my own thread if I start one :D

[TrevorW]

It's over a metre long when built and fairly well to scale as the Enterprise A is stated as being around 300 mtrs in length

[asimov]

How did you go with the Aztec decals Trevor? I'm up to that stage right now..

[04Stefan07]

Mad!! Did you get the photografix detail kit? Runs for about $40, was going to get it for mine!

I would love to do my own lighting setup and save $300 instead of buying the pre made one. If its not too much trouble are you able to do a guide/tutorial on how you are making your lighting kit and a list of the parts and where you will be purchasing them? That would be great!

There is a great video of this guy making the arboretum but an extremly detailed version if you would like a link to the video?

[asimov]

Stefan, the lighting kit is very low budget mate, & I'm taking some serious short cuts like not bothering to mask the interior, so the whole ship will have a dull glow to it. Naturally the windows will still be brighter than the rest of the ship though. I'd doubt you'd want that kind of 'tutorial' would you? In any case, I'm using 2 X 12V BAY15D stop/tail lamps (from Jaycar's) which is 9 X white LED's in the one unit giving 360 degree spread on one plane & 180 on the other. I'm defusing where necessary will coloured pieces of scrap plastic. One in the saucer & one in the secondary hull. The Nacelles - Not sure what to do there yet..It'll look ok, but not like the Pro's are doing. I've only got X amount of time to spend on this! :lol:

Here's the saucer section. I exposed too long (1 sec exposure) so it's not really this bright.

[04Stefan07]

That looks pretty cool!

[TrevorW]

Painted all white then masked out with painters tape and then painted light grey

[asimov]

Well these Aztec decals cover the whole ship, then there's the marking decal's over the top later. It's not necessary to paint this model with the Aztec's. A clear coat after the decals are on is mandatory though I reckon.

[04Stefan07]

How did you manage all the decals? That would have been annoying to do!

[asimov]

I'm still 'managing' Stefan. 2 more sections & I would have completed 1/2 the top section of the saucer! 2 hours to get this far. It's pretty easy actually, but you only get one chance so it pays to take your time & get it right the first time ;)

[04Stefan07]

Good work mate, looks good! Do you just apply them with water? That is what I used to do for years but over time decals peel off.

I am now using these two products, they are fantastic! Highly recommend them.

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iQz3Yr_zsuc/TaX1bWibvrI/AAAAAAAAAPA/ek_9HtifblQ/s1600/Stormraven_MicroSetSol.jpg

Basically instead of dipping the decal in water and applying it you do the following with these solutions:
1) Brush Set on the surface of the model
2) Cut decal out, place in water and grab with tweezers
3) Put the decal where the Set is, apply more Set on top and then with a soft cloth dab the top of the decal to get any excess fluid off
4) Let it dry
5) Once dry apply Sol which softens the decal and sticks to the plastic to give a painted on look
6) Let it completely dry and apply more Sol if needed.

A bit of work and effort but well worth it in the end as the decals are protected. Locally here they run for around $7 per bottle but last a long time.

Someone on youtube did the Enterprise using these bottles and due to the massive size of the Enterprise he used about 80% of each bottle therefore if you were doing your average scale kits you could do dozens!!

[asimov]

Yes just with water. That Sol stuff sounds good. I'll be giving it a good coat of clear after so I don't have any decal concerns later! I'm now 2 panels past 1/2 way on the top section, woo-hooo! :rofl::thumbsup:

[04Stefan07]

Nice! Let me know how it goes.

[asimov]

Check some of the images out in this link Stefan to get the Trek juices flowing! Man, the detail is exceptional!:eyepop:

http://www.ketzer.com/enterprise/index.html *(click on 'IMAGES' bottom right of page)*

[04Stefan07]

That looks pretty good.

Check out this guy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jfLze1zqsgQ

He has build videos, about 9 of them, excellent to watch!

[asimov]

Some amazing talented & above all, PATIENT model builders out there!

At this rate, I'm easily another week away from finishing - Those decals; boy! :screwy::rolleyes::confused2: Found out HOT water is the go, & get them on the model fast! Not scaldingly hot, but hot..

[asimov]

Done.

[04Stefan07]

Wow! Looks fantastic mate, nice job!

[Larryp]

Looks like a series of stills from a Startrek movie. Nice job, John!

[ourkind]

I can't help seeing those photos and a little voice inside my head starts

Space, the final frontier...

Well done it looks great :thumbsup:

[asimov]

Thanks. Might start my own war movie, Laurie. Just add 1 Klingon bird of prey :lol:

Thanks Carlos. You'll be singing the theme song from Lost in space soon I hope..;)

[dpastern]

Lovely effort - just getting back into modelling after a 20 year hiatus, thinking of buying one of these! I have a trumpeter 1/200 Bismarck to build, Tamiya 1/350 Tirpitz to build, Tamiya 1/32 Phantom F4-J II and a Hasegawa 1/48 Messerschmidt 109F on the drawing board though!

Dave

[gaa_ian]

I have to say, you guys are AWESOME !!!
I feel I am in very good company here and do not feel at all odd having all the TNG, Enterprize and DS9 DVD's !

[asimov]

I've only just finished ordering the complete (10 CD's) movie package, they should be at the PO to pick up today :D I've seen them all before of course, but that's nothing like owning them ;)

If this is odd Ian...well ok we're odd! HAHA! :lol::P:hi:

[brian nordstrom]

:thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup: 3 thumbs up John , thanks for the postings , it has been a fun read .
Captain Kirk would be proud .
Brian.

[asimov]

Just as I finished building the Enterprise above, I realized it was Bill Shatners Birthday so I posted a pic of it on his Facebook page as a 'thank you' for all the times I wagged school back in the 70's once I caught the Astronomy/sci-fi bug & started building telescopes etc. thanks to Star Trek, Lost in Space. :lol:

[dpastern]

I just thought I'd add a few more comments to this thread (I haven't started my NCC-1701A yet as I'm still in research mode)...

for lighting, I'd recommend evans lighting - gets solid reviews.

http://evanslighting.com/star%20trek.htm

ignore his very badly designed website, it's not an indication of his lighting kits by all accounts.

The paragrafix PE set is highly recommended too by all accounts:

http://www.paragrafix.biz/product_detail.asp?MainCat=Subject&SubCat=Star%20Trek&PPartNum=PGX166

and there's this aztec painting guide (on CD) that's highly recommended to:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=231220720371

my model kits to build have grown - Enterprise B, C, D & E AMT/ERTL kits, USS voyager (Revell), polar lights Romulan bird of prey, Klingon bird of prey (AMT), and an AMT Romulan warbird kit. Oh, and a AMT USS Excelsior kit. Lots of building ahead...not sure where I'll put all of them lol...

Dave

[04Stefan07]

Mate, on DVD/Bluray I have
- TNG first DVD releases, plastic cases seasons 1-7
- TNG second release DVD, seasons 1-2 and 4
- TNG seasons 1-5 on Blu-Ray
- Enterprise season 1-4 DVD
- Voyager seasons 1-4 DVD
- Movies 1-10 on DVD (2 disc editions)
- TNG movies 7, 8, 9 and 10 on Blu-Ray
- Star Trek 11 Blu-Ray
- Enterprise season 1 Blu-Ray

Not to mention figurines, books, rare video games and memorabilia!

[04Stefan07]

I need to get back into it! I haven't touched it in ages.

Get the other Paragrafix kit, I bought this one.

http://www.paragrafix.biz/product_detail.asp?MainCat=Subject&SubCat=Star%20Trek&PPartNum=PGX111

Fantastic!

[dpastern]

Thanks for the heads up on that PE set - not sure how I missed it!

[dpastern]

I have first contact on DVD (have had it for years), the limited STG:TNG DVD case set (I think limited to 500 sets world wide), Voyager in the maroon cases (pity that nearly all of the discs in season 2 won't play, looks like damaged discs, haven't tried past season 2), star trek the original series on blu ray, Enterprise seasons 1-3 on blu ray, STG:TNG seasons 1-3 on blu ray, star trek the movies (all of the feature length films) on blu ray. I'll eventually get Enterprise season 4 and the rest of the TNG on blu ray. Then I'll work on Voyager, which I don't think has been released to blu ray in Australia yet. I never was a fan of DS9 - just didn't do it for me.

I have to say Enterprise is my favourite series - I think the acting is the best in any ST series, and it's nice to have a crew with serious technological limitations. I have to admit to Trip being my fave character.

[04Stefan07]

Enterprise was very underrated, I absolutely loved it! Also I thought Scott Bakula was a great captain. Always been a fan of him as well due to Quantum Leap which I watched as a kid, got all those on DVD as well. Great series.

I have watched some DS9 but didn't really get into it either.

[Glenhuon]

When I came back to WA from NSW a few years back I had about 30 unbuilt ST models, but now living in a much smaller space (Caravan Park) I sold them off to other ST enthusiasts as there was no room to keep them after the build. :( But, just a week or so ago I came across an untouched kit for The Graf Zeppelin in the recycling yard. almost a metre long, and complete kit. I got the bug again. New place has a 9m long solid annex, lots of empty ceiling space.:)

[Glenhuon]

Pretty sure I have every ST episode and movie here. Not in the cases anymore due to lack of space (Sorry about that), had to move them into sleeves in ally boxes. Even have quite a few of the Fan Films, some are a bit amateurish (a Vulcan with a Scottish accent just doesn't work for me :) ), others quite professional. Don't think there is any one I didn't like, each has it's own appeal. Had a chance to meet Jolene Blalock a few years back, but due to circumstances, I had to pass it up.

[Poita]

I've never watched anything but some of the original 70s series, are any of the others worth a look?

[dpastern]

I especially like Enterprise. I started watching Voyager and started to get into it as well. I always like ST:TNG. I never liked DS9 - just never grabbed me despite several attempts at watching it.

[Stardrifter_WA]

DS9 got better after the third season. But I did like the episode, early in the series, where Quark went back in time and crashed at Roswell, that was a hoot!

Whilst in Washington last year, I learned what actually crashed at Roswell, and it wasn't alien, not that I ever thought that. I noticed that it wasn't well publicised though, as that isn't as interesting as the idea of an alien conspiracy, although it was still a cover up of immense proportions, with some aspects still a closely held secret.

What was it that crashed at Roswell? It was the forerunner of the SR71 Blackbird, known as 'Project Oxcart'. I saw the actual footage of the Oxcart crash in the New Mexico desert, whilst it was being tested, along with the pilot interview. A most fascinating story. Interestingly, I also learned that the original designation for the Blackbird was the RS71 and not the SR71, as that designation stuck after the President Johnson mistakenly called it the SR71. After all, who was going to be brave enough to correct the President, well at least, that is how the story goes, according to the Smithsonian's Hazy Centre. The Blackbird isn't as big as I thought it would be, having stood next to a couple of them, one at the Hazy Centre in Washington, with the other in California.

The US went to extraordinary lengths, at the time, to keep this Project Oxcart a secret, particularly considering that this aircraft was built entirely of Titanium, with the only known source of Titanium, at the time, was in Russia. How the CIA got it out of Russia is still a closely held secret. But, that isn't as exciting as an alien crashing to Earth.

[dpastern]

That's a very interesting story! Wouldn't surprise me one single bit either!!!

[dpastern]

alright, as a service to the community, I mean trekkies on IIS, I found this beauty...

The Deboer Enterprise - it makes the polar lights version look tiny...as it's a massive 46" in length! Without further ado:

http://www.deboerhulls.com/model-kits/

I believe these kits cost around USD $1800 and there's at least a 3 month wait...accuracy is VERY high.

Now, just when I'd finished wetting myself...today I found this beauty...I present Custom Replicas crazy mammoth 66" TOS Enterprise:

http://www.customreplicas.com/gallery_tos_enterprise.html

I believe it was around USD 3k about a year or so ago, I'm not sure of the current price, or, availability.

Simon Merc's intro video to this beastie:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=skQeFxsllgc

Enjoy. Live long and prosper!

Dave

[dpastern]

Just a heads up - learn from my experience. Custom replicas doesn't do kits. I've spoken to Jim (the owner) a bit more and he's a bit more friendlier now. He still doesn't do kits though.

Dave

[TrevorW]

Trekkie in us all, my little collection

[dpastern]

Are they the diamond select ships?

Dave

[TrevorW]

The bigger ones are die-cast Corgi not sure about the little ones