Studio Scale Battlestar Galactica Shuttle

[dbhs]

Jase,

I'm really excited about your landing bay base. I'm thinking that if you can route out a recess for the metal pipe base then you could just have a hole through the styrene for the pipe to stick up through. This will be tough to do without a router in that big chunk of wood. I'm looking forward to what you do with the painting and scribing in the base.

[JAWS]

I have a router. I also have 'large' drill bits. Thanks for the inspirational words my friend. It's really about accuriseing the base now... Thats a new challenge. I noticed in some pics that the base i want to simulate has alot of scribing & different panel lines in itself.... Going to get some paint tomprrow tostart on & some rod for the landing gear. Its so nice to have my 'first' SS build almost completed.

[79 Daytona]

Yeah same here i would be glad to help out in that area you know moving of some of your kit.

[JAWS]

Hmm i think I'll be right fellas Ive moved so many times in my life I think I could pass for a removalist.
Last parts arrived with my SS Speeder kit. Thanks Mike!
So I went & picked me up some paints & allumminium tube this morning. I got Testors Light Grey, Canadian Voodoo Grey & Insignia White.
I also got some Thinners so I could air brush but it after reading the bottle is says to use a 'specific' thinners for that...
Anyway I still got my Tube so i can put the landing gear together.
Before i started ive gone over the 3 Black & White pictures then cross reffed with the color pics of the Battlbuck shots & the replica.
I noticed that the battlebuck pics of the studio model are pretty much the same as the replica. There is a horizontal piece coming off the top that joins 2 vertical struts to the supports. The studio model pictures are different as the struts are closer together. Basically Im a little confused what Im seeing....
The last picture is my mess. I have started to pack up as we have to move this month. Everything is going into storage as we have to live with the inlaws for 2 months until the house is ready(current tenants move out). Should be interesting. Is sad to move but we're moving to my wifes sisters rental property until we buy a house. Atleast no inspections or dealing with Real Estate agents. It also has a very nice pool & its coming into Summer.
The house is also more user friendly so am looking forward to it.

[DarthDuck]

You can use that square bottle of enamel thinner from Testors Jase. They're just trying to sell you the bigger and more expensive can of 'airbrush thinner' which near as I can tell contains the same stuff?


Can't wait to see your base now!

[427 Cobra]

Normally I wouldn't ask this, I have to in your case - where are you going to keep all your stuff? You have many wonderful tools in there that will have to be packed up. I stared at this picture for ten minutes. I see the drill press against the wall, the chop saw under the table, the air compressor, the bicycle in the back towards the garage door. These are big things to store, not to mention the tables, and filing cabinet in the corner! Please tell us you're not going to leave the tables? Why moving so much - do you need a bigger/safer place? I like the garage with the brick walls instead of painted drywall with the colourful curtains. I understand the storage thing, but you won't be able to use any of your tools. How will you keep your sanity while passing the time? Moving is an important thing - I hope that you tape everything shut, so no small parts get lost.

Back to the topic at hand: Why did you decide to use aluminum instead of plastic for the struts? Is this for durability instead of accuracy, or vice-versa?

~ Cobra Chris

[JAWS]

Thanks. Cris we rent. The owners want to move into the house so we're moving out. We're moving into my wifes sister & husbands place that they rent. Couldve already had moved there when they moved to their new house(10 houses down the street) but because it was familly didn't think it best(Im stubborn). Now we have to move again so we going to move in there. The problem is they have a tenant in there until January so all our stuff is going into storage. Don't worry I m taking everything. Thats why Im starting to pack now. So its not rushed. I have to many fragile things now... The new house will be better. Its more familly friendly & useable. Plus it has a really nice pool & its getting warm here.
I used alluminnium becuase, um, got no idea actually. I have styrene tube here also. Think I thought it would be stronger but now looking at the structure it probably won't make a difference.

[JAWS]

Ok Wombat has sent me 2 replacement Roco parts for the 2 I glued in the wrong spot & destroyed trying to get them off...
I couldn't get to my spare parts as they are at the back of a storage shed with my entire house.
I have access to my moulding & casting equipment though so that is ok.
I will finally get back to this build later tonight & hopefully get the landing gear rigged up & then onto some painting.
Update later.

[dbhs]

Good to hear you're back on the shuttle. I'm still mixing paint trying to get the colors to something I'm happy with.

[JAWS]

So this is the only thing I kept out to play with & just due to space haven't even really been able to do that. i did manage to fix a couple of thing I did wrong on the cocpit canopy which was at least something. Thanks to Phil for the spare Roco parts & Doug for the heads up on the Morser part I put around the wrong way with thge Roco parts. Anyway Ive now discovered Im missing one of the round parts that sit under the cabin windows....
Anyone got a spare?

Still got the bloody landing gear to do................................

[Wombat]

Looks bloody good there mate!

Gee,this has come a long way and the journey is pretty damn close ta being at it's end.Least build wise.
Glad to be of any help there also,i know it's a PITA for ya with everything packed up still.But it won't be long and you'll be spreading out again properly.As for that part,sorry don't have the kit so i used the casting's on mine.It's from the big Doyusha Yamato.Someone may have one as that kit is used on the G also.

Again,looking PFG there!

[darkimmitator]

Lookin real sharp there jase . That kit is # 2 on my wish list . Colonial movers of course is # 1

[dbhs]

That's looking really sharp, Jase. Looking forward to seeing your landing gear finished up. My kit came with extras of some of the small parts but none of those, sorry.

[JAWS]

Have been working on the Landing Gear assebley & I can totally agree with the other fellas in saying these are a total PITA!!! I had them on & wasn't happy so went about removeing them. Most parts came off ok. Some didn't...
Anyway I went back to the ref & enlarges some front on pics where you can see the assembley side on. There are some differences to the replica picture that have thrown me off & am now suffering the some analistic pain from not getting them right.
Will have another crack this afternoon when it kools down a bit.

[dbhs]

Yeah, these guys are tough. Took hours to get them done. Earning your t-shirt - LOL.

I installed mine with the shuttle upside down. Seemed a little easier to me

[79 Daytona]

Outstanding work and i agree those landing gear are a PITA.

[JAWS]

Thanks for your support fellas.
This build has dragged on way too long...
So I found some foamy stuff to support the Lil Bugger whilst I flip her over.
It was just sooooo much easier to get this done like this. I really have no freakn idea sometimes
Anyway quick updat showing the mounts on.
Just the struts to go.
What length did you guys cut the struts?

[JAWS]

Ok I cut my struts at 1.5cm which looked short at the time but having them I think its a little too long....
Damn.
Also I cant get the pad support bar to touch the inside Leopold parts or the struts will be half way down the A frame
Im really trying to not be too anal about exactness but just want it to look right.

[79 Daytona]

Looking GOOD !!!

[dbhs]

Jase,

I'll measure mine tonight and let you know how long I made the vertical struts. 1.5 sounds about right be millimeters count for this layout for sure. I'm pretty sure I lined the tops of the tubes up to the top surface of the A frame thing.

Looking at your pics I think I see the issue you have identified. If you look at the second picture you posted looking down the length of the bottom of the shuttle... the tubes are sitting beyond the edge of the round opening in the "egg" things. This could be the angle of the photo but it seems different than the front view in the old black and white picture.

I'll see if I can mark up a picture so it makes sense.

Ok, so I attached a picture. My thought is that the vertical struts and pads might move inboard to match the red lines similar to this front view of the studio model.

Here's mine....Kind of hard to see here....looks like the front and rear are different. This is my first time doing this.. so.....maybe ignore what I said.

[JAWS]

Thanks fellas. I kept at it last night & did pretty much exactly what yoi said. Their on. I will post picture when I get home.

[JAWS]

Heres what I did last night.
Just gotta straighten the struts up somehow...
Relatively satisfied.
Just gotta cast up one of the Yamato pieces for under the cockpit on the side, get the struts straighter & on to the paint.

[dbhs]

Jase, I think the landing gear looks great in these pics.

If I sight straight along mine they are slightly crooked - from an angle they look great. Just post the flattering pictures, that's what I do !!!! LOL.

[JAWS]

Thanks Doug. I really appreciate that feedback coming from you & mark whom I look upto as SS builders.

[LastBattlestar]

Looks great Jase. I think I'd go nuts putting the gear together and build an in-flight version!

Mike

[JAWS]

Thanks. Mike believe me I was close to doing that. I just hate to give up. Gawd looking back this buggers taken some time. Can almost see it off the bench for a new project. Oh yeah I still have projects on the benches......

[79 Daytona]

Looks like you nailed it dude !!! they look great !!!

[JAWS]

With lights just to make sure theyre still working. Going to put in a 12vlt resistor so I can swap bolbs from halogen to LED. I want to be able to leave these models on without going up in flames & LED's are the only way to do that. A resistor will allow me to swapo the bulbs out easilly.

[dbhs]

Although........

going up in flames could be cool too... Take a lot of pics when then this happens. :-)

Jase - are you following the reference thread on RI? There's new ref images plus the source of decals that are shown on the images has been identified. FYI.

[JAWS]

Ok checked out the new pics.... So she's definately alot more weathered than previously thought. The nose detail is interesting. Wonder at what stage that pic was taken because this baby got smashed into a desert & an Ice field head on which would have smashed stuff up.

[darkimmitator]

You have done a hell of a job on this build Jase !! I love those shots with the lights on .Very cool . I really want one of those kits for my collection . Someday , hopefully , I'll find one !!!

[JAWS]

Down to the last couple of pieces.
Have to snap the small Yamato piece off & make a mould to cast a new one that went missing
Its so much easier to make a quick one part mould & mix up a small batch of rubber
Have now chucked it in the pressure chamber to cure.
Got these pesky little peices on the top sides so we're almost done.
A little bit of tidy & we're good to go for paint Yay!!!!
Oh hell.
I forgot about my base..........
   
   
   
   

[JAWS]

Damn just noticed my 4 parts on each side hang out too much....
SNAP SNAP SNAP SNAP SNAP SNAP SNAP SNAP

[dbhs]

I have extras of those parts if you need some. They break really easy.

Do you have a local source for the Smooth-on casting materials or do you have to get it shipped from overseas?

[JAWS]

Thanks Doug got it sorted.
Back to fixing the little doodats on the sides & we're done.

[dbhs]

Awesome !

[JAWS]

The little dodads on the sides are fixed & added the pipe that runs the centre middle to the front Otaki D51 part.
Then realised I needed to open her up to put a resistor for the LED's.
I was hoping that if I put a resistor in I could swap from Halogen to LED. Great idea & would be perfect but doesn't work
The LED's work great & I really like the affect & the fact I can just leave it on
So the only way to achieve the ability to swap out is to have the resistore attached directly to the LED.
It would have to be made so it could sit behing the rocket bells which is freakn tricky.
I just don't know.
Halogen or LED
I could put yellow or white LEDS to simulate the Halogens?

[dbhs]

Jase,

I think you'll just have to accept a different look for it if you want the flexibility of being able to leave the lights on. I think that's a fine way to go with it.

Those blue lights look pretty cool in the pics. I wonder if you painted the inside of the bells a white or a silver if that would enhance the brightness a bit?

[JAWS]

Thanks Doug. Mike Salzo pointed me in the right direction for these new LED's that shine 360degrees & are real bright. The thing is I slept on it & think I'll go studio accurate with the halogens.

[dbhs]

Cool.

That site has some other cool LED stuff. I think I'll give them a try next time I need to order LEDS. The place I have been ordering from has gone super cheap on the wires and connectors and they are a PITA to solder now. The wire insulation is so thin it's like paint on the wires and nearly impossible to strip off to expose the wires.

[kbilly]

I'd have to say that those leds look pretty sweet to me. As does the whole model...

[JAWS]

LED's it is. So Ive set about fixing the rocket bells from where I drilled them to fit the halogens. A little putty & sanding will do the job. I will them drill holes for the LED's to just sit above the rim. I got some LED's with a wider radius but really have to get the Super Brights Mike Salzo now uses.

[JAWS]

Laid down some paint in the panels to start the process or winding this build up.
This is my favourite part but over the last 2 years have spent so much time learning construction techniques I have not painted anything.
I hope I still have the nack as considered painting to be my strongest ability.
I gues we shall see.
So nayway airbrushed some lighter grey into the panels & will now follow with washes to create shadows & ageing.
Thanks for looking

[LastBattlestar]

That looks great Jase! I think this is about as far as you should go with the weathering, IMHO.



Mike

[JAWS]

Thanks Mike but it has only just begun.
What I should have done is base coated this thing black.
That would have saved doing washes.
Im going for a more aged look on this model.
Not a Colonial Movers aged though.

[Wombat]

Looks OK to me what you've got there how it is also but i have no problem with weathering it up more also.If anything it'd probably be more intune with how the studio model is.It's hard to know but most of the miniatures are quite heavily weathered to the eye even though it's not how they appeared on tv as such.
The one thing that stands out to me in the way you are going about in that there is no highlighted panels or the red stripe on it yet.Is there a reason you have gone this approach?I've always painted everything on and then weathered it all at the end.

[JAWS]

Ay buddy nice to have you pop in. The red stripe & dark panels are up next. They get masked off so not a problem. I wish I had have base coated it black first. I may go back & do that.

[Wombat]

OK,it's just a different way to what i do myself.Then painting and weathering ain't something i know much about.Arseing my way through it is another thing and gets me by pretty much.I really don't know that ya need ta go and base coat it again in black,it's really looking pretty good to me already.You'll be surprised how it looks when you paint those fresh panel colours and the red stripes.I can't see why you can't just weather it up more if it's required.Looks to good already to start again with all that!
Oh,it's good to pop in also!!

[dbhs]

That's looking fantastic Jase. I was thinking i would weather mine fairly lightly just becase it's so busy already but I can see that this will look really cool weathered heavily too. I'm looking forward to seeing what you come up with Jase.

[JAWS]

Thanks. Its been so long since I painted anything. An a little out of tune but should all come back to me quickly. I tried loading progress pics last night but the server kept dropping out. I have done the first wash. A heavy one. I have now been rubbing the wash back with a cloth. Is comingnup nice. Is definately getting that Apogee touch now. Wi'l post the pics this afternoon. Hopefully. Will be needing some decals soon Doug.