11-06-2019, 12:08 AM
I have one more task to finish before I can fit the decals, and that's adding the (mostly) rectangular graphite shapes scattered over the front half of the ship.
I'm currently half way through the process, so I thought I'd share a post on my approach to getting them as accurately as I can from the CAD model to the physical one...
I printed out full size paper templates of the ships individual panels with all the markings (and decals) showing.
Using low tack painters tape, I place the tape onto the template, flush with the nearest panel edge and cut along a second edge so that I have two edges to align to. The tape is relatively transparent so you can see the template through it.
I cut out the part that needs to be added directly over the template which acts as a sacrificial guide to ensure I get the size and placement correct. I peel the tape off the template and transfer it to the ship, lining up the edges to the corresponding panels.
It's then just a matter of brushing over the cutout with graphite powder and carefully removing the tape.
If I find that it need to be "dialed back" a little, I just use an eraser to knock it down a touch. If I don't like the result, I can rub it out and try again!
The trick with these marking is to be subtle. Many of them are very light and you have to look hard to see them.
The photos show the series of steps I describe above and the 1st panel completed.
It should take me a couple more days to knock the rest off.
More updates soon...
I'm currently half way through the process, so I thought I'd share a post on my approach to getting them as accurately as I can from the CAD model to the physical one...
I printed out full size paper templates of the ships individual panels with all the markings (and decals) showing.
Using low tack painters tape, I place the tape onto the template, flush with the nearest panel edge and cut along a second edge so that I have two edges to align to. The tape is relatively transparent so you can see the template through it.
I cut out the part that needs to be added directly over the template which acts as a sacrificial guide to ensure I get the size and placement correct. I peel the tape off the template and transfer it to the ship, lining up the edges to the corresponding panels.
It's then just a matter of brushing over the cutout with graphite powder and carefully removing the tape.
If I find that it need to be "dialed back" a little, I just use an eraser to knock it down a touch. If I don't like the result, I can rub it out and try again!
The trick with these marking is to be subtle. Many of them are very light and you have to look hard to see them.
The photos show the series of steps I describe above and the 1st panel completed.
It should take me a couple more days to knock the rest off.
More updates soon...