AMT Romulan BOP

[JAWS]

Wow great stuff Duck. Now Im not a big Trek person other than fond childhood memories & an appreciation for the design of 'most' of the ships. I have to be totally honest & say I think this is truly one of the ugliest designs I have ever seen for a ship & everytime I see it I cringe. Regardless of my my impression of this ship you sir Duck have done an outstanding job on making something extremely ugly very intersting & alluring. Cheers Duckster! Love your work.

[DarthDuck]

The female jack was mounted onto a styrene collar which was angled to effect the display. Since the jack (box) had a keyway, that was transferred onto the mount with additional bracing around the perimeter so once snugged down with it's own nut everything should stay put well. The entire mount is below flush with the hull.

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(01-15-2010, 06:50 AM)jasonwright.1972 Wrote: Wow great stuff Duck. Now Im not a big Trek person other than fond childhood memories & an appreciation for the design of 'most' of the ships. I have to be totally honest & say I think this is truly one of the ugliest designs I have ever seen for a ship & everytime I see it I cringe. Regardless of my my impression of this ship you sir Duck have done an outstanding job on making something extremely ugly very intersting & alluring. Cheers Duckster! Love your work.

Ugly?

This is a fucking BIRD of Prey dude!
Maybe it's my winged connection that sways me then?

[erospawn]

Ugly? It was designed in the early 60's..just a few years after the days when Chrome was the thing to have on your car and when everybody thought the Edsel was a masterpeice that would take off

[erospawn]

Now, the Romulan Warbird is pretty interesting ship!

[JAWS]

Since it was designed in the 60's I'll give it a break. especially since it looks like Im about to take fire from the Treksters closing in around me....

[DarthDuck]

^^^
Wise Jason, wise.


The stereo phono jack gives two power feeds besides a ground. That leaves me one short of functions required so something needs a switch upon the ship itself and to operate between warp or thrusters made sense as an either/or scenario.

A very small ST/DP switch was scavenged from the odds box and wired up to be hidden on the craft.

[DarthDuck]

Because space (width) is of the essence I slipped styrene between the leads to insulate them from eech other then pressed the leads together to further slim the assembly. All of that was encased within CA because those leads are now getting quite thin and fragile and I don't want them coming apart or breaking off of course. The switch casing itself was then sanded even slimmer because it will become the bottom trailing edge of the tail itself. It now matches the outside width of the tail assembly which of course has room within for the wiring run.

[DarthDuck]

And the switch assembly blended into the tail. I'll add a contoured "cap" to the 'knob' to further disguise it.

[JAWS]

Sweet. You should see my wiring on the SSD. Its fucking crazy Duck. Yours is so neat... I guess I'll improve as I go. This is looking great for an ugly duckling..."Deflector shields full strength! Incoming attack!!!!"

[DarthDuck]

(01-17-2010, 05:00 PM)jasonwright.1972 Wrote: Sweet. You should see my wiring on the SSD. Its fucking crazy Duck. Yours is so neat... I guess I'll improve as I go. This is looking great for an ugly duckling..."Deflector shields full strength! Incoming attack!!!!"

Ugly Duckling?

[DarthDuck]

The wiring from the new switch was simply run into the bridge.


While this is the componentry for the Plasma Weapon.

[dbhs]

That tail switch is awesome !!!

[JAWS]

(01-18-2010, 12:16 AM)DarthDuck Wrote:

(01-17-2010, 05:00 PM)jasonwright.1972 Wrote: Sweet. You should see my wiring on the SSD. Its fucking crazy Duck. Yours is so neat... I guess I'll improve as I go. This is looking great for an ugly duckling..."Deflector shields full strength! Incoming attack!!!!"

Ugly Duckling?

Hara hara did you like that one. Ugly duckling! I crack myself up even Nice stuff Duck I really learn so much from these inside shots. Love ya work

[DarthDuck]

(01-18-2010, 06:48 AM)jasonwright.1972 Wrote:

(01-18-2010, 12:16 AM)DarthDuck Wrote:

(01-17-2010, 05:00 PM)jasonwright.1972 Wrote: Sweet. You should see my wiring on the SSD. Its fucking crazy Duck. Yours is so neat... I guess I'll improve as I go. This is looking great for an ugly duckling..."Deflector shields full strength! Incoming attack!!!!"

Ugly Duckling?

Hara hara did you like that one. Ugly duckling! I crack myself up even Nice stuff Duck I really learn so much from these inside shots. Love ya work

I'm so glad you find yourself funny when it comes to calling my baby ugly.



But seriously- I am glad if I can share any steps that help anyone piece together the process as I build. Mind you, far from being the only way of course but it is how I approach the task.

[JAWS]

Should I line my Falcon engine bay with alfoil? Is it just normal kitchen foil & what did you use to secure it. Ive got hot spots from my LED's that will show up on the frosted styrene once its in place.

[DarthDuck]

(01-19-2010, 09:04 AM)jasonwright.1972 Wrote: Should I line my Falcon engine bay with alfoil? Is it just normal kitchen foil & what did you use to secure it. Ive got hot spots from my LED's that will show up on the frosted styrene once its in place.

Generally anything you can do to disperse light aids in hotspots and causing the cavity to be reflective is of course among them while it also serves as a lightblock. Also if you can rely on reflected light and point the lightsource away from the openings and rely on it bouncing/reflecting about. Sure, kitchen foil can work and there are many spray fixatives such as you'll find in a craft store or even something like 3M brand spray adhesive. But, if your local auto parts store stocks "foil tape" (sometimes meant as an aid in bodywork to span a gap before bondo which isn't really a good way to do it but that's still good shiny tape) or you find duct tape (shiny) in a hardware store you skip the need altogether.
And finally it can help a lot to put a clear acetate piece just under the grills. But sand the clear acetate (or styrene if you find it) with about 600 grit on both sides. This really disperses the light across that area.

[DarthDuck]

Here ya go Jase!

Meanwhile I've retested all the various powered elements and sorted their wiring to the switch and the phono plug. This is what it all looks like before getting stuffed and fixed into place! Quite the temporary mess.

[JAWS]

Thankyou thankyou thankyou. Great tips buddy. That thing is lookin very impressive. Didn't the ugly duckling turn out to be a swan...

[erospawn]

(01-18-2010, 02:11 AM)DarthDuck Wrote: The wiring from the new switch was simply run into the bridge.


While this is the componentry for the Plasma Weapon.

Interesting.. Looks like a 1458 dual op amp being used as a clock generator for the other chip?? Is that a 556? I can't read the numbers on the chip.

[DarthDuck]

Jase,
I recall you saying how you're now entering the wonderful world of stuffing electronics into plastic/resin- so, I wanted to share some of the less than glamorous moments as well to assure you that it isn't always all pretty and wrapped up with a bow. Of course the more stuff you stuff into any package then makes it that much more of a jumble.


EroSpawn,
Something that's sometimes hard to recognize because you don't always expect a single "dual" timer. Yup, a 556 instead of two 555s which are/is the clock/s to the opamp. Function being that the clocks control the opamp for two runs- one central bright LED for the photon flash with two flanking red LEDs that build in glow till the middle white one sets off as the flanking reds fade. Hence the caps being used. I respect your ability to perceive the components on sight. (Well, besides just reading the numbers!)

[erospawn]

(01-20-2010, 10:20 AM)DarthDuck Wrote: Jase,
I recall you saying how you're now entering the wonderful world of stuffing electronics into plastic/resin- so, I wanted to share some of the less than glamorous moments as well to assure you that it isn't always all pretty and wrapped up with a bow. Of course the more stuff you stuff into any package then makes it that much more of a jumble.


EroSpawn,
Something that's sometimes hard to recognize because you don't always expect a single "dual" timer. Yup, a 556 instead of two 555s which are/is the clock/s to the opamp. Function being that the clocks control the opamp for two runs- one central bright LED for the photon flash with two flanking red LEDs that build in glow till the middle white one sets off as the flanking reds fade. Hence the caps being used. I respect your ability to perceive the components on sight. (Well, besides just reading the numbers!)

Gotcha, the other way around.. I thought you might be using the opamp as a flip-flop clocking circuit.. but instead you are using it as a comparator -- hence the cap/resistor combo on the input (I think)

[DarthDuck]

The circuit is copied directly from Jennifer Petkus who acknowledges Paul Newitt's Starfleet Assembly Manual 4 System E board. It was meant as a "Photon Torpedo" effect but seemed suited to the Rommie Plasma Weapon for me.

[erospawn]

(01-20-2010, 11:21 AM)DarthDuck Wrote: The circuit is copied directly from Jennifer Petkus who acknowledges Paul Newitt's Starfleet Assembly Manual 4 System E board. It was meant as a "Photon Torpedo" effect but seemed suited to the Rommie Plasma Weapon for me.

Thats cool.. I tried to "google" that documentation but couldn't find it.. I'd be interested in the schematic.. I could probably guess the circuit based on the pin out of the chips and where you have the connection points for the caps, resistors, power, ground etc....

[JAWS]

Oh my god..."Beam Me Up Scotty!".

[DarthDuck]

With all electrical components affixed internally it's finally time to attach the bridge and new tail. First pass of primer towards blending it all in and then the bodywork will be finished.

[DarthDuck]

I placed a base coat of black followed by a new product, Holomatic, Spectral Chrome. It's a pretty FUCKIN badass hue with prismatic shifts that do remind me of one of those holographic security stickers. I'll use this with some further embellishments.

[erospawn]

Thats really nice man! Good job on that.

[DarthDuck]

(01-24-2010, 04:56 AM)erospawn Wrote: Thats really nice man! Good job on that.

Thanks- and knowing it wasn't the final finish I was going for coverage, not shine. It's lacquer so it's a good base for what comes next.

[Damien9479]

Sweet!!!!
I came across this color a couple days ago online...I was wondering how it looked...I am not going to ask about it's sprayability...It's Alclad and it's lacquer I already know how it sprays
So what's next Don?? A good clear coat with some polishing to intensify the prismatic effects?
Looks very cool buddy!!

[DarthDuck]

(01-24-2010, 09:34 PM)Damien9479 Wrote: Sweet!!!!
I came across this color a couple days ago online...I was wondering how it looked...I am not going to ask about it's sprayability...It's Alclad and it's lacquer I already know how it sprays
So what's next Don?? A good clear coat with some polishing to intensify the prismatic effects?
Looks very cool buddy!!

It will get cleared but I'm pondering what else? Some phantom 'paneling' effects? Or maybe it simply works as it is? That's why I've sat and stared at it for a day now????

[DarthDuck]

I wanted a base to help identify this further as Romulan. Looked up an old TOS Rommie emblem and it will sit atop the pedestal. The "fingers" will control the switches for electronics with contacts underneath triggered by depressing the red for weapon and green for all lights since the engines are switched upon the model itself.

[dbhs]

That looks awesome. This would make a cool finish coat if you wanted that effect.

[JAWS]

Wow. Aways amazed at your inginuity.

[DarthDuck]

Thank you very much DBHS and Jase.

I appreciate it.

[DarthDuck]

And here it is complete prior to paint. Again, the control switches will be activated by pressing down on the radiating "fingers" which rest below the half round trim to limit their travel back upward. The beveled and rounded edges were chosen to reflect highlights from the pearl and prismic shift paints that will be used on the trim.

[JAWS]

Very nice quacko!

[dbhs]

(01-26-2010, 07:08 AM)jasonwright.1972 Wrote: Very nice quacko!

I couldn't decide between my two responses so I'm posting both:


Show some respect for the Duck, man !!!

-or-

Stop, you're quacking me up !!!

[JAWS]

hahar. You guys are kool with me man. Actually you both do outstanding work & Im gonna waych my back cause you guys have got me covered...

[DarthDuck]

Quack, quack, da quack,,,,,,,um:

The switch was located upon a shelf beneath the hinged panel and a spring was put in place to keep that panel up and snug even when the switch is depressed. Simple is always best.

[DarthDuck]

Here's the base colors which will be cleaned up and then the clear coats with pearls and flip/flops will be shot.




The upper surface "silver" is aluminum while the sides are "steel" although you can't really tell from the lighting. I'll use different pearls to accentuate that further.

[JAWS]

Hell yeah even I can apreciate that. Maybe you could do something in the Mounting Displaying section for us duck?

[scratchy]

Beautiful job DarthDuck!

That paint job really does the trick. Wasn't there a bird graphic on this particular ship, will you be adding that as well?

[DarthDuck]

Thank you gents.

Yes Scratchy- it will get the bird!

[DarthDuck]

I wound up just putting a "satin" clear coat over the base. I reconsidered the pearls and flip/flops I had planned and decided not to "detract" from the model itself with too flashy of a base.
As I start to finalize wiring within the base I snapped a pic just to show the combo of the BOP mounted upon the stand.

[dbhs]

That's sweet, Don. There's a bit of the pearl paint doing it's thing in the photos but I'm sure it really works in person where you can move around it. That base is a great idea. I could see something similar working with the Klingon symbol for a BOP model.

[erospawn]

Hmm.. Funny you should mention that. Wel, maybe not to you ... but to me it is

[JAWS]

Don thats great it really isn't that ugly after all. Looks kinda kool. Has grown on me...Will probably blow me away once the lights come on!

[DarthDuck]

(02-01-2010, 07:33 AM)jasonwright.1972 Wrote: Don thats great it really isn't that ugly after all. Looks kinda kool. Has grown on me...Will probably blow me away once the lights come on!

Um,
I didn't realize that "ugly" was in question?

[erospawn]

(02-01-2010, 07:33 AM)jasonwright.1972 Wrote: Don thats great it really isn't that ugly after all. Looks kinda kool. Has grown on me...Will probably blow me away once the lights come on!

That because Don managed to turn an ugly duckling into a beautiful swan! No offense duck

[JAWS]

Damnit you beat me to punch line Ron!!!