Building a SS TIE Fighter cokpit ball

[MonsieurTox]

Hey guys, I want to show you of my scratchbuilt TIE Fighter cockpit ball. I plan to cast it and maybe build a regular TIE Fighter, an Interceptor and why not the X1, that's why it's built like a kit.



I would like to thank Beaz for all the kitpart he found on this one... and for the parts he sent me to do castings ! Lee, John C, Steve Neisen and Boba Flint for their precious help... Thank you so much guys, it's been a hard way for me to build this one... My first full scratchbuilt/kitbashed ANH model !



Ive started it in April, 2009 and it's not finished yet...

[Wombat]

Your work is as clean as i've seen done by anyone out there!

Outstanding,this is another fantastic looking build you've come up with there,and a great idea being able to use it for the different Tie version's.Thats planning and good planning at that!!

[JAWS]

Damn Julien how many builds you got goin on!?! This is wicked mate. What was the ball made from?

[MonsieurTox]

Thank you guys, I think I'll have some fun building the Interceptor wings !

(12-28-2009, 04:08 PM)jasonwright.1972 Wrote: What was the ball made from?

Jase, I used plastruct 5" acrylic hemisphere.

[79 Daytona]

WOW!!! Outstanding work!!!!

[MonsieurTox]

Thanks

Ive started the canopy frame today :






Here in place just for the pic, the outer rim is too thick I have to reduce the outer diameter. Will try to use my drill press as a lathe to do that...







Found 2 new parts :







Ive started the ceiling :







Here another view of the canopy :

[DarthDuck]

Damn clean and "accurate" workmanship there! But then we're rather "spoiled" and actually expect that in anything from you!

[427 Cobra]

That's what I'm talking about! ROCKING!!!! I can't wait to see the rest of the interior.

[JAWS]

Very nice Julien. Thanks for the update. Its always a pleasure to see wht youve been up to.

[MonsieurTox]

Thanks guys, unfortunatly we've discovered today that they didnt use a 5" ball but a 5-1/4" to do the cockpit so it means it's 4% smaller... Gonna start over with the correct domes !

[JAWS]

Oh really! Thats interesting news & thanks for the tip. You should do the next one pretty easy after the great job youve done on this... Keep us updated Julien.

[JAWS]

Hey Julien where you at? Got an update for us? hangin to see whats happenin on this project.

[MonsieurTox]

Jase, I dont have so much time to work on the TIE Fighter as I have to rebuild the whole thing (ILM used 5-1/4" ball, I used a 5" ball).
Im spending the few time I have working on the ISD and on drawing plans for the 32" Falcon I will start to build next month !

[JAWS]

Hey Julien I guess hats pissed you off a bit after all that work. So your going to start on the Falcon again?! Kool. Hopefully I can get back to getting that dome sorted out sometime soon. Now I know how to make files for laser cutting Id actually like to start again.... but I won't. You must have all the kits for that build by now. Lol. J

[MonsieurTox]

(06-21-2010, 04:26 PM)jasonwright.1972 Wrote: Hey Julien I guess hats pissed you off a bit after all that work. So your going to start on the Falcon again?! Kool. Hopefully I can get back to getting that dome sorted out sometime soon. Now I know how to make files for laser cutting Id actually like to start again.... but I won't. You must have all the kits for that build by now. Lol. J

Yeah I need some time before starting again on the TIE ! Maybe it will takr 4 years just like the Falcon lol But I feel it's a bout the right time to build another, more accurate Falcon. And yes, since the Falcon was built with all the leftover from the kits used on the Star Destroyer, I have most of the kits ! Still need to find the Entex parts and it will be OK. I have the last kits on the way and I'm trying to find the last parts I havent ID'ed yet ! I hope this one will turn out better than the first, I will try to build exactly ala ILM with vacformed hull, cockpit and side mounting cover cones and with the 6 mounting points. It will be fun !!
I will give it a try at my technique of getting the hull in 8 pieces.

---

Oh and the cool thing is that trying to ID Falcon parts, I found some parts I was looking for the ISD...

[JAWS]

i'll be following you closely on all fronts Julien. I also have the Entex parts except for one. I'll do you a set once you get to needing them.

[kbilly]

I look forward to seeing you tackle a falcon MT, it's one model that I'd like to try my hand at some day. I've casually ID'd the common areas most people start on, like the rear engine deck and mandible side walls but haven't gotten around to doing much further. Seems were all after those damned Entex parts!

[MonsieurTox]

Thanks Jase ! Greatly appreciated

KB, do you plan to build a MF too ? We could do a groupbuild with Jase !

For now Ive just started to collect the parts from the sprues, I still have several parts to put in the bag with the other. I'm drawing the plan with the parts as ref.

I too have most of the rear deck ID'ed, but I'm missing some parts on the portside mandible wall, on the wall behind the cockpit tube, the bays next to the landing gear boxes etc... Hard to find good ref of those bays and of the bottom mandibles all (I mean ref of the ILM model, not the MR).

Obviously I need to find some other kits with those key parts, and maybe they share some parts for the SD... Who knows !!

[kbilly]

Yeah I think I will try a MF build... I do have most of the kits afterall

I'd be happy to follow in the footsteps of you and Jase... that way I can learn from your mistakes haha! The main things for me would be, nailing down really good dimensions that I could trust and having most of the falcon ID'd before beginning. I started doing a part's map of the rear deck, but only got as far as colouring in all the parts.

Would definitely be cool if I found some additional kits used on the Neb B!

[JAWS]

The rear deck is done & dusted by Mensaboy from RI. I will post his Parts Maps & start a group build section like the Galactica. Both sections will be housed in the Studio Scale Section. Im going to get the se domes done pretty soon. Julien your getting a set to see how good i get them. K Billy a set will be available to you as well. i wont talk more about the Falcon in this thread & start the new Section in the SS area.

[MonsieurTox]

Yeah I too want the most accurate dimensions I can get, Ive already drawn the mandibles with the correct angle, and Ive started the hull... The MR is a good base to start off but it is smaller than the original.
Im trying to find the last parts as I want to build it quickly this summer (winter for you guys from the south hemi ! ).

Yeah Jase, Mensaboy did a great job on the rear section ! I have one or 2 more parts he doesnt have ID'ed, so I think the rear deck is pretty much complete !

Thank you very much for the domes, that's very kind and I will save some time !

Let's go to the new section when it's created.

Here's the starboard mandible wall :



I was not able to find my Flak38 seat when I took the pic, but you get the idea !

[kbilly]

I want to do exactly the same thing... lay down all the parts and nut out some dimensions. I had heard the MR one was slighty smaller. Also want to get some parts maps done to help ID those last few pieces that no one seems to know or won't admit to knowing.

This is a part map I had started of the rear deck before Mensaboy published his awesome ones. I will get around to finishing it at some stage. Rear Deck

Jase, look forward to having this new section set up.... also what are the se domes again?

[MonsieurTox]

(06-24-2010, 12:47 PM)kbilly Wrote: I want to do exactly the same thing... lay down all the parts and nut out some dimensions. I had heard the MR one was slighty smaller. Also want to get some parts maps done to help ID those last few pieces that no one seems to know or won't admit to knowing.

This is a part map I had started of the rear deck before Mensaboy published his awesome ones. I will get around to finishing it at some stage. Rear Deck

Jase, look forward to having this new section set up.... also what are the se domes again?

Very cool KB ! Im not sure if you colored the flaps, but are they finally kitparts ? Also I have the part on the other side of the pistons and some of the parts used to detail the scratched hummel parts.

By domes I think Jase's meaning the dishes for the hull ?

[edit] Thanks Jase for the new sections, I'll start a post tonight !

[JAWS]

Kool mate. Should be fun.

[JAWS]

Julien what size Plastruct Hemispheres does the Tie Fighter use?
I know what you used is smaller than should be....
Whats the correct size?

[MonsieurTox]

Jase it should be 133 mm.

[joewhite]

Hmmmmm.....133mm? I think I will start making drawings for the strut boxes then.

Joe

[photoworks]

Nice one.

[JAWS]

Julien how did you cut your acrylic hemis?

[Flintlock]

(11-10-2011, 08:10 PM)MonsieurTox Wrote: Jase it should be 133 mm.

Hmm... that's funny. Someone else said it should be a 5" hemi, then I did some proportion calculations off the Fine Molds TIE, and got a measurement of 5 1/4", which is just about 133 mm. Damn, glad I didn't get too far on this.

[joewhite]

The 5 1/4" or 133.4mm hemi is part number VHH-525. So Julien, you used the acrylic. I personally try to stay away from butyrate as it's just too "gummy" when sanding or cutting. How's the ABS for cutting and sanding?

Along with the wing stars I plan on making, I'm also starting to draw the other shapes such as the cockpit boxes and such so that they can be laser cut. Anyone know the diameter of the tubing?

Joe

[Flintlock]

(11-17-2011, 02:01 PM)joewhite Wrote: The 5 1/4" or 133.4mm hemi is part number VHH-525. So Julien, you used the acrylic. I personally try to stay away from butyrate as it's just too "gummy" when sanding or cutting. How's the ABS for cutting and sanding?

Along with the wing stars I plan on making, I'm also starting to draw the other shapes such as the cockpit boxes and such so that they can be laser cut. Anyone know the diameter of the tubing?

Joe

Using the same method I get the following:

Hemispheres: 5 1/4" diam.
Cross Tube: 1 1/4" diam.
Front Window Dish: 3 1/4" diam.
Rear Truncated Cone: 3" diam. (at the base)
Top Dish: 3.13" diam. (probably a 3" with vac-formed plastic on it).
Bottom Dish: 3.13" diam. (same story?).

For top and bottom dish, Fine Molds maybe just got it wrong. I'd bet they're 3" on the studio model.

[MonsieurTox]

(11-17-2011, 08:26 AM)jase72 Wrote: Julien how did you cut your acrylic hemis?

Jase, I used my Dremel !

[JAWS]

Julien did you use a cutting disc on it?

[MonsieurTox]

Yes, I used a compass to scribe the dome and see where I have to cut, then used my dremel with a cutting disk and roughly cut it (letting about 0.3 mm from the line I scribbed), then I used my hobby knife following the scribbed line. To finish, I sanded it flat on sandpaper. The acrylic smells a lot when cutting with the dremel ! lol I think it can be done with a hand snow and a jig, maybe that's what I'll do on my second attempt !

[joewhite]

Flint,
Hey, man, I started making the drawings for the TIE hull. I wanted to ask about the truncated cone on the rear. Are you sure about the 3" base? I ask because the four dark gray parts (not sure what they are) on each side of the window frame and cone look to be the same size. Therefore, the way they are positioned and touching the bases of the frame and cone on one side and the diamond panel on the other would lead me to believe that the base of the cone is the same diameter of the window frame. Make sense? LMK.

EDIT: Never mind, Flint, I made a mistake. I wasn't looking close enough. I see how the back dark gray parts don't touch the "diamond" panel.

Also, if anyone else has further measurements, please post them. Once done with the drawings, I will post them here at the site. I want to simplify the building of the hull box panels. The way they make contact with the hull ball looks like a nightmare to build!

Joe

[Flintlock]

(11-18-2011, 07:41 AM)joewhite Wrote: I want to simplify the building of the hull box panels. The way they make contact with the hull ball looks like a nightmare to build!

Yeah I know what you mean. I may have a way to figure this out using the CAD program I have.

With the scale calculations I made, it turns out that the Fine Molds TIE Fighter and Interceptor, listed as 1:72, are actually scaled at 1:101.52. That is, if the studio model is truly intended to be 1:24.