Starship Modeler Discussion Forums

If you get some air drying clay and roll it out really thin and lay it onto a base of pva glue and give it a coat of paint right away - as it dries out, the top layer develops cracks and fragments. I found that to my peril when I wanted a nice smooth landscape once :roll: If i can find a picture, I'...

thanks for all your help. I found some tiny PE trusses that are almost the correct size. I tired the bent angled wire but couldn't get a consistent shape which is what started me on my PE hunt. It never ceases to amaze me how small PE can go and still be structurally strong enough to support its own...

Heh, thanks - doing it myself is an option but a last resort really.

I have toyed with getting them made for me too but right now I'm looking to keep costs down.

I'll defiantly check out your thread though - thanks!

Steve

Hi, I've been searching the net for photo etched Trusses. The length isn't too important so long as they are over 20mm long but the width of the part needs to be about 1.5mm. I'm trying to scratch build the titanic's sister ship Britannic's gantry davits in 1/700 - they look like this: http://www.ti...

Thanks Ziz - yes, I have ripped it up already. I gave it 72 hrs to set, I intended to set it aside until I got (or could afford to get) some more silicone, then today I noticed the mixing bowl I used hadn't cured as I went to clean it out. Maybe it was for the best as i can see i've made a few mista...

Hi all, I was trying to make a silicone mould of a large car part - I've had some really good results from making small scale stuff, so I thought I'd try my newly formed skills on a bigger project. I think I used too much catalyst as the finished mix was quite dark in colour but now it won't set and...

http://www.zen171398.zen.co.uk/Alien.html If you scroll down to the first video - at the 40min mark a special effects guy starts talking about the kits they used to detail up the alien ships. when everything went cgi - i'm sure the model kit companies noticed a massive drop in sales. I remember seei...

Would it give off more light with a standard LED if the strand was given a milky coat of paint?

steve

is that why some decals crinkle when sprayed with a gloss-coat sealer?

Steve

Someone was doing one in the on the bench section - really big and detailed.

I'll do a search.....


steve

series 1 dvd has the raw effects shots of the fly-bys in the extras. Great references and really close detail shots. When the original got smashed, they built another for series 4 and then blew it up in the heroes and demons episode! The two miniatures are quite different - the red dwarf-A has a lot...

Hi I'm thinking of getting some photoetch sets made up and thought I might as well sell them too - if i'm going to all the trouble to get everything researched etc. Does anyone have any recommendations for custom etch companies - or am I essentially asking for trade secrets? I'm not fussed what coun...

Thanks very much for the ruler and you time!

Its already come in very handy

steve

Thank you very much!

An officer AND a Gentleman

steve

Googling what the OP was looking for - I found this thread - I know its a few years old now but I really need to get hold of a 1/600 rule and the logistics of doing it myself are making my brain hurt!

Any help would be VERY much appreciated!

Cheers,

steve

It acrylic or pespex and its edges glow if you apply light to the other side.

I know standard clear persex does this to a certain extent but this stuff does it more - I just can't remember the name!

Cheers,

Steve

After a trawl through the net trying to find somewhere to get custom PE stuff made....I found http://www.modelshop.co.uk/services/s_03.htm Just though I'd pass the link on to those who are always looking for PE stuff. I'm not sure how the prices compare to US companies as I can't find any that list ...

I suppose I can guess the answer to this is "don't do it" - but do you suppose melting resin with a soldering iron gives of very bad fumes? I tried it on a whim to make holes for LED's - works but a lot of thin white smoke pours off it as I do it. I sometimes use an old soldering iron to m...

As model builders, would you accept parts that were made of plaster or clay as aftermarket parts?

It's just that I've seen resin plaster - which is a heckofalot cheaper than regualr resin. Some resin afterparts have had a finish like plaster - WARP models spring to mind.

Cheers,

Mike

Thanks for the replies - you've really cleared up some gaps for me!

Cheers,

Mike

Hi, It seems to me that 99% of home vacforming machines tend to be the type where the plastic is sucked down over the original. Industrial places seem to have ones that allow the original to be pushed into plastic. Why would you need to push it into the plastic rather than suck it down? Are there an...