flying dinnerware!

kerick · Post by **kerick** » Tue Nov 15, 2016 8:41 pm

Due to raster13's post in general si fi modeling I just discovered the plates in space challenge. Can't believe I missed this for two months! I have some interesting plates in the basement POC I had been tossing around for quite awhile for just such a project. I hope folks don't mind someone coming late to the party.

raser13 · Post by **raser13** » Tue Nov 15, 2016 9:56 pm

welcome to the party! can't wait to see what you have and what you come up with.

kerick · Post by **kerick** » Sat Nov 26, 2016 12:47 am

Started slapping plates together! Plastic appetizer plates from Walmart.

https://c7.staticflickr.com/6/5516/3087 ... 15de_c.jpg

I wasn't sure what kind of plastic these were made of. I thought they were polystyrene but no way to be really sure until glue is applied. The liquid glue worked fine so that was a relief. I removed the ridge the plate sits on on the bottom plate. Pain in the butt but I got it sanded smooth.

https://c7.staticflickr.com/6/5751/3110 ... fedd_c.jpg

The low flat dome on top is one of the plastic lens from a projection TV. I CA glued this one and added Aves Epoxie Sculpt to fill in around it out to the ridge.

https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5805/3124 ... 4423_c.jpg

Nice stack of plates plus a plastic container and the dome shape piece my daughter thought I could use.

https://c5.staticflickr.com/6/5578/3042 ... f9eb_c.jpg

I was thinking of lighting it as the parts were all molded in clear. It would probably get complicated quickly so I'll pass on it. Maybe next time.

kerick · Post by **kerick** » Sun Nov 27, 2016 2:17 am

Spread some Bondo spot putty around the edges of the plates. Not much to show yet.

Scotaidh · Post by **Scotaidh** » Sun Nov 27, 2016 10:06 am

Looks good!

So far you've made more progress - at least, shown progress - than anyone else.

raser13 · Post by **raser13** » Sun Nov 27, 2016 11:33 pm

yep more than me . i'm still finding pieces and letting the parts talk to me and tell me how they want to go together.

kerick · Post by **kerick** » Fri Dec 02, 2016 10:04 pm

PSR stage, not much to show. Part of me wants to add fins, other part says no.....

zaphod · Post by **zaphod** » Sat Dec 10, 2016 1:34 pm

Dude I'm loving this. You can go in different directions: forbidden planet, Mars attacks, mid century postmodern when the future was shiny, et al.
Very nice.

kerick · Post by **kerick** » Sat Dec 10, 2016 9:25 pm

I found some Krylon paint that is supposed to look metallic, we shall see.
I also am going to try using the lights from a Christmas tree star that change color. Prewired with its own walwort.

kerick · Post by **kerick** » Thu Feb 02, 2017 10:28 pm

Here's a pic of the latest. Everything is slow motion for me lately.
https://flic.kr/p/Ry1DDW

The white is Perfect Plastic Putty and the red is Bondo.

kerick · Post by **kerick** » Fri Feb 03, 2017 6:39 pm

I'm perplexed by the question of what to do for landing gear. Some kind of stalky legs, just let it rest on the "drive unit", or something else...

Scotaidh · Post by **Scotaidh** » Sat Feb 04, 2017 3:56 pm

kerick wrote:I'm perplexed by the question of what to do for landing gear. Some kind of stalky legs, just let it rest on the "drive unit", or something else...

You could always borrow the main landing gear from an airliner. Then there's a lot of choice:
1: dispense with the wheels and just use a skid;
2: dispense with the wheels and put an anti-grav thingy under the bogey
3: keep the wheels and wrap tracks around them
3: keep the wheels but enclose them some other way

Maybe use clear rods but have LEDs behind them shining down; clear rods holding magnets so it really floats but the clear rods keep it in situ?

kerick · Post by **kerick** » Mon Feb 13, 2017 12:11 am

I'm going to go with having the ship sitting on its "drive unit" like the ship in Forbidden planet. I have the lights installed for the "drive unit". Kept it simple. I still need a ramp or stairs coming down. I need some tiny astronauts.

naoto · Post by **naoto** » Mon Feb 13, 2017 12:26 am

kerick wrote:I'm going to go with having the ship sitting on its "drive unit" like the ship in Forbidden planet. I have the lights installed for the "drive unit". Kept it simple. I still need a ramp or stairs coming down. I need some tiny astronauts.

IIRC the landing gear on the C-57D consists of the central "foot" that descends from the central section and "legs" that stabilize the ship and contain the stairs.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=diRx8nRk6e0

kerick · Post by **kerick** » Mon Feb 13, 2017 9:25 pm

naoto wrote:
kerick wrote:I'm going to go with having the ship sitting on its "drive unit" like the ship in Forbidden planet. I have the lights installed for the "drive unit". Kept it simple. I still need a ramp or stairs coming down. I need some tiny astronauts.
IIRC the landing gear on the C-57D consists of the central "foot" that descends from the central section and "legs" that stabilize the ship and contain the stairs.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=diRx8nRk6e0

I was searching photos about that. The central "foot" will hide the wire for the lights. I'm going to get some 1/200th scale navy figures and paint them up for crew.

kerick · Post by **kerick** » Sun Feb 19, 2017 5:55 pm

Lights installed in the "drive unit".
https://flic.kr/p/R377mz

PSR is done and a coat of primer has been applied. Now I have to let it dry a few days so I can do a couple touch ups.
https://flic.kr/p/S63Ap8

https://flic.kr/p/R3746g

I'm thinking of adding some visual interest with black decal stripes after I apply the silver.

kerick · Post by **kerick** » Mon Mar 06, 2017 7:19 pm

Yea Ha!! I painted something and it came out right the first time!!!
https://c1.staticflickr.com/4/3666/3316 ... 425c_c.jpg

Krylon really came through on this one. I think the silver says 50's space ship just right.
I wet sanded with 400 grit paper that had been used already so it came out really smooth. I painted as soon as it was dry so it wouldn't get dust on it.

https://c1.staticflickr.com/4/3901/3329 ... d737_c.jpg

Plus I found some tiny figures in the drawer of doom. N gauge railroad guys but with a little paint they should look like astronuts.

https://c1.staticflickr.com/4/3730/3291 ... 5186_c.jpg

publiusr · Post by **publiusr** » Fri Mar 10, 2017 6:34 pm

A great layered look.

kerick · Post by **kerick** » Sat Mar 11, 2017 11:39 pm

Thanks!
Working on a base.

Scotaidh · Post by **Scotaidh** » Sun Mar 12, 2017 6:55 am

Nice work! I half expected to see Gort standing sentinel nearby.

kerick · Post by **kerick** » Mon Mar 13, 2017 3:00 pm

Scotaidh wrote:Nice work! I half expected to see Gort standing sentinel nearby.

Ooh! Giant worker robot to go with the base.......

kerick · Post by **kerick** » Sun Mar 19, 2017 10:20 pm

Some astronuts....
https://flic.kr/p/SUGnrr

I glued the tinyest gold colored beads I could find over their heads and painted them a nice 50s silver. They need backpacks yet.

The base so far.
https://flic.kr/p/SUGkwz

I found some drywall mud in the basement closet that is "filling in" for soil.
The boulders are limestone rocks from a parking lot that had a layer of pyrite deposited on them. Good old "fools gold". It will look good for some interstellar mining.

Scotaidh · Post by **Scotaidh** » Mon Mar 20, 2017 3:34 pm

Looking good, Kerick!

gsb5w · Post by **gsb5w** » Mon Mar 20, 2017 7:45 pm

Nice scratch build.

Looking very good.

kerick · Post by **kerick** » Sat Mar 25, 2017 9:15 pm

Painted the base and attached the astronauts. Now for some decals. I'm thinking of naming it Atlantis using space shuttle decals.

kerick · Post by **kerick** » Sun Mar 26, 2017 3:23 pm

I'm calling this one done!
https://flic.kr/p/TepmUE
The astronauts turned out really well. I'm happy with this one all around.

https://flic.kr/p/S4acWx
https://flic.kr/p/SH5PzW

The lighting turned out well. It changes color with different combinations of LEDs.
https://flic.kr/p/Tepbyu
https://flic.kr/p/T6zVaV
https://flic.kr/p/T6zRB2
https://flic.kr/p/SH5FcU
https://flic.kr/p/S4ao8e
https://flic.kr/p/SH67ho
https://flic.kr/p/T4bvDA

Thanks for all the helpful suggestions along the way. I hope you all like it.

Scotaidh · Post by **Scotaidh** » Mon Mar 27, 2017 3:14 pm

Well done! Looks great.