General Question

[KevinH]

Hi all,

I have built 1 Starship 1/1400 Enterprise C. I am currently working on 1/537 Refit. My question is after light blocking, and primer, what is the best method of building? Is it better to put lighting and wiring, then build, then base coat, or put base coat on individual pieces first?

[EVApodman]

Always do your interior lighting stuff first and make sure it is fool proof before sealing it inside the hull. Once that's done, follow standard modeling procedures although you will have to mask off where the lighting is during painting.

[KevinH]

OK thanks. More to the point, after lighting, is it better to build the whole model then paint the base coat, or is it better to paint the base coat on sub-structures, then assemble and do touch ups? We are talking a Starship here.

[southwestforests]

is it better to build the whole model then paint the base coat, or is it better to paint the base coat on sub-structures, then assemble and do touch ups?

That is one of those either this or that questions which go like:
Q: Either this or that?
A: Yes.

It depends on the structure of the specific model, modeler ability, modeler preference.

Been a very long time since I've built an Enterprise larger than a game mini but I can see base coating the saucer, secondary hull, and engine/pylon assemblies individually.
Can also see connecting the sections' wiring via locking micro plugs after each is built and mostly finished as an independent subassembly.

[EVApodman]

If possible, just for the ease of painting, try to leave some assemblies off until the very end.