Lighting Tests
ACQUIRED:
080915.18
BEGUN:
081018
COMPLETE:
CONSTRUCTION
LOG
080915.22
Jeez! Another SW kit?!? Yeah, another one.
This one was $18 shipped. I didn't catch the last 5 hours of bidding, but when I got home there was the win notification.
Well, if I'm gonna build this one, it's getting lights. And I should also invest in the accuratizing kits which will be a fk'load more cash. :(
Looking at it now, just as getting the original D-7 helped me build the Captain Cardboard D-7, so too should this give me some insight on the Randy Cooper Avenger. As such, I will bide my time to build this one as I still have to get the cash together for Randy's kit.
More when it arrives.
080921.23
There are three accuratization kits for this ship. One is just the hangar bay from one company. The other company offers full replacements from the wedge walls, to the bridge, neck, hangar and more. This is the Avenger mod and costs ~$150. Their Devestator kit just does the bridge and is some ~$20.
EIther way, I think the $18 spent was already too much for this kit. I may see what I can do for scratching this into shape for several dollars of styrene. And lights. Maybe the light factor will prompt me to go all out for the Avenger, but I doubt it. Custom Destroyer is now in mind.
A prime experiment this kit is guinea pigging for is setting mount points in the body and magnetized port holes for covering the mount points when not in use.
I see using the fore building/castle for the top mount as I think that is a separate piece from the rest. Then I may slice the big dome off the bottom, but the hangar bay may be more ideal. It will mostly depend on the ship's layout and Center of Gravity (COG), of course. It is ideal to keep the mount point on a single axis. ILM used a stbd side mount that went into the wedge's side. I may look at that, though it would require slicing gouges into the model -this one or Randy's.
The RC Avenger will also require flat metal brackets or brass tubes filled with thinner brass rods spread througout the body as superstructure reinforcement. I don't trust resin that large to stay staright for long no matter how it sits -but most especially mounted as I intend to do.
Of all the SW kits coming in, this one will take the longest to deliver. So there is plenty of time ot think about it. I may even hold off on this one until Randy's gets into my hands. Then build both concurrently. That will likley be the best method as I can test things live on the AMT and then go to the RC!.
080922.00
I just updated the CVN-65 and mentioned that that is a grail kit and worth a few hundred dollars of investment.
Whereas this kit is a piece of crap not worth the plastic the box was wrapped in. It will NOT be getting one spare dime to make it better. Styrene/greeblification and lighting aside.
080922.22
This afternoon I found new engine bells for $17. I thought, well it's only $17. Then I remembered what kit I was talking about. Maybe seeing the pieces will soften my thoughts on this kit. But I've been looking at RC"s Avenger for the last several months, so I've not got much hope for this one.
The seller insisted on no paypal, so I mailed the check last week. He got it this morning. So I would guess it will be shipped by the end of the week.
080923.22
He wrote this morning to say he shipped it ahead of the check clearing. It's coming from the same general place as the droid and speederbike kits, so it will be a loooong while before I have it in hand.
I think it will be straight to drilling for this guy as I have FO tests coming up soon and all that should be done before the kit gets painted. So why not, then? Eh?
081001.22
Arrived today.
080810.22
I now have a dremel press. I got it with this kit specifically in mind, but I have alreayd been using it for other matters. It's fun. It's gonna work great.
081019.18
Was going to drill some holes last night, but figured I should give it the black primer first. I will then drill the holes and optic them up. From there, I will silver and final coat it, followed by spot panels.
Unfortunately, it looks like the main side decks are 7 levels tall. The hull protrusions can be 3 decks tall. The smallest bit I have could do about 5 levels and perhaps 2 in the protrusions. This will drastically alter the apparent scale.
As mentioned previously, I will not be moding this kit up with expensive after market parts. I may replace the two spheres, but other than that, no. Lights and a good paint job will be enough.
081020.23
Drilled and drilled. There are hundreds of holes. Today I glued the long sides to the bottom hull along with the engine plate. Next up is drilling the command buildings and gluing those together. FIber optics next up.
081025.23
Had to reglue and clamp some parts. Put the docking bays in after drilling. Used the last of my magnets and need many many more for sealing the body up. I need to drill the upper decks. I should do some FO test ont he drill holes I've already done though.