Starship Modeler Discussion Forums

I've just read through these posts and have only one question- I am working on a pl 1/350 enterprise and am unhappy with my paint job on the VIP lounge and would like to strip it down and repaint it. My question is, I used both acrylic and enamel paints and am wondering if soaking the part in brake ...

Thanks all for the advice! It's been a long time since I actually finished a model - and I barely painted that one! (it was a model of the helicopter from Blue Thunder)

Okay, this is probably the dumbest question on here, but here goes: I've seen in several threads that you have to clean off parts before painting, due to handling the parts, oil from your skin getting on them. Is there a certain cleaner for this, or is something like windex good enough? Feeling dumb...

Little shaky with the camera!!

Seriously tho- great job on her so far! I'm still in the planning stages f my pl 1/350 big e, and am hoping to start building her soon!

Oops. Nevermind!! Just spotted the other thread down below!! (wasn't there the last time I was looking up frosting clear parts!!)

thanks ken. You.ve certainly given me plenty of options! I'm looking forward to actually building this beast now.

Ya, all the LEDs in my parallel circuits are exactly the same, for the reasons stated above. Just re-read your post and am slapping my forehead. You're right, I'm way wrong. It was because I was using a 9v battery as my power source I needed to run my LEDs in parallel and not in series because of th...

I'm running my LEDs in parallel. I seem to remember reading in one of the other threads that LEDs run in parallel use less current. I've also seen on a wip somewhere else where a person was using only 1 current limiting resistor on a parallel string of LEDs. So, I soldered my clr's directly onto my ...

Thanks again Ken! Appreciate all the help I've gotten from everyone here!

I would actually leave the plug on and install a jack in the model Also, make sure the wall-wart is a regulated PS - else add a rectifier circuit to your main board before anything else CD players are more tolerant of voltage variations than LED circuits, so the PS may NOT be regulated, and that sp...

Thanks Ken. The only reason I decided to go all white, is because I've read that different colored LEDs run at different voltages and would require different current limiting resistors than the clear ones do.

I have one more question regarding these lights. I've got 1.8 mm leds that will work perfectly in the model, but they are all white. Will painting the ends with clear red and clear green for the port and starboard formation lights do anything bad to the leds? Probably a stupid question, but where I'...

hello all! I am beginning work on my pl 1/350 enterprise, and am building my own circuits for the lights. I've currently got my blinking formation and strobe circuits being powered by a 9 volt battery, and will be basing the rest of my lights on 9 volts. My question is this; I have a wall wart that ...

You can flatten the domed end of your 3 mm LED and superglue the clear model part to it, using the model part as a "light pipe". You can also shorten the LED itself as long as you don't damage the actual LED crystal or the TEEEENY little gold wire that bridges between the top of the cryst...

Let me preface this by saying that since joining starship modelers I've read so many great posts and great advice to help out some of us less skilled and/or experienced modelers. My dilemma is this: through alot of research and trial and error, I now have my circuits designed for the formation light...

Only two things I can think of, either mount them deeper within the nacelle so that the shaft directs the light more, or don't surface mount the LED at all, and use fiber optics. The reason people around here use the "Raytheon" effect is because the distance and angle between the nacelle ...

I recently ordered a bunch of 3mm leds from uniqueleds.com, with a 30 degree viewing angle. I was wondering if there was a way to alter the leds to produce a narrower viewing angle to be used as spotlights in the warp nacelles. I just recently found this site, and have to say, it appears to be a gol...