Starship Modeler Discussion Forums

Thanks
Sam

NIce thanks you for the tip. I use dollar store led tech all the time.

That would be great Ultron if I was building small. my 1/100 scale is 3 ft long and 8 wide. way too many parts if I did it on a small machine.

Alclad is the plan B when the foil gets thrown away..

I bought 100 sheets of foil from China really cheap. because it was cheap I thought I'd try to finish the master project.. I want it to look metal, real metal. not that painted silver. you guys give me pause wondering if this is the best route. I suppose it wont be great at first but I got 100 sheet...

I thought about using that glue, do you brush it on? my concern was that if it was too thich it may cover un even and cause a crappy uneven finish. The stop start at a panel line is a brilliant idea, than you. I know I would have made a mess trying to work as I go. transparent over silver... should ...

Metal foil the kind for embossing and guilding. gonna use it to do real metal finish on a hull. anybody ever do this? I'm going to use elmers glue thined with water so I can spray it out of a mister. I have a practice project to experiment on. but any thoughts will be appreciated. I saw a guy do a p...

I bought the fake silver leaf for guilding and embossing. I plan to use it for the skinning of a scrtch built ship. outer hull is styrene.

I need a very thin glue that will flow. thinking about using a myster to apply it onto a primered surface. anybody ever do this?

The table is 12 X14 to receive an 11.5 X13.5 framed sheet. I also made smaller sheets for smaller parts. I will mask off the unused top and rig a soft rubber seal for the smaller frame. I'm thinking that if I get a powerful enough shop vac all the other variables wont matter. for thinner stuff whats...

What horespower is good for a home made box. I made my box and frames. I imagine that canister volume is not as important as the horsepower which would directly transfer to how hard it would suck.

yeah I know what I just wrote... but the horsepower, it's key right?

Right Ziz,
that is why I am calling this my masterpiece. I know it will take quite a bit to get to the place/ masterpiece is a relative term. but I plan to use this peice to get good at techniques used in it's production.

Now that is some valuable advice! 1/32.it's a thought I had too. I never vacuumed formed anything. I am familiar with the mechanics and it makes sense that the thicker the material the harer to heat and work. I thought I would give it a try anyway just to see what happens. I wanted a thicker wall sh...

Thanks everyone for the great advice and opinions. I have been in that ocessed design phase for a while . so now I'm on to pre production. I need some tools and materials. This weekend I will be building the Vacuum former in the wood shop. I stopped in a train shop and the guy can get me a 4x8 sheet...

SO with that established, where would you start, what would be the seminal steps/techniques to start with or use?

Yes Mr Badwrench. that is it. that is it exactly. and you are right, the next will be different if not better.

Thats a good point Ziz, "best " is relative. and once again a poor choice of words.

still I want to create my virsion of the Falcon or the Roger Young. and I don't mean that literally but design and produce an original detailed, camera ready scaled perfect real looking thing.

I aree with what you said Joe, but I don't hink I made myself quite so clear. your right in the sence I amover thinking my build, but I have "just built" kits before just to get the bug out of my system. I think masterpiece is a poor choice of wording. perhaps Opus would be a better word t...

I have been building my masterpiece both in my head and in reality, for a long time I'd be dabbling and allowing distractions in other projects and mediums. but I want to plan it and lay it out. I want it to be a true master piece and what that means to me anyway is a mastery of different techniques...

Tony that was a great exposition of technique. very good ! thanks I have filed it away in my how to do that file.

I use my router, my bandsaw, my scroll saw. dollar store box cutters,disc sander,belt sander, palm sander and sand paper.

I came into a supply of heavier white foam which sands very smooth, almost paintable smooth. I rough shape and finish with bondo to make a blank for vaccume forming...

Hey Cap,

I just built my first vaccume former box, haven't used it yet as I am sculpting my base model. so I will be vaccume forming soon. anything do to help?

Sam