Search found 35 matches

by Underlord
Wed Mar 21, 2012 1:55 pm
Forum: Construction
Topic: Tamiya drill or multi tool?
Replies: 3
Views: 5164

there is a thread here about the subject of fiber size already. http://www.starshipmodeler.net/talk/viewtopic.php?t=99063&highlight=star+destroyer+fiber If you want inexpensive, you can't beat a manual pin vice. You may get hand cramps with all those holes, but you'll have good control over each...
by Underlord
Tue Mar 20, 2012 9:06 am
Forum: Construction
Topic: Tamiya drill or multi tool?
Replies: 3
Views: 5164

I don't have the Tamiya drill, but I've heard good things about it. Kinda cool to build your tool, then use it! If you are in the US, check to see if you have a Harbor Freight tools in your area. They sell motorized tools like a dremel for super cheap. They also sell all the bits and pin vices. I've...
by Underlord
Wed Feb 29, 2012 11:48 am
Forum: Lighting & Electronics
Topic: 1st Arduino Project
Replies: 3
Views: 6450

I plan on using Arduino mini and Arduino nano boards for inside the models. if you're going with fiber and want to use surface mount LEDs, you might look into an Arduino *EDIT* LiteWing (was light shield) *EDIT* wired to a nano. Nano and mini boards can be had for between $10 and $18 depending on wh...
by Underlord
Thu Feb 23, 2012 10:39 am
Forum: Lighting & Electronics
Topic: A few more simple lighting technique questions
Replies: 3
Views: 5283

I'll try to take each issue one at a time... I had planned on using fiber optics for a fair amount of the lighting, but several of the windows on the main hull are long and thin, so filling them with fiber optic seems like a bad idea. So the new plan was to get a 10mm white LED and just light the in...
by Underlord
Thu Jan 26, 2012 12:56 pm
Forum: Lighting & Electronics
Topic: Remote Controlled Model Lighting
Replies: 9
Views: 8625

ChrisQ: That's AWESOME! A couple of searches shows that units like this are available with 2 or 8 channels also! In other news... I headed down to Radio Shack to pick up some 1 watt resisters for a project and noticed that they are now carying Arduino hardware along with some beginner to intermediat...
by Underlord
Thu Jan 26, 2012 11:29 am
Forum: Lighting & Electronics
Topic: Pegasus Alpha Centauri lighting
Replies: 17
Views: 19062

DUDE!!! That's AWESOME! I hope you DO market this! It's a cheap kit so there is $$ left over to buy stuff to go with it! It just BEGS to be put in a diarama with lights! I bought Scale Solution's cow stand for it, and went to town buying all kinds of barnyard animals and people to go with it! I'm lo...
by Underlord
Tue Jan 24, 2012 5:19 pm
Forum: Lighting & Electronics
Topic: Remote Controlled Model Lighting
Replies: 9
Views: 8625

I'm sure there are helpfull modelers on this forum willing to program an arduino to help others out. That would mean any 'technically inclined' modelers would only need to purchase LEDs and solder them themselves to the arduino. I think that should not be too much to ask of anyone willing to light ...
by Underlord
Tue Jan 24, 2012 11:17 am
Forum: Lighting & Electronics
Topic: Remote Controlled Model Lighting
Replies: 9
Views: 8625

I'm actually in the planning phases of doing exactly this! I've written blink routines for an arduino http://arduino.cc processor to cnotrol warp engines, deflector glow green/blue changes, photon warm-up;fire;cool-down, and the various blinking lights. I've found a bluetooth module that allows remo...
by Underlord
Wed Jan 11, 2012 10:24 am
Forum: Finishing
Topic: Home Made Paintbooth
Replies: 23
Views: 30088

Here is mine. Its extra cheap. about 15 bucks total. It's not pretty and it works like a charm, stores very small. I plan on building a nice one later on but this works great for me. http://www.happinessismandatory.com/misc/Tools/Spray_booth.htm DUDE, that is INGENOUS! Better airflow than any comme...
by Underlord
Tue Jan 10, 2012 10:57 am
Forum: Finishing
Topic: Home Made Paintbooth
Replies: 23
Views: 30088

Found badgrendel's booth instructions video... and his is what I had in mind!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ilIvHM7i ... re=related
by Underlord
Tue Jan 10, 2012 9:55 am
Forum: Finishing
Topic: Home Made Paintbooth
Replies: 23
Views: 30088

I noticed this link in the Future discussion a few links down the main page: http://www.starshipmodeler.com/tech/pa_booth.htm Looks pretty interesting. I might give it a try myself. This is what I'm using now, including the indoor filter. It works, but I really want to move up to a pegboard bottome...
by Underlord
Tue Dec 13, 2011 3:50 pm
Forum: Construction
Topic: Model Enlarging?
Replies: 17
Views: 42778

I've seen that concept at my local big-box hobby store for tracing drawings. Crude, but it could be effective enough when working with foam. I'd be interested in seeing some pictures or video of your progress. You won't be getting detail, but you could probably get an enlarged rough shape with that ...
by Underlord
Tue Dec 06, 2011 8:44 am
Forum: Lighting & Electronics
Topic: Microcontroller Projects
Replies: 53
Views: 169670

I did some research last night... and since this will be a refit enterprise project (at least at first) I decided to go with the blue theame late movie era LCARS. Then I realized that Star Trek Online uses a very similar look... the more things change, the more they stay the same. Anyway... Graphics...
by Underlord
Sun Dec 04, 2011 11:37 pm
Forum: Lighting & Electronics
Topic: Microcontroller Projects
Replies: 53
Views: 169670

I've had a lot of success with the board I produce - got a variety of applications now. There are some sample videos up on my web site here http://www.antsnest.net/LEDDriver.php Keeping it simple and generic means its easy to adapt to all sorts of uses Ant Ant, I remember seeing your board, very co...
by Underlord
Fri Dec 02, 2011 7:38 pm
Forum: Lighting & Electronics
Topic: Microcontroller Projects
Replies: 53
Views: 169670

Wow thats all pretty cool stuff there. Coming from you, that's HIGH praise! :) I gotta ask, how many LEDs can you drive with each output? I can drive six with each output on mine... :wink: And its a constant current source so brightness it the same no matter the battery voltage. The Arduino only su...
by Underlord
Fri Dec 02, 2011 6:13 pm
Forum: Lighting & Electronics
Topic: Microcontroller Projects
Replies: 53
Views: 169670

Prototype Federation blinker done. (That was easy!)

I've got my Arduino UNO, and after a few tweeks, my code works great! I've currently got navigational and collision blinking lights, a control line for main lights, green/blue fading deflector tied with warp engines, warp engine control line, and left/right glow-up & flash torpedoes! What is eve...
by Underlord
Mon Nov 21, 2011 4:30 pm
Forum: Lighting & Electronics
Topic: Microcontroller Projects
Replies: 53
Views: 169670

I'm jumping on the Arduino band-wagon too. I read up on it, and it looks promising. I'm a software developer, and I went to college for electrical engineering and robotics so this thing has my brain jumping from project to project! Exciting stuff! Anyway, I ordered an Arduino Uno for testing, and a ...
by Underlord
Tue Oct 25, 2011 11:12 am
Forum: Finishing
Topic: Good decal paper
Replies: 15
Views: 13889

Holt: How did you do? I haven't tried the Testors decal bonder. On my last attempt (a 1:1400 Enterprise D) I used the Microscale Decal Film in my airbrush and it worked GREAT!! I was also using laser decals instead of the ink jet. A friend of mine gave me a color laser printer, so I'm going to try u...
by Underlord
Tue Oct 04, 2011 4:48 pm
Forum: Lighting & Electronics
Topic: Coluoring fiberoptic strands?
Replies: 13
Views: 13280

You can get fiber optic cable in color. I've gotten some from an EvilBay supplier "me80". I've yet to find a cheaper source. Happy lighting!! Let us know how it works!
by Underlord
Thu Aug 25, 2011 2:33 pm
Forum: Lighting & Electronics
Topic: LEDs & Other Low voltage, Low power lighting
Replies: 50
Views: 165098

4060's found

I've heard that CD4060B's are hard to find. Digikey has them back in stock. Their stock number is 296-2060-5-ND. I ordered 25 of 'em for $9.54. I hope that'll be enough to hold me... I start my first lit model next week!
by Underlord
Wed Jul 27, 2011 8:59 am
Forum: Finishing
Topic: Future beading up
Replies: 3
Views: 5016

I use MM enamel but I have had a lesser but similar effect. I reduced my future with about 1/4 denatured alcohol and added a drop of liquid laundry soap to reduce the surface tension. Not sure exactly which was the magic bullet, but that sprayed thinner. I've also heard that drops of Windex helps. F...
by Underlord
Thu Jul 07, 2011 1:40 pm
Forum: Construction
Topic: Home built tools
Replies: 12
Views: 15258

I made an electric sander out of a battery operated toothbrush, some self-sticking Velcro disks and various grades of sandpaper. I also make CA applicators from sewing needles by cutting off the top of the needles' eyes (this was mentioned in the other thread). http://dealnews.com/Oral-B-Cross-Acti...
by Underlord
Mon May 16, 2011 9:19 am
Forum: Construction
Topic: The Abbey of Aves
Replies: 337
Views: 898501

I can't speak for anyone but myself, but I equate the fevered loyalty to Aves Apoxie Sculpt. Once I tried it, i tossed my squadron white in the "stuff I've outgrown" drawer along with my Testors plastic glue in the blue tube (YUCK). I still have some conversion to go. For quick fills or ve...
by Underlord
Tue Apr 19, 2011 1:21 pm
Forum: Construction
Topic: Stripping Fine Molds Chrome
Replies: 8
Views: 11523

How important is it to strip the chrome? Can't you primer over it and paint as usual? I think in some kits it might be extra cool to show pitting down to the metal if there is a chrome layer down under there. Ok, there's my flame bait. I'm still a bit of a beginner here, so maybe I'm just dense. Per...
by Underlord
Wed Mar 16, 2011 2:24 pm
Forum: Finishing
Topic: Good decal paper
Replies: 15
Views: 13889

More GOOD NEWS!

this just in... I was indeed frustrated, so yesterday I emailed papilio about my woes. I described my process and results. Today at lunch I recieved a very detailed email from Anthony King at Papilio. He described how he himself had experienced the same issues, and since he was a modeler himself he ...
by Underlord
Wed Mar 16, 2011 8:24 am
Forum: Finishing
Topic: Good decal paper
Replies: 15
Views: 13889

holt... GOOD NEWS! Yesterday my MicroScale Liquid Decal film came in. I brushed on a light coat over the Krylon UV Clear light layers. After 15 minutes of drying time, the decals worked just like stock ones! I did notice that papilio lists a similar product on their website in a 4oz container that c...
by Underlord
Tue Mar 15, 2011 2:10 pm
Forum: Finishing
Topic: Good decal paper
Replies: 15
Views: 13889

Re: Stretching decals

That's waaaaaay too much clear coat on top of your decal. Two coats, three thin coats max. Tried two thin coats this weekend and the film stretched like taffyafter I soaked it. I think papilio has produced a bad batch and we both ended up with them. VERY frustrating. The only way I've been able to ...
by Underlord
Sun Mar 13, 2011 8:56 pm
Forum: Finishing
Topic: Decal pronunciation
Replies: 19
Views: 20731

Perhaps regional

I'm from southern New England in the US, and I've always said it just like dictionary.com says it... abet, not with an intellectually sexy female voice. I have my wife for that! :) http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/decal I understand it when people say it different ways. It just goes to show th...
by Underlord
Tue Mar 08, 2011 4:59 pm
Forum: Finishing
Topic: Good decal paper
Replies: 15
Views: 13889

I guess that was a knee jerk responce to what happened when I didn't spray anything on my inkjet printed decals LOL Thanks for the advise... good thing I bought a 50 pack of these, and started in a "hidden" area :) I'll try the next one with a light misting, and if that fails I'll try brus...
by Underlord
Tue Mar 08, 2011 12:32 pm
Forum: Finishing
Topic: Good decal paper
Replies: 15
Views: 13889

Stretching decals

Ugh! I'm having this problem too. I printed out the reliant Pendragon decals I downloaded off of this site. I gave them 5 coats of Krylon UV-clear. I've tried everything from 10 seconds to a minute soak. The decal comes off the paper fine with over 6 seconds of warm water soak. My problem occurs whe...