Starship Modeler Discussion Forums

You might try a method similar to what I used for my TOS Enterprise bussards:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1aFZbrLPVJ8&t=3s

Hope this helps

Yes, it's clearer. I'm still getting used to breadboards. Never heard of them until I started looking at how to build the lighting circuitry for models. I'm still old-fashioned in that case. I understand more from a diagram because then I can also work out the current and voltage. I'm still trying ...

Yes, the wall wart powers everything. By staying with 5VDC LED's and using the 5VDC wall wart I avoiding additional circuity to step down voltages. The diagram shows all the lighting used in the model. The soundboard is a separate circuit powered off of the same SPST push-button switch. Both the Ard...

:shock: :shock: Wow, beautiful. Looks great! So the arduino is just used to program the lighting effects for your collectors (and activate your sound board I guess)? So I assume you split the power from the jack over the arduino and the internal lightening. Love to see a rough breakdown of your cir...

Ostrich Longneck has a great YouTube series on the use of Arduino in starship models. Pretty much everything you need to learn is there. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TSbSjuB9InE&t=10s I have a similar electrical background and after watching the Ostrich Longneck series this is how my first A...

Ostrich Longneck has a great YouTube series on the use of Arduino in starship models. Pretty much everything you need to learn is there. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TSbSjuB9InE&t=10s I have a similar electrical background and after watching the Ostrich Longneck series this is how my first Ar...

The smallest LED's I have found were on HDA Modelworx.

http://hdamodelworx.com/5-PACK-0402-SMD ... p_103.html

They are very bright and HDA has been great to do business with.

Hope this helps

Here is a final video showing the Shadow Bussards on the finished model and a brief description of the basic components I used:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SbNkfDAjDuQ&t=26s

Hope you enjoy

Thanks for the info. I will have to try it!

Interesting. I have tried the acrylic powder method with good results, but this might result in fewer bubbles and a clearer finish. How are the fumes and how well does it sand?

A spark proof blower is really a necessity when dealing with paint/chemicals. Especially since a paint booth by definition is a confined area. Here is a link to a short YouTube video I put together on my DIY paint booth:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k7w9GqQE_RI&t=8s

Hope this helps

Sounds like you have a plan. I think you will find adding electronics to models well worth the learning curve. Another method you might consider with the thin wings of the shuttle is cutting a small trench in the wings for the magnet wire I mentioned (30 AWG magnetic wire is not too much thicker tha...

I might also suggest you consider using magnet wire for your wiring. For the scale of your model it will be much easier to route and use. I use red and green 30 AWG. It will handle 30 to 40 LEDs no problem. Here is a link: https://www.amazon.com/TEMCo-AWG-Copper-Magnet-Wire/dp/B00LV8X1EC/ref=sr_1_20...

HDA has been my go to place for "micro" LEDs. Their service is fast and the LEDs are very bright.

Here is a link to them:

http://hdamodelworx.com/SMD-Lighting_c_31.html

Hope this helps

Thank you I edited the code.

I have completed the preliminary bench tests of my bussard lighting and running lights for my 18" (1:650 scale) TOS Enterprise. I call these "Shadow Bussards" because the animation of the rotors is done by LED animation causing movement of the rotor shadows within the bussard domes. C...

E-mail sent and standing by for a reply.

In the same way the SSM site provides decals modelers have designed to print out, it would be pretty nice if there were some section of the site here in which people can share Arduino scripts. That is an awesome idea! Vern I told John/OneZero about this idea in an email and he liked the idea. But h...

I agree it would be nice to have that on this forum. Here is a board I go to for Sci-Fi Arduino modelling scripts:

http://scifimodelaction.com/sfmaforum/i ... board=23.0

Hope this helps

Where do they teach coding? Here are a couple links just on the Adafruit site: https://learn.adafruit.com/category/programming https://learn.adafruit.com/welcome-to-circuitpython Once you grasp just a few basics you can do internet searches on what you specifically want to learn. Programming YouTub...

Just picked this up from Adafruit: https://www.adafruit.com/product/170 It’ll be fun to learn new ways of using LEDs! :D Not only LEDs, but sounds and servo motors, just to name a few. Keeping model building in mind as you learn physical computing it will really open up the possibilities of your cr...

If you want it just right then I would recommend a bread board. Not only is a bread board good to customize model electronics, but it allows you to run the components for a few hours to ensure they don't fail prior to model installation.

If you desire to add lighting, sound, or motion to a plastic model I highly recommend becoming familiar with Arduino compatible boards. The boards themselves can be found for under $15. The programming software is free, as are multiple tutorials/forums. You don't need to be adept at programming, bec...

You might consider this: https://www.adafruit.com/product/2378 This is a small Arduino board that will flash three LED's off of one output pin. The software to program the board is available free online and comes with a basic blink code. There are also a vast amount of free tutorials available onlin...

Leif, I too have just re-discovered model building after 30 years and used to light my model kits. The hobby has come a long way from "grain of wheat bulbs", one or two sizes of fiber optics, and transistors! I read several of the tutorials on this website along with searching the forums a...

You might try using aluminum tape (found at Home Depot or most other hardware stores). The tape is thin, can be cut easily, and will block any light. The only issue you might have is that it may reflect light in other directions, but you can paint the tape to prevent this.