Starship Modeler Discussion Forums

If the reset pin isn't connected to negative - or anything - it's acting as an antenna, bringing into the chip any static, or radio/T.V. station that might be in the area causing it try and count the noise. You might have had a loose connection with the timing resistor which could be another "a...

Hi, Chacal. Ah, a "touch switch" using a Darlington transistor & two contacts. Yup, works, although I'd like to keep the sliding action of the original trigger. The micro switch is maybe looking better, right now. swhite228, yeah several sizes of prop make sense, larger & deeper fo...

Hi, tetsujin. Unfortunately, there's one of two screw pillars directly behind the trigger. If you're just gluing everything together you can surgically remove it and put a micro switch behind the trigger, but I'm hoping for a more elegant solution. modelnut - YEAH! Scott, the vox isn't thick enough ...

Has anyone else noticed the apparent battery cover on the bottom of the Nebulizer body? Needs some work to make operable, but not that much. Now, putting in a switch on the trigger might be a problem. But what kind of battery should be used, for what kind of lights and/or sounds? I'm thinking of usi...

Hm... Piper. A-grav... Hm....

Down to the book vaults I go...


COOL idea DEC!

Most excellent! Bellisimo! (Hope I spelled that right.)

And WELCOME to the site!

I've done the plasticine trick, using gel super glue. Worked well. Spray in a little accelerator. Dribble in a little gel. Spray in a little accelerator. Dribble in a little gel. Repeat as needed. Oh, and LET THE SG SET before trying to demold. Otherwise it's a gel bomb in a thin candy shell. :shock:

And maybe a green or red LED on the console to light up the cockpit - that's what I did. All 3 LEDs in series with one resistor powered by a 9 volt battery in the base.

Possibly use SMT LEDs mounted on / to "strip board" which is circuit board with strips of conductor traces running the length of the board.

I wouldn't. Soldering to a battery pack usually means soldering to tabs sticking out of the pack, not to the cells IN the pack.

Why not just use a 3 volt coin cell, and a coin cell holder? Or a 3.6 volt cell to better match most BLUE and WHITE LEDs?

Just a suggestion: you might want to light everything with LEDs, just to keep the power requirements simple. Throwing in EL sheet means adding a high voltage power supply to run it - 110 VAC or so. You can use rectangular LEDs to back up the instrument panels - glue the transparent panels to the LED...

Dude! Stop motion models are animation models, way different from simple transformable or positionable models. They absolutely MUST be able to adjust in tiny controlled increments and hold position for hours or days without "drifting" or sagging. Polycaps may not cut it for what you need. ...

I usually hold the heat shrink over my (plugged in and up to temperature) soldering iron.

How about old style Krylon matt fixative? Or clear fix? Different formula meant for protecting artwork?

Hi, TREKKRIFFIC! I'd check the Seasonal Decorative Lighting departments at any "Big Box" store near you. Wal-Mart and Target are good places to try. I just happened to find it at a local chain up here - Fleet & Farm "the Man's Mall". Cool info, grayson72! More goodiez to mode...

I should have mentioned that this widget is in the Christmas lights department.

The LED's are easily replaceable so you could make up a set with all BLUE LEDs, or RED, or LEMON....

I have a brass bristle 'suede' brush that works well.

One more use. If you're doing a dio-wamma and need sequential lighting of runway marker lights, there are a couple 'a sequences that could work for you - in sets of 3 LEDs. Lighting from one end, to the other, staying lit, then all going out at once. Lighting from one end, to the other, staying lit,...

If you are looking for LED lighting for a project, and want to keep it simple and cheep, try this wonder widget. "Sylvania LED series Battery-Operated LED Dome Lights" - 15 LEDs (all white, or multi colored) with a battery box and a built in effects programmer. For about $4.00 US. Most of ...

Ah, don't forget bead shops for all types of small shapes, some you wouldn't think of as beads. Or the beading supply departments of craft stores, including Wal-Mart.

The original studio models were detailed with parts from many different model kits. What kind? Kits with lots of tiny detail bits. For less then giant models, you need tiny detail bits. Armor kits are often good - 1/35th to 1/72nd scale. Aircraft can have armaments & tankage, and tapering fusela...

Well, there ARE 12 volt LEDs, for special purposes, which contain built in droppng resistors, but those are very rare compared to normal LEDs. Typical RED LEDs usually operate n the 1.9 to 2.4 volt range. So do most YELLOW, AMBER, and GREEN ones. Most BLUE and WHITE LEDs need from 3.2 to 3.6 volts. ...

Maybe put the light at the bottom and have a mirror at the top? Or at least have a mirror at the bottom to bounce more light back up the tunnel/rod.

Hi, Osuini! For primer, I like Krylon High Temp BBQ black spray paint in the large economy size rattle can. Really. It goes down smooth, sticks very well, doesn't hurt the styrene. The D-7 is a good kit, simple to add lights - LEDs rather then incandescent bulbs. Check out the 'electronics' forum fo...

I'd look up a couple of really bright LEDs, or a single killer bright one like the G16642 ( $2.49 @ ) from the Electronic Goldmine (www.goldmine-elec.com) which puts out 265,000 MCD at 3.4 to 3.8 VDC at 100 mA (yeah, 265 Candella). That's actully the power drain of an old time flashlight bulb, but a...

Dude, we ALL started out as noobs!

Welcome to the madness.

Oh, yeah. Incandescent bulb life is measured to burnout - complete failure.

LED "life" is measured to the half original brilliance point or functional half life, NOT to extinction.

Hi, bruce53176!

Use LEDs, like the guys say. I have 3 LED gadgets sitting on my compooter rightnow that have been plugged in (with wall warts) and running continuously for over 35 years each. Reliable? Oh yeah.

Whatever you do, guys, do not ever put 110 or 120 volts into a model - full power line or mains current. That puts LETHAL power into a breakable model which could cripple or kill someone. Always use 12 volts or lower from batteries or a "wall wart" or power converter like you would use to ...

Have you tried using extremely 'soft' or low temp solder paste? Try a jewlery supply house for the stuff.