Starship Modeler Discussion Forums

Optical data cable would be of limited usefulness in a model. Here's why. Plastic optical cable runs 0.1" in diameter. If you want fiber that thick, then go for it. Glass optical fiber runs 0.1mm thick (I've used both for communication purposes). Kinda thin. And it is brittle . If you happen t...

I guess what I'm considering is when someone wants to use multiple boards in an application. There's nothing that tells you what you need if you use, say, three deluxe8's and a flasher unit. By your estimation, one would need a wall wart that can draw at least 400 mA because a lower rated one might ...

I agree that it shouldn't be a problem picking up a cheap AC adaptor but the trick, I think, is selecting the right one. I seem to remember you mentioning in your instructions the voltage but I don't remember seeing anything about the max current draw. Obviously, the wrong wall wart may not drive ev...

Automotive stores carry lighting effects for your cars that might fit the bill.

How about an expandable controller board with a plug-on bus so you can design any add-ons you like but still start with a simple unit to keep costs down? A power supply? You mean like a control panel so you can turn circuits on and off by remote? Or just a central on-off switch for the whole thing?...

How about a sequencer circuit with more than four outputs (say, 6 or 8) for TOS bussard collectors, Cylon eyes or landing bay lights?

Also, if you're thinking about a "mega-deluxe" kit, what about a controller with a power supply to manage all the circuits from a central point?

just get a small length of heat shrink tubing and shrink it around the part of the LED that extends behind the panel. That will also protect your wiring connections so they stay secure as you handle the LED during building. I'd also paint the sides and back of the panel just to be sure that only the...

Kitty -

This is all very nicely laid out. I can't wait to see the code when it's done. Do you have an english version of the model side timing diagram? I'd like to read your comments at the bottom but I don't read dutch (it IS dutch, right? - if it isn't, my apologies).

I use the plastic tops from discarded containers (like the kind you get on a can of mixed nuts) to place a small puddle of CA on. The can tops are soft and flexible so when I've got too much dried CA on one, I just bend the top back and forth until the spot of CA pops off. Good as new. For an applic...

I've been using an electric toothbrush as a sanding tool for years now. After I cut off the bristles, I CA'd a 1/4" dot of peel-n-stick velcro (loop side) to the moveable part of the head. Then I cut a same-sized dot of the hook side and attached that to a dot of sandpaper. That allows me to va...

The guy at your LHS is correct. Painting over the holes before the fiber goes in causes two things to happen 1. It'll be much harder to find the holes once the paint dries. 2. When you push the fiber through a painted hole, you might cause the paint to pull away from the area around the hole. It's m...

You can also use high-thread-count bed sheet material (basically the same thing as muslin). Cut your patterns, soak them in white glue and drape them over the kit sails as formers. When they dry out, you can paint them with a mist of clear smoke to get that "antiqued" look. Finally cut to ...

I like using Kimwipes for all but the most delicate work (they can be a little abrasive). They are the greatest for cleaning up washes.

Don't throw them away just yet. Those little light bulbs might make interesting greeblies.

A Google search turned up this
and this and this.

All three say they're in stock. There were many others. Google is our friend.

Hope you find what you need,

The lights you have there should have some information somewhere (perhaps on the back of the packaging) that lists the voltage and current (Amps or A) required to make them work. Wall wart is another term for the common type of power supply (sometimes also called a transformer) that comes with many ...

Can you find out what the current requirements of those lights are? If you can, you should be able to use a standard 12 volt wall wart with the same or higher current rating (higher would be better).

I usually install the switch on the positive side of the power supply connection but that's just out of habit. Since a switch does nothing more than close or open a circuit, it doesn't matter where it goes.

Micro Mark sells this little board which you may be able to adapt to use an LED.

Hey, Don,

Maybe could you send me a copy of Virtualight's files, since I seem to have lost mine? That is, if you don't mind? Check the email at the bottom.

Thanks in advance,

A few months ago, Virtualight posted a photorp circuit she was working on that was based on design found in Paul Newitt's StarFleet Assembly Manual 4. She posted a link to the schematic she developed but I've been unable to find it on her site and I can't find the copy of the file I had. Perhaps she...

I've used Bare Metal Foil to mask canopies with quite a bit of success. Cover the entire part with the foil. Burnish is down really well with a toothpick or swab until you can clearly see all the frame details. Then CAREFULY cut along the framing lines with a sharp blade and remove the foil from the...

Great info. Thanks to both of you. I happen to have a about a dozen 741s in my inventory but no 1458s. A few months ago, Virtualight posted a schematic for a photorp lighting effect (sorry I can't find it now - I thought it was on her site but, alas, it's proven elusive). I've been thinking of bread...

I'm a bit fuzzy when it comes to op amps and their use. Is there a reason why a 741 cannot be used in place of a 1458? If so, what are the particulars?

Thanks in advance,

Sounds like you need to sacrifice the garage in favor of converting it into a finished (read climate controlled) hobby work room.

I second the dental tool suggestion. I have a number od different types that I use and I find them invaluable. Dentists always have several on hand. Even if one of the tips is broken, it's usually still useful for what we need them for. Dentists are likely to just toss a broken tipped tool out. Your...

123 PIC Microcontroller Experiments for the Evil Genius by Mike Predko

I bought the programmer (PIC Kit 1) that was recommended in the book. The kit comes with the required software and a lot of extra info. It's pretty easy to get through.

This looks like a good place to start.

http://www.pneumaticparts.com/

These guys look pretty cool too.

http://www.vexlabs.com/

Hope you find what you're looking for.

if you don't want to design the circuitry yourself, VoodooFX sells some sound products and you can even order custom sound arrangements.

Reading this article might answer some of those questions.

Hope it helps,