Who collects stuff for scratch building?

The place to discuss all aspects of building models from scratch.

Moderators: Joseph C. Brown, Moderators

Post Reply

Do you collect parts?

Yep, I have a big box 'o' stuff
251
77%
I have a few parts
63
19%
No, I gather parts as I need 'em
13
4%
 
Total votes: 327

User avatar
Lt. Z0mBe
Posts: 7311
Joined: Thu May 29, 2003 1:46 pm
Location: Balltown Kentucky, by God!
Contact:

Post by Lt. Z0mBe »

While I agree with your sentiments on Dave (Hey, I like the guy having sat through his presentation at Wonderfest), let's please, please, please, please not get this thread closed down in a pro-Dave/anti-Dave battle. :)

Kenny

www.sigmalabsinc.com


Onward, proud eagle, to thee the cloud must yield.
Scratchawan Learner
Posts: 1034
Joined: Sun Oct 24, 2004 8:00 pm
Location: Grapevine, Texas

Post by Scratchawan Learner »

There isn't any "Battle" as it were, Lieutenant. My opinions are my own, and only my own. I generally say what I have to say once, and let it go at that. If you care to reread my prior posting, I also said I admire Dave's work. As a Scratchbuilder, David Merriman has few, if any peers. (Just ask Dave, he'll tell you all about it, and in exhaustive detail) I don't hate anyone on this forum, or anyone who builds. Hate is the strongest word possible, for negative emotion. Nope Lt. I don't hate Dave... it's just that I find his superiority complex rather tiresome. It's rather like being in the Service branch of your choice... and serving under an officer, who's a real rectal orifice. You have zero respect for the MAN in the uniform...but still must respect his rank, paygrade, and position as a unit commander, platoon leader, take your pick of any combination of the aforementioned.
Been there, done that, and glad it's over. At any rate, 'nuff about Merriman. I took a waltz (figuratively speaking) down the cosmetics aisle at my local Wally world Supercenter. Jiminy Cricket!!! Maybelline, Loreal, and Covergirl have all been holding out, on Starship Modeler novice builders! Lots of interesting plastic shapes... good for vertical lift fan housings, and other possible thruster/turbine housings. Take a stroll down that section, and tell ME what you see? Most of the shapes in question, are in either clear Styrene plastic, or Clear Acrylic. LOTS of possibilities.
Excelsior, Scratch
"Take away money...privelage,power, and position from an honorable man...and he's still got his honor. For an honorable man, that's enough."
User avatar
Liberator
Posts: 465
Joined: Sat Dec 31, 2005 10:34 pm
Location: Victoria - Australia
Contact:

Post by Liberator »

I'm currently in the process of knocking up a ship out of bits 'n' peices. Part of an old glitter lamp, nozzle off a honey squeeze bottle, CD case, greeblies from my spares box, a Ferro Rocher chocolate container as well as some interesting items from a laboratory that I manage. The lab always has some interesting shapes and devices - mostly disposable plastics that can make some really interesting equipment. The weapons on the ship are made up out of some swabs - as soon as I saw those I thought they would make for interesting weapons. Better still they strip down into a number of interesting parts. Ship still has a long way to go. Gave it a light silver paint to see how it would look.

http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p42/ ... 14079r.jpg
http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p42/ ... 14082r.jpg
http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p42/ ... 014360.jpg
http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p42/ ... 014365.jpg
Last edited by Liberator on Sat Jan 16, 2010 7:54 pm, edited 1 time in total.
There are fans, and then there are fanatics.
User avatar
Bar
Posts: 15149
Joined: Tue Dec 07, 2004 3:36 pm
Location: Scotland. Not part of the UK apparently...
Contact:

Post by Bar »

Looks good. Sometimes the best ships are the ones you dream up when you see something cool to make them from...
I once did the same thing with a clear Christmas tree globe...
Scratchbuilding can get addictive...
Bar.
I must retire to my couch of perpetual indulgence...
Captain Jack Sparrow wrote:Guard the boat, Mind the tide... Don't touch my dirt...
vipermark7@googlemail.com
User avatar
Liberator
Posts: 465
Joined: Sat Dec 31, 2005 10:34 pm
Location: Victoria - Australia
Contact:

Post by Liberator »

and that Bar is sweet.
There are fans, and then there are fanatics.
User avatar
Kylwell
Moderator
Posts: 29643
Joined: Sun Nov 02, 2003 9:25 pm
Location: Lakewood, CO
Contact:

Post by Kylwell »

I've got the front end of an old Sony boombox that will become the back end of a starship if I can ever find some drive nozzles big enough.
Abolish Alliteration
User avatar
1138thx
Posts: 1293
Joined: Thu Nov 23, 2006 7:49 pm
Location: Cobleskill N.Y.

Nozzles

Post by 1138thx »

How big nozzles do you need ?
Throw me the idol...I throw you the whip!
No time to argue Senor!
User avatar
Kylwell
Moderator
Posts: 29643
Joined: Sun Nov 02, 2003 9:25 pm
Location: Lakewood, CO
Contact:

Post by Kylwell »

At least 4 inches across @ the mouth. Throat should be no less than 2 inches.
Abolish Alliteration
User avatar
Bar
Posts: 15149
Joined: Tue Dec 07, 2004 3:36 pm
Location: Scotland. Not part of the UK apparently...
Contact:

Post by Bar »

Sparky has some GIGANTIC nozzles. I forget where he said he got them. They are monsterous...
He sent me one, but it's in a box at the office.
Bar.
I must retire to my couch of perpetual indulgence...
Captain Jack Sparrow wrote:Guard the boat, Mind the tide... Don't touch my dirt...
vipermark7@googlemail.com
Sparky
Moderator
Posts: 2404
Joined: Thu Jun 05, 2003 8:28 am
Location: Are we there yet? (Chicago)
Contact:

Post by Sparky »

The pieces aren't that big, I think Kywell got one at wonderfest, or in a box of gribblies. . .its 8 lego pegs in diameter. . .

http://www.kc6sye.com/techmages_12_14_07.html
<a href="http://www.kc6sye.com/2_wheresaneatpart.jpg" target="_Sparky">Is this plastic thingy on the counter a neat part?</a> <a href="http://www.kc6sye.com/1_casting_inprogress.jpg" target="_Sparky">Let's cast it.</a>
User avatar
Kylwell
Moderator
Posts: 29643
Joined: Sun Nov 02, 2003 9:25 pm
Location: Lakewood, CO
Contact:

Post by Kylwell »

I've thought about using those as a base and getting a large enough egg to cut down and detail up.
Abolish Alliteration
Cygnus_X-1

Post by Cygnus_X-1 »

Bar wrote:Looks good. Sometimes the best ships are the ones you dream up when you see something cool to make them from...
I once did the same thing with a clear Christmas tree globe...
Scratchbuilding can get addictive...
Bar.
If only the prequels had ships half as good as yours...
Scratchawan Learner
Posts: 1034
Joined: Sun Oct 24, 2004 8:00 pm
Location: Grapevine, Texas

Post by Scratchawan Learner »

Bar, your globeship is VERY cool looking. Thanks for sharing it with us... This is the kind of ship I love to build... where you just see an object, and voila! Instant inspiration!

Sparky... those engine greeblies of yours... are AWESOME. I'd love to have a few myself! I'd love to know the original part's origin. (Bet there's a cool story behind that one!) I think of about half a dozen uses for those greeblies right off the bat...and if given a bit of time to actually scratchawan my noggin and THINK about it... there's no telling what I'd be coming up with! Um... might I trouble you to cast some of them up? (That is, if the mold is still in decent shape... flash isn't a problem, friend...just dimensional accuracy and no warping... Send me an email with the particulars...and perhaps we can do some business.

Many thanks, Scratch
"Take away money...privelage,power, and position from an honorable man...and he's still got his honor. For an honorable man, that's enough."
Scratchawan Learner
Posts: 1034
Joined: Sun Oct 24, 2004 8:00 pm
Location: Grapevine, Texas

Post by Scratchawan Learner »

By the way Liberator... I forgot to mention... VERY nicely done, on your egg hulled ship. I could be wrong, but it appears to be 1/24 or 1/25 scale.
I admire folks who build the larger scales. One of these days I'd like to build a (genuine not recast!) Mike Salzo/Scott Alexander X-wing fighter... and I know that's in 1/24 scale. I'm going to attempt to recreate as closely as possible, a studio scale Y wing.... and am gathering the needed greeblies. When you build on a scale that big... everyone can see everything. Things that are too small to notice in 1/72, pop right on out there in "Studio" scale. *chuckling* hence my usual preference for 1/72 scale! (If I thought more of my modeling skills, I'd probably be okay building larger scale models) However, that was one VERY cool looking gunship. Final note to anyone else checking out egg options.... Hot wheels had a playset in H U G E plastic Easter eggs... one section was blue, and the other was clear. I'm going to buy a couple, and see what I can knock together out of them. See what you started Liberator? Three cheers for creativity! :)
"Take away money...privelage,power, and position from an honorable man...and he's still got his honor. For an honorable man, that's enough."
User avatar
Chacal
Posts: 3654
Joined: Fri Jul 12, 2002 3:09 pm
Location: Rio. Always unseasonably warm, even in the Winter, when we'll host the Summer Olympic Games of 2016

Post by Chacal »

I collect stuff (mostly greeblies from all sorts of things), but I also like to collect bigger shapes, like deodorant, shampoo and other kinds of polypropylene/polyethylene bottles. I have a problem with paint/primer sticking to those plastics, and thought of a solution: Bare-metal foil. It adheres to the surface of even 'waxy' plastics and can take a coat of paint/primer rather well (better than the original plastic anyway). If I want to do some flakey/chipped/peeled paint, even better: the undersurface is metallic already.
Sheer elegance in its simplicity.

Political unrest in dictatorships is rather like a round of rock-paper-scissors: The oposition goes on denouncing the regime on the papers, the regime censors the papers, rock-throwing ensues.
Scratchawan Learner
Posts: 1034
Joined: Sun Oct 24, 2004 8:00 pm
Location: Grapevine, Texas

Post by Scratchawan Learner »

Chacal had a very nice tip... using Bare Metal Foil on Polyethylene plastic.
I had long wondered what the best way was, of using PET on models.
Due to the 'waxy' nature of this particular plastic... getting paint to stick to it was beyond tough. Also, the only way to get a PET part to stick to another part... was by mechanical fastener, and most often it was some kind of screw, or rivet. Hard to drive accurately, (had to predrill your hole) and then slowly tighten it up. In some applications, mostly structural, screwing or bolting is still strongest way to go. However, for surface applications... I vote for Chacal's Bare Metal Foil tip.

Peace, love, and harmony to you all,
Scratchawan
"Take away money...privelage,power, and position from an honorable man...and he's still got his honor. For an honorable man, that's enough."
vettecote
Posts: 221
Joined: Tue May 13, 2008 6:48 pm
Location: Lower left side. The hot side!
Contact:

Post by vettecote »

If I see something that looks cool or could be used for a far advanced civilization, I will throw it in my big 'O' box of future space fairing vehicles...ion
My fantasy life is being interrupted by reality!
http://public.fotki.com/ionvette/
User avatar
Lt. Z0mBe
Posts: 7311
Joined: Thu May 29, 2003 1:46 pm
Location: Balltown Kentucky, by God!
Contact:

Post by Lt. Z0mBe »

The foil and polyethylen/polypro ideas are great. I've had luck with them lightly sanding, wiping away residue, and then using CA glues. Granted, not the strongest bond in the world, but if you need something non-structural and you can't use a fastener, it works.

Kenny

www.sigmalabsinc.com


Onward, proud eagle, to thee the cloud must yield.
User avatar
Ti Raven
Posts: 7354
Joined: Fri Mar 03, 2006 7:00 pm
Location: Littleton, Colorado, U.S. of A.
Contact:

Post by Ti Raven »

I am sooo running out of room... :D

CoMMiES... get ready! :wink:
* Joyously Celebrating the Mysteries of Chocolate
*Artistically Whimsical
User avatar
Lt. Z0mBe
Posts: 7311
Joined: Thu May 29, 2003 1:46 pm
Location: Balltown Kentucky, by God!
Contact:

Post by Lt. Z0mBe »

At the "Everything's a Dollar" store, there are these plastic baby blocks. They're adorned on all sides with raised details and a raised frame forming the sides of the cube. As a bonus, one side pops off. All that needs doing is grinding down the raised detail, taking care to leave the framing forming the "border" around the edges of the cube and you're left with a scale crate.

They're Baby Shower party favors and are in the aisle with all the other party favors.

Kenny

www.sigmalabsinc.com


Onward, proud eagle, to thee the cloud must yield.
User avatar
Joseph C. Brown
Moderator
Posts: 7301
Joined: Thu Jul 11, 2002 6:13 pm
Location: Oak Ridge, TN, USA

Post by Joseph C. Brown »

Minor update: I stickied this thread so that it won't get nailed by the ol' Auto-Delete.

And I think that Hog did a fantastic job of using a couple of old inhalers over on the What If forum's Flying Sorcery Challenge!

http://www.whatifmodelers.com/index.php ... 000.0.html

I *have* to do one of my own; my wife uses the exact same inhalers for her Asthma, and I have dozens of them squirreled away. I'll just use a different Chris Foss paint scheme.

:thumbsup:
________
Joe Brown
publiusr
Posts: 18641
Joined: Fri Jul 12, 2002 1:47 pm
Location: Alabama

Post by publiusr »

That is actually quite good.
User avatar
Chacal
Posts: 3654
Joined: Fri Jul 12, 2002 3:09 pm
Location: Rio. Always unseasonably warm, even in the Winter, when we'll host the Summer Olympic Games of 2016

Post by Chacal »

Joseph C. Brown wrote:...I *have* to do one of my own; my wife uses the exact same inhalers for her Asthma, and I have dozens of them squirreled away. I'll just use a different Chris Foss paint scheme.

:thumbsup:

As long as you don't give the poor dear an angora cat or some similar hairy beast so you will get the 'empties' more often... :shock:

I myself have to admit that, once, when my wife bought a bottle of shampoo which had a very nice (read greeblous) cap, I started to rinse and repeat—often. :oops:
Sheer elegance in its simplicity.

Political unrest in dictatorships is rather like a round of rock-paper-scissors: The oposition goes on denouncing the regime on the papers, the regime censors the papers, rock-throwing ensues.
publiusr
Posts: 18641
Joined: Fri Jul 12, 2002 1:47 pm
Location: Alabama

Post by publiusr »

User avatar
Chacal
Posts: 3654
Joined: Fri Jul 12, 2002 3:09 pm
Location: Rio. Always unseasonably warm, even in the Winter, when we'll host the Summer Olympic Games of 2016

Post by Chacal »

Too bad it is a bit expensive to buy for shapes, but still, this shower head is jes a wee bit awae from a proper starship, cap'tin.
Sheer elegance in its simplicity.

Political unrest in dictatorships is rather like a round of rock-paper-scissors: The oposition goes on denouncing the regime on the papers, the regime censors the papers, rock-throwing ensues.
User avatar
naoto
Posts: 29234
Joined: Fri Jul 12, 2002 3:22 pm
Location: Temple City, California, USA

Post by naoto »

publiusr wrote:This might be modified
http://www.amazon.com/MATCHBOX-MEGA-RIG ... B0014412KI
Oddly familar for some reason...
http://www.hlj.com/product/HSGSTX1
Naoto Kimura
木村直人
publiusr
Posts: 18641
Joined: Fri Jul 12, 2002 1:47 pm
Location: Alabama

Post by publiusr »

Of course-that is far better, mind you.

Interesting ships here
http://www.hlj.com/product/wrs81006
User avatar
bigh827
Posts: 8888
Joined: Sun Oct 28, 2007 1:08 am
Location: 45 07'18.16"N 85 15'00.28"W

Post by bigh827 »

Scratchawan Learner wrote:Sparky... those engine greeblies of yours... are AWESOME. I'd love to have a few myself! I'd love to know the original part's origin. (Bet there's a cool story behind that one!)
Many thanks, Scratch
They are the end holders for big rolls of paper. The three foot long rolls they have at work, the the teachers use to cover bulliten boards have those in the ends. A long metal rod goes through the hole and the stand that the paper goes on to hold the rolls in place. :wink:
Last edited by bigh827 on Sun Oct 19, 2008 9:40 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Far out in the uncharted backwaters of the unfashionable end of the western spiral arm of the Galaxy lies a small, unregarded yellow sun.

Amish Vampires in Space.

Well, Art is Art, isn't it? Still, on the other hand, water is water. And east is east and west is west and if you take cranberries and stew them like applesauce they taste much more like prunes than rhubarb does. Now you tell me what you know.
Groucho Marx
WE ARE THE BORG. YOU SPECIES WILL ADAPT TO SER... Squirrel!!
User avatar
Lord Darth Beavis
Posts: 9050
Joined: Fri Jul 12, 2002 5:01 pm
Location: In that number!
Contact:

Post by Lord Darth Beavis »

GREEBLIE ALERT!!!

If you have an Interplak rechargeable toothbrush, the protective caps that go over the brushheads look like they'd make great warp nacelle caps. Plus, AFAICT, they are polystyrene, and not PETE or some other kind of useless plastic. :8)
"I have an ARMY!"

*shrugs* "We have a Hulk."
================================
America*: Land of the Free**



* - "America" is a registered trademark of U.S. Corporations.
** - No actual freedoms are inferred or implied.
Any resemblance to totalitarian regimes is strictly coincidental
unless those regimes are regulated by the Federal Government.

================================
'Russia Space Agency. My name Peggy. Have problem?'
publiusr
Posts: 18641
Joined: Fri Jul 12, 2002 1:47 pm
Location: Alabama

Post by publiusr »

Post Reply