Author Topic: plates in space! (Read 12800 times)

Kerick · « **on:** November 26, 2016, 02:01:01 PM »

I entered the plates in space challenge build over on Starship Modeler. Started slapping plates together today. Plastic appetizer plates from Walmart.

I wasn't sure what kind of plastic these were made of. I thought they were polystyrene but no way to be really sure until glue is applied. The liquid glue worked fine so that was a relief. I removed the ridge the plate sits on on the bottom plate. Pain in the butt but I got it sanded smooth.

[url=https://flic.kr/p/PojSWs]

The low flat dome on top is one of the plastic lens from a projection TV. I CA glued this one and added Aves Epoxie Sculpt to fill in around it out to the ridge.

[url=https://flic.kr/p/PB2X3H]

Nice stack of plates plus a plastic container and the dome shape piece my daughter thought I could use.

[url=https://flic.kr/p/P3yjh9]

I was thinking of lighting it as the parts were all molded in clear. It would probably get complicated quickly so I'll pass on it. Maybe next time.

perttime · « **Reply #1 on:** November 26, 2016, 05:16:49 PM »

What about the crew?

finsrin · « **Reply #2 on:** November 26, 2016, 05:33:50 PM »

Gotta like this ingenuity. :)
Letz hear it for Zero Point Energy !

The Big Gimper · « **Reply #3 on:** November 26, 2016, 07:42:02 PM »

Whatever you do do not tell Jim or Alice Walton that their plates are model kits in disguise. They will up the price.

About the race that built this ship. Are they:
Spoonerisms?
Forkyouians?
Knifeyouinthebackians?

Old Wombat · « **Reply #4 on:** November 26, 2016, 11:23:40 PM »

Saladians?

Kerick · « **Reply #5 on:** November 27, 2016, 01:13:45 AM »

Appitiians!

Jeffry Fontaine · « **Reply #6 on:** November 27, 2016, 06:07:58 AM »

Klamidians? :)

The Big Gimper · « **Reply #7 on:** November 27, 2016, 08:14:07 AM »

You mean to tell me Jeff aliens have taken over Klamath Falls, Oregon? That is such a nice town.

And Crater Lake is where their secret base is hidden?

Kerick · « **Reply #8 on:** November 27, 2016, 03:12:50 PM »

Thanks for the encouraging comments!
Spread some Bondo spot putty around the edges of the plates. Not much to show yet.

Kerick · « **Reply #9 on:** December 03, 2016, 11:05:32 AM »

PSR stage, not much to show. Part of me wants to add fins, other part says no.....

Old Wombat · « **Reply #10 on:** December 04, 2016, 12:24:15 AM »

Don't do it!

You don't want to ruin the clean lines & directional ambivalence that comes with the saucer/plate shape.

The Big Gimper · « **Reply #11 on:** December 04, 2016, 01:05:07 AM »

And to prevent excess atmospheric drag too!!

Kerick · « **Reply #12 on:** December 04, 2016, 02:16:54 AM »

2-0 fins lose!

Jeffry Fontaine · « **Reply #13 on:** December 04, 2016, 03:54:03 AM »

if you add "fins" to the periphery of your saucer at the join between the two plates on the horizontal plane you could call them "rotors" and embellish on that feature as a means for allowing your UFO to hover in ground effect on planets with an atmosphere...

Kerick · « **Reply #14 on:** December 04, 2016, 10:42:46 AM »

I am pondering lighting. I found a drop in LED replacement for the bulb in a AA flashlight. It has three super bright LEDs and runs on three volts. Easy to attach a couple batteries and a switch.

Modelling_Mushi · « **Reply #15 on:** December 04, 2016, 08:13:27 PM »

Quote from: Jeffry Fontaine on November 27, 2016, 06:07:58 AM

Klamidians? :)

Great

. Just what I need

. Another attack of chlamydia ...

Kerick · « **Reply #16 on:** February 03, 2017, 11:54:47 AM »

PSR stage is done! Yaw hoo!
The white is Perfect Plastic Putty and the red is Bondo.

I found a blinking LED unit from a Christmas decoration. Comes with its own adapter.

Old Wombat · « **Reply #17 on:** February 06, 2017, 03:42:34 PM »

Oo-ooh!

Kerick · « **Reply #18 on:** February 06, 2017, 09:59:38 PM »

I need to figure out what to do for landing gear. Skinny telescoping legs or just have it sit on the drive unit like the ship from Forbidden Planet.

elmayerle · « **Reply #19 on:** February 07, 2017, 06:36:24 AM »

It's been too long, perhaps legs that deploy like the ramps on the ship from Forbidden Planet?

Kerick · « **Reply #20 on:** February 07, 2017, 08:27:26 AM »

http://img.cinemablend.com/cb/5/3/8/7/6/8/538768e56a0bf9552258c69b5daad45dcad443d5f3f1a6d18013f7f1dde84074.jpg

Looks like it sat on some sort of column and then the ramps came down. I'll consider this option some more.

elmayerle · « **Reply #21 on:** February 07, 2017, 09:54:30 AM »

Perhaps some fold-down legs equally spaced between the three ramps? With heavy-duty actuators driving them down? That would give an appropriate support without that center column.

Kerick · « **Reply #22 on:** February 07, 2017, 11:01:52 AM »

Interesting but I need a way to hide the wire for the lights. Hmmm......
The column would hide the wire.

elmayerle · « **Reply #23 on:** February 07, 2017, 11:50:49 AM »

That it would, most conveniently. It would be comparatively easy to do, too.

Kerick · « **Reply #24 on:** February 07, 2017, 09:55:17 PM »

I have some chrome plated drain pipe that would look good. This might be the best answer. Plus a base

Frank3k · « **Reply #25 on:** February 08, 2017, 04:21:18 AM »

If you're powering the lights with 5V or 9V, just use copper tape (used as a snail barrier in gardens) for the V+ and ground and apply them to the lets or to the center column (as long as they're isolated from each other).

The copper strip doesn't have to be very thick - 1/16" - 1/8" should do the trick. Just solder the connections before applying the tape to the plastic! The stuff I bought is sticky on one side, and can be primered/painted. You would use a metal contact in the base to connect the ship to its power supply. If you do a leg and the central column, there's no chance of inverting the polarity. And we know what happens when you invert the polarity on most spaceships!

Kerick · « **Reply #26 on:** February 08, 2017, 06:42:31 AM »

Yep! Everything goes backwards! Its worked perfectly for decades!
Copper tape sounds interesting. I already have aluminum tape but I don't think I could solder it. With proper planning I might not have to.

Kerick · « **Reply #27 on:** February 20, 2017, 07:15:57 AM »

Lights are installed in the "drive unit".

PSR is finished! Yea!!!! I applied some primer to find any defects.

Now to let it dry for a couple of days and sand off a couple of spots. Then the silver and a few black decals for visual interest.

Oh, and a base.

Kerick · « **Reply #28 on:** March 07, 2017, 08:16:51 AM »

Yea Ha!! I painted something and it came out right the first time!!!

Krylon really came through on this one. I think the silver says 50's space ship just right.
I wet sanded with 400 grit paper that had been used already so it came out really smooth. I painted as soon as it was dry so it wouldn't get dust on it.

Plus I found some tiny figures in the drawer of doom. N gauge railroad guys but with a little paint they should look like astronuts.

Kerick · « **Reply #29 on:** March 20, 2017, 11:25:44 AM »

Some astronuts....

I glued the tiniest gold colored beads I could find over their heads and painted them a nice 50s silver. They need backpacks yet.

The base so far.

I found some drywall mud in the basement closet that is "filling in" for soil.
The boulders are limestone rocks from a parking lot that had a layer of pyrite deposited on them. Good old "fools gold". It will look good for some interstellar mining.

Next is some shades of gray for soil.

Madhatter · « **Reply #30 on:** March 21, 2017, 08:15:52 PM »

have you got more images of the scratch built star ship going on in the background? That looks really amazing from that one pic with the spray paint in the foreground

Kerick · « **Reply #31 on:** March 22, 2017, 12:48:25 AM »

That's a build that has been on hold for far too long. I got bogged down in light Inc and making a working door for the hanger deck. I'll post some pics later

Kerick · « **Reply #32 on:** March 26, 2017, 10:16:01 AM »

Painted the base and attached the astronauts. Now for some decals. I'm thinking of naming it Atlantis using space shuttle decals.

Old Wombat · « **Reply #33 on:** March 26, 2017, 11:15:23 PM »

It's really starting to look the business! :)

Kerick · « **Reply #34 on:** March 27, 2017, 04:40:31 AM »

I'm calling this one done!

The astronauts turned out really well. I'm happy with this one all around.
The Atlantis decals fell apart so just a number for this ship.

The lighting turned out well. It changes color with different combinations of LEDs.

Thanks for all the helpful suggestions along the way. This was my first real attempt at a base and I hope you all like it.

Camthalion · « **Reply #35 on:** March 27, 2017, 05:37:54 AM »

very cool

The Big Gimper · « **Reply #36 on:** March 27, 2017, 06:18:05 AM »

Awesome job. :) :)

AXOR · « **Reply #37 on:** March 27, 2017, 06:32:10 AM »

Great,I like it !

elmayerle · « **Reply #38 on:** March 27, 2017, 09:17:52 AM »

Beautiful!! And what's wrong with just numbers? C-57-D worked just fine for Forbidden Planet.

GTX_Admin · « **Reply #39 on:** March 27, 2017, 05:04:23 PM »

Brian da Basher · « **Reply #40 on:** March 28, 2017, 09:31:32 PM »

Wow did that finish up great!

I really like the little diorama you made for it too!

Brian da Basher

Old Wombat · « **Reply #41 on:** March 29, 2017, 06:04:07 PM »

That's a cracker! :) :) :)

Frank3k · « **Reply #42 on:** March 29, 2017, 11:51:38 PM »

The saucer looks great and the astronauts really came out well. The "drive unit" changing colors looks outstanding, too!

andonio64 · « **Reply #43 on:** May 04, 2017, 05:23:12 PM »

I had missed the final result of this WIP...
I love it!

Antonio


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Author Topic: plates in space! (Read 12800 times)