Vidar_710 Posted August 31, 2009 Share Posted August 31, 2009 I am in a W.I.P. utilizing the the old AMT/ERTL 18" Enterprise kit into the Copernicus. This ship can be seen on the Star Trek Phase II "Blood-n-Fire" episode here... http://www.startreknewvoyages.com/ I've been making extensive corrections to the shapes and profiles of common sections of the ship as seen on both the Enterprise and the Copernicus, then incorporating them into the Copernicus conversion. http://s676.photobucket.com/albums/vv122/T...?albumview=grid Tracy Quote Link to post Share on other sites
richter111 Posted September 1, 2009 Share Posted September 1, 2009 That is looking great, it never ceases to amaze me how creative the Trek guys are! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Vidar_710 Posted September 2, 2009 Author Share Posted September 2, 2009 Thanx! But I'm a jet modeler that does Trek on the side. Tracy Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Vidar_710 Posted September 2, 2009 Author Share Posted September 2, 2009 I finished making all the wax paper templates and cut out the styreen parts late last night. Today I assembeld the basic shapes for of the secondary hull. http://s676.photobucket.com/albums/vv122/T...Hullsection.jpg Test fitting the stack.. front view http://s676.photobucket.com/albums/vv122/T...lstackfront.jpg Shuttle Bay view http://s676.photobucket.com/albums/vv122/T...ullstackaft.jpg Side View http://s676.photobucket.com/albums/vv122/T...ullstakPort.jpg Tonight I hope to use the neighbors table saw to precission cut all the filler pieces. Once I determined how the secondary hull would go together while drafting the plans, making the parts and construction phase went a lot faster than I expected. I guess that's a good sign that I planned it out well. Tracy Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Vidar_710 Posted September 3, 2009 Author Share Posted September 3, 2009 (edited) A LOT of progress made on the scratch built construction of the secondary Hull today! Filler material cut. http://s676.photobucket.com/albums/vv122/T...1Fillerscut.jpg Filler material placed into the framing. http://s676.photobucket.com/albums/vv122/T...lersGluedin.jpg Preliminary shaping of the domes. This stuff is awesome! http://s676.photobucket.com/albums/vv122/T...aryshaping2.jpg Domes from aft view. It blends wonderfully. http://s676.photobucket.com/albums/vv122/T...aryshaping1.jpg Top and Bottom domes clamped to sand into identicle base profiles. http://s676.photobucket.com/albums/vv122/T...chingdomes1.jpg Clamped domes from bottom perspective. http://s676.photobucket.com/albums/vv122/T...chingDomes2.jpg Secondary hull test stacked. Also explains the differance in construction between the 2 domes and why. http://s676.photobucket.com/albums/vv122/T...8Teststack2.jpg Stack showing the shuttle bay doors. More explainations for constuction. http://s676.photobucket.com/albums/vv122/T...7Teststack1.jpg I have made a LOT of successfull progress today and have had a BLAST doing it. View full project. http://s676.photobucket.com/albums/vv122/T...?albumview=grid Tracy Edited September 3, 2009 by Vidar_710 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
DutyCat Posted September 4, 2009 Share Posted September 4, 2009 (edited) Looks great. That is an awful lot of work! Really, Tracy, your starship work is fantastic. You have alot of patience and an outstanding eye for the tiniest details. ILM should hire you when they open their Jacksonville branch office. lol. Edited September 4, 2009 by DutyCat Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Vidar_710 Posted September 4, 2009 Author Share Posted September 4, 2009 Thanx Gil... This project has been both a challenge and a lot of fun! Preping the Secondary Hull halves http://s676.photobucket.com/albums/vv122/T...elerapplied.jpg The halves have been sanded and leveled. Spot putty applied to fix small imperfections. http://s676.photobucket.com/albums/vv122/T...=2Spotputty.jpg Trench Box details added before the secondary Hull goes together to simplify final assembly. The penciled in arrow depicts "up". http://s676.photobucket.com/albums/vv122/T...edTrenchbox.jpg Tracy Quote Link to post Share on other sites
richter111 Posted September 5, 2009 Share Posted September 5, 2009 Looking better and better. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
HOLMES Posted September 5, 2009 Share Posted September 5, 2009 AWESOME !!! SO the TREKKIES do have TALENT..... Just teasing ..this is EXCELEENT AND STUNNING !!! :lol: Quote Link to post Share on other sites
GreyGhost Posted September 5, 2009 Share Posted September 5, 2009 Really nice work, Tracy ! AWESOME !!! SO the TREKKIES do have TALENT.....Just teasing ..this is EXCELEENT AND STUNNING !!! Now now, Mister Holmes ... :D Gregg Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Vidar_710 Posted September 5, 2009 Author Share Posted September 5, 2009 Aaaactually, I'm a jet modeler that uses his talents in Trek. :lol: I posted my jets in the Jet section just the other day. Tracy Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Vidar_710 Posted September 6, 2009 Author Share Posted September 6, 2009 Short update. Work slows on the weekends for family time. Adding some details to the Secondary Hull before assembly. IF I had the materials and the equiptment I would vacu-form these domes. http://s676.photobucket.com/albums/vv122/T...dingDetails.jpg Tracy Quote Link to post Share on other sites
HOLMES Posted September 6, 2009 Share Posted September 6, 2009 Aaaactually, I'm a jet modeler that uses his talents in Trek. I posted my jets in the Jet section just the other day. Tracy I saw your work there oo AWESOME !!! ;) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Vidar_710 Posted September 10, 2009 Author Share Posted September 10, 2009 Here's some new shots of the scratch building progress of the Secondary Hull. I cut off the ends off of the Enterprise's Seconday Hull halves. http://s676.photobucket.com/albums/vv122/T...ryhullswipe.jpg The Hanger Bay Doors are finished. http://s676.photobucket.com/albums/vv122/T...gerbayDoors.jpg Here is a shot of the Secondary Hull before working on the hanger bay shroud. I am real happy with how the trench turned out. The tappering really came off well for me. http://s676.photobucket.com/albums/vv122/T...ngerbayHood.jpg The Enterprise parts glued into place. Note the pencile markings on them. Quite a bit of material will come off to correctly shape the aft end of Copernicus's Secondary Hull. http://s676.photobucket.com/albums/vv122/T...HoodInstall.jpg A piece of Styreen bridges the two kit parts to close the shrouds construction. 3M Blue Acrylic filler is added generously to ensure everything blends smoothly into the secondary Hull. http://s676.photobucket.com/albums/vv122/T...bayHoodfill.jpg Starboard Profile shot after sanding... http://s676.photobucket.com/albums/vv122/T...rofilecheck.jpg Here the Shuttle Bay Doors have been added. http://s676.photobucket.com/albums/vv122/T...oodandDoors.jpg The Nacel Strut Mounting plates have been glued into place. There is also the addition of the raised detail that brakets the Star Fleet pennant. http://s676.photobucket.com/albums/vv122/T...nnantdetail.jpg I'll be starting on the Deflector bulkead, housing, and coils over the next few days. This should be a real hoot to make due to its complex design. Tracy View entire project here... http://s676.photobucket.com/albums/vv122/T...?albumview=grid Quote Link to post Share on other sites
GreyGhost Posted September 10, 2009 Share Posted September 10, 2009 It's really starting to come together now, Tracy ... Nice scratchbuilding ... Gregg Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Vidar_710 Posted September 12, 2009 Author Share Posted September 12, 2009 I've started the Deflector Housing. I started by using index cards to make templates because they hold their shape well went bent, plus the lines help with allignment and symetry issues while making the template. Here are the bulkhead and side-panel templates after a LOT of trial-n-error getting them to fit and the proper shape. http://s676.photobucket.com/albums/vv122/T...erTemplates.jpg Remembering the elementary school techique for making symetrical hearts for Valentine's Day helped with making a good bulkhead template. http://s676.photobucket.com/albums/vv122/T...eadTemplate.jpg Here the templates have been traced onto sheet styreen and the parts were cut out, trimmed, and shaped. http://s676.photobucket.com/albums/vv122/T...ousingParts.jpg Bulkhead glued into place. http://s676.photobucket.com/albums/vv122/T...adinstalled.jpg Side-Panels glued into place. http://s676.photobucket.com/albums/vv122/T...=5EndPieces.jpg Here the Deflector Housing is inclosed. http://s676.photobucket.com/albums/vv122/T...ridgePieces.jpg Deflector housing cut down to proper depth, then filled at the joints and sand smooth. http://s676.photobucket.com/albums/vv122/T...nt=7Trimmed.jpg The odd shaped deflector coils are next. These will pull the whole effect of this interesting design together. Tracy Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Vidar_710 Posted September 14, 2009 Author Share Posted September 14, 2009 (edited) Secondary Hull is Complete! Thank the Gods! Side view. http://s676.photobucket.com/albums/vv122/T...aryHullSide.jpg Top view. http://s676.photobucket.com/albums/vv122/T...daryHullTop.jpg Forward Oblique. http://s676.photobucket.com/albums/vv122/T...HullfwdOblq.jpg Forward View. http://s676.photobucket.com/albums/vv122/T...daryHullfwd.jpg Next will be mounting everything at the proper angles to the Primary Hull. Here I've done every measurement. Unlike the Enterprise where the nacels are at a 90 deg spread, the Copernicus's unique design has the nacels at a 60 deg spread. http://s676.photobucket.com/albums/vv122/T...ent=5Angles.jpg Here comes the fun part! Tracy EDIT: Links are now fixed Edited September 16, 2009 by Vidar_710 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Vidar_710 Posted September 15, 2009 Author Share Posted September 15, 2009 The secondary hull and the primary hull are NOT done after all. Joel Bellucci, the artist that rendered the CGI Copernicus was kind enough to send me new files from directly aft showing more detail of the shuttle bay area and the impulse engine pack. These details in my other referances were under shadow; therefore, unviewable. I'll get right to work on these areas! Tracy Quote Link to post Share on other sites
spejic Posted September 15, 2009 Share Posted September 15, 2009 The links in your previous post do not work - they are truncated just like the text. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Vidar_710 Posted September 16, 2009 Author Share Posted September 16, 2009 Thnx! Fixed now. Tracy Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Vidar_710 Posted September 20, 2009 Author Share Posted September 20, 2009 A lot more work was done this week drawing up plans to engineer the attachment of the pylons to the Primary Hull. A solid plan was needed for this interesting design to ensure they allign properly and give the illusion that the pylons run through the Primary Hull instead of being mounted both above and below it. Measurements double and tripple checked on the ship's graphic files determined the shape of the following components... Here are the spacer plates for the Elbow section of the pylons that make the bend into or from the secondary hull. http://s676.photobucket.com/albums/vv122/T...acelSpacers.jpg Completed Elbow sections. http://s676.photobucket.com/albums/vv122/T...elbentParts.jpg Preping the Pylons. http://s676.photobucket.com/albums/vv122/T...StrutGuides.jpg Secondary hull and pylon components. http://s676.photobucket.com/albums/vv122/T...tComponents.jpg Elbow's Attached. http://s676.photobucket.com/albums/vv122/T...5PortFwdQtr.jpg Same from directly Starboard. http://s676.photobucket.com/albums/vv122/T...=4Starboard.jpg Further, the addition of some new files have giving me the first look of the ship from directly aft. I have been working on getting the aft end of the secondary hull from its boxy shape to a more accurate oval shape. Tracy Quote Link to post Share on other sites
GreyGhost Posted September 20, 2009 Share Posted September 20, 2009 Oooo, nice progress, Tracy ! This brings back memories of playing Star Fleet Battles with my friends in High School back in the early 80s ... I'm really having fun watching your work ... Thank You ... Gregg Quote Link to post Share on other sites
HOLMES Posted September 20, 2009 Share Posted September 20, 2009 BRILLIANT .... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Vidar_710 Posted September 24, 2009 Author Share Posted September 24, 2009 A LOT of planning and a LOT of drawing with little construction over the past 2 weeks. The nacel pylons have been completed. The following are some shots showing the process of breaking down the pylons into segments and preping them for attachemt to the secondary hull, primary hull, and nacels all while keeping them alligned and giving the illusion that they pass through the primary hull uninterupted. Pylons with embedded brass tubing cut into segments. http://s676.photobucket.com/albums/vv122/T...onscut2size.jpg Laminated styreen shaped to the pylon profile are glued into place and ready to be shaped. http://s676.photobucket.com/albums/vv122/T...edandfilled.jpg The upper segments of the pylons are attched to the secondary hull. The "feet" of the upper segments are shaped to meet the flat surface of the extention hull. The lower segments are complete as well. http://s676.photobucket.com/albums/vv122/T...lwithPylons.jpg Aft view. http://s676.photobucket.com/albums/vv122/T...daryHullAft.jpg Close-up of the pylon elbow segments showing the effect of conduate detail passing from one segment to the other under the skin plating. http://s676.photobucket.com/albums/vv122/T...lonAssembly.jpg Drafting Plates are complete with full skin detail. Note the odd deflector grid pattern both top and bottm. Primary Hull. http://s676.photobucket.com/albums/vv122/T...PrimaryHull.jpg Deflector grid. http://s676.photobucket.com/albums/vv122/T...idsandparts.jpg Primary Hull / Nacel intersection design. http://s676.photobucket.com/albums/vv122/T...PylonDesign.jpg Secondary Hull plan. http://s676.photobucket.com/albums/vv122/T...PylonDesign.jpg Close-up. http://s676.photobucket.com/albums/vv122/T...aryHullPlan.jpg Bridge A/B deck in clay. I just want to do this once, so I'm molding it for future 18"kit projects. http://s676.photobucket.com/albums/vv122/T...dgeABinclay.jpg Ready 4 Rubber. http://s676.photobucket.com/albums/vv122/T...Brdy4rubber.jpg The first casting of the Bridge A/B deck is curing as I right this. Up comming work will be, determining the top center-line of the nacels for preparing the mounting of the lower pylon segments to the nacels. Things should go very quickly construction-wise after that. View entire project here. http://s676.photobucket.com/albums/vv122/T...?albumview=grid Tracy Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Vidar_710 Posted September 25, 2009 Author Share Posted September 25, 2009 The Warp Section Assembly has started. Here, the design for mounting everything to the Primary Hull starts to take shape. These are the support rods that will run through the Primary Hull then the embedded brass tubing in the Nacel pylon segments. http://s676.photobucket.com/albums/vv122/T...ignmentRods.jpg Checking the pylon segments for being flush and cut at the same angle. http://s676.photobucket.com/albums/vv122/T...anglechecks.jpg The lower pylon segments fitted with their nacel Butt-Plates. http://s676.photobucket.com/albums/vv122/T...Butt-Plates.jpg Warp Assembly Allignment Check. Just like the Elbow segment, there are spacer plates on the gluing surfaces when the pylon segmnets meet against the Primary Hull - still to be added. http://s676.photobucket.com/albums/vv122/T...gnmentCheck.jpg The pylons are ready to mount to the nacels, but the nacels are awaiting parts from JT Graphics. A special surprise in the nacel's assembly will be fun to share. Tracy Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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