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TREK SPFX...WITH 1/350 BUILDS


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here are some of my homemade Trek tribute SPFX...Featuring Polar Lights 1/350 Enterprise builds. The model(s) were filmed in front of a blue screen. Great attention was taken to have the models reflect the actual filming miniatures...

 

Enjoy!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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So what did you do o make the nacelle caps work like that?  I also don't remember those four large rectangular lights on the top of the saucer back when the series first came pn T.V. back in the 60s.  Was that a detail they added when they re-mastered the series or am I just getting old?

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10 hours ago, ikar said:

So what did you do o make the nacelle caps work like that?  I also don't remember those four large rectangular lights on the top of the saucer back when the series first came pn T.V. back in the 60s.  Was that a detail they added when they re-mastered the series or am I just getting old?

I drove myself crazy getting those engine lights correct as possible for this scale. NONE...none of the available light kits are correct.

 

The rectangular Lights have always been there. However only three were lit on the actual filming model. The far right one was only painted lit. I detest the "remastered" effects. They are cartoony and sloppy.

Don't worry...we're all getting old.

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Just opened up my kit and gave it a good cleaning preparing for building.  I just ordered the Tenacontrols kit and some LED ribbon lighting that I can cut for interior lighting.  As much as the Tena kit costs, I cannot understand why it does not include interior lighting.  

 

Question about your build/paint.  Did you pre-paint and then touch up all seams after assembly?  Or masked off all the windows and painted it all at once after building?  

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One thing I've noticed about interior lights on many of these kind of projects, the lights shinning out from the hull often appear too bright.  I have found a way to cut back on the glare by taking some frosted clear material and securing it over, or even on the clear windows.  Another way might be to coat the inside of the windows with a matt finish of some kind like dull coat or something similar.  I found a small supply of what we called diffusion sheet that we used to use when working on a light table.  It's frosted to cut glare while trying to align film to get in focus.  Sometimes it can be found in art supply stores.  If you would like some to paly with, let me know,.  

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13 hours ago, Scott Smith said:

Just opened up my kit and gave it a good cleaning preparing for building.  I just ordered the Tenacontrols kit and some LED ribbon lighting that I can cut for interior lighting.  As much as the Tena kit costs, I cannot understand why it does not include interior lighting.  

 

Question about your build/paint.  Did you pre-paint and then touch up all seams after assembly?  Or masked off all the windows and painted it all at once after building?  

I pre paint.  Add the windows then touch up and feather in the seams after everything is tucked in. Also my paint is ALL mixed. If you want your build to reflect the coloring of the actual filming model, it has to be mixed. Don't listen to the Youtube "experts". Also, I had to fill in and sand smooth my upper and lower saucer halves to remove those horrid and incorrect grid lines. they hadn't come out with the replacement smooth saucers yet...

 

A true story. On a well known vendors page on Facebook, I suggested that Polar Lights should offer an aftermarket smooth saucer replacement...I was immediately told that it was a stupid and unprofitable idea...

Three months later Polar Lights offered the correct smooth saucer and the rerelease of the kit Only has the smooth saucer.

Edited by Captain Han Solo
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9 hours ago, ikar said:

One thing I've noticed about interior lights on many of these kind of projects, the lights shinning out from the hull often appear too bright.  I have found a way to cut back on the glare by taking some frosted clear material and securing it over, or even on the clear windows.  Another way might be to coat the inside of the windows with a matt finish of some kind like dull coat or something similar.  I found a small supply of what we called diffusion sheet that we used to use when working on a light table.  It's frosted to cut glare while trying to align film to get in focus.  Sometimes it can be found in art supply stores.  If you would like some to paly with, let me know,.  

99% of these builds are way too bright. Overly lit models are a pet peeve of mine. I sand both the inside and outside of the windows, then seal everything with a flat coat. You shouldn't need welders goggles to view the model.

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On 5/28/2020 at 6:34 PM, phantom said:

Very very good. I agree with doing your own lights. The ready to go are SO expensive.

The reason I did my own lighting is that the available kits are all incorrect. For some reason, like sheep, most push one vendors product. Probably because of one or more YOUTUBE " experts".

I became increasingly irritated  at the fact that none of the kits captured the subtle effect of the 11' miniature. That's why I did it myself. I can't get it any closer in this scale. That's also why I posted the video of my build on my dinning room table and then with the real 11' filming model...to put my money where my mouth is.

 

 

 

Edited by Captain Han Solo
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24 minutes ago, Captain Han Solo said:

I pre paint. Then touch up and feather in the seams after everything is tucked in.


cool!  That is my plan as well.  
 

But nothing wrong with an automotive paint gun.  (And FWIW, that’s not the type of gun used for home painting) Especially a detail gun like he uses. I swung one around professionally for 11 years. You can do some amazing things once you master the technique.  And in one of his videos he mentioned he is a car painter. Hell of a lot more control than a spray can.

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6 minutes ago, Scott Smith said:


cool!  That is my plan as well.  
 

But nothing wrong with an automotive paint gun.  (And FWIW, that’s not the type of gun used for home painting) Especially a detail gun like he uses. I swung one around professionally for 11 years. You can do some amazing things once you master the technique.  And in one of his videos he mentioned he is a car painter. Hell of a lot more control than a spray can.

I have to disagree.

I have experience with both. For the intricate and delicate effect of the iridescent paints on a Refit...An Airbrush is required.  Use your Automotive paint gun to paint your 73 Charger.

 

I don't use spray cans.

A lot of mis information on social media about certain rattle can paints being a match for the Enterprise.

 

If you want it to look like the miniature, I suggest using Gary Kerr's formulas. Unfortunately, they weren't available when I did mine. However I do have a lot of reference material of the miniature...then I adjusted and corrected accordingly.

 

Here's the link to Gary's info... 

 

https://culttvman.com/main/a-modelers-guide-to-painting-the-starship-enterprise-by-gary-kerr/

Edited by Captain Han Solo
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Now I have not taken a look at the detail on my refit kit.  And I agree, there are areas I would prefer my airbrush over a detail gun.  But I’ve used a cheap detail gun on larger surfaces over the years.   I’ve only watched his TOS builds so far.  

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I got a chance to drive one of them back when they first came out.  When my 62 Comet was in the shop after being hit, the garage owner lent me his 'stang for the day.

Much later I owned a 73 Mach 1.  It got stripped down in my driveway and I ended up scrappinf it.  Amazing how expensive parts for those things can be.

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2 hours ago, Scott Smith said:

Oh, and I don’t have a ‘73 Charger.  Now if you want to hook me up with one....:woo:

 

But I do have a ‘66 GT Fastback.

oQc1rW.jpg

That is freakin BEAUTIFUL!! I actually had a 73 Doge Charger...That's where that reference came from! That Mustang is a beaut!!! Un fortunately my Charger met with a terrible demise.

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Thanks Captain!  

 

As far as the interior lighting brightness issue, I see where a lot of builders use lights in the 6000K (daylight) where I feel that 4000K looks more natural. I actually had a hard time finding 4K LED dual density ribbon lights last week.  

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Thanks for the link.  I'll keep these in mind as I get further along with gathering things for my next build.  

I think  I'll have to get the shuttle bay detail set to go along with it. 

What colors did you use for the hull and other things?  I'm most likely only going to one shot at this and I want it to look good.

I had the Enterprise "A" but was too intimadated with the paint job and ended ujp selling it as the extras I for it.

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I went with the Tamiya Light Ghost Gray in spray cans.  Saw one built using this color on one of the Syfi websites and it looked great.  Paint was delivered today, but I’m away at the beach.  I’ll shoot a test panel first to make sure it looks good in person before committing.  

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