# USS Reliant in 350th scale - full kit someday soonish



## john_trek (Apr 13, 2000)

Here are some recent pics of my USS Reliant, produced in the mega 1/350th scale. 

I did use the saucer and warp engines from the Polar Lights 350th scale Refit Enterprise. However, the "simple" conversion ended up taking a long time and a heck of a lot more work than I had anticipated. Among other things the parts you borrow from the refit have a lot of details that are somewhat different on the Reliant. And after I had done a lot of work on a project intended just for me, I decided to make all the parts castable (is that a word?). This eliminated random greeblies slapped on to look good, but rather had to look like the random greeblies that ILM used (in a different scale). All surface detail had to be made so it had no excessive overhangs. The warp engines had to be split down the middle, even in areas where the parts were not designed to do that originally. All parts had to have suitable surfaces for joining to the next part. And the darn warp engines had to be aligned near perfect. 

So here I am, with all the major work done. Still have a couple minor details to add, and since my partner is backlogged I have an extra month to decide what I can tweak before I ship it off to him to make molds. 

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b292/john_trek/Reliant 350/RELwonderfest_zps17e318b8.jpg
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b292/john_trek/Reliant 350/RELparts_zps6f132eff.jpg
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b292/john_trek/Reliant 350/RELaftcrystal_zps66e1452f.jpg
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b292/john_trek/Reliant 350/RELunderhull_zps52cd10f9.jpg
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b292/john_trek/Reliant 350/RELplansensor_zpsa3eee3c3.jpg


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## spock62 (Aug 13, 2003)

A truely impressive build. Just make sure when you design the decals for it, that they are accurate. Some people will get *really* upset it you don't...


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## John F (May 31, 2001)

I want one !!


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## FlyAndFight (Mar 25, 2012)

I want one, too!!!


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## drewid142 (Apr 23, 2004)

I'm not usually a big "joiner" but that looks so darned awesome I think I'll have to add it to my pile of un-built kits... but in the imaginary "no, really, I'm GOING to build them someday" prioritized list it would be rather close to the top!

I'll order two!


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## tardis1916 (Mar 24, 2004)

I'll take one too!


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## hal9001 (May 28, 2008)

Aye lad, good to see ya been studyin' your technical manuals! Mr. Scott would be damn proud of his 'lady' being turned into a thing of beauty.

:thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:

Carl-


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## whiskeyrat (May 7, 2012)

WOW beautiful build! I'll take one as well!


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## SDF-3 (Mar 15, 2010)

In for one!


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## morrihl1 (Jan 19, 2008)

Definitely interested also!


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## Fozzie (May 25, 2009)

Really impressive! Gonna be a beauty. :thumbsup:


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## RMC (Aug 11, 2004)

I want one too !:thumbsup :thumbsup:


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## ResinRay (May 20, 2014)

Your work is crisp and clean, top notch work.


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## Sage the Owl (Dec 9, 2010)

Hi, long time lurker around these parts but I just had to comment on this.
What a stunner, i've long been waiting for one of these in 1/350 so count me in.:thumbsup:
One question i do have though, in one of your pictures you have four warp engines, two of which look like they have clear parts in them.
Is it your intention to offer both lighted & un-lighted versions ? as i would definately go for the former. 
Movie Trek ships just dont look right without running lights & lit warp engines.


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## john_trek (Apr 13, 2000)

Each warp engine is split into two parts. You are seeing four parts, thus two engines. We are leaving the inner grill transparent or translucent for lighting. Specific engineering not worked out yet. Entire part may be translucent, or the grill may remain a separate part.


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## GordonMitchell (Feb 12, 2009)

I'm in for one too,really nice and I have a pattern for a 1/350 crew my son sorted ages ago fo me and I never bothered getting etched,generic movie crews and space men and a certain Botany bay resident is amongst them so I may see about getting a price on these,
cheers,Gordon M


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## TIEbomber1967 (May 21, 2012)

I, for one, am very impressed by all the work you've done, and I would VERY MUCH like to have one of these.
My wallet, on the other hand, is completely bewildered by the fact that there have been 15 posts and no one has yet asked the price! As loath as I am to agree with my stingy leather friend, I'm afraid that it's one of those situations where "If you have to ask, you can't afford it".
Well done. Really. But, I'll just have to seethe with jealousy as you guys post your builds.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rKwwcCpa2Ag


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## Kremin (Sep 26, 2012)

I'm interested in one dependant on price and availability as I have a wedding to pay for next month :hat:


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## ryanmohan (Mar 3, 2013)

Ballpark figure on price?


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## GordonMitchell (Feb 12, 2009)

Yup I forgot that all important question,roughly how much?
need to know as I'll get thumped from the wife without an excuse for spending her hard earned pounds(sterling):lol:
cheers,Gordon M:thumbsup:


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## jgoldsack (Apr 26, 2004)

I am interested as well!


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## nicksdad (Sep 8, 2009)

Been waiting for this one for a while. Please keep us updated on availability of the kit.


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## idMonster (Jun 18, 2003)

The work you've done is exceptional! I'm VERY interested in a kit as well.

Gordon


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## john_trek (Apr 13, 2000)

Thanks so much for all the support. I have been working on this for so long I teeter perilously close to burnout. Knowing there is interest out there and people like what they see helps more than you can know. God knows given the hours and resources garage kits can consume you certainly don't do this for the money.


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## GordonMitchell (Feb 12, 2009)

So what are you saying......we can all have one for free,gee thanks ........lol
seriously though your doing fine work and thats what happens when you do it for the love of the hobby as soon as money is involved you start rushing and cutting corners so take your time(not too long though...lol)and finish her properly,
and a rough ball park figure would be great:devil:
cheers,Gordon M:thumbsup:


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## modelnutz (Sep 21, 2009)

Slow down folks !
At this stage in the game..talking pricing would be very speculative at best.
Speaking as the intended caster, I will need to look over what John sends to me and make corrections to little details...such as...wall thickness ( you guys don't want floppy parts...right ? )... which parts need to be translucent for lighting....part joinery corrected for molding ....etc.

The plan is to make the kit as much like a styrene kit as possible.

Rest assured that I plan on doing everything I can to make this grail kit affordable for "the common man/woman"

Having said that...please be aware that there is a ton of work on a major kit such as this and the molding/casting shouldn't be rushed. ( you folks wouldn't be happy with the results...)

One question for all... I typically use the Vagabond resin ( it's a stiffer,harder resin ) on the larger kits I cast as it's a lower material cost ( and, therefore, a lower cost to you, the customer ).
However...I _could_ use the ( more expensive ) Smooth-on resin that everyone loves ( including me ;-)...resulting in a higher cost kit.

So, the real question is... which is more important ? Cost or resin used ???

In closing...I'll say, keep talking up this kit...it is happening and we could use all the PR we can get.
And....please be patient with us......this is not the only kit being cast by Monkey Works.

Happy Modeling !


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## robn1 (Nov 17, 2012)

I've heard of Vagabond but I know nothing about it. What are the pros/cons of Vagabond vs Smooth-On?


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## Lou Dalmaso (Jul 13, 2004)

and rest assured, when the glorious day comes, there will be azteks and registry marking templates


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## RMC (Aug 11, 2004)

you Da Man lou !


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## onigiri (May 27, 2009)

Definitely interested


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## modelnutz (Sep 21, 2009)

robn1 said:


> I've heard of Vagabond but I know nothing about it. What are the pros/cons of Vagabond vs Smooth-On?


Wow..sorry for the delay !
Where were we....oh yea...resin

Vagabond...pro/low cost
con/smelly

Smooth-On...pro/styrene like plastic
con/expensive

Kinda sums it up.....

smelly ( but good ) resin = lower cost kit
very nice resin = higher cost kit


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## robn1 (Nov 17, 2012)

Thanks for the info. Vagabond says they have an odorless formula, the others are "low odor". I think I'll stick with Smooth-On, it really is odorless.


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## tardis1916 (Mar 24, 2004)

Any update on this? I'm really interested in this if it becomes available.


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## john_trek (Apr 13, 2000)

I finished the pattern- AKA the masters for all the parts - on Monday, it shipped out to my partner on Tuesday. Expect a couple months to make the molds, cast the first few copies, do a couple test builds, and work out any problems. 

So...... it just got a lot closer to reality.


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## Trek Ace (Jul 8, 2001)

It's hard to tell with the photos, but are the nacelles Reliant nacelles or refit nacelles? There are significant design differences between them, other than just the location of the pylon mount.


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## john_trek (Apr 13, 2000)

I made modifications to several areas on the warp nacelles. 

I moved the "magnatomic flux construction - first stage" (per Mr. Scott's Guide to the Enterprise) aft. 

I shortened the flat area behind the "MFC", and thickened it, making it appear to be a wrapped cowling extending above and below over the curved section (trouble figuring out how to explain that one).

I added a raised lip in front of the "MFC". Many people will think I am duplicating the error that was made by MPC/ERTL on the Refit kit, but in fact that is what the ILM miniature had, and the ERTL Reliant shows it that way also. 

I got rid of a lot of raised details on the engines that were either way too thick, or didn't seem to appear at all on the Reliant's. 

I did not fill in that deep canyon that outlines the dark grey paint areas around the leading edge of the engines. I always hated it on the refit kit, but figured I would leave it in there for people to use as a paint guide if they wanted, or fill it in if not. 

There are a few questionable shape issues, IMHO, with the Polar Lights nacelles, but I didn't make any changes to the overall cross section.

Please note that the full ship photo I attached to this message is not the final version of all parts. It was taken before I made all the modifications to the nacelles. Among other things I have since remastered the Phaser Canons on the roll bar. The first set I made were, well, yuck.


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## Trek Ace (Jul 8, 2001)

That's great on the changes you made. The MFC area is much shorter and taller than the refit's. The front end intake area is also vastly different, with a gentle slope-up at the front on the bottom edge and a larger radius on the base curve. The bottoms of the matter intake grilles are much higher than on the refit, and the front end much flatter. The metallic outboard grilles and inboard field generators are also more rounded and less 'teardropped' at the rear than the refit's engines.

It's amazing that AMT got the general shape of the Reliant's nacelles correct, but Deboer, (the very expensive) QMX and Polar Lights all completely missed those details and simply used the refit nacelles (which look nothing like the Reliant's) and relocated the pylon mount.

I'm really looking forward to your kit.


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## ClubTepes (Jul 31, 2002)

Very nice work.

I am wondering though, why didn't you get rid of the raised rectangular bases around each phaser bank?

Thats another mistake, that always seems to get incorporated into the kits.
There is no raised detail (except the phaser ball itself), only a change of color.


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## john_trek (Apr 13, 2000)

I thought about fixing that, always bugged me also, but eventually I had to pick a stopping point and get this thing into people's hands. 

No point releasing the 'perfect' model if my target demographic dies of old age waiting for it.


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## hal9001 (May 28, 2008)

john_trek said:


> I thought about fixing that, always bugged me also, but eventually I had to pick a stopping point and get this thing into people's hands.
> 
> No point releasing the 'perfect' model if my target demographic dies of old age waiting for it.


*Hey, I resent that! I've still got few good months left in me!!!!*:drunk:

Carl-


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## FlyAndFight (Mar 25, 2012)

Excellent development news. Thank you for the updates.

This ship really deserves the 1/350 scale treatment.


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## GordonMitchell (Feb 12, 2009)

looking forward to this
cheers
Gordon


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