# My 1/350 Star Trek TOS Build...and first model in 30 years...



## Greyhaim (Jan 8, 2013)

Am new to the forum and just finished my first model in 30 years. It ends in an epic failure and I have decided that modeling is like golf...another endeavour that I love and hate....join me on my journey of pain as modelling is the toughest/meanest teacher on the planet.

In order to do this model I purchased a new airbrush and an extra bottle of excedrin to kill the headache my paint fume high gives me.....early on in bed I would cough up the taste of dullcote....ahhh the fun.....so join me on this up and down....mostly down....journey of mine back into modelling...


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## Wattanasiri (Aug 15, 2010)

The best of luck to you.


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## Greyhaim (Jan 8, 2013)

*...dry fitting is for losers and wimps...*

so a lot of people might start a model with sanding/dry fitting etc....not me ...I say start painting the minute you open up the box....the copper finish only took me three days to do and re do as I needed to figure out how to properly thin the copper stuff i was using.....why use google when you can paint...sand off...paint....sand off....paint...well you get the idea....oh...the dry fitting becomes key to the plot later....


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## Trek Ace (Jul 8, 2001)

First off, welcome to the board.

Second - Despite the frustration, if this kit is what brought you back into the hobby after 30 years, I think you may find it is worth every penny you paid for it.


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## Proper2 (Dec 8, 2010)

Greyhaim said:


> Am new to the forum and just finished my first model in 30 years. It ends in an epic failure and I have decided that modeling is like golf...another endeavour that I love and hate....join me on my journey of pain as modelling is the toughest/meanest teacher on the planet.
> 
> In order to do this model I purchased a new airbrush and an extra bottle of excedrin to kill the headache my paint fume high gives me.....early on in bed I would cough up the taste of dullcote....ahhh the fun.....so join me on this up and down....mostly down....journey of mine back into modelling...


Pardon my density, but am a little confused. Did you already build this? If so, are you saying you're going to document the building process after the fact??


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## BruceDownunder (Aug 25, 2008)

I don't play golf, never have, probably never will.
But I love modelling, or rather, the process of buying a kit and trying to make it look like the picture on the box.
Some days it seems that I can do nothing wrong; the paint goes where it should, the glue holds, the parts fit etc.
And other days, I knock over the paint, the glue shoots out in a putty-fest glob and I lose a tiny part in the carpet just before it's eaten by the cat.
It's all part of the fun, the key is to learn and not give up.
Incidentally, your deflector dish looks great.:thumbsup:


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## tardis1916 (Mar 24, 2004)

BruceDownunder said:


> I don't play golf, never have, probably never will.
> But I love modelling, or rather, the process of buying a kit and trying to make it look like the picture on the box.
> Some days it seems that I can do nothing wrong; the paint goes where it should, the glue holds, the parts fit etc.
> And other days, I knock over the paint, the glue shoots out in a putty-fest glob and I lose a tiny part in the carpet just before it's eaten by the cat.
> ...


Ok, so I'm not the only one with a cat that eats model parts! I feel so much better. :thumbsup:


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## Konar (Nov 8, 2001)

Good luck -- I am in the same boat -- bought mine but it's been years since I actually built one! Maybe I'll see how yours comes out first!


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## SFCOM1 (Sep 3, 2002)

In the process of building mine. Got all the major assemblies completed (Saucer, Nacelles, Secondary Hull, and nacelle struts). I have just started to work on the main hull color and the accent colors. 

I am not lighting my model (I have a tendency to "Blow Up" lighting systems, even if they are "Fool Proof") So I am painting the windows first (Both lit and unlit) and then masking off them to complete the hull.


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## Trekkriffic (Mar 20, 2007)

Fear not Greyhaim, we have all felt the pain of failure at times but...

"Pain is temporary. It may last a minute, or an hour, or a day, or a year, but eventually it will subside and something else will take its place. If I quit, however, it lasts forever."

Lance Armstrong 

Sure I know he cheated to win (is there any doubt?) but I still think the quote has an application to modeling.


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## Greyhaim (Jan 8, 2013)

*New design on Brussell Sprout Collector*

...so i tried a different techniquie to make it look like it was spinning without spinning....looks pretty good under the dullcote outer shell thingy...did a red coat/yellow and some green accent then shot some copper over it....fyi a trek fan friend of mine has to correct me every time i call them "brussel sprout collectors"....


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## Greyhaim (Jan 8, 2013)

*Brussel Sprouts behind frosted glass*

here is a shot of the collectors behind the frosted glass.....any ideas around and oil type wash to make the lines pop....if so what would you use....


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## Trekkriffic (Mar 20, 2007)

Greyhaim said:


> here is a shot of the collectors behind the frosted glass.....any ideas around and oil type wash to make the lines pop....if so what would you use....


Try a metallic color in the grooves of the inner dome. Testors aluminum would be lightest. Or you could go with a medium dark color like steel. Titanium would be darkest. Personally I'd want something lighter. Or is it your idea to blur the blades somehow to simulate motion? Would be a neat trick but how to do it...


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## Prowler901 (Jun 27, 2005)

Is that a pearl white paint that you've done? I like the overall look of it. :thumbsup:


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## Nova Designs (Oct 10, 2000)

I'm considering painting my blades with Tamiya clear smoke or maybe a light thinned coat of silver. I'm leaving the rest clear for lighting. The copper idea isn't that bad, although something more orange might look a little better.


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## Greyhaim (Jan 8, 2013)

I think its just the light.....i mixed a small bottle (dont know the exact size) of Tamiya XF12 thinned with 8 drops of Tamiya white....then thinned it....then lots of flat coat.


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## Greyhaim (Jan 8, 2013)

*Close up of Brus*

here is a closer shot of the collector.....


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## Greyhaim (Jan 8, 2013)

*ohhh the pain...*

so the main pain i experienced on this model.....was after all the blood sweat and lots of tears....i go to put in the metal support rod.....seemed a little tight...just a little more pressure....and "clink".....I turn it over and the bottom under the decals has a nice hair line crack thru the putty.....the very last step and then total disaster......


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## Nova Designs (Oct 10, 2000)

Aw! Well get a fine brush and run a thin bead of gap filling primer and paint over it. Should be ok... or you can leave it and call it Klingon battle damage!


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## Konar (Nov 8, 2001)

I like the look of those bussards.


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## Trekkriffic (Mar 20, 2007)

Konar said:


> I like the look of those bussards.


Ditto. Wouldn't work for a lit model but it looks very convincing for an unlit one.


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## Prowler901 (Jun 27, 2005)

Greyhaim said:


> I think its just the light.....i mixed a small bottle (dont know the exact size) of Tamiya XF12 thinned with 8 drops of Tamiya white....then thinned it....then lots of flat coat.


Hmmm... interesting. Looks pearly in that picture. I also like the looks of your broccoli sprouts. Nicely done. I hope you can recover from the metal tube support.


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## StarshipClass (Aug 13, 2003)

Greyhaim said:


> here is a closer shot of the collector.....


Looks great! :thumbsup: Very much in keeping with the established look (at least in later Trek series) of the nacelles being de-energized.


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## jaws62666 (Mar 25, 2009)

Greyhaim said:


> here is a closer shot of the collector.....


how did you frost the bussards. That is my biggest worry. I don't want to ruin them


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## Greyhaim (Jan 8, 2013)

i just hot them with some dullcote from testors


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## Greyhaim (Jan 8, 2013)

thanks...i tried to make them "pop" a little since they were not moving...on my next one i will do them slightly differently.


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## Greyhaim (Jan 8, 2013)

*My Enterprise must die....*

Well for my first model in 30 years it wasnt bad...but i made so many mistakes on the model that i didnt do justice to the Enterprise so i have decided to do another kit...and so this Enterprise must die as all i see when i look at her are the mistakes....I am going to green screen the Enterprises destruction and am looking at ideas for good ways for her to go down....i will film/edit it and post on youtube...let me know how you think she should be destroyed...

All in all it was a great kit...loved it and learned a ton...


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## MOSUGOJI (Oct 26, 2010)

would youu be willing to sell it reasonably cheap as opposed to destroying it?


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## Greyhaim (Jan 8, 2013)

sure i guess i could do that


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## drmcoy (Nov 18, 2004)

blow it up?

really?

unless you are dead set on this, seems like at the very least you could find some local fan who might really enjoy having it, or donating it to a local library or model/hobby shop for display.

seems such a shame to destroy it -- i realize how the flaws are the focal point to your eyes, but there are certainly others who would really enjoy it.


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## Trekkriffic (Mar 20, 2007)

Greyhaim said:


> Well for my first model in 30 years it wasnt bad...but i made so many mistakes on the model that i didnt do justice to the Enterprise so i have decided to do another kit...and so this Enterprise must die as all i see when i look at her are the mistakes....I am going to green screen the Enterprises destruction and am looking at ideas for good ways for her to go down....i will film/edit it and post on youtube...let me know how you think she should be destroyed...
> 
> All in all it was a great kit...loved it and learned a ton...


Don't destroy. Donate it like the good doctor suggests. Perhaps in retrospect you should have practiced on a less expensive model (like a 1/1000 scale Enterprise) to get back in the groove before tackling this beast. Now that it's done, if you still want to destroy it, consider making it into the damaged Constellation from "The Doomsday Machine." You'd need to redo the registry decals to make her the NCC-1017 somehow but you could always paint over the last two numbers and paint them on if nothing else.


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## MOSUGOJI (Oct 26, 2010)

I shudder to think of all the cool models that I blew up in my teens. I took out as manyy Space 1999 Eagle models as the show did! So if you want to sell it cheap give me a price and I'll see if my wallet is amenable to it since I just got the same model and spent the 120 odd bucks on it.


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## Captain April (May 1, 2004)

*Don't you dare destroy that ship!!* Count me among the list of those who are more than willing to give the ol' girl a good home and see what we could do with her.


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## Nova Designs (Oct 10, 2000)

You want to destroy a $150 model because you made a few mistakes? :freak:


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## SteveR (Aug 7, 2005)

Why not remove the decals? Surely you can buy another set?


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## Nova Designs (Oct 10, 2000)

I think the model looks pretty good. And decals can be redone, so can paint. Consider it practice...


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## ClubTepes (Jul 31, 2002)

I think you did a pretty good job.
Please don't destroy it.

If your not happy with how it turned out, consider giving it away as a gift or putting it on ebay (which might get you the funds to pay for another).

I like how you pick-and-chose between the clear and translucent white parts.
(translucent white for the upper saucer rectangles)

I also really like your Bussards.

Just this morning I was contemplating how I'm going to handle mine.


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## Captain April (May 1, 2004)

The registry number decal set can be had for around thirty bucks, depending on your local retailer.


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## Proper2 (Dec 8, 2010)

The thread has turned into a petition to save the ol' gal.


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## Captain April (May 1, 2004)

Hey, we're Trekkies. It's what we do.


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## StarshipClass (Aug 13, 2003)

Yeah, don't destroy it! Every artist/craftsman only see his mistakes after finishing. It's only natural. It really looks great. Someone would very much like to have it.


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## Captain April (May 1, 2004)

Worst case scenario, I could bash it with the 350 refit sitting unassembled in my garage and make that big Eldridge I've been threatening to build.


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## Chrisisall (May 12, 2011)

I bid fifty quatloos.


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## Proper2 (Dec 8, 2010)

Chrisisall said:


> I bid fifty quatloos.


300 quatloos for the new comer!


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## Greyhaim (Jan 8, 2013)

*...she is safe....I donated her to a teacher...*

Thanks for all the positive feedback...I have decided to follow everyones advice and donate her...the teacher loved it...and now is in a science classroom.


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## wjplenge (Apr 14, 2011)

A good choice. I liked the build and thought it was too nice for the fate you earlier stated still it was your build and your choice. I look forward to seeing your next one.


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## Chrisisall (May 12, 2011)

Greyhaim said:


> Thanks for all the positive feedback...I have decided to follow everyones advice and donate her...the teacher loved it...and now is in a science classroom.


:thumbsup:YOU ROCK! Good influence for the students!:thumbsup:


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## Captain April (May 1, 2004)

Well, yeah, if you're into the whole public service thing...


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## Tiberious (Nov 20, 2001)

It really isn't a bad tree.....errrr model, it just needs a little love.

Honestly, a really good effort, especially after being out of the hobby for so long!

Tib


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## whiskeyrat (May 7, 2012)

Greyhaim said:


> Thanks for all the positive feedback...I have decided to follow everyones advice and donate her...the teacher loved it...and now is in a science classroom.


Woot! Saved by the bell! :tongue:


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## Nova Designs (Oct 10, 2000)

Greyhaim said:


> Thanks for all the positive feedback...I have decided to follow everyones advice and donate her...the teacher loved it...and now is in a science classroom.


Excellent! :thumbsup:


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