# Botany Bay-1/350 scale-My first commission



## Trekkriffic (Mar 20, 2007)

*Botany Bay-1/350 scale-My first commission-FINISHED PICS!!!*

Yeah, you read it right guvna, just got my very "forrst" commission I did! 

I'll be building the 1/350 scale _Fantastic Plastic _Botany Bay from the original Star Trek episode, "_Space Seed_" ...


bb17 by trekriffic, on Flickr


Space_Seed_022 by trekriffic, on Flickr

I will be building two side-by-side- one for the client and one for me. 

His will be displayed alongside his _Master Replicas _TOS Enterprise; mine alongside my _Polar Lights/Round 2_ 1/350 TOS Enterprise. 

The client is also providing me with the Round 2 Supplemental Photo-Etch set; the brass screens for the nacelle pylons happen to be the same material as Matt Jefferies used for the four "solar panels" on the BB's aft end. 
So I will be fashioning new solar panels, brackets, and brass support rods to replace the resin ones in the kit. Since there are eight screens in the PE set there will be enough to do both ships. 
I have been asked by the client to replicate the look of the BB as it looked on screen when _Space Seed _first aired as closely as possible. 
To that end, he has gone to great lengths to provide me with all available photo references of the original model along with his own schematics with dimensions for the solar panales and support rods calculated for the scale. 

I've constructed solar panels and support rods to practice my soldering.:


IMG_5034 by trekriffic, on Flickr

Support rods made from 1/32" wide brass. These were for practice and not the final ones I'll be using for the builds:


IMG_5037 by trekriffic, on Flickr

Screens cut from some of my stash of PE. Again, these were for practice, I'll be using the screens from the Round 2 PE set for the final version:


IMG_5038 by trekriffic, on Flickr

Screens with 1/16" wide Plastruct frames:


IMG_5039 by trekriffic, on Flickr

The final solar panel screens will utilize narrower 3/64" wide strip sanded down to close to 1/32" wide. 

Solar panel with brackets fitted to support rod. Practice, practice, practice:


IMG_5041 by trekriffic, on Flickr


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## Trekkriffic (Mar 20, 2007)

Here's the alignment jig I fashioned from Evergreen sheet and strip made after one designed by the gents at Atomic City. I did make one small improvement by adding a piece of Plastruct U channel to the face of the angled vertical alignment piece for what will be the horizontal leg of the brass support rod to rest in:


IMG_5051 by trekriffic, on Flickr


IMG_5052 by trekriffic, on Flickr

The jig on the left was my own idea for use in making the frames:


IMG_5053 by trekriffic, on Flickr

Both kits are set to arrive on Saturday via USPS.

Building the Botany Bay, much less building two, is going to be such a blast! 
"I must confess, gentlemen. I've always held a sneaking admiration for this one."


More to come...


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## DCH10664 (Jul 16, 2012)

Can't wait to see how you trick out these two models. I've always liked the Botany Bay. And Khan, for that matter. Yes I know you aren't suppose to like the bad guy. But he was the baddest, of the bad. And you got to admit that it took guts to put yourself into a sleeper ship. Not knowing if, when, or where you may wake up !


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## Trekkriffic (Mar 20, 2007)

Thanks DCH! 

Got both kits along with the PE set. Aside from some flash and p0ur stubs the parts were in good condition. No major voids or pinholes:


IMG_5063 by trekriffic, on Flickr


IMG_5059 by trekriffic, on Flickr

I was especially pleased with the detail of the grills on the cargo pod. This would have been a real chore to clean up if the molding had been less than perfect. The client has asked that I deepen the seams between the pods so they look more like separate units:


IMG_5062 by trekriffic, on Flickr

The parts were soaked in dishsoap overnight to remove mold release although the parts were not greasy to the touch when received:


IMG_5069 by trekriffic, on Flickr

Today I got started cleaning up the subassemblies by removing flash and pour stube, etc. Right off the bat I found an error with the three rectangular angled bits on the stern of the nuclear engine pod. They were molded in reverse. the higher end should face forward, so I had to cut them off and flip them around:


IMG_5070 by trekriffic, on Flickr

I also noticed that these two raised panels between the rectangular bits were wrong:


IMG_5084 by trekriffic, on Flickr

They should look more like this:


BB Stern Detail by trekriffic, on Flickr

I will remove them and make new panels to match the studio model.

The sides of the engine pod needed to be filed and sanded flat since the kit part had sides slightly curved, perhaps to help when the master was removed from the mold?


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## Trekkriffic (Mar 20, 2007)

Another correction I made was to the curve of the center section where it meets the face of the engine pod. As molded ther curve was too wide and needed to be sharper. Thankfully my client sent me some drawings in 1/350 scale so I could use them for reference to get the curve right. I used my exacto knife, files, and sanding sticks to accurize the curvature.

Here's a comparison pic with the modified neck superimposed over the as molded neck:


IMG_5082 by trekriffic, on Flickr

Here's the part after I finished working on it laid atop the drawing. Much better:


IMG_5079 by trekriffic, on Flickr

Another thing the client requested was that I reduce the height of the four angled bits at the front of the engine pod neck where it butts up against the flat backside of the 8 sided main body:


IMG_5071 by trekriffic, on Flickr

He provided pics with notations on what he wants to see which I printed off:


IMG_5076 by trekriffic, on Flickr

Looks more like it now.

That's it folks!

More Botany Bay goodness to come! :thumbsup:


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## Jafo (Apr 22, 2005)

coming along nicely


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## harristotle (Aug 7, 2008)

Wow, amazing the work that can go into such a seemingly simple model...


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## Trekkriffic (Mar 20, 2007)

Conferred with the client and he was pleased with the attention to detail I showed in catching the errors with the upper engine pod angled panels and grills. He wasn't so sure about my thoughts that the sweep of the neck curves were too wide and voiced a preference for the as molded sweep of the kit part. Since there are no really good straight overhead shots of the studio model to refer it would be hard to say one way or the other. Still, the client is always right and, fortunately, I have 2 kits and haven't done anything yet to the other engine pod so I can use that one for the client build and use the modified one with the shallower neck curves for mine. He did like my suggestion for adding a chamfer at the base of the neck where it goes flat along the face ot the engine pod rather than leaving the curve as one long uninterrupted sweep which does not match the studio miniature. Even in shadow you can see the chamfer in this brightened up image where the wooden neck joins with the wooden engine pod of the studio model:


bb04 by trekriffic, on Flickr

I didn't ask him if he wanted the solar/communication array support rods twisted and bent but I don't think they looked like that on screen back in the day and he wants an un-remastered on screen look so I guess I'll make them nice and straight.


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## Trekkriffic (Mar 20, 2007)

Did some dry fitting with the resin solar panel/communications array support arms. Quite a bit of cleanup required on the slots to get the arms to fit. Also cleaned up the parting lines on the arms. Looks good though and the angle is perfect. I still need to drill a 1/32" diameter hole into the end of the arm for the brass rod to fit for the new support rod I soldered together for the array:


IMG_5103 by trekriffic, on Flickr


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## whiskeyrat (May 7, 2012)

Another great looking build! You just don't seem to slow down dude!


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## Trekkriffic (Mar 20, 2007)

This weekend's progress... not much I'm afraid... I was sidetracked on another project...

The nose needed some work. Not as sharp and pointy as it should be:


IMG_5143 by trekriffic, on Flickr

I decided to file it flat and drill a hole in preparation for installing a brass tip that I turned on my dremel:


IMG_5138 by trekriffic, on Flickr

The new nosecone glued on with CA:


IMG_5139 by trekriffic, on Flickr

The nose after puttying with Tamiya epoxy putty:


IMG_5140 by trekriffic, on Flickr

The "ears" on the sail needed some work too. On the left is the as molded kit part with soft edges and on the right is my improved version using styrene strip and Tamiya putty to sharpen the edges:


IMG_5145 by trekriffic, on Flickr

One the putty dries I'll be sanding the nose and ears to smoothen them.


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## kdaracal (Jan 24, 2009)

Very nice!


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## Trekkriffic (Mar 20, 2007)

kdaracal said:


> Very nice!


Thanks but my client pointerd out that the nose should be more rounded so I either file this one down a bit to round it off or make a new rounder tip in brass and install it in the other kit part and use that one for his build. He liked the "ears" though.


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## orbital drydock (Apr 23, 2013)

WOW!!
This is freakin' AWESOME!
I absolutely love that you're doing the soldiered brass solar panels!
You're client has got to be stoked!


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## Trekkriffic (Mar 20, 2007)

orbital drydock said:


> WOW!!
> This is freakin' AWESOME!
> I absolutely love that you're doing the soldiered brass solar panels!
> You're client has got to be stoked!


Yes. I think he's pretty happy so far but he's very demanding! 

Seriously, he's a real fan of the BB and he keeps me on point with all the little details. Fortunately, I'm very detail oriented so it's a good match.


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## Trekkriffic (Mar 20, 2007)

Today's work...

I filed and sanded the brass nose to make it more rounded. This met with the client's approval:


IMG_5147 by trekriffic, on Flickr

I added a strip of v-groove sheet to the leading edge of the sail:


IMG_5149 by trekriffic, on Flickr

Studio Model:


bb02 by trekriffic, on Flickr

I noticed in the same image that the kit has a crosshatched panel in front of the sail which didn't match the studio image at all. You can see the kit part on the left and my accurized version on the right:


IMG_5160 by trekriffic, on Flickr

The other thing I noticed was that the position of the first side panel on the slanted face under the sail was too far forward. It also needs to have horizontal incised lines. I will remove it and replace it with the v-groove sheet posiitoned further back and closer to the second panel which will also be replaced with grooved sheet:


IMG_5161 by trekriffic, on Flickr


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## Landru (May 25, 2009)

Cool and precise work! I had no idea the studio models was still in existence!


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## Trekkriffic (Mar 20, 2007)

Got some work done at lunch today...

Finished revising the angled panels and the grills in between on the stern engine pod:


IMG_5164 by trekriffic, on Flickr


IMG_5165 by trekriffic, on Flickr

Filed off the old panels and added the new ones to the forward slanted upper sides of the main body:



I used my miter saw and dymo label tape to cut the seams between the cargo pods on the sides. Since there were none there to begin with I used two pieces of label tape straddling the edge as a guide to keep the blade from wandering while I sawed. I used the saw and a scribing tool to deepen the existing seams on the front and back faces:


IMG_5172 by trekriffic, on Flickr


IMG_5173 by trekriffic, on Flickr

The base:


IMG_5174 by trekriffic, on Flickr

The base had to be 3/8" thick and no more than 4.5" long x 2.5" wide with a 30 degree angle taken from the vetical on the sides to fit inside the client's acrylic display case next to his MR Enterprise. It will be painted flat black.


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## kdaracal (Jan 24, 2009)

Very nice accuratizing. Nice to see this being done by the Master......


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## starmanmm (Mar 19, 2000)

Nice job.

Decide on a color?


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## Trekkriffic (Mar 20, 2007)

starmanmm said:


> Nice job.
> 
> Decide on a color?


The client wants the on-screen look of the original so the basic hull color will probably be something like Light Ghost Grey with some Dark Ghost Grey dry brushed on for shadowing. It will be heavily weathered with a rusty, scorched black pattern as close to the original as I can make it.


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## Trekkriffic (Mar 20, 2007)

Pics from today...

I did a dry fit and noticed significant gaps between the cargo pod module and the main hull. The module also did not sit level; the tail of the hull tended to sag downward just a little. I added styrene strips to shim the sides and the back end of the cargo pod to tighten the fit and raise the tail end up:


IMG_5246 by trekriffic, on Flickr

The mounting hole:


IMG_5263 by trekriffic, on Flickr

The cargo pod was drilled and a brass pin inserted to provide additional strength to the bond with the main hull. It was glued together with Gorilla Glue brand CA. The model sits perfectly level on its base now:


IMG_5249 by trekriffic, on Flickr


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## Trekkriffic (Mar 20, 2007)

The client wanted the tops of the cargo pod decks (port and starboard) to be level with the angled edges of the main hull which meant I needed to raise the level of the decks as they sat about 1/32" too low. I decided to built a framework of styrene strip on top of the decks around the existing panels:


IMG_5250 by trekriffic, on Flickr

At the same time I filled in the seam between the cargo pod module and the main hull with AVES follpwed by Perfect Plastic Putty:


IMG_5256 by trekriffic, on Flickr

AVES was applied to the upper cargo pod surfaces and smoothed to provide a flat surface for gluing two pieces of .010 styrene sheet. These would be the new upper cargo pod hull plates and would be level with the edge of the main "pencil" hull:


IMG_5257 by trekriffic, on Flickr

CA was brushed onto the surfaces after sanding and styrene sheet was glued down:


IMG_5258 by trekriffic, on Flickr

New covers were cut from .010 styrene sheet:


IMG_5259 by trekriffic, on Flickr

The new covers/panels were glued ont he Testors liquid cement. The edges were puttied with PPP:


IMG_5261 by trekriffic, on Flickr


IMG_5262 by trekriffic, on Flickr

I should reiterate that I am building two of these ships. This one will be mine. I will take the lessons I've learned on this build and use them to build an even better model for the client.


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## Fernando Mureb (Nov 12, 2006)

Amazing build and detailed / instructive thread, as always. That have been your trademark.:thumbsup:


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## Trekkriffic (Mar 20, 2007)

Today's update...

Made the little cargo pod clamps that go on top behind the sail along where the spine meets the cargo pods. I used styrene strip. The client specifically asked that I make these:


IMG_5264 by trekriffic, on Flickr

You can see where they go in this pic of the studio model:


bb15 by trekriffic, on Flickr

After installing the clamps with CA and doing some general cleanup with sanding sticks and a rag I gave her an overall coat of Duplicolor automotive primer:


IMG_5265 by trekriffic, on Flickr

The clamps:


IMG_5266 by trekriffic, on Flickr


IMG_5274 by trekriffic, on Flickr

The kit did not come with these two conduits molded in so I added them using half round Plastruct tubing:


IMG_5267 by trekriffic, on Flickr

The seam between the cargo pod assembly and the pencil hull after filling and scribing. I followed the client's advice and filled in some of the earlier seamwork I'd done with the miter saw making the seams shallower and not so pronounced:


IMG_5270 by trekriffic, on Flickr

The nuclear engine pod after reversing and reshaping the three angled panels and completely remaking the other two grills in between. I also filed the four brackets that butt up against the pencil hull making them lower:


IMG_5272 by trekriffic, on Flickr


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## Trekkriffic (Mar 20, 2007)

Bow shot showing the cargo pod seams on the front:


IMG_5277 by trekriffic, on Flickr

The model sits very level and solidly on it's base. Adding lead weight to the base may not be necessary as the client and I had discussed doing at the start of this project:


IMG_5269 by trekriffic, on Flickr

My homage to Space Seed...


IMG_5278 by trekriffic, on Flickr


Now I get to start working on the rear solar panels. 

Wish me luck! :thumbsup:


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## Nova Mike (Apr 26, 2009)

Beautiful thanks for sharing this build looking forward the continuing adventures :thumbsup:


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## harristotle (Aug 7, 2008)

I'm not a big fan of the Botany Bay as a ship, but your attention to detail is incredible. Not to mention the scratch building you've done to make the kit 100% correct. As always, amazing job!


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## DCH10664 (Jul 16, 2012)

This has become a tutorial on how to build the perfect Botany Bay ! Your attention to detail is amazing ! :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:


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## Prowler901 (Jun 27, 2005)

Super job as usual, Steve. :thumbsup: Really love that last shot with the Enterprise.


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## Trekkriffic (Mar 20, 2007)

Thankls for the compliments guys. The client noticed a few areas that needed to be addressed chiefly related to the grooves on the front and back faces of the cargo pods. I'd done some puttying with AVES and some had gotten into the grooves. It didn't really become apparent until the primer stage. I went back and scraped away the putty and rescribed some lines. I also addresses a few spots that needed to be cleaned and sharpened up, mostly on corners and such. Resin is a real challenge as it's softer than styrene so corners tend to round off more easily. Since this is my build I'm using it as a guinea pig so I will know better what I'm doing when I go to build the client's ship. One thing I'm seriously considering is laying a strip of metal along the top edge of the cargo pod module. I'd carve a shallow channel along the top and side edge of the resin then cut a length of thin brass strip to lay into the slot, fold it over to the correct angle and glue it on with CA. Then putty and sand to blend it into the resin. That would ensure those corners stay sharp. Stay tuned.


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## Trekkriffic (Mar 20, 2007)

Cut out the "solar panels" (or are they antennas?) from the Round 2 PE set:


IMG_5280 by trekriffic, on Flickr

Glued on one side of the frames using my frame jig. I'll make four more and pick the best four for the client's build although these four look fine:


IMG_5283 by trekriffic, on Flickr

Just need to glue the stretchers to the backside and then I'll move onto attaching the mounting brackets. 

I mentioned in my previous post that I might glue some brass strips to the top edge of the cargo pod assembly so that's what I did after carving a shallow recess along both edges of the resin for the brass to snuggle down into:


IMG_5284 by trekriffic, on Flickr


IMG_5282 by trekriffic, on Flickr

Now I won't have to worrry about the sharp corners getting worn off anymore. I will probably do the same thing to the ears on both sides of the sail as those are even worse for wear. The trick will be blending the edges of the brass in with the resin. I got some Milliput at my LHS this afternoon and will give it a try. It should work better than my Tamiya epoxy putty which is old and very stiff. Hopefully the Milliput will be easier to smooth and blend.


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## harristotle (Aug 7, 2008)

The extent you go to, to capture such minuscule details never ceases to amaze me!


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## Trekkriffic (Mar 20, 2007)

harristotle said:


> The extent you go to, to capture such minuscule details never ceases to amaze me!


That's a true compliment considering what you're doing with your 1/2500 Enterprises my friend. :thumbsup:


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## Trekkriffic (Mar 20, 2007)

Today's update...

After applying Milliput to the brass strips on the cargo pod edges and letting dry overnight I sanded the edges smooth. I was pleased with how easily Milliput sands and feathers. After priming I noticed that the re-scribing I'd done on some of the grillwork didn't turn out so well; it's fortunate this isn't the client's build as he is a real stickler for neat grillwork. In my case, I am just going to attribute the damaged grills to the wear and tear this ship has suffered during it's centuries long exposure to the "elements". She flew thru a stray meteor shower perhaps? Anyway, no big deal as it just makes it look more weathered and authentic in my mind. When it comes time to build the client's ship though I'll mask off the pod grills with Tamiya tape so no putty will get into the grooves. It will also keep paint from accumulating in them and obscuring the detail.

Anyway, after priming with Duplicolor I gave her an overall shoit of Testors flat black:


IMG_5286 by trekriffic, on Flickr

I also finished half of the framing for the second set of four solar panels; these will be the four I'll use for my ship. The other four are the best of the lot and are set aside for the client's ship; they are slightly more uniform in size, although you'd need a ruler or a very keen eye to notice any differences with the four shown here. Perehaps a variance of 1/64" or less in some of the dimensions but still acceptable. Still need to do the framing on the other side and glue on the brackets. I also applied a tiny dollop of JB Weld to the solder joint of the support rods for added strength:


IMG_5291 by trekriffic, on Flickr


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## Trekkriffic (Mar 20, 2007)

Today's update...

Finished framing the screens and making sure no CA was left covering any holes. The client calls these solar panels but to my mind they look more like communications arrays what with all the holes and all. Solar panels are solid aren't they? No matter, after shaping the brackets from styrene strip I glued them to the brass support rod with CA being mindfull of the proper angle and spacing:


IMG_5292 by trekriffic, on Flickr

The support rod assembly and panels were placed into the alignment jig and the brackets were glued to the frames:


IMG_5295 by trekriffic, on Flickr

A completed array:


IMG_5296 by trekriffic, on Flickr


IMG_5297 by trekriffic, on Flickr

The array inserted into the support strut:


IMG_5299 by trekriffic, on Flickr

What's better than one completed array? Two of course!


IMG_5302 by trekriffic, on Flickr

My jigs. To the left is the support rod/panel alignment jig, to the top right is the frame stretcher jig, and on the bottom is the support rod bracket jig:


IMG_5306 by trekriffic, on Flickr

Next thing to do is spray the Botany Bay with a coat of rust. Before that I'll glue on the support struts to the stern pod and spray the arrays with grey primer. 

:thumbsup:


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## crowe-t (Jul 30, 2010)

Excellent job so far Trek! You attention to details is first rate.:thumbsup:


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## Trekkriffic (Mar 20, 2007)

Thanks Crowe-t!

Here are the panels inserted into the support struts:


IMG_5307 by trekriffic, on Flickr

IMG_5308 by trekriffic, on Flickr

IMG_5309 by trekriffic, on Flickr

IMG_5310 by trekriffic, on Flickr

After the last batch of pics in my prior posting the client had some samll concerns I needed to address for his build. He really wants to keep the thickness of the solar/communuication panels at the same thickness as the brass support rods which are 1/32" in diameter. He also stressed keeping the corners sharp. This meant falt sanding the frames down to about half their original thickess (actually slightly less than half considering the thickness of the photo-etch) which I did on this panel where I'm holding ot against a piece of the brass rod:


IMG_5318 by trekriffic, on Flickr

He also asked me to hsorten the brackets that attach to the frames which I will do by reconfiguring my jig a little bit. 

The last concern centered on the fillets at the T-joint where the horizontal and vertical support rods meet. I stressed the importance oif maintaining a fillet as a means of strengthening the joint. He wanted me to eliminate the fillets entirely. He suggested gluing the brass rods together which I said would not be a good idea. He was adamant about not wanting any fillet at the joint though so I told him I would see about filing and sanding the solder in the T-joint of the support rods I'd already soldered to reduce the fillets with the understanding that this would weaken the joint and make it subject to breaking more easily if the joint was flexed much at all. His feeling was that, since this model will be displayed inside an acrylic case, the risk of accidental flexing would be minimal and the risk acceptable. So I went ahead and filed, sanded, and actually shaved away the solder to eliminate the fillet on the support rod asssembly shown here:


IMG_5320 by trekriffic, on Flickr

For the ship I'm building for myself, I'll keep the fillets and frames the same thickness as they are now since mine will not have a protective case covering it and I want the arrays to be beefier. I did reduce the hieght of the attachment brackets by filing a little off so they have a lower profile now. 

:thumbsup:


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## MisterM (Oct 17, 2009)

Trekkriffic said:


> Today's update...
> 
> The client calls these solar panels but to my mind they look more like communications arrays what with all the holes and all.


I always thought of them as heat dissipation radiators for the nuclear engines. At any rate, you are doing a fantastic job on these models. Keep up the great work and looking forward to updates!


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## DCH10664 (Jul 16, 2012)

MisterM said:


> I always thought of them as heat dissipation radiators for the nuclear engines. At any rate, you are doing a fantastic job on these models. Keep up the great work and looking forward to updates!


While watching Space Seed, at first glance, I too thought these were solar panels. But had the ship needed solar power, it would have made better sense to have much larger panels placed on the skin of the cargo pods. So they are most likely communication arrays. Although I do like the idea of heat dissipation radiators. It's a shame Matt isn't around to set us straight.


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## Trekkriffic (Mar 20, 2007)

DCH10664 said:


> While watching Space Seed, at first glance, I too thought these were solar panels. But had the ship needed solar power, it would have made better sense to have much larger panels placed on the skin of the cargo pods. So they are most likely communication arrays. Although I do like the idea of heat dissipation radiators. It's a shame Matt isn't around to set us straight.


The only thing that bothers me about having them be antennas would be the proximity to the nuclear engines. Would radiation have any effect on radio signals? I like the idea of them being heat dissipation radiators a lot.


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## DCH10664 (Jul 16, 2012)

Trekkriffic said:


> The only thing that bothers me about having them be antennas would be the proximity to the nuclear engines. Would radiation have any effect on radio signals? I like the idea of them being heat dissipation radiators a lot.


I'm no expert on the subject, but I think you are right about the radiation effecting the radio signal. Especially when you take into account the electronic used at the time. If I remember correctly, Scotty referred to the electronics as being "solid bulky transistors".

On another note. Is this ship intended to be accurate to the episode Space seed ? Because after watching it recently, I noticed that the Botany Bay appears to have damage to one of it's cargo bays. It can be seen as the ship rolls away from the Enterprise.


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## Trekkriffic (Mar 20, 2007)

DCH10664 said:


> I'm no expert on the subject, but I think you are right about the radiation effecting the radio signal. Especially when you take into account the electronic used at the time. If I remember correctly, Scotty referred to the electronics as being "solid bulky transistors".
> 
> On another note. Is this ship intended to be accurate to the episode Space seed ? Because after watching it recently, I noticed that the Botany Bay appears to have damage to one of it's cargo bays. It can be seen as the ship rolls away from the Enterprise.


Are you referring to the remastered version of the ship? If so, then yes, there was damage to at least one of the cargo pods. The original episode showed no such damage as I recall.


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## DCH10664 (Jul 16, 2012)

Trekkriffic said:


> Are you referring to the remastered version of the ship? If so, then yes, there was damage to at least one of the cargo pods. The original episode showed no such damage as I recall.


I can't really say if it was the remastered version or not. I just found the episode online and watched it. But you always seem to have your facts straight. So I will take your word for it.


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## Trekkriffic (Mar 20, 2007)

DCH10664 said:


> I can't really say if it was the remastered version or not. I just found the episode online and watched it. But you always seem to have your facts straight. So I will take your word for it.


Looking at the Cloudster pics of the oriiginal studio model confirms no damage to the cargo pods. And if you saw a scene where the BB rolls away from the Enterprise then I'm 99% sure it's the remastered version. The BB in the original epsiode never did that.


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## DCH10664 (Jul 16, 2012)

Trekkriffic said:


> Looking at the Cloudster pics of the oriiginal studio model confirms no damage to the cargo pods. And if you saw a scene where the BB rolls away from the Enterprise then I'm 99% sure it's the remastered version. The BB in the original epsiode never did that.


Well in this version the BB definitely rolled away from the big E. So that's cool. I just learned something new !!! :thumbsup:


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## harristotle (Aug 7, 2008)

DCH10664 said:


> While watching Space Seed, at first glance, I too thought these were solar panels. But had the ship needed solar power, it would have made better sense to have much larger panels placed on the skin of the cargo pods. So they are most likely communication arrays. Although I do like the idea of heat dissipation radiators. It's a shame Matt isn't around to set us straight.


Aren't the cargo pods removeable? If that's the case, by putting solar panels on the cargo pods you'd risk not having a power source on an unladen vessel. 

The idea of heat dissipation radiators is a good idea though.


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## Trekkriffic (Mar 20, 2007)

harristotle said:


> Aren't the cargo pods removeable? If that's the case, by putting solar panels on the cargo pods you'd risk not having a power source on an unladen vessel.
> 
> The idea of heat dissipation radiators is a good idea though.


Good catch! I'm thinking heat dissipators is the most logical choice. Although the idea of coolants flowing through those flimsy tibes and struts gives me the willies! One meteor strike and suddenly you're leaking coolant and facing a core meltdown.


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## harristotle (Aug 7, 2008)

Trekkriffic said:


> Good catch! I'm thinking heat dissipators is the most logical choice. Although the idea of coolants flowing through those flimsy tibes and struts gives me the willies! One meteor strike and suddenly you're leaking coolant and facing a core meltdown.


It's crazy to look at current space systems and how delicate they can be. Sure makes you appreciate the deflector dish on the Enterprise a little more lol


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## Trekkriffic (Mar 20, 2007)

Update-o-rama...

I started working onthe client's build...


After some general cleanup of pour stubs, mold seams, and flash I drilled the mounting hole into the underside of the cargo pod, inserted the 7/32" OD half-inch long brass tubeinto the hole with a press fit, and placed it onto the 3/16" OD brass tube in the stand. The cargo pods sat nice and level with the base. Then I took a slightly different approach with the main "pencil" hull. To get it to sit level on the previous build and not droop in the stern I shimmed the slot at the rear of the pod using styrene strips to raise up the rear of the pencil. This worked well but necessitated a lot of puttying to fill the rather large gap created between the faceted faces of the pencil hull and the back face of the cargo pods. It also raised the pencil higher in the slot which meant, to make the edge of the pencil level with the angled upper deck of the pods, I had to add a piece of sheet styrene on both sides and make four new hatches from thin sheet; not hard to do but a lot of extra work. 

This time around I failed and sanded away the lower facets of the pencil where it sits in the front of the cargo pod slot:


IMG_5338 by trekriffic, on Flickr

So rather than raise the rear I lowered the front. It sits level with the base now:


IMG_5340 by trekriffic, on Flickr

This will mean much less puttying and better alignment of the individual cargo pod bay seams with the edges of the facets of the pencil hull. It also served to seat the pencil lower in the slot which will allow the edge of the pencil to match up nice and level with the upper pod deck on each side. 
There is a small gap but it will be puttied and sanded so the surfaces match up just right. 

Last for today, I've been going back and forth with the client on the proper shape, thickness, and width for the soalr/communication/heat radiator panels on the stern. As noted in my previous post, I had already filed and shaved away the fillet on one of the support rod assemblies per the cleint's request to make them more accurate to the studio miniature. The other strut will get the same treatment shortly. I then sanded and filed two of the panels to reduce their thickness and width per the client's request. The panels are now 1/32" wide and 1/32" thick to match the thickness of the support rods. After thinning them I sanded the frames along their edges to restore their overall rounded contour. I also shortened the height of the brackets that secure the panels to the support rods. 

Here's a good picture of the studio models panels:


P185_7 by trekriffic, on Flickr

And here is my Mark II panels array:


IMG_5346 by trekriffic, on Flickr


IMG_5347 by trekriffic, on Flickr


IMG_5348 by trekriffic, on Flickr


IMG_5351 by trekriffic, on Flickr


IMG_5352 by trekriffic, on Flickr


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## Trekkriffic (Mar 20, 2007)

Comparing the new array to the ones I made for the previous build you can see they are about half as thick:


IMG_5355 by trekriffic, on Flickr


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## Trekkriffic (Mar 20, 2007)

Hurray! Just heard from the client and the new panels have passed inspection! What a relief! Tallyho!!! :thumbsup:


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## MGagen (Dec 18, 2001)

They are most likely heat radiators. Heat is difficult to dissipate in a vacuum. Large radiators would be necessary on any nuclear powered craft.

Recall that in the novel _2001: A Space Odyssey_, Clarke describes the Discovery as having large, v-shaped radiators on either side of the engines. Kubrick didn't like anything that might be mistaken for wings or fins, so they tried several different configurations before they abandoned them altogether. It is one of the few technical flaws in the movie.

M.


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## Trekkriffic (Mar 20, 2007)

So got some work done over the weekend and today on the two Botany Bays...

The one I'm building for myself got a coat of Testors rust sprayed on over the black:


IMG_5356 by trekriffic, on Flickr

For the client build...

Front smooth panels were replaced with grooved panels sanded to paper thinness. Rear nuclear engine pod was attached with brass tube reinforcement for the joint:


IMG_5357 by trekriffic, on Flickr

Test fit of rear screens with resin struts inserted into slots on either side of engine pod:


IMG_5358 by trekriffic, on Flickr


IMG_5359 by trekriffic, on Flickr


IMG_5363 by trekriffic, on Flickr

Top of pod after switching angled panels around and adding new grills in between using grooved sheet:


IMG_5361 by trekriffic, on Flickr


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## Trekkriffic (Mar 20, 2007)

Seams were scribed deeper on faces of cargo pod and added to edges between pods on the sides using an exacto knife and a metal straight edge:


IMG_5365 by trekriffic, on Flickr


IMG_5366 by trekriffic, on Flickr

In case anyone thinks they are too deep remember this willl be getting 4 coats of primer and paint so that will fil them in quite a bit which is something I was accounting for. 

More to come...


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## harristotle (Aug 7, 2008)

Looking awesome! I can't wait to see a picture of the two of them side by side for the subtle differences.


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## Fernando Mureb (Nov 12, 2006)

A clean, accurate, delicate and beautiful construction. :thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:


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## Trekkriffic (Mar 20, 2007)

Slow and steady progress after dealing with family issues last week...

The client ship has been sanded smooth and primed with Tamiya Grey Fine Surface Primer:


IMG_5414 by trekriffic, on Flickr

Still need to finish sanding and priming the sail "ears" after adding thin brass sheet to their faces. The resin is softer than styrene and it was difficult to keep the edges of the ears pointy and sharp. The brass solves that problem. After gluing the brass strips on with CA I puttied and blended the edges into the resin with AVES:


IMG_5367 by trekriffic, on Flickr

I'll sand smooth and brush on some Mr Surfacer. That will tell me if I have any "holidays" that need further attention such as laying on some surface filler putty and sanding some more.

Meanwhile with my own ship...

After four layers of paint airbrushed over the Tamiya primer (flat black, rust, medium grey, and a mix of voodoo grey, light ghost grey, and Floquil Flat Base) I set about beating the crap out of this ship with sanding films to expose the underlying layers following the weathering patterns of the original studio model as closely as possible for a model this size. This is just the start:


IMG_5368 by trekriffic, on Flickr


IMG_5369 by trekriffic, on Flickr


IMG_5370 by trekriffic, on Flickr


IMG_5371 by trekriffic, on Flickr


IMG_5372 by trekriffic, on Flickr


IMG_5373 by trekriffic, on Flickr

Some of the weathering was conjectural on my part; mainly on the ventral surfaces as there aren't many good reference photos from low angles.


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## crowe-t (Jul 30, 2010)

WOW the weathering looks fantastic! I like the idea of sanding through the layers of different color paints. It's how a real ship would get weathered.


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## Trekkriffic (Mar 20, 2007)

More beat to crap ship shots:


IMG_5375 by trekriffic, on Flickr


IMG_5376 by trekriffic, on Flickr

The next set of photos show the next stage as I airbrushed some more of the hull color over the top to tone down the weathering to something more appropriate for the scale then went back in with black and two shades of rust Tamiya oil pastels rubbed in with sponge applicators and a cotton swab. I then went back over some of the darkest patches with more of the hull color mixed with thinner and dry-brushed on until I thought it looked good. The trick is to find a balance between too much and not enough weathering which is where it helps to have an artist's eye:


IMG_5404 by trekriffic, on Flickr


IMG_5405 by trekriffic, on Flickr


IMG_5410 by trekriffic, on Flickr


IMG_5409 by trekriffic, on Flickr

Teaser shot:


IMG_5412 by trekriffic, on Flickr

The solar/communication/thermal radiation panel arrays (pick whichever term you prefer) have been dry-brushed with flat black over the primer followed by a dry-brush of the hull color. I did a dry fit and they look nice. 

I will go back over my ship lightly with tan pastel chalks tomorrow to more closely match the tan tones of the studio model. The pastel chalks will give me great control over the blending and shading, moreso than with paints. We'll see how it goes and my client and I will discuss what he thinks looks best before I start on his ship.

Thanks for reading along!


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## harristotle (Aug 7, 2008)

Simply beautiful, you are such an inspiration!


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## jgoldsack (Apr 26, 2004)

That is looking awesome.


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## Trekkriffic (Mar 20, 2007)

Here are a few pics of my finished model... now I have to finish the client's build...


IMG_5528 by trekriffic, on Flickr


IMG_5529 by trekriffic, on Flickr


IMG_5530 by trekriffic, on Flickr


IMG_5531 by trekriffic, on Flickr


IMG_5533 by trekriffic, on Flickr


IMG_5523 by trekriffic, on Flickr


IMG_5521 by trekriffic, on Flickr


IMG_5519 by trekriffic, on Flickr


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## Trekkriffic (Mar 20, 2007)

IMG_5511 by trekriffic, on Flickr


IMG_5512 by trekriffic, on Flickr


IMG_5510 by trekriffic, on Flickr


IMG_5509 by trekriffic, on Flickr


IMG_5508 by trekriffic, on Flickr


IMG_5507 by trekriffic, on Flickr


IMG_5495 by trekriffic, on Flickr


IMG_5480 by trekriffic, on Flickr


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## crowe-t (Jul 30, 2010)

It came out beautiful! Great job on all the corrections and the paint work.


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## Trekkriffic (Mar 20, 2007)

Today's update... a short one for a change...

After input from my client regarding the look of my own ship and what he wanted for his build, I mixed up a custom mix of Light Ghost Grey, Voodoo Grey, Neutral Grey, Russian Earth Grey, and Flat White. The Russian Earth Grey is a dark brown grey and gives the hull an overall tannish grey color which my client favors. This mix was airbrushed on over the matte black, and rust layers. The pics below were taken in full sun on my worktable at the front of my garage and are a little washed out. The actual color is more brownish:


IMG_5561 by trekriffic, on Flickr

Here is a comparison shot next to my completed BB:


IMG_5565 by trekriffic, on Flickr

I went very understated on the tan color for my own ship (it's more visible on the nose than elsewhere) opting to give the model a rub with Light Brown oil pastels rather than incorporating the brown into the paint mix. I also went easy on the rusty red ruddiness. So mine is very muted as far as the red and tan colors go. For the client ship's weathering I will add more rusty ruddiness (lightly) to the zone between the black and the hull colors and deepen some of the black patches using Tamiya pastels; particularly on the side of the sail, the cargo pods, and the atomic engine pod in such a way that the intensity of the dark patches balance each other. I really like the color of this basecoat insofar as I think it satisfies the client's wishes for more brown in the overall hull color but is still basically grey. It will also give the hull a uniformity and cohesiveness from stem to stern in the color tone of the hull. 
The client also asked that I lighten the "solar" panels to be closer to the hull color rather than so dark as I show in the previous photos of my ship. I had already come to the same conclusion that they needed to be lighter so I brushed the client's panels with the tannish grey mix (over a black lacquer undercoat) and removed the arrays on my ship to drybrush the panels with a mix of Light Ghost Grey and Neutral Grey. The panels will show up much better now in my space scenes should I ever decide to take more pictures of it. Weathering to me is a real art, probably it's the one time I really get to flex my artistic muscles during a build and make the ship unique. Using pastels it's like the model is a canvas and I'm drawing and shading on it's surface.


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## Trekkriffic (Mar 20, 2007)

I liked the color of the client's basecoat so much I went back and re-sprayed my ship with the same tannish grey mix. After a shot of Dullcote I went back in and retouched some of the weathering to add a little more rusty redness and deepen some of the black scoring. I also retouched the silver patches which are more extensive than one might think at first glance.The difference is subtle but I think it gives the ship a more unified overall appearance. I also removed the panels on the rear and repainted them with the same color then sealed with Dulllcote and weathered them with silver and a little rust:


IMG_5586 by trekriffic, on Flickr


IMG_5589 by trekriffic, on Flickr


IMG_5591 by trekriffic, on Flickr


IMG_5592 by trekriffic, on Flickr


IMG_5594 by trekriffic, on Flickr


IMG_5596 by trekriffic, on Flickr

I'll take some better pics when I finish the client's build and can take some comparison shots.


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## Trekkriffic (Mar 20, 2007)

The Botany Bay continues to evolve... 

The client pointed out that there are really two tones of brown on the hull- a lighter tannish grey and a darker almost "paper bag" brown. 
Also he was concerned that the orange rust I was using in places was too orange and not red enough. He also wanted the center portions of the black meteor scoring patches deepened and darkened a bit. But he said to be careful and not go overboard on the intensity level, keep it in scale, so......
I went out and purchased a third Tamiya pastel set that included a powder called "burnt red". I also found that a powder in the second set I bought called "Rust" was a pretty close approximation to "paper bag" brown. So with the new pastels in hand I set about working on my ship, the guinea pig if you will, to see if I could match the "garage" images of the studio model even better than before. 4 hours later and with a little dry-brushing with black enamel on the meteor impact strikes and a few coats of Dulcote this is what she looks like. I took these images in my backyard under a cloudy sky to give my client the best representation of the true colors:


IMG_5600 by trekriffic, on Flickr


IMG_5599 by trekriffic, on Flickr


IMG_5601 by trekriffic, on Flickr


IMG_5602 by trekriffic, on Flickr


IMG_5603 by trekriffic, on Flickr


IMG_5604 by trekriffic, on Flickr


IMG_5605 by trekriffic, on Flickr

We'll see what the client thinks. If he likes it I'll use this ship for reference when I finally get started on weathering his ship.

Stay tuned! :thumbsup:


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## Trekkriffic (Mar 20, 2007)

After further input from the client I made a few more adjustments to the weathering and coloration and here's how it looks now. Basically I toned down the "paper-bag" brown by mixing Russian Brown Grey and Tan and Floquil Flat, thinned it down with thinner and airbrushed it over the whole ship. This not only toned the darkness of the dark rust I'd used for the "paper-bag" brown but also the blackness of the meteor scoring and the silver patches and highlights. So I went back and sanded away some of the overcoat in the black spots, then hit the edges with pastel chalks. Sprayed with Dullcote and retouched some of the reddish tones and blended everything for smooth transitions between the colors. I also cleaned up the screens on the panels a bit as they had gotten a little clogged with paint, touched them up with the "paper-bag" brown and hit them with some of the black pastel chalks to re-weather but not too strongly. Then I coated the whole ship with Dullcote once again. At this point, I am FINALLY calling this one finished. Time to start working on the client's weathering scheme now:


IMG_5648 by trekriffic, on Flickr


IMG_5650 by trekriffic, on Flickr


IMG_5651 by trekriffic, on Flickr


IMG_5652 by trekriffic, on Flickr


IMG_5653 by trekriffic, on Flickr


IMG_5654 by trekriffic, on Flickr


IMG_5655 by trekriffic, on Flickr


IMG_5656 by trekriffic, on Flickr


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## MGagen (Dec 18, 2001)

I'm speechless.

And for me, that's something.

Great [email protected]

M.


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## Trekkriffic (Mar 20, 2007)

MGagen said:


> I'm speechless.
> 
> And for me, that's something.
> 
> ...


Zank you, zank you. I will be here for z-rest of z-week! :wave:


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## Trekkriffic (Mar 20, 2007)

Just a few more pics before I move on to the second BB. The client asked for some views from above so here goes. I also included one pic of the underside of the nuclear engine pod...


IMG_5658 by trekriffic, on Flickr


IMG_5659 by trekriffic, on Flickr


IMG_5660 by trekriffic, on Flickr


IMG_5661 by trekriffic, on Flickr


IMG_5662 by trekriffic, on Flickr

Those with a keen eye might notice the model is mounted to a different stand in these shots. The original base was made per specific measurements provided by the client to fit inside a display case alongside his MR Enterprise. As such it will be in a static pose not subject to rotation on it's support rod. In the case of my ship it will be on a shelf and able to rotate so I wanted something larger as the model tends to tip over when oriented so the long axis of the ship is projecting over the narrowest portion of the stand. I found a nice sized square wooden base at Michael's which solved the stability problem.


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## Trekkriffic (Mar 20, 2007)

Got some work done today on the shipping box. I cut sections out of two sheets of 1/4" birch plywood, smeared white glue on the mating surfaces, and nailed the sections together along the edge:


IMG_5689 by trekriffic, on Flickr

I cut out slots in the twp inner bracing walls and lined them with layers of adhesive backed foam sheet. Basically any part of the box that touches the model will be padded with foam sheet. 
The inner walls were spaced so that the model cannot slide forward or backward. The lower part of each wall fit nice and tight and was glued into the box. The upper part will be glued and nailed to the lid. I used my own ship to test the fit and it slid in like a glove:


IMG_5692 by trekriffic, on Flickr


IMG_5693 by trekriffic, on Flickr


IMG_5694 by trekriffic, on Flickr

The lid in place. I'll use two small panhead phillips screws to secure it when I get ready to ship the client's model:


IMG_5695 by trekriffic, on Flickr

The client's ship will be wrapped in foam wrapping material (I have some left over from the 1/350 Enteprise kit) before placement in the box. I'll do the same with the display base and the two stand tubes (The client wanted two lengths of tubing for the stand in case one was too short). This wooden box will be packed inside another larger cardboard box filled with foam packing material in an effort to prevent damage in transit.

Anyway, a good afternoon's work I think.


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## Trekkriffic (Mar 20, 2007)

Started on weathering the client's ship...

The outer layer of tan was sanded away in spots to reveal the rust and black layers


IMG_5697 by trekriffic, on Flickr


IMG_5699 by trekriffic, on Flickr


IMG_5700 by trekriffic, on Flickr


IMG_5702 by trekriffic, on Flickr

Black enamel was drybrushed to accentuate meteor scorching:


IMG_5705 by trekriffic, on Flickr


IMG_5704 by trekriffic, on Flickr


IMG_5708 by trekriffic, on Flickr

My messy workbench:


IMG_5707 by trekriffic, on Flickr

The next step will be to drybrush some reddish rust at the margins of the meteor scorches. The two colors are the underlying foundation for the weathering to follow. Once the paints dry I'll apply a second layer of the basecoat. Then the pastels.


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## harristotle (Aug 7, 2008)

It's amazing the work you've put into such a seemingly simple model :thumbsup:


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## Trekkriffic (Mar 20, 2007)

Here are the finished pics of the client's ship... 


IMG_5848 by trekriffic, on Flickr


IMG_5849 by trekriffic, on Flickr


IMG_5850 by trekriffic, on Flickr


IMG_5851 by trekriffic, on Flickr


IMG_5852 by trekriffic, on Flickr


IMG_5853 by trekriffic, on Flickr


IMG_5854 by trekriffic, on Flickr


IMG_5855 by trekriffic, on Flickr


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## Trekkriffic (Mar 20, 2007)

More pics!


IMG_5856 by trekriffic, on Flickr



IMG_5857 by trekriffic, on Flickr


IMG_5858 by trekriffic, on Flickr


IMG_5859 by trekriffic, on Flickr


IMG_5860 by trekriffic, on Flickr


IMG_5865 by trekriffic, on Flickr


IMG_5866 by trekriffic, on Flickr


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## Trekkriffic (Mar 20, 2007)

Some comparison shots. My ship is to the left in these pics...


IMG_5844 by trekriffic, on Flickr


IMG_5845 by trekriffic, on Flickr


IMG_5846 by trekriffic, on Flickr


IMG_5847 by trekriffic, on Flickr


IMG_5861 by trekriffic, on Flickr


IMG_5862 by trekriffic, on Flickr


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## Trekkriffic (Mar 20, 2007)

Some more pics of the wooden shipping crate I made from birch plywood...

The wooden base and the two brass diplay tubes are individually wrapped in foam sheet and placed into the center section of the box. In a bit of serendipity, the length of the base matched the length of spacing between the two interior walls with maybe 1/16" to spare:


IMG_5867 by trekriffic, on Flickr

Foam blocks are wedged snuggly between the walls and around the display base and tubes to prevent movement during transit:


IMG_5868 by trekriffic, on Flickr

The lid has interlocking tabs that slide into slots in the interior walls to lock the model into place. The model will rest on adhesive backed foam sheet in the slots:


IMG_5869 by trekriffic, on Flickr

The model in the box:


IMG_5870 by trekriffic, on Flickr

I built the box using nails and wood glue. It's very sturdy such that it had no trouble supporting my 6'3" 195 lb frame when I stood on it. Unless the USPS rolls over it with a forklift (fingers and eyes crossed) it should withstand the journey to my client in SoCal.


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## harristotle (Aug 7, 2008)

This is incredible. Such a seemingly simple model, and I feel like you put more time into making these intricately accurate than the original people probably spent building it in the first place. Very cool.


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## Trekkriffic (Mar 20, 2007)

harristotle said:


> This is incredible. Such a seemingly simple model, and I feel like you put more time into making these intricately accurate than the original people probably spent building it in the first place. Very cool.


It would not surprise me to learn I had spent more time copying the original weathering patterns than it took the original artist to paint the actual studio model. In fact, I swear there is an area on the port side front of the cargo bay pods near the top where someone either accidentally or purposefullly splashed silver paint from a can directly onto the model. See for yourself in this image:


bb02 by trekriffic, on Flickr 

It looks like the paint splashed from above onto the front of the grooved panel spreading out to the right before running down the panel's face. There is even an area to the lower right where some stray droplets landed. At least it looks like it could have happened that way. Makes me wonder if someone tried to rub it off afterward before deciding it looked okay.


Here's my attempt at it using a brush:


IMG_5849 by trekriffic, on Flickr


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## starmanmm (Mar 19, 2000)

Fantastic work! :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

Even tho you built two of them... what would you have done differently for the next one?


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## Trekkriffic (Mar 20, 2007)

starmanmm said:


> Fantastic work! :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
> 
> Even tho you built two of them... what would you have done differently for the next one?


I might try locating smaller half round rod for making the frames on the stern arrays and not layer on as much paint. Having to sand and file the frames to the correct width was very time consuming. For painting I think I'd go with a lighter coat of primer followed by a brushing of the basecoat; that might save some time having to pick paint out from the screening where it clogged the openings. Other than that I can't think of anything I'd do differently. Except try to locate the owner of the studio model and take some better reference pics! :?)


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## Proper2 (Dec 8, 2010)

Trekkriffic said:


> bb02 by trekriffic, on Flickr
> 
> It looks like the paint splashed from above onto the front of the grooved panel spreading out to the right before running down the panel's face. There is even an area to the lower right where some stray droplets landed. At least it looks like it could have happened that way. Makes me wonder if someone tried to rub it off afterward before deciding it looked okay.


Yeah, I always thought that looked like an accident that may have happened later during the storing or transporting process. But then I saw it was present during filming even though footage of the BB was never used from this angle:


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## Trekkriffic (Mar 20, 2007)

Proper2 said:


> Yeah, I always thought that looked like an accident that may have happened later during the storing or transporting process. But then I saw it was present during filming even though footage of the BB was never used from this angle:



Man she really does look chalky in that soundstage image.


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## Proper2 (Dec 8, 2010)

Trekkriffic said:


> Man she really does look chalky in that soundstage image.


Well, I think that that's a photo-enhanced/retouched image and as such its color accuracy cannot be guaranteed.


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## Trekkriffic (Mar 20, 2007)

Here are the final photos of the client's ship...


IMG_5984 by trekriffic, on Flickr


IMG_5985 by trekriffic, on Flickr


IMG_5987 by trekriffic, on Flickr


IMG_5990 by trekriffic, on Flickr


IMG_5991 by trekriffic, on Flickr


IMG_6001 by trekriffic, on Flickr


IMG_6007 by trekriffic, on Flickr


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## Trekkriffic (Mar 20, 2007)

IMG_6017 by trekriffic, on Flickr


IMG_6018 by trekriffic, on Flickr


IMG_6016 by trekriffic, on Flickr


IMG_6019 by trekriffic, on Flickr


IMG_6020 by trekriffic, on Flickr


IMG_6021 by trekriffic, on Flickr


IMG_6023 by trekriffic, on Flickr


IMG_6016 by trekriffic, on Flickr


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## crowe-t (Jul 30, 2010)

This is stunning!


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## Trekkriffic (Mar 20, 2007)

Update... I sent the client's model out USPS on Saturday and he received it on Monday. The ship was delivered intact and in good condition so thank the maker! 
Wait a minute... that's me!!! 
Pardon me while I pat myself on the back!  

Overall, the client is quite pleased and loves the finish and weathering. In his critique he noted a few small negatives with some of the grooved panels having gotten a bit filled in with all the layers of paint I applied and some edges not being as sharp as he would have liked but considering the limitations of resin casts he thought I did a masterful job in his opinion.
His son even remarked, when comparing my ship with a "remastered" version of the same kit Bob Bleeker had built for his father, that he liked mine better! 
High praise indeed considering Mr. Bleeker's reputation and skills. 

The client plans to take some photos of the model inside the display case alongside his Master Replicas Enterprise so hopefully we'll see those photos soon and they will be posted here on HobbyTalk. 

Thanks to everyone who followed along during these builds and offered opinions and commentary.


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## Trekkriffic (Mar 20, 2007)

I know this is resurrecting an old thread but I just had to post a message my client sent me recently...

*Hi Steve! Hope all is well with you!

Your Botany Bay is still thrilling me, and I finally managed to take a preliminary pic of her under the wing of the Master Replicas Enterprise. I say preliminary because I don't have any lighting equip. and so it's not a very professional looking picture. But for what I did it works because I made the decision to loosely model my display (pun intended) after the classic studio photo of the two models take in front of a giant blue screen which is a grainy image anyway. So, I framed a 4'x 2' masonite board that I painted blue, along with the floor of the display. The actual model bases of both the E and the BB are hidden underneath this blue "stage floor." I also fitted the rods of the ship stands w/ brass sleeves that I painted the same blue.

Anyway, attached are a few images that I hoped you could add to the end of your build-thread.

One pic shows the original studio pic w/ all its grain and grunge, and the other pic is my recreation of that look from the photo I recently took of my set-up. The third pic shows my models without any Photoshop effects added. (Notice the slight sag of the MR E's saucer section, which is characteristic of the Master replicas E.) Again, the lighting on my pics is less than ideal since I don't have any lighting, but they aren't too bad. Fun, anyway. Someday I hope to get some decent lights and retake the photos.*

And here are the pictures...

Original Studio Pic
Enterprise and BB -studio still by trekriffic, on Flickr

1/350 Botany Bay and MR Enterprise Photoshopped
MR Ent and FP Botany Bay Grainy by trekriffic, on Flickr


1/350 Botany Bay and MR Enterprise No Photoshopping
MR Ent and FP BB No Photoshop by trekriffic, on Flickr

Needless to say I was extremely pleased to read his comments and post these images here in the Botany Bay thread.


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## starmanmm (Mar 19, 2000)

The best part....

The client was happy!


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## J_Indy (Jan 28, 2013)

Very cool - so many ways to be creative with this stuff....


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## Trekkriffic (Mar 20, 2007)

starmanmm said:


> The best part....
> 
> The client was happy!


Yeah. He and I are both happy with our BB's!


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## Trekkriffic (Mar 20, 2007)

J_Indy said:


> Very cool - so many ways to be creative with this stuff....


Ain't that the truth!


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## Lloyd Collins (Sep 25, 2004)

Steve, I'm thrilled he is thrilled! It sure does look really awesome next the the Gray Lady.


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## Trekkriffic (Mar 20, 2007)

Got a gmail yesterday from the client as follows:

"I took a quick pic (attached), just w/ my iPad, of your Botany Bay with the MR Enterprise backdrop that I think looks pretty cool and has a nice abstract, colorful quality to it.
I have added a row of LEDs at the bottom-front that light the models like stage lights. I added some grain in photoshop and I think the pic would look great added to the end of your build thread; and nothing wrong with refreshing the thread.
Love your BB! All the best in the new year!"

Mark

Anyway, I think it looks great! He's still really enjoying the BB I built for him and it sure looks fantastic next to the Grey Lady. 
He really made my day with his message and the attached photo.


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## Proper2 (Dec 8, 2010)

:thumbsup:










*"Hull surface is pitted with meteor scars [and film grain]. However, scanners make out a name... SS Botany Bay."* 

*...*



I know, I know... that dialogue came well before the famous scene recreated above...


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## Proper2 (Dec 8, 2010)

The studio shots with the Botany Bay alongside the Enterprise represent the only time that another miniature was built to the same scale as the 11-foot Enterprise. :thumbsup:


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## Trekkriffic (Mar 20, 2007)

Well since we're showing our Space Seed homage pics here's my own BB next to my Polar Lights Enterprise...


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## alensatemybuick (Sep 27, 2015)

Potanny bay...POTANNY BAY?!...OH, NO!

Really nice work. And what a great duplicate of an iconic FX shot. :thumbsup:


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## Proper2 (Dec 8, 2010)

Trekkriffic said:


> Well since we're showing our Space Seed homage pics here's my own BB next to my Polar Lights Enterprise...


D'oh! That's beauteous!!!

Here's a question posed to everyone who has built a 1:350 Enterprise:

Now that it seems to have been determined that the nacelle domes and tabs were tinted orange, as documented on pg 13 of the *New information on the original nacelle domes of the 11-ft Enterprise * thread, will there be a mass-movement to add this revision to all the builds?


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## alensatemybuick (Sep 27, 2015)

I didn't build mine, I left that to a professional. But I did specify to the builder so many details to make it the "ship of my dreams" (for example, no upper saucer bow light, since that never really showed up on screen, the degree of weathering, etc), that I feel I can take some credit for its appearance.

That said, I say no, because I never wanted an exact duplicate of the filming model. Same answer goes for whatever decision they go with re: the paint in the current restoration. The way the Enterprise looked onscreen is different of course from how it looked "in the flesh". And it was never depicted onscreen with the nacelle lighting off anyway. 

However, if painting the caps orange will increase the accuracy of the simulation of the lighting FX...


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## Trekkriffic (Mar 20, 2007)

Proper2 said:


> Now that it seems to have been determined that the nacelle domes and tabs were tinted orange, as documented on pg 13 of the *New information on the original nacelle domes of the 11-ft Enterprise * thread, will there be a mass-movement to add this revision to all the builds?


When I built mine I only tinted the inside of the spinning dome orange. The insides of the outer domes I just brushed with Floquil Flat Base for diffusion purposes.


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## Lloyd Collins (Sep 25, 2004)

Trekkriffic said:


> Well since we're showing our Space Seed homage pics here's my own BB next to my Polar Lights Enterprise...


Makes the re-mastered effect look cheap! Excellent, Admiral!:thumbsup:


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## Trekkriffic (Mar 20, 2007)

Here's a video I forgot about then found yesterday. Uploaded it to Youtube this morning. Some sections are a bit blurry but hopefully some of you may enjoy viewing it. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GQJDtuixz30


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## Proper2 (Dec 8, 2010)

Trekkriffic said:


> Here's a video I forgot about then found yesterday. Uploaded it to Youtube this morning. Some sections are a bit blurry but hopefully some of you may enjoy viewing it.
> 
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GQJDtuixz30


Always enjoy seeing these two vessels together! Beautiful!


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