# refit part 2



## Cougar184 (Jan 8, 2002)

got going one my second refit about three weeks ago and thought I would get some pics posted.
http://forums.scalehobby.com/viewthread.php?tid=4329
lighted pics are at the bottom of the thread. ill be getting more posted this weekend I need to clean up the wire work for all my spot lights and finish up some sodering work. I have half of the windows lights done and will finish up the rest after I get this one painted.
my plans for painting are using pearlesent paints once again and for the defector area and other of the hull that are painting, bring some pics into work and getting a computer to give me a color code to mix up, im hoping that that will give me the closest color match possible, but will see. ill keep you guys posted. any suggestion for lighting would be helpful.


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## Lloyd Collins (Sep 25, 2004)

Looking good so far! Never put light in a model yet, but I plan only to use LEDs, except in the nacelles, I am going to use blue neon.


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## Cougar184 (Jan 8, 2002)

this is my first real attempt at lighting a model. taking my time a learning a bunch like if you dont put a resistor in front of the LED IT WILL BLOW


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## StarshipClass (Aug 13, 2003)

Wow! I'm impressed! Looks like you've got a regular shipyard there!


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## Cougar184 (Jan 8, 2002)

more pics up


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## Rogue1 (Jan 3, 2000)

Looks nice so far Cougar184, are you going to do something to dull down the brightness of those CCFL's? You don't want deer stopping on your front lawn.


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## Alkalilake (May 13, 2005)

The more models you light the more you'll feel comfortable with it. Keep going on it. :thumbsup:


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## Cougar184 (Jan 8, 2002)

how would I dull the warp lights??


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## GLU Sniffah (Apr 15, 2005)

Dulling warp lights? As in toning down the output without doing anything electronically?

Well, if it were me, I might experiment with automotive window tint...various shades...20% to 50%. I say 'experiment' since without seeing the effect, it's hard to predict how color or output could be affected...

If you know someone who tints windows or have access to small scraps, it would certainly be something to try, since I don't believe CCFL's are dimmable electronically. I might be wrong about that.


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## Rogue1 (Jan 3, 2000)

Window tint, several sheets of onion skin paper or vellum perhaps over the clear parts. Something to filter the light to a more subdued glow.


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## GLU Sniffah (Apr 15, 2005)

Testor's Dullcoat sprayed on the inside of the flux chiller grid piece should provide the diffusion effect rather well, too...I would think. 

EDIT: Heck...I would just dispense with that Dullcoat idea and simply _sand_ the inside of those clear grid inserts. Less chance of crazing that way. 

One thing about the window tint: The nacelles will be dark when off, and the lighting element absolutely invisible. Should produce a very 'realistic' effect!


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## podmonger (Apr 30, 2005)

If you really want to dim the nacelle glow, you can consider placing thin sheet styrene behind the clear part so the light has to pass through the styrene first.

Steve


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## Cougar184 (Jan 8, 2002)

Great idea howver I already sealed up my nessels, if I cant do it electronicly then ill just have to worry about it on my second one. warp lights are on a seperate switch so they wont be on all the time.


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## Prowler901 (Jun 27, 2005)

You might try placing a resistor between the transformer and the ccfl. That should dim it some. You'll have to experiment with different values of resistance to see what works best.


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## justinleighty (Jan 13, 2003)

The progress looks good, Cougar! I like the way the spots are coming out, and the ship just looks cool in the dark with the lights on, even unfinished.

One note, though: It's "nacelle" or "nacelles," not "nessel" or "nessels."


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## GLU Sniffah (Apr 15, 2005)

Prowler901 said:


> You might try placing a resistor between the transformer and the ccfl. That should dim it some. You'll have to experiment with different values of resistance to see what works best.


 That could also put a load on the transformer that it wasn't designed for. 

CCFL's typically work with inverters, meaning they operate on AC current from a DC source. In some reading I found that they _are_ dimmable, but by adjusting the AC input by changing settings on inverter output rather than simply by adding a resistor in series to the CCFL. Or they can be dimmed by changing the operating frequency of the CCFL. This is done with a digital technique called Pulse Width Modulation.


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## GLU Sniffah (Apr 15, 2005)

http://www.ergpower.com/pdf30/dimming_options.pdf

This link requires Adobe Acrobat reader and explains different dimming options for CCFL's. One thing is for sure, do anything wrong in regards to power requirements for these and you can either blow them outright, or you may severely curtail their operational lifespan/brightness output.


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## Cougar184 (Jan 8, 2002)

have some assembly pics up now. those will be going up over the week and friday will have the first coat of paint sprayed on.  I dont think im going to mess with the warp lights. im pretty happy with them and they will be on a seperate switch anyway so they will not be on to often. however you guys may want to watch this build up closely cause I have another surprise hopefully to be unvailed towards the end. cant say much.


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## GLU Sniffah (Apr 15, 2005)

^ I'm watching your build and some others. I'm deeply into the research phase right now as I only have one copy of the ship to build. I still have an old ERTL refit I could use as a 'process mule' I suppose!


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## Prowler901 (Jun 27, 2005)

DOH! Thanks for the correction GLU  I forgot about that darn AC thing... Good info in that link as well.

Cougar: The build is looking GREAT!


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## GLU Sniffah (Apr 15, 2005)

Prowler901 said:


> DOH! Thanks for the correction GLU  I forgot about that darn AC thing... Good info in that link as well.


 No problem, Prowler. I'm now just a really rusty former avionics technician. I say what I think I remember and then Google helps me make sure I get it right!


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## Cougar184 (Jan 8, 2002)

started to paint the deflecor area. have some pics up hope to have more tomorrow.


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## Cougar184 (Jan 8, 2002)

more pics up!


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## Cougar184 (Jan 8, 2002)

have the secondary hull sprayed and pics are up. will have more tonight of the finished engeering section. check link


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## The Trekmodeler (Jul 21, 2005)

Very nice build up so far, great paint job. :thumbsup:


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## guartho (May 4, 2004)

Wow Cougar, looking good. What aztec masks are you using? The only ones I'm aware of don't have all the little details that I see you applying.


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## Cougar184 (Jan 8, 2002)

the aztec for dummy templates. what detail are you reffering to?


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## Cougar184 (Jan 8, 2002)

more pics up


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## Cougar184 (Jan 8, 2002)

more pics up


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## guartho (May 4, 2004)

Cougar184 said:


> the aztec for dummy templates. what detail are you reffering to?


details like these:










I was under the impression that the aztec for dummy templates only had the saucer and the "engineering green" details.


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## Cougar184 (Jan 8, 2002)

the aztec for dummy kit has everything in it!


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## Cougar184 (Jan 8, 2002)

more pics up!!! should be finished painting this week!!


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## Cougar184 (Jan 8, 2002)

have some completed paint pics up


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## Cougar184 (Jan 8, 2002)

im about half way through with the final assembly so check link for progress pics, should be finished this week with the enterprise the custom base is still in the works!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## ccbor (May 27, 2003)

Hi Cougar

I've been following your posts all along on the building of the refit and I have to say, Sweet! The paint job is IMHO is perfect! I hope my ship comes out as good.
keep up the posts!

Rob


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## Dave Hussey (Nov 20, 1998)

Way cool!

Rob - Coles in the Avalon Mall has hard cover copies of _Captain's Peril_ for $6.99 if you are interested in those. Those are the William Shatner novels featuring the adventures of a resurrected post-Generations Capatin Kirk. Pretty good IMHO.

Huzz


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## AZbuilder (Jul 16, 1999)

*My Refit*

Well guys I don't want to seem like I am hijacking this thread or steal Cougar 184's spotlight but I had to share this with you all. I pulled an all nighter this morning and just about finished my PL Refit Enterprise all I need to do now is finish placing the decals and seal it. Since my digital camera went south, bye bye, died and many other colorful phrases last month when I was on vacation to Port Orchard, WA I am now stuck using a web cam with poor resolution hince the poor quality of the attached images. But I just had to show off My Refit :wave: 


AZbuilder
John Davis


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## Cougar184 (Jan 8, 2002)

LOL! all nighter. ive been doing that all weekend trying to get this done and every night I start with telling myself im going to finish tonight and last night I spent 5 hours finishing up the saucer section and still have a few hours left on it. any way hope you get a new camera to take some more pics looks awsome!!


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## ccbor (May 27, 2003)

Dave Hussey said:


> Way cool!
> 
> Rob - Coles in the Avalon Mall has hard cover copies of _Captain's Peril_ for $6.99 if you are interested in those. Those are the William Shatner novels featuring the adventures of a resurrected post-Generations Capatin Kirk. Pretty good IMHO.
> 
> Huzz


Right on i'll be looking that up this week. Thanks tons!!


chat soon
Rob


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## Cougar184 (Jan 8, 2002)

preview pics up

http://forums.scalehobby.com/viewthread.php?tid=4329&page=5


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## ccbor (May 27, 2003)

Unreal Cougar!

again fantastic work!


Rob


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## Prowler901 (Jun 27, 2005)

Lookin' awesome Cougar. Keep it up!


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## Dave Hussey (Nov 20, 1998)

Lovely work indeed!!!

Rob- check your private messaages!

Huzz


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## ccbor (May 27, 2003)

Huss I'll look in to it! I never heard of this version. cool.

thxs
Rob


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## MartinHatfield (Apr 11, 2004)

_Coles in the Avalon Mall has hard cover copies of Captain's Peril for $6.99 if you are interested in those. Those are the William Shatner novels featuring the adventures of a resurrected post-Generations Capatin Kirk. Pretty good IMHO._

That series started with "The Ashes of Eden"...a story that took place just shortly before the launch of the Enterprise-B. It continued through "The Return" and so on. The books were written by Shatner and The husband-wife team of Judith and Garfield Reeves-Stevens. They were behind some of the best episodes of "Enterprise" as well.


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## grantf (Feb 2, 2004)

great job on the big E, Word to the wise: Air humping in a storm trooper outfit is NOT cool and chicks do NOT dig it. and it looks kind of creapy and a little screwed up, but it's a free world we live in so have at it and please use bleach to clean up you're battle armor.


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## GLU Sniffah (Apr 15, 2005)

Grant's been doing a little too much 'LDS'.


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## The Trekmodeler (Jul 21, 2005)

grantf said:


> great job on the big E, Word to the wise: Air humping in a storm trooper outfit is NOT cool and chicks do NOT dig it. and it looks kind of creapy and a little screwed up, but it's a free world we live in so have at it and please use bleach to clean up you're battle armor.


LOOOOOOOL!!!

Personally I Like the stormtrooper, makes me laugh evertime I see it. Loooooooooooooool!!!!!


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## grantf (Feb 2, 2004)

Ya I'am just beeing an ass, keep the stormtrooper, it is pretty funney.


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## Cougar184 (Jan 8, 2002)

all finished!!
http://forums.scalehobby.com/viewthread.php?tid=4329&page=6#pid41099


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## Lloyd Collins (Sep 25, 2004)

Beautifully done! :thumbsup:


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## Cougar184 (Jan 8, 2002)

thanks. I have a second one im starting this weekend and then on to the custom base...


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## Sword of Whedon (Jul 5, 2004)

What was your color progressing on yoru aztecing? looks really nice


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## The Trekmodeler (Jul 21, 2005)

If Scotty were here he'd say "Looken at yurrr finished modle brought a tear to me eye". Great Work!! :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :wave:


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## Prowler901 (Jun 27, 2005)

Way to go Cougar! Beautifully done. The lighting is awesome. I hope you get your nacelles working soon. I look forward to seeing that. But, she's a fine lookin' ship :thumbsup:


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## grantf (Feb 2, 2004)

RRREEEAlly nice work!!!!


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