# Star Trek TOS Turbolift 1:6 scale



## Captain Koloth (Sep 27, 2020)

I am considerung building the Enterprise TOS turbolift in 1:6 scale.










The smoky silver "window" in the background simulated the lift to move up or down or right or left (one way would be good enough for me and my diorama), as did other pads in the same lift not shown here. Any ideas? I already got the silver smoky foil, so the clue is some kind of rotating device.

I need help cause the beautiful Romulan commander is being made to accompany QMx Spock in this epic turbolift scene of "The Enterprise Incident". And I think some movement would help making the scene better.


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## mach7 (Mar 25, 2002)

The simple solution would be what they used on the show. A sufficiently large rotating drum with a series of slits cut into it.

Put it on an axle and you can re orient it to show vertical and horizontal motion.


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## Captain Koloth (Sep 27, 2020)

Good idea, the large drum however might need too much space in the back of the diorama. I am having something not too different in mind. It cannot rotate 4way but up and down would do anyway: a LED sign running text display. I have no idea if that is the right stuff.


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## Captain Koloth (Sep 27, 2020)

At 0:40 you can see the running light behind the smoky silver panel.


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## mach7 (Mar 25, 2002)

Actually, I amend my idea.
2 small rollers, about 1.5 times as wide as the "window" mounted above and below, at least 1/4 distance of the size of the opening. run a black belt with slots cut out around them, attach a motor or hand crank to rotate the contraption, put a LED in the middle.

Does that make any sense?

EDIT:


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## Captain Koloth (Sep 27, 2020)

Thanks a lot, Mach7!


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## Captain Koloth (Sep 27, 2020)

As we can see in different stills of the show the interior of the turbolift consisted of different panels and elements of different colors. What colors exactly? Is there a verified trustable canon?


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## Milton Fox Racing (May 27, 2014)

You should be able to get close from the canon on the clothing colors. 

I had always thought they changed out a few of the panels to indicate different turbo lifts in various parts of the ship. I cant recall ever seeing a freight one though!


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## Captain Koloth (Sep 27, 2020)

No, I mean I recall somewhere being a thread with exact indications of colors for the bridge.

The interior of the turbolift never changed, what changed was the decor in the central window, the silver thing, it was silver but the slings changed often position and in 1 episode it was even pink (Man Trap). Some buttons were added after Where no man has gone before, but basically it remained the same thru the 3 Seasons. I have the impression that they never built the lift as a round device, the audience always getting a part view of the scene only.


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## Tourmax (Aug 9, 2020)

This is what I like about making TOS Star Trek models; the inconsistencies.

Most modellers tend to not like inconsistencies as they feel it impacts the accuracy and validity of their reproductions.

But to me, it just means you can pick and choose how you want to build it depending on which particular version you like. The variations in the show were driven by the show's small budget, but it gives modellers the freedom to build what they want and still be "accurate" to the series information. I put "accurate" in parenthesis because it a fictional "ship" and all the "blueprints" out there are versions of someones interpretation of the interior. I believe there is one deck layout floating around that was by the ship model's original designer, but it's not super detailed so you're still mostly free to put things were you want.

I'm using the same reasoning when building my cut away Enterprise. There's no real "one" version of the interior, so I'm free to modify and place things where I want, while trying to generally follow the few interior scenes you do see in TOS. The only things they really show in any detail is the bridge, engineering and med bay. The rest is mostly hallways, conference rooms and a few crew quarters (IE: Kirk, Spock, Uhura, and Scotty's quarters are mostly what you see in TOS), of which they show very few.

I like the idea of a belt with slots cut in it to simulate the turbolift movement. Awesome idea.

Add a small stepper motor (easily harvested from items like old printers/scanners) and some type of control (Ie: potentiometer, on/off switch, Arduino, etc) and it would look very very cool when running.

I wouldn't use and LED as a light source though. Too focused a point of light. I would use an incandescent bulb or better yet; a COB panel that's gives a nice even wide light source. Ideally, the COB would be as wide and tall as the belt (or at least as big as the panel in the turbolift wall), which would mean the light coming through the slit in the belt would be even across the entirety of it's movement.

I would also consider putting the entire light/belt assembly inside a box to seal out the light from other parts of the model and from glowing behind it. I'd also add a "lip" around the front where the belt runs, just to seal out any further light that may "bleed" out from around the belt itself. Basicaly a box with a "window" in one side that the belt/light would shine through. Super easy to build if you have a 3d printer. A little harder to build if you have to scratch build it, but certainly not a difficult project.

Cool project all around. I'll be eagerly watching for more progress!


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## Milton Fox Racing (May 27, 2014)

Captain Koloth said:


> No, I mean I recall somewhere being a thread with exact indications of colors for the bridge.
> 
> The interior of the turbolift never changed, what changed was the decor in the central window, the silver thing, it was silver but the slings changed often position and in 1 episode it was even pink (Man Trap). Some buttons were added after Where no man has gone before, but basically it remained the same thru the 3 Seasons. I have the impression that they never built the lift as a round device, the audience always getting a part view of the scene only.


Sorry I though you were asking about the turbo lift not the bridge. The 'slings' change postion depending on the number of people in the scene. You can follow that in each of the stills you posted above. You can also see the different color shades that the number of lights used cause. The more people in the scene the more lights used and the different color renderings depending on the circle of light size used for each actor.


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## Captain Koloth (Sep 27, 2020)

Milton Fox Racing said:


> Sorry I though you were asking about the turbo lift not the bridge. The 'slings' change postion depending on the number of people in the scene. You can follow that in each of the stills you posted above. You can also see the different color shades that the number of lights used cause. The more people in the scene the more lights used and the different color renderings depending on the circle of light size used for each actor.


I actually meant the lift but since no source ever‘d speak about lift colors I was referring to the bridge instead.
I never noticed slings changing depending on the number of people entering the lift or even leaving.


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## Captain Koloth (Sep 27, 2020)

Thanks, Tourmax!
Interesting observation. yet there is another obstacle: there are 3 windows in the lift that need to get synchronized…
And I just realized that the sling thing I was having in mind ( and „ in store“) is not good enough looking for the turoblift central window. It would just be for the Enterprise main transporter background and the upper ceiling panels in the corridors but not for the lift…


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## Tourmax (Aug 9, 2020)

Captain Koloth said:


> Thanks, Tourmax!
> Interesting observation. yet there is another obstacle: there are 3 windows in the lift that need to get synchronized…
> And I just realized that the sling thing I was having in mind ( and „ in store“) is not good enough looking for the turoblift central window. It would just be for the Enterprise main transporter background and the upper ceiling panels in the corridors but not for the lift…


Are you sure there are three in the turbolift?

All I’ve ever seen in TOS turbolift is the mesh/grid style panel and the funky twisted/wavy panel.

It also always appeared to me that the wavy panel was intended as area lighting (like above the corridors) and the grid/mesh panel was the moving light bar.

I can’t remeber what episode it was, but there is at least one scene where you can see both panels and only the grid panel has the moving light bar. It would be from season three as I just finished rewatching season three a few weeks ago…


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## Captain Koloth (Sep 27, 2020)

There are 3 "windows, actually, one in the middle is the silver sling thing, and right and left is a grid window respectively. All three have the moving light bar although they are never shown operating together.










I enclose a pic of the lift, a very bad try showing curved panels that were actually straight, you can see the silver sling window right and the grid window left, here in red which is another error, opposite of the grid would be the second grid.

Here is a pic of the light bar behind the silver window.









Another pic with the light bar behind the grid.










Any idea how to make the silver wavy panel???


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## Milton Fox Racing (May 27, 2014)

Not sure you would ever get an exact match but some elmers glue and some rite dyes might get you there.

They also make a large varity of window films now.


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## Pygar (Feb 26, 2000)

Worbla’s TranspArt might work over a mold, or drawn on with a soldering gun...


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## The_Engineer (Dec 8, 2012)

It looks like they used the same silver wavy panels that are in the Transporter chamber. There was a discussion on those awhile back but I can't remember where it was. Not sure if they still make those (I doubt it). Weirdly, I do have a Moody Blues video (Nights In White Satin) shot in the late 60's (I think) and in some scenes they have similar panels in the background.


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## Tourmax (Aug 9, 2020)

Interesting. 


Captain Koloth said:


> There are 3 "windows, actually, one in the middle is the silver sling thing, and right and left is a grid window respectively. All three have the moving light bar although they are never shown operating together.
> 
> View attachment 328183
> 
> ...


Hmm, the moving light bar must be different between the episodes because I definitely saw a version in season 3 where the wavy panel was only illuminated while the grid panel was showing the moving light bar.

Probably has more to do with which stagehand was moving the light bar on the set that day as opposed to someone else on another day….


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## Captain Koloth (Sep 27, 2020)

Tourmax said:


> Interesting.
> 
> Hmm, the moving light bar must be different between the episodes because I definitely saw a version in season 3 where the wavy panel was only illuminated while the grid panel was showing the moving light bar.
> 
> Probably has more to do with which stagehand was moving the light bar on the set that day as opposed to someone else on another day….


I would be interested in knowing which season 3 episode you are talking about…


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## Tourmax (Aug 9, 2020)

Captain Koloth said:


> I would be interested in knowing which season 3 episode you are talking about…


I’ll see if I can zip through a couple dvd’s later today and see if I can grab a screen cap or perhaps a short video.

Turbolift scenes are pretty plentiful in TOS, but it seems its always a pretty tight shot and you don’t see much of the set behind the actors. The scene I’m remembering was a wider shot, probably because it had the three main actors in frame at once.


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## Captain Koloth (Sep 27, 2020)

Tourmax said:


> I’ll see if I can zip through a couple dvd’s later today and see if I can grab a screen cap or perhaps a short video.
> 
> Turbolift scenes are pretty plentiful in TOS, but it seems its always a pretty tight shot and you don’t see much of the set behind the actors. The scene I’m remembering was a wider shot, probably because it had the three main actors in frame at once.


I have all the episodes on DVD so I'd be just happy with the name of the episode so I can check myself.


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## Tourmax (Aug 9, 2020)

Found it. Elaan of Troyius. One of the first opening scenes.


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## Captain Koloth (Sep 27, 2020)

Tourmax said:


> Found it. Elaan of Troyius. One of the first opening scenes.


I see..., thank you.


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## Milton Fox Racing (May 27, 2014)

One of the questions I have always had was - what are the functions of the 'handles' everyone but Scotty is holding on to. Or is there a function? I always thought the lift was voice activitiated.


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## Captain Koloth (Sep 27, 2020)

in Wolf in the Fold Kirk n Spock prevent the lift from falling into nowhere by pushinga button and turning the handles.


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## Captain Koloth (Sep 27, 2020)

my problem is the curved walls of the turbo lift. Any suggestions how to make them properly?


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## Milton Fox Racing (May 27, 2014)

You will have to bevel cut the side edges of each of your flat panels. The were not really curved but more an 8 sided shape but with only 6 panels used. The sliding doors would be panels 7 and 8 and fill the open side going straight across. Each panel is an alternating length in most scenes so you would really end up with more of an oval shape than a circle as shown in the image below. 











And as before I dont see the panels as always being in the same widths (configurations) from episode to episode, but you could use 360 divided by 8 to get close enough of an angle cut at 45 degrees on each of your side pieces for a permanent set up.

In studio filming speak they would be called flats and L shaped so that they stand up by themselves. Those would be pushed together side by side to make the 'walls' of the turbolift depending on the camera angle and the # of people in the scene as it was set up.


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## Captain Koloth (Sep 27, 2020)

Milton Fox Racing said:


> You will have to bevel cut the side edges of each of your flat panels. The were not really curved but more an 8 sided shape but with only 6 panels used. The sliding doors would be panels 7 and 8 and fill the open side going straight across. Each panel is an alternating length in most scenes so you would really end up with more of an oval shape than a circle as shown in the image below.
> 
> View attachment 328352
> 
> ...


Thank you very much for your suggestion, I think this is the easiest way to build the lift although the wall panels might have been slightly curved. I even considered buying a DN 350 tube (ca. 35 cm diameter) but those tubes have 7 mm thickness and cutting them is not an easy way to deal with. As there will be 3 "window" panels to be added to the 6 panels the "round" effect of the lift will be even more enhanced. Between the panels there are tiny gaps.
The walls should I make them of styrene or wood? They would have to be painted either way. 
I already have the comm, the buttons, the green carpet, and the proto of the handle that I need to cast 6 times.


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## Milton Fox Racing (May 27, 2014)

Either styrene or wood will work. Each will have their advantages depending on how thick they will actually be? 

Can you use foam board instead? It is only a few mm thick and you can score one side of it to curve it slightly for the final assembly.


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## Tourmax (Aug 9, 2020)

Pretty sure the turbolift set is made up of flat wall panels arranged in an “octagonal” shape, as MFR has already stated. In watching all the TOS dvd’s, I don’t think I’ve seen any “curved” panels….


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## Trek Ace (Jul 8, 2001)

The interior turbolift set panels were curved. Only the three inset motion indicator panels and the door panels were flat.


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## Milton Fox Racing (May 27, 2014)

Trek Ace said:


> The interior turbolift set panels were curved. Only the three inset motion indicator panels and the door panels were flat.


Do you know how much of a curve the other panels had? It cant be to much in scale to make the effort to replicate exactly. I would use paint shading instead then.


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## Trek Ace (Jul 8, 2001)

The curved panels matched the circumference of the circular elevator car set. I don't recall the exact dimensions. But, I believe it was about a 4' radius. At 1/6 scale, it would be about an 8" radius. The three direction-indicator lights were about a foot wide each. I have some scraps of the moire plastic in my garage. It was the same stuff used for the transporter and the corridor ceiling sections. If I can find one, I will photograph it and post it in this thread.


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## Milton Fox Racing (May 27, 2014)

A 4' radius would give you almost 25' in circumference. With the 3 flat panels and the door panels you would have to figure out how much of the radius is left to curve the 5 remaining panels to and how big each one is across the top and bottom sides.

If the light panel is 12" and they look like they used a 3" x 3" piece of lumber for the wall portions beside each them. That is roughly 12' of wall being visible in the image above of the 4 of them in the lift to gether. They do overlap a bit so that distance would work out. 

I would say another 10.5' more to represent the open wall side for the camera view point and at least 6' for the doors and their side panels - which is about 28.5' all together.

Like the flat panels though the doors and side panels would actually cut off some of the circular circumference distance though.

Does anyone know how wide each of the door panels were? I am guess 24" each....


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## Milton Fox Racing (May 27, 2014)

Tourmax said:


> Pretty sure the turbolift set is made up of flat wall panels arranged in an “octagonal” shape, as MFR has already stated. In watching all the TOS dvd’s, I don’t think I’ve seen any “curved” panels….


None of the images I have ever seen are that clear but in the Desilu Set Design Blue Prints they still look like flat panels to me. 

Now the scenery guys could have curved some of them but it would have been really complicated to get the exact arcs needed for each panel chord distance to fit lfush against the flat panel sides and each other to not have visible gaps between them.


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## Captain Koloth (Sep 27, 2020)

The walls were very very slightly curved, indeed. I’ ll show pics later.
But in 1:6 scale I will use straight panels.


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## Trek Ace (Jul 8, 2001)

I found a smaller piece of the old moire plastic and took a photo of it. When I tried to upload it to the HobbyTalk server, I received a server error message, asking me to try again later. I've tried several times since then, but to no avail. Hopefully, that will be resolved soon.


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## Captain Koloth (Sep 27, 2020)

Here you can clearly see the sightly curved wall panels, the motion indicator panels being flat.


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## Captain Koloth (Sep 27, 2020)

Trek Ace said:


> I found a smaller piece of the old moire plastic and took a photo of it. When I tried to upload it to the HobbyTalk server, I received a server error message, asking me to try again later. I've tried several times since then, but to no avail. Hopefully, that will be resolved soon.


Trek Ace, I'd love to see your photo.


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## Milton Fox Racing (May 27, 2014)

Trek Ace said:


> I found a smaller piece of the old moire plastic and took a photo of it. When I tried to upload it to the HobbyTalk server, I received a server error message, asking me to try again later. I've tried several times since then, but to no avail. Hopefully, that will be resolved soon.


That usually doesnt happen anymore. What is the file extension of your photo image (last three letters after the dot) ?

Have you tried to just copy and paste it directly into the post message box?


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## Milton Fox Racing (May 27, 2014)

Captain Koloth said:


> Here you can clearly see the sightly curved wall panels, the motion indicator panels being flat.
> 
> View attachment 328601


I see the visual perspective for what you are saying but dont agree. If you look at more screen images from inside the turbo lift that curved perspective is not present for that panel section. Including the ones posted here in #7, #15 and #24

Do you also see a curve in the panel directly to the right of the one behind this actor? Or does it look more flat to you. 

I am glad you posted this image though as I was curiors to see how the outside of the turbo lift was structured from the viewpoint of being on the bridge. Its walls are also angled (not curved) and does allow space for the lift doors to pocket into. The turbo lift floor space itself doesnt encrouch onto the bridge floor layout but is a seperate structure attached to the bridge set layout as in the Blue Print images. 🤙


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## Captain Koloth (Sep 27, 2020)

Dear Milton Fox Racing, I'd iove to follow you since it would make my work much easier, but the panels are slightly curved, even visible on the photos inserted here. You can even see it by the bars on the walls. I'll make my 1:6 lift with flat straight panels though.


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## Milton Fox Racing (May 27, 2014)

Captain Koloth said:


> Dear Milton Fox Racing, I'd iove to follow you since it would make my work much easier, but the panels are slightly curved, even visible on the photos inserted here. You can even see it by the bars on the walls. I'll make my 1:6 lift with flat straight panels though.


Perhaps I no longer need to try, Captain


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## Captain Koloth (Sep 27, 2020)

Milton Fox Racing said:


> Perhaps I no longer need to try, Captain


I really appreciate your advice (and I do not claim to be right). I have never been in the TOS turbo lift so I rely on the pics I find and the opinions of others.

And I'll be making the walls straight anyway!


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## Trek Ace (Jul 8, 2001)

I seem to be unable to upload any photos. When I make the attempt, I get the following message with a strike line through the file name:

A server error occurred. Please try again later. 

The file extension is .jpg. I will try to copy and paste and see if that works.


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## Captain Koloth (Sep 27, 2020)

Is it this what you are talking about, Trek Ace? (It is not me on the photo, found it on the web).


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## Trek Ace (Jul 8, 2001)

That's exactly it.


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## Captain Koloth (Sep 27, 2020)

Too bad it doesn't exist in 1:6 scale!


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## Captain Koloth (Sep 27, 2020)

The curved panels can be seen here in a scene of "Tomorrow Is Yesterday"








.


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## Trek Ace (Jul 8, 2001)

Okay, I finally got this to post by a direct cut and paste as Milton Fox suggested.

I cropped this so that it has the same 1x3 aspect ratio as the original elevator set panel. You could size and print it in your favorite photo program to clear film with an inkjet printer so that the dimensions would be 2x6".

Hope this helps!


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## Captain Koloth (Sep 27, 2020)

Printing is a nice idea, I'd prefer it in 1:6 scale though.


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## Trek Ace (Jul 8, 2001)

Well...
I think I'm done here.


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## Captain Koloth (Sep 27, 2020)

Milton Fox Racing, here you can see the slightly curved panels. (I'll be doing my lift with straight panels anyway, it is easier!)


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## Captain Koloth (Sep 27, 2020)

View attachment 328958
View attachment 328958
View attachment 328958
View attachment 328958


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## Tourmax (Aug 9, 2020)

The wavy panels are only translucent, not transparent.

I print things that are translucent on my 3d orinter all the time.

maybe find someone who does 3d printing and have them turn out a couple wavy translucent panels?

I will be slightly more opaque than the actual panels, but it should look right, can be rear lit and can be printed to whatever scale you need.

worth checking it out as a possible option….


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## Captain Koloth (Sep 27, 2020)

yes indeed Tourmax, thank you.


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## MGagen (Dec 18, 2001)

Perhaps you should look for a clear, HO-scale simulated water plastic sheet -- as used in train layout modeling. It might get you within spittin' distance of the effect you want.

M.


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## Captain Koloth (Sep 27, 2020)

MGagen said:


> Perhaps you should look for a clear, HO-scale simulated water plastic sheet -- as used in train layout modeling. It might get you within spittin' distance of the effect you want.
> 
> M.


Thank you very much.









I found this as a transparent paper sheet, but it is blue, and I remember having seen the turbolift wavery window in pink, greenish and silver, not blue.


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## Captain Koloth (Sep 27, 2020)

Tourmax said:


> The wavy panels are only translucent, not transparent.
> 
> I print things that are translucent on my 3d orinter all the time.
> 
> ...


I just sent an inquiry to a 3D print company.


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## Captain Koloth (Sep 27, 2020)

Captain Koloth said:


> I just sent an inquiry to a 3D print company.


the company declined , no reason given. I suppose a jpeg file doesn‘t fit.


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## Tourmax (Aug 9, 2020)

Captain Koloth said:


> the company declined , no reason given. I suppose a jpeg file doesn‘t fit.


Unfortunately, most 3d “companies” only want to print files that you already have. You need to find an “artist” that creates 3d images to create the file (ie: cad, stl, etc) and then have a 3d print company print the actual object. Theres lots of website ls out there where 3d artists will make you an object on commission, but they typically don’t print, only design. Thats where a 3d print company (ie: shapeways, etc) comes in to the process..

Be forewarned though: its probably not going to be an “inexpensive” process. It can take hours and hours to make a 3d object from scratch and they’re going to charge a fair bit for that labor. Printing is actually the cheap part of the process. But, they can also “resin print” as opposed to FDM. Resin print leaves a better finished product and it will be cleared than FDM, which will be more opaque than the resin.

I dabble a little bit with design myself, but I’m not very good/experienced at it. Or at least I don’t seem to want to invest the hours and hours to design simple objects. I might take one of the jpg’s in this thread and see if I can make a 3d file of it. I seem to recall having a program on my big desktop comp that can take a jpg image and create a 3d object of it. As I remember, its not perfect, but it gives you a starting point to refine into a decent 3d image.

If I come up with anything good, I’ll give you the file and you can see if you can have it printed. I’ll probably print a test panel first to see how it turns out. I would mail it to you, but Canada to Germany isn’t going to be cheap to ship.

You may also want to look into creating your own mold and casting a panel in a clear acrylic or other type of clear/translucent resin. That would give you total control of how the panel turns out (ie: shape, size, degree of transparency, etc) and it shouldn’t be too hard to create a mold in the scale you’re working with…


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## Captain Koloth (Sep 27, 2020)

Tourmax said:


> Unfortunately, most 3d “companies” only want to print files that you already have. You need to find an “artist” that creates 3d images to create the file (ie: cad, stl, etc) and then have a 3d print company print the actual object. Theres lots of website ls out there where 3d artists will make you an object on commission, but they typically don’t print, only design. Thats where a 3d print company (ie: shapeways, etc) comes in to the process..
> 
> Be forewarned though: its probably not going to be an “inexpensive” process. It can take hours and hours to make a 3d object from scratch and they’re going to charge a fair bit for that labor. Printing is actually the cheap part of the process. But, they can also “resin print” as opposed to FDM. Resin print leaves a better finished product and it will be cleared than FDM, which will be more opaque than the resin.
> 
> ...


thank you very much, Tourmax, I really appreciate your adviceand help, meanwhile I contacted a copy shop to print my jpeg on an adhesive foil, if that doesn‘t work I‘ll call again! Thanks again.


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## Captain Koloth (Sep 27, 2020)

I made a print on a transparent foil measuring 10 x 3,5 cm.


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## The_Engineer (Dec 8, 2012)

Wow. Looks like you nailed it.


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## Captain Koloth (Sep 27, 2020)

I‘ll post a pic when I‘ll have completed the lift.


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## Captain Koloth (Sep 27, 2020)

Milton Fox Racing said:


> Perhaps I no longer need to try, Captain


Just to accomodate








you: In „STAR TREK Continues“ the turbolift had straight walls.


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