# 1/650 TOS Enterprise engine cap question



## djnick66 (May 2, 2008)

Is there an easy to buy, kind of "over the counter" clear dome that is the same size as the solid plastic AMT ones? Perhaps the packing from some particular item, etc.?

I saw on Cult's site he sold a set of aftermarket ones, but is out of stock.


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## Paulbo (Sep 16, 2004)

Search Plastruct ( http://www.plastruct.com/Pages/OnlineCatalog.lasso ) for "hemi", match the size you need. (Weird term to search on - I had to call them several years ago because I tried every search term I could think of and that's what they told me to search on.)


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## Trek Ace (Jul 8, 2001)

Look here:

http://www.dlmparts.com/tosparts.html

Scroll 3/4 down the page.


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## djnick66 (May 2, 2008)

Paulbo said:


> Search Plastruct ( http://www.plastruct.com/Pages/OnlineCatalog.lasso ) for "hemi", match the size you need. (Weird term to search on - I had to call them several years ago because I tried every search term I could think of and that's what they told me to search on.)


Thanks ! That is more like what I was looking for. Plus at under $1 each it's a steal.

I did see the Don's parts on his web site. That is an option but at $12 a pair and I need 4-6 domes, it gets pricey compared to $1 for the plastruct domes.


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## Paulbo (Sep 16, 2004)

I'd forgotten about Don's domes - they have the advantage over Plastuct's in that they don't have a nipple on top.


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## crowe-t (Jul 30, 2010)

JT Graphics sells a set of Bussard Domes. They're a bit pricey at $20 but the size and shape of the clear domes and surrounding section looks accurate to the 11 foot studio model. 

JTR-033 18" TOS Bussard Collectors 

http://jt-graphics.com/P_RP.html#JTR-033


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## djnick66 (May 2, 2008)

Those do look pretty nice. I wonder if they will work with lights (no picture of actual product)?


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## crowe-t (Jul 30, 2010)

I attached 2 pictures of the JT Graphics Bussard Domes. First picture is one I downloaded. The second picture is from my current build with the Bussards placed on the nacelles. They are solid and would have to be carefully drilled out for lights. The inner fan pieces do come out. The part DLM sells would make it much easier to light.


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## djnick66 (May 2, 2008)

Thanks those are VERY nice. I see some other good stuff on there too. I do want to add lights so I may opt for the Don's parts or the Plastruct domes.


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## RossW (Jan 12, 2000)

Some aftermarket clear parts will yellow really badly with age. Sealing them in Future might help, but some I have from a while ago are nearly orange.


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## djnick66 (May 2, 2008)

Future will not help clear vacuuform plastic from degrading with time. There is something in some particular plastics that seems to degrade and turn yellow. It has nothing to do with air, light, etc. Just age.

On the other hand, I want to tint them orange/red anyway with some clear paint.

I also plan on filling them with plaster to make a plug mold in case I need to vacuuform more myself at some point or to test out the paint on.


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## RossW (Jan 12, 2000)

djnick66 said:


> Future will not help clear vacuuform plastic from degrading with time. There is something in some particular plastics that seems to degrade and turn yellow. It has nothing to do with air, light, etc. Just age.
> 
> On the other hand, I want to tint them orange/red anyway with some clear paint.
> 
> I also plan on filling them with plaster to make a plug mold in case I need to vacuuform more myself at some point or to test out the paint on.


The ones I have were made with clear resin. For epoxy, coating them in Future does seem to keep them from going yellow but that might be inevitable. If it's vacuformed plastic, why would that behave differently than other clear plastic parts (I realize the material is different, of course)? Maybe you have experienced this before but I haven't seen that.


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## MadCap Romanian (Oct 29, 2005)

Wow! Those blade domes are awesome!


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## djnick66 (May 2, 2008)

RossW said:


> The ones I have were made with clear resin. For epoxy, coating them in Future does seem to keep them from going yellow but that might be inevitable. If it's vacuformed plastic, why would that behave differently than other clear plastic parts (I realize the material is different, of course)? Maybe you have experienced this before but I haven't seen that.


Well the big difference with vacuformed plastic over clear injection molded styrene is the plastic itself. Clear styrene, for the most part, does not seem to yellow with age. But, the stuff that some companies use for vacuforming does. I don't know if its an acetate or vinyl or what. But a lot of clear vacuform parts turn yellow with time irregardless of exposure to light, air, etc. It is a chemical degredation in the plastic. 

Clear resin may have its own issues. I can't say I have used any for anything before, I would think with resin perhaps UV light contributes to the problem? 

If you google "yellowed vacuform canopy" you will get a ton of hits from sites like Hyperscale, Britmodeler, Large Scale Planes, etc.


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## nautilusnut (Jul 9, 2008)

For someone needing to get by cheaply and without all the fan blades and such, do what Paul Newitt suggested in his StarFleet Assembly books- cut the dome part off the AMT piece, leaving the ring at the bottom. Replace the dome it a clear "gumball" machine capsule. (these can vary in size, so look carefully before you buy one. Many times they are sitting free on the floor or dispenser top where some kid quickly removed the contents and disposed of the capsule!
The clear part can be painted with amber and red paints, then frosted with Dullcoat.


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## djnick66 (May 2, 2008)

Being impatient, I just cast the kit part in clear resin. 










I was able to cast some missing parts to fix a Klingon Battle Cruiser too


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## publiusr (Jul 27, 2006)

Good. Nice to the the classic still getting attention


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## djnick66 (May 2, 2008)

I like the old kits. They are a nice size. Not too big... not too small. I enjoyed them as a kid and its fun to work with them again now. I find it is much more fun to build up one of the old ones too.


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