# My Leif Ericson WIP



## kenlee (Feb 11, 2010)

I decided on my Leif Ericson to light all of the windows. I also decided to make the shuttle bay about a quarter inch shallower. I also plan to refine the shuttle bay door hinges. Here are pics of what I have done so far.

http://photos.hobbytalk.com/data/509/100_1354.JPG
http://photos.hobbytalk.com/data/509/100_13551.JPG
http://photos.hobbytalk.com/data/509/100_1357.JPG


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## Joe Brown (Nov 16, 1999)

Cool!

That has been on my "I'll get to it someday..." list for awhile!


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## JGG1701 (Nov 9, 2004)

Nice work so far.:thumbsup:
How do you plan to light it , and are you going to fill the windows?
-Jim


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## kenlee (Feb 11, 2010)

JGG1701 said:


> Nice work so far.:thumbsup:
> How do you plan to light it , and are you going to fill the windows?
> -Jim


I will use leds, powered by the batteries that are used to light the kit supplied leds for the engines. I will use Testors clear parts cement to make the windows, sprayed over with dullcoat to help diffuse the light.


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## Spockr (Sep 14, 2009)

I'm liking your build plans and appreciate the wip. I want to do a version of the ship with windows on one of my builds. I'm curious, how will you handle masking the windows during hull painting?


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## kenlee (Feb 11, 2010)

Spockr said:


> I'm liking your build plans and appreciate the wip. I want to do a version of the ship with windows on one of my builds. I'm curious, how will you handle masking the windows during hull painting?


Simple, I will just leave the windows open during painting and apply the clear parts cement after the painting is done. The final coat will be the dullcoat which will give the windows a frosted look. I have done this before on several models with no problems. Any overspray that gets through the small window openings is negligible.


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## Paulbo (Sep 16, 2004)

kenlee said:


> Simple, I will just leave the windows open during painting and apply the clear parts cement after the painting is done. The final coat will be the dullcoat which will give the windows a frosted look. I have done this before on several models with no problems. Any overspray that gets through the small window openings is negligible.


I've been thinking about the same technique and am glad to know that the painting spray through isn't a real problem.

The buildup's looking great - can't wait to see more.


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## kenlee (Feb 11, 2010)

Paulbo said:


> I've been thinking about the same technique and am glad to know that the painting spray through isn't a real problem.
> 
> The buildup's looking great - can't wait to see more.


The key is to spray at an angle above or below the window rows. If the lights are positioned above the window openings, spray from above. This will help to minimize the chance that the paint will get directly on the lights.


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## kenlee (Feb 11, 2010)

Some more WIP pics, the first one shows the opening cut under the bridge section to provide light to the bridge.

http://photos.hobbytalk.com/data/509/100_1359.JPG

The next one shows the modification to the hangar door. First I cut off the hinge pins then a 2mm strip from the hinge edge. I will attach a length of Evergreen 2mm tubing along the cut edge to make a new hinge, flush with the top of the door and I will putty the seam to blend it even with the surface of the door. I don't have the Evergreen item # for this tubing since it was a piece dug out of my parts box.

http://photos.hobbytalk.com/data/509/100_13611.JPG

Next 2 pics shows the trench cut in the underside of the hull for the hinge pin and the door in place. I will cut a block from the half-round section of kit sprue to retain the hinge pins, being careful not to block the area needed to install the shuttlebay. Interesting note, the hinge pin I used came from the Barnabas kit, it is the wire provided for the "flexible" arms, a perfect fit into the tubing I used.

http://photos.hobbytalk.com/data/509/100_13621.JPG
http://photos.hobbytalk.com/data/509/100_1363.JPG

The last pics shows the door in the open and closed position with the shuttlebay held in position. I will also cut a thin strip of plastic to help fill the gap on the edges of the bay doors .

http://photos.hobbytalk.com/data/509/100_1364.JPG
http://photos.hobbytalk.com/data/509/100_13661.JPG


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## Trekkriffic (Mar 20, 2007)

Wow! Those hinges turned out great! Well done!


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## cozmo (Nov 29, 2004)

Great job on the hinges. That sure is tempting.


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## kenlee (Feb 11, 2010)

cozmo said:


> Great job on the hinges. That sure is tempting.


It's really easy, I spent about an hour total doing this and it is a vast improvement on the kit hinges. 
My next step is a re working of the shuttle bay, the angled walls are just not working for me and I want more detail there.


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## kenlee (Feb 11, 2010)

I finished the shuttle bay modifications, Using the kit part, which I had already made shallower I added inserts made with .020 sheet plastic to straighten up the walls. On one end I added a large recessed segmented door for the shuttle and on the other end I added a smaller "cargo" door. Above the smaller door I constructed a control room with windows that overlook the bay and a row of windows that face up to look out when the bay doors are open. I added a door at floor level on each side of the bay. I also covered the floor with smooth plastic because I just did not like the lines on the floor. I used the kit supplied decals for the bay to add detail, I cut them up and re-arranged the segments to fit the modified bay. After taking the pictures I noticed that the clear parts cement that I used to fill in the small windows of the control room had not fully dried, hence the milky look of those widows.

http://photos.hobbytalk.com/data/509/100_1367.JPG
http://photos.hobbytalk.com/data/509/100_1368.JPG
http://photos.hobbytalk.com/data/509/100_1369.JPG


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## Trekkriffic (Mar 20, 2007)

That looks great! Are you planning on adding any lights to the bay?


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## JamesInNC (Sep 17, 2011)

I enjoy seeing your skill and imagination at work. There's a lot of inspiration for using some of your techniques on other kits.

James


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## kenlee (Feb 11, 2010)

Trekkriffic said:


> That looks great! Are you planning on adding any lights to the bay?


Probably just a fiber optic landing pattern on the deck and possibly a pair of fiber optic "spotlights" on the front of the control booth.


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## kenlee (Feb 11, 2010)

JamesInNC said:


> I enjoy seeing your skill and imagination at work. There's a lot of inspiration for using some of your techniques on other kits.
> 
> James


One of the best reasons to post, sharing tips and techniques, I have learned a lot just reading through the posts here.


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## kenlee (Feb 11, 2010)

Landing bay lights in place. Also a tip for working with fiber optics, Testors Clear Parts cement melts fiber optics. I thought this stuff was like white glue, but apparently it is "hot" because all of the fiber optic strands melted where this stuff was applied. I had to redo all of the strands that I glued in last night. 

http://photos.hobbytalk.com/data/509/100_1373.JPG


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## JGG1701 (Nov 9, 2004)

*HOLY COW* that's cool!
-Jim


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## Trekkriffic (Mar 20, 2007)

Ohhh man! I like the way you did the landing lights!


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## kenlee (Feb 11, 2010)

Time for a lighting test. In the home stretch now, just have to fix a few light leaks, add a diffuser of some sort to eliminate some hot spots and it is ready to seal up and start painting.

http://photos.hobbytalk.com/data/509/100_13842.JPG
http://photos.hobbytalk.com/data/509/100_1389.JPG


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## edward 2 (Oct 6, 2010)

did you ad a step IC to make the landing bay lights blink into the center one?
like i seen in the movies.


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## kenlee (Feb 11, 2010)

edward 2 said:


> did you ad a step IC to make the landing bay lights blink into the center one?
> like i seen in the movies.


A good idea, but I am keeping this one a simple build, they are all illuminated by a single led. I tend to try to keep it simple, the more complicated I make things, the longer I take to finish. I still have a Gemini 12 that I started earlier this year unfinished because I decided to light the fusion core and have not worked out my lighting circuit for it.


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## edward 2 (Oct 6, 2010)

what would a ez-to make lighting ic. look like to make them blink and move in to a center point. would the i.c. board be very big?


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## kenlee (Feb 11, 2010)

edward 2 said:


> what would a ez-to make lighting ic. look like to make them blink and move in to a center point. would the i.c. board be very big?


To be honest, it did not really occur to me to do that, but it is a cool idea that I may incorporate into my next build of this for a friend of mine. The circuit board to accomplish this would fit neatly into the rear section behind the landing bay and would be easy to do with just 4 leds and fiber optics.


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## kenlee (Feb 11, 2010)

Got the light leaks fixed and made a diffuser for the interior lights. I used a ParaGrafix Easy Led six led segment for the front section and two 3 led segments for the four windows on each side of the main body. I slit a 3/8 inch diameter white styrene tube, stretched it open along the slit and glued it in place over each strip to diffuse the light, looks like a fluorescent light tube when lit up. The shrouds over each engine have already been glued together and will be snapped into place after most of the painting is done.

http://photos.hobbytalk.com/data/509/100_1391.JPG


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## edward 2 (Oct 6, 2010)

if its not to hard to wire up, a landing bay pad with working lights would look cool. under the larger model of the little shuttle of the leif ericson would make a cool display stand.


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## Paulbo (Sep 16, 2004)

kenlee said:


> Got the light leaks fixed and made a diffuser for the interior lights. I used a ParaGrafix Easy Led six led segment for the front section and two 3 led segments for the four windows on each side of the main body. I slit a 3/8 inch diameter white styrene tube, stretched it open along the slit and glued it in place over each strip to diffuse the light, looks like a fluorescent light tube when lit up. The shrouds over each engine have already been glued together and will be snapped into place after most of the painting is done.
> 
> http://photos.hobbytalk.com/data/509/100_1391.JPG


That looks great. I'd love to see a pic (if you have it) of the tube setup you used as I find it really intriguing. Great idea!


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## kenlee (Feb 11, 2010)

Paulbo said:


> That looks great. I'd love to see a pic (if you have it) of the tube setup you used as I find it really intriguing. Great idea!


Here you go, while not perfect, it does help even out the "hot spots" caused by the individual leds and gives off a good glow inside the model. Through the small windows, the light looks completely even, I tried it without the tube and it was evident that the illumination inside the model was from individual light sources.

http://photos.hobbytalk.com/data/509/100_1395.JPG


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## kenlee (Feb 11, 2010)

Essentially finished now, still have a light leak to address on the port shroud where it attaches to the body, but since the shrouds are not glued in place it should be easy to fix.


http://photos.hobbytalk.com/data/509/100_1403.JPG
http://photos.hobbytalk.com/data/509/100_1405.JPG
http://photos.hobbytalk.com/data/509/100_1409.JPG


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## walsing (Aug 22, 2010)

Very nice! That really came out well!


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## JGG1701 (Nov 9, 2004)

:thumbsup: GREAT job! :thumbsup:
-Jim


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## Joe Brown (Nov 16, 1999)

Awesome! 

Using the blutonium crystals gives the ship a neat appearance! :thumbsup:


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## Nyrath (May 3, 2004)

Great job! The Galactic Cruiser Leif Ericson is ready to start its five year mission!


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## Trekkriffic (Mar 20, 2007)

That turned out sweeeeet! Gives me inspiration for my build of this classic kit!


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## Patron Zero (Feb 6, 2010)

Very very nice job on a kit that was a childhood favorite, kudos !


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## Trekkriffic (Mar 20, 2007)

Got Paulbo's Photo-etch set yesterday. Love the landing gear for the scoutship; that alone was worth the price. 
Looking forward to starting my own build soon of this reissued classic!


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