# Galaxy Quest Kits from Pegasus Hobbies



## Zombie_61 (Apr 21, 2004)

I stopped by Pegasus Hobbies today and picked up one of each of their NSEA Protector and VOX/Nebulizer kits, so I thought I'd share.

Both kits are injection molded in grey and transparent blue ABS. Detail is clean and as detailed as can be expected with an injection molded kit. If you'll excuse my pathetic photographic skills...

NSEA Protector:

NSEA Protector sprues

More NSEA Protector sprues

NSEA Protector decals

Four sprues of grey parts, one sprue of transparent blue parts (bagged separately); the two fuselage halves and base are separate. Decals are also bagged separately, as are four small magnets (used to hold the "Command ship" to the main fuselage for modelers who want to be able to separate the two). Decal details are sharp, though I noticed after taking the photos that the "E" on one of my "NSEA Protector" decals has something stuck to it; it does not appear to be a defect on the decal itself.

From what I've read, the kit's dimensions were taken from the smaller "television series" filming miniature, so technically it's studio scale. Surface details were taken from the large "Thermian" filming miniature however, so it's actually more detailed than the small filming miniature.

VOX & Nebulizer:

VOX & Nebulizer sprues

VOX decal

One sprue of grey parts for the VOX, one sprue of grey parts and one sprue of transparent blue parts for the Nebulizer; the two halves of the main body of the Nebulizer are separate (the other two loose pieces in the photo were off of the sprue when I got the kit). One decal for the VOX is bagged separately (and, as you can see, isn't particularly impressive). Also bagged separately are two small screws (for assembling the Nebulizer's grip section) and a three-piece spring assembly for the VOX. 

As for accuracy, I'll leave that to the experts.


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## jbond (Aug 29, 2002)

I will happily take the build-ups of these. I don't love the designs enough to lavish time building them but I will happily have the completed sets in my garage.


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## Magesblood (May 12, 2008)

just a thought but I'm betting someone will be able to take one of these and put it into the center of the Vox with minimal modification to the kit.


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## robiwon (Oct 20, 2006)

Magesblood said:


> just a thought but I'm betting someone will be able to take one of these and put it into the center of the Vox with minimal modification to the kit.


It's been attempted several times on the RPF. The main two problems is that the disk is too thick to fit inside the Vox and the glass disk is also to large. It has to be ground down and usualy shatters. If it was just a bit smaller or the Vox just a bit bigger.......


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## ClubTepes (Jul 31, 2002)

Not really sure why they did the Vox and Pistol.

Probably to emulate the Phaser/Tricorder/Communicatior set AMT did years ago.

But I do like the pistol body for scratch building.


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## Edge (Sep 5, 2003)

Thanks for the pics, my copy of the Protector is on order.

It looks to me like the detail is fairly lacking. What say you?


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## Magesblood (May 12, 2008)

why are they sticking with ABS? IMO, it's not as good as styrene.


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## modelsj (May 12, 2004)

What's good for glueing abs?


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## robiwon (Oct 20, 2006)

modelsj said:


> What's good for glueing abs?


Any of the popular liquid glues in a bottle. Although it appears that Tenax has been recently discontinued.


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## Zombie_61 (Apr 21, 2004)

ClubTepes said:


> Not really sure why they did the Vox and Pistol.
> 
> Probably to emulate the Phaser/Tricorder/Communicatior set AMT did years ago.


Could be. The VOX and Nebulizer are very popular props among Galaxy Quest fans and costumers, so I'm sure that was a consideration.



Edge said:


> It looks to me like the detail is fairly lacking. What say you?


That's probably due to my poor photography skills and low-end camera. The kit itself is fairly detailed for an injection molded kit--scribed panel lines, windows, even the "honeycomb" pattern on the transparent blue engine parts; the Protector didn't have a lot of detail to begin with IMO. As I stated in my first post, I'll leave the issue of accuracy to the experts, but IMO it looks enough like the ship in the film that the "rivet counters" shouldn't have much to do.

Two things I forgot to mention in my first post. First, part fit on these kits is excellent. They're one step shy of being "snap together" kits, and mating surfaces matched up almost perfectly during test fitting.

Second, on the VOX/Nebulizer kits the licensing information is present on exterior surfaces and will be visible when the kits are built. On the VOX, it's on the back adjacent to the belt clip, and on the Nebulizer it's on a piece that (in a real-world sense) would be an access panel or battery cover on the underside of the main body. Fortunately, these are locations that are not "obvious" and likely won't be seen unless you're really looking for them. For the "purists" (like me) this raised lettering should be easy to remove; it does not include the Paramount logo, the lettering is small, and it's on flat surfaces, so a little sanding with a flat block should do the trick. On the Protector kit, this info is on the underside of the base where it won't be seen.



Magesblood said:


> why are they sticking with ABS? IMO, it's not as good as styrene.


I'm a styrene guy from way back and these will be the first ABS kits I've built, so I'll have to reserve my opinion until after I've worked with it. Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS) is a specific type of styrene (used for piping systems, automotive parts, protective gear, and Legos, among other things), and is actually stronger than the "traditional" polystyrene used for most model kits. The owner at Pegasus prefers ABS because of it's strength and even coloring (i.e., none of the "swirling" that can occur with polystyrene), and I think the added strength and durability ABS offers will be appreciated by costumers looking to use the VOX and Nebulizer as props.


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## Zombie_61 (Apr 21, 2004)

modelsj said:


> What's good for glueing abs?





robiwon said:


> Any of the popular liquid glues in a bottle. Although it appears that Tenax has been recently discontinued.


A member on another forum recommended Plastruct's Bondene since it's designed specifically for ABS and, since Pegasus carries this product, I picked up a bottle when I bought the kits.

I have a question for those of you who have worked with ABS: While I was there I wanted to verify the kits were made from ABS, and while I was waiting for the "official" answer one of the employees told me he had built most of Pegasus' ABS kits using good old Testors styrene cement and didn't have any problems. But I've heard from several modelers that their kits fell apart when they tried to use regular styrene cement on ABS. Can anyone familiar with ABS share their opinions and/or experiences?


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## Edge (Sep 5, 2003)

Thanks Zombie. Didn't mean to pick nits, looking forward to receiving mine.

Do you live in the Upland area? I grew up in North West Ontario.


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## Zombie_61 (Apr 21, 2004)

Edge said:


> Thanks Zombie. Didn't mean to pick nits, looking forward to receiving mine.


My pleasure. If I had only my photos to go on, I'd probably have asked the same question. 



Edge said:


> Do you live in the Upland area? I grew up in North West Ontario.


No, I live in Whittier, about 25 miles west of Pegasus' store; lived here all my life (so far, anyway).


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## Marco Scheloske (May 16, 2000)

Zombie_61 said:


> But I've heard from several modelers that their kits fell apart when they tried to use regular styrene cement on ABS. Can anyone familiar with ABS share their opinions and/or experiences?


Well, I can only say: It depends.

It depends on the amount of Styrene (the "S" from ABS) in the used ABS formula. The more styrene was used the better is the glueing result with regular styrene glues.

There are special ABS glues available, at least here in Germany, from the Company "Ruderer": 










BUT this stuff is really, _really_ nasty - if you want to buy some you have to give a copy of your personal ID card for record, and you have to be 18 years old.


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## robiwon (Oct 20, 2006)

I don't think I have built a model just using regular Testors tube glue in ten years or so. I may use it in spots where I need extra setting time to position parts. I find "liquid" glues much easier, cleaner, and faster to use. Really I don't know why people are concerned about a model made of ABS. In some cases, yes, it may need a different type of glue, but it paints, sands, accepts putty, looks and builds just like any other "plastic" model.


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## Marco Scheloske (May 16, 2000)

robiwon said:


> I find "liquid" glues much easier, cleaner, and faster to use. Really I don't know why people are concerned about a model made of ABS. In some cases, yes, it may need a different type of glue,


There is no such thing like liquid glue for ABS. I use liquid glue since ages, too... but as mentioned before: If to less Styrene is in the ABS of the model it may hold for a while, but over the time the parts will simply pop away from eachother.


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## StarshipClass (Aug 13, 2003)

Thanks for the pics and info, Zombie!

I've ordered the pistol and vox kit and hope I get it today or tomorrow.


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## Trek Ace (Jul 8, 2001)

I can't understand this aversion toward ABS. ABS is so much better than styrene in so many ways.

If you use one of the professional-type liquid cements for all of your plastic kits (Ambroid Pro Weld, Plastruct Plastic Weld, Tenax, or just plain MEK), you never have to worry about whether a joint will keep or not, because the plastic will be fused, or welded together, not just "stuck" together like you get with most tube glues.


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## Marco Scheloske (May 16, 2000)

Trek Ace said:


> If you use one of the professional-type liquid cements for all of your plastic kits (Ambroid Pro Weld, Plastruct Plastic Weld, Tenax, or just plain MEK), you never have to worry about whether a joint will keep or not,


But with ABS you HAVE to worry about... that`s what I`m talking about the whole time.

The mentioned glues will ONLY glue the Styrene of ABS together. It seems a strong joint at first, but over time (some times months, some times years) those joint _will_ simply pop up.


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## robiwon (Oct 20, 2006)

I understand what your'e saying. When gluing ABS it is only the Styrene in the ABS that is being bonded together. The higher the styrene content the better the bond.


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## Marco Scheloske (May 16, 2000)

robiwon said:


> I understand what your'e saying. When gluing ABS it is only the Styrene in the ABS that is being bonded together. The higher the styrene content the better the bond.


Exactly. But the first impression is always that the bond is strong. Only time will tell the truth... so glueing ABS with liquid styrene cement is like russian roulette.

That`s why so many modelers are complaining about ABS injection kits.


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## Trek Ace (Jul 8, 2001)

That is very interesting! I have never experienced this. Had you joined ABS to ABS, or ABS to styrene when you experienced this? What type of cement was used? Was the join load-bearing or under any kind of stress? What were the display conditions - were they subjected to extreme cold at any time?

The reason I'm asking is that I have models from many decades ago (mostly scratchbuilds) that involved the integration of many dissimilar plastics (acrylic, ABS, styrene, etc.) and often other materials (wood, metal, resin, fiberglass). The only time a join has not held was due to improper handling or accidents where damage occurred. Age has never yet accounted for a loss of cohesion.

I can understand this happening if a styrene-only type of cement was used in the construction of the model that was not styrene. Whereas only the styrene portion of the plastic content would be bonded. But, if the proper cements are used for bonding, the seams should hold indefinitely.


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## Marco Scheloske (May 16, 2000)

Trek Ace said:


> But, if the proper cements are used for bonding, the seams should hold indefinitely.


Uhm... yes, that`s what I`m saying all the time. Styrene glue is not good for ABS, ABS-glue is...


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## Stu Pidasso (Apr 5, 2008)

Just got my shipping notice. Can't wait to hold mine (even though I have the resin kit!) Woohoo!


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## Zombie_61 (Apr 21, 2004)

Marco Scheloske said:


> It depends on the amount of Styrene (the "S" from ABS) in the used ABS formula. The more styrene was used the better is the glueing result with regular styrene glues.


That makes sense. As Robiwan stated above, it's the percentage of styrene in the ABS that styrene cement attacks and bonds together--more styrene, stronger bond; less styrene, weaker bond. It's possible the Pegasus kits have a reasonably high percentage of styrene in the mix, which is why the employee I spoke with hasn't had any problems (yet) using regular styrene cement to assemble his kits.

BTW, when I bought the kits I picked up a bottle of Plastruct's Bondene to assemble my kits. Someone on another forum recommended it as it's specifically formulated for bonding ABS to ABS, styrene to styrene, etc.; Plastic Weld is designed to bond ABS to _dissimilar_ materials--ABS to styrene, ABS to acrylic, ABS to butyrate, etc..



robiwon said:


> I don't think I have built a model just using regular Testors tube glue in ten years or so. I may use it in spots where I need extra setting time to position parts. I find "liquid" glues much easier, cleaner, and faster to use.


I've been using good old Testors tube glue since the late 60s, and I still prefer it for polystyrene kits. For me liquid glues are too thin--harder to control where the stuff ends up. In my experience Testors, being a thicker "gel" type glue, stays where I put it and it tends to fill minor gaps as it melts the styrene together, so there's almost always less puttying involved.


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## StarshipClass (Aug 13, 2003)

Zombie_61 said:


> I've been using good old Testors tube glue since the late 60s, and I still prefer it for polystyrene kits. For me liquid glues are too thin--harder to control where the stuff ends up. In my experience Testors, being a thicker "gel" type glue, stays where I put it and it tends to fill minor gaps as it melts the styrene together, so there's almost always less puttying involved.


Same here for the same reasons. The only thing to be wary of is using too much but that is hard to do with some experience and common sense.


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## Richard Baker (Aug 8, 2006)

PerfesserCoffee said:


> Same here for the same reasons. The only thing to be wary of is using too much but that is hard to do with some experience and common sense.


Agreed. I have been using the traditional 'gel'testors since the sixties and know how to push it.
The Matrian War Machine kits I did not even glue since it was engineered so well it snapped together.
I planned on using the Apollo 27 kit as a base for an armor plated heave scout project I wanted to do but I did NOT buy the kit because of the ABS plastic. My idea was to layer styrene panels overlapping foe the look i wanted but I just did not feel like fighting the difference in materials.
When Pegasus started releasing these ABS plastic kits there have been long threads in different forums about which glue to use and each advantage. None of the arguments seemed to jive- what some people loved others had problems with. I know the advantages of ABS in strength and color consistnecy, but all other styrene kits seem to go together and work well without any problems. I really wish Pegasus would stop using ABS- it is the only negative I can find in their product line.

Rant Over Now...

.


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## ClubTepes (Jul 31, 2002)

I could certainly be wrong, but aren't/weren't Tamiya's kits ABS?

Someone told me, one reason to use ABS is that it carries detail better.

Now, the source of both of these statements has been wrong before and could be wrong again.


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## Magesblood (May 12, 2008)

Nope. My Willys MB isn't ABS. Awesome little kit too!


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## falcondesigns (Oct 30, 2002)

Tamiya uses polystyrene,not ABS.


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## Trek Ace (Jul 8, 2001)

Sorry. I'm just trying to help you guys out.

I was responding to your previous statement:



Marco Scheloske said:


> There is no such thing like liquid glue for ABS.


There actually is. It is available from several manufacturers, two of which are Plastruct and IPS Weld-On.

I also understand this very well:



Marco Scheloske said:


> Uhm... yes, that`s what I`m saying all the time. Styrene glue is not good for ABS, ABS-glue is...


I'm just saying that there are many types of plastic out there, and there are also many types of cement. The goal here is to marry the right type of plastic to it's proper bonding agent. I use many types of plastic: acrylic and polycarbonate (these are great for building structures as they are very strong), ABS and styrene (for paneling and detail work) and others, like plexiglass, lexan, PVC, butyrate, acetate, vinyl and polypropylene. Each of these are very useful for model building, some of them share similar chemistries, several are totally dissimilar and one won't even bond to itself well using a solvent, and can only be bonded with epoxy, contact cement or super glue.

The trick is to know what to use as a proper bonding agent for each and to have them on hand for their intended purpose.

I don't know exactly what is available in Germany as far as adhesives, but a trip to a local hardware store or plumbing supply would be a good start. Also, if there is a commercial plastics supplier in your area, it may be worth checking out, as they will usually carry a full supply of proper adhesives for whatever plastics they sell, and will usually offer literature and assistance in educating their customers in which plastics and glues are appropriate for different applications.

For now, check out these links. They offer good information on what's out there:

http://www.eplastics.com/Plastic/Adhesives?gclid=CKDhlv6uuJ8CFQZfagodcUeu0A

http://www.plumbingsupply.com/pvccementglue.html

http://www.multicraftplastics.com/access_supplies/index.html

http://www.plastruct.com/


Hope this helps!


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## Marco Scheloske (May 16, 2000)

Trek Ace said:


> I'm just saying that there are many types of plastic out there, and there are also many types of cement. The goal here is to marry the right type of plastic to it's proper bonding agent.
> 
> *snip*
> 
> I don't know exactly what is available in Germany as far as adhesives, but a trip to a local hardware store or plumbing supply would be a good start.


I know - somehow I have the feeling that we`re talking past eachother.

I simply wrote that glueing the Pegasus kits together with regular styrene glue may be not a good idea, since the bond seems to be strong first, but will pop up sooner or later (you can read this in several forums, posts like "the seam was great, but then it broke up. I don`t understand why this happens.")

So the use of a glue especially for ABS is recommended.

The other point - glues available in Germany - can be answered easily: None of the mentioned liquid glues for ABS are available here. It is forbidden to import them. Only the mentioned "Ruderer" tube glue is available and allowed here (and you have to proof that you`re 18 years old and to give a copy of your ID-card to the shop). Same with MEK (which bonds ABS as well) - unless that you have a 75 % chance that it will not be sold to you (you have to proof that you really, _really_ need it - and even then you`ll get just a minimum amount of that stuff).

If you asked in shops here they`ll say to you the only glue you can use on ABS is Cyanacrylat ("superglue"), nothing else.


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## Trek Ace (Jul 8, 2001)

Agreed. I think that we are both saying about the same thing!

Hopefully, our fellow modelers will gain valuable information from our exchanges.

I'm sorry that the selection of adhesives is so restrictive in Germany. While I was there, I had curtailed most of my modeling with the exception of a few plastic kits that I worked on with my great nephew. So, other than liquid styrene cement and super glue, I had little experience with the more exotic plastics and adhesives that were (or were not) available there. 

You still may want to give your local hardware store, plumbing supply, or even automotive finishing shop and see if there may be something that is available there that would perhaps never be carried in a hobby shop. There is a more "syrupy" form of cement available for ABS and PVC pipe for plumbing purposes that may be available, and would certainly work for ABS plastic models. However, they might be under the same restrictions that you have already been confronted with.

MEK is a great adhesive for many types of plastic. If, by some chance, they would sell it to you, you would be pretty well set for model work.

Good luck!


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## Stu Pidasso (Apr 5, 2008)

For those of you who have the kit (mine just shipped) how is the fit on the fuselage halves? I'm not really worried about the wing roots, but I hate sanding an egg...


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## Zombie_61 (Apr 21, 2004)

Stu Pidasso said:


> For those of you who have the kit (mine just shipped) how is the fit on the fuselage halves? I'm not really worried about the wing roots, but I hate sanding an egg...


Not exactly sure what you mean by "sanding an egg", but the fuselage halves fit together perfectly. I did a dry test fit on mine and saw only the slightest hint of a visible seam line, and found only one small spot on the dorsal aft section where I could feel a barely noticeable difference between the two parts by running my finger from one to the other (and this area will be covered by a part that runs down the "spine" of the fuselage aft of the "Command Ship" section).

I have to say, I'm highly impressed with the engineering and amount of thought that went into the design of these kits; near-flawless fit and very reasonable part breakdown that will make assembly and painting as easy as it could be, and the transparent parts that will make things that much easier for modelers who want to light their kits. These are the first Pegasus kits I've purchased and, based on what I've seen, they won't be the last.


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## StarshipClass (Aug 13, 2003)

My plan is to use styrene glue to make the initial bonds on the pistol and Vox. After that I will run super glue down the seam on the inside for reinforcement. As a final step, I'll put epoxy putty on the inside seam since the extra weight is desirable in both and the extra strength makes a substantial difference in rough handling.


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## robiwon (Oct 20, 2006)

There's nothing better for sanding seams on a curved surface than a Flex-i-File. I bought one when I was doing aircraft and needed to sand the fuselage & all the weapons. The strip contours itself to the curved surface. The result is no flat spots like you may get from a sanding stick.

http://www.flex-i-file.com/html/flexifile.html


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## Zombie_61 (Apr 21, 2004)

I must be really old school--I just use sandpaper on curved surfaces. Both the backing paper and my finger conform to the shape just fine.


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## StarshipClass (Aug 13, 2003)

Zombie_61 said:


> I must be really old school--I just use sandpaper on curved surfaces. Both the backing paper and my finger conform to the shape just fine.


Same here though I have employed sanding sponges on occasion.


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## modelsj (May 12, 2004)

Beautiful kit! Drilling out the red things that glow for lighting sure is tricky though.


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## Edge (Sep 5, 2003)

*Stay on target*

Just got mine as well today. Pretty cool kit. Nice size as well. How to deal with the tiny windows? Guess I have been spoiled by PL/R2 use of decals for small windows.


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## geino (May 9, 2006)

What size is the disk area on the vox? I was looking at the plasma disks and the standard size is 2.75 inch disk.

I found one that is 2.5 inches:
http://www.tradekey.com/product_view/id/258022.htm
The catch - minimum order of 500
http://www.fuzing.com/vli/002455816228/Plasma-disk-Lumin-disk-Luminglass10-Inch-size

here is another one that has contact information, but no price or quantity informaiton
http://www.tradeindia.com/selloffer/1764153/Plasma-Plate.html

I found the manufacturer, I haven't found the price, but on the link to the site it said minimum order of 100
http://www.zjhuafeng.com/en/products.asp?classid=13


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## geino (May 9, 2006)

Edge said:


> Just got mine as well today. Pretty cool kit. Nice size as well. How to deal with the tiny windows? Guess I have been spoiled by PL/R2 use of decals for small windows.


Small windows can be dealt with one of a few ways - a Dremel with a precision drill bit. then fill it in and paint black or fiber optics to light it up.

Or craft stores such as Michaels carry precision black markers (.5) - look in the area that have paint brushes, paints and craft chalks. If you can't find them let me know and I will get you the name and how much they cost.


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## swhite228 (Dec 31, 2003)

geino said:


> What size is the disk area on the vox? I was looking at the plasma disks and the standard size is 2.75 inch disk.
> 
> I found one that is 2.5 inches:
> http://www.tradekey.com/product_view/id/258022.htm
> ...


It's not just the diameter that's a problem, it's the thickness of the disk as well.
The disk has a tube in the center that comes down around 3/4 inch with an electrode coming out of it. The electrode is connected to a high voltage power supply/battery holder.

The close up prop over came the thickness issue by being made thicker to hold the disk.

There is a person over at the RPF who owns both the props depicted in the kit who made replicas. He is talking about making another run of the screen accurate vox screens to replace the decal in the kit.


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## geino (May 9, 2006)

swhite228 said:


> It's not just the diameter that's a problem, it's the thickness of the disk as well.
> The disk has a tube in the center that comes down around 3/4 inch with an electrode coming out of it. The electrode is connected to a high voltage power supply/battery holder.
> 
> The close up prop over came the thickness issue by being made thicker to hold the disk.
> ...


Ok. I was just trying to help. I hope he does. I was thinking about getting the kit, but I would like to replace the decal in favor of lighting it up.


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## DinoMike (Jan 1, 1970)

Just got my copies and started assembling the Protector while the first coat of paint on the Martian War Machine is drying. I was rather hoping to find that the wings could be left off until after painting. No such luck. There's a gap at the front that'll have to be filled for sure, and I'm not happy with the seams on top of the wing root either.

IMPORTANT HEADS UP! They don't indicate the magnets in the instructions, and I assembled the main fuselage without putting the magnets into their recesses in the base plate for the command ship. I can get them down in there with some long tweezers, and will likely use 5 minute epoxy to hold them in place.


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## Zombie_61 (Apr 21, 2004)

geino said:


> What size is the disk area on the vox? I was looking at the plasma disks and the standard size is 2.75 inch disk.


The decal that comes with the kit is 1.9" in diameter; I don't have a way to accurately measure the area of the part itself.



swhite228 said:


> There is a person over at the RPF who owns both the props depicted in the kit who made replicas. He is talking about making another run of the screen accurate vox screens to replace the decal in the kit.


It would be more accurate to say he has created a transparent replacement for the kit decal that he has shared with VoodooFX for their upcoming lighting kit. As I understand it, at this point the plan for their kit will be a simple light in the VOX case that will illuminate that transparency, but it won't have the "plasma" motion seen on the original props. As far as I know the lighting kit is still in the planning stage, so that could change.

That said, his transparency graphic is a big improvement over the decal. As has been stated, he has at least one of the screen-used props in his possession and has had the opportunity to examine others, so he's quite knowlegeable about their appearance and how they work (both the "hero" and the "stunt" props, that is). If he decides to make them available separate from the lighting kit, it should be a no-brainer to replace the decal with one of his graphics.




DinoMike said:


> Just got my copies and started assembling the Protector while the first coat of paint on the Martian War Machine is drying. I was rather hoping to find that the wings could be left off until after painting. No such luck. There's a gap at the front that'll have to be filled for sure, and I'm not happy with the seams on top of the wing root either.
> 
> IMPORTANT HEADS UP! They don't indicate the magnets in the instructions, and I assembled the main fuselage without putting the magnets into their recesses in the base plate for the command ship. I can get them down in there with some long tweezers, and will likely use 5 minute epoxy to hold them in place.


Well, there you have it. I've been impressed with the way the Protector's parts fit together during some minor test-fitting, but there's nothing like having someone who is building (or has built) a kit and sharing their experience to illustrate for the rest of us the good and bad qualities of the kit and it's instruction sheet. Thanks Mike! :thumbsup:


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## DinoMike (Jan 1, 1970)

Zombie_61 said:


> Well, there you have it. I've been impressed with the way the Protector's parts fit together during some minor test-fitting, but there's nothing like having someone who is building (or has built) a kit and sharing their experience to illustrate for the rest of us the good and bad qualities of the kit and it's instruction sheet. Thanks Mike! :thumbsup:


 You're welcome. Can I add "Plastic Guinea Pig" to my resume' now? 

Not looking forward to masking those clear blue inserts in the rear parts of the wings when I start painting. Oh well.... Never Give Up, Never Surrender!


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## Zombie_61 (Apr 21, 2004)

DinoMike said:


> Can I add "Plastic Guinea Pig" to my resume' now?


If you want to, I suppose. Personally, I'd prefer "Master of Plastics Assembly".


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## DinoMike (Jan 1, 1970)

Arg. Just.... Arg.

Had to chop out most of the wing mounting plate and one of the fuselage pins to get that second magnet in there. The perfect tool for the job was... a bendy straw. GLAD brand flexible straws turned out to be the perfect diameter to fit the magnets. Squeezed a little 5 minute epoxy into the sockets, put the magnet in place and used the magnets in the command ship to hold them there while I pulled the straws away. The command ship magnets are also keeping the hull magnets in place while the epoxy cures.


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## geino (May 9, 2006)

DinoMike 
Thanks for the tips. I plan to get the model, now I need to get a couple of magenets and follow your tips to build it.

Zombie_61
Too bad we can't convince somebody to create a plasma disk under 2" and not very thick so it will fit inside.


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## Magesblood (May 12, 2008)

I betcha if you asked Voodoo fx really nice like, they'll come up with something.


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## StarshipClass (Aug 13, 2003)

How about a 3D sticker?


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## DinoMike (Jan 1, 1970)

geino said:


> DinoMike
> Thanks for the tips. I plan to get the model, now I need to get a couple of magenets and follow your tips to build it.


 The magnets are included with the kit. They're just not mentioned in the instructions. That's why I had so much trouble with them... I was supposed to have installed them BEFORE putting the hull together.

Also, make sure you have the magnets installed so positive pole of one magnet meets negative pole of the other when the main hull and command ship are built, or they'll repel each other rather than holding the command ship in place.


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## DinoMike (Jan 1, 1970)

And on another note... the wing-to-fuselage fit is even worse than I thought. It seems like there's a warp in the plastic. If you get the leading edge to fit decently, the rear edge has a severe step. Maybe if I carefully heat & clamp, I can get it reduced. If not, I'm gonna have to do a lot of Aves work on that rear edge.


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## Larva (Jun 8, 2005)

The wing-to-fuselage fit on my kit is perfect, with only the slightest hairline seam. I had to angle the front part in before tilting the aft end of the wing plate into position, but it worked perfectly. The fit is tight as a snap-tight. Windows are the only difficulty I foresee.


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## DinoMike (Jan 1, 1970)

Larva said:


> The wing-to-fuselage fit on my kit is perfect, with only the slightest hairline seam. I had to angle the front part in before tilting the aft end of the wing plate into position, but it worked perfectly. The fit is tight as a snap-tight. Windows are the only difficulty I foresee.



Mine may have had a warp in the plastic, or I may have jacked something up during assembly. Wouldn't be the first time.


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## Paulbo (Sep 16, 2004)

I had thought that this shot was an homage shot to Lost in Space, but it's not as close as I'd remembered. Still pretty funny, though ...


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## swhite228 (Dec 31, 2003)

PerfesserCoffee said:


> How about a 3D sticker?


How about this:http://www.cliffdigital.com/lenticular.php


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## razorwyre1 (Jan 28, 2004)

Magesblood said:


> I betcha if you asked Voodoo fx really nice like, they'll come up with something.


designing and producing a lighting kit is one thing... custom manufacturing a plasma disc is quite another. 



swhite228 said:


> How about this:http://www.cliffdigital.com/lenticular.php


give them a call for a price quote. be ready for a shock. 

sorry dont mean to be such a downer here..... ive got one of the 2 3/4 inch plasma discs. i was thinking of photographing it, and then using that as the basis for a transparency that could be lit from behind.


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