# NX-01 Interior Plans



## drewid142 (Apr 23, 2004)

Let's just suppose you were going to build and light all the interior spaces for the windows on the NX-01... Are there any plans out there that show what is supposed to be there?


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## drewid142 (Apr 23, 2004)

*any thoughts?*

quick interior model concept (digital) photoetch, light tape/sheet...

any thoughts? Have you seen the amazing details that have been made for Titanic models?


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## drewid142 (Apr 23, 2004)

*a little more...*

a little more thinking...


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## drewid142 (Apr 23, 2004)

*Those amazing Titanic models*

I just look at those amazing Titanic details and think... we could do that for the Enterprise!

http://www.titanic-plan.de/kit_main_e.html


LOOK at the photoetched detail set and dream!


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## drewid142 (Apr 23, 2004)

*and getting back to my original question...*

I have gotten no responses... are there any resources out there that tell us what is behind those windowes on the NX?

I don't want to put a whole bunch of work into making my "one off" without getting it right so others can enjoy the parts I make.


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## drewid142 (Apr 23, 2004)

*Still thinking...*

another shot of my idea...

...just seeing how far I can get before I get some constructive or destructive advice...


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## drewid142 (Apr 23, 2004)

*Chairs...*

have you seen the benches for Titanic at 350 and 144 scale?


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## John P (Sep 1, 1999)

Just whipped up those graphics, eh? Wow!


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## TrekFX (Apr 15, 2004)

I've fantasized about this very issue, and have considered the hull skin (keeping each port from looking like a long tube... and looking like it's a thin, flush pane in a thin skin.) to be the biggest bear; both for the upper/lower surfaces but especially for the saucer rim.

But I love bears...!

At that scale, you need those panes to be near-perfect in clarity to maintain the suspension of disbelief.


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## drewid142 (Apr 23, 2004)

*the plan*

I'm laying out a set of photo etched skin parts for the top and bottom of the saucer so those windows can be near flush and have thin clear plastic windows. For the sides I think I'll just go with the parts as is but use thin clear plastic for the windows. The side window thickness isn't that bad and there's good detail on the side parts where the top and bottom parts are smooth to begin with.

The interior will be mostly photo etched parts. If I can get some good reference for what is supposed to be in there I'll make a kit out of it all... other wise it will just be my little madness.

I really want to do the same thing for the refit... but it will be much harder as the smooth look is important to the overall quality. The NX-01 will let me lay down thin plates without hurting the look of the model.

The attached image shows what I've been planning.. but I've just about decided to do away with most of the little detail plates and just go with the larger plates that are needed to do the windows... not out of any kind of laziness... I think it will look better. I also realize that I will have to compensate for curvature... so simply laying them out on the flat iamge will not be sufficient. I will generate 3D computer model of the curvatures and unfold to get the flat plan for the photo etch.

Another reason for doing away with the many little detail parts is the size of the photo etch sheet required becomes unreasonably large. I'm planning on having my sheet etched professionally by a service... but if there is anyone out there that does good home brew etching... speak up if you want to go in on it with me!


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## heiki (Aug 8, 1999)

drewid142 said:


> another shot of my idea...
> 
> ...just seeing how far I can get before I get some constructive or destructive advice...


*I do not see any thumbnails or images in this thread. When I click on the placeholder for the inage, I get a "The page cannot be displayed" message.*


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## Ziz (Feb 22, 1999)

Do you use some kind of pop-up blocker software? Some of them are a little too aggressive and block windows that are supposed to pop up. I use PopUpStopper from PanicWare, and it allows you to hold down the Ctrl key to temporarily bypass the program and allow pop up windows.


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## Prince of Styrene II (Feb 28, 2000)

No problems for me.


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## TrekFX (Apr 15, 2004)

ya know...

If your doing the top and bottom skins, you could go all-in and do the saucer perimeter as a relief-etched set, to which one would add strip stock for the "next level" relief. Just a thought... but I betcha it will be harder than it sounds to integrate into the model!


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## drewid142 (Apr 23, 2004)

*my thoughts exactly...*

I was going to do exactly that... but I looked real careful at the parts and decided it would be hard to top what's there already. I'll probably give it a try...

On the refit I think the opposite is true... the edge of the saucer (and the neck) will be easily done with relief etched part... but the smooth surface of the bottom of the saucer and the engineering hull... they don't lend themselves well to this technique... I'm still thinking about it. 

I'll probably spend quite a few evenings staring at the refit when I get it and figuring it all out.


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## justinleighty (Jan 13, 2003)

As far as what's supposed to be inside the windows, you'll just have to extrapolate from the interior sets. All the renders of the outside of the ship show generic shapes behind the windows, nothing detailed with chairs, bunks, tables, etc.

Interesting idea on etched exterior sheets, but won't that get pretty expensive on top of the interior bits? Just curious.


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## cobywan (Oct 27, 2001)

I don't think you'll ever be able to see the ceiling details through the portholes.


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## drewid142 (Apr 23, 2004)

*sure you can!*

Looking in the windows on the bottom of the saucer... the ceiling lights will be clearly visible. Looking in the windows on the top the illuminated rooms with furniture will be visible. Looking in the side windows you may see both.

For the bottom saucer I'm planning on making a simple plug (shown in image included) that fits in the drilled out hole in the skin part and behind the photoetched plate that mounts on the outer surface. Back lit Photoetched ceiling parts will add complexity and should look swell. Simulated view looking in bottom saucer window shows ceiling details clearly visible.

Expensive? Probably so... it seems that I can get a large sheet etched professionally for about $30 to $40. I'm not planning on getting into the kit business... but if it works well I'll look for someone that might want to mass produce them as kits with me. The way I look at it... if you're going to spend a hundred hours... or a thousand hours working on a model... why not drop a few bucks to do it up right!


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## Ziz (Feb 22, 1999)

I think this idea is getting way too anal. You're talking about holes that are less than 1/8" diameter. Can you REALLY see what's behind them, or are you just theorizing that you can see what's behind them because, as empty holes, you can see _through_ them? Do you realize just HOW SMALL AND SHARP these details will need to be to be seen thru a hole that small? Have you tried a physical mockup of an interior piece, not just these computer theories?

If you can pull it off, great! I just think this is sounding like an exercise in futility.

_A fanatic is someone who increases his efforts when he's lost sight of his goal._


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## drewid142 (Apr 23, 2004)

*so negative Ziz?*

I think the illuminated interiors will look WAY better than the window lights that you ussually see on models. The little plugs will all be identical and so easy to mass produce. The photoetched plates on the skin will be easy to apply and will hide any sloppy cutting on the original skin object. Small and sharp details are easy to do with photoetched thin plates.

As for trying physical mock ups... I've got these little 1/350 figures, and I've got the NX model and of course I try things out... that's how I figured the side windows would be fine as they are but the top and bottom needed the thinner photoetched plates to look good. I'll post some test when I get to it in a month or two.

For the interior rooms I'll probably just make a collection of parts that get re-used all over the place.

Lighten up. I think it will look SUPER! 

As I said... have you been to the Titanic model site I posted earlier in this thread? and have you ever looked at www.fineartmodels.com these guys set the bar way high and inspire modelers to take the art further.

...well I just noticed you are the moderator... if you want me to stop posting on this subject that's fine... just tell me...

but is it anal when a modeller puts hundreds of little strips of foil on the Command module to simulate the mylar tape... or they go to the trouble of foiling the bumber on their car model and the little metal strips or the headlinght frames... it is the detail that you are calling anal that is what makes a model a piece of fine art... GOLLY!

an exercise in futility would be to attempt to make the world idiot proof

nice definition for fanatic... but I would say that a modeler that is an artist is one that sees a task will be daunting... but does it anyway... because it will be that work and those details that make his or her work special and unique... that make it art.

I say GOLLY to you again!


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## Trek Ace (Jul 8, 2001)

Keep posting. This is interesting.


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## veedubb67 (Jul 11, 2003)

Trek Ace said:


> Keep posting. This is interesting.


Yeah, Dave M. should be chiming in any minute now!!

Keep it up!


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## Ziz (Feb 22, 1999)

drewid142 said:


> ...well I just noticed you are the moderator... if you want me to stop posting on this subject that's fine... just tell me...


I'm only a moderator at Cult's...like my sub-title says. Everywhere else, I'm just another guy offering his opinion.

Put in perspective - as much as I've been doing to The Bridge, I'm not putting in functioning console buttons or sliding turbolift doors. Extra detail is fine if you can pull it off, I just think that some guys do it just to be able to say they did it, not for the benefits of the end result.


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## drewid142 (Apr 23, 2004)

*go look at fine art models and be inspired*

go look at www.fineartmodels.com and be inspired. Click on Construction at the top and dig out the pics of their models under construction. They sell them for thousands, and even tens of thousands of dollars... but they are AWESOME. It make a modeller weep... and want to do something like they do. Look at the Corsair and the B-17... and you won't be able to stop. They did a 1/48 Titanic that is absolutely rediculous!


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## drewid142 (Apr 23, 2004)

*I found this picture*

Nice look... I want to see this in my model


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## drewid142 (Apr 23, 2004)

*Thinkin Photo etch for the side windows too*

I'm thinking about Photoetch for the side windows too... but I hate the thought of sanding off the lovely detail that's already there. Here's a little relief map study I just did.

Like I said earlier... I'm planning to ship my photo etching off to a service company... but if there's a photo etcher out there that wants to play or maybe even make product to sell... let me know. I'm making the plans anyway!

and for the bolt counters out there... yes I know the whole side thing will have to be a curved object... I'll make a 3D model of the surface, unfold it... and do the final relief map in Illustrator... this is just a quick photoshop hack to think about it.


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## drewid142 (Apr 23, 2004)

*wacky question...*

I know there's some serious modellers out there with a lot of experience... can one of you tell me if the following is possible...

put down a base of metallic and buff it.

Lay a series of layered decals on top of that...

lay down a hard skin of clear something on top of that... and then use varying glossiness of clear on top of that...but masking would be required... on top of decals under some kind of sealant.

Is it just a stupid thought... I know I've read similar hair brained schemes...

I'm really good at the 3D stuff... and I'm extremely methodical and patient... so laying out the decals for the entire thing is not out of my league... but the technicality of masking and painting on top of decals... any thoughts on that? I'm expecting to get blasted for this one... but it could be so beautiful... a blend of decalled complexity and airbrushed surfac quality...


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## drewid142 (Apr 23, 2004)

*AAAARGH... need to know what's behind these windows*

I want to go further but I need to know more about what's supposed to be behind these windows. I've grabbed dozens of images of NX interiors to use as style guides... but I don't want to dig into such a huge job without the best reference possible... does anybody know if there are floorplans for the NX in existence... fan books... anything?

It would be tragic to make a masterpiece only to get ripped up by the bolt counters for getting it all wrong. I think I've figured out the construction mechanics of the whole thing now... but I can't make any real parts except the exterior photoetch plates... which I'm working on already... I can do the exterior and paint job... which is a HUGE job in and of itself... and lay in the interiors before closing it up. I'm planning a little restaurant in the front set of windows as a test... for lighting, construction, etc. I'll either canibalize a kit for partial hull parts or do some casting to make some partials.

I'm playing with the idea of backlit photo images for the walls to simulate complex lighting... Photoetched ceilings with large but complex openings for letting light in from EL tape or light sheet from above, photo etched details like chirs, tables, panels, and detail parts... possible resin castings for the main compartments not unlike the lounge behind the bridge but with photo etched details. I'm considering the NX a warm up for the refit... which has been a love of mine, along with the Proteus and Nautilus since I was a kid. I'm 44 now... I've got to do this!

Any help on floorplans? Corridor maps?


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## Trek Ace (Jul 8, 2001)

Hey, since you're into all the designing of photoetch brass and such, how about plotting out some brass multi-layered aztec pattern hull templates as well for airbrushing both the NX and refit kits. This could be in addition to the PE interiors, of course!


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## drewid142 (Apr 23, 2004)

*already thinking that*

I was already thinking that...

I've never done such templates before... but my plan would be to take the plan views posted here on the PL site... and adjust them to the same 3D distortion that I do the photoetch and export as plan views... I'll do that... it will be up to some other genius to print them out as templates.

I'll do it. I've got a bunch of stuff on my plate... I won't have real time to devote to it until mid September... but why not?

I'll be real open to input... as I've never done exactly that before.

what I'll do...

use the plan view top and bottom posted... make 3D model of each major planar disotrtion... "simple Cones" and project the plan view onto it... and spit it out as a distorted map.


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## TrekFX (Apr 15, 2004)

The word for today is...

AMBITION!

:wave:


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## veedubb67 (Jul 11, 2003)

TrekFX said:


> The word for today is...
> 
> AMBITION!
> 
> :wave:


Followed by "Perseverance"


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## Thall10000 (Mar 31, 2004)

Followed by, my head hurts!

But it sure sounds cool...


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