# Moebius HAL 9000



## mach7 (Mar 25, 2002)

Cult delivered this a few days ago but I was out of town.

It's a basic kit 7 parts including the stand, 1 red LED, and a set of decals.

The detail looks good at 1st glance. Crisp molding and details. So far I see no sinkmarks or undermolding.

The faceplate main inner surface has a slight texture that looks like brushed metal. It's very fine and will probably disappear with painting.

The 2 clear lenses look good, no obvious flaws. The decals are basic and look nicely printed. There is the large HAL logo along with lens details.

There is no battery case, the instructions suggest using double sided tape and sticking it on the back.

Overall it looks like a simple kit that was well done. 

Painting will take the most time.


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## MartyS (Mar 11, 2014)

Most people are going to want to hang this on a wall, not mount it on a base. But it doesn't look like they put a keyhole anywhere to allow it to hang on a nail or screw?

Won't be that hard to add ways to mount it on a wall but seems like such an obvious thing to put into the model when designing it...


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## Rainfollower (Oct 6, 2006)

A question about the decals. Is the "Reset" decal accurate, or is it similar to the FASTWAY decal for the TWA Marsliner where you can cut it up to make TWA?

I ask because I see that decal #3 says NIKKO instead of NIKKOR. Looks like the R from Reset would fit in that gap.


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## Milton Fox Racing (May 27, 2014)

NIKKO is the abbreviation for Nippon Kogaku. The name Nikon was formed under in 1917. Nikkor was adopted in 1932 and Nikon in 1946. Probably doesnt fit the movie time line that well, but maybe they used a used lens in putting HAL together.


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## Steve H (Feb 8, 2009)

I have to say, the 'use some tape to hold the battery' strikes me as, well, lazy design. 

But maybe that won't matter in the end, I suspect way too many people are going to embed their Amazon device in this in some way.


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## mach7 (Mar 25, 2002)

No wall hook is provided, but it could be added very easily.

And yes, the battery held by tape is an odd choice, but it will work. I suspect that the LED was a late addition to the kit.


I would love to install my Ring doorbell in it.


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## JeffBond (Dec 9, 2013)

I wish they had made it 8 parts--having the main panel separate from the metal/silver frame would have completely eliminated any need for masking. But otherwise it seems pretty neat and I could even see myself buying a second one so I can have two hung up in the house. It'll be interesting to see if Moebius puts out any other 2001 kits.


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## mach7 (Mar 25, 2002)

Washed everything, primed with Tamiya grey primer.

Masked the frame and some Tamiya semi-matt black:










It looks nice, gloss would have been too much I think.

The instructions say "gunmetal" for the speaker grill. Regular gunmetal looks too dark. I used Tamiya TS-42 light gunmetal.
I think it looks correct.

Gloss aluminum for the base ring and flat black for the eye.










That is just a dry fitting.

I think I'll spray the frame gloss aluminum also.

Jeff, 
molding the front separate would have made this a really fast build!


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## lunadude (Oct 21, 2006)

I see you still have the odd nub on the lens ring. I gather it is left over from the molding process. No such protrusion on the actual lens, right?


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## mach7 (Mar 25, 2002)

I'm wondering about it. I don't see it in the instructions, I can't see why it is there, but I hesitate to remove it.


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## SteveR (Aug 7, 2005)

Had you considered painting the inner eye _gloss_ black to simulate the various glass elements inside the lens?


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## mach7 (Mar 25, 2002)

SteveR said:


> Had you considered painting the inner eye _gloss_ black to simulate the various glass elements inside the lens?


No I hadn't.

The instructions call for flat black on the inner lens area. The kit does have 2 clear lenses.

Speaking of the lens's, I'm wondering if the inner lens should be frosted to disperse the red light a bit.


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## Milton Fox Racing (May 27, 2014)

I wouldnt paint or frost the inside lens. This is not the exact lens in the photo image below but you can see the internal 'glass' piece (the very center silvery/gray area) should remain clear. Black paint will block out the LED red light as well.


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## Steve H (Feb 8, 2009)

mach7 said:


> No wall hook is provided, but it could be added very easily.
> 
> And yes, the battery held by tape is an odd choice, but it will work. I suspect that the LED was a late addition to the kit.
> 
> ...


well, see, here's the question regarding the battery. What will they do with the inevitable pre-built display model? I would expect some kind of housing will be necessary for the "actual voice from the movie" feature.*

*no I don't have any foreknowledge of this expected product, but how could one even contemplate selling a HAL interface plate that didn't have the voice? Good lord the tiny Hallmark Christmas ornament can manage THAT.


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## Hunk A Junk (Jan 28, 2013)

mach7 said:


> Washed everything, primed with Tamiya grey primer.
> 
> Masked the frame and some Tamiya semi-matt black:
> 
> ...


Did you brush on the black or use a spray? It looks like there is a texture on the surface and I'm just curious whether that is molded on the kit or just the angle of light reflecting off a brushed surface.


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## mach7 (Mar 25, 2002)

The face has a brushed metal texture. I sprayed semi matt black over it.


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## nkg (Oct 7, 2016)

How are the lens parts? Do they look remotely like glass, or just like cheap injection-moulded plastic?


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## mach7 (Mar 25, 2002)

They look to be plastic, but I have not opened the bag they are in. 

They look nice and clear.


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## Opus Penguin (Apr 19, 2004)

The texture is on the kit.


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## JeffBond (Dec 9, 2013)

I think the lens pieces look great. I used semi gloss black on the main panel and the eye piece and I like the look of that. And the lower grill is basically molded in gun metal so I didn't even paint that. The finished piece looks great on my wall and I think I'll even buy another one so I can have two in the house.


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## mach7 (Mar 25, 2002)

JeffBond said:


> I think the lens pieces look great. I used semi gloss black on the main panel and the eye piece and I like the look of that. And the lower grill is basically molded in gun metal so I didn't even paint that. The finished piece looks great on my wall and I think I'll even buy another one so I can have two in the house.



JeffBond,

How did the HAL 9000 decal cover over the black? Is it opaque? I'm worried that I'll need to spray the area it goes silver or put down some white decal first.

Thanks

Mark


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## mach7 (Mar 25, 2002)

Getting close.



















Decals on:


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## alpink (Aug 22, 2010)

looks pretty darn good from here.


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## StarshipClass (Aug 13, 2003)

"Just what do you think you're doing, mach7?"

Excellent work! :thumbsup:


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## mach7 (Mar 25, 2002)

I'm calling HAL done.

There is a stand, but I'm not using it. I added a picture hanger to the top/back of HAL and he is on the wall, protecting the mission.

The decals are very nice and went on easy. The lens decals really add a lot to the kit. The instructions call for a "reset" decal to go over the switch. I chose not to use it.






































Mounted over my display:











As I said the only modification, if you can call it that, was the addition of the picture mount.
I glued a small section of angle styrene, set back a bit and with the middle cut out, to the inside/top. 
Then I just C/A'd the metal picture hanger. Very easy.

HAL builds into a nice display!


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## alpink (Aug 22, 2010)

Daisy - Daisy, give me your a n s w e r .........


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## Milton Fox Racing (May 27, 2014)

alpink said:


> Daisy - Daisy, give me your a n s w e r .........


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## mach7 (Mar 25, 2002)

HAL's short singing career:


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## mach7 (Mar 25, 2002)

Rainfollower said:


> A question about the decals. Is the "Reset" decal accurate, or is it similar to the FASTWAY decal for the TWA Marsliner where you can cut it up to make TWA?
> 
> I ask because I see that decal #3 says NIKKO instead of NIKKOR. Looks like the R from Reset would fit in that gap.


You might be on to something. I assumed that the lens said NIKKO because thats what Moebius printed on the decal. But your post got me to start looking, everything I see shows NIKKOR. I just went and looked, the R could be used I think.


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## mach7 (Mar 25, 2002)

Hows this:










The "R" fits perfectly.


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## sliuman (Mar 23, 2004)

Could it have been a trademark/copyright issue perhaps? And the reset decal was a sneaky way around it? I could be wrong!


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## MartyS (Mar 11, 2014)

sliuman said:


> Could it have been a trademark/copyright issue perhaps? And the reset decal was a sneaky way around it? I could be wrong!


Just looked up the trademarks listed as belonging to Nikon and Nikkor is on the list. So they would have had to get permission and possibly pay a royalty to print that word on the decal. Nippon and Kogaku are not listed anywhere I could find (in relation to lenses that is, there are companies with nippon as a trademark but have nothing to do with lenses).

Just got my HAL kit, not sure when I'll get around to building it.


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## sliuman (Mar 23, 2004)

I have the Master Replicas HAL coming sometime soon(?) Will be interesting to compare the two. (On a side note, if I had known this was coming I could have saved a bundle! Oh well...)


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## mach7 (Mar 25, 2002)

Please post some photo's here of your MR!

The only MR piece I have is the TOS Klingon disruptor and it's outstanding.


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## sliuman (Mar 23, 2004)

Will do when I get it!


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## SteveR (Aug 7, 2005)

"Nippon" (said as "nee-hone") refers to Japan, so it's not a trademark.

_"Founded on July 25, 1917 as *Nippon* Kōgaku Kōgyō Kabushikigaisha (日本光学工業株式会社 "*Japan* Optical Industries Co., Ltd.") ..."_

It's hard to say if the anglicized old full company name is trademarked... but "Nikkor" is trademarked. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nikon


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## SteveR (Aug 7, 2005)

It was a good idea for Moebius to include the inner lens. I had to paint the inner part of my Lunar Models HAL lens glossy just to get some extra specular reflections inside there.

BTW, the inner lens should not be frosted: it should stay clear and sharp. Maybe dipped in Future.


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## mach7 (Mar 25, 2002)

I left the both lenses clear. Future would be a good idea.

Keeping the lenses clean was an issue while building HAL.


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## Ensign Eddie (Nov 25, 1998)

hpiguy's Model Workshop just did a build up video for 'ol HAL.








I imagine that hpiguy may give some modelers the vapors (I don't think I've ever seen him fill a seam), but I enjoy his videos immensely. Plus, he's probably built more models in the past three months than I have in the last 10 years.


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## mach7 (Mar 25, 2002)

I started to watch his video, but its over 20 min long!

Luckily HAL has no seams!


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## mach7 (Mar 25, 2002)

I just picked up a HAL 9000 hallmark ornament on ebay.

Now to see if I can easily add the electronics to my existing HAL.

I might have to build another.


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## mach7 (Mar 25, 2002)

This just might work. 










Now, do I use the red light from the ornament and use just one switch. 
Or do I add the electronics/speaker with a 2nd switch.

I think the 2 switches, that way I can have the eye lit when HAL is not speaking.


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## Milton Fox Racing (May 27, 2014)

HAL never sleeps....


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## mach7 (Mar 25, 2002)

My 2nd HAL just showed up from Cult, I plan on using the Hallmark audio board in him.


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## noddaz (Aug 6, 1999)

This was looking great! How did the sound board turn out? And a creepy thing to add would be a motion sensor to have it turn itself on for guests.


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## mach7 (Mar 25, 2002)

No new progress. Other projects got in the way. I'll get back to it soon I hope.


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