# Newest from The Aztek Dummy labs



## Lou Dalmaso (Jul 13, 2004)

It's been a very intense month of building and studying and working at the computer and reworking and studying and building some more, but now I am pleased to show off the results.

What I have here is one of REL's magnificent Sovereign Class Enterprise kits. You really can't say enough good things about this. It's really a sight to see. 

Added to that is JWRJr's lighting wizardry (in spite of my best efforts :drunk: ) The lights are buried in there and will be "unveiled" after all of the painting is done. there are 4 CCFLs in the saucer and 1 more in the body with supplemental LED's. also the standard Flashers and running lights.

And then on top is my new painting templates. As you can see, there is still a lot to be done. I'm working on the nacelles right now. and I'l be posting more pics as I make more progress. 

But, I promised to have some results to show for myself by today, so here you go. What I plan to do in the next couple of days is to paint a light gray over the whole ship, mask off the areas that will be darker gray, then paint those. Remove the templates and paint in the rest of the detail and then decal.

If you have any questions about these templates, please e-mail me at:

[email protected] so we can keep them off of these boards.

Cheers,
Lou :wave:


----------



## Griffworks (Jun 24, 2002)

Lookin' good, Lou. 

Y'know, every time I see someone else showing off Richard's kit, it makes me wish I'd had at least the cash and the display space for one of those....


----------



## REL (Sep 30, 2005)

Always good to see another build up, thank you.


----------



## nebulaclass269 (Jun 29, 2000)

Lookin good. Can't wait to get started on mine!:thumbsup:


----------



## tripdeer (Mar 7, 2004)

Wow, impressive. I love the Refit and Wee-NX masks I got from you, I couldn't even begin to attempt the aztecing without them.


----------



## Cougar184 (Jan 8, 2002)

what step did you do to prevent light leaks Lou? Im putting some reflective tape in the areas that I can but I cant get everything. I dont really think its possible to black the inside out but are you having any problems with light leaks?

just a concern of mine. 

cant wait to see the aztec paint pattern you made!


----------



## Lou Dalmaso (Jul 13, 2004)

Cougar,
Foil tape is my friend. that and several light coats o' paint.

The nacelles are gong to be the real test. those lights are strong in there!


----------



## REL (Sep 30, 2005)

Yep, foil tape as much of the inside of that thing as you can. The added benefit is it reflects light around better so less LED's. Your build up looks really nice, I know I said it before but it's really exciting for me to see people build the kit.


----------



## Cougar184 (Jan 8, 2002)

I think the main concern I had is this the saucer top piece. there is a ton of windows and the last piece I have to foil up. anyway my should be sealed up in 2 weeks...


----------



## jwrjr (Oct 31, 2003)

To state the (I hope) obvious, it would be well to check and see that the lighting works properly before sealing it up. Having to re-open a nice model like that would be unfortunate.


----------



## Cougar184 (Jan 8, 2002)

thats part of the sealing up process!


----------



## Lou Dalmaso (Jul 13, 2004)

*last night's progress*

Last night's update.

Started off by giving the lady a new coat. I airbrushed on what will eventually be the final lighter gray color. paying special attention to the areas between the hull sections. Because that's where the fiberglass is the thinnest, it's also the most likely place for light leaks.

I was looking around while it was drying between coats and spotted a used sheet of templates where I had plucked out the plating pieces, leaving only the surrounding vinyl and thought "hmmm...interesting..

so I peeled it up and stuck it to a cardboard frame.

I then made up a mixture of the light gray, medium gray and just a touch of chrome silver. 

using the scrap of template as a stencil, I sprayed on an added layer of "faux plating" just enough to break up the surface, mind you ...

it's a little strong here, but I was always planning on a blending coat later in the process.

the first pic is the stencil and the second one is the result

Cheers, :wave: 
Lou
PS... I did do a quick light check and everything still seema to be working


----------



## Raist3001 (Oct 23, 2003)

Lou those templates look fantastic!!


----------



## PixelMagic (Aug 25, 2004)

Very cool. Nice job, Lou.


----------



## fiercegaming (Jul 21, 2004)

Looking amazing lou!


----------



## Lou Dalmaso (Jul 13, 2004)

*another update*

Last night I added the dark gray areas and then strted the long template removal process. there is still some clean up to do. with the three day weekend coming up, I hope to finish. Or at least get to the decal stage

Enjoy


----------



## Cougar184 (Jan 8, 2002)

anymore pics?


----------



## Lou Dalmaso (Jul 13, 2004)

*funny you should ask*

yesterday I had the day off for the holiday weekend, so I was able to get some major work done on the E-E

I did the gross masking of the darker gray areas of the belly and underside of the saucer. I did the new stencil technique to it to break up the surface a bit.

when that was dry to the touch, I removed the painter's tape and started the labor intensive task of removing the tiny vinyl pieces. At this point the vinyl has been on the kit for a few DAYS and the only places where I accidentally pulled up any underpaint was where I dug too deep with the x-acto. Since I am using Enamels with this paintjob, the paint flakes off of the vinyl when I pull it up, so I have to do a lot of "dusting" with a fairly stiff bristled paintbrush to remove the residue. the specks you see on the second pic are flakes I haven't got to yet.

I'm also starting to expose the windows. these are coming out really well considering how many coats of paint they are buried in.

I'll be continuing this thruout the day, I'm sure. The next big thing for me is to join the tops and bottoms of the nacelles and button up the wiring

Cheers,
Lou


----------



## Lou Dalmaso (Jul 13, 2004)

*Let there be...well, you know*

yes, it's still a bit messy and yes there are some light leaks to plug, but I thought I would go ahead and share this. 

now we're getting to the exciting part!

Cheers,
Lou :wave:


----------



## scifieric (May 9, 2005)

Holey moley! That's about the coolest thing ever!


----------



## Lou Dalmaso (Jul 13, 2004)

*down to the brass tacks*

and other brass parts.
I decided to stop painting for a bit and get to the last bits of construction. Namely the brass parts. I was also thinking of how I was going to acheive the look of the "stripes" on the lit part of the nacelles. I decided against paint for two very good reasons

a) the very strong light that will need to be blocked here would mean many coats

b) that's some long skinny lines there and the chances of me being able to paint them and keep them from going wavy is kinda small

so, while i was in a brassy mood, I rummaged around and found some 3/64 brass rod that I had been using for detailing on the serenity kit i built and after some careful drilling into the nacelles and a lot of measuring and bending the ends over to fit in the holes. made some strips that are not only straight, but block the lights rather nicely

I'll pull them back out and paint them black, but here's the"rough" version

Enjoy, dissect, discuss :wave:


----------



## lizzybus (Jun 18, 2005)

Utterly stunning Lou!

The brass rods are a masterstroke.

Kudos.

Rich


----------



## Lou Dalmaso (Jul 13, 2004)

*almost there...*

Have you fever hit that place in your build where you just get bored with the whole thing? and then something happens that totally re-invigorates you..?

I had really had enough of painting this beast ( cuz it seemed to be just endless) and decided to switch gears and concentrate on the stand and mounting rod. so I laid down a coat of gloss finish to protect the paint and it brought out so many of the subtle details that I had long thought got covered up. That really jazzed me to throw myself back into finishing. 

And then on to the decals. I had been fearing these because my past experience with aftermarket decals has been hit-or-miss. And this kit rather heavily depends on the decals coming out well. and they are big. 

I will say that I hope REL is using the same materials for his Bird of Prey decals, because these are absolutely fantastic! good and strong. no wimpy carrier film here. 

The only beef I have is that I didn't find out til it was too late that he didn't back color any of the lifeboats with a white underlayer so the color is mostly washed away when applying them to a dark area of ship. Lucky for me, most of the areas are light gray already, but there are a couple places where it looks not so good. I wish there had been a note in the instructions to give me a heads up about this. but it's a small annoyance.

anyway, as the farmer's expression goes "I'm in the short rows" now and hope to have this girl finished and lit up by the end of the weekend. I'm planning on bringing it to the 'Fest. 

Enjoy,
Lou


----------



## Griffworks (Jun 24, 2002)

Y'know, you and REL aren't very nice guys, what with showing is pics of the studio model and trying to pass them off as your own work! Bad modelers! 



Seriously, tho, excellent work, Lou! That's gonna be beautimous when finished, dude! Please tell me that you're bringing this to WonderFest?!?


----------



## Lou Dalmaso (Jul 13, 2004)

Griff,
what does the last line of my post say?

you trusting that sweet new ride to those eyes?  

thanks for the kind words


----------



## Griffworks (Jun 24, 2002)

Er... I was dazzled by the purty pikshurs....


----------



## Raist3001 (Oct 23, 2003)

Lou, that's one amazing build. Well done my friend.


----------



## Nova Designs (Oct 10, 2000)

Wow, that is just _gorgeous._ Looks as good as the studio model. :thumbsup:


----------



## fokkerpilot (Jul 22, 2002)

Speechless Lou, utterly speechless  :thumbsup: You have done the "Big E" justice!


----------



## Borz666 (May 17, 2004)

Words do not describe this build!


----------



## Guest (May 2, 2007)

She's a thing of beauty Lou.

I can't really add anything else other than to state i'm in full agreement with what has already been said.

Go easy


----------



## Lou Dalmaso (Jul 13, 2004)

*more decalling*

bit the bullet and put down the main registry name and number. The most scrutinized part of any build.

the next time you see her, she should be all lit up and complete.

Now one of you wiser heads out there can verify for me.. I'm going to let these decals "dry" for a couple of days, but what do you recommend for the top sealer coat? I know I want to go dull (or satin) but do I want Enamel? or Acrylic? or Laquer? or Future? 

all of the paints to this point are Enamel.


----------



## jwrjr (Oct 31, 2003)

I got good results with non-stink Krylon clear flat. I found it at the local hobby/art supply shop.


----------



## Krako (Jun 6, 2003)

jwrjr said:


> I got good results with non-stink Krylon clear flat. I found it at the local hobby/art supply shop.



Is that an acryllic or a laquer? I've been looking for a good alternative to Dull Coate that wasn't Future...

BTW, Lou, this build is awesome!!! I've been swiping pics as you post them to squirrel away in my reference folder for when I get to mine. When will the templates be ready for sale? I'd like one or two sets!!!


----------



## Lou Dalmaso (Jul 13, 2004)

krako,
they are ready now. PM me for details


----------



## Nova Designs (Oct 10, 2000)

Most of the good dullcoats I've seen are laquer based. Like ModelMaster etc...


----------



## Lou Dalmaso (Jul 13, 2004)

that's good to know. I used mostly Model Master enamels. I'm concerned because I know that "homemade" decals can be touchy about what kind of sealer you put over them. The last thing I want at this stage is to screw up the finish after all of the hard works been done


----------



## Lou Dalmaso (Jul 13, 2004)

*OK, I lied here are some more pics*

I finished the decals last night. I've opted to not include some of the tinyest decals and I'll tell you why.

I've reached that magic "leave well enough alone" stage. I'm very happy with where I am and if I put on the rest, I fear I'm gonna screw up what I've got for what I deem will not be that much more of an effect.

I'm gonna let it set up for a while and then I have to put her on her back one last time to wire up the base and I'll be ready to stick a fork in her!

Enjoy :wave:


----------



## The Trekmodeler (Jul 21, 2005)

Truly FANTASTIC build there Lou! The colors look dead on, Great Job!!


----------



## jwrjr (Oct 31, 2003)

I don't think that it could be a lacquer. They always stink.


----------



## Lou Dalmaso (Jul 13, 2004)

you know, the colors of grey are tending to photograph more "blue" than they are in real life. I'm sure it's because I used gunmetal in the mix and it's a very cool grey. it's particulatly noticeable in the darker gray section of the top of the saucer.

I swear next time... lights!


----------



## actias (May 19, 2003)

Lou. Wonderful job! Could you share the names and brands of colors, colors and or mixes you used for the ship?


----------



## Lou Dalmaso (Jul 13, 2004)

sure. 
here goes. this is after coats of lightblocking black.

started with "equipment grey primer" big spray can from wal-mart to even it all out.

from here out these are all testor's model master brand enamels

dusting with Metalizer Aluminum Plate (just to break up the surface) rattle can

dull coat sealer. let dry for a day or so

apply templates

from here out these are all airbrushed

Model master light gray all over (covering templates) then stenciled (see earlier post) with 50/50 mix of light gray/neutral gray.

darker hull sections are masked off and sprayed with neutral gray. stencilled with 75/25 neutral gray/gunmetal

slightly darker hull sections (top and bottom of saucer only) mix 75/25 neutral gray/gunmetal. stencilled (see above) with mix of 50/50 neutral gray/gunmetal

templates removed

final details painted by hand with brushes using the same three basic colors. the darkest color on the ship that is not a decal is gunmetal. the lightest is light gray. there is no white on the ship

the thrusters are 75/25 yellow and copper.

that's pretty much it.


----------



## actias (May 19, 2003)

THANKS LOU! Are your templates available yet?


----------



## Lou Dalmaso (Jul 13, 2004)

yep.
PM me for details


----------



## Lou Dalmaso (Jul 13, 2004)

*Annd... HERE SHE IS!*

connected the wiring in the base this morning.

the flick of a switch, A quick whiff of ozone, and now I have the gleam of electric sex! ( to paraphrase Jean Sheppard)

I'll use the set-up time with the decals to plug a few light leaks (i'll never get them all) and then she be ready for a good satin sealing.

I hope you can come to Wonderfest to see her in person. 

cheers, :wave: 
Lou


----------



## The Trekmodeler (Jul 21, 2005)

Perfect!


----------



## Nova Designs (Oct 10, 2000)

That is so amazingly badass. Looks like the studio model. You can't ask for better than that.


----------



## Lloyd Collins (Sep 25, 2004)

She's a real beauty!


----------



## Lloyd Collins (Sep 25, 2004)

She's a real beauty! I'm in love!


----------



## fokkerpilot (Jul 22, 2002)

Truely the best Lou! Super job on both the _custom _lighting and painting.


----------



## PixelMagic (Aug 25, 2004)

Amazing work, Lou. Do you have the templates for the AMT Enterprise-E available yet?


----------



## Lou Dalmaso (Jul 13, 2004)

I'm thinking long and hard about the smaller templates. As tiny as the pieces are NOW, I can't imagine how tiny they would be.

at any rate, it will have to wait till after the Wonderfest is over. I'm backed up and swamped right now.


----------



## Griffworks (Jun 24, 2002)

I had the privilige of droolin' on Lou's E-E this weekend. He did an AWESOME job on this. The pics just do not do it justice! The lighting really accents the beautiful paintjob that Lou did. 

Absolutely gorgeous.


----------



## Raist3001 (Oct 23, 2003)

Lou Dalmaso said:


> I'm thinking long and hard about the smaller templates. As tiny as the pieces are NOW, I can't imagine how tiny they would be.


Oh no....

Don't give up....PLEASE


----------

