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We got all the module patterns finished and into rubber. Here's the first test-assembly. In this photo you can see how each module is hollow. This will allow us to attach them with screws, which is much better than simply gluing them to the spine-brackets. After they've been attached, a .125 styrene plate is glued into place and the joint is filled and feathered.



After the plate is finished out, the detailing is added by gluing pre-cast detail pieces in place. In this case, I used two identical castings and added a few individual parts, which distracts from the fact they are the same.



Finally, here is the whole section. When these sections are finished, they will weigh only 16 ounces, which makes the total weight supported by the spine about 13 pounds. That's not bad when you consider the weight is spread out over about 8 feet! This model will not have a problem staying straight!



I'll have more to show when we get a bunch of these sections mounted on the pipe and this will really start looking like the Discovery. Also coming up will be the engines and propulsion module. Expect to see these in a week or so. Bye for now!

Scott

I'm sure some of you might recognize this view...

These are the latest shots of items we just finished. This part is called the 'collar'. It is the device that mates the Command Sphere to the spine, as you can see.





Now we come to the little gem known as the Antenna Module. The antenna dish and its mount (with the two auxillary dishes) are not finished, but will be soon.







The fact these are only primered and shot in terrible light isn't helping any. As good as this looks in these photos, it looks 2 or 3 times better in person. And you can see by the penny used for reference that the level of detail we are going after is pretty intense. We are putting the detail of the 55-foot model into this 11-foot version, so this model is actually more detailed than the original 11-foot filming model!

More later!

Scott

The 44-inch Discovery styrene kit is still a year or so away from realization. The 66-inch "Little D" project model will be ready sometime in May or June. In fact, I'll have a lot of things finishing up about then!

Scott

Yes, there will be an antenna module kit. It still requires a number of parts that are not used on the Big D itself, some of which I've finished already. I'm also waiting on the figure sculpt to be finished. I'd like the kit to include the Pod as well, but that part is a ways off from being finished.

Scott

There are problems with doing the command module as a kit, not the least of which is the cost. Casting those balls cleanly is a REAL problem! Once I've gotten all the Underwriter's models done and delivered, I'll look into this again. However, I'd bet against it happening.

Scott

Once I get my shop up and running, I plan on building the ships 3 at a time. I may be able to do more than that, but the time it takes to just make the castings for 1 ship is about a week. One thing I do plan on is making more production molds, so that process goes faster. I will definitely post photos of the new shop and whatever goes on there!

Scott

Web cam? Man, you must be bored!

There are a couple of reasons why this won't be happening. First, I'm trying to cut costs. I don't know how much is would cost to put up a webcam, but its more than I'm spending now. Second, aside from the costs associated with running a webcam, I'd have to get another computer to dedicate to that purpose. Third, I'm internet retarded, so I have no idea how to go about putting one up and I don't plan on trying to figure it out. I'm a 'plug and play' kinda person and this is why I'm on AOL instead of any other ISP. Lastly, I could just send you a photo from time to time, taken from the same position in the shop, which would probably show as much of the action as a webcam. Remember-- models are all about detail and you can't see the detail from a webcam.

What this post is really about is simply the desire to see what goes on. Frankly, I don't think there would be any value in having a webcam in the shop since it would be a single, wide angle view. You'd be able to see motion, but nothing of real value. I plan on posting photos here, anyway, that will be of much higher value. The nice thing about this kind of forum is that you can place a request for a shot and I'll most likely be able to comply within a couple of days, if not sooner. Much better than a low res webcam!

Scott