AMT 1/1400 Scale Clear Enterprise D Model Build With LED Lighting

[TrekWorks]

Hello all,
just started another build and this time it is the new AMT Enterprise D molded in clear.
I have begun by working on the saucer first. It has 2 coats of black to block the light from showing through and topped off with a single coat of grey that I mixed for the primary hull color. I then spent about 4 hours just scraping the paint off the window ports. The results are pretty good. I think this is the best way to make the hundreds of window ports look nice. The windows would be awful hard to drill and cut and still look nice and sharp like this method does.

Here are some pics of the progress.

[attachment deleted by admin]

 

[Glorfindel]

That is a nifty (and tidy) little trick you performed there. Windows really look sharp and light emitting even. Nice work TW.

 

[TrekWorks]

I was able to put in some more time on the model over the weekend.
Started laying down decals on the saucer top.
The decals are laying down really well so far and really bring the ship to life.



[attachment deleted by admin]

 

[ModelMakerMike]

Looking very good so far. You have started off running!!!!!
How many leds are you throwing in? Or are you going to go with the led tape?

 

[JamieMachon]

Hi,
The model is looking superb I am following your videos on YouTube too as I am hoping to star my origional
AMT/ERTL Enterprise D in the coming months. I have had it for some years now I stopped modelling before I got around to it. She isn't clear so I have alot of time consuming window drilling to do boo :'(

Are you planning on using the DL&M pylon photoetch parts when you come to lighting the nacelles?

Thanks a Million
Jamie

 

[TrekWorks]

The DLM parts are on back order till June for the D kit but I do plan on using them.
I am trying to figure out how to get the red and green marker lights worked in at the tail also.

 

[JamieMachon]

Yes i was also looking at that particular problem, and thank you for letting me know about the back order. It does seem that even when round2 reissued the model in clear, fully lighting it with the nav lights ect still wasnt taken into concideration for the secondary hull? HMMM.
I look forward to seeing you solution and if I think of anything worth while myself I shall let you know!
Good luck
Jamie

 

[Glorfindel]

Wow TW you are a patient man. That is some awesome wall papering you have there. Always a pleasure to see more.

 

[Tick-Tock]

Hey TrekWorks. What circuit board do you recommend for this model?

 

[TrekWorks]

Right now the Evans lighting kits are the best IMO. The board is by Tenacontrols and it is a quality piece and very small. The kit I used on my Reliant was superb. Well engineered and very high quality.

 

[TrekWorks]

Just wanted to say that so far, I am really pleased with the decals for this kit. I applied them in the numbered order and they line up perfectly. Also, I chose not to sand of the panel details on the model and these decals are laying down over them very well. They come very close to looking painted on. After laying them on and drying a bit a spray down of Testor's decal bonder does wonders for them. Never had an issue with the Testors melting decals like has occured with mircol sol.

 

[br0t]

Looking great, I've been enjoying and learning a whole lot watching your build videos on youtube. Man have i been making some big mistakes Working on the enterprise B right now, I'm gonna have to go back and do another 1:1000 refit to do it justice

I decided this year was going to be the year I was going to get back into modeling, hadn't done any since I was maybe 10 or 11, and with not so great results when your parents won't give you real glue or paint : I actually had the big old D, held together with rubber cement and imagination..

Are you using the decals that came with the kit on this one? In the promo shots, the decals look like they have a really dark blue hue that's looks way too severe

 

[Tick-Tock]

Right now the Evans lighting kits are the best IMO. The board is by Tenacontrols and it is a quality piece and very small. The kit I used on my Reliant was superb. Well engineered and very high quality.

I assume this is where you're going: http://www.evanslighting.com/.

 

[TrekWorks]

Yes there or at Cult TV mans site. I am using the kit supplied decals and from the detailed pictures I have seen of the real model used in Generations, They look really close in person. I chose to use a medium shade of Grey as the hull color and it does make a difference which color you use because the decals are sort of transparent.

 

[br0t]

Yes there or at Cult TV mans site. I am using the kit supplied decals and from the detailed pictures I have seen of the real model used in Generations, They look really close in person. I chose to use a medium shade of Grey as the hull color and it does make a difference which color you use because the decals are sort of transparent.

Groovy, I've been using using http://www.startrekpropauthority.com/ as a general reference for real life colors/look, and comparing the D to the others, it does appear much more grey than the others (except perhaps TOS).

Looking forward to the next post/video, for whatever reason the D never really 'popped' for me on TV, but seeing it on the big screen in Generations, it was a beaut. Shame they stopped using real models after first contact..

 

[Igard]

Looking forward to the next post/video, for whatever reason the D never really 'popped' for me on TV, but seeing it on the big screen in Generations, it was a beaut. Shame they stopped using real models after first contact..

Check out the upcoming bluray release of TNG. CBS is really going to town on updating and remastering Next Gen. I've got the sampler disc and the ships look so beautiful. I've pre-ordered season 1, only a couple of months 'til it's released!!!!

TrekWorks, man your work is super sharp. Love it. Glad you went for the clear version. I'll need to check your youtube channel I'm falling behind! Keep up the awesome work. 8)

 

[TrekWorks]

Aarrghh, major snag in the build happened today. I had just finished the top of the saucer paint and decals.
I picked up the lower half and as I prepped it for painting, I noticed it has a major molding flaw all the way from the front side edge back past the phaser ring, ouch ! :-X Its like a huge wave in it with a low and high spot.
Trying to fix it with some mild heat instantly made it way worse. So, looks like buying another kit is my only option.
Sure am hoping it's not a widespread problem with this one. It fooled me when I looked it over when I first opened it.
Probably being clear as it is kind of hides it. Oh well an extra set of Aztec decals will be on hand in case I Fubar any of the 200 hundred or so that have to go on hehe.

 

[ZOMBIEREPELLENT]

Well at least you can do a saucer crash diorama like in generations.

 

[br0t]

Check out the upcoming bluray release of TNG. CBS is really going to town on updating and remastering Next Gen. I've got the sampler disc and the ships look so beautiful. I've pre-ordered season 1, only a couple of months 'til it's released!!!!

I've seen some of the side by side comparison shots on youtube, and it looks like they're doing a fantastic job despite the major PITA it's gotta be remastering that, if I recall correctly TNG was shot on several different types of film (sets, sfx, etc) that were then cobbled together for the master tape, so in alot of cases they've had to take all those separate films and re-(re?)-master to recreate the shot originally seen on TV. If nothing else, they may get my money just for keeping the original exterior shots instead of redoing everything in pure CGI.

TW, sorry to hear that at least you should still be able to use the top half of the saucer with a new bottom portion and not have to duplicate all the scrape/decal work? Still crappy either way given the price tag on the D clear ed..

Looking at a somewhat similar issue with my B build presently with the bottom and top halves of the engineering hull, the top isn't sitting right and I can't tell if it's a defect or if I misaligned the two side pieces when I was gluing them to the bottom lip. I might be able to make it line up if I slide the top portion back a smidge but then I've got some gap issues to clear up in the back where the top lays over the bottom. I think for now I'm just gonna try to get the saucer decal'd and finished before I address that :-\

 

[Fraley1701]

Aarrghh, major snag in the build happened today. I had just finished the top of the saucer paint and decals.
I picked up the lower half and as I prepped it for painting, I noticed it has a major molding flaw all the way from the front side edge back past the phaser ring, ouch ! :-X Its like a huge wave in it with a low and high spot.
Trying to fix it with some mild heat instantly made it way worse. So, looks like buying another kit is my only option.
Sure am hoping it's not a widespread problem with this one. It fooled me when I looked it over when I first opened it.
Probably being clear as it is kind of hides it. Oh well an extra set of Aztec decals will be on hand in case I Fubar any of the 200 hundred or so that have to go on hehe.

I would contact Round 2 for a replacement instead of buying an entire new kit.