OMG! Design the next USS ENTERPRISE (Offical Contest)

[Chardok]

Don't don't don't sell it to me yet - I want to incentivize the devs.

[White Haven]

On the assumption that it's an end-tier ship, I'd be quite happy to kick my Excelsior refit to the curb for it.

[Fuzzy_Modem]

On the assumption that it's an end-tier ship, I'd be quite happy to kick my Excelsior refit to the curb for it.

That's certainly a vote of confidence Is the Excelsior refit the same as the Enterprise B?

[Molyneux]

On the assumption that it's an end-tier ship, I'd be quite happy to kick my Excelsior refit to the curb for it.

That's certainly a vote of confidence Is the Excelsior refit the same as the Enterprise B?

Indeed it is.

[Fuzzy_Modem]

I don't know how well you can make it out, but my current task is to clean all of the excess crap off the model. Anything laid down criss cross is meant to stay, and all the parallel lines must be trimmed off. There is also some excess glue I need to remove as the model was printed in 4 parts.

http://crossovercomic.com/media/extras/ ... 02_web.jpg

http://crossovercomic.com/media/extras/ ... 05_web.jpg

http://crossovercomic.com/media/extras/ ... 04_web.jpg

There is a flaw with this copy that cannot be covered up. If you can identify it, I will likely print another. If you can't then I won't bother.

[White Haven]

Aesthetically, I'd rather use a Sovereign anyway, but as a tactical officer, the Excelsior refit is just straight-up better. Ask Mithaw's hull for corroborating evidence.

[Fuzzy_Modem]

Chromed. I only had gold handy, but I imagine it will work just fine. You can also really see the texture now.

http://crossovercomic.com/media/extras/ ... 45_web.jpg
http://crossovercomic.com/media/extras/ ... 46_web.jpg

and the first coat of putty:

http://crossovercomic.com/media/extras/ ... 48_web.jpg
http://crossovercomic.com/media/extras/ ... 47_web.jpg

You'll note I'm leaving some areas unputtied, and I'll be scraping off other areas and sanding it all down once I have another coat or two of putty. What do you recommend for removing the putty and paint down to the bare plastic for the little things like the windows? I guess I was just thinking I would stab it really good with the point of a hobby knife for each window, but that might not be the best approach.

[Molyneux]

Aesthetically, I'd rather use a Sovereign anyway, but as a tactical officer, the Excelsior refit is just straight-up better. Ask Mithaw's hull for corroborating evidence.

Incidentally, thank you guys for pushing me into getting a Sovereign. So much more fun to fly than the star cruiser was.

Fuzzy_Modem: are you going to be painting the model? If so, I really can't wait to see what it looks like. Maybe it's just the quality of the pictures, but it looked better even just after being chromed.

[Fuzzy_Modem]

are you going to be painting the model? If so, I really can't wait to see what it looks like. Maybe it's just the quality of the pictures, but it looked better even just after being chromed.

Yeah, I'm hoping to find something opalescent for the hull color. I may do a lot of the detail with sharpies. Still not sure how to do the escape pods, some kind of a tiny triangular stamp perhaps.

[Fuzzy_Modem]

2nd coat of putty. The "squadron" stuff really is as superior as everyone says.

http://crossovercomic.com/media/extras/ ... 52_web.jpg

http://crossovercomic.com/media/extras/ ... 50_web.jpg

I'll probably do one more coat and then start sanding.

[Molyneux]

2nd coat of putty. The "squadron" stuff really is as superior as everyone says.

http://crossovercomic.com/media/extras/ ... 52_web.jpg

http://crossovercomic.com/media/extras/ ... 50_web.jpg

I'll probably do one more coat and then start sanding.

Oh, no! The Enterprise has been attacked by the Stay-Puft Marshmallow Man!

[Themightytom]

Oh, no! The Enterprise has been attacked by the Stay-Puft Marshmallow Man!

....yes... marshmallow... that's what we'll say that is

[Fuzzy_Modem]

Oh, no! The Enterprise has been attacked by the Stay-Puft Marshmallow Man!

....yes... marshmallow... that's what we'll say that is

Eeeeeeew! Why!?!

[Fuzzy_Modem]

Sanded down:
http://crossovercomic.com/media/extras/ ... 53_web.jpg
http://crossovercomic.com/media/extras/ ... 54_web.jpg

and 1st coat of paint:
http://crossovercomic.com/media/extras/ ... 55_web.jpg
http://crossovercomic.com/media/extras/ ... 56_web.jpg

My mix of sapphire and gloss white came out sky blue when I was hoping for metallic white with blue highlights. I'll add some gunmetal grey before I do the next coat, but there are some spots on the underside I want to touch up with putty first.

[Molyneux]

Sanded down:
http://crossovercomic.com/media/extras/ ... 53_web.jpg
http://crossovercomic.com/media/extras/ ... 54_web.jpg

and 1st coat of paint:
http://crossovercomic.com/media/extras/ ... 55_web.jpg
http://crossovercomic.com/media/extras/ ... 56_web.jpg

My mix of sapphire and gloss white came out sky blue when I was hoping for metallic white with blue highlights. I'll add some gunmetal grey before I do the next coat, but there are some spots on the underside I want to touch up with putty first.

Looking good! I'm looking forward to the next update with great enthusiasm.

[Fuzzy_Modem]

I know this looks almost the same color in these photos, but I swear it's far less blue and far more metallic gray:

http://crossovercomic.com/media/extras/ ... 57_web.jpg

http://crossovercomic.com/media/extras/ ... 58_web.jpg

You may notice I tried to build up some areas with putty. The bridge, captain's yacht, deflector cavity, and the blister above the shuttle bay should all be noticeably more pronounced.

I'll probably finish it this weekend with a combination of paint and sharpie markers. I've already started by painting in the light that illuminates her name and number.

I've given up on trying to light her from within. It was a cool idea, but the light simply isn't traveling outside the engineering section. If I make another, I may try to make room for three more LEDs, one in each nacelle, one in the saucer, and the next one will probably be about 2x larger as a result. I wonder if I should try to make it straight up hollow...

[Fuzzy_Modem]

Thinking about math and perhaps making a second, larger, hollow model I can put lights in.

My size limitation for each individual part is 10cm x 10cm x 5cm, so I think my maximum length will be about 20cm (8in), unless I want to try cutting the nacelles and saucer in half or quarters... or eighths.

I can also try aligning it corner to corner for a maximum length of 14cm (5 1.2in) making the maximum overall length 28cm (11in) without breaking up the 4 primary parts.

If I can get this grant, and build a rapid prototyper of my own, I don't think I'll be able to resist the urge to make another grander version with lights. Maybe even blinking running lights

[Kenny_10_Bellys]

I'd be tempted to use Shapeways.com to get myself a nice high-detail version that doesn't need a ton of work first.

[Fuzzy_Modem]

That looks like beautiful quality, and I've considered "3d Art to Part" as well. If I DON'T get that grant I may look into one or both, but if I do I'll be needing to practice using it anyway, and while the quality may not be near as good, being able to print drafts at will in my basement in minutes is a crazy advantage over waiting on the mail, not to mention it costs pennies per draft rather than "$80-$120" for an 8in long model.

Also, apparently if you learn to model with the stereo lithography conversion process in mind you get cleaner results. Not this good^, but much closer.

[Kenny_10_Bellys]

Making the model for printing is an art in itself, you really have to work at it. For complex models like Trek ships I found it was easier to make the ship again from scratch with the process in mind, hollowing out as much of the model as much as you can without making it too thin or weak. I also tended to leave out really small detail and enlarge some others so that it would look ok when printed. It was a pain, but worth it when you get the completed model back a couple of weeks later.

[Fuzzy_Modem]

The first models I plan to build with the reprap in mind are castle walls. The layered "topographical" texture will give the impression of masonry, which I can augment by adding staggered vertical indentations with a hobby knife.

Next I'll do little villager huts, then bigger houses and inns, granaries, mills, smiths, stable, drawbridges, portcullises, battlements, towers, etc.

With luck, by the time I'm working on the cathedral, I'll be pretty good at modeling for stereo lithography. Then I'll print hundreds of each building and thousands of interchangeable wall segments, and next summer I'll paint them all.

The end result will be coffee table toys that can be easily stacked and rearranged. That's the plan anyway, if I get this grant.

[Fuzzy_Modem]

Bunch of new Enterprise F pics:











More and bigger: http://crossovercomic.com/index.php?pag ... folder=big

[Fuzzy_Modem]

And the physical model:

[Eternal_Freedom]

That's freaking SWEET fuzzy!

My only complaint is the battle pic. You can't show Enterprise getting damaged, it's character shields are too strong!

[Fuzzy_Modem]

My only complaint is the battle pic. You can't show Enterprise getting damaged, it's character shields are too strong!

Lol! One of the things I always like about Babylon 5 was that instead of "Captain! Our shields are down to 29 percent!" it was "Captain! They've blown up the front half of our ship!"