Miniatures Kit Bashing Archive 2006

By Aaron M. Staley (Aaron_Staley) on Monday, January 02, 2006 - 04:20 pm: Edit

A new Klingon kitbash:

http://awwwdrat.com/Klingon_D6E.html

By Aaron M. Staley (Aaron_Staley) on Monday, January 02, 2006 - 04:46 pm: Edit

http://awwwdrat.com/Klingon_D7E.html

By Dale McKee (Brigman) on Monday, January 02, 2006 - 04:57 pm: Edit

Aaron: Guess I'm not being observant, but what's the difference between the D6E mini and the D7E?

By Bennett Eugene Snyder (Planner) on Monday, January 02, 2006 - 05:37 pm: Edit

Have to gree with Dale. The D6E is showing phasers that shouldn't be there, IIRC, on the ventral area of the engineering hull. What I remember is a D6 having 7 phasers, a D7 9. Other than that, good kitbashes.

By Aaron M. Staley (Aaron_Staley) on Monday, January 02, 2006 - 05:53 pm: Edit

Hehe, yep. Screwed that up, but I'll fix it this weekend.

http://awwwdrat.com/Klingon_F5S.html

By Joseph R Carlson (Jrc) on Saturday, January 21, 2006 - 07:29 pm: Edit

I just purchased two bags of the plastic Fed parts. Is the DD saucer about the same size as the Tug saucer? Is the NCL saucer about the same size as the DD saucer?

By Nick Samaras (Koogie) on Saturday, January 21, 2006 - 11:17 pm: Edit

DD is same as Tug. NCL is slightly bigger.

By Loren Knight (Loren) on Monday, January 23, 2006 - 06:25 pm: Edit

SVC and anyone else: I've been working on a design for the Juggernaut master and have not yet been able to work out a way to make it work for a castable and saleable mini.

The main hull is easy enough but the rear wings present a considerable problem. If the rear warp nacelles on the Fed cruiser present a problem then how the heck are the aft Juggernaut wings supposed to hold up?

Making a one time kit bash would also present no problem since I would just use steel for the struts but as far as I know minis must be all pewter.

We could shorten the wing struts and beef them up. I even have a few ideas as to

a alternative design .

SVC, I know you've been moving away from multi-piece miniatures but perhaps this one should be three pieces?. The boom and head fits into the main hull as well as the rear wing assembaly into the aft part of the main hull.

Perhaps some drawings might be in order?

By Steve Cole (Stevecole) on Monday, January 23, 2006 - 06:51 pm: Edit

I would just thicking up the tail struts and the neck.

By Mike Raper (Raperm) on Monday, January 30, 2006 - 10:03 am: Edit

Someone refresh my memory, here. I know I've seen an SSD for a TK7 (Tholian PC hull on D7 hull). Where did I see this? I have a spare D7 and PC, and thought it might make a fun kitbash. Just need to see the SSD and for the life of me can't remember where I saw it.

By Jessica Orsini (Jessica) on Monday, January 30, 2006 - 02:08 pm: Edit

Mike: The TK7 was in CL#28 (aka SSJ#2).

By Mike Raper (Raperm) on Monday, January 30, 2006 - 03:07 pm: Edit

Ha! Knew i'd seen it before. Does it have a PC "boom", or is it a Neo command hull?

By Loren Knight (Loren) on Monday, January 30, 2006 - 03:46 pm: Edit

Mike, it looks like the large Neo COM. Named "Career Over"

Remember the TK8 too with a full C hull on the front of a C8 rear hull! Named "Impossibly Bad Luck"

But only the TK5 was real.

By Alan Trevor (Thyrm) on Monday, January 30, 2006 - 03:58 pm: Edit

Loren,

If I recall correctly, it was even worse than that. It was a C8 rear hull with a CCW attached in front. My favorite race is the Tholians and I'm glad the thing wasn't real. Even with only one web caster, it would have punched the lights out of most Heavy Dreadnoughts.

By Mike Raper (Raperm) on Monday, January 30, 2006 - 05:12 pm: Edit

My favorite was the opposite; a C9 boom on a Neo-Thol DN hull. Darn cool, if totally illegal. Might make a fun SSJ ship some day...

By Loren Knight (Loren) on Monday, January 30, 2006 - 05:30 pm: Edit

Alan, nope it's a C (or perhaps a CA with a WC refit). It was two PC hulls side by

side. The CCW is the Christmas tree design.

By Alan Trevor (Thyrm) on Monday, January 30, 2006 - 05:35 pm: Edit

Loren,

I thought the CCW is the "side by side" Command Cruiser with the web caster refit. Maybe I've got the terminology wrong, but the published ship has the web caster and I'm about 90 % sure that it has the power and phaser suite of the CC rather than the C or CA.

By Loren Knight (Loren) on Monday, January 30, 2006 - 05:43 pm: Edit

Alan, OOOOPS! You are right on both counts. I just double checked. My goof.

By Alan Trevor (Thyrm) on Monday, January 30, 2006 - 06:02 pm: Edit

Loren,

My personnal favorite confusing Tholian notation is "P". For the Spider-II and the Arachnid PF, the "P" means that the disruptors are replaced with phasers. For the Spider-IV and Spider-V Heavy Fighters, "P" means the disruptors are replaced by photon torpedos. Most ships use the "P" notation for the photon torpedo version, but there's a version of the CA that replaces all the disruptors with phaser-1s, for base defense/fighting behind webs. I think the CAP is the photon version of the CA and the CPA is the phaser-boat version. But I wouldn't swear to it without consulting the books first.

By Loren Knight (Loren) on Thursday, February 02, 2006 - 09:08 pm: Edit

Idea for new mini-pack: Augmentation modules. There would have to be three sizes in sets of three for ships, BATTS, and SB. A pin sticking out would be good for kitbashers to drill their own hole in the base and then glue it in place. Not sold in stores, but on the cart for kitbashers. Should be a pretty simple cast.

There was a topic for Small Things to cast. Perhaps this could go there.

By Joseph R Carlson (Jrc) on Saturday, February 04, 2006 - 02:19 pm: Edit

Do any of you detail the drone launching hatches? If some where on the new Fed CA mini and what color. Same question for the Fed CVA/SCS.

By Will McCammon (Djdood) on Saturday, February 04, 2006 - 02:41 pm: Edit

I seem to recall a mini (that Mike R. did?) that showed drone hatches as small rectangles, painted in a very light tan. Seemed logical.

By Tony L Thomas (Scoutdad) on Saturday, February 04, 2006 - 05:37 pm: Edit

I also detail all the drone hathes on my Federation minis. I first saw one of Mike Raper's that had that done, and since then mine have as well.

I use a small rectangle of .01 mm sheet styrene and paint it a light grey. IMHO, it looks pretty good against the white of the FEderation ships.

By Will McCammon (Djdood) on Saturday, February 04, 2006 - 05:45 pm: Edit

I think the one I saw used the same trick with a chip of plastic. Might've been yours I saw!

By Joseph R Carlson (Jrc) on Saturday, February 04, 2006 - 06:16 pm: Edit

Tony,

How to you cut these to the same size? How large are they? Are they round, square, or rectangular?

By Mike Raper (Raperm) on Saturday, February 04, 2006 - 06:32 pm: Edit

Yeah, I started doing that a while back. I just cut a small rectangle of plastic or brass with my chopper tool. Works pretty good.

By Tony L Thomas (Scoutdad) on Saturday, February 04, 2006 - 06:39 pm: Edit

I went to the local hobby / model shop and picked up a couple pieces of Plastruct brand styrene strips. They are the correct width and I simply trim to length, attach, paint, and VIOLA! - drone hatches.

By Joseph R Carlson (Jrc) on Saturday, February 04, 2006 - 07:29 pm: Edit

Thanks guys for the information. I am finishing work on a mini of the SVA I posted awhile back.

By Tim Losberg (Krager) on Saturday, February 04, 2006 - 10:33 pm: Edit

Tony or Mike, can you post a pic? interested to see how that works...

By Mike Raper (Raperm) on Sunday, February 05, 2006 - 08:51 am: Edit

This isn't the greatest pic, but it shows the hatches nicely, including the "burn" edges. Yeah, I know...probably not very realistic to think drones are like missiles, but I liked the effect.

http://www.geocities.com/raperm2002/F-DDG.JPG

By Russell J. Manning (Rjmanning) on Sunday, February 05, 2006 - 10:40 am: Edit

Mike,

I have a question about washes. I understand that it is a mix of the paint and something such as paint thinner. I guess my question is how much of each? Is the proportion different depending on the effect desired?

By Mike Raper (Raperm) on Sunday, February 05, 2006 - 10:56 am: Edit

Depends on how much of an effect you want. 50-50 is a good start; the pic shown above was much less, though, more like 30-70. For hull treatment you might do more paint and less thinner; for just shading, less paint and more thinner works better. Experiment with it and see what you get! It's a good tool for a painter to use, and it's easy to fix if you make a mistake.

By Will McCammon (Djdood) on Sunday, February 05, 2006 - 02:26 pm: Edit

Another thing (maybe obvious, maybe not); don't do your wash with enamel paint/thinner if that is what the mini was already painted with. The thinner in the wash will attack your existing paint.

Some folks use enamel paints and then acrylic paints for washes or vice-versa.

Acrylics are pretty inert once dry and can be safely hit with more paint/water-thinner.

By Russell J. Manning (Rjmanning) on Sunday, February 05, 2006 - 02:57 pm: Edit

So not to sound dense but would plain water work in a wash?

By Jack W. Hsu (Jwhsu) on Sunday, February 05, 2006 - 03:21 pm: Edit

Stupid question.

The red circles on the saucer section of Fed ships are usually found on "war" classes (FFB, DW, DWH, NCL, NCA, BC). What about the BB? Is this considered a "war" class so would have the red circles on the saucer section? Additionally, what other ships would have the circles on the saucer section (I'm interested in trying to get the markings as close to SFB canon as possible)? Thanks.

By Mike Raper (Raperm) on Sunday, February 05, 2006 - 03:32 pm: Edit

Water will work if you use acrylic paints; I use water in all my washes, for example (unless I use shoe polish).

Jack, I think it's a personal preference question. I've seen them with and without. I prefer with, for the most part.

By Will McCammon (Djdood) on Sunday, February 05, 2006 - 11:25 pm: Edit

I'll be painting my set with all the Franz Joseph ships, the FF/FFG, OCL, and the CVA looking like the TV Connie (no stripes).

I'll be adding the stripes to the FFB, DW, DWH, NCL, and BC.

I'm unsure about the forthcoming CS and the BB, since they're conjectural-only.

By Michael Powers (Mtpowers) on Thursday, February 09, 2006 - 07:45 pm: Edit

My interpretation of the Kzinti LAS. (Possibly an LFS, though, given the size of the plates on the aft.)

Pic 01 Pic 02 Pic 03 Pic 04 Pic 05 Type-I, Type-IIIMW, Type-VI

By Dale McKee (Brigman) on Thursday, February 09, 2006 - 08:39 pm: Edit

Wow Mike. That's beautiful. I really like the "B5" influenced "thruster vanes". And your drones are slick!

By Will McCammon (Djdood) on Thursday, February 09, 2006 - 08:59 pm: Edit

Neat stuff Mike!

What software are you using? The axis system in pic 2 looks like the one in Solidworks and CATIA V5.

By Michael Powers (Mtpowers) on Thursday, February 09, 2006 - 09:29 pm: Edit

Heh. I'm using I-DEAS, which has to be the crappiest 3-D modeler out there. I did these in my spare time at work. I'd have done textures and shading and shadows, but I-DEAS just doesn't do textures and shading and shadows...

By Michael Powers (Mtpowers) on Monday, February 20, 2006 - 10:17 am: Edit

Model inspired by "Attack Vector: Tactical"

http://www.starshipmodeler.org/gallery10/dd_020806_cecil.htm

By Loren Knight (Loren) on Monday, February 20, 2006 - 11:20 am: Edit

That's cool but what's cooler is the link to the Modular Space Toys site!

Cool designs MP.

By Michael Powers (Mtpowers) on Monday, February 20, 2006 - 11:47 am: Edit

Wait, I didn't do the "AV:T" model; I just saw it on a website.

By Loren Knight (Loren) on Monday, February 20, 2006 - 12:12 pm: Edit

NO I meant the Kzinti fighter.

By Michael Powers (Mtpowers) on Monday, February 20, 2006 - 12:16 pm: Edit

Then thanks!

By Joseph R Carlson (Jrc) on Monday, March 06, 2006 - 11:34 pm: Edit

I tried a different way to make drone hatches. I trimmed a tooth pick to about the same diameter as the drone hatch on the under side of the Fed BC saucer. I used J-B Weld black and white epoxy and then kind of painted the hatches on with the tooth pick

I redid the paint job on the Fed CVA kit bash and added six drone hatches. I painted them tan; it adds some nice detail to the rear hull.

By Jack W. Hsu (Jwhsu) on Tuesday, March 07, 2006 - 08:47 pm: Edit

Not sure where to place this post. Has anyone ever proposed a carrier or an X-ship based on the T-NCL?

By Mike Raper (Raperm) on Wednesday, March 15, 2006 - 05:34 pm: Edit

Well, finally got around to finishing this kitbash of a Fed LTT. Two pods, but side by side. I know it isn't canon, but I thought it looked kinda cool. The mini it's based on is an Imperial Light Cruiser from Irregular Miniatures. The pods are cut down zocchi tug pods, and the hull was modified a bit to hold them. Fun little ship, and a cool name; USS Gompers.

http://www.geocities.com/raperm2002/F-LTT_front.JPG http://www.geocities.com/raperm2002/F-LTT_aft.JPG

By Will McCammon (Djdood) on Wednesday, March 15, 2006 - 06:50 pm: Edit

Spiffy!

By Mike Raper (Raperm) on Sunday, March 19, 2006 - 10:00 am: Edit

Fun and easy kitbash; Klingon D6S.

http://www.geocities.com/raperm2002/K-D6S.JPG

By Loren Knight (Loren) on Sunday, March 19, 2006 - 12:13 pm: Edit

Nice LTT Mike. How many cargo on those pods would you say. 20 or 15?

I do like the dish on the engine look.

I'm going to have to get another kitbash pack some time...

BTW, didn't I send all my sensor dishes to you?

By Mike Raper (Raperm) on Sunday, March 19, 2006 - 12:18 pm: Edit

Loren,

Thanks. Dunno; I know you sent me some when I was working on the GSC...was it all? If you really want sensors, the best thing is to buy the Zocchi plastic parts bag; lots and lots of sensors in there. That's what I used on the D6S, and on most other kitbashes that need sensors.

By Loren Knight (Loren) on Sunday, March 19, 2006 - 12:47 pm: Edit

Cool tip, I'll do that. Actually I'm not sure if it was all. There must be a couple left. I only sent you four.

By Mike Raper (Raperm) on Monday, April 03, 2006 - 05:09 pm: Edit

There's not really a thread for this anymore, but I did want to post some pics. It's a scale model of the D7, done by polar lights. Nice kit; haven't done one in a long time, and it was an enjoyable diversion. You can do it as either the D7, or the KR. I "SFB-ized" it a bit by adding the appropriate phaser mounts to the boom, waist and wings.

http://www.geocities.com/raperm2002/D7model/Front.JPG

http://www.geocities.com/raperm2002/D7model/boom_closeup.JPG http://www.geocities.com/raperm2002/D7model/engine_closeup.JPG http://www.geocities.com/raperm2002/D7model/front_closeup.JPG http://www.geocities.com/raperm2002/D7model/phasers.JPG http://www.geocities.com/raperm2002/D7model/right_rear.JPG

Fun kit. Not sure why I did it; I don't even keep minis, much less models.

By Patrick H. Dillman (Patrick) on Monday, April 03, 2006 - 07:26 pm: Edit

Nice job, Mike! Looks kike you hand painted all the details. Cool.

PHD

By ART TROTMAN (Drneuro) on Monday, April 03, 2006 - 11:12 pm: Edit

Mike, how big is this model, with respect to an average sized mini? Art

By Michael Powers (Mtpowers) on Monday, April 03, 2006 - 11:37 pm: Edit

Art: It's huge compared to a mini. There's really no comparison. The Polar Lights stuff is in 1/1000 scale; the Enterprise kit is maybe 12 or 14 inches long overall.

The PL Enterprise comes with two complete sets of warp nacelles, and there is an extensive line of 1/1000 conversion kits and resin garage-kits based around it. You can see a lot of them listed (and many built) at "Starship Modeler" (which I've linked to earlier in this topic.)

By Mike Raper (Raperm) on Tuesday, April 04, 2006 - 06:57 am: Edit

Art,

MP is right. It's about 10 inches long. Ended up just putting it on ebay. It was fun and looks nice, but I don't like clutter much. I figure somebody out there likes the D7 but doesn't have the time to do one.

By Loren Knight (Loren) on Tuesday, April 04, 2006 - 10:47 am: Edit

Mike, I don't recall making this comparison before but you are like the Mr. Frost of minis and models (less being evil and all).

Do you know the movie I refer to staring Jeff Goldbloom?

By Will McCammon (Djdood) on Tuesday, April 04, 2006 - 11:01 am: Edit

It's good to see that you're just as good working at a larger scale Mike! ;)

By Mike Raper (Raperm) on Tuesday, April 04, 2006 - 11:27 am: Edit

Thanks, all! Might do the Enterprise too, just for kicks; depends on whether or not someone buys this thing. I sure don't want TWO models sitting 'round the house.

By Michael Powers (Mtpowers) on Tuesday, April 04, 2006 - 12:15 pm: Edit

This, on the other hand, is just wierd.

By Will McCammon (Djdood) on Tuesday, April 04, 2006 - 03:17 pm: Edit

Good to see someone can design something even worse than those Star Wars Transformers...

By Mike Raper (Raperm) on Sunday, April 09, 2006 - 08:47 pm: Edit

Anyone heard of Federation Models? They make nice resin models of just about any Trek ship you can think of, particularly the TMP and TNG stuff. I've had a nice 10" model of the Enterprise A I've been working on in my spare time for about 2 years; finally finished it. I really like how it turned out, and thought I'd put up some pics.

http://www.geocities.com/raperm2002/scalemodels/ENT_A_right.JPG http://www.geocities.com/raperm2002/scalemodels/ENT_A_topleft.JPG http://www.geocities.com/raperm2002/scalemodels/ENT_A_front.JPG http://www.geocities.com/raperm2002/scalemodels/ENT_A_bottom.JPG http://www.geocities.com/raperm2002/scalemodels/ENT_A_back.JPG

Might have to get another one of their kits and see how it turns out. Anyway, just thought I'd share!

By Ryan Opel (Ryan) on Sunday, April 09, 2006 - 09:32 pm: Edit

Wow, nice model.

By Will McCammon (Djdood) on Sunday, April 09, 2006 - 10:35 pm: Edit

Beauty. 1/2500 scale?

By William Nathan Smith (Smitty2) on Monday, April 10, 2006 - 12:16 am: Edit

Just to think about for those with spare income. When playing with minatures you can make an undamged one, and then with a drill and soldering iron make a cool destroyed one just so you and your foe can have a sense of the destruction while playing on a fixed map. This can and will get darn expensive real quick though.

By Troy J. Latta (Saaur) on Monday, April 10, 2006 - 08:18 am: Edit

This also works well on the plastic minis. I had a Fed DD nacelle shatter on me because the superglue made it brittle. After painting up the "separated saucer" I held it over a candle to get some melting and scorch marks.

By Chris Taylor (Anarchy) on Monday, April 10, 2006 - 03:08 pm: Edit

I picked up FC: Klingon Attack over the weekend. Is there a good Juggernaut miniature substitute?

Any suggestions for kit-bashing one or scratch building?

Thanks...

By Mike Raper (Raperm) on Monday, April 10, 2006 - 03:44 pm: Edit

Will,

No, it's a 1/1400. Thanks for the compliment! I think Starcraft does some great stuff.

By Mike Raper (Raperm) on Saturday, May 06, 2006 - 03:07 pm: Edit

Had a wild hair to do a kit-bash of a Fed YCA. I figured it should look a bit different than the standard CA, and not just in color; it should look different. So, I used the pilot model of the Enterprise from the series as a basis, and made some changes to the mini. The pilot model had a couple of easily noticeable differences that you can apply to a mini; a bigger bridge, and those pointy things on the tips of the warp engines. So, I took a zocchi plastic CA, and a DD saucer and put them together; the DD saucer is a bit smaller with a bigger bridge. I built up the bridge dome to be a bit more bulbous, and added the sensor spikes (or whatever they are) to the engines. I also cut the engines down by about 20%, to make them the length of the ones on a "new" NCL; both are 12 point engines, and it helped give the ship a shorter, somewhat smaller look. It's painted in a bare metal scheme with titanium metallizer, with somewhat more prominant hull detailings that would be masked to some degree on a painted ship.

http://www.geocities.com/raperm2002/F-YCA_side.JPG http://www.geocities.com/raperm2002/F-YCA_front.JPG http://www.geocities.com/raperm2002/F-YCA_aft.JPG

Before anyone asks, yes, it is for sale. I don't play often, and hardly ever the early years (though I do like the ships and style of play from that module). Email if you're interested.

By Jeremy Gray (Gray) on Saturday, May 06, 2006 - 03:15 pm: Edit

Mike, as usual, awesome work!

By Mike Todaro (Aurelius) on Saturday, May 06, 2006 - 04:15 pm: Edit

What paints do you guys use? I have been using Citadel paints (evil GW!) for a couple of years now, but I find their greys don't really cut it when it comes to painting Fed ships. I bought some acrylics from Hobby Lobby which aren't too bad colorwise but they seem to give the minis a textured feel. I'm now considering Vallejo paints, as warseer.net painters RAVE over how much better they are than Citadel.

Also, those of you who paint Feds, what colors do you usually use for the hulls?

By Reid Hupach (Gwbison) on Saturday, May 06, 2006 - 07:15 pm: Edit

Paints.....

Guys when will the mini painters of the world rrealize.

ACRYLIC WATER BASE PAINT IS ALL THE SAME!!!!!!

Do not buy GW at 4.95 a 1/2 oz bottle when Wal Mart or Hobby Lobby sells 2 oz bottles for $.99 and has HUNDREDS of different colors.

I've been painting minis for over 30 years have probably over 300,000 figs painted by me, I've tried them all.

Game store hobby paints are a ripp off. Do you think GW MAKES its own paint???? NO they buy it from the guy who makes the paints for department stores then put it in itsy bitsy bottles and laugh at the idiots who clamber after it in stores because theirs a picture of an Orc on the bottle.

Wise Up stop being a STOOGE (unless your name is Moe then its ok)

By Dale McKee (Brigman) on Saturday, May 06, 2006 - 07:37 pm: Edit

Mike Raper: Awesome job as always! Wow, I like that one. How much are you asking for it?

Mike Todaro: I use Citadel paints almost exclusively. I've actually found their greys to be great - for Babylon 5 EA ships. For SFB, I use white paint as a basecoat. Then I wash with black ink (diluted) to show detail. Then I drybrush with silver to add that metallic sheen, and do detailing. An example of this is in January's minis contest (my entry).

By Kenneth Jones (Kludge) on Saturday, May 06, 2006 - 08:35 pm: Edit

Mike R.

Once again another awesome job. I think I've just discovered what paint scheme I'll use once I get around to actually painting any of my Feds.

By Kenneth Jones (Kludge) on Saturday, May 06, 2006 - 08:38 pm: Edit

BTW: Has anyone ever done a Computer controlled mini colored like K.I.T.T. or K.A.R.R.?

I can just picture the cylon eye on the front of a Fed Saucer

By Mike Todaro (Aurelius) on Saturday, May 06, 2006 - 09:20 pm: Edit

Dale: Thank you. I actually emailed myself a link to your January winner the other day to use as a reference. The email title was "LEARN TO PAINT, LOSER!" Looking at many entries in the painting contests, I do have much to learn.

At this point, I'm staring at the new shopping cart and trying to decide what else to add to my little fleet. I'm torn between picking up a DN, or grabbing some more escorts for the CVS I'll be ordering from Mike R. soon. Complicating this is

my urge to grab a tug as well. At this point, my force is almost entirely pre Y170. I have no war hulls at all. I keep eyeing the SCS for use as a CVA in the short term, however I keep feeling that if I start grabbing war production models I'll have to create another fleet. My basic problem is that I'm naming the ships, so I can't reuse hulls for different ships.

Well, I can... I just know I won't. •••• you SVC, your games have sunk their addictive hooks into me again. First for their engaging gameplay, secondly because of my inordinate love of miniatures. ADB is a much better company to spend my money on than GW. I can field two or three races worth of ships for fleet actions for what one army in 40k cost me. And I have owned *several* 40k armies. I cringe to think of how much I spent on PLASTIC minis, especially considering I needed a large number of them.

I have a feeling Mike, Mark T., and Steve are going to make some decent money off my addiction!

By Loren Knight (Loren) on Sunday, May 07, 2006 - 01:20 am: Edit

It's not just a hobby... it's a way of life!

By Kenneth Jones (Kludge) on Sunday, May 07, 2006 - 08:24 am: Edit

Hum I wonder is there a 12 step program for recovering mini addicts?

By Mike Raper (Raperm) on Sunday, May 07, 2006 - 09:05 am: Edit

Anyone have a spare plastic sensor dish from a tug or DD/SC mini? Building a tug, but have no sensors.

By ART TROTMAN (Drneuro) on Sunday, May 07, 2006 - 10:28 am: Edit

If anyone finds that 12 step program for mini addicts, please let me know. As Mike Raper can attest, I have become obsessed with these things, especially Klingon and Feds. If anyone ever wants to sell off their Klingon or Fed minis while

on such a program, please let me know

By Loren Knight (Loren) on Sunday, May 07, 2006 - 11:49 am: Edit

No, there is no 12 step program available. In fact, things get worse with the addition of a new delivery system that pushes the pewter in just eight impulses instead of the previous thirty two.

The only way off the pewter is a harsh but often effective medicine called predispouseandbatezine. Of course this is only available to couples and even then can remain unavailable if the significant other is co-dependant. Symptoms includes statements such as "Sure Honey, go play with your minis... I'm going to go speak with the gardener about the... uh... roses." Or more commonly "Sure Honey, I'm just going to meet up with the girls and get our nails done." And then there is the dreaded "Honey... stop... Honey! I thought you were going to paint

those new minis? Do you need me to get you some more paint?"

If you should find yourself in a divorce situation get the minis out of the house ASAP! If you can accomplish that they will be safe from that point on as your spouse will have no further interest in them (usually).

And naturally if you are single (and addicted with an open budget) you’re screwed. Guys, if you meet a girl anywhere other than a game shop or convention DON’T show them your main collection right away. MAYBE one or two of your best minis but it’s usually best to let them get invested in you first. AND DON”T fly them around in a mock battle when you do show her! Girls collectors... ya go ahead. It can't hurt.

However, there are those who can manage with some self discipline. Be honest with yourself about your addiction and work WITH it instead of against it or against life. For instance, once piece minis fit will into a pocket as well as being able to hold up to a stray flailing hand while sitting on a bed stand. Apart from your collection you can keep a spare mini or two around so you can get a quick fix while participating in real life ventures. Minis with breakable parts are not good for this as discovery of a broken engine nacelle or wing can send a hardened addict back to the shop at inappropriate times.

If you have kids pick up a few extras for them and include them in your hobby. Meter there efforts and they can avoid addiction while still enjoying time with their parent. Fortunately, there are enough other interests in a child’s and teenager’s life that they are relatively immune to the addictive nature of mini collecting. It depends on your child’s level of independence, the more independent the more at risk they are. Handled responsibly, involving your children in mini collecting can have several benefits including exercising their motor skills and imagination, bonding time with you and having your spouse see you spending time with the kids.

Remember, budget your expenditures and time and you can safely immerse your self in the joys (sometime euphoria) of SFU mini collecting. It is a short list of things that are as satisfying and exciting. The hobby is only made better when they are actually used for SFB or FC combat! Enjoy responsibly!!!

By Tony L Thomas (Scoutdad) on Sunday, May 07, 2006 - 12:42 pm: Edit

Mike R. I'm headed out to the workroom to finish painting my entries for the Romulan squadron. I have the remains of several tug kitbash packs. I'll check and see if there's a sensor left over.

By Tony L Thomas (Scoutdad) on Sunday, May 07, 2006 - 02:08 pm: Edit

Sorry Mike,

I just checked and I'm all out of sensors... both metal and plastic...

By ART TROTMAN (Drneuro) on Sunday, May 07, 2006 - 02:47 pm: Edit

Loren, thank you for the humorous(and slightly terrifying) advice on this bittersweet addiction. Perhaps my only hope is in severe financial or relationship stress, only time will tell. But on another note, does anyone know if ADB will release the D5W mini or Fast D7 as a stand -alone minis?

By Joseph R Carlson (Jrc) on Sunday, May 07, 2006 - 02:59 pm: Edit

Mike R.,

There were about six to seven in the three plastic Fed parts bag I purchased; two good ones left. I also have three frigate type metal sensor dishes.

By Loren Knight (Loren) on Sunday, May 07, 2006 - 03:49 pm: Edit

If you don't have humor what have you got?

By Mike Todaro (Aurelius) on Sunday, May 07, 2006 - 04:11 pm: Edit

Has this happened to anyone else?

I was painting up my Federation ships this afternoon when I was struck by a horrible realization. This fleet has no reason to exist without an opponent to face. Preferable multiple opponents.

So now I'm considering adding Lyran and Andro ships to my collection. And to counter the Andro threat, we will need Kzinti, Gorn, Romulan, ISC...

Oh no. Someone save my wallet!

By Loren Knight (Loren) on Sunday, May 07, 2006 - 07:13 pm: Edit

Hit the bank for a loan.

By Mike Todaro (Aurelius) on Sunday, May 07, 2006 - 08:33 pm: Edit

That's the *last* thing I need. Three grand of unpainted minis. I'd drown in the darn things!

How do you guys store your miniatures? I'm fast running out of desk space and am interested in considering the alternatives. I could hang them from the ceiling like a "big boy mobile" but I am assured it would scare away any potential ladyfriends and cause a rash of split lungs among my friends. Also, I don't want any suicidal ship captains performing ramming manuvers on my face while I sleep. =)

By Loren Knight (Loren) on Sunday, May 07, 2006 - 09:00 pm: Edit

Nice large parts cases and/or small curio shelf units.

IKEA has these small 18"x18"x8"(deep) little shelf units with sliding glass doors that hang on the wall. At the time they were on sale for $20.00 each when I got them.

Do a search for display cabinets. There is also Craigs list for such things.

By Tony L Thomas (Scoutdad) on Sunday, May 07, 2006 - 09:13 pm: Edit

Mike, I store all of mine in little plastic organizers from Wal-Mart. Take a look at my webpage:

Scoutdad's Miniatures Page

If you look in the Klingon section, you'll see a link to my Klingon fleet, packed in a case and ready to go to Origins. The cases are inexpensive, easy ot carry, readily available, and I've not had many of he minis broken while transporting them this way.

By Reid Hupach (Gwbison) on Sunday, May 07, 2006 - 10:40 pm: Edit

Storage and transportation

Go to Walmart. Go to sporting goods. Go to the gun section. Hard Pistol rifle and shotgun cases.

Eggshell foam liners hard durable outsides, habndy handles...

Cant go wrong

By ART TROTMAN (Drneuro) on Sunday, May 07, 2006 - 11:17 pm: Edit

Tony, I tried to access your webpage and it did not work--can you give us an updated link as I love looking at other players' miniatures

By Dean Gundberg (Star_Ranger) on Monday, May 08, 2006 - 12:14 am: Edit

Here is a direct link to Scoutdad's picture: http://www.geocities.com/scoutdad13/Klingons/klingonsreadytotravel.jpg

I store my painted minis in similar organizers plus the foam for Army Transport cases where you can pull out squares to fit your minis. http://www.saboldesigns.net/figurefoam.php

By Tony L Thomas (Scoutdad) on Monday, May 08, 2006 - 09:21 am: Edit

Ooops. Mis-typed the link. Try this one:

http://www.geocities.com/scoutdad13

By Greg Ernest (Grege) on Monday, May 08, 2006 - 10:37 am: Edit

Tony: which specific serial number of Plano case is that? Just curious... :-)

By Mike Todaro (Aurelius) on Monday, May 08, 2006 - 11:13 pm: Edit

All great suggestions. I've been thinking about an Army Transport case, one of the motor pool ones maybe. All I know is that with another four or five models on their way to me, I'm running out of desk space.

I'm pathetic, I've been checking and rechecking my email to see when my UPS tracking number gets posted. So sad.

By Barton Pyle (Bart) on Tuesday, May 09, 2006 - 05:20 pm: Edit

Mike T.

I'm currently using the Battalion and Army Transports for my SFB mini's. I have to say they are awsome for transporting mini's. The Battalion transport has wheels on it like luggage and the Army transport fits right on top of it with little effort. All my mini's survived a 400 mile transport from Pennsylvania to Origins last year. I highly recommend these products.

By Lawrence Bergen (Lar) on Tuesday, May 09, 2006 - 07:35 pm: Edit

Who has kitbashed a Fed CVB/CVS? I am working on one and wondered if I am on the right track.

By Mike Raper (Raperm) on Tuesday, May 09, 2006 - 08:14 pm: Edit

I did one, and as far as I know it's been successfully cast for production. I just cut the front end off a CA, and stuck the back end of a second CA on it. Then you use mastic or some kind of putty/filler to smooth out the connection and even out the hull shape, including building up the bottom a bit so you can have room to mount a sensor dish. Not too hard, if you have the right tools.

By Lawrence Bergen (Lar) on Tuesday, May 09, 2006 - 08:26 pm: Edit

Okay well I am using the DN rear with a Tug dish and left and right DN warp engine I got in a spare parts bag. I filed the supports of the engines so that the cooling panels on the inside are centered. I mounted the sensor from the DN where it should be but filed the back of rear hull into a second shuttle bay doors/landing pad.

Thus far it looks decent but was wondering how "accurate" it looks.

By Chris Saguisag (Csaguisag) on Wednesday, May 10, 2006 - 06:35 pm: Edit

Bart,

What size tray (height) do you use for transporting/storing the minis? Do you store them upright in the tray or on their sides?

Thanks in advance.

By Barton Pyle (Bart) on Wednesday, May 10, 2006 - 07:04 pm: Edit

Chris,

I use the 1" trays for all my SFB mini's. Even the B-10 and Kzinti SCS fits in them without a problem.

All of the mini's are upright or upside down depending on the mini. If its an older 2200 line D7 with the fragile engines it is upside down so the weight of the mini and the bumpy roads of Pennsylvania don't break it.

I currently have about 25 trays full of mini's. And I'm still dreading painting my Romulans. I did 3 War Eagles and they took a week of painting to do em. Oh great, looks like I went on a babbling tangent again....

By Chris Saguisag (Csaguisag) on Thursday, May 11, 2006 - 01:15 am: Edit

Bart,

1", minis on or off stands? I thought they would need at least the 2" tray if they're on stands.

By Lars Fausnacht (Larsfausnacht) on Thursday, May 11, 2006 - 01:15 am: Edit

Tony, what did you use to make those plasma torpedoes? Those are too cool...

By Barton Pyle (Bart) on Thursday, May 11, 2006 - 07:34 am: Edit

Chris,

Off of the stands, I have modified all my mini's to accept the older zochi stands by drilling the holes alittle bigger. They are easier for transport that way.

By Mike Raper (Raperm) on Sunday, May 14, 2006 - 11:54 am: Edit

Here's a pic of an Armed Priority Transport mini; sort of like a tiny freighter crossed with a POL. The CA is for scale.

http://www.geocities.com/raperm2002/G-APT_front.JPG http://www.geocities.com/raperm2002/G-APT_aft.JPG

By Loren Knight (Loren) on Sunday, May 14, 2006 - 12:07 pm: Edit

Say that's pretty cool. Can we get a close up shot of that?

By Bennett Eugene Snyder (Planner) on Sunday, May 14, 2006 - 12:36 pm: Edit

Convoys are just gonna get better and better. I suppose next will be the Fed Ex?

By Sean Bartholome (Kana) on Sunday, May 14, 2006 - 05:10 pm: Edit

Thats one tiny freighter...

By Jeff Wile (Jswile) on Sunday, May 14, 2006 - 11:43 pm: Edit

Very nice Mike!

Now all we need are DHL, UPS and Yellow Freight decals to apply to the hull!

By Patrick H. Dillman (Patrick) on Monday, May 15, 2006 - 02:17 am: Edit

Do we get Budget, Penske and UHual stickers for the F-S and F-L?

By Mark Tutton (Starfighterace) on Monday, May 15, 2006 - 07:59 am: Edit

Anyone out there have any extra "old" Kzinti Sensor dishes. The ones you had to glue on the old 2200 series minis? I have some extra Klingon Engines and Booms to trade if interested.

By John A Schneder II (Keltner) on Monday, May 15, 2006 - 11:58 am: Edit

I really need some Klingon engines, let me check for the dishes. I'll post back or contact you direct.

--John

By Mike Raper (Raperm) on Monday, May 15, 2006 - 12:07 pm: Edit

I'd be truly happy if a kitbash pack of just sensors was available. So many variants use sensor dishes, you know?

By Barton Pyle (Bart) on Monday, May 15, 2006 - 12:15 pm: Edit

Your not kidding there Mike R. I would love that myself.

By Chris Saguisag (Csaguisag) on Monday, May 15, 2006 - 04:14 pm: Edit

Heh, started on my own UPS (United Planetary Shipping) fleet:

http://www.saguisag.com/pdgblog/wp-images/minis041706_06.jpg

http://www.saguisag.com/pdgblog/wp-images/minis041706_07.jpg

I think that armed priority transport will find itself with the same paint color.

UPS decals would be cool for these

By Patrick H. Dillman (Patrick) on Monday, May 15, 2006 - 10:31 pm: Edit

How many Creds wil it cost for a small U-Haul freighter for a local move?

By John A Schneder II (Keltner) on Tuesday, May 16, 2006 - 02:23 pm: Edit

Mark, Alas, no Kzin sensor dishes. What else might you like to trade for some Klingon engines??

--John

By Mark Tutton (Starfighterace) on Tuesday, May 16, 2006 - 03:07 pm: Edit

John,

Fed DN Hull, Fed CA Hull(s), Hydran War Destroyer, Any of the old Psudo Fighter/Fast Partol Ships except Lyran, or any of the Plastic FED ships are all items I'm looking for.

By Mike Raper (Raperm) on Tuesday, May 16, 2006 - 03:15 pm: Edit

Mark,

I have plastic Fed parts galore if you want 'em. Email me a list of what you need, and I'll tell you what I have.

John, I have a "set" of klingon engines; left, right and center, plus some F6 center warp engines. Let me know if you want 'em.

By Barton Pyle (Bart) on Tuesday, May 16, 2006 - 07:30 pm: Edit

John,

I have 5 sets of Klingon Engines. Left, Right, and Center. I have no need for them, so you can just have them if you want.

By John A Schneder II (Keltner) on Tuesday, May 16, 2006 - 11:59 pm: Edit

Mark, Send me a list of what you need and I'll do the same as Mike (I'll send what I have).

Mike, and Barton, Any and all Klingon engines would be great!!:-) Thanks, I'll forward my mailing address to you both. Anything you guys need??

--John

By Barton Pyle (Bart) on Wednesday, May 17, 2006 - 06:38 pm: Edit

John,

Should be in the mail or UPS tomorrow. So you should have them either Friday or Monday.

Bart

By Mike Todaro (Aurelius) on Wednesday, May 17, 2006 - 07:54 pm: Edit

Does anyone know where I can find a picture of a Federation CX? I'm thinking of kitbashing one to go with the horde of miniatures I'm assembling. I'll probably do it as a TMP era ship (hey, that's my favorite look, shoot me), but I need to have an idea what the base looks like.

I know the Vicennes was a CB, but I can't recall if that's a base CA hull or if its an NCA base. That will of course make a difference. Thanks in advance!

By Mike Raper (Raperm) on Wednesday, May 17, 2006 - 08:18 pm: Edit

Mike,

X1 has a top-down pic of a CX. It really isn't presented as very different than the CA, but it has back-swept engine pylons instead of the straight ones. Other than that, it's the same. Personally, I have no problem letting my imagination go with the X-ships and having some fun.

By Dale McKee (Brigman) on Wednesday, May 17, 2006 - 09:36 pm: Edit

Mike: Personally, and I bet I'm not the only one, I always imagined the CX as the Enterprise-refit as shown in ST: The Motionless Picture and The Wrath of Khan.

By Michael Powers (Mtpowers) on Wednesday, May 17, 2006 - 09:44 pm: Edit

Dale: That's...the TMP era, which Mike already said he's going to do.

By Mike Raper (Raperm) on Wednesday, May 17, 2006 - 09:49 pm: Edit

I definately think of the TMP Enterprise as a CX, but the only pic we have of it from official SFB stuff doesn't jive. So, I figure it's all up to the individual. I've done two CX's, both of which were sort of an amalgamation of the TOS and TMP look. I'd love to see what others come up with.

By Loren Knight (Loren) on Wednesday, May 17, 2006 - 11:14 pm: Edit

The SFT and the STU would probably jive on the CX thing if only ADB could use the square engines thing.

However, I suppose there are some differences anyway. TMP Enterprise and Enterprise-A both had the torps on the connecting pylon but the SFU CX has them in the same place as the the basic CA.

By Jack Andre Bohn (Jbohn) on Thursday, May 18, 2006 - 06:31 am: Edit

The Constitution NCC-1700 plans show the torps on the second or third deck, but the Enterprise NCC-1701 was shown firing them from the underside of the saucer. The refit 1701A had them atop the secondary hull, as you say. (But who says they don't also have some in the forward hull? That would make the refit a Battlecruiser, see the cover of CL#14!) They just seem to be getting lower with each refit. There's probably a plastic surgery joke in there. If the old gal went through another refit they'd probably end up on the bottom of the ship.

By Will McCammon (Djdood) on Thursday, May 18, 2006 - 03:07 pm: Edit

I always pictured it as something like this -

http://www.shipschematics.net/startrek/images/federation/heavycruiser_endeavor_up.jpg

Not quite the ST-TMP Enterprise or PhaseII Enterprise (since ADB wasn't/isn't/can't use it), but enough different from the classic Connie to stand out.

By Mike Raper (Raperm) on Thursday, May 18, 2006 - 03:22 pm: Edit

That's the same pic I used as the bases of the first CX I made; flattened nacelles, no sensor dish, and a few other minor cosmetic changes.

By Lawrence Bergen (Lar) on Thursday, May 18, 2006 - 03:49 pm: Edit

When you guys run with stuff like this it makes me wish SVC would bring back "Shavings from the Workbench" articles into a Captains Log. Keep up the good work.

By Will McCammon (Djdood) on Thursday, May 18, 2006 - 04:24 pm: Edit

I recall SVC saying he felt minis articles didn't add a lot of value, versus the space they took.

Considering all the border boxes that have flown out since the launch of FedCom, maybe that has changed. There's a lot more minis out there now that need to be modded, kitbashed, mounted, painted, decaled, stored, etc...

By Michael Powers (Mtpowers) on Thursday, May 18, 2006 - 05:15 pm: Edit

The other problem is that CL isn't in color. There isn't much point in doing a black-and-white miniatures article...

By Loren Knight (Loren) on Thursday, May 18, 2006 - 07:38 pm: Edit

Well for kitbashing there can be and I'd be willing to do technical drawings to illustrate whats being discussed as interior photos in CL are notoriously poor.

By Mike Raper (Raperm) on Thursday, May 18, 2006 - 09:43 pm: Edit

I wrote several "how to" articles and posted them on my site, but I haven't updated it in a while.

This pic is of the first CX I made. I have plans to do a new one, just need to make the time to do it.

http://www.geocities.com/raperm2002/FCXtop.jpg

By Bennett Eugene Snyder (Planner) on Friday, May 19, 2006 - 09:49 pm: Edit

You sold that mini, didn't you?

By Mike Raper (Raperm) on Friday, May 19, 2006 - 10:02 pm: Edit

Yup. I just like making them, not keeping them. Just finished a very nifty NCA; off to ebay it goes.

By Tony L Thomas (Scoutdad) on Friday, May 19, 2006 - 10:33 pm: Edit

Yep. It's in my minis case along with the U.S.S. Masada GSX that he made. And they look beter in person than they do in the photos.

By Mike Todaro (Aurelius) on Saturday, May 20, 2006 - 02:59 pm: Edit

I'm torn between trying to convert a TMP era Enterprise and buying one of the FASA 1/3900 scale miniatures for a ridiculous price, around $30ish.

I'm just not that good with modelling putty.

Looks like I'll be buying a second tug, since I screwed up my pods for my first one. The endcaps fit snugly enough that glue isn't necessary, but I glued and I glued the wrong end on, forcing me to be unable to link two pods. Well, I made my tug a battle tug, I'll have to get a second to do the actual hauling job.

I've given up feeling bad about having twice as many Fed minatures as I do other races. At this point, I'm going for one of each Fed released. I'll build actual fleets for other races, but in Feds, I shall have a *navy*!

Mike, what's your next kitbash idea? Would you be interested in doing the CVS we discussed?

By Mike Raper (Raperm) on Saturday, May 20, 2006 - 03:12 pm: Edit

I want to do a CX with TMP style engines. I have been playing with casting resin from silicon molds. So, if I can score a pair of the engines from the old Fasa Enterprise, I will make a set to mate to a zocchi CA. With some other changes to the saucer and hull, I think I can get a nifty looking CX similar to the one shown earlier in this thread.

I can do a CVS, but the production one should be along any day. I know it was sent to cast; not sure what the status is.

By Mike Todaro (Aurelius) on Saturday, May 20, 2006 - 04:36 pm: Edit

Well, I can wait for the production, if you want to try something else. Perhaps a CX... Are you thinking just the TMP engines, or are you going to do the whole shebang. Dish changes, saucer changes, etc?

By ART TROTMAN (Drneuro) on Saturday, May 20, 2006 - 09:11 pm: Edit

Mike, when are you selling that NCA on ebay? I would love to bid on it so that you could send it along with the others

By Bennett Eugene Snyder (Planner) on Saturday, May 20, 2006 - 10:50 pm: Edit

Mike, if you ever do the CX, I'll be standing in line for one. I've been wanting a Zocchi CA with TMP nacelles for years. The Rawcliffe version has thicker struts. Could loan you one if that could help.

By Jack Andre Bohn (Jbohn) on Sunday, May 21, 2006 - 06:32 am: Edit

If you are just looking for movie engines, you might look for Galoob's MicroMachines. I was hesitant to suggest it because the movie Enterprise was only sold in a 16-ship collector's box, but the Reliant was sold on 3-ship blisters, so should be numerous and cheaper.

By Mike Raper (Raperm) on Sunday, May 21, 2006 - 08:15 am: Edit

I may go that route, but for casting an original lead or pewter mini would be best. I watch ebay, and hope to find one.

By Bennett Eugene Snyder (Planner) on Sunday, May 21, 2006 - 06:13 pm: Edit

As I said, I could loan you one, unless you're looking for one that's not assembled.

By Dale McKee (Brigman) on Sunday, May 21, 2006 - 06:20 pm: Edit

Mike: I've got one. In fact I was going to send it to you for a kitbash of the SFC DD "Akula class", remember? Why don't I send it in, you can use the parts for moldings, and THEN make an Akula out of it?

By Mike Raper (Raperm) on Sunday, May 21, 2006 - 06:52 pm: Edit

Dale,

That's fine! Going to take some practice, but it shouldn't be terribly hard. I appreciate the offers from others! Soon as I can get some castings done I'll post pics and will be happy to share what I make. With practice I hope to be able to do some much more elaborate kitbashes. I have a number in mind, and will enjoy trying them out.

On another note, here are some nice pics of Fed Advanced Frigates, the Pharris and the Spectre. These are Irregular minis, but make nice FFX's or carrier frigates; you can't really see it, but that extended "aft" hull section has an underside with very big shuttle bay doors; with an enlarged hull and doors like that, it'd be a good choice for a carrer frigate. I chose to go the "X" ship route, because I hadn't seen the bottom of them, they have square engines, and they went with the previous two X-ships I made from Irregular ships. Yes, as always, they are for sale. One day maybe I'll actually start keeping this stuff, but for now, it's just fun to make them.

Federation X-Frigates USS Pharris and USS Spectre , front Federation X-Frigates USS Pharris and USS Spectre , aft quarter

By ART TROTMAN (Drneuro) on Sunday, May 21, 2006 - 07:03 pm: Edit

Mike-when are these for sale?

By Bennett Eugene Snyder (Planner) on Sunday, May 21, 2006 - 09:44 pm: Edit

Perhaps in the future, Mike, you'll be able to kitbash a TMP version of the CVS. Can scan a page of the way the ship looks.

On another note, there have been several versions of the Miranda class (USS RELIANT), such as the Soyuz class BOZEMAN, the transport LANTREE (which was the filming model sans rollbar) and the DS9 SARATOGA. One wonders how an upgraded Miranda would have looked with 1701-D nacelles. There had to be some sort of trial vessel that became the class represented by ships like the NEBULA.

By Mike Raper (Raperm) on Sunday, May 21, 2006 - 10:07 pm: Edit

What I hope to do is a TMP style NCL, DN, CX, CS, and GSC. I have vague plans for each, and am looking forward to experimenting a bit.

By Michael Powers (Mtpowers) on Sunday, May 21, 2006 - 10:46 pm: Edit

The TMP-style NCL was done about twenty years ago...I think I saw it in a movie? I remember that it had this guy named Khan, and there was something about Wrath...

I would say that I'd be interested in seeing the Medium Dreadnoughts and War Dreadnoughts from the SFU.

By Mike Raper (Raperm) on Monday, May 22, 2006 - 07:37 am: Edit

Mabye, but that isn't what I have in mind. What I'd like to do is find an old NCL with the yoke, and add the TMP engines to that, along with some changes to the saucer. Would also make a nifty way to make a new fast cruiser, too.

By Michael Powers (Mtpowers) on Monday, May 22, 2006 - 08:47 am: Edit

KHAAAAAAAAAAAAAANNNNNN!!!!!

By Ian Kisluk (Iams) on Monday, May 22, 2006 - 08:47 am: Edit

So are you talking about something like this:

http://bridgecommander.filefront.com/file/Starforce_Productions_Standard_Chicago;53485

Its a mod for Star Trek: Bridge Commander. If you look, they have many other ships with about 7 or 8 versions of the NCL and the NCA (Only TMPified) I like to use this as a recource, although Battleclinic.com has more SFB related ships, and SSDs

By Ian Kisluk (Iams) on Monday, May 22, 2006 - 08:51 am: Edit

"I've done far worse than kill you. I've hurt you. And I wish to go on, hurting you. I shall leave you, as you left me as you left her. Marooned for all eternity in the center of a dead planet Buried alive! Buried alive! ..........."

By Mike Raper (Raperm) on Monday, May 22, 2006 - 09:51 am: Edit

Ian,

Yes, very similar. No slant on the engines; they'd be mounted more or less straight. And I may do something different with the saucer that I saw in a calendar picture. But that's the general idea.

By Lars Fausnacht (Larsfausnacht) on Monday, May 22, 2006 - 01:24 pm: Edit

Anyone have a spare Kzinti DN center warp engine? Found one in a box o' minis and it has the left and right (lower) warp nacelles, but is missing the upper one.

Not being a big Kzinti player, I probably picked this up from someone else years ago and did not realize it was incomplete.

By Tony L Thomas (Scoutdad) on Monday, May 22, 2006 - 04:43 pm: Edit

Lars... I have plenty of them. If you'll email me offlist with a mailing address... I'll drop one in the mail tomorrow.

tonylthomas at comcast dot net

By Jack Andre Bohn (Jbohn) on Monday, May 22, 2006 - 08:26 pm: Edit

RE: an upgraded Miranda with 1701-D nacelles

The 1701-D nacelle is a bit longer than a Cargo Pod. It's not as wide, and, of course, flatter. I wonder if the Tugs deliver these engines to the shipyards. (Does the transport LANTREE have a retractable towpad?)

The guys who worked on this show said the nacelles had a mass of 615,000 tonnes each. About 5 pod-weights, using FJ's heaviest Pod of 122,000.

By Bennett Eugene Snyder (Planner) on Monday, May 22, 2006 - 10:39 pm: Edit

Talk about being overpowered. Or at least overweight.

By Lars Fausnacht (Larsfausnacht) on Tuesday, May 23, 2006 - 01:11 pm: Edit

(Scoutdad) Thanks, Tony! I just offlist emailed you with my info.

By Tony L Thomas (Scoutdad) on Tuesday, May 23, 2006 - 11:25 pm: Edit

Got it Les. DN engine goes in the mail tomorrow... along with a special bonus, surprise item....

By Bennett Eugene Snyder (Planner) on Wednesday, May 24, 2006 - 10:33 pm: Edit

Realize now that I should have said that the nacelles be scaled down to fit, although I believe the nacelles used by the MIRANDA are the same length as the 1701/-A. May depend on positioning.

By Ian Kisluk (Iams) on Thursday, May 25, 2006 - 12:15 am: Edit

Earlier, You guys were talking about X-ships. I have a picture of a Federation BCX I did and I want to upload the pic, maybe for ideas or something. How do I upload it to this?

By Jack Andre Bohn (Jbohn) on Thursday, May 25, 2006 - 06:50 am: Edit

Planner: I certainly didn't mean to mock, just pointing out an interesting scale relation I'd discovered a while ago.

It's going beyond the scope of this board, but I don't know the tech behind the wider-than-tall 1701-D nacelles vs the taller-than-wide 1701-A nacelles (vs the moslty equal round nacelles or 1701-C's squarish), but --if I remember correctly--

the interesting feature of the 1701-D was the "z axis compression," that is, the warp field covered the wide saucer in the x direction without having to extend a large distance forward and aft in the z direction. (Why this is a desirable feature, I don't know.)

There were some kitbashed background ships, the New Orleans and the Cheyenne, that used the wide saucer but were scaled 14/25 size. They would be a little longer than a Miranda's. While the Cheyenne used different engines (repainted Sharpie markers!), the Nawlins used the scaled-down 1701-D nacelles, about the size of a Miranda's.

By Mike Raper (Raperm) on Thursday, May 25, 2006 - 07:33 am: Edit

Ian,

You have to have it uploaded to a site you can link to. You can't upload pics here, only link to them from somewhere else. If you have it on the web somewhere, it's easy enough to do. If not, send it to me and I'll post it for you.

By Ian Kisluk (Iams) on Thursday, May 25, 2006 - 08:47 am: Edit

You know what you're doing. I'll send you the pics. Its not very good, the ship, paints a little.... meh... and it was made from a random kit bash of a Galoob Micro Machienes NCC-1701 model peices of a plastic tree (the mold that models come on), and some random nacells, but its good enough to spark some ideas.

By SSG Staley Aaron M. (Awwwdrat) on Thursday, May 25, 2006 - 09:19 am: Edit

Well, I finally made it to Hell. It's hot here, darn hot!

Anyway, Mike Raper, you still have my Fed BB?

By Mike Raper (Raperm) on Thursday, May 25, 2006 - 05:03 pm: Edit

Sometimes I find it fun to mix/match parts to make something. I had a couple of spare SCS/CVA saucers, and a kitbash pack or two. It occurred to me that the SCS saucer looks a heck of a lot like the "old" NCL saucer, save for the bigger bridge and that raised area on the back. So, I figured it'd make a perfect NCV mini if the three engines were added. Well, that's what I did. Filed off the back of the saucer to smooth it out a bit, attached the yoke and the center warp, and added a sensor dish. Instant NCV, and different enough looking to pass for a variant of the NCA without having to be a flipping expert on the game.

http://www.geocities.com/raperm2002/Fed_NCV_front.JPG http://www.geocities.com/raperm2002/Fed_NCV_aft.JPG

PS: Aaron, I do. Where would you like it sent?

By Loren Knight (Loren) on Thursday, May 25, 2006 - 06:37 pm: Edit

Mike, ya know if you had done that slightly different you might have a great NVL. With a bit of work you'd have the area for the mech mounts for the F-111

s.

By Bennett Eugene Snyder (Planner) on Thursday, May 25, 2006 - 09:57 pm: Edit

I have scratch builds of New Orleans and Cheyenne class ships. Will have to take a photo and send so you can see them. I didn't build them, I had them commissioned (pun intended).

By Jack Andre Bohn (Jbohn) on Saturday, May 27, 2006 - 08:45 am: Edit

That'd be cool. In scale with the Starline?

I'm thinking of doing them in 1/2400th. Maybe in 25 years when I retire... I'm finally getting around to kitbashing the 1/2400th Enterprise sets I bought years ago. After making a Movie refit of a Scout, I got nothing but respect for guys who can kit-bash 1/3900 metal(!) ships and still have it look like something. Guys who can scratch build or sculpt have my total awe.

By Bennett Eugene Snyder (Planner) on Saturday, May 27, 2006 - 05:23 pm: Edit

Good question. They're about the size of the FASA Reliant mini. The New Orleans were made, I believe, by modifying some very small 1701-D toys. The Cheyenne and the (didn't mention) Constellation class are resin scratchbuild originals.

By Barton Pyle (Bart) on Monday, June 12, 2006 - 10:07 pm: Edit

I just started painting my Orion fleet just recently and thought I would share this with everyone. I've been trying to come up with a different design for each and every ship to put on top as a symbol. The last mini I was painting was an Orion Raider. So I painted the city name of Oakland on top.

Get it?

Its an Oakland Raider.... =)

I know its corny but it came out nice.

By Tony L Thomas (Scoutdad) on Monday, June 12, 2006 - 11:16 pm: Edit

Arrrrgh... Off to booth with you, Barton...

By Michael W. Sweet (Mwsweet) on Tuesday, June 13, 2006 - 01:24 pm: Edit

Barton, it would be a little more subtle to just paint an oak leaf and a couple of

acorns and see if anyone figures it out.

By Loren Knight (Loren) on Tuesday, June 13, 2006 - 01:33 pm: Edit

Or the Oakland Raiders logo (get a decal done?).

By Tim Losberg (Krager) on Tuesday, June 13, 2006 - 03:07 pm: Edit

oh man, now that would be an awsome mini.. I'm going to have to try that

By Barton Pyle (Bart) on Tuesday, June 13, 2006 - 07:13 pm: Edit

I was thinking about actually painting that freehand. Like I did for my Tampa Bay Buc Orion CA mini awhile back.

By Barton Pyle (Bart) on Wednesday, June 14, 2006 - 07:52 pm: Edit

Ok, After looking at the Raiders emblem. I can't do it justice by painting it. Too much detail in such a small space. I will still give it a shot but I doubt its going to turn out good.

By Gary Carney (Nerroth) on Friday, June 16, 2006 - 11:40 am: Edit

Hi!

I've tbeen thinking of having a go at making up a Baduvai CS using some green stuff - most of the mini work I've done has been conversions of pre-existing models, so any advice would be most welcome!

Gary

By John A Schneder II (Keltner) on Sunday, June 18, 2006 - 03:04 pm: Edit

OK, Somehow I have lost my list of the fleet color-bands the Hydrans use. Could someone either list them here, or show me where the list is?? Thanks in advance:-)

--John

By Scott Iles (Smrl) on Sunday, June 18, 2006 - 04:55 pm: Edit

Here's what I have:

Blue Klingon Border Fleet White Expeditionary Fleet Green Lyran Border Fleet Purple Home Fleet Red Old Colonies Squadron

By Sean Bartholome (Kana) on Sunday, June 18, 2006 - 08:39 pm: Edit

For those who might have forgotten and or lost links...

http://www.starfleetgames.com/discus/messages/7342/9054.html?1101833280

Also for the Hydrans

http://www.starfleetgames.com/minis/HYD/Hydran%20DD%20txt.gif

Remember if you go to player resources on the starfleetgames.com site, there are

painting guides...

By John A Schneder II (Keltner) on Monday, June 19, 2006 - 09:37 am: Edit

Thanks Scott:-) Wasn't there a 'gold' fleet as well??

By Patrick H. Dillman (Patrick) on Monday, June 19, 2006 - 10:50 am: Edit

John: here in the Miniatures archieve.

Quote:

By Steve Cole (Stevecole) on Monday, March 03, 2003 - 06:52 pm: Edit

April 2001: Summary of miniatures posts ===== Various helpful hints on digital photography. It was decided to make the old Lyran CW the new DW and to make a new CW. Photos of the Hydrans went on the web site, the ships arrived, shipments began, mail orders began, etc. ===== Jay Chladek at http://members.aol.com/JMChladek/decal.html sells decals. ===== Compiling a list of sites with pictures of painted and/or kitbashed minis: http://www.crosswinds.net/~brezgonne/main.html http://www.sfcuniverse.com/brezgonne/ http://www.geocities.com/jgray27103/miniatures.html http://members.aol.com/_ht_a/jessicaorsini/ http://www.geocities.com/starfleetcentral/sp_LCL.html ===== Here is the part that got left off of the on-line Hydran color chart: Color of broad stripes show fleet assignment: Klingon Border (Blue), Expeditionary Fleet (White), Lyran Border (Green), Home Fleet (Purple), Old Colonies (Red), Liberation Fleet (Gold), Royal Fleet (Black). =====

(Bold for emphasis by me) PHD

By John A Schneder II (Keltner) on Wednesday, June 21, 2006 - 10:54 am: Edit

In this Hydran vein... I just completed two Hydran NCA's (Iroquois and Mohawk). I'll be getting pics to

our website soon, but I am unsure what Hydran ship designations should go on an NCA?? Would they just use the 'cruiser' symbol, then the 'weapon-type' symbol, or use some variant of the war cruiser symbol, or something entirely new?? Thoughts or suggestions?? BTW, these are the correct NCA's with the 'ridgeback'.

--John

By John A Schneder II (Keltner) on Friday, June 23, 2006 - 12:25 pm: Edit

Well, since no response on the ship symbol question, I simply painted on ones like the Ranger/Dragoon. If necessary, I'll repaint the stripes and symbols later:-)

--John

By Steve Cole (Stevecole) on Friday, June 23, 2006 - 01:22 pm: Edit

If you have ridgebacks, where are the masters for us to put into production?

As for the symbols, no clue, feel free to invent new ones and let me know to make them official.

BTW, the week before Origins is a bad time to expect an answer to anything not related to Origins.

By John A Schneder II (Keltner) on Friday, June 23, 2006 - 04:06 pm: Edit

If you like, I'll bring a ridgeback to Origins (time permitting with the other two prijects I'm doing:-)

--John

By Loren Knight (Loren) on Friday, June 23, 2006 - 04:31 pm: Edit

I think it might be neat if on the ridgebacks the color stripe angled to a point on the top of the ship instead of a band around the ship.

The symbols would be the same as the ship they are a variant of but the angled band denotes the difference.

By Mark Tutton (Starfighterace) on Saturday, June 24, 2006 - 03:39 pm: Edit

John, If you could post the artwork you come up with for the Hydran NCA's after SVC approves them so I can incoprerate them into the Hydran Decal sheets when I update them. I need to do that after I have learned I have some fleet band colors missing or wrong on my sheets. Thanks!

By Bennett Eugene Snyder (Planner) on Sunday, June 25, 2006 - 09:47 am: Edit

Has anyone designed/scratchbuilt a DD/CW PFT for the Lyrans? As I recall, the ship design is modified to have "wings".

By John A Schneder II (Keltner) on Sunday, June 25, 2006 - 12:55 pm: Edit

--Mark I'll try to post the artwork to our site after Origins probably. I have a few Origins-related projects that will take up most of my spare time until then. --Bennett I built both a DD-PFT and a CW-PFT. Both have wings and sensors. I'll make sure I post pics on our website and let everyone know to check them out.

--John

By Paul Findsen (Zap) on Sunday, June 25, 2006 - 01:50 pm: Edit

Quick note regarding our mini site: I've currently exceeded my bandwidth limitations for the month (the site also serves as a mirror for Star Trek New Voyages). So we'll be down until the first of the month. Who knew that STNV would go through such a burst of popularity? You'd think that a 125 GB bi-weekly limit would be enough. Especially since no new material has been released in a while.

Ugh.

By Will McCammon (Djdood) on Sunday, June 25, 2006 - 04:10 pm: Edit

They've gotten a ton of new press about the new co-production they're doing with a bunch of the Trek actors.

By Mark Tutton (Starfighterace) on Sunday, June 25, 2006 - 10:37 pm: Edit

John, what's your site?

By Paul Findsen (Zap) on Sunday, June 25, 2006 - 10:50 pm: Edit

The aforementioned over capacity one. Check back after the first of July.

http://web.mac.com/zapski

By Mark Tutton (Starfighterace) on Monday, June 26, 2006 - 11:23 am: Edit

Thanks. I'll do that.

By Gary Carney (Nerroth) on Thursday, June 29, 2006 - 01:59 pm: Edit

About the Magellanic poster ships (Baduvai CS, Eneen CA, Maghadim BC) - are there any shots of the three vessels at differnet angles?

I want to have a go at making them up, but I wanted to see what was on the dorsal hull of the CS and the undersides of both the CA and BC...

Gary

By Gary Carney (Nerroth) on Thursday, July 06, 2006 - 04:14 pm: Edit

John Schneder,

Have you listed my email as an approved sender? I've just sent a few questions to your account, if you can spare the time.

Gary

By John A Schneder II (Keltner) on Thursday, July 06, 2006 - 10:04 pm: Edit

Gary,

Yes I have:-) I received the e-mail and I'll be sending a reply shortly.

--John

By John A Schneder II (Keltner) on Thursday, July 06, 2006 - 10:56 pm: Edit

Gary, Just sent a message, but it bounced back. I'll try resending.

--John

By John A Schneder II (Keltner) on Thursday, July 06, 2006 - 11:00 pm: Edit

Nope, it bounced again. Do you have another address??

By Steve Cole (Stevecole) on Friday, July 07, 2006 - 01:37 pm: Edit

We did get Kit Bash Packs back in stock. The guy who does them is now busy doing Gorn DNCs, Fed CVAOs, and Peladines.

By Gary Carney (Nerroth) on Friday, July 07, 2006 - 02:01 pm: Edit

Hmm...

If nerrothgamestuff@canada.com doesn't work, try garycarney@canada.com (I try and keep all game-related correspondence through the first address though)

Strange that it bounced, I got your first email with no problems.

EDIT: As an aside, where in the store is the kit bash pack listed, and what kind of pieces are included?

Gary

By John A Schneder II (Keltner) on Friday, July 07, 2006 - 02:15 pm: Edit

Hmm... it bounces back from the other address as well. My error message says it is a permanent error. Suggestions??

--John

By Gary Carney (Nerroth) on Friday, July 07, 2006 - 02:52 pm: Edit

post it here?

(or try nerroth@vodafone.ie - that should work)

It's possible that the canada.com server is down or something, it seems to go on the fritz once every couple of months...

Gary

By Gary Carney (Nerroth) on Friday, July 07, 2006 - 03:51 pm: Edit

Got it, thanks for the info!

I'll have to chew it over and see if it leads to more questions - and thanks for the offer regarding pics, that would be great!

Gary

By Nick Samaras (Koogie) on Friday, July 07, 2006 - 05:01 pm: Edit

SVC,

any chance you'll try the Maesron masters now that you got Whelan back?

By Steve Cole (Stevecole) on Friday, July 07, 2006 - 05:48 pm: Edit

Yes.

By Lawrence Bergen (Lar) on Friday, July 07, 2006 - 07:53 pm: Edit

Any discussion about this past contest minis?

#1 was definitely very well done. The last mini was also very nicely painted.

By Nick Samaras (Koogie) on Friday, July 07, 2006 - 11:24 pm: Edit

SVC

Thanks, I hope it works out.

By Loren Knight (Loren) on Wednesday, July 12, 2006 - 12:36 pm: Edit

Could someone post a link to where I can buy some Green Stuff? I know it's been posted before but I'm really busy at the moment but would like to get some

ordered so it will arrive for when I'm ready for it.

By John A Schneder II (Keltner) on Wednesday, July 12, 2006 - 12:54 pm: Edit

Loren,

www.dickblick.com sells it (that's hwere I get mine). I believe they sell it in ribbon form, and the better (though larger) stick form. FYI, its brand name is Kneadatite. Try this link: Kneadatite

--John

By John A Schneder II (Keltner) on Wednesday, July 12, 2006 - 12:56 pm: Edit

OOPS, sorry: Kneadatite

By Loren Knight (Loren) on Wednesday, July 12, 2006 - 09:37 pm: Edit

Thanks. Is says "No longer available" but I can Google for it now that I know the brand.

By John A Schneder II (Keltner) on Wednesday, July 12, 2006 - 10:48 pm: Edit

Well...rats. I didn't even check that, sorry Loren. There is plenty on e-bay:-)

--John

By Loren Knight (Loren) on Thursday, July 13, 2006 - 12:40 am: Edit

Tomorrow I may stop in a couple local shops (that I've never been to) now that I know the name.

By Loren Knight (Loren) on Wednesday, July 26, 2006 - 11:49 pm: Edit

Mike Raper: I looked around but couldn't find Kneedatite anywhere but I did find what would be a regular local supply of Milliput.

Is this a comparable product? Any advice?

By John A Schneder II (Keltner) on Thursday, July 27, 2006 - 10:19 am: Edit

Loren, I don't believe so. Milliput is more comparable to Squadron Green or White putty. Useful for filling parting lines and such, but unable to withstand much heat or pressure. I know that lots of Kneadatite is available on e-bay. Make sure if you get some, get it in stick rather than strip form. The sticks have both parts separate from each other, and therefore there is no 'reaction' on the line where they join like in the strip. I have had to dig out clumps of semi-hardened material where the blue and yellow touch in the strip format.

--John

By Loren Knight (Loren) on Thursday, July 27, 2006 - 10:51 am: Edit

Oh poo!

It says on the package "can be used for mould making and can be cast." It also says it holds up to 130 C.

So I thought that would be good enough. Just how hot is the master casting process?

By Mike Raper (Raperm) on Thursday, July 27, 2006 - 11:04 am: Edit

Loren,

The stuff I use is called mastic; I'll email you later with some details, but IMHO it is in every way superior to greenstuff (at least, as far as working with it goes). It dries more quickly, it isn't as "tacky", and it can be drilled, tapped, sanded, and cast.

On a different note, I'm finally getting ready to try casting in resin. Got the stuff, made a casting box (out of legos, no less), and have a good first candidate; a kitbashed Gorn DNH. Should be an easy start.

By Loren Knight (Loren) on Thursday, July 27, 2006 - 11:20 am: Edit

Mike, any thoughts on Milliput. I remember you mentioning it once. John's post suggest's I shouldn't bother even trying it.

By Mike Raper (Raperm) on Thursday, July 27, 2006 - 11:35 am: Edit

I didn't like it, myself. To brittle. I've used it, but it's not something I'd buy again.

By Loren Knight (Loren) on Thursday, July 27, 2006 - 12:03 pm: Edit

Rats!

I look forward to your e-mail.

Thanks guys.

By Jeff Laikind (J_Laikind) on Saturday, July 29, 2006 - 04:39 pm: Edit

I've just posted a couple of pictures on the Starline2400 Yahoo group:

http://games.ph.groups.yahoo.com/group/starline2400/photos/browse/9d3d

Mark James has built a couple of Simulator ships for the GenCon scenarios that are pretty cool.

By Patrick H. Dillman (Patrick) on Saturday, July 29, 2006 - 07:37 pm: Edit

Jeff, tell Mark that those are some great minis.

PHD

By Loren Knight (Loren) on Saturday, July 29, 2006 - 08:44 pm: Edit

Have to join Yahoo Groups to see them. No thanks.

By Scott Alan Woodard (Ogma) on Saturday, July 29, 2006 - 09:31 pm: Edit

Joined the group, looked at the pics, left the group. Easy as that, Loren. Do you have some horrifically tragic tale regarding Yahoo Groups you'd like to share with us all? ;)

Oh, and the pics were very nice.

By Tim Losberg (Krager) on Monday, July 31, 2006 - 10:45 am: Edit

Love the FRAX CA, looks sweet!

By Loren Knight (Loren) on Monday, July 31, 2006 - 11:01 am: Edit

Scott, yeah, I like to minimize putting my e-mail out there. I like that my practices keep my spam down to a small handful a day, sometimes none. And I don't use spam filters.

Most free services are fronts for information gathering, even if advertising is part of their income.

By Mike Raper (Raperm) on Monday, July 31, 2006 - 11:08 am: Edit

Most excellent work on those minis! Mark builds great stuff, and you did great work painting them, Jeff.

By Ian N. Kisluk (Iams) on Monday, July 31, 2006 - 11:41 am: Edit

Incredible! I love the Frax CA, but I bet pretty much everybody does too.

By Steve Cole (Stevecole) on Monday, July 31, 2006 - 01:25 pm: Edit

I have said before. Send me a frax I can cast and it shall be done.

By Will McCammon (Djdood) on Monday, July 31, 2006 - 03:48 pm: Edit

SVC -

Any new word on the new Fed-CC mini (the one done up in CAD and then stereolith'ed)?

By Steve Cole (Stevecole) on Monday, July 31, 2006 - 05:10 pm: Edit

If there was, I'd have already posted it. As before, my understanding is that it is being printed and silvered and I will receive the silver saucer when it arrives.

By Barton Pyle (Bart) on Sunday, August 06, 2006 - 12:42 pm: Edit

Does anyone have any stand adaptors they would be willing to part with? I need a total of 24 so I can mount my large freighters so they will fit zochi stands. It normally wouldn't be a problem to drill the hole bigger but the problem is the hole is already to large for the zochi stands.

Thanks Bart

By Mark S. Hoyle (Bolo_Mk_Xl) on Monday, August 07, 2006 - 09:06 am: Edit

If anyone has any available, I need a C-8 Boom engine and a Fed DD/SC engine --

What is the best way to differenciate the D7F since overall the miniature is the same --

By Tony L Thomas (Scoutdad) on Monday, August 07, 2006 - 09:46 am: Edit

Barton... I have several of the stand adaptors. not sure if there are 24... but it'll be close. When I get home, I'll count them up and send you an email.

By Barton Pyle (Bart) on Monday, August 07, 2006 - 12:11 pm: Edit

Thanks Tony, I'm at work at the moment and won't get home until after 6pm est. If you want anything for trade let me know. I believe I have about 4 or 5 of the old lead kzinti SCS's which are in a scrap bin doing nothing.

By Barton Pyle (Bart) on Wednesday, August 09, 2006 - 06:34 pm: Edit

Tony, did you ever send that email?

By Tony L Thomas (Scoutdad) on Thursday, August 10, 2006 - 01:26 pm: Edit

ummm, no. Totally slipped my mind. I just sent myself an email reminder (to my home email) to do this tonight. Sorry

By Barton Pyle (Bart) on Thursday, August 10, 2006 - 02:40 pm: Edit

No Problem Tony, I was just wondering if my isp was screwing up again.

By Tom McThorn (Starfury) on Thursday, August 10, 2006 - 07:53 pm: Edit

I've just re-started painting minis again after a long break, kids/PC Games ate up my time. I went through my paint drawer; some of my paint is still good but a lot has dried up. Which brands of paint offer good quality? I used to use about 85% PollyS paints and the rest other acylics. I bought a new jar of Polly S gray amd Tamiya gray and both did a very poor job covering white primer on the Gorn DDs and CL I'm working on. Each took 2-3 coats to get an even covering w/o brush marks and no white patches. I'm using Citadel primer (new can) and was wondering if that could be a problem. Any words of wisdom will be greatly treasured and appreciated.

By Tony L Thomas (Scoutdad) on Thursday, August 10, 2006 - 08:16 pm: Edit

Barton... Checked my bits box. I only have 44 of the stand adapters. If you'll send me a snail mail address at tonylthomas at comcast dot net, I'll put 24 of them in the mail tomorrow.

By Barton Pyle (Bart) on Thursday, August 10, 2006 - 08:19 pm: Edit

I personally use nothing but the Citadel paints. But most of my base hull colors

are spray paint by citadel. For example, Klingons are Shadow Grey, Hydrans are Ultra Marines blue. ect.ect.

The only race I use white primer for is Feds. All other races are black primer. All of my detail paints are citadel.

Easy to use and you don't have to worry about using toxic paint thinner. Which is very important for me because to keep a nice point on my brush I put it in my mouth to straighten it out and clean it. I know it sounds rather disgusting but you can't really taste the paint. Unless its citadel Ice Blue. yuck....

By Tony L Thomas (Scoutdad) on Thursday, August 10, 2006 - 10:31 pm: Edit

I used to use the citadel paints, but now I just go to Wal-Mart and buy either CeramCoat or Folk Art brand arcylics. They come in many more shades than Citadel, are cheaper, easier to find, larger bottles, and you can get a selection of three similar colors that allows for Base Coats - Washes - and Dry Brushing; all without having to mix paints and trying to match shades from one batch to the next.

Unlike Barton; however, I prime almost all my minis in white (Armory brand). I do use black primer (Wal-mart brand, flat black primer) for the Orions and Tholians and grey primer (Wal-Mart brand grey primer) for Gorns.

In a similar manner, I do use my mouth to clean / straighten the point on my brushes. The CeramCoat / Folk Art paints are completely tasteless... as are most of the Citadel paints; but avoid the Smelly Primer and the Elf Grey. It must be something about the base they use in the nuetral grey colors but ugh! ...

By Terry_OCarroll (Terryoc) on Friday, August 11, 2006 - 05:08 am: Edit

The Australian company Derivan makes a good line of paints for miniature painters called MiNiS. It's matched to the Citadel & Vallejo colour range. It's packaged similar to the Vallejo stuff, in squeeze bottles, but larger in size. I don't

know what it tastes like, because I use water to clean my brushes. I've only used a few colours, but like the ones I've used.

Good value & quality IMO, but I may be biased because I'm an Aussie.

http://www.matisse.com.au/pages/minisscrapbook.htm

By Lawrence Bergen (Lar) on Friday, August 11, 2006 - 08:08 am: Edit

Todd Lovas prefers the Vallejo squeeze bottles because you can measure one (relatively) even drop at a time if mixing colors. It is a nice feature just wish he'd come back and do a few SFB minis. His detail work was pretty good...apple must not fall too far from the tree on that one...his dad has built just about anything

out of wood from fishing lures/rods and golf clubs to violins.

Those MiNiS paints look good as well...gonna have to keep my eyes open for them.

By Mike Raper (Raperm) on Friday, August 11, 2006 - 08:35 am: Edit

I'm cheap. I use craft paint like Ceramcoat and Applebarrel. They are available in a huge array of colors, cost dirt cheap, and you can get them just about anywhere. Plus, they mix well with water and have a variety of different mediums you can guy for them, like antiquing stain or floating medium. For priming, I just use light sea grey by Model Masters.

By John A Schneder II (Keltner) on Friday, August 11, 2006 - 09:41 am: Edit

I guess our group is on the expensive side. Since I (and my comrades) still make a fair amount of WW II armor, we have a great many of the Model Master stuff floating around. Though we also have the aforementioned Ceramacoat, and Applebarrel, plus the Tamiya and even some old Polly-S AD&D paints. I must admit I do prefer the Model master oil-base for airbrushing.

For priming, we either use a very thin brush-applied acrylic white (50-50 cut with water), or airbrushed Model Master light sea grey.

By Steve Cole (Stevecole) on Friday, August 11, 2006 - 10:49 am: Edit

I use "whatever can of gray primer spray paint" I can find at whatever store I happen to be in.

By Gary Carney (Nerroth) on Thursday, August 24, 2006 - 02:46 pm: Edit

For John Schneder,

Did you get my recent email?

Gary

By Russell Newton (Russnewton) on Thursday, August 24, 2006 - 04:18 pm: Edit

SVC, at one time (long long ago) you said you might make both stand adaptors and Zochi stands avalible, any plan to do so?

By Steve Cole (Stevecole) on Thursday, August 24, 2006 - 05:16 pm: Edit

Zocchi stands are a problem to get.

Stand Adaptors can be done easily enough. Let me check and see if I have the mold in the warehouse.

By Michael Powers (Mtpowers) on Thursday, August 24, 2006 - 06:11 pm: Edit

If you're interested in other brands, GW sells big bags of their clear plastic "flying

bases". They don't have hex bottoms, but a competent painter could mark some ordinals on the base.

By Russell Newton (Russnewton) on Thursday, August 24, 2006 - 09:46 pm: Edit

Actually, I have a ton of stands, but I'd love to get my hands on a couple dozen adaptors. The just make the mins stand up better then drilling a large hole in the bottom.

By Tom McThorn (Starfury) on Friday, August 25, 2006 - 03:46 pm: Edit

Has anyone made plasma torpedo minis? I was thinking of trying to do some using round wood bits and somebright paint. Any ideas?

By Neale Davidson (Vance) on Friday, August 25, 2006 - 04:09 pm: Edit

Plasma Torp = Cotton ball, red dye, acrylic finish.

By Chris Saguisag (Csaguisag) on Friday, August 25, 2006 - 07:30 pm: Edit

My attempt at plasmas and drones:

http://www.saguisag.com/pdgblog/?p=790

I have yet to paint them. Suggestions for colors?

By Bennett Eugene Snyder (Planner) on Sunday, August 27, 2006 - 12:03 am: Edit

Something was nagging at me, and I finally realized what it was.

Orion hulls are supposed to be black (in some cases, camouflage), so why are some hulls getting some descriptive coloring? Flames, griffins, an image of King Tut.

I would thing the paint jobs would ruin the stealth factor, for one.

By Dale McKee (Brigman) on Sunday, August 27, 2006 - 12:20 am: Edit

Bennet: Actually, Orion hulls are supposed to vary widely in what color they are. I paint mine in a "starfield cammo", but there isn't any set paint scheme.

As to it ruining the stealth bonus - that's based more on EM emissions and hull signature than visuals. At ranges of tens of thousands of kilometers, nobody is going to see the racing stripes or flames you painted on the hull, really.

By Nick Samaras (Koogie) on Sunday, August 27, 2006 - 12:22 am: Edit

Orion colours are whatever the captain wants them to be, but most are black or grey.

The stealth comes from the narrow profile and hull coatings, not colour.

At least this is what I've read in various places.

By Reid Hupach (Gwbison) on Sunday, August 27, 2006 - 03:33 am: Edit

Hmmmmm I have a whole Orion flotilla painted like asteroids

By Terry_OCarroll (Terryoc) on Sunday, August 27, 2006 - 04:03 am: Edit

Orion ships are painted like that because they are miniatures, and minis are made

for gorgeous paint jobs, no matter how unrealistic it is. If you just paint a mini plain black, it tends to look like a black blob on the tabletop IMX.

By Mark S. Hoyle (Bolo_Mk_Xl) on Sunday, August 27, 2006 - 09:44 am: Edit

Even the engineers told the USAF that Black wasnt the best color for the stealth fighter -- but you know the military, Black was the color they wanted --

By Steve Cole (Stevecole) on Sunday, August 27, 2006 - 11:44 am: Edit

Orion ships come in all colors.

Many have elaborate logos and details.

Stealth is a function of hull shape and hull coating, not paint.

By Loren Knight (Loren) on Sunday, August 27, 2006 - 01:03 pm: Edit

And those huge passive sensor on the wings that allow for radically reduced EM emissions.

By Bennett Eugene Snyder (Planner) on Sunday, August 27, 2006 - 05:23 pm: Edit

I always wondered what those things on the wings were.

By Nick Samaras (Koogie) on Sunday, August 27, 2006 - 10:50 pm: Edit

I thought those things on the wings were the OAKDISC.

By Loren Knight (Loren) on Monday, August 28, 2006 - 12:10 am: Edit

No, OAKDISC is a program and guidence computer.

I get my info from SVC. THey are extra large passive sensor systems so the ship can put out a lot less scanner emissions.

By Steve Cole (Stevecole) on Monday, August 28, 2006 - 10:16 am: Edit

They are large passive sensor systems so you can rotate the ship edge on if somebody is looking for you.

By Michael Powers (Mtpowers) on Tuesday, August 29, 2006 - 12:18 am: Edit

Well, paint can have an effect if you're trying to reflect (or absorb) a specific wavelength of energy. Back in World War II, they did experiments where they painted bombers light blue to make them harder to spot. Apparently, they also rigged up a system where a series of spotlights would emit light at the same wavelength and intensity as solar radiation, to "fill in" the hole left by the bomber.

It worked pretty well...as long as you were directly on the boresight of the spotlights.

That said, I'd imagine that most "sensing" in the Star Fleet Universe consists of detecting resonances in the subspace field, and so a "stealth coating" is there to maintain a constant Higgs-field vector state over the entire ship, rather than do anything with EM radiation.

By Loren Knight (Loren) on Tuesday, August 29, 2006 - 12:25 am: Edit

Everything has a sub-space signature. You can dampen a things signature or cover it. Dampening EM radiation in real space is easier than dampening it in sub-space.

By SSG Staley Aaron M. (Awwwdrat) on Thursday, August 31, 2006 - 08:37 am: Edit

At this point, If FEDEX doesn't ship Testor's brand spray enamels to me in Iraq, I

think I'll need the Orion pirates to get them here.

By Tom McThorn (Starfury) on Friday, September 08, 2006 - 08:43 am: Edit

Question about the new Gorn ships. I just got some and I'm not sure if I like the way the engines are mounted. Should I take a dremel and grind out the excess material or just paint as-is? Any suggestions?

By Mike Raper (Raperm) on Friday, September 08, 2006 - 09:02 am: Edit

What is it you dislike? If you mean the placement of them, short of cutting them off and doing some cosmetic surgery on the mini, there isn't much you can do to change it. Now, you CAN still get the "old" Gorn DN and BC, with the seperate engines. Some people prefer those, so they were brought back.

By Tom McThorn (Starfury) on Friday, September 08, 2006 - 09:45 am: Edit

It's not the placement of the engines it's the way they're molded into the hull. I guess I'm a little old school and like the engines to be seperated from the ship. But since I have the fleet box with this style I'll paint them up that way. My dremel skills is poor and manually filing them may not be practical. I'm sure once I paint them they'll look good next to the old ones on my shelf.

By Steve Cole (Stevecole) on Friday, September 08, 2006 - 10:34 am: Edit

I decided that I wanted them attached full length with a rigid keel. I thought and still think that looks better.

By Dale McKee (Brigman) on Friday, September 08, 2006 - 11:30 am: Edit

Tom,

There is sometimes flash near the aft end of the nacelle that connects it overmuch to the aft bubble - I usually trim that with an Xacto knife. Other than that, my recommendation would be to do a bit of shading with the paint. I usually use a wash before drybrushing, and this leaves the "excess material" darker and

appearing more recessed. In other words, shade the gap darker and it will "pull back" visually and appear recessed.

I usually use the "new" Gorn minis as CMs/HDDs and the "old" Gorn minis as BCs/CLs, but I've used 'em interchangeably. There are pros and cons to both.

By Tom McThorn (Starfury) on Friday, September 08, 2006 - 11:48 am: Edit

Dale,

I was thinking of shading to make it look like that part is in shadow, may even put a black wash in that part. I'm still trying to get the shade of gray that works best, I've done boltgun metal (Citadel paint)and a lighter gray. I may even just go crazy and do some red or black ones too, just for fun.

By Dale McKee (Brigman) on Friday, September 08, 2006 - 01:32 pm: Edit

Tom,

I use Citadel paints almost exclusively. I originally did my Gorn in a Starfleet Command scheme... after the video game, wherein the Gorns are brown/tan. Then I did some in SFB grey. For the grey, I used "Codex Grey", followed by a black ink wash, and then a light drybrushing of Codex Grey overtop to capture the highlights.

By Tom McThorn (Starfury) on Friday, September 08, 2006 - 04:55 pm: Edit

Dale,

I'm thinking of doing them in a Space Wolf scheme. I may even do some of my Federation ships that way and use some of the 40k decals I have around on the ships.

Whats the fun of painting them all the same? I've got some old Klingon ships; most are gray but a few are black and dark blue.

By Scott Alan Woodard (Ogma) on Friday, September 08, 2006 - 05:09 pm: Edit

Tom, do you have pics of any of your ships online?

By Dale McKee (Brigman) on Friday, September 08, 2006 - 05:39 pm: Edit

Ironically, I did all my "first wave" Feds in Space Wolves Grey, then washed them with sky blue. Resulting in what Bannon Campbell decried as, "Sky blue FEDS???!"

But, they matched my micromachines, and if you look at the covers of of the

Captain's Logs in the "teens", that's what they looked like.

By Tom McThorn (Starfury) on Monday, September 11, 2006 - 08:53 am: Edit

Scott,

I'll dust them off and put some pics up.

By Tom McThorn (Starfury) on Tuesday, September 12, 2006 - 11:57 am: Edit

Scott (and anyone else that's interested), I've put up pics of the few SFB ships I have online. I've got a bunch to paint when I get time.

http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/starfury_42/my_photos

By Tim Farnworth (Mulciber) on Sunday, September 17, 2006 - 01:40 pm: Edit

Had a go at knocking up a plasma counter. Used some two-part putty on a fine gauge brass wire armature. It's just a basic blob with some rolled fillaments of putty arranged to stream away from the warhead. Its about 6mm diameter.

By Tim Farnworth (Mulciber) on Sunday, September 17, 2006 - 01:44 pm: Edit

This time with the image!

By Tim Farnworth (Mulciber) on Sunday, September 17, 2006 - 01:48 pm: Edit

This time with the image!

By Tim Farnworth (Mulciber) on Sunday, September 17, 2006 - 01:53 pm: Edit

Having trouble with the file size. Believe me it's a thing of beauty

By Michael Powers (Mtpowers) on Sunday, September 17, 2006 - 02:02 pm: Edit

Tim: Users can't attach images to posts on this board. You have to put it on a web server and provide a link.

By Patrick H. Dillman (Patrick) on Sunday, September 17, 2006 - 02:27 pm: Edit

Photobucket.com is a good place for that. So is Imageshack.

By Tim Farnworth (Mulciber) on Tuesday, September 19, 2006 - 07:55 am: Edit

Thanks for the advice chaps!. I'll give it a go again. This page also has some images from a recent miniatures game, but the plasma is in amongst them.

demo and plas

By Scott Alan Woodard (Ogma) on Tuesday, September 19, 2006 - 11:01 am: Edit

Nice stuff! Did you make those drones yourself or are those commercially available from somewhere?

By Roland Lafleche (Archmore) on Tuesday, September 19, 2006 - 07:50 pm: Edit

I like the look of that fed OCL... OCL with NCL (older) engines

By Dale McKee (Brigman) on Tuesday, September 19, 2006 - 08:00 pm: Edit

Agreed - that ship is great! You just take an old CL mini and attach the (old) NCL engines?

By Mike Raper (Raperm) on Wednesday, September 20, 2006 - 07:51 am: Edit

VERY cool! Nice job!

By Tim Farnworth (Mulciber) on Wednesday, September 20, 2006 - 08:04 am: Edit

Thanks for the response everyone. The drones are from a company called brigade models, who I think have been mentioned on another thread in reference to mounting fighter minis. The engines on the OCL have been levered of an NCL, I'm not a fan of the new hull mounted engines and the scale seemed to suit. They fix very easily.

By Barton Pyle (Bart) on Wednesday, September 20, 2006 - 11:28 pm: Edit

Tim, I love that OCl mini. To the point I'm really considering redoing all my Old Light Cruisers that way!

By Ian N. Kisluk (Iams) on Wednesday, September 20, 2006 - 11:56 pm: Edit

Drool Drool. That OCL, they should make new ones like that, that is far by the best design I have ever seen.

By Tim Farnworth (Mulciber) on Thursday, September 21, 2006 - 01:41 pm: Edit

How many old style NCLs you got Bart?, I can see a healthy trade on ebay developing if this catches on. I'm going to have a go at lifting the engines on the new style NCL too,(give it more relief) though not sure which nacelles would suit best, I,ve got a duplicate BC but they're a bit too long.

By Barton Pyle (Bart) on Thursday, September 21, 2006 - 07:38 pm: Edit

Tim, I've got 4 of the old style old light cruisers. Why do you ask?

By Gary Carney (Nerroth) on Friday, September 22, 2006 - 06:00 pm: Edit

Just wondering - is anyone already working on any of the FRA ship types, based on the CL and POL?

Or on the Fed PFF, for that matter?

Gary

By Tim Farnworth (Mulciber) on Wednesday, September 27, 2006 - 12:22 pm: Edit

No particular reason Bart, just that I only ever had one NCL with the baby

engines. sniff

By Barton Pyle (Bart) on Wednesday, September 27, 2006 - 08:17 pm: Edit

Tim, I have one extra baby ingine set for one of the old NCL's if you want it.

By Gary Carney (Nerroth) on Friday, October 06, 2006 - 04:37 pm: Edit

Hi!

I thought I read somewhere that there was a Fed POL included with one of the spare packs - I forget if it was the kit bash pack, or one of the 'factory seconds' packs. Is this the case?

Also, do the master moulds for miniature casting have to be in either metal or modelling putty, or can the Zocchi plastic nacelles do the trick?

I want to have a go at a few FRA ship types, as well as the Fed Police Frigate (plus I had an idea for a similar design as a Federal Republic Batle Frigate) and I'm trying to figure out the best way to get the ships and parts necessary.

Gary

By Dale McKee (Brigman) on Friday, October 06, 2006 - 04:58 pm: Edit

Gary,

I'm not overly familiar with the FRA beyond the obvious "thumbnail" background. But I do know they built ships based on the OCL and the POL.

To that end, there's a mini that I thought would be great as a kitbash source for the FRA. It's not an ADB mini though. It's a Babylon 5 Wars miniature, the EA Orestes Monitor. If you cut off the back end, and attached a pair of warp nacelles to the top, it would look a LOT like an oversized OCL.

I've always meant to get around to that, but haven't yet had time.

By Gary Carney (Nerroth) on Friday, October 06, 2006 - 05:03 pm: Edit

Yeah, they use that ship in the new B5 game, A Call to Arms - I want to stick with ADB minis for working on, for the time being at least.

I'm thinking that the CL can be made into a decent Federal CLA and BC without a massive amount of work - I'd probably need to figure something else out for a Dreadnought, though.

Gary

By Tom McThorn (Starfury) on Friday, October 13, 2006 - 04:04 pm: Edit

I've got a question about the bases that the new Starline ships come with. The pin the the base is much smaller than the opening in the bottom of the ship. I've contemplated trimming the base to fit and then gluing it in place but any other suggestions would be good.

I'm also having problems w/ primer. My NEW can of Citadel white...is horrible. Bad coverage, bubbles. A second coat wrinkled and now i've got to strip the ship down and reprime. I'm thinking of trying Tamiya or maybe Flowquil primer.

By Mark S. Hoyle (Bolo_Mk_Xl) on Friday, October 13, 2006 - 04:21 pm: Edit

I mostly used Kryol Flat Black on everything from Tanks to Mechs to StarShips (Personally think its the best for priming) -- Currently tryed Testors Flat Gray Primer, but to me it went on too thick (probably my spraying method) -- Have actually skipped priming on the last few Starline 2400 Ive painted, Using Polly S and Tamiya Metallic colors --

Stands, eew what a mess -- Ive got everything from Zocchi 2200 line to the rounded bases in black and clear -- even some CinC stands used with Renegade Legion -- Till I decide to glue stand to the minis, I have many wobbly minis on the shelf --

By Loren Knight (Loren) on Friday, October 13, 2006 - 04:43 pm: Edit

Mark points out the #1 issue with miniature primers, build thickness.

You want as thin and even a coat as possible. Colors closest in tone to your finish color is very helpful.

I'm a major fan of the B-10 stands for SFB minis.

By Steve Cole (Stevecole) on Friday, October 13, 2006 - 07:24 pm: Edit

There are lots of kinds of stands (we've sold at least four or five) and each has those who like it and those who hate it. Getting the stand holes the right size is tricky since the metal changes size when it cools which sometimes makes the hole smaller and sometimes larger. And by the time you know that your hole is 13% too big, it costs several hundred dollars to change. I just use lots of glue and all seems to work out.

By Barton Pyle (Bart) on Friday, October 13, 2006 - 07:27 pm: Edit

As to the Stand situation. What I do is use the old zochi stands. I drill the holes if they are to small to fit the pegs. If the holes are to large I use stand adaptors. Not many of the current mini's holes are to big for the old zochi stands. One exception would be the large freighter. That I bought a ton of at origins.

With this option you don't have to glue your stands to the mini's or trim stands for each particular mini. This also makes them easier for transport.

By Nick Samaras (Koogie) on Friday, October 13, 2006 - 08:18 pm: Edit

I use Tamiya grey primer. Works great.

By Mark Tutton (Starfighterace) on Friday, October 13, 2006 - 10:34 pm: Edit

Another vote for Tamiya Primer. I use the white a lot, but grey is just fine. Very fine pigment, dries fast. covers well and is very thin- not thick like most $1 store rattle can primers. The new Testors Autotmotive lacquer white primes is a close second.

By Michael Guenther (Guentherm) on Monday, October 16, 2006 - 01:48 pm: Edit

Duplicolor Sandable Primer. You can get it at Walmart

Cheap - reliable - and comes in Gray, Black, White, and Red-Oxide (for the Kzinti lovers out there)

By Mike Raper (Raperm) on Monday, October 16, 2006 - 01:55 pm: Edit

Model Master light sea gray for primer. I like it for the availablity, the cost, and the fact that you can buy a matching bottle of the same color for touch-up if you choose to use it as a base color.

By Tony L Thomas (Scoutdad) on Monday, October 16, 2006 - 02:09 pm: Edit

I second Michael's recommendastion - Duplicolor from Wal-Mart is the only primer I use for all my minis.

Cheap - Reliable - Inexpensive - readily available - oh yeah, and it's quite a bargain, too.

By Tom McThorn (Starfury) on Monday, October 16, 2006 - 05:14 pm: Edit

What is a Zpcchi stand? My old SFB minis have the clear stands with the notch in the ship to align the stand. The new ships all have the black stands with round holes in the ship and on the stand. I don't have a problem modifying the stand to fit the ship and adding a drop of superglue to hold it in place.

By Ian N. Kisluk (Iams) on Monday, October 16, 2006 - 06:22 pm: Edit

the clear circular stands with the directions are Zoochi stands, probabaly what you have, They were made in Zoochi plastic by a man named zoochi, I can't remember his first name. I can't remeber the full history of the original mini's

By Barton Pyle (Bart) on Monday, October 16, 2006 - 06:27 pm: Edit

The Zochi stands are the old clear stands you described. The only problem I have with glueing mini's to stands is, if the stand breaks a piece is stuck inside the mini. Only way to get it out is to drill which could ruin your paintjob.

If its not glued, all you have to do to get it out is heat up a needle or paper clip. Insert it into the broken stand. Wait a few secs for it to cool and it will pull out.

By Mark S. Hoyle (Bolo_Mk_Xl) on Monday, October 16, 2006 - 06:41 pm: Edit

If the Zocchi stands were half or 3/4 as tall, given a good supply of the metal adapters, you could glue the adapers to ships with the small holes and most of the problems with the 2400 line would be fixed --

Yes, a little costly, but for some it would be an easier solution to the issue --

By Todd Jolley (Tjolley) on Monday, October 16, 2006 - 07:00 pm: Edit

For basing Minis I use this:

http://www.star-ranger.com/BasingMinis.htm

Using domed bases allows for weighting the minis. The all metal inserted barrel-clasp and metal post eliminate breakage. if you don't care about having removeable minis, you can just make the post about 1/4"-1/2" longer and mount the ship directly onto the tubing.

It's a little time consuming, but I make all my minis with the barrel clasp and remove them from the stand when storing. I also really like the weighted bases (I use BB's and seal the base with magnetic tape - sticky on one side)

The aluminum tubing runs about $1.80 for a 36" length, and domed bases I pick up for about $.20 each. So about a quarter a stand or so..plus whatever method, if any, you want to use to weight your base. The barrel clasp will add another ten cents.

I got tired of all the bases breaking, etc. Haven't had a single mishap with this method

By Reid Hupach (Gwbison) on Tuesday, October 17, 2006 - 01:58 pm: Edit

Zocci's first name was Lou.

By Scott Alan Woodard (Ogma) on Tuesday, October 17, 2006 - 02:05 pm: Edit

"...was Lou"??? Past tense? I didn't know he'd passed away...

By Todd Jolley (Tjolley) on Tuesday, October 17, 2006 - 06:24 pm: Edit

He did NOT die..he is alive and kicking...he is a character too..very gregarious..good guy..always seems to have a boot at Origins and Gen Con

By Ian N. Kisluk (Iams) on Tuesday, October 17, 2006 - 10:31 pm: Edit

oh I thought he was dead...when people refer to his old company or what ever, they always seem to say she(I am assuming his wife) who owns the rights to the designs.

By Ian N. Kisluk (Iams) on Tuesday, October 17, 2006 - 10:39 pm: Edit

oh I thought he was dead...when people refer to his old company or what ever, they always seem to say she(I am assuming his wife) who owns the rights to the

designs.

By Ian N. Kisluk (Iams) on Tuesday, October 17, 2006 - 10:40 pm: Edit

sorry, I thought I hadn't posted it, apparently I did

By Michael W. Sweet (Mwsweet) on Wednesday, October 18, 2006 - 07:23 am: Edit

Quote:

they always seem to say she(I am assuming his wife) who owns the rights to the designs.

When people say this they are refering to the daughter of Franz Joseph who wrote The Star Trek Technical Manual and designed the DN, DD, SC, and Tug. She ultimately owns the rights to these ships and Colonel Zocchi is licensed through her to make the plastic versions.

By Ian N. Kisluk (Iams) on Wednesday, October 18, 2006 - 09:10 am: Edit

ooooohhhhh.... I see, but I thought they weren't in production anymore, I remeber some post a while back about like 100 CA's left or something...

By Mike Raper (Raperm) on Wednesday, October 18, 2006 - 11:28 am: Edit

If anyone is looking for SFB fighter minis, Brigade Models from the UK has some minis with good potential:

http://www.brigademodels.co.uk/Frames/SC/index.html

Not sure about the exact size, but there are some of those listed that look pretty darn good.

By John A Schneder II (Keltner) on Wednesday, October 18, 2006 - 06:23 pm: Edit

Mike, Craig (of the custom mini) is having a hard time getting a hold of you.

--John

By Ian N. Kisluk (Iams) on Friday, October 20, 2006 - 09:18 am: Edit

I have a question about the Fed GSC variants. Is it correct that if I have the GSC saucer and a CVS Engineering section, that makes to form the CVL correct? Or is it the COV? I am not sure. Anyway, the whole point was to ask if that is the correct varianet, because I think it could be a cool kitbash, or eventually a mini for sale, seeing as how all the parts are already available. After I saw the painted pic of the new CVF, I was amazed and wanted to find similar varients.

By Nick Samaras (Koogie) on Friday, October 20, 2006 - 03:27 pm: Edit

The CVL does not have the forward shuttle bay of the CVS. It pretty much uses a regular CA hull.

By Ian N. Kisluk (Iams) on Friday, October 20, 2006 - 06:29 pm: Edit

Oh, then whats the difference from the GSC? Is there any?

By Nick Samaras (Koogie) on Friday, October 20, 2006 - 07:29 pm: Edit

There is no external difference. The CVL replaces shuttles with fighters.

By Ian N. Kisluk (Iams) on Friday, October 20, 2006 - 09:08 pm: Edit

Oh, that makes sense. So, there isn't a varient for the GSC saucer and the CVS hull?

By Steve Cole (Stevecole) on Saturday, October 21, 2006 - 04:15 pm: Edit

nope

By Mark S. Hoyle (Bolo_Mk_Xl) on Wednesday, October 25, 2006 - 07:48 am: Edit

Anyone looking for packs of the smaller Elite minis -- someone has around 15 or so up on ebay -- Starting bids only $00.99 with $2.50 shipping -- Ending 29 oct Approx 1900 PST

By Steve Cole (Stevecole) on Wednesday, October 25, 2006 - 03:40 pm: Edit

Petrick, go bid $10 for them.

By Steve Cole (Stevecole) on Wednesday, October 25, 2006 - 03:40 pm: Edit

John Crawford says he won't give my passport back if I do not agree to do PFs ASAP.

By Ian N. Kisluk (Iams) on Wednesday, October 25, 2006 - 06:44 pm: Edit

hhahahah! I agree...

I went on ebay to go check those out, and I found some wierd Japanese knock-off of the zoocchi models

The item numbers are: 320041722483 320041722729

Also, the new WE minis are great, but the old ones, they looked more like the TV series ship and meaner. I remember a pic way back of a Mike Raper mini that was like that, so I don't know if it was a custom or a FASA, or an old TFG or whatever, but I was just thinking, if you are interested in doing any more Romulans, and one that fits that model is needed, then I think that it would be great. I know I'd buy a few,and I am sure others would too, but I know there are tones of other projects, and if not, thats cool.

By Phil Shanton (Mxslade) on Wednesday, October 25, 2006 - 06:52 pm: Edit

John, don't give Steve his passport back until also agrees to do fighters as well.

By Mark S. Hoyle (Bolo_Mk_Xl) on Wednesday, October 25, 2006 - 06:55 pm: Edit

I guess if SPP is bidding $10 from ADB petty cash I should avoid running the price up -vbg-

By Roland Lafleche (Archmore) on Wednesday, October 25, 2006 - 09:32 pm: Edit

SPP: this is the seller for the elites :

http://search.ebay.com/_W0QQsassZmonkeykittieQQhtZ-1

that leads to his sell items his name is monkeykittie if that doesn't work

(posted in this thread becouse its the one that SVC mentioned to get them)

By Steve Cole (Stevecole) on Saturday, October 28, 2006 - 03:48 pm: Edit

Petrick, did you bid on the ebay elites?

By Roland Lafleche (Archmore) on Saturday, October 28, 2006 - 06:39 pm: Edit

off hand I would say he didn't.. as several are still not bid on and I don't think that SPP would go by starfighterace, tjolley5d48, or gwbison

I did bid on some of the guys other autions that were the full scale ones (so please don't up bid me guys :-) )

By Steve Petrick (Petrick) on Saturday, October 28, 2006 - 06:55 pm: Edit

No, I did not bid on them. I do not visit E-bay Sites.

By Mark Tutton (Starfighterace) on Saturday, October 28, 2006 - 10:04 pm: Edit

Shhhh.... don't tell everyone what I bid on

By Tom McThorn (Starfury) on Friday, November 03, 2006 - 12:03 pm: Edit

I'm thinking about messing with one of my Gorn CA. What I want to do is remove the wings and re-mount them on the top/bottom of the center section and then mount the warp engines on the sides of the rear saucer. What's the best tool to remove the wing and get most of it intact? I figure I could use some putty/plastic to rebuild any of the wing that gets lost in the removal.

By Todd Jolley (Tjolley) on Friday, November 03, 2006 - 01:49 pm: Edit

I would start with one of the old-style gorn minis where the engines were separate. I would use a cutting wheel on a Dremel such as:

http://www.toolbarn.com/category/dremel/cuttingwheels/

to remove the wings.

By Jessica Orsini (Jessica) on Friday, November 03, 2006 - 04:21 pm: Edit

Or, if you want a bit more precision, there are "micro-saw" blades that fit X-Acto knifes; it takes a little patience, but you won't lose as much of the wing material as you would with a Dremmel wheel.

By Tom McThorn (Starfury) on Friday, November 03, 2006 - 04:36 pm: Edit

Thanks much for the info. I think I have an old style CA (which I planned on using) around and have a dremel somewhere, but it's a rechargable one and holds a charge for about 5 min of use. The saw blade would probably be better.

I figure if I don't have an old CA I could probably buy/trade one.

By Steve Petrick (Petrick) on Saturday, November 04, 2006 - 04:17 pm: Edit

MARK JAMES:

Sent us a package which has arrived and asked us to E-Mail him a response, but forgot to include his E-Mail address with the package. Please send us your E-Mail address. If anyone reading this can contact Mark James, please do so and let him know we need his E-Mail address.

By Mike Raper (Raperm) on Saturday, November 04, 2006 - 07:06 pm: Edit

I'll let him know.

Had a customer ask me to kitbash a ship he found on one of a plethora of starship sites on the web. It's a giant hospital ship, made with parts from a tug pod and a DN. Ought to be able to house a hell of a lot of wounded on this thing!

http://www.geocities.com/raperm2002/Fed_hospitalship_side.JPG http://www.geocities.com/raperm2002/Fed_hospitalship_aft.JPG

This was the art I worked from: http://www.shipschematics.net/startrek/images/federation/hospitalship_hope.jpg

By Neale Davidson (Vance) on Saturday, November 04, 2006 - 07:33 pm: Edit

Ah, the USS Hope. That's one of InPayne's kitbashes. I've got stats for it around here somewhere, but for CODA, not SFB. And, yes, it's a massive hospital/medical research vessel.

http://www.inpayne.com/models/kitbash/trekpage_hope.html

By Bennett Eugene Snyder (Planner) on Sunday, November 05, 2006 - 10:47 am: Edit

I like it. Had been thinking of merging parts from tugs and cruisers.

One thought. Doesn't the freighter HURON in the animated Pirates of Orion have all of the letters together followed by the hyphen and then the numbers? Would

think it would be the same for the HOPE. Have the episode on tape (waiting for the DVD set) and will look when I have a chance. Come to think of it, I do have the HURON's blueprints.

By Loren Knight (Loren) on Sunday, November 05, 2006 - 11:04 am: Edit

I think it would be a better design if the engines were in the standard places. Using the Tug pod for the aft hull is cool enough.

Mike Raper: Design opinions to the side, NICE JOB!

By Phil Shanton (Mxslade) on Sunday, November 05, 2006 - 11:42 am: Edit

Mike great job on the mini.

I was cruising the site Neale had posted and saw the Romulan Seabird, how hard would it be to make a mini of that?

Ships like the Hope and the Seabird would be cool if they could be done in an R module.

By Neale Davidson (Vance) on Sunday, November 05, 2006 - 07:13 pm: Edit

Huron is NCC-F1913, actually. The automated freighters are NCC-GXXXX format. The Bonaventure has some insane registry like 10240S-NCC or something that I've forgotton 'cause it was too silly.

By Bennett Eugene Snyder (Planner) on Sunday, November 05, 2006 - 09:12 pm: Edit

Been a while since I've seen the episode. Do remember the HURON having some sort of stabilzers that aren't on the prints. Wonder if it and the auto-freighters could be scratchbuilt?

By Neale Davidson (Vance) on Sunday, November 05, 2006 - 09:19 pm: Edit

The prints are very wrong. I did new schematics on my own for my stuff last month, which are more accurate (with some deliberate 'fixes' to correct some view discrepancies between shots in TAS)

http://www.pixelsagas.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=49

The blueprints are decidedly OFF...

The Sherman was easier to draw, but tougher to scale.

http://www.pixelsagas.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=38

They can be scratch built, but not using existing SFB parts. The warp engines are differently scaled, and don't match anything that SFB has released.

By Bennett Eugene Snyder (Planner) on Tuesday, November 07, 2006 - 09:38 am: Edit

Was thinking something abou the HOPE. Wet navy hospital ships had a green

stripe around the hull broken up by the red crosses. I'm wondering if the racing stripes on the starhip shouldn't have been green (mini is small enough that I can't tell, but I think they're red).

By Mike Raper (Raperm) on Tuesday, November 07, 2006 - 06:59 pm: Edit

Many thanks, all!

Phil, the seabird could probably be done, but would be almost entirely scratch-built. You could use a D7 boom, but the rest would have to be built up of mastic, styrene, and some brass tubing.

By Scott Stohr (Scooter) on Sunday, November 12, 2006 - 02:59 pm: Edit

Got a couple of projects that I'm working on and would like some opinions on one of them. First, here are some pictures of some drones that I made up. Hope the links work! http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m174/Mr_Scott/100_0658.jpg http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m174/Mr_Scott/100_0660.jpg

The dice obviously represent the number in that group and each group has an id number.

Now here are some plasmas that I'm working on and need some feedback: http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m174/Mr_Scott/100_0662.jpg

Before I bother to paint these, do you guys think the R torp (the biggest one on the left of the picture) is too big? That's why I put a couple of Roms in there to judge the size. I'm pretty happy with the S and F torps but was thinking that maybe I should make a smaller one yet and shift the size up one (the S would be an R for example). Does that make sense? The next question is, is this worth the effort? Not that much effort but it seems these would be clumsy and not very useable. Anyway, please let me know what you guys think.

Scott

By Terry_OCarroll (Terryoc) on Sunday, November 12, 2006 - 06:20 pm: Edit

The drones look good.

The plasma torps all look a bit big to me. IMO a plasma torpedo shouldn't be bigger than a ship.

By Bennett Eugene Snyder (Planner) on Sunday, November 12, 2006 - 09:12 pm: Edit

What if it were an expanding plasma?

By Lawrence Bergen (Lar) on Monday, November 13, 2006 - 01:11 am: Edit

There are smaller dice that would work nicely with those drones. They look great.

By Mike Raper (Raperm) on Monday, November 13, 2006 - 07:15 am: Edit

Looks good, Scott! Show us some painted plasma pics when you get them done!

By Scott Stohr (Scooter) on Monday, November 13, 2006 - 06:05 pm: Edit

Thanks for the comments all! Terry: I agree about the size. Think I will just trash the bigger ones and make something smaller. Lar: I agree about that too. Just finished those and grabbed some dice that would fit. I plan to buy a nicer set that will look better than those old crappy ones. Mike: Thanks for the compliment. However, in my imagination I can see how I want to paint them but the fact is I really don't have the skill. I know you could do a much better job! When I get around to finishing them, I will let you know. Now that I've upgraded from dial-up, I plan on posting the rest of my fleet one of these days.

Scott

By Terry_OCarroll (Terryoc) on Monday, November 13, 2006 - 06:16 pm: Edit

Quote:

What if it were an expanding plasma?

That made me imagine a plasma torpedo with a pair of Federation CA engines sticking out, in the moment before implosion... heh.

By Sean Bartholome (Kana) on Monday, November 13, 2006 - 06:33 pm: Edit

I forget where I saw them, but I know there are some miniature bases out there, that have a little box on the base that holds a die of a small size for exactly this purpose. In fact I think that link was posted here at some point.

http://www.dldproductions.com/dicebasecatpg1.html

I found these, but I remember some others that had a small area for the die.

Drones look nice, the plasma do look abit big.

Edit: I think I found the bases they are here...

http://www.brigademodels.co.uk/NoFrames/SFS/Items/SFS-7005.html http://www.brigademodels.co.uk/NoFrames/SFS/Items/SFS-7005.html http://www.brigademodels.co.uk/NoFrames/SFS/Items/SFS-7001.html

By Lawrence Bergen (Lar) on Monday, November 13, 2006 - 09:59 pm: Edit

That site (dldproductions) also had some cool planets. I used to make planets out of 1/2 a racquetball. They will come apart cleanly at the seam and are either green or blue based (ther may be other colors). Dab a bit of brown/green on for continents and then use white spray paint for the polar cap wipe/smear the overspray (that gets on the sides) for cloud cover. Worked pretty well for most things and sat low enough on the map that a cruiser (F-CA, K-D7) would appear to be 'in orbit' over it. On the full size miniature maps it took up 7 hexes on the SFB 1/2" it took up a bit more.

By Scott Stohr (Scooter) on Tuesday, November 14, 2006 - 05:20 pm: Edit

Yeah, Sean, I had seen those before. My problem was that I had 20 bases from SFB minis sitting around collecting dust. My original plan was to cut a place in the base to put the dice but that turned out to be more difficult than I thought it would be. So I just stuck the dice between the "drones". It actually works pretty good and saved me some money.

Scott

By Joseph R Carlson (Jrc) on Saturday, December 02, 2006 - 10:09 pm: Edit

I recently purchase 4 bags of the factory second ships (Fed bag; Fed parts bag; Mixed bag; Convoy bag). I counted around 34 complete ships plus parts for more. I also purchased some of the new sensor dishes. These work well as replacements the deformed sensors on the NCLs, DWs, and FFBs. I have done one NCL and new sensor looks really good.

I also received three of the new CC saucers. I attached one to a BCH rear hull and filed the warp engine struts into more of a rectangular shape. This will make a nice CX.

Other kit bashes: I will turn one of the ore carriers into an OAL; The BB saucer and DNG rear hull into a BBF (I will expand the rear hull with Green stuff).

I have found these factory second bags to be worth purchasing.