Running tape light around the molded in stand offs is how I did my DiscoPrise, except I used 5mm Cob for an extremely consistent look. I then ran one reversed on the backside of the stand offs for the central saucer lighting.
It really grows on me the more I see this ship. I am thinking of designing some big cargo pod that sits behind the main hull and above the engineering hull. This ship looks like a beefed up tug that you use to haul a the needed materials for building a Star Base is a foreign sector.
This is definitely a MUCH better design that the Excelsior Class engines. One of the things I lament about the re-release for the Excelsior was the lack of redesign for the nacelles. They should have made the grills a single piece instead of two - especially in the standard Excelsior where the entire warp nacelle grill is visible. Like the ribbed neck, it's almost impossible to hide the seams.
As someone who is getting into model making because of the Cerritos kit, I think it would be beneficial to see a step by step, box opening to final assembly, video for these kinds of kits.
I started modeling Star Trek starships a couple of years ago, I'm still a newbie. :p But what I've seen is that lots of people love showing their process on these and there will be a lot of tutorial videos out there to learn from. Before you even get the kit, I would look at what people have done with other enterprise models. It should be pretty close to the same process, just differences in what colors you use and techniques for lighting it if you go that route. For colors, I'm sure that will be a bit divisive, as some people paint it more saturated to feel like the cartoon, and others paint it more realistic to feel like it belongs on TNG. For lighting, I believe they have a kit coming out for it, and it may be worth waiting to pick that up.
I'm just chocked after reading that the California class ships are supposed to be 535.2 meters long... when I was thinking they was smaller than Intrepid class ships (344 meters). If getting this model, it would definitely changed the way I'd paint it (semi gloss and mat paneling motifs). 😮
The Cali's stated dimensions are misleading. That includes the overly long nacelles and the tall legs. Unlike the Intrepid, the California class has a lot of negative space
Part of me is wondering if it's at all possible to use addressable NeoPixels for things like the navigation lamps (green/red on port/starboard, white flashing lights on the highest and lowest points of the ship). Also would be a lot of fun to simulate things like the lights flickering out or the nacelle scraping ice. A big advantage of this is, you only need one more wire (data) and everything should be 5 volts.
Definitely possible and for those effects you mentioned a proper way to do it. Great diorama kit for sure. For navigational lights I probably wouldn’t use neopixels, though. Unnecessaryly complicated in that case.
If you just set it down on the nacelles without using the stand, does it support itself, or fall forward? I am wondering if I could 3d print a stand that I could just set it on that connects on each side under the nacelles where they meet the pylons coming down from the saucer, or at least around that area. I'm hoping it can balance pretty well in that spot without tipping forward.
EL tape or that flexible rubbery EL rope is a much better choice for nacelles, or even coiling inside the saucer hulls for even ambient lighting that doesnt create the very unrealistically bright window lighting thats way too common in modelling You dont get the LED hot spots. Its just even and continuous
Yeah I'm really not a fan of that support being right in front of the deflector like that. There's got to be a better way to do it, maybe by having the support on the side or back of the saucer or something...
I love kits with modern tooling and engineering. 😁
I think making the nacelles sandwich top to bottom offers more support. That way, you can ensure those clear parts are securely glued together.
🖖😎👍Looking very cool and Comeing all together very nicely well indeed Sir!👌.
Running tape light around the molded in stand offs is how I did my DiscoPrise, except I used 5mm Cob for an extremely consistent look. I then ran one reversed on the backside of the stand offs for the central saucer lighting.
Good video - very helpful ! 👍
It really grows on me the more I see this ship. I am thinking of designing some big cargo pod that sits behind the main hull and above the engineering hull. This ship looks like a beefed up tug that you use to haul a the needed materials for building a Star Base is a foreign sector.
Really enjoying this build!🤠🤠🤠🤠🤠
Looks like a fun build.
This is definitely a MUCH better design that the Excelsior Class engines. One of the things I lament about the re-release for the Excelsior was the lack of redesign for the nacelles. They should have made the grills a single piece instead of two - especially in the standard Excelsior where the entire warp nacelle grill is visible. Like the ribbed neck, it's almost impossible to hide the seams.
Very nice!
As someone who is getting into model making because of the Cerritos kit, I think it would be beneficial to see a step by step, box opening to final assembly, video for these kinds of kits.
I started modeling Star Trek starships a couple of years ago, I'm still a newbie. :p But what I've seen is that lots of people love showing their process on these and there will be a lot of tutorial videos out there to learn from. Before you even get the kit, I would look at what people have done with other enterprise models. It should be pretty close to the same process, just differences in what colors you use and techniques for lighting it if you go that route. For colors, I'm sure that will be a bit divisive, as some people paint it more saturated to feel like the cartoon, and others paint it more realistic to feel like it belongs on TNG. For lighting, I believe they have a kit coming out for it, and it may be worth waiting to pick that up.
Just follow the instructions
Wow she looks awesome
I'm just chocked after reading that the California class ships are supposed to be 535.2 meters long... when I was thinking they was smaller than Intrepid class ships (344 meters). If getting this model, it would definitely changed the way I'd paint it (semi gloss and mat paneling motifs).
😮
The Cali's stated dimensions are misleading. That includes the overly long nacelles and the tall legs. Unlike the Intrepid, the California class has a lot of negative space
Could you replace the rod of the stand with a transparent acrylic rod? Would solve the view blocking issue.
Part of me is wondering if it's at all possible to use addressable NeoPixels for things like the navigation lamps (green/red on port/starboard, white flashing lights on the highest and lowest points of the ship). Also would be a lot of fun to simulate things like the lights flickering out or the nacelle scraping ice. A big advantage of this is, you only need one more wire (data) and everything should be 5 volts.
Definitely possible and for those effects you mentioned a proper way to do it. Great diorama kit for sure. For navigational lights I probably wouldn’t use neopixels, though. Unnecessaryly complicated in that case.
Are you planning to light the impulse drive and the navigation lights?
I have placed my preorder but I wish this was in 1000 or even 650 scale.
Thanks for the vid. What size LEDs did you use? Are they all 5MM?
Oh boy, Captain we are attacked by a pipe! think I have to come up with some other base then this one...
If you just set it down on the nacelles without using the stand, does it support itself, or fall forward? I am wondering if I could 3d print a stand that I could just set it on that connects on each side under the nacelles where they meet the pylons coming down from the saucer, or at least around that area. I'm hoping it can balance pretty well in that spot without tipping forward.
When are Polar lights releasing the 1/350 refit Enterprise? i thought it was by the end of October but don't see it on sale yet.
Can you tell us what the internal length of the nacelles are, for those of us who are thinking of using filament LEDs to light them?
would a combination of fibre fill and reflective tape/paint spread and difuse the light better?
Funny how the Louder Decks ship sounds like a breakfast cereal. Looks ok though.
I suspect you know this, but the California class ships are named after cities in CA. Fresno would be a cool version to build. 😂
Maybe scrap the stand rod going to saucer and replace with two shorter rods going to nacelles just below the pylons.
EL tape or that flexible rubbery EL rope is a much better choice for nacelles, or even coiling inside the saucer hulls for even ambient lighting that doesnt create the very unrealistically bright window lighting thats way too common in modelling
You dont get the LED hot spots.
Its just even and continuous
I had no idea this even existed
Yeah I'm really not a fan of that support being right in front of the deflector like that. There's got to be a better way to do it, maybe by having the support on the side or back of the saucer or something...
Their lighting preparations are well intended, but laughably outdated in the age of COB LED strips.
There's no USS Cerritos, in Star trek lore.
An absolutely idiotic design.