Don Matthys Stargazer part 3

This week we continue with part three of Don Matthys' Stargazer article.   Check out part 1 and part 2.   You can order Don's parts here

The Bussard Collectors (4 ea) were clear cast in red dyed resin. These are the AMT Reliant type. Also in this view you can see the  electronic components secured to the Primary Hull. Navigation Running Lights, white LED Navigation Strobe flasher, power jack and pedestal mount, wire ribbons and pin connectors from Scale Shops and the Light Line running along the edge of the hull.

A jumbo red LED is wired in with its dropping resister (70 ohm) along with a blue LED (with 70 ohm) with its dome top exposed from the nacelle.

The lighting system is completed and a full up test is conducted with allcomponents in operation. The duration of the test lasted a few hours and  periodically checking and touching the components for heat build up. Results: It ran cool and looked cool!

Detail parts for the Photon Torpedo Launchers were worked on. I used the resin launcher part from the DLM Enterprise "A" detail  kit. The housing was constructed form the Sci-Fi Miniature vac- parts and reinforced with sheet plastic. The resin launch tubes were fit in place and set aside for painting and final assembly.

MASKING AND PAINTING

Now that all the Electronics and lighting  elements have been installed and tested the principle parts can be assembled together and sanded smooth.  Small details are now added around the hull of the ship. Half round Evergreen strips are laid in place  around the model. Other little details are added near the center mass of the model top and bottom. With this accomplished getting ready for painting can begin.

Masking for painting started with punching out blunts of masking tape with a Tandy Leather punch. The 1/16 diameter punch was used which covers the .060 diameter fiber optics just fine. I punched a series of blunts into the tape stuck on some scrap plastic sheet.

The tape was removed an all that is left is the blunts.

The blunts are picked up and place over the fiber optic port. For the horizontal ports masking tape strips were cut to size and the corners rounded. For  the ends of the LEDs that protrude from the model dollops of white glue was brushed on. Pretty much all openings that will emit light were masked over with tape blunts strips and dollops of white glue.

Then the model was spray painted flat black over these areas masked over. Check the results often under power and in darkness. Reapply black paint if light leaks are still evident.

On to Part 4


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