Scratchbuilt Death Star II

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Born Again Modeler
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Scratchbuilt Death Star II

Post by Born Again Modeler »

Not something I'm doing now, but after bookmarking Lasse Henning's site, maybe something I can work my way up to...like in a couple of years! :D

My primary Q, how to fab the exposed superstructure? About the only thing I can think of presently it something like photoetched brass sheets and styrene bits.

LOTS OF IT.




http://images2.wikia.nocookie.net/starw ... hStar2.jpg






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walter
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Post by walter »

WOW
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scratchy
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Post by scratchy »

I know that there is info on the net on how to make your own acid etch parts, but you'll need some equipment to pull it off.

I've never done it, and I could be wrong but here are some items;

- laminator
- printer
- vector based drawing program

I know this is something that I would like to try some day, I would start with two acrylic spheres.

This fellow built the first Death Star, you may find some information on his thread that will prove usefull. You'll need to be a member.

http://www.therpf.com/showthread.php?t=52108&page=83
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AbsoluteSciFi
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Post by AbsoluteSciFi »

Photo etching parts is one way, however the entire structure would have to be covered with amazingly detailed etchings- something that can get very tedious- and is not altogether without cost. I could see how you might be able to make several large patterns that you simply repeat over and over- to make your cut parts from, but creating a giant ball of photo etchings has its own set of problems.

This does sound like a very cool thing to work on- photo etched parts do have the level of detail you need- but expertise is needed to pull it off.

Another good way to replicate that detail is to cut enormous amounts of thin styrene, and lace it together in different patterns. Punches can speed that up- so can a paper cutter. I think the surface detail would be best done in photo etch- but the broken away stuff would have a combo of things going on.
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Post by Umi_Ryuzuki »

Honestly,... only a few visible areas might need the level of detail that
might be achieved by photo etching. The rest could be layered bits of
styrene or acrylic built in a random manner. Say six to twelve inch long
sections three to eight layers high.

You could build practice pieces and when you got tired of it, then toss
it in a bin. By the end of a year you could assemble random bits that
would begin to match the silouette of the DS-II.

Once it was up on display, not many people would get so deep into the
model that they would notice a lack of doors, panels, base mouldings, or
light switches... They would be too amazed that there were floor levels at all...

:D
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AbsoluteSciFi
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Post by AbsoluteSciFi »

After seeing the DeathStarI build on the Props site... I think I would reserve any photoetching for the interior widgets. There was a guy there in that string that had good photos of the DeathStarII, which showed an incredible amount of detailing in both the surface cutaway, and the interior parts- so much so- that I could not tell where the etched parts started and the structure ended. Heavy.

And then there where lights...
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elend
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Post by elend »

This japanese fellow is building a Death Star II and yes, he used Photoetched ladders and bits of styrene. LOTS OF IT. :D
http://dorobou.blog.so-net.ne.jp/archive/c2300451610-1
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Post by Chacal »

Was there an actual physical model of the DSII or was it only matte paintings?
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Post by TazMan2000 »

Real model for some shots.

http://www.iwatchstuff.com/2008/12/so_m ... photos.php

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brandomack
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Post by brandomack »

elend wrote:This japanese fellow is building a Death Star II and yes, he used Photoetched ladders and bits of styrene. LOTS OF IT. :D
http://dorobou.blog.so-net.ne.jp/archive/c2300451610-1

I think i just wet myself :shock:
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Post by KWSTAS »

Same for me!!!!!!!!! :P
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Post by SJM »

Yeah same, holy hell!
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Post by raser13 »

sounds really crazy but if you can find some one that works on a lot of computers. you could get a bunch of circuit boards and paint them up, add some tubing wiring and greeblies, and it should fill in alot of it and look pretty cool. just a thought.
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Post by MillenniumFalsehood »

The tracks on a circuit board would be too shallow and the boards too thick for the effect he's trying to achieve.

What I would do is cut a bunch of arcs in 0.010" styrene, with varying radii and about an inch thick apiece. Then using a nibbler I would cut random chunks out of the sides, over and over again with each chunk taken out getting smaller and smaller. After that was completed I would glue some styrene chips, rod, and photoetch on the edges of the parts and the glue them together. Not in descending order per se', but alternating between large and small, working my way up from the main trench to the poles. Make sure you install and lighting between each pieces, and be sure to put some small blocks and photoetch on the 'shelves' created by the layering process.

After all that is completed, add a second layer of piping, chips, and such, connecting a few layers, but leaving a lot of open space between each layers for the lights.

Then install it in the domes you created for the superstructure.

The edges of the areas under construction should contain copious quantities of photoetch ladders and grid.
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Post by Umi_Ryuzuki »

'
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Nyow!
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=^o^=
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Post by BROCK UPPERCUT »

you could use 1/700 scale ship parts for detailing , maybe get some already built ones or broken ones off of ebay
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Post by blakeh1 »

This guys building one now. He has done some amazing work, particulary his accuring ESB star destroyer from the old ERTL kit. Site is in Japanese(?) though, but he gives enough pictures to follow the builds
http://dorobou.blog.so-net.ne.jp/
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