HI guys

I picked up an AMT Adversary set (
http://img200.imageshack.us/img200/6504/adversary.jpg ) which comes with a warbird, klingon bop and ferengi marauder; I was only interested in building the warbird but I fell in love with the tiny marauder, and decided to practice my soldering skills and working with the plastic on it first.
The only other Trek model i've built in the past is a Bandai NX-01, which comes pre-painted and with lighting installed already, however I modified it to be powered by a 5v adapter and replaced the lights with brighter leds.
Here's some pics I took of the d'deridex, I just taped it together for a quick test fit:
http://img827.imageshack.us/g/dderidex4.jpg/
The plan is to install lighting systems into both models, but first the D'Kora;
http://img573.imageshack.us/g/dkora4.jpg/
I've cut out holes where orange LEDs will be fitted inside for the lighting as seen here;
http://memory-alpha.org/wiki/File:Kreechta.jpg
and in the rear;
http://memory-alpha.org/wiki/File:D%27Kora_class,_aft.jpg
didn't come out as well as i'd have liked, but the model is tiny and I ended up cutting my fingers about 8 times with my x-acto knife.
I was debating whether or not to cut out holes in the rear for the warp engine (the white lights pictured at the rear in the second image), but I went for it and it came out okay (pics of that to come tommorow)
I'm just waiting for some more solder to arrive along with some wire and materials for building the base and then I can start with the lighting and such. the hardest part is definitely going to be separating the orange/white LEDs internally to stop them bleeding the wrong light into the wrong places, especially because the interior doesn't offer much space either.
Of course it will be painted and such when the lighting is done.
I'll update this as I get on so feel free to follow my progress :cool:
Comments
I've built a few gundam models and painted them using rattlecans, they came out pretty good, but then again no shading was involved at all, so I still haven't shelled out for a decent airbrush yet, but it might be necessary for the warbird.
http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c320/Thunderscream/Scale%20Models/DSC00191.jpg
primed, window and nacelle holes cut
Heh, it takes practice to figure it out. Using the minimal amount of solder is best 95% of the time, with the other 5% being when a bond needs extra strength. That's way more effort than I ever put into a model though, they're coming along great!
Are you planning to leave the Marauder black? This would amuse me because I got a small resin Marauder and the first thing I did was paint it black and silver.
edit: Oh, I guess you just gave it a black base so the light won't go through the hull.....
yes! precisely that. I primed it in black for that reason, but the light still comes through a bit because the leds are very bright, and the plastic is thin. i'm hoping once I get a few coats of the copper colour I have on it, it's less noticable.
it's still practice afterall before I start on the Warbird.
http://img193.imageshack.us/img193/5229/lighttest1.jpg
http://img404.imageshack.us/img404/6519/lighttest2.jpg
http://img228.imageshack.us/img228/648/dkoradone4.jpg
http://img59.imageshack.us/img59/4638/dkoradone3.jpg
http://img217.imageshack.us/img217/9522/dkoradone2.jpg
http://img217.imageshack.us/img217/1047/dkoradone1.jpg
I couldn't fit any white leds in for the rear nacelle lighting, so I just left the orange leds to light it up, it looks alright. in hindsight I probably wouldn't have cut out the nacelle in the first place, cause it looks all uneven.
I put a led in the front to light up the two side windows but the light doesn't seem to be able to reach there, I could probably have made it work with some fibre optic cables, but I just wanted to get it finished and didn't want to wait and buy some.
I attached the brass tubing to the base and the model by splaying the ends and just slobbering a ton of glue and putty over it to secure it, it works because the model is small and light, but I don't think the same will do for the warbird I have planned, so I need some advice or tips on how I can do it with that
i've started drilling window holes, and damn is it boring, plus it makes your hand hurt too
http://img600.imageshack.us/img600/1002/dderidex11.jpg - kind of messed up on the left one and the windows are all uneven, but i'm hoping once it's painted and lit up from the inside it's not as noticable
almost done with one side of the head:
http://img404.imageshack.us/img404/9856/dderidex123.jpg
spray painted the inside of the clear parts using Tamiya Translucent Green, I think i'm probably going to use green LEDs behind them anyway for a better green glow though
http://img263.imageshack.us/img263/2448/dderidex12.jpg
will post updates as it goes
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http://img834.imageshack.us/img834/9664/drholes1.png
http://img808.imageshack.us/img808/4386/drholes2.png
I have not built and painted a model kit for a long long time, one of my last ones was a Vor'cha will take some pics if I remember.
http://img401.imageshack.us/g/vorcha5lh.jpg/
The ones I finished were a Cardassian Galor and Kazon Torpedo (a boarding craft they used once). They were both simple and used the same paint color, so I only had to buy the paints for them once.
Front
Back and Above
The stands for those guys are absolute garbage. I have to have the Torpedo sit backwards or else it falls over. The Galor I leave off the stand altogether except for photos. It immediately broke the first time I put it on, I drove a metal pin through the whole thing to give it more support and put epoxy all around to hold it in place. But the stand *still* slowly tilts if I leave it on for a few hours. Absolutely awful.
update today, I finished the base for the warbird:
http://img811.imageshack.us/img811/2130/base1h.png
http://img41.imageshack.us/img41/418/base2o.png
http://img25.imageshack.us/img25/5896/hull1.jpg
http://img716.imageshack.us/img716/6112/hull2.jpg
http://img8.imageshack.us/img8/9971/hulls3.jpg
http://img577.imageshack.us/img577/5718/almostdone.jpg
http://img40.imageshack.us/img40/8859/almostdone2z.jpg