ISD-XS
Step 001: Opening Night
I've Got a [Good] Feeling About This...
The Operation
Initial surgery has been completed with help from my late father's floor-standing bandsaw (one of my favorite tools)! The Zvezda/Revell is a two-footer that is somewhat longer and narrower than the picture, but appears that it will work... with a "few special modifications, myself..." The picture also is believed to be intentionally "scrunched" to fit a book foldout. Either way, I am happy with where this can go.
Status: Completed
Step 002: "Fitment" Tests
"Fitment" IS a Word!
Decisions, Decisions...
Scratched out a few initial core inner modules to test general fitment and help the early decision-making processes. Also tested cutting 0.01" plastic on my Cameo3 (which I previously used for cutting custom vinyl airplane-model liveries). In general, most of the core modules will fit; however, to match the main guns to the picture will require moving the uncut side guns back with some more core kit shell surgery. If I get ambitious, I will also need to move back both rear side (bay?) notches to match more to the picture, as well.
Status: Completed
Step 003: Wall It Fit?
Now for a Real Test...
Scratching and Bashing...
Scratched and kit-bashed the first inner wall, and registered it into the upper hull cut-outs. Also rebuilt the main engine prototype and turned it more properly. This is the part I really enjoy! I'll include a penny for size reference. The whole ship is two feet long, so not too large (yet), and not to small that I cannot see it to detail it anymore (at my age).
Status: Completed
Step 004: Cutting In
Making a Cameo (3) Appearance
Scratching and Bashing...
Scratched and kit-bashed the back inner wall, and registered it into both the upper hull cut-outs, and the first main wall. Did some more testing with cutting 0.01" plastic with my Cameo3 for the main [exposed] bridge shaft... took full max settings (with minimum speed) and four passes, but came out pretty good.
Status: Completed.
Step 005: Hull Hacking
Hacking the Hull (Again)
Scratching and Bashing...
Scratched and kit-bashed the boxes around the smaller engines. Also moved the side notch back a couple of inches to match closer to the cross-reference pic. That was a bit challenging, but seems to have worked. At some point will need to hack the same notch on the other side, as well as move the surface gun cluster back two notches (to orthogonally match the pic).
Status: Completed.
Step 006: Big Squeeze
More Fitment...
Scratching and Bashing...
Revisiting an earlier module and started fleshing out fitment of surface gun turret mounts. Had to adjust this area for the narrowness of the backend versus the one in the picture, but all general modules appear to still all fit, with some "special modifications myself". The math worked out, as the angles of the cross-section hull supports all align fairly closely to key attachment points in the picture.
Status: Completed.
Step 007: Surgery!
Paging Dr. Hoppert...
Cutting and Scribing...
Finally got around to doing the last of the hull surgeries... hopefully. Moved the port-side notch and main turrets back to match across the cross-section pic. Used my Cameo3 to cut/scribe the replacement deck pieces. Now that was, um ,fun...
Status: Completed.
Step 008: Back Inside
Brr... It's Cold Outside
More Modules...
We had over four feet of snow and two weeks below zero over Jan/Feb 2021. In-between being exhausted from clearing snow, got a few more modules bashed. Also ran some square tubing under the "open" side for running fiber optics. Finally went through my mod parts and lighting kits. Probably will use a mashup of the different sets to make it lighting work.
Status: Completed.
Step 009: Gathering
Mounting, Lighting, and Mods, Oh My...
Decisions, Decisions...
Next up is figuring out the mounting and staring lighting tests, while adding and detailing more modules. Going back and forth about mounting on a pipe (easier run of external lighting), or mount on stand (more flexible and potential diorama). Leaning toward using a stand, but still have a bit of time to decide.
Status: Completed
Step 010: Inspection
Meeting of the Minds
From the Author Himself...
I had an incredible opportunity at Wonderfest 2021... Dr. Reynolds, author of the Incredible Cross-Sections book, was gracious enough to discuss the engineering of the illustrations and of my attempt at the ISD-XS build. He signed the illustration, as well.
How cool is that?!
Status: Completed
Step 011: Stand Up
Taking a Stand
Right in Front of My Face!
After adding lighting channels and testing various lighting mechanisms, I decided to go back to a hollow piped stand, and the use of a wall-wart for wired lighting. This avoids the weight and access to a large battery pack on the inner port-side of the ISD. The stand was actually my desk lamp that seemed to fit-the-bill exactly and had a simple support mechanism at the top that worked perfectly. It can be removed while building.
Status: Completed
Step 012: Engines On
Bonus Phase
Glad I Made This Modular!
While lighting this build isn't actually necessary to match the illustration from the source book, I decided it still would be awesome to have both a hero "illustration" side, and a hero "normal" side. This will add delays to run all of the fiber optics, but channels were built in to accommodate an attempt at hidden lighting for this half-open beast.
Status: Completed