Zvezda Star Destroyer - a new detailing project

[NARSES2]

I've purposely not made it symmetrical as I figure ships like this should need not have the same piece of machinery or pipe in the same place on each side.   

Totally agree with you

[PR19_Kit]

The front end is as busy as I want it now. Just need to start filling out areas around the hull. I won't go to crazy as I want to try keep to the grand scale and immensity of the ship.

You've absolutely NO trouble doing that! 

[zenrat]

It wasn't a complaint or a criticism, just the first thought I had.
As a professional photographer (I take passport photos in the post office and I get paid to do so - ergo I am a professional photographer... ) I can tell you that few people have symmetrical faces.  And some have very asymmetric faces (although pointing it out is not very popular).

[NARSES2]

Some forms of asymmetry can be quite attractive under the right circumstances. That's what I think anyway 

[zenrat]

Some forms of asymmetry can be quite attractive under the right circumstances. That's what I think anyway 

True.  But not one eye an inch lower than the other or a missing ear.

[NARSES2]

True......but I did say "some" 

[sykotik]

It wasn't a complaint or a criticism, just the first thought I had.

Im not in anyway taken aback or offended but I am curious to know if you think it looks unbalanced? I'd honestly really would like an insight to that aspect. That's open to everyone BTW.

[zenrat]

It wasn't a complaint or a criticism, just the first thought I had.

Im not in anyway taken aback or offended but I am curious to know if you think it looks unbalanced? I'd honestly really would like an insight to that aspect. That's open to everyone BTW.

No.  You have got the amount of greeble balanced.  Both sides look, not the same, but in balance.  I had to look to see that it isn't symmetrical.  I feel you know where to stop.  Not everyone does.

[NARSES2]

  I feel you know where to stop.  Not everyone does.

Possibly the least appreciated of virtues 

[Madhatter]

Oh I managed to sign in with my new name! Yay! I prefer this name to sykotik.

Hi everyone - happy new year! Hope we all managed to get some bench time in. I know I didn't


So I have not long gotten back from holidays and decided it was high time I expended some time into this project. To be honest, I spent a lot of time thinking about this build and the things I could add and by the end of it, was busting to start back onto it.

Also, finally, I have settled on the base layout and how it's going to be displayed. It'll look pretty wicked if I get it right. BTW, does anyone know of a way to bend brass tube to an angle of 90 degrees whilst still maintaining the structural integrity of the tube itself, as in, not collapse in on itself?


So, I got home and promptly got bored of detailing the main body so I decided to move onto something else for a while. In this instance, I chose the top nose piece to play with. Better than my own one right?


Zvezda have created these rather large, blank protrusions from the top surface which just look like blocks. They appear to have no function what so ever. They're just sit there like a zit.

Can't have that, can we now. So, dress it up with some strip shelves, add some various piping and you have something much more interesting. I'll even try to stick in a fiber optic or 2.


There's just some more plates to add then I'll look at the undersides of those edges and add some detail to those as there are woefully lacking. Then it'll be back to the main body and finish that off before moving onto the bottom half.


Anyway, here's where I currently stand:


























And I just couldn't help myself, and took a pic which it joined up - just to remind myself of how big this ship is of course





Well, that's all I have for now, but I will be back in a while once the nose is done.

As always, thanks for sticking around and having a look

Si

[zenrat]

One way of bending pipe without it collapsing is to use a plumbers pipe bender like this.

The one in the picture will be designed to bend 10mm and 15mm diameter  copper water pipe.
Radius of the curve will be the radius of the aluminium "wheels" the pipe is bent around.
Copper pipe would look great polished up supporting your SD.
If you don't know any friendly plumbers then you could hire one from a tool hire company.

Other bending options (if you wanted a tighter radius or a non plumbing size pipe) to prevent collapsing include internal springs or filling with sand.  But both would require heating the pipe (I think).  A pipe bender will do it cold (with copper anyway) and is easy to use.

[Rheged]

You can bend copper cold with a bending spring, although it does call for a strange mixture of brute force and considerable delicacy. (Just don't ask how I know this)  I've still got  1/2 inch and 3/4 inch springs that were part of dad's toolkit.  He was a design engineer (and eventually a very senior, gold crested building services design chief/deputy county architect) but for six months of his training he had to be part of the team actually installing schemes he had designed........this is a very salutary experience!!    He would most certainly have agreed with Zenrat's comment about knowing when to stop.  You obviously do know and things look the better for it!  Well done.

I like the new name.............will we all get invitations to your tea party?

[Madhatter]

I was given this link to the perfect tool for the job. I bought it naturally:
https://www.amazon.com/LORESO-Bender...a-849814836633
I like the idea of the spring though - that's quite creative.
As for the name change - it's the handle I use on all the other boards I frequent. No tea party for me though sadly as I drank it all 

[Old Wombat]

Good!

[Madhatter]

hi guys
quick update. I've finished with the top side of the nose section for now and won't be adding any more surface detail to it until it's joined to the rear section.
I'll be moving on the the main superstructure sidewalls and finish those off plus the roof sections and then add the last of the surface detail to the right side.

Sorry for worktop pictures, but I couldn't be bothered getting out the photo tent tonight - too much effort

















It's current rest place:



Well, that's it for now but as always, thanks for stopping in and having a look
Till next time
Si