posted
I've had a nicely painted ERTL model of the Enterprise-E that I made about six or seven years ago. I took it to college with me to have a little decoration (it was the only one out of eight models I've got that I took).
Unfortunately, it was dropped (not by me) during the move back home last month. It's not a huge mess -- the nacelle pylon snapped off right where it connects with the secondary hull. However, that's the little tab where the pylon mount fits into a slot in the hull to hold the nacelle up.
I've been trying to find a way to put it back together -- but ordinary Super Glue isn't thick enough to hold it. The break is clean, but there's still some rough edges that are left; and I've been afraid to do sanding or anything for fear of losing the contact edges I need.
Does anyone have any suggestions for putting Humpty Dumpty back together again?
-------------------- “Those people who think they know everything are a great annoyance to those of us who do.” — Isaac Asimov Star Trek Minutiae | Memory Alpha
Registered: Nov 2000
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posted
Find someone with a rotary tool (like a Dremmel) that can drill small holes. Drill two or three holes into the broken nacelle and glue in lengths of wire hangar (like what you get from the drycleaner). Match drilling the holes on the secondary hull and then glue the pylon and hull together with the wire lengths adding strength. Use epoxy made for plastic. You'll have to prop the parts in their correct positions and let the glue cure for a few hours (at least)- use a paper towell roll and/or low tack tape to make sure the part does not sag any.
You'll need some modeling putty around the break to make things smooth and unnoticable but that's easy.
It sounds involved, but it's a pretty simple fix that all ERTL Enterprise modelers have had to do: That part fit and design is awful! I'm personally convinced that the idea of the Belknap cruiser started out as a Enterprise model that was broken beyond repair.
Ask Griffworks for other tips and hints: that's his scale and he has many of that kit.
I'm sure he's had to fix that same problem.
-------------------- Justice inclines her scales so that wisdom comes at the price of suffering. -Aeschylus, Agamemnon
Registered: Aug 2002
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quote:Originally posted by Jason Abbadon: Ask Griffworks for other tips and hints: that's his scale and he has many of that kit.
I'm sure he's had to fix that same problem.
He's talking about the E-E, Jason, which is in 1/1400. I've only got/built one and, thus far, it's never taken a plunge. In fact, it's still unpainted....
Anyhow, what Jason says above should work out quite nicely for your needs, MinutiaeMan. However, using clothes hanger wire might not be the best of things to try and use, as that area is extremely thin and the wire likely too thick. If you've got it, try some Evergreen sheet stock. .030" - .040" thickness should work in it's place, I hope. If not, strip the paint & decals from the model and go to and order a of Sovereign Class Pylons by clicking on "Products", then [url=http://www.federationmodels.com/products/federation_models/default.htm]Federation Models, then scroll down to the bottom for the Sovereign Class Pylons. They're made of resin, so if you've never worked w/that medium before, just post a question here and I'm sure one of use who've dealt w/it before can hook you up. You can also order custom decals for your model at Federation Models by clicking on Decals and seeing what's available.
posted
I appreciate the tips, but all I want to do is glue the pylon back on, not rebuild the whole dang thing!
I'll see if I can find something that'll work with the small E-E pylon...
-------------------- “Those people who think they know everything are a great annoyance to those of us who do.” — Isaac Asimov Star Trek Minutiae | Memory Alpha
Registered: Nov 2000
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posted
In that case... That's why God Invented Superglue
-------------------- joH'a' 'oH wIj DevwI' jIH DIchDaq Hutlh pagh (some days it's just not worth chewing through the leather straps in the morning) The Woozle!
Registered: Nov 2002
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Ummm.... did you even read my original post, Woozle? I said I already tried SuperGlue, and it didn't work, because it's too thin to take hold!
-------------------- “Those people who think they know everything are a great annoyance to those of us who do.” — Isaac Asimov Star Trek Minutiae | Memory Alpha
Registered: Nov 2000
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posted
I'd still go w/using something in the way of internal structuring for the nacelle, but if you're against that or don't want to wait, try a five minute Epoxy. You'll either have to create some sort of jig to hold all the parts in place as you want them or you'll have to risk a hand cramp. Either way, you'll have to brace the parts properly and have some way to hold them as you want for more than five minutes. More like ten to fiften. I get hand cramps holding parts together that long, so go with a jig whenever possible.
You can find 5-Minute Epoxies at places such as Wal-Mart in the home-improvements section, usually not far from the paint aisle.
quote:Originally posted by MinutiaeMan: Ummm.... did you even read my original post, Woozle? I said I already tried SuperGlue, and it didn't work, because it's too thin to take hold!
Sorry, I overlooked the obvious. I use gap-filling superglue, with accellerator. Makes a practically instant glue joint, easily up to a couple millemeters.
-------------------- joH'a' 'oH wIj DevwI' jIH DIchDaq Hutlh pagh (some days it's just not worth chewing through the leather straps in the morning) The Woozle!
Registered: Nov 2002
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quote:Originally posted by Styrofoaman: Resin... Plastic... same thing. Don't let anyone try to fool ya.
"OOOH! This one is worth $150 because it's molded out of RESIN and not PLASTIC! Ja! WOoot!"
I always figured it was just the cost of running a garage factory and getting all the molds set up -- a small company that doesn't have the huge overhead, in other words. I don't mind paying a little extra for the models -- but anything over about $60 is still pushing it.
-------------------- “Those people who think they know everything are a great annoyance to those of us who do.” — Isaac Asimov Star Trek Minutiae | Memory Alpha
Registered: Nov 2000
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quote: I've had a nicely painted ERTL model of the Enterprise-E that I made about six or seven years ago.
Have I missed some time? The Ent-E has only been around for a little less than five years, the model for even fewer than that.
Registered: Nov 1999
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quote:Originally posted by Styrofoaman: Resin... Plastic... same thing. Don't let anyone try to fool ya.
"OOOH! This one is worth $150 because it's molded out of RESIN and not PLASTIC! Ja! WOoot!"
I always figured it was just the cost of running a garage factory and getting all the molds set up -- a small company that doesn't have the huge overhead, in other words. I don't mind paying a little extra for the models -- but anything over about $60 is still pushing it.
Exactly so where all the materials are concerned. Just to produce a resin kit such as the Alliance Models "Enterprise-E" kit likely costs them close to $40 or so a pop, when you factor in materials used for the molds and resin. Then, there's the materials used for the creation of the model itself as well as all the time spent in making it. In the case of the Alliance E-E kit, I believe they used an ERTL E-E and then accurized the Hell out of it. Having seen it, I can tell you that it comes close to looking like a whole new model, IMO.
What is your time worth to you? Any free time I have is pretty valuable, so I tend to thinking along appropriate lines where it's concerned. Especially when people ask me to do a buildup for them - I ask what I consider to be just compensation for my time.
As to anything over $60, I have a hard time justifying that cost to myself, let alone my Money Manager (a.k.a. "Wife"). I do my best to keep w/in a pretty strict budget, sometimes planning out purchases months in advance. Keeps me honest and my backlog of kits isn't as insane as some people's I've seen. I can honestly say that I'll be able to build all mine w/in my lifetime - provided I can stay motivated and find the time to work on them.
Registered: Apr 2003
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posted
Ok, off topic.. How do these garage-shops build molds in the first place? We have over a dozen dedicated CNC mills and a state-of-the-art machine shop building our molds. How do these folks do it?
Registered: Aug 2001
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By hand, most of the time. Depending on the subject, they'll use wood or plastic to build up the master, detail it however they see fit and generally cover it w/a coat of primer before molding it.
As I understand it, CNC Milling is prohibitively expensive for the Garage Kit (GK) manufacturers. At least, right now. Most places that have CNC machines charge a great deal of money for the use of them, plus you've got to have the correct graphics, right? If you don't have the capability of making your own 3D model, you have to pay someone, so add that to the cost of the model. It just gets cost-prohibitive after a while for someone to crank out these models at a reasonable price. A small 6" model might not cost much more than $10 in materials to make a master from. However, you have to factor in the cost of the rubber for the molds, which is expensive and then the resin. While resin can be purchased cheaply in bulk, it's still not exactly cheap. Factor in the time it takes to pour the molds, then pull the masters out then start pouring resin, degas it, etc...
I won't defend the prices often asked for the resin kits you'll find out there, as some companies go overboard in their pricing IMO. I'm willing to pay what I consider to be a reasonable price for a nicely done model. They're certainly run me more than an ERTL bought in Wal-Mart, but then I'm generally getting a much more accurate model that was cranked out by hand, not in some mass-production factory in China. It's a premium I'm willing to pay for some subjects. But that's just me.
Same thing w/custom decal sheets. Some companies want what I consider to be a very reasonable price for their custom work, while others ask a premium. What are you willing to pay?
Registered: Apr 2003
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