Well, we are close to the sub-assembly phase. I did not post last week due to the fact I really had nothing to post. I wired up the full circuit for the first time last Saturday and discovered an issue. Due to the way the blinker circuit works, unless all the LEDs draw about the same voltage, one may be real dim, or not even blink. Well even with all the different green and red LEDs I have I could not get a good blinking combination. Couple that with a dwindling wire supply and I was left with more supplies to procure.
a box of wire and the tiny plugs
A close up on these 2mm plugs. So tiny!
I ordered LEDs from Mauser, both red and green, with the exact same voltage and amps, so they both work without a hitch. I also ordered wire, in a number of lovely colors, and tiny 2 pin plugs. This will allow me to assemble the Enterprise in sub-assemblies which will be easier to putty and sand instead of putting it all together and hoping I do not mess up one of the more delicate seams. As I have done that on a number of occasions I thought I would try these connectors instead. I expect I will have 5 sub-assemblies, the saucer, the engineering hull, both nacelles and the base. I did set up the entire circuit on the bread board. At the moment everything seems to work. I did have to replace the chip in one of the bussard spinners, and it seemed to have a short for a bit. I will work with it to make sure it will work once it is glued into the ship. You can see the circuit in the video below. Two of the constant LEDs are in fact red, but the whites are so bright it drowns them out in this arrangement.
I was hoping to get started on some assembly today, but had a problem to solve first, the beacons on the side of the saucer. I had to figure out how to make small domes that would blink green or red without too much bleed from the white lights that will illuminate the entire space inside the ship. After using some plastic pots I had from another kit that were too tall, I settled on aluminum pipe that just fits the LEDs. I sanded down some sprue from clear parts on another model kit to fit in the holes I had drilled previously. I also drilled holes in the aluminum to allow for the sprue to fit through. with some fiddling I was able to get beacon light domes for both sides. I also installed fiber optic cable pointing down from the beacon light pots. This is for the beacons on the bottom of the saucer. They are white on the original ship, but I am just going to fudge that detail.
Clear sprue sanded down to fit.
The LED pot with fiber optics for the bottom beacon.
LED pot with dome on top.
I also installed the LEDs for the impulse engines. There is not a lot of space so I am using 3mm LEDs that sit right in the square openings. The tips of the LEDs needed to be sanded flat. After I am done painting I will use the Krystal Clear to fill in the whole, so hopefully the whole square will glow red.
LEDs mounted for the impulse engines.
I also glued in the clear dome on the bottom of the saucer. This was an after market piece that just needed glued in place. It looks good, even glows with just the lights in my shop.
Bottom dome
Finally, I also installed the clear piece that will be the dome over the shuttle bay. This is the same clear sprue sanded to fit. I have already made a hole in the upper hull to allow this to stick through.
Dome above the shuttle bay. Again, clear sprue sanded to fit.
The next step, which I might make time for during the week, is building the sub assemblies. I will not make my original deadline of the 50th anniversary of Star Trek airing, which is this Thursday, but maybe I will have the sub-assemblies done. Still, I will plug away at this and hopefully I can have a finished ship before the year is out.
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