180286

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Gearz

Gearz

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Mar 13, 2006
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180286 - Nostromo + Refinery

Hello my name is Gearz, and I'm a project junky ! 'Heeellooo Geeearrzz'

I've done it before and I guess I'm guilty of it again ~ Starting a thread that'll slide off to page 10 all to quickly, but we all have long term projects, and ideas always benefit from input so I've resurrected another 'cue jumper' from the bowls.. This one would certainly fulfils a number of goals.

* Something I can Develop BIG!... = It'll be big
* I could work on looong term. = I'll probably croak before its finished..
* A model that can be built, multi version + level/skill. = The base model (-) detail, should be straightforward.
* Insane detail ( for builders ~ Not me!..teeheehee) = supplied with enough detail to keep anyone happy..

Actually I'll have to thank knightstalker. Seeing this work developing detail for Skip's Sulaco gave me plenty of food for thought on this one.. Thanks Knight !

Still lots to consider... International paper + cardboard sizes ( and availability) will be an important consideration before I start Developing on, or recommending any specific materials to builders. ( if there are any? - no joke )

Well there it is.. I thought I'd be semi Cryptic about it, but there's way to many cluey ppl here anyway.. ( Not to mention the Thread title and attached pic sort of shoots that in the foot anyway.. )
:rolleyes:
 

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OOOhhh keeping it cryptic for you is it going to be just the pulling bit or the bit it pulls as well? I found a nice drawing of the pulling bit if it will help. Look forward to seeing this develope. All the best Gix
 
OH Gearz...you've been reading my mind again. Oh yes. This is/was on my list for sure. OK I'll hand it off to you and bow to your superior skillz. My hands are full with the Outland Shuttle project (same filmography vintage as this subject btw) anyway. Please drag me into this project if you want or need any assistance. I've been collecting pictures, textures and resources, but you likely have most of the same stuff already. I'll be watching this closely...and I won't let it slip off into thread oblivion. Starting this thread is like makinjg a promise...I'll be here to keep you honest!

btw, where's the Betty? (just nagging)
 
I've come across wishes for the you know (Gearz maybe you can give the game away so we can talk freely lol) but I have never found an actual model so I think this is going to be a popular choice.
 
I never could figure out if the Nostromo was the name for ALL the ship, or just the refinery tug.... either way... it would make a superb project!
 
Now the cat is out of the bag as it were, I think the Nostromo was just the bit at the front and the refinery was the payload. Either way a great subject choice that will sit well next to the Outland Shuttle.
 

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Thanks guys...lol.. yeah.. I guess it was a pretty lame attempt at 'cryptic-ness' although the initial ref to them as the 'pulling bit' and 'the bit it pulls' kind of tickles my fancy, so I'll refer to them as that in the AG. Thanks Gixergs !

Oh well... Yep.. its the Nostromo + Refinery. mmm.. maybe together they constitute an 'N' class star freighter..?

Doc ~ Yep although it'll only be the small bit at the front.. on its own, maybe 3' 1/2 ~ 4" ?

I've got enough ref material for the Nostromo, the refinery section is another story. I'd found a site devoted to a Amazingly Amazing P****** scratch build, the guy has done a brilliant job and it looks the business to me, so I'll probably use the pics from Martin's site, this model and screen shots as reference for the refinery.
.

There's plenty of designers here, that will make a far better job of the Nostromo as a stand alone model. So I thought a variation on the subject would make a worthy long term subject, and not rain on anyone's Dev list. Not to mention, I think the 'Nostromo' ( itself..?) deserves special treatment (that I won't be giving it )

Duncan ~ Superior? = I wish!. Yup.. Its inevitable that many of us would zone in on the same targets. I haven't been reading anyone's mind... just their Hard Disks... BwHahahaaa.. ( that's a joke of course) I only posted this on a whimb, so I haven't really invested much time in it, if you've already done a bunch of prep work let me know.

I'd proposed two versions ~

One version slightly smaller than the filming miniature ? 90 % ( Martin Bower mentions 24" x 28" ) So BIG builders could go crazy on the detail if they wanted to.

A second maybe half that. ~ For ppl building on a budget, or space restriction..


Purely from a development and building point of view, the refineries 'Platform' will be the key part/ section, and as there doesn't seem to be any 'Definitive' plan I'd stressed over the shape for ages. Not that I'm doubting them, but the overall dimensions Martin Bower mentions of (24" x 28" with the Nostromo being 5") just didn't seem to work on the mesh I was building, so I'll probably cue/scale the 'pulling bit' ..lol.. from screen caps.. Sloppy.. but I'm a devotee of the adage "If it looks right........."

So far the plan of attack for the Bit it Pulls.. sorry 'refinery platform' may seem a little on the overkill side, but I've had models 'droop' under their own weight after a while, and that's the last thing you'd want on this bugger.. To that end, I've got the materials to experiment with a laminated 'sandwich' affair, utilising quite a few standard box forms as internal bracing. The 'Box Bracing' will probably raise a few eyebrows, and I'd considered a honeycomb arrangement.. BUT I'm sure the boxes will prove superior in the long term. I guess it will be up to the builders if they choose to use alternate bracing..

On the down side, its going to chew up a LOT of paper and cardboard.. On the up side, it'll be practically indestructible, and one solid foundation to build upon.

mmm... It would be kewl if the gantry extended and Nostromo detached as well. ~ gota land on LV426 !!! ( using appropriate sound effects..)
 

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Looks fantastic so far...and the photobucket link to that awesome scratchbuild goes way beyond the few resources I'd already collected (I'll send what I've got, but that scratchbuild...holy ****!).

Nice start, too. I like the idea of a strong base to prevent sagging. Theres nothing worse than a limp model....well I suppose there is, but lets not go there...
 
Outstanding Gearz!!! I actually mentioned doing the Nostromo a while back in the Sulaco thread but I'm makeing no plans anytime soon.

I'm looking forward to seeing if this goes ahead! :) It's been asked before but is the Betty any closer to reaching us??
 
Yep that scratch build is bloody Amazing isn't it! :eek: ~ I bet it cost him a packet!!!!, and maybe a trip to divorce courts tooo.. I've had some big stuff laying around the house before ( and it wasn't pretty..) nothing THAT big though... lol.. yep there'll be no limpness on this one..

Skip ~ yep I recon if you did a Nostromo in the style of the Sulaco it'd be excellent ! The Betty ~ still stressing over the 3D mesh and a design point with the engine nacelles, I'd like them to rotate, but I'm a chronic fiddler and lousy at 3D from scratch + I've got the attention span of a three year old... there's just Sooo many... other shiny things to build.

A question for the members here, that live above the zero line .. (lol most of you)

I can pick up a 'standard' sheet of No 10 Cardboard ~ 600 gsm ~ (the type typically used by kids in school projects) in most newsagents / printers etc etc... I'm sorry don't have the dimension with me..

Can you give me an idea of what constitutes a Standard ? sheet, as above, in the say the UK .US etc etc.. Thickness isn't really an issue.. more the dimensions.. ? did that make sense..? :confused:
 
Thanks Gixergs ! ~ Let's End the Confusion!! ~ I'll say..!! even the generic term 'Cardboard' is hard to pin down.. there wasn't much on 'cardboard' there, but boy do they have some kewl materials available... Printable Holographic Fridge Magnet Material!! Pheeeeeww.. now that stuff would be a interesting material to incorporate into a card model...

I think the cardboard size issue ( and availability) is going to be a little to pedantic, and i guess builders that will tackle this model will have their heads screwed on, so I'll just Dev away see what happens..

:rolleyes:
 
The origional release of the NCC1701 refit had reflective holographic-ish stick on paper strips for the nacelles that gave a pretty good effect, it also had rub down transfers which were beautifully sharpe and clear and almost completely impossible to apply. There used to be a type of paper that gave of a different colour when the light hit it , rather like the Flip Flop automotive paint you could get a really good effect on a B5 White Star or Shadow ship with something like that.
 
As long as we can print it out on an ordinary printer, then you can't go far wrong! People will improvise with weight of card/paper as they go, depending on pocket and availability...so I wouldn't worry too much :D Just get building!
 
Yep agree with you there FB, I'll allow for plenty of freestyle building in the design, so that materials won't be a make or break.

Just a parting word on this one before i nip off and catch up on some long over due building and stuff.

It looks promising.. the box bracing can be keep uniform to cut down on 'complex' :rolleyes: sub-standard bracing + cryptic assembly instructions.. The rational behind the 'boxes' ~ When built AND cured, the several additional layers of hardened white glue between the all of the laminated surfaces (of the upper and lower refinery 'plates' ) will make one solid foundation.

The templates for the cardboard refinery 'plates' X 2 can be printed on normL letter paper. Yep... All in all it should be a reasonably straight forward structure to build. ~ You'll just spend the rest of your life detailing it..

I'll probably recommend letting the laminated parts cure for several days, although a test build of the that section will sort it out.

Getting ahead of myself here, but just off the top of my head, i guess some sort of level of detail LOD will the easiest way to tackle it. LOD 1 main / large surface detail ~ tanks / domes etc.. LOD 2 smaller stuff.. LOD 3 ! even smaller and so on.... Builders could choose how far they wished to go..

Anyway there's plenty more fiddling to do on the main sections yet.. I managed to tweak it so the ratio is a little closer to Martins stated 24" x 28" still a little over that though, I might have to shrink the Nostromo a little more..

... and why am i thinking about FROGS..!??

:confused:
 

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I can see the sense of the boxes over the more traditional frames. One of hte biggest problems with frames is getting them all lined up correctly, with right-angled joins. Boxes do that for you and allow you to build in smaller scale, and assemble.

Can't help wondering though .... was the base design inspired by a flattened frog on a road somewhere ;)
 
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