Trek Merchant Fleet Scratchbuilds

[nnygamer]

I picked up some small plastic test tubes (100) that seem to be perfect for 1/1000 scale ship nacelles. Inspired by the CGI series Aurora I want to make a bunch of non Starfleet ships from whatever I have.
First on the bench is the SS Vespene, a liquefied gas transport. The body is 1/2 if a 1/144 shuttle tank cut in half (so it's 2 1/4 sections). This is a general shape, the engine pylons will be hooked to a central bay on top instead of the sides, the green thing is a bridge module and I need to make a deflector dish. Lots of piping on the sides to be added and some fill ports.

 

[Shark]

nice!

 

[Junkie]

Cool. It's always fun doing stuff like that. No rules.

 

[Backbreaker]

Cool little scratch build ;D
Joolz

 

[Mac]

No one to tell you the rivets are wrong either !
Looks good!

 

[nnygamer]

I've done some parts gathering and have pretty much all I need. I taped it all together and this is what I got.
New bridge module (needs spacer underneath) and nav-def dish (hard to see since it's clear right now, it' on the front withe the copper wire.
The warp/engineering pod with untouched nacelles and the habitat spine connecting the bridge and pod.
Nice blurry shot of the top
Side shot showing the impulse deck, liquid transfer connects and some seriously droopy warp engines.
Underside with the liquid transfer connect ports and the blue circle where the stand will go.
Undesrside back shot of the impulse deck

 

[nnygamer]

I've been working on the nacelles in between replacing the alternator and fixing the exhaust on my car (I hate cars). I think just a few more details and they should be done.
Overall with pylons
Bussard collector and cowl
Aft intercoolers
Aft view
Update:
Constitution comparison

 

[Shark]

Nice wire work

 

[djdood]

Very cool.
Did you grind the back ends of the test-tubes down to get that different thickness on them? It almost looks like you put them on a lathe and turned them.

 

[nnygamer]

Very cool.
Did you grind the back ends of the test-tubes down to get that different thickness on them? It almost looks like you put them on a lathe and turned them.

Actually the tubes are already tapered, cutting off the rounded end makes a dome that is just about perfect for the front.

 

[nnygamer]

For anyone wanting the decal sheet I've made (about 1/2 of a full 8.5x11)
http://rapidshare.com/files/245675580/decalhalfsheet1.png

 

[nnygamer]

I have 2 other ships taped together for a test shot.
First is a cargo hauler, it can carry up to 7 of the cargo containers (I only have parts for 4 in this pic). I call it the Ganymede Class Hauler. Shown next to the Vespene main hull. Ganymede
Next is a small cruise liner, the Astro Queen. I plan to have a bunch of windows and escape pod decals all over this one plus a shuttle bay underneath for planetary excursions.
I do have a sketch of a third but I'm looking for the parts, I only have part of the main hull so far.

 

[nnygamer]

Sorry no updates lately but I sprained my shoulder and can't do much modeling with one hand since the injury was on my dominant side.

 

[nnygamer]

I haven't gotten much done lately except work on the decal sheets, I made a second one that has a lot of pi up art on it and a few detailing decals (grids, boxes, escape pods). Printed @ 600dpi is covers a half sheet of paper.
Rapidshare