08/19/01

    I've cleaned up the table, posted a copy of the instruction sheet on the wall and have begun working on the Voyager.  I've been spending the last couple of days writing down the exact steps I'm going to follow in its construction - lighting the thing has radically changed how the instructions lay out the construction process and have added a plethora of new considerations (checking for light leakage, what on the inside should be painted what and when, what fibres should be masked and which should be left to absorb light, etcetera).

 
     I'm finding that Elton John is good to work to, though it takes a modicum of restraint to sit in one spot filing something rather than dance. :)  Starting on the saucer section, I've removed the parts that I need from the sprue and have begun cleaning them up and fitting them.  It's taken an hour so far to clean up five of the upper windows..

 

(10 hours later)

Teacup's Perspective     Wow, am I tired.. I've gone as far as the manual would have me go before I start improvising, though there are a couple caveats I ran into that make me so very happy that I had some practice first!

     I installed the fore and upper sensor arrays, auxiliary deflector dish base and all the windows.  The windows were pretty complicated in that cementing them in place was a two step process - one to tack them in place and wait two hours for the tacks to dry, then going back over them to ensure they wouldn't go anywhere (important, because I'll be masking and unmasking them with caulk later).

 

      

     Putting the window decals on was horrible, though admittedly due to my desire for perfection.  I'm pleased I had some experience in application of decals first or I'd've been SOL.  The instructions tell you to make some glue with white Elmers and water, but I chose not to do this because I knew it would fog up the windows, if only a little.  So, I soaked the decals longer than recommended to eliminate the glue that was on the wrong side, then used the dental picks to place and orient the decal on the window the way I wanted it.  After the water was evaporated I used decal solvent to actually affix it to the plastic (two coats).

     I put in the niches where the forward hull lighting fibre will go - I'm pleased, I think this will work well.

 
     This is where I left off for the evening.  Next steps are to install the large fibres (running lights, forward hull light), LEDs and their wiring, paint the windows, drill the micro-holes, place the fibres.