Salzo Battlestar Galactica
TOS Viper Fighter.
1/12th Scale 31" long


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Plastic sheet, MDF sheet, a couple of broken band saw blades, a router bit that won't fit
And managing to stick a way bloody sharper than it looked piece of acrylic in to my hand...

Just Ya Typical Time In The Hellhole Really.
Honest.

Welcome back people!
Right, time to sort out the display stand.

Original plan was for the fast becoming standard Panavise mount.
Well that idea got a sound kicking and thrown out the door.
Client sent a couple of photos from around the net of a more than a bit nicely done studio scale Viper in a scratch built launch tube section.
"Can I have something like that for mine?, I think it would look awesome" says he.
Well when the fella is right, he's right on so off we go.

Two sheets of 2mm thick clear acrylic, one sheet of 12mm MDF and one of 6mm MDF.
The formers and bulkheads out of plastic, the base and back wall out of MDF.
Simple enough...
Then I got to drawing out a plan of the tube bulkheads.
This...


So the measurements work out at about 22" deep, 17" high and almost 40" long.

Or 'rather cool size' if you will.
So the plastic slicing begins.
The plan was cut up to make templates.
Ended up with left and right sides and the bottom.
Some circle marking for where the major pipe work is going to run.
Then take the templates and with some spray photo mount adhesive, stuck then to the sheet of plastic.

Working it out, a bulkhead each end and framing in between made it at 19 parts.
Cut out the template parts then with double sided mega sticky tape,
the templates were stuck to more plastic and then to more in sandwich fashion.
This made up two stacks of four for the left and right top bulkheads and a stack of 11 for the base framing.
Then all those lots given more than a severe running around the band saw to trim up.
This is where one blade caused me a slightly frowning look.
Also a "I don't remember it making that sort of sound before..." bang/snap/clankclonkclankticktickticktick/switch off/untangle/curse episode.
Anyway, the stacks look a bit like this.






Once all cleaned up edge wise, then the inevitable hole drilling, take apart and clean off the tape.
All parts given a brisk sanding for glue together keying and pre-paint prep.
Also so at least you can see them in the pics.












Also a fair wedge of plastic pipe in 2 meter lengths got bought in and sliced up.
From approx left to right, 4 of 15mm, 2 of 22mm and 2 of 41mm diameter.


The 12mm MDF sheet that will make up the base was all trimmed to size.
Lines marked for later routing out.
Couldn't resist a test fit and partial look see.
Well I could have resisted to be honest, just didn't want to.
So there.






Then came the routing runaround.
Plan is to cut grooves into the base board for the pipe support frames with the bulkheads at each end.
Well my 2.10mm routing bits come in handy here.


Shame the last person who borrowed it didn't return all the collets.


Well this would constitute a problem.
Oh well...lathe, brass bar and hacksaw to the rescue.








Ok, now we are ready to make some dust fly.
Finally.
Clamping a sturdy strip of 12mm MDF off cut to the base board with properly measured (for once) spacing, the deed got done.
Along with a test fit once all the dust had been hoovered up a goodun.










Okedoke then!
Some scrap 1/4" perspex was sliced up band saw fashion into strips to make the spacer framing for the end bulkheads.

bang/snap/clankclonkclankticktickticktick/switch off/untangle/curse/sameoldsameold

All the base bottom pipe test fitted and the bulkhead parts set up temporary to get a look at.
As you do.












Oh yeah.
Now this is starting to get to the 'my kind of ridiculous' stage for certain.
Trust me when I say it's all good.

Well much still to do and it's taking a bit longer than I thought but still working on it gang.
That's all for now, next generous lump of lunacy soonest so until then...
You merry mob take care and go easy out there now.


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