"TMP mini-contest...scratch built spaceships II" Topic

The last run turned out great.

There were dozens of nice ships in many different designs.

We have the holidays coming and hopefully some time off from work…so how about a second challenge?

The rest of November, December, and January?

Plenty, beyond plenty of time IMO :)

If this is a "heck yeah" then let me also offer up a second consideration, categories:

open…any pieces, parts, or bits from anything

select…(a challenge to use a particular item in the ship construction)

direct…(a specific construction to meet a particular design/race/etc.)

*****

The ships can be fighters, corvettes, cruisers, battleships, etc.

As for the Open and Direct challenges, I will offer two for consideration…these are not set in stone, merely an offering to get the process underway.

Open : use a standard cheap disposable (hey, recycling!) lighter for parts picture a minimum of 50% parts use on a single ship. There is lots to work with picture over a dozen bits on the cheap!

Direct : "create a design that would fit like a puzzle piece within the pantheon of Star Trek ships (any series or race)"

*****

So, who is in?

We had a great turn out last time…and it was great to see everyone crank out shippy goodness.

I'm in!…like our man Flinn!

I still haven't found time to finish the ones from last contest, and this year looks worse.

I think I'm in. I've had a project like that in mind for over a year. I have a ship I want to do in 28mm. Just need to get to work on it.

Any chance someone might want to put up a prize or two for the top finishers?

OK. I'm in this time, for real.

Leland R. Erickson

"I still haven't found time to finish the ones from last contest, and this year looks worse"

I had a small fleet last time around…once it was built and primed I lost inspiration for the second round of painting, so I am with you brother.

I am going to shoot for one this time…in 15mm.

As for a prize…I was thinking about this. It was fairly difficult to get everyone to finish, me included, and without site support (as in a banner or page) it is unlikely we would be able to provide a fair platform…that said I was thinking about offering up a small cashe of greebles to the peoples choice.

I would not require anyone else too ante up but the idea would be that it would be like poker when you run out of money…put what you have on the table (like $5-10 + shipping)

Just a thought.

*Throws hat into ring*

Deal me in, 28!

Sure I can drum up something to add to the pot, too.

I is interested.

I'd like to, but time is pretty tight. I might get something done over the holidays, though, so count me in, too.

select…(a challenge to use a particular item in the ship construction)

followed by 'Open : use a standard cheap disposable (hey, recycling!) lighter for parts picture a minimum of 50% parts use on a single ship. There is lots to work with picture over a dozen bits on the cheap!'

surely thats the select one – the open one would allow a contestant to use any parts from anything they care to canibalise?

DOH!

"As for the Open and Direct challenges, I will offer two for consideration…these are not set in stone, merely an offering to get the process underway.

Open : use a standard cheap disposable (hey, recycling!) lighter for parts picture a minimum of 50% parts use on a single ship. There is lots to work with picture over a dozen bits on the cheap!

Direct : "create a design that would fit like a puzzle piece within the pantheon of Star Trek ships (any series or race)"
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Open…is anything you want to use

Select…use a minimum of 50% disposable lighter parts

Direct…clean fit design for a Trek ship any series or race

Sorry I had flubber finger moment :)

I might go for this one too… I need a rival fleet to play a game with the last ones. Depends on my schedule.

Mark me down as maybe.

I still haven't found time to finish the ones from last contest, and this year looks worse.

I'm in the same boat as Battle Works, my competition fleet still isn't finished.

I might have a go at doing a single ship, maybe a lighter ship, if I get time.

Yep I am shooting for a single ship…it will be larger but in this case not an issue…I am thinking an Eagle theme with a nod towards an explorer version, Condor or Albatross…Condor makes more sense as it is in the same family at least…Condor it is.

15mm, 110'…early model designs call for 76 feet long (23.16 m), later designs for 91 feet long (27.70 m), 102 feet long (31 m) is the understood size to account for the shown set sizes…and I may make it a pop top with gamable interior.

Now if you'd started this last month I'd be home and hosed already, now I'm starting to think about the next project as a break from starships, might try to enter anyhow.

Robert

No new contest for you ODB till you get that site of yours fixed. :-)

Grimm

"No new contest for you ODB till you get that site of yours fixed. :-)"

Which one? Mac in their infinite wisdom is changing their system, effectively yanking my blog site out from under me any day now, so best enjoy it while you can:

link

Grayhawk Studios? Officially closed, as I have a new full-time day job on top of my teaching at HPU, so I have just enough time – at last!!- to paint for myself!

Metal Express? Don't even go there!!

Leland R. Erickson

P.S. Let me get this straight, 28mm, you want this to be a single ship suitable for 15mm figures?

No no no…any scale/size ship you want to make…I am going to move ahead onto a 15mm scale ship.

Whatever scale you want is ok!

"No no no…any scale/size ship you want to make…I am going to move ahead onto a 15mm scale ship.

Whatever scale you want is ok!"

Really? Any size of ship? MWAAHAHAHAAHAAHAHAHAHAAAA!!!

Leland R. Erickson

I would definitely participate, I have not kept the ships I made for the last one, but I've been meaning to recreate them.

It would have to be an awfully small ship, maybe just a mine or probe, to be made from a lighter in 28mm. I guess most people will do ships for Full Thrust or something similar.

I wonder if the star trek ships will just end up being judged based on similarity to popular ships. I do think it is a worthwhile challenge though.

The lighters break down into a dozen or more parts, but yes a smaller scale would show the details more easily.

The Trek ships…that is a good thought, but I suspect the front runner will be the one that is most readily accepted as being "trek".

I will be entering a ship for each challenge.

Open…will be my 15mm ship

Select…I have 20 lighters already broken down (got them for .08c each :)

Direct…not sure which one I will shoot for, but I am leaning towards the original series.

As no-one in our family smokes, I will pass on using the lighters. That said, I have no qualms about the Direct category…

Open, I am looking at two ideas right now, one being an overhaul and extensive refit of an existing project that is pushing 20 years old now and has endured three moves and an entirely new ship from the ground up… stay tuned…

Leland R. Erickson

@BWP…no smokers here either, bought my recent batch at MalWart 12 for $2…dollar store had 8 for $1 USD but were out when I went the last time.

Looking forward to seeing what you pull off :)

Decision made. I'm in for thge open comp at least, I need a fleet of GZG style Islamic Federation that can double as Centari to fight my Narn force. Going to be sprue and sheetplastic for the most part.

Robert

I love the idea of using sprue…I have a bunch…many many SST bugs will testify to this fact :)

They make great modern ruined walls…dry wall plaster with open sections showing supports, plumbing, etc..

So do we post WIP pics to this thread, should each entry start their own thread or do we need an entries thread for each of the three challenges?

Robert

New threads get front page attention, so in that thought I would say the first who is ready open a new thread noting this one.

So we should have this one and three others for each challenge.

Do you have a WIP update :)

I have a starter frame for my 15mm ship. I am taking considerations to castability while I build this one. If I can then I will cast it. Most likely in gelcoat, loose fiber hair, and foam back fill.

Could be fun and fairly inexpensive.

Holidays caught up with me, but I am working fast and furious to get my entry in!

We have all of Jan to get those ships done.

I'm a BAAAAD BOY:

link

Finally got my galley up and running, with more photos coming!

Leland R. Erickson

Any last minute, er, couple of weeks reports?

Shame me for being in my doldrums!

Doug

Wow!

Over twenty four hours, and none of the scorn I so richly deserve. Have we all been less than diligent?

WIP too secret to share?

Doug

It's a state secret, Beastie… I could tell ya, but then I'd have to kill ya (or at least ship you off as a newly-minted buck private in the Legion Etranger off to the furthest reaches of Known Space)!

Leland R. Erickson