"How do I "Greeble" a Sphere?" Topic

I purchased some good-quality ping pong balls for use in a spaceship-building project. I'd like to take a sphere and "greeble" it up with panels and the like, but don't know how to get this right. Nothing I seem to have done so far works.

I'd essentially like something that looks like the Death Star, with a middle band and discernible "poles," with greebled panels. This sphere will then be attached to a main hull. Any suggestions?

Plastic confetti might just fit the bill depending upon the shapes you find and how perhaps you modify them by cutting them into new shapes…

Leland R. Erickson
Metal Express
metal-express.net

Depends if you want the panels raised or lower.

To keep the curvature the same on the panels take a another ball and cut the panels out of that one.

If you want raised panels cut out small shapes. This will look like small raised accents.

If you want lower panels cut out larger shapes. The difference in size will create the lower area's

Used this on a few scratch builds.

Adam

It's very hard, verging on impossible, to get naturally flat materials to fit flush to a sphere.

Atom's idea of cutting up another ball will work, albeit it is hard to cut straight lines off a ball.

You could roll sheets of Milliput, cut them out into the shapes you want and put them down as best you can. Mark panel shapes with a knife. Then, after they dry, sand them flat and trim sharp edges.

You could dry putting down soaking wet paper, so that you can actually force a curve into it.

I think the best option would be the "cut up another sphere" one. Makes me want to build some "Space Vikings" style ships!

Doug

For more subtle panels and possibly some texture too, just use some tape, clear scotch tape, masking tape, pinstriping tape or whatever. Narrow widths should be able to go around sections without gapping and you can cut out squares, triangles or whatever. The edges will not be as pronouced as you would get with a cut up ball, but with a wash and drybrushing it should be noticeable. Plus in combination with the cut up sections it would give some nice variation.

Great suggestions. I'm likely to try them all, and I'll let you know how this disastrous scratch-build comes out. :)

Thanks!

Why not cut the shapes out of construction paper. You might even moisten the pieces to make them more pliable for attachment. Use white glue to attach the pieces to the sphere. Coat it all with Modge Podge or white glue to keep the stuff flat.

One technique I've played with just a bit is to paper punch 'styrene drink lids (NOT PETE). Some of the 'punch in' have a nice curvature.

Plastic model cement will soften a bit, but can be tricky.

I try to use pieces with 'surface' for flat greebling, and the trapped fumes will warp the raised parts. Oh, the language I've used!

When it works, the braille can make nice little riveted panels.

Doug

greenstuff? Or even better, brownstuff b/c you can sand it and it keps a sharper edge.

Try electrical tape. It's fairly stretchy, and has good adhesive qualities.

Or striping tape like 3M Fine Line tape; It's a vinyl I think and conforms to curves pretty well.