thommo Posted May 14, 2022 Share Posted May 14, 2022 (edited) I'm not a huge StarWars follower, but always loved the podracer scenes, and thought I should build one some day. And so it begins. I looked at a few pics, and will just use them to make something up. It will be painted in Cronulla Sharks colours of course. Never forget 2016, the end of my 45 year wait for that first Premiership 🦈 (I thought I'd die premiership-less). Edited May 14, 2022 by thommo 10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hunter Rose Posted May 14, 2022 Share Posted May 14, 2022 Cool! Look forward to seeing this come together, I've always wanted to have a go at bashing together a pod racer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thommo Posted May 15, 2022 Author Share Posted May 15, 2022 More engine progress. Some paint now on the front engine cowlings. The centre of the engine behind the front cowling are being built around a tube from a pen. Wrapping bits of styrene & Pepsi can aluminium around it to build profile, Tamiya tape & wire of various sizes. 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Romeo Alpha Yankee Posted May 16, 2022 Share Posted May 16, 2022 Getting in my comfy chair for this one Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corsairfoxfouruncle Posted May 16, 2022 Share Posted May 16, 2022 Its something Ive wanted to do since Phantom Menace was in theater’s. Ive never had the right bits to do it though I am real close lately. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uncle Monty Posted May 18, 2022 Share Posted May 18, 2022 Fascinating idea, looking forward to this Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete in Lincs Posted May 18, 2022 Share Posted May 18, 2022 This looks interesting, and 'good on yer' for having a go. I've got the Revell pod racer in the stash, but I have too much fun scratchbuilding stuff myself. It does get slightly addictive, BTW. Following instructions and painting to a guide is so passe' 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adolfocaetanonetto Posted May 18, 2022 Share Posted May 18, 2022 Scratch is always amazing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thommo Posted May 18, 2022 Author Share Posted May 18, 2022 2 hours ago, Pete in Lincs said: This looks interesting, and 'good on yer' for having a go. I've got the Revell pod racer in the stash, but I have too much fun scratchbuilding stuff myself. It does get slightly addictive, BTW. Following instructions and painting to a guide is so passe' Yeah, I'm addicted to it now. Just remembered I have a Cricut machine which I'm going to use for the first time in an attempt to cut styrene for this build. Just have to work out how. Think I need to use the knife blade (which I have) and maybe the multiple cuts setting. Wish I'd remembered this before, could have got a neater result than doing some bits by hand (maybe....). And then there is the issue of the plasma 'bolts' between the engines. I once saw a build where the guy used some sort of electricity to make actual bolts. No idea how he did that. Mine may be flexible LED string (bit thick though at 2mm) or perhaps optic fibre with side leakage. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thommo Posted May 21, 2022 Author Share Posted May 21, 2022 More engine progress. The Cricut turned out to be a Godsend. I cut some donut shaped pieces and the exhaust flap segments into styrene sheet which is about 0.5mm thick using the 'Plastic Packaging' setting with higher pressure and the fine point blade. It will make 2 cutting passes which does not go all the way through, but you can then use the exacto blade and just wiggling it to get it out. Those triangular pieces are only about 6mm long, 2.1mm at one end and 1.1mm the other end. 12 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete in Lincs Posted May 21, 2022 Share Posted May 21, 2022 That's the way to do it! I'll take a dozen in 1/32nd. Ta. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uncle Monty Posted May 21, 2022 Share Posted May 21, 2022 Very nice details there Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hunter Rose Posted May 21, 2022 Share Posted May 21, 2022 That's a sweet pair of engines! Especially at that size Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete in Lincs Posted May 22, 2022 Share Posted May 22, 2022 Look what I got in a bag of Star Wars stuff for a fiver at the car boot. The scale seems to be slightly smaller than 1/72. But, there must be more out there for you guys. It's copyright 1998. Star Wars action fleet. I plan to use the engines on the future build of a Razor Crest type ship. Cheers, Pete 11 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thommo Posted May 22, 2022 Author Share Posted May 22, 2022 Some early progress on the cockpit module. Bits & pieces thrown together from my spares box. Seat & IP scratch built. 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thommo Posted May 26, 2022 Author Share Posted May 26, 2022 Scratch, scratch, scratch.... I'm also trying to convert a 1/72 WW2 pilot into a podracer creature. Making ears in 1/72 scale is interesting. Think I'll give him 1/48 scale hands though. 11 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Romeo Alpha Yankee Posted May 26, 2022 Share Posted May 26, 2022 Damn fine work there Thommo! 🏆 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thommo Posted May 28, 2022 Author Share Posted May 28, 2022 Work on the alien pilot. A 1/72 WW2 pilot, with 1/48 scale hands, scratch built head and clothing out of Tamiya two-part epoxy. Legs removed to fit under instrument panel. Tamiya tape harness. 11 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevehnz Posted May 28, 2022 Share Posted May 28, 2022 This is looking pretty cool, one to keep an eye on. Steve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete in Lincs Posted May 29, 2022 Share Posted May 29, 2022 A great Pod and that great Alien should find the race a milk run. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hunter Rose Posted May 30, 2022 Share Posted May 30, 2022 That alien looks fantastic! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thommo Posted June 1, 2022 Author Share Posted June 1, 2022 Alien pilot painted & the majority of the electrics wired up. I'm slowly getting the hang of my $15 battery operated soldering iron (3xAA batteries). You get about 15-30mins of soldering time, then the batteries need replacing. I really should have invested in a decent one but meh. My electrical design skills have improved too - this time everything worked 1st time (well one more LED still to wire in so fingers crossed). Wiring in parallel is the trick. In series, too much voltage drop across the LEDs = they won't all work. That other black tube powers the plasma bolt between the engines......it may end in tears with 9V ramped up to 40,000V, I'm thinking it will need a small metal shroud on each engine to protect the plastic. 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uncle Monty Posted June 1, 2022 Share Posted June 1, 2022 "..9V ramped up to 40,000V.." How long will the battery last with that kind of drain (allowing for the fact that the current will be tiny)? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thommo Posted June 1, 2022 Author Share Posted June 1, 2022 3 hours ago, Uncle Monty said: "..9V ramped up to 40,000V.." How long will the battery last with that kind of drain (allowing for the fact that the current will be tiny)? Not very long as I'm already discovering every time I test the circuit! Maybe 15-20, 1-2 second zaps of the plasma bolt, then the distance you can zap (which is a max of about 1.8cm) begins to decrease and the engines need to be moved closer together. But once it is finished, the button will hardly ever be pressed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uncle Monty Posted June 1, 2022 Share Posted June 1, 2022 Sounds very cool indeed, any chance of a pic? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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