Studio Scale Blake's 7 DSV2 Liberator (3D printed kit)

[johndon]

This is the start of what will be, and I am under no illusions about it, a very long term project especially as I also have a four and half foot long 1/200 scale battleship on the bench.

 

As an 11 year old in 1979, I loved Blake's 7 and, especially, the real star of the show, the Liberator.  For me, it is still THE best looking scifi spaceship of all time, a beautifully elegant design that, at the same time, manages to look mean as hell.  I've wanted to build one for years and I know that there have been a few kits of her available but, as with a lot of things modelling related, 3D printing has allowed models of size and subjects previously not available.

 

This is a 3D printed (PLA) kit which, when completed, will be 3' long which, so far as I can ascertain, makes it the same size as the original filming model used for the TV show.  I got if from a seller on eBay (who also does a studio scale Federation Pursuit ship but that's for another day) and I'm pretty sure it is a print of the STL files available here: https://www.gambody.com/3d-models/liberator-blake-7

 

I've not built a 3D printed kit before so I figured, as they say, that I may as well go big.  I am, to make it absolutely clear, very happy with the kit but there are some issues:

 

Issues:

 

• Print lines which are, as to be expected, all over the model.  Some, however will pretty much disappear under a layer of primer but others will need quite a bit of filling and sanding.
• Each half of the engine ball has been printed in two halves and appears to be have been glued and taped together.  I suspect that this may affect the lighting of the engine but, if it does, I'll pay for the STL files and find someone who can print each half as one piece.
• Whoever designed the STL files has added a LOT of surface details that just weren't there on the original model.  I could, of course, sand them all off but my thinking is to treat the model as though it was for a remake of the show.  In much the same way that the USS Enterprise in Star Trek Strange New Worlds looks very different to the TOS Enterprise even though it is supposed to be the same ship.
• With the nacelles/weapons pods fitted, it is clear that the model is going to be very front heavy and a test fit on the supplied stand suggests that it is not going to be able to hold the ship horizontally.  The stand is hollow so I may look at filling it with resin to strengthen it or I may just go for a completely new stand.
• I also suspect that, without some form of armature, the pylons are at the risk on twisting under the weight of the nacelles - they aren't particularly heavy but, most the weight is ahead of the pylons.  If I go for my own stand, I may add a couple of acrylic rods under the nacelles to hold them up.
• The 'probes' that fit at the front of each nacelle are basically junk and haven't printed very well but I was planning on making my own with brass rod anyway.

 

Pros:

 

• It's a huge model of the Liberator 😍
• Whoever designed the kit did a great job with the pylons - as you'll see from the photos, the engine section is a separate part which, when fitted, locks the pylons in to place enough that the top nacelle can be fitted, and is perfectly secure, without any glue.
• Overall fit of the parts is excellent.

 

And some photos:

 

The main hull with a couple of detail shots:

 

 

 

 

Engine housing (which has the worst of the print lines) and ball halves:

 

 

Nacelles:

 

 

 

Pylons:

 

 

'Solar panels' which fit round the main hull and the probes:

 

 

the stand:

 

 

and a shot with the nacelles dry fitted although, in the case of the top nacelle, not pushed fully home on to the pylon:

 

 

So, a lot of work ahead but it certainly has the potential to be a very impressive looking model when it's done...

 

John

 

 

Edited July 16, 2023 by johndon

[Malc2]

Well this has got to be worth watching!

You need Orac to go with it.......

 

M.

[Peter2]

Could you include a banana, for scale purposes, a la the Dewey model in the sci-fi RFI?

Edited May 27, 2023 by Peter2

[johndon]

7 hours ago, Peter2 said:

Could you include a banana, for scale purposes, a la the Dewey model in the sci-fi RFI?

 

No bananas, but here is a 6" rule on the top of the main hull:

 

[Bobby No Mac]

Corr, this looks fab 

[Hunter Rose]

Man that's a beast at that size! Will definitely be watching 

[John_W]

I remember an article by Matt Irvine discussing "studio accurate" models and referring to the Liberator (which he built).

There were two models in different scales, and they differed from each other in proportions and details, there was no "definitive" filming model.

He also went on to say that they frequently had to replace the globe as it would heat up and melt from the light inside...

[johndon]

As mentioned, this will be my first attempt at a 3D printed kit and I have my first question, when it comes to getting rid of the print lines, is it better to sand the 'peaks' or fill the 'troughs' or a combination of both?

 

 

John

 

Edited May 30, 2023 by johndon

[Tinners]

I tend to use filler to fill the gaps in the layer lines, sand it back, then use spray putty to get the surface silky smooth.
If it is made of PLA, it is tough as old boots and sanding by hand doesn't have much of an effect, unless you really like sanding!
The last big prints that I created were rotary sanded with 320 grit paper to get a 'smoother' surface to work from, when filled, sanded with 320 and 600, then spray putty, with sanding between each coat. The finish was wonderful, but even with mechanical assistance, it was a real grind. 

[johndon]

Thanks for that, appreciate it.

 

John

 

[johndon]

Having seen a video on YouTube and a recommendation on Facebook, I got my hands on some Liquitex Acrylic Medium Modelling Paste to use as a filler as available here:

 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B001ICZRQG?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details

 

I'm testing it on the base and I've only tried it neat so far, although it will thin with water, isopropyl or meths, and results so far are very encouraging - it has filled the quite deep print lines on the base very well and sands very easily.  I'll put a photo up once I've got some primer on.

 

John

 

 

 

[Mike]

I'm looking forward to seeing what you're going to do with it John.  Keep on posting

 

Liberator.  The BBC's Millennium Falcon for me

[johndon]

As mentioned, I've made a start on filling the base print lines with the Liquitex, after one coat and a quick sand, I though I'd slap some primer (just standard acrylic primer, not filler primer) on the outer rim (the inner part has had no sanding yet) just to see how it is going.  Clearly there is more work to do but I'm very impressed with how the Liquitex is filling and sanding.

 

Before:

 

 

and now:

 

 

I reckon with a bit of elbow grease a completely smooth surface is achievable,,,

[johndon]

Work continues on the cycle of fill, sand, prime on the base for the Liberator.  I've only been putting in 15-20 mins a day but I'm getting ever closer to the finish that I want, it has taken  lot of work but given how rough the original print was I'm happy with how it is going.

 

 

As I'll be adding lighting for the engine bulb, thought turned to how to get wires up the stand.  It became clear very early on that, due to the shape of the stand and the honeycomb of printed material inside, going through the stand was not an option so I've taken the wires up one side of the stand and I've built up the side to cover wires:

 

 

Thin styrene over the top and the wires are hidden, all of this with be faired in to the existing upright with filler and more sanding:

 

 

I've also cut a hole in the base for a 9v battery pack which is high enough to hold the pack in place but I can still get it out easily to replace the battery.  Turning it on will be a bit awkward but I don't expect that the finished ship will be lit up that often:

 

 

John

 

[Mike]

I like it, and I also have a tub of the Liquitex goo on my shelf. I found it the other day looking for something else