MechTech

This reminds me of the thread where someone said all they had was a coffeemaker and something else (?) and they built this (insert photo of Deathe Stat) Looks great! - MT

FINALLY resurrecting this project? I wondered what happened to the older version. This would be WAY too big for my collection and available space, but I hope all goes well if yo go ahead! - MT

Welcome to MW! Looks great! Nice and clean looking too. - MT

Thank you everyone. This thing is moving from skeleton to "filled out" stages finally. I don't know how much work I will get done in the next week or two, WE ARE MOVING. We're headed stateside now! Maybe I'll make it to Macross Con next year? Now I need a crate that's the size of a coffin for the Daedlaus UPDATE AUGUST 9th 2009 I finished the second elevator, it's just a dummy. It still has all the details to include tie-downs and teeth in the rails. They will still be visible through the interior when its open for display. The next fun step was adding the rear hanger extensions and crane container. This whole assembly will be the largest when done, about 4 feet long. I'm praying I can get this hole thing in a crate to protect it. I thought of using one of those GIANT plastic boxes for a Christmas tree or oother large items. Nope, their all too small! Just another thing that has to be custom done! The first picture is a set of rails run along the sides. This keeps everything square throughout the build. The rest you can figure out. The pictures may be mixed around. The attachment manger had files all out of the usual order. That's it for now. Thank you all for your continued encouragement and I'll post when I have a moving date. - MT

Absolutely stupendous work (awesome's getting over used )! Not to mention how quick you're progressing! I think you're going to finish before me! Especially since I'm moving and everything will be in transit for a while. Keep up the great work and thanks for updating us. - MT

Actually, out of all the older Macross Valkeries, I think the 1/72nd transformable was the most accurate before Hasegawa made their non-transformable one. It only needs some seam work to make it look good. The joint do become loose with age like all articulated models. There are also weapons store points on the wings, plus the gunpod expands! What else could you want? - MT

Awesome work guys! The Garfish looks great too. In fact, I would be jealous, but I'll be able to get one! - MT

I think he means the "meat wagon" to haul off damaged destroids. I definitely would like some of these. Time and price are factors for me. You may also want to check over at the Starship Modeler boards. I KNOW these will sell well if they aren't over-priced. - MT

It's always good to see some old school goodness get some love. Good job regardless of skills! - MT

Thank you guys. I'll update you on the whole moving situation a I know myself. Nickster, I can't take credit for the valks. They are Yamato's 1/200 valks ( http://www.hlj.com/hljlist2/?SeriesID=934&...archpage=Scitop ) I believe they are more than worth the money. They are also in scale. I thought otherwise until I got measurements. They go great with my high end die-cast aircraft also in 1/200th scale. You'll be seeing helicopters go with this too. Think Macross Zero. - MT

Thank you guys for the compliments! I'm hoping to finish it by next year. I may be moving soon so there might be a delay, we'll have to see. I do want to get this thing done though! There's other things piling up I'd like to build. Cos 918, welcome and thank you. I should be really updating things back at Mayhem's site, it just takes so long! Don't hesitate to PM for ideas. I love doing stuff like this and I've been doing it since I was a kid. I always put my engineering ideas into my model ships versus planes or cars; ships don't crash as easy! Here's some more photos from the table I made. I made some improvements here and there and it works great as you'll see in the next part. I added a fence and secured the pounce head so the bearing takes all the rotation force. UPDATE 26 JULY 09 You can see I FINALLY finished the elevator. In fact, this is the second one I built! I mis-calculated on the first one and it would not rotate properly. You can see the tie-down holes potted across the elevator surface. Some are clearer than others because of a wash of ink from cleaned markings. They are all uniform depth though (for the most part). Note the gray tube hinge pieces. This next picture is darker to bring out the engraved details. It shows the elevator stowed (as in all the line art) and how the whole thing goes together. The little tab you see sticking out in the bottom left hand of the elevator rail is what the elevator pivots open/closed on. The elevator platform is hinged. The upper hanger deck is where all the aircraft will go and it too has been "pounced" with holes all over for tie downs. How does it work? Check out the videos. The elevator is really quiet, but my camera's mic is nearby so it picks up EVERY little noise. The loud clicks are my battery box switch (only for bench top tests). The elevator will actually go flush with the top deck (when its built). Elevator_Open.MPGElevator_Closing.MPG[atta chment=69661:Elevator_Up.MPG] Elevator_Up.MPG

Lookin' good Nickster, keep it up. - MT

Welcome and thanks Budokhan. A lot of people have been looking for those. I have the book too, but it does seem to be rare and hard to find. - MT

Great work! I always wondered what the finished kit looked like. I too think your choice of shades looks good. - MT

Thanks Ron! You're helping bridge the thousands of miles. It looks like I missed out! Maybe next year! - MT

I'm in. I think Jason did a great job building that. Having it printed in 3D would be great. It will take a while to get the dough together, so once again, give us a heads up when you're ready and a final cost. I think you'll have more people say "yes" as the project progresses and people see progress photos too. - MT

Nice photo effects! - MT

Awesome work Maverick! It's really taking shape. All that from flooring tiles too! Another source for styrene you might find is in commercial signs. I've noticed my local hardware store sells signs like "beware of dog" and "no smoking." Some plastic food serving ware is made from it too. Just some ideas. Styrene is everywhere, even yogurt cups are made from it. - MT

Everyone's work is looking great! I'm still building one elevator - MT

John, instead of making an arm from scratch, you should have just used a REAL Darrenger pistol and cast it instead! That's what that thing looks like. Although your barrel diameter looks to be .50 cal Awesome work as always and I wish I was getting one Keep up the GREAT work! - MT

Looks good so far Nickster. I think the marker idea is great. I use it sometimes when my lighting isn't good (more so at night). Bright direct sunlight will show scratches when viewed at different angles and that's what I prefer. But the marker (thinner than paint) shows ALL your goofs before painting. I don't prime most of my tiny 1/200 models because the detail gets lost. Thanks for sharing and keep it up! - MT

The table is done! It looks really "McGuyvered", but it works! - MT

Thank Chas! I almost missed that! Heck yea, in my office too! This newer model looks cool! The shutters in the background explain it. The builder probably works in a joinery shop. - MT

UPDATE 12 July 09 Thanks to everyone keeping up with this build. Sometime you have to first go to point A BEFORE going to point B. That was my problem. I built my elevator assembly, but needed the top piece of the elevator. That calls for a finely engraved deck piece with simulated tie downs in the top piece. The Daedalus elevator is about two tennis courts long! That's a lot of tie downs and it has to match the top deck piece. So I did this (copied from the "What's Lying on Your Workbench" section): What's lying on my workbench is a TABLE! A ghetto fabulous X-Y table (manual) made from spare parts and a $10 cutting board. I'm mostly done scratch building it. Only the top arm needs doing which is easier than the bottom part was! This was two days of hrd work and it meant stopping work on my Daedalus. I finally got to the point where I decided I REALLY need one. I have to make simulated tie downs (like you see built into aircraft carrier decks) - six feet of them - several thousand! It would take weeks to do it or take this table and equip it with a special made ponce wheel to indent the marks. Roll the wheel back and forth, advance the table, and one perfect row is done. Repeat the process a bazillion times and you get a nice effect instead of plane smooth surfaced flight deck. Back stepping a bit, I was working on the tactical tower and just wanted to make more impact on the model. I finished the mast lights: That's the edge of an X-Acto knife blade. That box is now covered with resin so you can't see the wires anymore. I think I could have really been a brain surgeon if I applied myself more in school So I moved on to the main hanger bay section that has been collecting dust for over a year. This a before photo: It's now heavily modified it for the elevator and other details that will be going in. These parts are the sides AND rails for the elevator. There will be only one operation elevator on the port side. The starboard side will be a dummy. The lightest design I could come up with and the strongest is to have a shaft that stretches across the elevator and drives a gear (2 total) on either side of the rails. This ensures it climbs evenly on both sides and has no slippages. The sides in place The elevator drive is mostly metal and the worm gear gives more torque and prevents the elevator from slipping down. Next to the center of the motor you'll see a dot, that's a hinge point. The spring pulls the motor towards the gear, but slips if too much resistance is put on it. It's a mechanical clutch basically. That's all the photos I have for now. I would have finished the elevator, but the top would have looked plain. I'll post more photos as I get along and a movie of it working. - MT

What's lying on my workbench is a TABLE! A ghetto fabulous X-Y table (manual) made from spare parts and a $10 cutting board. I'm mostly done scratch building it. Only the top arm needs doing which is easier than the bottom part was! This was two days of hrd work and it meant stopping work on my Daedalus. I finally got to the point where I decided I REALLY need one. I have to make simulated tie downs (like you see built into aircraft carrier decks) - six feet of them - several thousand! It would take weeks to do it or take this table and equip it with a special made ponce wheel to indent the marks. Roll the wheel back and forth, advance the table, and one perfect row is done. Repeat the process a bazillion times and you get a nice effect instead of plane smooth surfaced flight deck. I'm making this so I can stick it on my drill press and machine more parts. The overhead rail will take a dremel tool too. It was $10 and this or $200 and less Macross stuff; go figure. - MT