The raised clip a cockpit. There is a no-named brand of those with faceted caps. Look for them at dollar stores. I collect odds and ends. I tore apart a trash vape pen for parts
A side note. For years I’ve been doing this work on my mid 2011 21.5in. iMac. Over the years I’ve upgraded it to its present configuration with an Intel i7 2600S, Samsung Evo 500GB SSD and 32GB RAM. It still serves me very well, but it might be time for an upgrade because my OS is stuck at Mac OS High Sierra. If I wanted to install OpenCore apparently I could run Mac OS Monterrey, but I’m not sure I want to get into playing with software on the computer. The only blips I’ve encountered so far is that some websites (only two I know of so far) won’t accept my version of Safari browser. It’s not a big deal because I can access those websites with my iPad. Nonetheless, despite my computer running better than when it was new, it’s still twelve years old and things won’t get any better. So most likely this year I’m looking to finally upgrade to a new device. My first choice was the new M1 iMac released about two years ago. My only reservation is that I can’t upgrade for more than 16GB RAM. It would still be a significant upgrade over what I have now, but I simply want more RAM even with the M series’ efficient integrated RAM configuration. An alternative could be the new Mac Studio Max which comes standard with 32GB RAM. This thing is a beast, but it’s not cheap and then I’d still have to get a display and sound system. The Apple Studio Display is very nice, and it has a built-in sound system, but it’s not cheap either. But going for a Mac Studio and the requisite add-ons will set me back distinctly more than a new iMac. And besides I still prefer the AIO configuration. My final option, and the most likely, will be the new M3 iMac slated to be released later this year. Given the configuration of Apple’s M2 chips the M3 will have a 24-32GB RAM option. I’d also want 512-1TB SSD for storage. That should do me for at least the next five years and likely longer. The upgrade from 21.5 to 24 inches display will be welcome although I have no complaints with my current screen. I’d probably opt for a blue one, but green or silver are possible alternatives.
I’m mulling over what a TOS era workpod might look ike. I’m also pondering about any other 22nd century ship design could look like besides what I’ve already done.
What you have done best is to resist the trend to flatten spacecraft on screen. I like a flat saucer…but still as part of a tall ship. I hope you revisit TAS as well.
I’ve been seeing a lot of “Ooooing” and “Aaahhing” over the new PIC ship designs. Frankly I haven’t liked a lot of Trek design since the TNG films and the 1701E. We’re in the the greebled and burnt pancake era—everything flatter, heavily detailed and dark. None of it does a thing for me.
@Warped9, when you say TOS Workpod, you mean what would be the Workbee in TMP, not the Travelpod Kirk and Scotty use in TMP to travel from the Orbital station to Enterprise?
Right. I somehow how don’t think we would have heard “workbee” in TOS parlance. My kernel of an idea at present is the canopy of a ‘50’s or ‘60’s era fighter jet and working from there
I'm sure you're familiar with the service vehicles MJ drew up. I'm thinking of four sketches labeled: --Space Dock Utility Craft --Space Tug --Space Tug & Service Vehicle --Space Tug, Converted to Farm Vehicle These are on pages 58 -61 of Star Trek Sketchbook: The original Series by Herb and Yvette Solow (1997). --Alex
Some of my favorite, albeit very poor attempts, at drawing spaceships was from erasers and pen shapes I got at school. I think that's a lot of fun.
One of my favorite 'found' spaceships, loved to take things apart as a kid https://images.app.goo.gl/LtgJL9rwB7hDohbE8
Thinking about this workpod I couldn’t help but think about the TOS shuttlecraft as well. Jefferies original design was more elaborate than the design they went with. The sticking point at the time was it would be too expensive and challenging to build a fullsize mockup for the original design—so they had to rethink their design. A miniature would likely have posed no problem given the design of the Klingon D7 miniature. So thinking about the workpod—do you design it strictly as a miniature (within the limitations set out in this project) or do you design it with consideration of maybe building a fullsize mockup? Given the episodes we got as being pretty much as is even if TOS had had a bit more time and money then there still likely wouldn’t have been any need for a fullsize workpod. From that standpoint one need concern oneself only with designing a miniature one could fashion at the time. Fine. But like some of the other designs I’ve done this isn’t likely something we would have actually seen onscreen. All that said I can’t help but wonder where did Lazarus’ ship in “The Alternative Factor” come from? Did they build that from scratch or did they borrow that from some other production? Because it generally sort of resembles what Jefferies was sketching as a workpod. It’s not ideal, but theres something of a resemblance.
Yeah, I thought of Lazarus' ship as well for the dome if it were to be repurposed as a workpod. Or something borrowed from Lost in Space.
I find it entirely likely that in the world where there was budget and need for a TOS workpod miniature, even maybe budget and need for a minimal interior (existing walls and probably an existing window or screen, re-positioned), there'd be almost zero call for a full size exterior build. Shuttles land on planets, so the desire for it to be in a scene is present, workpods would just be outside the ship, likely not showing anything but space, or maybe a shot of the Enterprise model, or slim chance of a shot of a hull panel for a close up repair, as that would essentially be as near cost-less as can be, besides the literal filming and compositing, but certainly no need for exteriors that would demand a full size version.
I would imagine a workpod being like a more truncated shuttle from the TOS standpoint. So, using that basic shape, putting the bubble of a fighter jet on top, possibly removing the nacelles, and putting some sort of arm on the sides.
I have no way to back it up, but the Lazarus pod always struck me as a carnival ride. I had assumed that it was from some spinny ride from a defunct fair in the late 50s/early 60s and was acquired on the cheap by the Star Trek production and slightly refit for "The Alternative Factor," in one version for the location shoot at Vasquesz Rocks and with the dome removed (but "hatchway arch" added) for the studio "exterior" stage shots. I wonder if the red and yellow sunburst figure painted on top of the dome could be some clue as to it's origin? And it did stick around as the dome was used again in "The Gamesters of Triskelion" to house our wager-placing overlords at the end of the episode. So some part of that could well have been used for some kind of work pod if the need arouse. --Alex
Expanding on @Warped9 comment: Would work pods be actually on the TOS Enterprise, or would they just be Starbase/Space Station equipment? Per Jefferies' words on the sketches, he calls these vehicles Space Port Utility Craft and Space Tug/Service Vehicle which are used to move bulky things/cargo/ships around Space Repair Dock (Shipyards). They don't look like they are present on the Space vessels in the 2260's, rather are found in Space Docks, etc. and they are not used to repair anything. Per Jefferies, most repairs are done from the inside of the ship. For spaceships on their own, stuff can be moved around the ship, inside and outside, with either antigravs or tractor beams. External repairs on the hull can be done by people in space suits. That's the technology we see/hear in TOS.
The main use I see for them - beyond moving larger material at a starbase or shipyard - is (and no, I'm not kidding even though I too think it's silly) painting on the larger text and pin-striping on the hull. It's the only "repair" that can't be done from the interior per Jefferies, and some of that seems like a very large volume of paint for individuals in space suits.
I would agree, except that drones are very much something outside the scope of this "keep it like they would have done in the 60s" project. The functionality and visual existence of drones in TOS is directly in opposition to just about everything we see and hear in the show. There are automated systems of course, but no physically independent systems. Automata that are encountered are treated as atypical, so it seems unlikely that the Enterprise or a starbase would have drones doing much. A long arm attached to a starbase that is more or less like a printer, sure! A physically independent drone, not so much. Is this a pedantic splitting of hairs? Absolutely! We are, after all, in a hyper-specific project thread on a hyper-specific forum.