New Model of 1701

[Kirkunit]

Hey All,

I started teaching myself SolidWorks this year & back in the Spring I posted renders of the Galileo I built. More recently, I started building a model of the original E & I thought I'd share my progress.

The model is built from a combination of Casimiro's plans & pictures culled from the interwebs. I have a ways to go (and a few corrections I need to make), but here she is:

 

[NCC-1701-B]

That's awesome! I've been using solidworks and it's not the nicest thing to use. Even getting curved surfaces seems to have eluded me.

Great work!

 

[Kirkunit]

Thanks! You're right: SolidWorks is a constant struggle for us. Unfortunately, it's what our industry calls for right now. I much prefer surface modeling in Alias. However, SolidWorks is parametric, so the models we make are much more robust. And, if you're patient (or stubborn) you can get SolidWorks to do what you need.

I should also mention the renderings were done in Keyshot. Not too pretty, yet -- but when I'm far enough along to add textures she should really start to come together.

 

[USS Mariner]

Thanks! You're right: SolidWorks is a constant struggle for us. Unfortunately, it's what our industry calls for right now. I much prefer surface modeling in Alias. However, SolidWorks is parametric, so the models we make are much more robust. And, if you're patient (or stubborn) you can get SolidWorks to do what you need.

I should also mention the renderings were done in Keyshot. Not too pretty, yet -- but when I'm far enough along to add textures she should really start to come together.

You ever use Rhino3D? I love it. Solidworks is a PITA, despite being parametric.

 

[Bernard Guignard]

Nice work there

 

[Kirkunit]

Unfortunately, we can't use Rhino for work. Our clients usually require Pre/E or SolidWorks. The few Rhino files we're received over the years have been pretty poor quality -- usually to the point of having to be rebuilt.

 

[USS Mariner]

Unfortunately, we can't use Rhino for work. Our clients usually require Pre/E or SolidWorks. The few Rhino files we're received over the years have been pretty poor quality -- usually to the point of having to be rebuilt.

That's really odd. Rhino is a great program: it's similar to AutoCAD (except more coherent) and it's surface and NURBS tools are incredible and fast.

 

[Kirkunit]

Update! Got the struts in, plus started adding all the windows. BTW, all comments, questions & nitpicks are welcome.

 

[Kirkunit]

Update time! I believe I have all the geometry done & I'm starting to break out the different shaders. None of the colors are final at this point, but this is sort of the way the work flow between SolidWorks & Keyshot works.

BTW, I don't have any texture maps at this point (bump or displacement). The fluting at the rear of the nacelles is modeled & patterned geometry.

Any & all comments, nitpicks, etc. are welcome!

 

[blssdwlf]

Looking good!

 

[Sumghai]

Hot stuff! Nice to see excellent work from a fellow SW user!

 

[Tiberius]

Looking really good!

 

[Albertese]

That's gorgeous! I want that top image to have all of it's markings in place and be the wallpaper for my computer!

--Alex

 

[Kirkunit]

Thanks for the feedback, everyone. No updates today, but I corrected a few things that were bugging me (mostly window sizes & location on the saucer).

I thought I would mention, though, what I'm aiming for from an 'accuracy' standpoint. My target is the production version of the 11-footer with the following notes:

The nacelles, neck and secondary hull on my model are symmetrical. I believe this was the design intention. I chose to make all the windows symmetrical, as well.

The saucer is not symmetrical -- at least the windows aren't. The 11-footer shows different window patterns on the port side & that's what I chose to follow.

As I mentioned above, I'm using the Casimiro plans as my main guide. But, I have found a few little things in those drawings that needed correcting. I'm also using all the photographic references I can find including screen caps & Smithsonian pictures.

The tricky thing with the Smithsonian pics, is reconciling all the changes that were made to the model which weren't present during the series' production.

Back to work...

 

[blssdwlf]

I highly recommend this catalog made by Tallguy: http://www.trekplace.com/tosfxcatalog.html for screen caps. You are right that the Smithsonian model some liberties were taken with the details. Keep it up!

 

[Kirkunit]

That's awesome, thanks. I also found that Trekcore has HD screen caps, AND some episodes have the CG Enterprise shots next to HD versions of the old model shots. So, basically, they're the same old shots we've all seen, just higher res & (somewhat) more detail.

 

[Kirkunit]

Another update. I'm starting to add all the markings, textures, etc. Nothing is really 'final' here, but once I get all the parts together then I'll start tweaking them.

BTW, most of these marking are from the Photoshop/Illustrator files I made years ago when I built this in Alias. My research was pretty solid back then & all my markings seem to be holding up. Fun fact: when I built my 22" Cutaway model (in a not-cutaway-configration) I printed my own decals using these same markings.

 

[TheSeeker]

Very nice.

 

[Kirkunit]

Update time. I made some pretty good progress this week. I have most of the graphics on (but none of the weathering, yet). And, I started tackling the Bussard Collectors -- or, "power domes" if you're old school.

Having done this before in Alias, I know it's a tricky thing to make the domes look right. They're not done, but I think I've got a handle on how to dial them in.

As always, any comments, nitpicks, etc. are welcome!

 

[Kirkunit]

Happy Halloween! (And, another update.)

I started weathering her & I've been working on the Bussard Collectors. I also noticed the registry & grid lines on the upper saucer are a little out-of-whack. I need to take another look at those graphics.

Thoughts?