Moebius Lost In Space "pod" Project

[papasmurf]

Well, it seems "Lost in Space" is still my most popular client theme order. 4 projects in a row, based on that series, now on the "Pod" build, a Jupiter 2 follows that. Posted below, are some current updates, on early lighting work on this small kit. I'm not impressed with Moebius, the fit for parts is poor, and the instructions lack a lot of data for the builder. I'd place Ertl, at least, a notch above Moebius for quality. The Chariot kit has decent instructions, but a lot of fit problems, and surface casting errors.

 

The Pod instructions are truly awful, and the fit for parts not far behind. I'm truly disappointed to report this, but as I was expecting Tamiya, or Bandai style quality, on these newly released kits, and got a major headache through both kits. Can't say I'm very fond of them, until I get more familiar with them.

 

With clamps, sweat, and plain obstinate determination, here's the results so far.

 

I'll post final shots of this build, on it's presentation base, when completed.

 

 

 

 

 

[ewahl]

What I see so far are many fibre optic strands leading off toward instrumentation and exterior lighting yet to be installed. Are you using the kit's molded instrument panels, or are you correcting them from reference photos? Looks good so far. Don't you just fume over kits that are supposed to be simple builds that turn out to be anything but?

 

Ed

 

 

[papasmurf]

What I see so far are many fibre optic strands leading off toward instrumentation and exterior lighting yet to be installed. Are you using the kit's molded instrument panels, or are you correcting them from reference photos? Looks good so far. Don't you just fume over kits that are supposed to be simple builds that turn out to be anything but?

 

Ed

 

I've not corrected, but mostly modified them, for lighting. As my first attempt at this kit, lighted, I'm still trying to learn how to do it right, the first time. There are many lighted instrument panels, and yes, those fibers are heading for various areas on the build. Had to use wispy hair-thickness ones for flexibility, and squeezing through very tight quarters. If I ever get talked into building it again, I'd be more comfortable augmenting this basic version, but not yet.

 

It's a level 2 kit, with terrible instructions, so Moebius lists it as a level 3. It's a so-so build experience due to fit problems, and another's may disagree with me, just my opinion, and what I had to work with.

 

Not really fuming, but very disappointed in the quality of the kit, and other Moebius kits I've looked over or built.

 

In my book, the older Polar Lights kits are far better.

[dmorrissette]

Here's our review of the pod:

 

http://www.ipmsusa2.org/reviews2/spsf-veh/...s-space-pod.htm

 

Same emntion of the weak instructions

 

Dave

[papasmurf]

Here's our review of the pod:

 

http://www.ipmsusa2.org/reviews2/spsf-veh/...s-space-pod.htm

 

Same emntion of the weak instructions

 

Dave

 

 

I'd agree on many points mentioned, especially the poor intructions. My fit issues probably stem from modifications for lighting, although I was careful to stay within the internal dimension limitations. I agree that these bigger scales are very nice, and previously unseen kits are great, but I really was hoping for better overall quality.

 

On the Fusion Core, sanding down the clear insert, top and bottom, will help it glue more flush with the bottom Hull, it projects beyond the outer Core section a bit. I found that the inner walls of the interior projected forward and had to be trimmed, as I could barely get the front hull on without doing so. If I had the opportunity to build it "out of the box" without lighting first, it probably would have helped me figure out some fit issues before I went to a lighted version. I usually do this, but in this case, my fault for not doing so.

 

Not knocking Moebius here, just got real excited at the notion of bigger and better LIS kits, but both the Chariot and the Pod have had issues that bugged me. I love a challenge, but good instructions, and step by step images of each stage, would be very helpful in building these new kits.

 

I'm getting ready to mask the exterior Hull for the Aluminium and Orange coloring, hope my results are as nice as the one seen in this article, which came out extremely nicely in my opinion!

 

With the problems I've run into, it really boils down to what the final results show, and hopefully, like the Chariot I completed a while back, the Pod will come out nicely as well.

 

Thanks for posting the link, some useful and helpful data mentioned, on his experience of building this kit.

 

Papa didn't meant to come off negative, been a rather "grumpy smurf" lately, working on that......

[VonL]

Well, the fact that it's a crummy kit makes your result epic. I'm inspired by the fiber optics here and really wanna try that on a cockpit, or a ship, some time. Have got a couple of those made-for-modelers 'fiber optic lighting kits' in the stash. Gotta lose my fear of it first.

[papasmurf]

Well, the fact that it's a crummy kit makes your result epic. I'm inspired by the fiber optics here and really wanna try that on a cockpit, or a ship, some time. Have got a couple of those made-for-modelers 'fiber optic lighting kits' in the stash. Gotta lose my fear of it first.

 

 

I've used those Fiber Optic kits, they work fine. Like all aspects of modeling work, it takes patience and a steady hand.

 

I'm not saying it's a totally "crummy" kit, I was just hoping for better, as model production techniques must be quite evolved by now, and I had expectations of Tamiya-like quality. Just disappointed, that's all, plain and simple.

 

"Epic"? Well, that remains to be seen, gotta finish it first, then you be the judge, many thanks for the kind words, as well.

[papasmurf]

A bit more progress on the LIS Pod project, images posted below. I'm getting a bit more familiar with this kit, and the work is going more smoothly. Had the instructions been more informative, and images in color, like the Chariot kit's, Moebius also produces, I wouldn't have sounded so negative about it.

 

I know many kits "by heart" now, steady sellers, but a new kit, in a "build-for-hire" production set up, can be frustrating. It's not just "fun and games" when a client wants really good results, and takes longer to create.

 

Just passing on the experience I've gone through with this build, from my perspective. It's quite small, and to light it up nicely, was rather difficult. Now that I'm confident my planning will be succesful, I'm a bit happier about the whole thing. But there was much tension and 'cussing in the Studio, aka, "The Smurf Cave", for a few days, trying to sort all the fine points out.

 

All tests indicate the lighting will be quite spectacular, and the exterior masking/painting stage is in progress.

 

Taking a bit of a break, once Easter hits here, and Spring Break in Daytona Beach is over, Ma and Pa Smurf take a week, or two off, to catch our breath.

 

This project should be completed by the end of the month, and I'll post those final shots then, meanwhile, here's a bit more work on this project.......

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[papasmurf]

Well fellow members, here it is, the Lost in Space "Pod" display! After roughly a month or so, the results of this very first version of the Moebius kit are posted below. If you wish to see the lighting activated, there are 3 film clips, on the www.thekitfactory.com , workbench page, I apologize for the page load time, those film clips do have a lot of bytes!

 

The Pod has forward lighted search lights, animated Fusion Core, interior Control Panel, and Main Console, fiber optic lighting effects, and displayed on a Presentation Base, with a 9 Volt power source, hidden in the Base.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[ewahl]

Well, Simon, this is another one of your jewels. I'm assuming that your main 9-volt power leads are running up one or more of the pod's legs very inconspicuously to the light sources inside the pod. The switches are also on the base? I saw there are both blue and green fiber optic light sources in the early in-progress photos, but I can only make out the blue light on the instrument panels, so where are the green ones? No offense intended; my computer monitor is a picture tube rather than a flat screen, so lighting and colors look different and I may not be picking up the green.

 

Did you say you have another dozen of these on order (oh, yeah)? This client should be very pleased. Great job!

 

Ed

[papasmurf]

Well, Simon, this is another one of your jewels. I'm assuming that your main 9-volt power leads are running up one or more of the pod's legs very inconspicuously to the light sources inside the pod. The switches are also on the base? I saw there are both blue and green fiber optic light sources in the early in-progress photos, but I can only make out the blue light on the instrument panels, so where are the green ones? No offense intended; my computer monitor is a picture tube rather than a flat screen, so lighting and colors look different and I may not be picking up the green.

 

Did you say you have another dozen of these on order (oh, yeah)? This client should be very pleased. Great job!

 

Ed

 

Unfortunately, I can only post a few seconds of film. There is a mixture of red to bue flashers, and green, bue, red, and yellow colored effects, at differently sequenced speeds, which blend into each other.

 

On a full rotation of the programmed effects, the entire Fusion Core, and interior "light show", takes almost 40 seconds, powering up, or down.

 

A dozen? I wish! This is the first results of working with this kit, and early results of "perfecting" a standard light system for it's creation. Next up, is a Jupiter 2 Standard build project.

 

Thanks for the kind words, I think it did turn out rather nicely, even in my book!

[papasmurf]

A few film clips, on U Tube, I posted a few days ago, show more variety of lighting, and the Pods interior control display's color scheme, in action.

Here's a link to one of these clips

 

You should be able to make out more of the lighted details on this clip, there are 5 other Pod clips, posted there as well.

[JayMesawitz]

Thank for the insipring work. Very impressive. Your web site shows you've gone off the deep end into lighted projects. I've not tried to work with lighting before. I build cars but there doesn't seem like enough room to do what you do!? Maybe I don't have the knutz!

 

Forever a fan.

[papasmurf]

Thank for the insipring work. Very impressive. Your web site shows you've gone off the deep end into lighted projects. I've not tried to work with lighting before. I build cars but there doesn't seem like enough room to do what you do!? Maybe I don't have the knutz!

 

Forever a fan.

 

 

Thanks for your kind comment Beer!

 

It's rather tricky to light models, as most are not designed for lighting. Using tiny fiber optic filaments, various LEDS, tiny cathode tubes, making sure no light leaks are seen to ruin the illusion, not an easy thing.

 

The Chariot was much like a car, but a completely "open" cab design, a car with headlights, a protrusive dashboard, and Seats, gives you a lot of hiding room in comparison.

 

Like all facets of modeling, it takes time, and a lot of mistakes first, to get a "handle on it".

 

Try simple stuff first, then elaborate as you learn new tricks. Takes a few years, to get somewhat proficient, at adding this element to "out of the box/store shelf" kits.

 

Thanks again, much appreciated.