Martian airship under construction (Added to store, page 6)

[fergal]

So I got this laser cutter thing and I've had a few projects that I've wanted to to for a VERY long time.

One of them is creating a few VSF airships, so here is the beginning of my attempts.  This is the beginnings of an airship that will eventually have railings, a crows nest, at least two more lower decks on the rear compartment, and quite a bit of decoration/detail added to the outside eventually.

Ive spent about 15 hours designing and redesigning this thing so far, I expect it to start to go quicker as I get more experience, but his is my first go at something complicated.

[OSHIROmodels]

Looks promising 

Are you going to do everything on the laser, railings etc (please say no  )

cheers

James

[fergal]

Top to tail on the laser 

[The_Beast]

I'm sorry, but I fear 'mad monkey' sounds apropos... 

Looking VERY promising, don't let James fool you. 

Just out of curiosity, does the cutter let you do surface etching? Is that how you got the planking on the deck? Are you tempted to do more complex embellishments? (By the way, if so, you may well have progressed to 'mad great ape...') 

Don't forget the '...and all things airbourne.' sticky.

Doug

[fergal]

Looking VERY promising, don't let James fool you. 

Thanks for the encouragement, and I won't.  There are lots of folks our there making cool airships by hand, I'm simply not one of them.

Just out of curiosity, does the cutter let you do surface etching? Is that how you got the planking on the deck? Are you tempted to do more complex embellishments? (By the way, if so, you may well have progressed to 'mad great ape...') 

Yeah, surface etching is easily done, that's how I did the planking on the walkway.  Eventually all the deck with have planking and all of the sides will have 'boards' etched in.  It's just that nothing is final in the design yet, so any time spend working on decoration will have to wait for the structure to be completed.

Don't forget the '...and all things airbourne.' sticky.

Perhaps when she's finished

Thanks again.

[Traveler Man]

Shaping up nicely! Ah, the wonders of modern technology.

[The_Beast]

...
Yeah, surface etching is easily done, that's how I did the planking on the walkway.  Eventually all the deck with have planking and all of the sides will have 'boards' etched in.  It's just that nothing is final in the design yet, so any time spend working on decoration will have to wait for the structure to be completed.
...

Furthest thought from my mind!

Though, some nice swirling motifs of arcane and archaic significance... 

Doug

[fergal]

Worked on the lower back deck for the past few days.  Had to redesign about three times now.  I'm happy with the current way this deck is going.  It will get a railing on the front and I may possibly extent the balcony part about an inch, haven't decided yet...

There will be one more deck below this one, non functional, just enough to give it a cool profile with a 'fin-type' effect below.

Here is the profile.



I'm going for use with 28mm figs, but only had a couple of 22mm-ish guys sitting around ready for photos.



I wanted a lot of play space on the top decks so that walkway is big enough for two 30mm bases to stand on the width of it.  Everything else is based off of that.



Next to finish the back panel on this deck and shore up a few measurements so I can a nice tight fit on this deck.  Then to finish up the final level and then the railings.  Lot's of railings will be needed to finish this guy off.  Wouldn't want to go flying around the sky with no safety measures between you and a 1000ft drop...

[DLIinVSF]

Everytime I'm away these wonderful projects come along. Bravo Sir most splendid 

[The_Beast]

...so that walkway is big enough for two 30mm bases to stand on the width of it...

Bit of a surprise to me, as I was fooled by the foreshortening, but the last image lets me gauge the figure, and makes all clear.

Impressive battles to be fought there, me thinks!

Excellent!

Doug

[fergal]

Thanks DLIinVSF, I appreciate the complement

@the_beast: I thought that I needed to give it a little scale so folks had some ideas of the size.  I usually use 28-30mm figures, so this may make it look a little bigger than it will in the end.

I've been laid up by an emergency appendectomy, so work on this baby will cease fo about a week or so I imagine.  I will have lots of design time, but little chance to cut.  I need to train my 11 year old daughter to run the laser maybe?

[The_Beast]

...
I've been laid up by an emergency appendectomy, so work on this baby will cease fo about a week or so I imagine.  I will have lots of design time, but little chance to cut.  I need to train my 11 year old daughter to run the laser maybe?

Thinking about may halt for a week or so, but my experience is to at least treble that time or more to start DOING anything. Which is fine, of course. Only directive: heal and heal well.

You'll thank me later.

Eleven year old daughters can really surprise you, but if she starts laughing maniacally at the thought...

No, you were right the first time. Cute joke. Not to mention the single directive.

Doug

[fergal]

Alright, on the mend now and have begun to work on the ship again.  I had an 'ah-ha' moment today and totally redesigned the bridge deck with the supports on different walls and it works sooo much better.  Still looks the same in the pics but the final model will be MUCH more stable for the switch.

Here is the profile, I quite like the hornet/klingon type curve as it arches forwards.  I had intended to add one more deck below this but as it will have zero effect on play or functionality, I'm just going to add a cool shaped 'keel' to it instead.  The option is totally there to add it in later if I want.  The bridge deck is one module, so it would be a simple act of adding another module below it.



My first try at railings, I'm pretty chuffed at how they turned out, pretty rock solid to boot!



Some 28-30mm dudes to give it some scale.  I'm already planning to add two inches to the mid deck and two inches to the fore deck.





Eventually, I'll run railings over the edges of all these decks.  I think it will add quite a bit of character.

[DLIinVSF]

Looking good 

[The_Beast]

Alright, on the mend now and have begun to work on the ship again. 

Crickies! Has barely been a full week since the last post. Will no one listen?!? 

My first try at railings, I'm pretty chuffed at how they turned out, pretty rock solid to boot!
...
Eventually, I'll run railings over the edges of all these decks.  I think it will add quite a bit of character.

Damn! Really, just DAMN. 

However, as I've already betrayed a certain lack of visual discernment, be a bit before I get the rest of your adjustments worked out, though I thought the further lower deck a 'below the bridge too far...' 

Does it please that I covet your work?

Slow down, stay well.

Doug