As far as the warped saucer....that's always been an issue with the Excelsior kits, even the new one like this one. I have read over the years for warping plastic use a hair dryer to get it straightened out. If you google how to unwarp a Star Trek model piece you should come up with something.

Honestly I never saw the point of those fins above the impulse deck. I don't think they were ever explained in cross sections or schematics. If they were maybe someone can tell me. I could see this upgrade being a step into the Excelsior 2.0 from Star Trek Picard. Regarding sliced fingers....been there done that more times than I can count. I always think of a sliced finger as an initiation into the model builders circle. If someone building models have never accidentally cut yourself with your hobby knife blade...then you aint a true blood and sweat builder lol.

That tiny deflector dish definitely was the dish for the Enterprise-B. Good job on the progress. Been loving the changes/upgrades you've been doing for this model. Loved hearing your bird(s) in the background. I had a Quaker Parrot back in high school until 2004 when I moved from Vegas (from there). I ended up giving it to someone my brother knew who raised birds. I miss her a lot ...she may not be alive anymore since the tag on her foot said 1991 and it's now 2024...so yeah 33 years don't think birds live that long. Edit: Those look like the same type of crystals I get from Michaels to use as formation lights on the larger models...well at least the more tinier ones.

That part you can't find in the instructions, is it part 219 on the sprue? If so, that's the deflector dish insert for the Enterprise-B.

Where can I get a set of those purple handled files & reamers? Also, where can I get that plastic sheeting with the grid marks on it?

The ventral opening you filled in is, in fact, the primary personnel shuttle bay, while the one on the aft end is the cargo shuttle bay.

Gorgeous re-refit. 👏🖖

Great video. Where can get some needle files that small for those windows?

Onyx Onizuka Retrofitting.

Great idea with the Deflector Dish, I like how the light is coming through just right. super job.

The fantail looks awesome, great idea, lighting comes through really nice...that was a lot of work but it paid off at the end.

Nicely done with the windows specially the Sensor Dome light. think I'll do that with mine which is in the preping stage right now, thanks for sharing.

A counter sink bit would be good for the planetary sensor dome on the bottom of the saucer

Gor-gee-us!

I see the finger is healing nicely which is good. Keep on keeping on she's taking shape, thanks for posting and sharing...see you in the next one.

Amazing build. Beautiful. What are you going to do with the nacelles? Are they going to be Excelsior-style, Ent-B-style, or your own kitbash? Ship is looking great. 🖖

How do you cut the oval windows? I always have difficulty when I try and they never turn out right for me

Coming along very nicely

Yes

Have you considered giving the saucer a front and rear torpedo launcher for separated mode? One of those gaps between the impulse engines is just begging for a greeble detail.

Looking great brothe

Have only just come across your channel; I love your ideas and am enjoying and learning from your videos - subbed!

That circular piece you showed at the beginning looks like the dish from Enterprise B, and depending when you got your kit, the kit had some shared parts with Ent-B and Excel

I miss working on my star trek models. You make me want to get them down from the attic and start again.

Neat, I like, this makes me want to do some starship modeling of my own.

Awesome and interesting. Thanks for the knowledge. And thanks for watching 😊

At 1:25 that piece *is* a Main Sensor/Deflector dish. It is from the sprue that was created when the original Wxcelsior mold was added on to when AMT cut into the original mold in order to create the Enterprise-B kit. For almost 2 decades model builders could not get a new Excelsior kit. Until Polar Lights/Round 2 bought AMT, andcstarted looking at thevoriginal molds and eventuallly decided that they could make new toolings for the secondary hull and the saucer to give us the unmodified Excelsior again. But doing so, they kept a number of the modified sprues that had parts that worked on both the Excelsior and Enterprise-B kits. So they left them. One of those poeces is the Refit Excelsior tiny main sensor/deflector dish. Ah, you have christened your ship with blood! Yes! A true model builder. lol The number of times I have sliced, skewered, and impaled myself kitbashing starships. *giggle* 😁 Yep, it hurts. But I'm glad it wasn't more serious. Excellent build so far. That ship is gonna be fast at sublight speeds. 😲 Regarding a comment I read earlier here, if you have any leftover 1/1000 kit decals with names on them, you could bash a new name for this ship. Maybe combine the letters from Enterprise and Excelsior and come up with a new class ship. 🤔 This build is turning out great. Be Excellent and Party on. 🤘😎🎸

Btw, I hope the cut isn't real bad, hope it heals quickly...looked like a bad cut. I've been in the emergency room a few times and got a few stitches myself so I know how it is. be careful in the future Bro. No kidding, they have a coffe cup with my name on it at the emergency room God's truth lol

🖖😎👍Very cool and very nicely greatly fabulously spectaculary well done and executed in every detail way shape and format provided on a job wonderfully well done indeed Sir!👌.

You been working your but off on this like I have on mine lol. she's looking more and more facinating as you continue can't wait till she's done. Btw congratulations in making your first build series on youtube, I wish you all the best...keep 'em coming Bro. and hit me up if you like to share some build idea's... if you watch the video on interstellermodeler by Oggie, titled ( Hot off the Bench Intersteller Modeler Yr2 Ep5 )...that Space Pod from Lost in Space is mine that I scratch built. Have a good one Bro. kzbin.info/www/bejne/mZrbZ36bmciajcU

🖖😎👍Totally very cool and very nicely greatly looking indeed Sir!.

🖖😎👍 Totally very cool looking indeed and very nicely greatly well executed and detailed in every way shape and format provided indeed Sir!👌.

Thats looking real cool.

I know thats a lot of work, I had to practally rebuild my impulse engines cause as you may know the I.E. bottom and top area don't fit right. but it came out better than the factory molding in fact looks perfect and fits like a glove. Your Impulse Engines are looking real cool though awesome job.

I'm surprised you didn't use strips from the lenticular effect picture to get somewhat bendable strips instead of working with that old pylon base. Seems like an easier source for ridged plastic.

Looks fantastic, great ideas and execution! It’s starting to go beyond a simple refit of the Excelsior… Maybe give it its own class name based around the Excelsior - like the Crazy Horse class or the Sulu class? Just a thought 😊 Looking forward to the next video!

I love what you are doing with this. You are giving me ideas I don't need. 😁

You could probably sell that for at least half a grand.

What a chatty Cockatiel! :)

That really is amazing work I enjoyed the slideshow a lot

This is coming together very well. I love the details you are adding. They fit nicely for the style of the ship. It's all good regarding your cockatiel. My cat has become a part of my channel as well due to his talking as I record. lol It's all good. This ship is really coming together very well. Thank you for the new episode. Be Excellent and Party on. 🤘😎🎸

Really enjoying what you're doing with this build so far. Looking forward to seeing the ship all put together.

If you ever decide to upgrade to the Proxxon suite of scale modeling power tools, check out the PS 13 pen sander. Perfect for the type of work you do, sanding things even in sometimes cramped areas of a model and you can even make your own additional tool heads for it. Think of someone putting sandpaper on the tool head of a cheap electric toothbrush, but wayyyy on steroids.

Interesting project, can't wait to see finished product.

I like what you are doing. Not like I needed anymore ideas.

I'm enjoying this series. It is helping me get ideas for doing some lighting on a upcoming model build. Thank you for sharing these. Your shop is turning out wonderfully. Be Excellent and Live Long and Prosper. 🖖😎🎸

Best in last 50 years

Great job , looks really good lit up

I like this organic style of modeling. You never know what you're going to get until you're done.