Polar Lights 1:350 Scale TOS Enterprise Do It Yourself Wiring For Lighting

This video shows how to install wiring and LED lighting for the Polar Lights 1:350 TOS Enterprise model kit. This is a do it yourself method if you don't want to use an after market pre made lighting system. This method works for almost any kind of scale model.

[@davidward9487]

I was worried about using wrapping wire because I read if you nick it your done. I have a roll with 8 colors on it. I'm gonna use it in my current refit build thanks. I do however use hot glue over ca. I love your videos indeed learned so much. Thank you! I also use a thinner solder and 450-500⁰

[@schuhmansmodelshop8657]

Great video. Now I understand what you have been talking about all these years.

[@outsider238]

I love how you've got this process down to a science! Your tips have come in handy for my model builds over the years so thank you!

[@hhhtab316]

Thanks Boyd. I am almost finished with my TOS 1:350 E Enterprise, my wife bought me the model about 6 years ago and I just started it after you posted the updated videos, I bought the Tenacontrols lighting kit and some other items from HDA model work.

[@TrekWorks]

Awesome!

[@theensignschair]

Awesome information! Looking forward to that Shuttle Bay video so I can try again next build!

[@averagemodeler]

Great tutorial Boyd. Thanks for posting.

[@jdsimmie]

Thanks Boyd. Appreciate the video, really helpful.

[@derekbrake1415]

Hi Boyd. Not sure if you ever posted before, but could you list the details of all the materials used... the types of LED strips, wire, LEDs for nav lighting? Many thanks! Love the content!

[@ShannonFreeman]

Boyd, I got mine done. Just needed 1 warm white led tape strip for the engineering section. Had one of my ion pod lights wired directly to the power, so the shuttle bay is lit bright white, while the other ion pod blinks bright white.

[@gearhead762]

I changed up on wiring... not doing all of the independent leads for everything anymore. Pretty much running the strips in series mostly now because its alot neater and less wires to deal with. Pretty much using the bare minimum on strips now too so the windows dont look overlit.

[@rrraddsvalue]

Hello Boyd, awesome how to videos, your explanations are clear and concise. The tips and tricks are invaluable. Much appreciated. Do you have plans or do already have any videos on building the TOS and Retrofit model with photon torpedos and phasers? Again, you are adding value to me and the modeling community.

[@TrekWorks]

Yes I've built several ships with phaser and torpedo effects built in. There are videos of them on my channel here.

[@RankinImagery]

Again, thank you!

[@clydesims5121]

Great tutorial!

[@dalerotter5050]

I love your build series on the 1/350 E, I would like to know how long the LED strip is and how many bulbs?

[@wraith20072007]

Thanks Boyd this is very informnative appreciate you taking the time to do this. Did you get the one mesage I sent about how you work with fiber optic's? oh and whats the best way to contact you? I invented a new way of harnessing fiber optic's to a led source and want to share it with you and see what you think..

[@esbenrasmussen4289]

I would love a video on how to pick automotive sprays and paints and primers, for the people, like me, who cant get the products you recommend. I have spent hours on hours reading pdfs on different automotive primers and fillers and adhesion promoters. In EU it seems plastic adhesion promoters are called plastic primers and the ones I found focus more on protecting the plastic than adhesion. Looking for primers, I am worried I will end up buying a lot of products before finding one that goes on thin and smooth. That is if you have any clues to look for when picking out spray cans.... Maybe it just is trial and error

[@Spindrift-id1ez]

Cool, I'm in the middle of lighting my Seaview with Voodoo's kit and the bundle of wire they included with the kit is to heavy to run through the channels in the tail fin and I was thinking of asking what smaller gauge size you where using... Now I know, Thanks

[@danharris5999]

Do you have a build log anywhere on the web? Planning to start my movie/1st season version Seaview soon and would love to see what you're take on it is. I have the 2nd-4th season version too.

[@Spindrift-id1ez]

@@danharris5999 Oh hell it's been 30 years at least since I built a model, And this whole lighting thing is new to me so I don't think people would be interested in videos of my fumbling around, Nor am I set up for posting videos or pictures anyway. But I can say this. One thing I didn't care for when I see all the lighted projects other people have done is that when you look inside the control room thru the front windows in most cases you can actually see the LEDs. What I've done is to use a piece of laminated white paper as a difuser for two LED light strips that will illuminate the main part of the control room from above, Similar to what it looks like in the Tv show set. Any highlight red LEDs will be placed in hidden away spots where you will not be able directly see them. About the only difference otherwise from what other people are doing is I'm going to use a blue SMD to illuminate the radio shack. In latter episodes the back wall of the radio room looks like it is that Ice Pearl Color so I figure what the hell, Let's go with blue. Oh, And I enclosed the top of the spiral stair case and I'm gonna have a yellow SMD shinning down thru the stairs in hopes that it creates the illusion of a light shining down from an upper hallway. All that being said all I've done so far is rig up and test the upper LED light strip panels. And the effect looks pretty good, It's gonna work exactly as I planned. But I haven't even started to do any soldering of the resistors and leads to the main board yet. Soldering is new to me so I'm a little bit on the chicken shyt side. But I'm watching more and more videos about all this and I hope to be confident enough to give it a shot in a few days. The biggest problem really is that I'm now 59 pushing 60 and not necessarily in the best of health anymore and so I don't have the eyesight or dexterity in my fingers i did 30 years ago, And some of these lighting kits I've ordered and their diagrams are down right scary. I'd almost rather go back in time to 1991 and dodge scud missiles again in Dhahran Saudi Arabia rather than mess with some of these kits that aren't simple plug and play.

[@kimdavis5522]

I was wondering what what would it cost to build an Enterprise TOS with lights and ship it to central Florida?

[@AvengerII]

I've soldered electrical wire a few times and it's always nerve-wracking when you're soldering to smaller points on a PCB. I don't do it a lot but there have been a few occasions because A) I tend to to be steady and read what I can before I do semi-hazardous things and B) I just don't want to pay people $80-$100 for work I KNOW I can do. Fortunately, with my hobby, they've moved towards screw terminal posts and pre-assembled wire harnesses so you don't have to solder as much unless you use the cheaper PCB's that require soldering. I've also found it's much easier to solder signal lines to PCB if you invest in a decent soldering stand with clips to hold the PCB and a magnifying glass (2-4x magnification) to make it easier to see soldering points. The stands and mag glasses make it much easier (and safer) to solder. I've been burned ONCE by a iron and that was enough! I have read the 60/40 (Tin/Lead?) with the rosin core is the best to use. There is "safety solder" out there but as I understand it the solder joints that use safety solder don't hold up as well as the tin/lead solder. There IS debate about which type of solder is safer. The "safety" stuff supposedly takes longer to set up and requires higher temps. I just wouldn't use it on the basis of stability if the safety solder fails within 10-15 years. The tin/lead solder joints should last a lifetime if they're done well...

[@michaelhintzmikesminiature1812]

I've never tried to light anything. I have the refit and it seems like it would be the same. Do you get all your supplies from HDA???? I'll be watching

[@TrekWorks]

Yes, I get most of my lighting supplies from Hda. He's got everything I need in one place with great prices and fast shipping.

[@davidward9487]

If you build the refit first You'll be a pro after that build.

[@toddmustachio6085]

Dumb question...can you spray the Duplicolor matte clear over the HDA decals? Thanks

[@TrekWorks]

Yes, it works perfectly for that.

[@josealfredojimenez2823]

Where can I get the base to put the sound buttons.

[@petermerz2704]

Great tutorial! However, power runs from negative to positive!

[@TrayChester01]

The video is horizontally flipped. :)

[@gearhead762]

Looks like a straight overhead shot from here...

[@TrayChester01]

@@gearhead762 Nope. Read the text on the wiring spools and the red tube of putty (I think) in the trays. All backwards. Also, I believe Boyd leads with his right hand, not his left.

[@TrekWorks]

Yes, it is flipped. I did it the wrong way so it turned out mirrored. I'll fix that next time.

[@wraith20072007]

Hey, I was the first to comment...cool. lol