CLOSE ENCOUNTERS MOTHERSHIP PROJECT
Welcome to the CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND Mothership project!! The goal: to model (for 3d print) the most intense, most accurate and most insanely detailed recreation of this movie-classic mothership EVER attempted. This is DEFINITELY the most challenging 3D modeling project I've ever worked on. It is now available as a 3D print model. Read on...
model build-up sample by Jeff Bond.
photo credit: Tony Hardy
DEVIL'S TOWER now included free with the digital model.
This model is a direct print from my mothership CAD model. It was not modded. The lights are achieved using UV-REACTIVE Paints dotted onto the surface. Amazing and easy right?? Thanks to Tony Hardy for sharing his wonderful build.
Visit all the CE3K SCOUT SHIPS HERE:
If you're interested in the 3D printable model, email impervium@hotmail.com
The mothership (can be 3D printed from 5 inches to 5 feet!) I'm also modeling several of the scout ships.
The mothership is broken down into 6 main sections, most with flat bottoms making 3d printing easier. From top to bottom the parts include:
- Upper city attached to the mutli-level medallions (flat bottom -easy to print)
- sloped tier (the frisbee) Flat bottom - easy to print!
- cannister tier topper (flat piece to detail the uppermost surface of the cannister tier) This contains the mounts for the antenna.
- set of 16 antenna (print each twice)
- sets of beacons of different shapes and sizes (for detailing the antenna mount ring and the hull ring)
- sets of cranes and catwalks (for detailing the cannister ring)
- cannister/upside down city tier (this will need lots of supports to print)
- mushroom bottom (flat bottom, no supports needed) This has the faceted ring attached and central column)
- round hull (flat bottom)
**PLEASE NOTE: These parts are currently SOLID. It is modeled to a 12" default scale (hull 12" diamter). Scale it larger or smaller as you see fit in your slicer settings. To LIGHT this model, you will need to hollow the parts to allow access to the interior. I cannot hollow it for you due to wall thickness requirements for different scale options. Hollowing STL models is a very simple process and can be done with freeware such as meshmixer, blender, chitubox. Here's a terrific guide to hollow models in meshmixer (free program) (6) My process for hollowing models for Resin 3D Printing with Meshmixer - YouTube
The model breaks down into sections showing here:
HOW IT WAS MADE:
First test print was a SMASHING SUCCESS! OMG even the tiny telephone poles came through on the print. Unreal. This dude is serious about this project.
Progress continues on the tier surfaces...
These parts are nearly finished. They still need to progress to the HYPER DETAILING stage. I'm beginning to separate major components for easier 3D printing 5 weeks into the project so far...
The upside down city is complete and the cannister ring is about 80% complete at this stage (see below)
The beacons, cranes and catwalks completed:
COMPLETED!!!
VISIT THE STUDIO SCALE MODELS!!
Share Article