New interrogations
The multiple vision of film and the bad photograph of the ship seen from the left make it possible to visualize the left modules. On the other hand, I realize that there are differences between some of the right modules of the 15 feet and 54 feet models. Best seen in the movie being the 54 feet version, I decide to build a replica of this version. Other problem unsolved with the seeing of the movie : there are 2 thrusters (or cameras) at the high back of the sphere, but only one at bottom right. Not trace of a second on any document! I decide to do one on the original and to fill it later on the resin cast if I find information confirming this fact.
Moulding (at last!)
In the beginning of September 1999, a little more than one year after the beginning of work, I can finally mould the sphere. After test of building of a rather disastrous steady support, I use a ball in PMMA which I had bought at the beginning of the reflexions on the sphere. I cut it into 2 parts, the little of distance between the sphere and the walls of the ball allowing to save silicone, but having the disadvantage to make difficult the release from the mould. I have just enough of 1 kg of silicone to mould the 2 parts.
Sphere logical continuation
After the sphere, the cones which are in its continuation. I turn them in MDF, a wood made of very tight fibres. This material cuts out without problems with the jigsaw, the cut is very clear. But it is " fluffy " when it is turned, it thus should be painted, even be puttied then sanded to give again one smooth finished.
Several sheets are glued together to obtain the desired thickness. Before sanding, a coat of wood paint is used to fill the pores. For an unknown reason, it spent one week to dry!
Small sheets are glued according to the documents. To simplify, I used sheets cut out in cardboard and fixed with two-sided tape. For facilities of moulding, 2 separate cones were built.
First castings
The half-spheres are casted in resin by successive layers, with a reinforcement in roving, a flexible woven fibreglass. Small anecdote : there is a stowaway in Discovery! Indeed, a mosquito stuck itself to the resin not yet dry! I left it in place, it will not see behind the pods bay.
There is quite a lot of work to refine the casts, the counted on quality not being here, mainly because of the use of wood for the original. Moreover, the central tape which connects the half-spheres will be to do again and reinforce.
PAUSE
For 2 months (November and December 1999), not work on Discovery due to preparation of a Star Wars animation (complete rebuild of the Obi-Wan and Vader sabres, building of the Garindan costume).