Hello,
I really want to add lighting to my Decimator, and I have found a couple of post about taking it apart (if you have any good instructions, please post). My biggest question is it looks like most people saw the columns that keep the model together, so when you are all done with your lighting mod, how do you put it back together so it stays together? Does it just snap together? Are people just using magnetics?
If you take the time to gently pop the glue bonds rather than sawing (a little time in the freezer can help), it will press fit snugly back together. If you saw it you might need a magnet or screw or two.
I glue all of my models back together. I've been using drone batteries inside, and have been recharging them through 1/8'' magnets attached to small steel sheets. This way you can completely remove most posts to open up even more space for more stuff inside.
If you take the time to gently pop the glue bonds rather than sawing (a little time in the freezer can help), it will press fit snugly back together. If you saw it you might need a magnet or screw or two.
Wow, so you were right, just did it over my lunch. Can't believe how easy this actually was. I just took a regular dinner kitchen knife, wedged it in a little and just wiggled it back and forth. The first pop did scare me, thought I broke it. I just worked my way from the front to the back, and it just pop right off.
If you take the time to gently pop the glue bonds rather than sawing (a little time in the freezer can help), it will press fit snugly back together. If you saw it you might need a magnet or screw or two.
Wow, so you were right, just did it over my lunch. Can't believe how easy this actually was. I just took a regular dinner kitchen knife, wedged it in a little and just wiggled it back and forth. The first pop did scare me, thought I broke it. I just worked my way from the front to the back, and it just pop right off.
I found the Deci one of the more difficult to get apart personally - the airlock sections in particular had a LOT of resistance, and there's a pillar right in the middle that it's tough to get leverage on.
If you found the Deci reasonably easy you should have little trouble with any of the other ships I've done thus far (falcon, Slave 1, parts of the YV, TIE Bomber).
If you take the time to gently pop the glue bonds rather than sawing (a little time in the freezer can help), it will press fit snugly back together. If you saw it you might need a magnet or screw or two.
Wow, so you were right, just did it over my lunch. Can't believe how easy this actually was. I just took a regular dinner kitchen knife, wedged it in a little and just wiggled it back and forth. The first pop did scare me, thought I broke it. I just worked my way from the front to the back, and it just pop right off.
I found the Deci one of the more difficult to get apart personally - the airlock sections in particular had a LOT of resistance, and there's a pillar right in the middle that it's tough to get leverage on.
If you found the Deci reasonably easy you should have little trouble with any of the other ships I've done thus far (falcon, Slave 1, parts of the YV, TIE Bomber).
Haven't tried a decimator yet but I have done the YT-1300, GR-75, Gozanti, Mist Hunter, Lancer-Class and JumpMaster 5000. JumpMaster takes the cake for hardest to get apart with the Lancer-Class a very close second. I've started in on the CR-90 and the airlocks are causing a lot of problems there, "it's the funny little caps on the side" that make it frustrating.
Of the ones I have done I think the Lancer-Class has the most internal pegs and oddest joining angles (the top makes an L shape over the bottom so you can't get as good of leverage as you can on other ships). The JumpMaster 5000 exploded into 8 fractured plastic pieces when I spent my action on Rage to get it open. 
@thespaceinvader: do you have pictures of the inside of the Slave 1?
If you take the time to gently pop the glue bonds rather than sawing (a little time in the freezer can help), it will press fit snugly back together. If you saw it you might need a magnet or screw or two.
Wow, so you were right, just did it over my lunch. Can't believe how easy this actually was. I just took a regular dinner kitchen knife, wedged it in a little and just wiggled it back and forth. The first pop did scare me, thought I broke it. I just worked my way from the front to the back, and it just pop right off.
I found the Deci one of the more difficult to get apart personally - the airlock sections in particular had a LOT of resistance, and there's a pillar right in the middle that it's tough to get leverage on.
If you found the Deci reasonably easy you should have little trouble with any of the other ships I've done thus far (falcon, Slave 1, parts of the YV, TIE Bomber).
Haven't tried a decimator yet but I have done the YT-1300, GR-75, Gozanti, Mist Hunter, Lancer-Class and JumpMaster 5000. JumpMaster takes the cake for hardest to get apart with the Lancer-Class a very close second. I've started in on the CR-90 and the airlocks are causing a lot of problems there, "it's the funny little caps on the side" that make it frustrating.
Of the ones I have done I think the Lancer-Class has the most internal pegs and oddest joining angles (the top makes an L shape over the bottom so you can't get as good of leverage as you can on other ships). The JumpMaster 5000 exploded into 8 fractured plastic pieces when I spent my action on Rage to get it open.
@thespaceinvader: do you have pictures of the inside of the Slave 1?
Not handy but I never got round to painting it so it's not glued together. I'll try to remember to get some shots when I get home, but otherwise I think there are some in Barry Harker's or Macross' threads.