So I've just gotten Mels Imp 1 kit, but how hard is it to get the bridge off of the standard Imp model. I've heard a lot of people freeze them to split the main ship, but is there any tricks for disconnecting the bridge?

Some have suggested putting the ISD model in the Freezer for several hours to make the glue go brittle.

I haven't tried it yet, so if you would be kind enough to take a few pictures as you go I would be thrilled.

Hehehe

Ok so i had mine in the freezer for about an hour, then just gently flexed the bridge until the glue started cracking. The top came off the bridge first then the bottom.

The freezer is a myth. How much of the bridge do you have to remove for the mod? I can link the photos of it all torn apart when I get to a computer, or you can just look them up on my FB, LEDHangar under ISD.

33 minutes ago, Khyros said:

The freezer is a myth. How much of the bridge do you have to remove for the mod? I can link the photos of it all torn apart when I get to a computer, or you can just look them up on my FB, LEDHangar under ISD.

Freezer alone doesn’t cut it. You want rapid cooling and heating, then pressure.

Thats how you deal with superglue.

the assumption is the FFG factory uses Cyanoacrylate... and I don’t know how good of an assumption that is.

1 hour ago, Drasnighta said:

Freezer alone doesn’t cut it. You want rapid cooling and heating, then pressure.

Thats how you deal with superglue.

the assumption is the FFG factory uses Cyanoacrylate... and I don’t know how good of an assumption that is.

That is the method I used on others. When I took apart my Assult Frigate, I used freezer, then a Hot water bath. Even that wasn't quite a perfect separation.

I have considered trying a submerge and freeze method to use the H2O expansion to spread the seams, but for that to work you need to flood the internal portion of the model, and keep it submerged until it freezes. I'm not sure I wouldn't get warping though, so never tried it.

My bridge just detached as I was measuring it to make the kit So I had no problem taking it out.

2 hours ago, Drasnighta said:

Freezer alone doesn’t cut it. You want rapid cooling and heating, then pressure.

Thats how you deal with superglue.

the assumption is the FFG factory uses Cyanoacrylate... and I don’t know how good of an assumption that is.

I don't think you can cool it faster than @Spellscape did, and there was no marked improvement. I will continue to share his experiment because I think it's awesome that he did it, especially since there's a continued myth of "put it in the freezer!" as the primary advice for disassembling these ships.

Hey, believe who you want, after all.

its not like I haven’t taken two dozen apart or anything, either ?

http://imgur.com/a/1ywXh

So one is the disassembled bridge, and the other is with the new bridge installed.

The freezer is a myth, eh? Say all you want, after 5 ISD-1 kits and bridge removals, I think I've gotten the hang of what works for me. Here's a hint, it involves a freezer.

I want to see that fleet

There's two, lets say that the others fall somewhere in between

I found it particularly easy just lightly working around the seam edges with a hobby knife, before very gradually leveraging outwards from the seams with the same knife. It popped off quite easily, and the original bridge is undamaged.

Say @melminiatures while you're here, do you happen to have a side by side comparison of your Venator and a Victory?

And I think that when I get my Chimaera, I'm going to pull the trigger and get an ISD1 kit.

I put in my order for the ISD kit the other day. I'm told that it will ship 12/15. Shipping may be a little cumbersome around that time.

Still faster than 'The Boat', I hope.

Thus far, if the bridge does not detach easily, I'm going to try the freezer.

I want to paint mine white, and make it look like the ISDs in Rogue One . @Drasnighta , since you're the guy who has gone through many experiences painting miniatures what, how do you suggest I approach that with the ISD?

that seems sooo easy to paint when you show your results, Vykes, I hate you too!

They say all art is accomplished through pain, and modeling means the pain of all the literal blood, sweat, and tears getting those 13 frigging turrets on proper! You might hate me, but so do those ISD's! One of them went and fouled a knife bad enough to let the blade slip loose and gash one of my fingers pretty good. See, the Empire strikes back at those who play Rebels

-laughs- in all seriousness, thanks @gounour, mate. Those things take a fair bit of work but man are they worth it. And thanks again Mel, they are superb! Though won't someone pleaaaaaase think of the ISD-II bridges so Kallusly tossed aside in the making of those ISD's!

5 hours ago, Mikael Hasselstein said:

I want to paint mine white, and make it look like the ISDs in Rogue One . @Drasnighta , since you're the guy who has gone through many experiences painting miniatures what, how do you suggest I approach that with the ISD?

@CaribbeanNinja has an awesome white fleet (which he has yet to show us the ISDs of, IIRC). He also may be of assistance.

On 12/2/2017 at 6:05 AM, GhostofNobodyInParticular said:

@CaribbeanNinja has an awesome white fleet (which he has yet to show us the ISDs of, IIRC). He also may be of assistance.

Help us @CaribbeanNinja you're our only hope

3 hours ago, emsgoof said:

Help us @CaribbeanNinja you're our only hope

I find your lack of faith disturbing

I accidentally discovered the perfect way to do a R1 style White ISD...

1. Primer white

2. Set it about 2' away from where you are primering with black. Rotate model until evenly gray.

3. Clean model with cloth rag. (This will remove 90% of the black overspray everywhere except crevices, leaving the panels a very light grey.

4. Drybrush all leading edges white.

5. Add light dots, engine glow base & turret scorch marks... to taste.

6. Add glaze for light glow.

7 clearcoat.