For the latest updates check the project blog.
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Help me raise funds for the project by getting one of these sweet t-shirts.
The front has Han's line: "Hear me baby? Hold together..."
The back has the project logo as seen above on the web site.
Shirts are black, 100% cotton.
They are $25 including shipping anywhere in the USA.
I have M, L, XL, and 2XL sizes available in limited quantities.
Email me at therealchrislee@me.com for payment information.
I have embarked upon an insane quest to build the ultimate Star Wars prop: a 1:1 scale ESB Millennium Falcon with complete, correctly scaled interior. Yes, I have completely lost my mind, just like most of my friends and family say. Except for my close Star Wars fan friends, who say "cool, can I help?".
I am assembling the team to help me make this a reality. So far I have an architect, a structural engineer, contractors in several trades, and many members of my local 501st and Rebel Legion groups.
Construction methods will include a welded steel frame atop concrete piers and footings with sheet steel over a marine plywood exterior skin that is weather-sealed with an industrial epoxy roof coating. A heated/cooled interior space will house all the amenities that a smuggler's ship would have.
This will take 5-7 years, but after all, isn't the journey the real reward? Work is already underway on the workshop/storage facility which is scheduled be mostly complete by Summer 2010. Shortly after that, work will begin on the concrete foundation footers and piers for the Falcon.
I've done quite a bit of research on the full-size sets, both interior and exterior, and there is little coordination between the two. For instance, the interior set of the cockpit is way larger than the dimensions of the separate exterior set part of the cockpit. For those interested, I was able to resurrect Robert Brown's "Ship of Riddles" site using the web archive wayback machine. That's where I first encountered the problem that existed between interior and exterior scales. This has been an tremendously helpful source of information for my full-scale building endeavours.
Here is an example of the disparities between the interior sets, exterior sets, and some kits as calculated by Robert Brown:-----------------------------------------------------------------
Data: Saucer-Diam: Length: Height: +%:
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Elstree Set 19m/62' 24.3m/80' 4.9m/16' datum
WEG Source 20.5m/67' 26.7m/87.6' 5.2m/17' + 7 %
LASE 24m/78.8' 30m/102' 6.27m/20.4' +27.5%
My 1st Calc 24.5m/80' 32m/104' 6.3m/20.6' +29 %
1982 Plans 26.2m/87.4' 36.9m/122.9' 8.85m/29.5' +52 %
XWvsTIE 37m/120.25' +53 %
1:100 Model-Kit 35m/116' 46.5m/152' 8.97m/29.4' +84 %
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Final Calc 27m/89' 34.8m/114' 6.9m/22.4' +40 %
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Our numbers have been adjusted based on new measurements taken in August 2008 from the Master Replicas Falcon.
Using the recently released DK Ultimate Collection blueprints as our guide, we have calculated the final outer dimensions of the structure. The DK blueprints use the same overall length as the Robert Brown estimate. From there, we arrive at:
I own a secluded 88 acre tract of wooded land where we'll be building. We have selected a site on the property that is low enough so that the top of the Falcon can be seen easily from several vantage points. A flat area roughly 400' x 400' is being cleared. And yes, I am aware that it will eventually show up on Google Earth and Google Maps. I'm counting on that.
There is an existing logging road to the site which has been graded and needs to be graveled and compacted. I'll be bringing power and water to the site as well. The workshop building will also need power and water and septic.
Land clearing is underway. The first details are here.
You can see a time lapse video of me on the bulldozer here.
The first phase of this project includes a nearby, on-site workshop/storage facility, built using 4 recycled 40' ocean-going shipping containers. The shop dimensions are 56' W x 40' L x 24' H.
Excavation for the concrete foundation of the shipping container workshop is shown here.
The first two 40' shipping containers were delivered in July 2008. The remaining two will be delivered in Q2 2010.
Re-usable plywood forms are done and ready to be put in place for the foundation footers for the workshop.
For detail parts fabrication throughout the ship (full scale greeblies, etc.) I plan on building a 5'x9' CNC router table and have completed construction of a 2'x4' heavy duty vacuum-form machine.
For the latest updates check the project blog.
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