Return to the BUILD
“Build, test, and fit another section of the upper saucer, ahead of linking it to the PCB in Stage 38.“
Contents
Parts
Materials: All of the non-electrical parts in this stage are plastic.
Build
Assembling Deck Panel U3-13
Step A
Carefully remove six (6) Escape Pod Covers, fifteen (15) Clear Windows and fifteen (15) Dark Windows from their sprues and fit them into the back of Deck Panel U3-13, as shown.
Reminder: I sanded all of these windows down already. See The Windows page for more details:
As before, I used pieces of black electrical tape behind the Escape Pod Covers and Dark Windows to reduce light leak:
Fit Reflector Panel U3-13-A onto the back of Deck Panel U3-13, covering the windows as shown:
Slide the LED on the red/black wire of the Deck Panel Lights cable into this notch of the Reflector Panel:
Secure the Reflector Panel to the Deck Panel with three (3) BP screws:
We can test these new window lights by connecting the Deck Panel Lights cable to the PCB and Battery Box:
Fitting Deck Panel U3-13
Step B
Retrieve your Upper Skeleton assembly and thread this Deck Panel Lights cable through this opening, as shown.
If you haven’t noticed, I find it easier to fit the Deck Panels with everything upside down:
Find the unused LED on the yellow/white wires (part 20E) we tucked through the Upper Skeleton back in Step C of Stage 21:
Slide this LED into the remaining notch of the Reflector Panel, as shown.
You may need to temporarily loosen the BP screws holding the reflector to the panel to fit this LED into place. I also needed to gently bend the leads of this LED vertical so it would pass through the skeleton easily:
Position the Deck Panel onto the Upper Skeleton as shown:
Secure the Deck Panel U3-13 assembly into place with two (2) DP screws:
From above, our new Deck Panel should look like this:
Thoughts
This was a quick stage with only one panel to build and attach. However, in the next stage, we will fit three more panels to our saucer. Keep the unused Right Neck Panel nearby as it will be needed in the next stage.
Next Up
Stage 38 – Deck Panel U3-14, Windows/Reflector/Lights, Escape Pod Covers