It looks stunning in the darkened vaults of the Truman Brewery on the first day of the SPIN Expo, where it attracts the crowds. I ask mate and photographer, Ollie to come over and do a quick shoot. He captures it perfectly. Later, it also captures the attention of WIRED magazine.
I run it up in the van back to Tyson’s and it’s rubbed, blasted, and chrome powder-coated in a flurry of activity as the clock ticks down too quickly for everybody’s liking before the show. I wanted the spaceships laser guns to look like different coloured light sabres, so it could be very Luke v. Darth when the TIE model was made. Andy’s suggestion of Encapsulites hits it on the money. They are duly wired in and are both super-bright and super-cool in ice blue. The red engine burners are a late shout, but complete the picture. It looks real. Ready to go to SPIN.
But time is running out. The sculpture needs to be put together. Pressure on. Mike kindly brings in materials and Matty, to help assemble in their spray booth. Welding goes ahead. Adjustments here and there, but it shapes up nicely. Weekend and a couple of weeknights’ hard work then dispatched back to Tysons.
