I created Starbug by gluing three appropriately-sized Styrofoam spheres together and then cutting out the windows and other major indentations. The spheres were then coated in a thin layer of plaster, sealed and sprayed with mold release.
I then cut the spheres in half lengthwise and covered each of the two half-spheres with generous layers of fiberglass. When the two fiberglass halves were dry, I removed the spheres (pulling them out in pieces), and the halves became my molds for the main body. In similar fashion, I carved green sculpting foam to make the four landing leg housings, the two rear engines, the two engine cowls and the four feet, and I made molds from each of these pieces.
With these molds, which were subsequently coated with carnuba wax, I was able to make as many fiberglass duplicate pieces as I wanted; the finished pieces were glued together with crazy glue and reinforced along the inside seams with more fiberglass, which made the main body fairly indestructible. Window shapes and other details were carved out using a sharp knife and lots of patience. The legs were made from bent steel rods over which I slipped the correct-sized plastic piping, washers and springs obtained from the plumbing section of a local hardware store. As for the engine details, radar and assorted topographical features of Starbug, I took a cue from Hollywood model builders who cannibalize model kits. In my case, to keep costs down, I frequented dollar stores, purchased kids’ toys, kitchen gadgets, craft items and other accessories, pulled them apart and found the right shapes and sizes or reshaped certain pieces until they were suitable for Starbug.
After that, several coats of enamel spray paint, masking off portions of the craft for paneling detail, aging the craft with free-hand brushstrokes of fine charcoal, then sealing the craft, and Starbug was ready for display. Please note: my goal was to make a reasonable replica of the craft WITHOUT taking any measurements or using any power tools other than a hand drill. Hopefully the end result is satisfactory. All told, working an hour or so every night, Starbug took several months to complete
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