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Other Stuff => Workbench => Topic started by: Enakan on March 08, 2019, 05:08:41 PM
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Had to get back into modeling/converting, too long of a dry spell!
So I thought about building a Martian Tripod, to fit in with a 15mm ACW Union army. The cylinder lands somewhere behind Union lines, the Tripod goes up in about three days like in the book, and off we go!
I want to have an accurate model though, like in WotW. So I need the following parts:
1. Long legs, three in number.
2. Wavy metallic tentacles, half a dozen or so?
3. Prism heat beam, probably mounted on the side of the body.
4. Black smoke rockets, probably mounted on the other side of the body.
5. Viewports, green in color, to simulate the Martian atmosphere inside the body.
6. Tall body, almost like a water tower. Smooth maybe, only humans have rivets!
Now, what I've not seen in any other contraption, is the prisoner cage that is supposed to be behind the body.
Do folks not build one for lack of space or aesthetic reasons?
Thinking 8-10 inches in height, so at the 1/100 scale, means 65 to 80 feet tall, in game scale at least. Which should tower over buildings, troops and trees.
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So picked up some supplies at the local hardware warehouse......
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Curious to see what you put together. Not sure the tie-wraps are going to get you the wavy arms, though. They can actually be relatively rigid. If you can find some sort of metal spring I'm guessing that might work better. Good luck.
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You were right about the ties,
I tried both micro-waving them and boiling water, they ARE too rigid!
Got started on the legs, steel takes a bit of work! Got out the Dremel and a file to make the knee area, where I want the bend/joint. Oops, got one bolt half an inch too long! Good thing I bought FOUR!
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Have you got a plan or are you just winging it?
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I do,
Is there a diagram thing-eee somewhere out here in the Matrix? Or, maybe I should draw it freehand, and take a picture of it.......
I usually grab the bits box, and throw stuff together that fit well. This time I actually shopped for matching stuff!
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So,
Here is one leg filed through, halfway, so as to get the bend in it. I think for this first Tripod, I'll just do one knee "bend", like a human knee. Maybe for #2 I'll go for more joints!
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Now that the bolt is "weaker" from filing, I used the good old MK1 hands to bend the bolts/legs for a good walking position.
Then using the two part epoxy for metal, got the knee joints in place. Then attached the rear leg to the under torso, the leg flexes forwards, the Tripod will be quite speedy in that direction, will have to turn though, instead of swiveling, to change directions.
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Looks interesting! I'll keep my eyes peeled. :o
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Dang sideways photo. Tried three times now to fix it.....
Anyways, put the front two legs underneath to show the scale, it is about six inches in height, under torso to ground. Ohh......still have to put some toes on the feet!
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So,
Was going through my upper body options. I have a small odd shaped marmalade jar, half an Easter Egg, and a small plastic Halloween cauldron. Whatcha think looks best???
Or none of the below?
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Was watching "The Matrix" last night, saw this cool building in one of the scenes. It looked perfect for the upper body of the tripod! But, I think I'd have to build it by hand.
Took a photo, out of all four, what looks best?
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I'd say the glass is a no go - too easy to break and then a real hazard though the shape is certainly interesting. The cauldron looks best to me. I've been trying to remember where I saw the springs that I think will work for your tentacles but still eluding me. I call that the "gray hair disease" - it's progressive, too. Thankfully it ain't all gray yet! Do you want an original book illustration version or one of the various movie interpretations?
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I was trying to stay close to one of the older Wells illustrations, I wish I had the skill at drawing or sketching on the computer to show what's in my mind's eye.
I hear you about the grey hair memory! Maybe it was a swinging door swing spring? I keep thinking of an antenna too, or the wire or cable for electronic devices....
Ahhh........was it my old 68 Camaro accelerator cable cover??? Flexible and made of steel!!
:D
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I was kind of leaning towards the cauldron too. Might put a "cap" on top of it too, the conical type I've seen on other tripods/water towers etc...
So this one?
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Dang pictures, anyone know how to "FLIP" them on here???
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I think you have to delete the photo, fix it off site, and then repost it but not sure.
Yes, the cauldron looks like it will work as long it is durable enough to withstand gaming.
Quite the dedication to this little project. Keep at it.
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Well,
I did not like the way the legs went "inside" the bottom of the body, so I ripped them out. Trying to find either a sturdy straw or some steel or brass tube, so I can stick the upper leg tops into those, which I will have sticking out from the "outside" of the lower body.
I have some tubing, but it's all a bit small! And the plastic straws are a bit thin, I don't think the current ones will hold up too well. Did use some putty to fill in the "knee" joints, made a quick mold for the knee outside ornament or "nut".
Dang pictures!
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Those bolts would shred a plastic straw in nothing flat. I thought the legs looked fine as is - but it's your model.
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Well,
This is phase 1, plenty of time for improvements down the road with different "generations", right?
Found some lovely suction cups, look well as the "cap" on my upper body.
Whatcha think?
:D
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It looks good but will that kind of rubber take paint?
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Good point!
I did spray paint the model black yesterday, that rubber does NOT take the paint, it is very sticky to the touch. So......
I either have to take it off, or lay some plastic, cardboard or paper strips on top for texturing/layers. Then it should be okay! I may try two tops, since I have plenty of parts, one with the rubber piece, one without.
Here's the Tripod pre-primed:
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I added some the knee side-caps also, using Milliput and the quick mold stuff I got online. Where you heat the material up in hot water, then put the item to be molded into it and let it cool. Some kind of bead I got at a hobby store, used half of it for the mold form.
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Really starting to come together :-* :-* :-*
I am not sure about your material choices though the steel bolts? why not use plastic tube and the rubber top, the paint may flake off
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If the steel is properly cleaned of oil, primed, painted and varnished, I dont think chipping will be an issue.
I think the steel bolts are quite clever actually. They're durable and their weight will help keep the long gangly model from falling over. And filing halfway through them to make knees was inspired :)
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If the steel is properly cleaned of oil, primed, painted and varnished, I dont think chipping will be an issue.
I think the steel bolts are quite clever actually. They're durable and their weight will help keep the long gangly model from falling over. And filing halfway through them to make knees was inspired :)
The steel bolts are just a bit extreme for a model, I was talking about paint flaking off of the soft rubber top he has added
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Remember those zip ties at the beginning of the thread here? I think they'll glue quite well to the rubber, add some novelty to the top! Let me go try that out!!! I still have to figure something out for the bolt heads/feet too, some kind of grasping foot so it won't topple over too easily.
Then more details like the tentacles, heat ray, rockets..........
What do you think, a Bronze color for the overall effect?
Keep it true to the era the book was written in?
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Good questions and comments got me going today!
Besides, it's the end of the week, FRIDAY!!!!!
First the head/body, got some plumbers putty, I'm just going to cover up the suction cup. The putty is for a rim for the "dome", so it fits snugly.
This might make this beastie a bit tall though. Wondering if it's going to be closer to a 28mm model than a 15mm one, as originally planned.....
Used a plastic Easter egg for the "dome".
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I had tried the zip ties for the suction cup, but the ones I have, assorted in tube, are a bit small. But, they are perfect for FEET!
So I was going to use the pointy ends for the "toes", but again, they were TOO SMALL! Went ahead and used the cap ends instead, if you leave a bit of the "rail" next to the cap, it fits nicely over the hexagonal bolt head/foot. Then, cut off a small section of the rail to cover the hole in the cap.
One spare milliput knee molded part there for you to see it too along with the cut pieces and one completed foot.
One done, whatcha think?
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Looks good to me, Enakan! :D The easter egg dome looks a bit odd the suction cup is in shape similiar to the old illustrations. Seeing as they had some sort of umbrella-ish top to them.
https://www.oldbookillustrations.com/illustrations/martian-mechanisms/
Most important is that it works for you though! :D ;)
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Since I'm down here in Paradise,
Maybe I'll stop at a bar and have a fruity tropical drink with an umbrella in it. That way I can have the traditional top......
The egg almost reminds me of the newer "Mars Attacks" tripod dome! So a century too NEW!
:D
I cut off the sprue a tank from AQMF, the boxed game from a couple of years ago. It's 15mm, just kind of snapped the treads and body together for a quick scale reference.
Hmmmmm...........the Tripod looks pretty tall!
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Seems a bit big? But from parts in the book, you could see a Martian tripod behind a treeline, so I suppose it's a question of personal preference. ;)
And the one's pictured even tower over three story houses. So I think go with what you think looks right. Unless we have to call the British museum and ask them to show the parts of the walker so we can take some accurate measurements and produce a to scale model. lol
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It's coming together :)
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Reading HG, they tower over houses and trees. So probably it's okay, if I fix the top dome/cupola part. I'll put up some 15mm foot to compare too, then some 25's.
Day by day.....
:D
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Agree the Easter egg dome looks odd. As to painting plastic, some of it will be very problematic for taking paint but always wash it will first and for something as smooth as that dome (if you keep it) I'd try roughing it up some low grit snapper (like 60) and then hit with an automotive spray primer - at the possible risk of melting the plastic through chemical interaction.
Just how tall is your model in inches? I ask to get some guidance in your concern about 15 mm versus larger scale.
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The black spray paint on there is metal primer by Dupont,
Good stuff for coating outdoors metal chairs, stands, etc. Seems to go on flat and coats well. I had the choice of using regular Testors model paint, but decided with the metal parts, to go Dupont.
The model without the egg, is 8 1/4" tall to the top of the rubber dome. I saw some small "sand art funnels" on the Hobby Lobby site, they should fit the top of the cauldron just fine. Cheap too, I'll pick some up tomorrow. So with that, might be 8 1/2" tall.
Priced some auto cable, dang, that is a bit expensive. So got to think of some other type of material for the arms......and the tentacles.........
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Guitar strings?
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Insulation wire?
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Good ideas!!!!
Hmmmm.........searching................
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Funnels sound right from some of the images seen, much better than the egg shape. For your arms, maybe insulated electrical wires, depending on gauge both flexible and some rigidity - smaller gauges being more flexible. And you can strip either end of your wire lengths for attaching to both the main body and any "hands" at the ends of the arms.
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I had some water tank templates copied and printed out from online searches,
For that cupola shape for the funnel. I built one, but I'm not liking how it is turning out. From my reading, aren't the heat beams held by the 'hands' on the cables?
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So here is the one cut cupola/funnel top,
Looks okay, but I think I can do better! I think you have to cut a small circle in the cardboard template at the center, so it "bends" into the circular shape better.
I built a 15mm Tripod from AQMF, it is right around 5 inches tall including the base.
The one I'm building is over 8" tall. With no base, yet!
Had another thought, was hanging pictures for my better half the other day. What about the wire used to hang pictures??? It is pretty thick, I can cut it and pick apart the end for "hands".
Check out this comparison photo, for scale purposes. 15mm vs......what?
:D
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Great progress! :D
Picture frame wire? I imagine that'd be hard to paint and keep in place. Paint might flake off when just slightly bent. ???
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How about this stuff for "tentacles"?
https://www.zinge.co.uk/collections/poseable-wrapped-wire/products/poseable-wire-wrapped-cable-power-cable-6-various-diameters-1mm-1-3mm-1-5mm-1-7mm-1-9mm-2-4mm
I've never used it, but noticed it whilst shopping for other bits.
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I was looking around myself and saw that stuff mentioned somewhere else!
Good idea!
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I believe that posable wire is what I was thinking of - and it looks rather like the old cables used in phone booths to keep the hand sets from disappearing. (?)
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Gotcha!
I know exactly what you are talking about! Sorry about the delays, I've been on "honey-doo" duty around the estate here, working inside and out. Well, back to the Tripod!
Saw this deviled egg tray from the grocery store, I never did l like the cupola top I had built, this is a more oval egg shaped top dome, with a small upraised portion too. I used plumbers putty too, for the solid dome top piece. It can be sanded to fit, and pushed into shape for a short while before it hardens.
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The only bad thing about the putty is though, you have to have a mold release of some kind so it doesn't stick to the mold. Maybe some vaseline or oil of some kind next time. Or, I could use another type of filler, maybe kneadtite or green stuff.
So had a time pulling it loose, messed up the one egg oval mold.....
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Maybe cover the mold with clingfilm and then push the putty in. You can just pull the clingfilm out then and have yourself the putty ovals once they're less malleable?
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Good call there, I know they have non-stick foil, I assume they must have the same thing for plastic?
I've used a mold release liquid for my rubber molds, so they don't stick together. I thought maybe I could use something similar here too. Will give the plastic a shot first though!
:)
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Glad to see you're back at it. Another thought: embed your plastic mold in carefully compressed sand - sort of like you'd do for a drop casting. That will give better purchase when removing items from your mold.
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Here's the tripod with his "headpiece".
I was playing around with some things to use as the heat beams, some door knobs, but they look too big for this model. I had one where it was on the headpiece, but darn if it didn't look like a doctor and his stethoscope! Tried it under the upper body, between the two front legs, but the doorknob was just too big and unwieldy.
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When at my local store the other day, I saw some short cable lengths there by the rolls of cable. They almost look like the ones you'd lock up your bike with. Sound just what you guys recommended too.
Now just have to cut them without too many frayed ends!
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Oh! That looks promising! :o Good choice!
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What do you think?
Should I sculpt some three way claws/hooks for the ends? Or maybe just a lone claw tip for them? I happen to have a big pile of crab claws from Red Lobster that I've saved over the years.
I've used them on many a project in the past!
Claws!!!
:D
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Hrm. Claws seem nice, and if you have them, why not. Though, not sure what the book mentions. There's one scene where the narrator hides whilst another man is grabbed by a tripod.
As said, good advice would be, go with what you feel works best! So claws in this case! :D
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Claws sound fine to me, the handling machine had claws that gripped and dragged away the parson
Glen
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Trying to stay away from the later days Cruise movie with the tripods popping out of the earth. They definitely had "rope" style long tentacles, I'd like to keep more of the Victorian style "grabbers".
Tell you what, time to brush off the cobwebs, back to the book to brush up!
:)