I've recently finished a few pieces for Akula's space opera project (
http://leadadventureforum.com/index.php?topic=50885.0 ) and thought I'd share the builds. Until they were available this was all hush-hush, so here's my chance to post about them.
It was great fun with a fairly open brief, but don't let Akky know.
I've not got photos of the very beginning of the build. When it comes to build threads, like all of us, Akky likes to see every stage.
This is the flyer, the rear sections has been built as a box, which I've then lined with miliput and then filled with resin to make it tough and vacuum proof.
Underneath the flyer body is a diamond shape of foamex to form the base
For the cockpit windows Akky expressed wanting something insectoid, I had a dig around at the haberdashers and found a couple of suitable buttons which would work well.
Having selected which
button delicately handcrafted insectoid eye was to be used it was onto the cockpit. The basic cockpit can be seen.
Meanwhile on the base I put the detail. This part is really simple and thankfully produces a mould which will run and run.
Finally the build is complete, at every stage there was filling, sanding, tutting, more filling and more sanding.
Onto the casting, and the base worked perfectly from the off... HURRAH!
The topside is simple and smooth, but being the top of the cast does need a slight sanding for a perfect fit.
The main body is a single piece, so it was important for it to be durable but also hollow so it won't have to cost a fortune, again a light sand is required.
The eye detail has worked well I think.
As has the whole model, the recesses at the rear have seperate detail to fix in.
This detail is quite fussy, while the main model is very simple. I've done them seperately because I'm much more likely to get a miscast on the detail and if it were part of the main model that would be a large and expensive miscast.
The wings were slightly delayed as I couldn't get the sections laser cut in time so had to do it manually. Again it's simplicity makes a good efficient mould.
Next up was a sci-fi utility buggy, and in chatting about it I mentioned the early U.S. utility vehicle which I mistakenly called a goat, when it's actually a mule...
We agreed this, in a more futuristic style, would work well... and being sci-fi it should have six and not four wheels.
This was the base model, to be cast in two pieces.
Together it's the right height to allow for easy access.
It's also the right length for a 28mm figure to recline on.
There were two basic types of goats/mules... one ammo and weapon supply the other medical. This is the supply one, and fortunately Akky already had some metal bits to help this along. The concept is for the gunrack to be a pop-up.
The first version of the gunrack neither worked well nor looked as good as it might.
So I put a top on it which pulled it all together.
Each model also comes with a seperate lid, so you can have it in the down position if you want.
For the medical mule it was a lot easier, a bed, pillow, medicomps and a cross on the front. I believe there's an injured figure being made for this.
Hope you've enjoyed reading about these as much as I did making them...
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April 26, 2024, 09:40:55 PM
February 08, 2009, 03:01:45 AM
