Merlon's not quite 40K SF thread

[Freddy]

Thank you.
I find a cylinder of the correct diameter, then cut a long strip of 10 or 20 thou plastic card. Then wrap it around the cylinder, gluing as I go, three or four times is usually enough.  Does not take that long before the glue sets and you can slide or cut ring off the cylinder. I used the same principle to create the oil tanks posted earlier.

Nice idea, thanks!

[BeneathALeadMountain]

That’s a brilliant idea, Merlon: I’m really enjoying your approach and seeing your modelling results. I would highly recommend Biostrip - it’s effective, reusable (you can decant a small tub and use it over and over) and non toxic (so should be more suitable for your use) - well worth investigating if you need to do any traditional DIY/household stripping as well.

Andrew
BeneathALeadMountain

[Merlon]

Apologies for the delay in replying, been over in the Netherlands visiting friends.
Thank you for the suggestion of Biostrip, I shall try that.
Made some progress with the cab, have to be honest I am not liking the cab as much as I thought I would. So rather than cast it, I shall just build it as a one off vehicle.
Onwards

[Merlon]

Biostrip ordered, there are plenty of candidates to experiment with.
So built up a chassis to go with the completed cab. Possibly adding in the prop shafts was a bit enthusiastic.


Put a basic drop side flat bed body on the back - can always find a use for one in scenarios.


Need to sort that cab top with some sprue goo, or maybe just paint it as a bad patch of rust.

[Burgundavia]

I thought those tires were green stuff originally, was going to congratulate you on some bonkers crafting. But the truck looks nice. Even if the aesthetician isn't 100% what you'd like, it still looks good and at a lot of commercial vehicles have looks only their creators can love.

[Merlon]

I thought those tires were green stuff originally, was going to congratulate you on some bonkers crafting. But the truck looks nice. Even if the aesthetician isn't 100% what you'd like, it still looks good and at a lot of commercial vehicles have looks only their creators can love.

Very true there are some seriously ugly vehicles out there.

My sculpting skills could never reach the height of tyre treads. Over the years, I have collected a number of wheels from various kits for use in scratch build projects. Either from Ebay wrecks or model shop closure sales -tank transporter kits in particular yield large numbers of wheels. Some wheels where I have limited stocks, I recast for personal use.

[Merlon]

Been a while.
Put some paint on the truck, be useful as a pickup truck or terrain in skirmish games.


Also built another vehicle to stick the table, a deck crane. Painting looks rough in the photo, not quite so bad in real life. Can always touch it up in due course.


Some months ago got involved in a competition at local games club. Make something out of crap models, so I took five Catachan figures and revamped them.
A Cutting / Welding servitor, two magnetised gun servitors, man digging the road and a vehicle refueller.


Of course I got derailed at the painting stage, but eventually I gritted my teeth and had a go.


A major player in the campaign is a Techpriest called HL210. First part of his entourage is two tech servitors, one carries a large technical readout that looks like a book.


Techpriests also mean servoskulls, so I have started on a small swarm.


Also as a bit of background activity I am slowly putting some colour on the knight I acquired.
 

[Freddy]

Great progress, I love them all!

[Merlon]

Great progress, I love them all!

Thank you, I wish I could sculpt to your level. But I think I should  stick to cutting plastic where my talent lies

Wanted to make some kind of crew bus for starport scenarios. A tiny vehicle means I wont waste as much if it goes wrong, I can always build bigger & better ones later
Technobus in Italy makes these electric micro buses for city use which fit the part. Drawing is from the ever useful https://www.the-blueprints.com/

Problem was how to do the multi curved windscreen on this type of vehicle. Inspiration came when holding a sauce bottle. After some searching, found one with the correct curvature. Pouring resin into the right part of the bottle, gives a shape with a double curve that will do for windscreens.
Though this does prove I need to get out more...

 

[Merlon]

Well the principle of a resin windscreen appears to work, a bit more sanding and then onwards to cut the window wrap.


Not the best window wrap, not done one in thirty years. But it will do for now, after all this is a  sort of proof of concept model. A bit of scribing improves the look.



Now to undercoat it and get ready for gaming on Tuesday.

[Freddy]

Nice, that little chubby bus looks suitably futuristic.

[tomrommel1]

very nice bus

[Merlon]

Thank you both, they have been building them in Italy since the 1990s.
It fits many roles; scenario transport, street clutter, objective etc. Also it is only 90mm long -a full size single decker bus would be around 200mm long- so it will not "hog" the table.
Subject to finding suitable bottles, this proves I can scratch build all kinds of SF vehicles with big curved windows.
It is not a hero vehicle and it is needed for tonight, so this will do.

Onwards

[Freddy]

Looks nice, maybe needs some travel company logos and/or  a line number.

[Merlon]

Looks nice, maybe needs some travel company logos and/or  a line number.

Thank you, as I said this was a proof of concept model, needed in a rush. Fox Transfers do have nearly eight hundred bus related decals including lining options, so there is a chance of an upgrade in the future.

Now it is not unknown in Greenhaven for someone to walk in out of the bush to do the prophet thing. What is different is this one has already gained a few minders / followers. a Vae Victus priest backed by some Foundry monks, the latter have been sitting in an ice cream tub for decades. 


So it is fitting to paint up a squad of Arbites for balance. Quite a dark colour scheme, might lighten it up


Many many years ago I bought the Silent Running robots Huey (02), Dewey (01), and Louie (03). 
Sadly over the years I lost Louie, but the others can still play walk on parts. Don't think anyone makes them currently, a pity.