Bank Holiday Project: Sci-fi Turbine/Observation Structure: VW water pump!

[Commander Vyper]

A friend of mine is a VW specialist and when I'm visiting for a gaming weekend, I often have a look through the workshop and take a look at what I could use for wargaming.

Well last time, after snapping up a few old spark plugs for mositure vaporators in my star wars games, I was drawn to an old scrap water pump from a VW, (like the one in my van funnily enough). I thought to myself, I could use this, so I nabbed this one and asked Al to put some aside as they come in.

I've now got four and as I had a few hours free today I thought I'd execute what I'd been planning for a while now.

Whilst these is perfectly usable in an Sci-fi setting, I've gone for a Halo look predominatley, but again would be able to be used with my colonial marines/aliens and at a push Starwars stuff, (Though I am planning a more hoth related colour scheme for one later.

Anyway take one old VW water pump:



Clean and degrease, then wash again, dry and basecoat black, (prefer to work with it in one colour so I can see clearly what I'm adding.




I was adding a platform to fit over the turbine so worked out the interal and external diameters and cut checkplate plasti-card and thicker plain plasti-card to fit.

Then using locked in school maths knowledge even further I cut these down to a hexagonal shape and mitre edged some right angled plasti-card strips.





More later, game of thrones is on!

[Hat Guy]

There's just something about VW parts, half of my Necromunda terrain is made from VW aircon bits.

[Commander Vyper]

Step two:



Cut another ring from plasti-card and section it to use as cover plates for the various manufacutring stamps and diecuts on the pump housing.

Dry fit the completed platform onto the housing body:



The scapel compass comes out again:

Cut two circles, the diameter of the top of the fan section.  One cut into pieces and sections mounted to the first. Then, cut a third ring and glue to create a clean edge:



I added a metal hatch top and underside of the platform, ladder and more details were to follow.



More later.

[Axtklinge]

Very very cool!
Congrats!

[Onebigriver]

Brilliant inspiring stuff. 

[uti long smile]

Veeeery 'nice'.

[Commander Vyper]

Part Three:

In order to hide the large cog I decided to clad it in thin plasti-card, fixed with high strength double sided tape and weld cement on the join. I then added various straight, round, square and half circle plasti-rod around the plasti-card tube to give it a bit more detail pre painting, (looking like cables and conduit etc...)



I also added a piece of ladder sprue from the plastic box, linked up with the top and bottom hatch then went over it all with wet and dry paper before spraying.

Sprayed black:





Then sprayed with a dark green acrylic, still undecided on paintjob as yet but current colour gives a good indication.





Should be in keeping with the rest of the gaming pieces, will also mount this on a 'concrete' dias with steps to one side, make it a little more industrial.

Enjoy.

The Commander

[Mr.J]

Very nice construction! A great use of scrap. 

[Silent Invader]

Ingenius! 

[mattblackgod]

Fantastic! I look forward to seeing it painted.

[Haarken]

Great piece of terrain, I imagine it's quite heavy, an imaginative use of parts though.