Legion Rising - Projects from The Dark Works

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**Kepora**

Love it. Got nothing else to say but that.

**Anvildude**

Just in time to be used as proxies for the Kataphron Destroyers, eh?

**Kepora**

I think these are not-Rapiers, Anvil.

**em_en_oh_pee**

Wow... how am I not already following this?! Holy crap.

**Subtle Discord**

Thanks, as always, for the encouraging feedback. Sneak peak number two...

Chaos Weapon Platform equipped with H. Auto-Cannon.

Progress is a little slower than I was hoping for (I have no choice but to learn and apply many advanced SolidWorks functions/processes as I build) but I think the results are worth it. Much like scratch building, getting the basic form is reasonably easy, but adding the details takes much more time. However, with each challenge figured out I have another option or process for future builds. The power to make changes without needing to scrap the entire part is by far one of the best advantages of digital creation; while I don't enjoy spending the time to redo a detail or part that isn't successful, just having the option available is wonderful.

Next up, my personal favorite (and why I forced myself to save it for last), the Conversion Beamer.

**Gordon Shumway**

Loving it SD. Any ideas on approximately when these will be ready for production? You can put me down for at least three.

**Kepora**

Honestly, I'd move the drums to the same side, or evenly positioned on both sides and lowered/embedded more.

**Subtle Discord**

*Subtle tosses an insomnia fueled image out from under the rock currently residing over him*

While I've been quiet, I've also been active. More musings, ramblings, and updates to come soon...

After some creative struggles, my take on the Chaos Conversion Beamer has finally taken form.

BROCK: Aww no :cussin' way! Late 60's ultra death ray! She's amazing! Saddle operated with Doom-code gearing. Freakin' gorgeous.

MR. CARDHOLDER: If it were a woman I'd marry it.

MR. DOE: And I'd jeopardize our friendship by nailing your hot wife.

BROCK: Gyroscopic positioning?

JONAS JR.: At six points!

BROCK: Sick, tight.

JONAS JR.: And get this: it comes up out of the top of the skull!

BROCK: That's how it's done!

~ The Venture Brothers, e.36

**Desubot**

Mother of God

Its Beautiful

**SilenzZzz**

i just received my defense wall and rhino conversion bits in the mail (along with the rocket launcher bits) ... so looking forward to putting this together ... this weekend going to be doing the base assembly on the rhino and cleaning up everything ...

**Subtle Discord**

++++++++++Scanning…
+++…
++++++++++Signal Detect…
++++++++++Signal Lock…
++++++++++Transferring…

++++++++++Transferring...
++++++++++Decrypting...
+++++++...
++++++++++Standby...
+++...

**Subtle Discord**

*Subtle dives from the shadows, beats back life and the real fething world with a heavy club, slams the door shut, and quickly turns the lock*

Can I hide in here?

When the summer started I had several things ‘up in the air’ inside and outside of the studio, and as life is apt to do, things just love to fall at once. So… juggle has been the order of the day(s) the last several weeks. I’ve been in a bit of a funk because of it, and don’t have as much focus and drive as I’d like, but those are the whims of Chaos, and I always try to find my center. As usual, my silence hides my progress; writing goods articles always takes a reasonable investment in time, and lately that time was better spent creating. I’ve been working at both the virtual workbench and real workbench, so I’m going to split this update into two parts and look at each.

But first, a little lesson about the fun of unexpected equipment maintenance. At the beginning of the summer I was able to do a reasonable restock as planned and everything went smoothly. I wanted to get to it earlier and do a second casting run, but life and a long planned (much needed) camping vacation forced me to wait. When I returned to my workbench I discovered my compressor (the heart of my casting process, really) was leaking oil quite badly. After tearing it apart it seemed lucky to discover that it was just a worn out gasket that needed to be replaced; it’s better than a bigger mechanical problem, that should be simple enough to replace, I thought. Then I tried to actually locate the part (like trying to find a specific needle in a pile of needles) or material to make my own that wasn’t sold in massive expensive sheets. It wasn’t until I came across someone who worked on a farm that recounted how they ‘temporarily’ solved the same problem with a piece of cornflakes box cut to size; the original gasket has a very cardboard-like texture. They had since purchased a replacement gasket, but decided to wait for the improvised fix to fail before taking the effort to dismantle the compressor. That was several years ago, and the cereal box gasket had yet to fail. Being in a pinch, I channeled my inner MacGyver, found a box (actual corn flakes, no less) and used the old gasket as a template to trace out a new gasket. I haven’t had a chance to really stress it with some serious work, but so far it looks like it’s going to do the trick. This hiccup delayed a fresh casting run to restock, but that is now on track to start in a day or two, and that will be as good a test as any. *Crosses fingers*

Now, on to some (lots of) pictures and a bit of (lots of) rambling about 3D modeling. In short, yep, I really enjoy building/creating in SolidWorks. It still takes a surprising number of hours to finish a reasonably complex 3D model, but the freedom to explore and adjust forms and create complex assemblies is amazing. If the 3D prints I’ve ordered are of the right quality (examples I’ve seen are promising) then I know that I’ve only just stated to scratch the surface of what I can create. Hands-on scratch building will still have its place when the scale makes it practical, but for small-scale high-detail parts the potential is boggling. So I’ve done several smaller kits (and a few that are a bit larger) to test the waters; if they meet my standards they will be the first of many. First up, the finishing of some earlier projects and ideas; some from quite a long time ago…

A long time ago when I first started dabbling with 3D modeling I did some Bolter ammo drums, because well, belt-fed Bolters just don’t do it for me (and many others, it would seem).

An order for my first batch of 3D prints was actually sent before I went camping, (due to arrive late July) but they were rushed a little and I didn’t do a final test fitting in SolidWorks. When I returned and did a few checks I discovered that was a mistake (always do a final test fitting… always) and there were a few flaws that couldn’t be ignored. This forced me to cancel the order (creating a delay) but gave me the opportunity to make some final improvements and finish even more for my first order, like these ammo drums.

I’ve been adding the knives provided in the Chaos Space Maine kit as bayonets on the Bolters for a long time, but I was never happy with how weak the connection usually is at the join; they’re very prone to breaking off. So, I took the time to make some that should be much more substantial and add a bit of variety. If I (and others) like them it would be a snap to do other forms. When I got those done, a simple solution for a take on a combi-Melta along the same lines didn’t seem like a stretch; an ammo drum with an added Melta canister on the side completes the look.

Started a few months ago, the Land Raider Siege Ram (AKA: ‘Dozer Blade) has been finished.

I made a few changes to this design, moving the smaller hydraulic arm from the top to the bottom to give better line-of-sight to the sponsons. Test fittings done with paper prints helped me get an idea what this will look like on an actual model. I was also sure to give the side-arms a key that will permit the part to lift while also stopping it from dropping too low. It’s a massive slab of plastic in the end that cost more than average to print (not enough volume to hollow to save cost) but I'm quite happy with the final kit, so it’s worth it. Still cheaper than the labour it would take to build something like this from scratch.

On a side note, can someone please confirm if Loyalist Space Marines are still unable to add the ‘Dozer Blade to their Land Raider? I’ll be happy to make a Loyalist version, but it only makes sense if they are an actual option for them.

I didn’t plan on doing these, but they just sorta’ came together. Sometimes when the voices compel an idea, you just go with it.

I came across a model I had dabbled with several months ago for the armored base/pintol, and that was all I needed to get distracted (in a good way) with this build for several days. Being a fan of options, I plan to do all of my pintol mounted weapons with a modular base; a starting post with a smaller footprint so it can be mounted in unique locations, with a larger disk that fits the hatch locations on many of GWs kits. I also took a little time to make a raised and sunken version of these disks to give a little control over the profile these will create on a vehicle.

This little kit will be magnetized for weapon swapping, but also to give it some range of motion in its final built form. You see, I’ve got this thing about plausibility in my designs; I understand that these are just sci-fi props, but I still want the objects I create to appear plausible and reasonably manufacture-able. Always keeping the ideas of ‘How would this be manufactured and function?’ during the build process helps with adding authentic feeling details, in my opinion. It doesn’t have to realistic, but it should have some level of logic and realism, if that makes any sense?

Mounted in the sunken disk it should also have a reasonably low profile, and I was careful to keep the top-down profile size close to that of the base so it can cleanly turn 360 degrees.

Being a small kit I also took the time to do a full Chaos/Renegade version and a more subdued version that can be used as a less overt Renegade or Loyalist part.

Mmmm… options. *Drool* From left-to-right: combi-Bolter, combi-Flamer, combi-Melta, and combi-Plasma.

All of the parts are symmetrical, and modular so the weapons can be mounted how the builder wants. Just flip the weapon direction and rotate the assembly around to change up the look a little. Oh, and knowing now that Heresy-era vehicles can add pintol mounted Heavy weapons, I’ll say it’s safe to assume that adding some Heavy weapons in the future would be a welcome addition?

If I was going to redesign at my counts-as Havoc Launcher I wanted to make my own pintol mount for it, and it had to have options. Mmmm… more options. *Drool*

Like the pintol combi-weapons, I started with a smaller post (same size footprint) that could fit into a larger disk; again this gives the option to mount it with the higher or lower profile, depending on preference. In this case I also added a small key and placed the yoke of the pintol on a rail that can slide from side-to-side. This gives the builder the option of shifting the launcher off-center for some added variety.

I had several different motivations for redesigning this kit, not the least of which was adding a Heresy era version by popular request.

Racks of missiles are also painfully difficult to build by hand, so anything that can help in that case is also a welcome change. From drilling the holes, to making and placing the missile points, and trying to do it all as accurate and symmetrically as possible, it’s enough to drive you mad. If the printing process is up to the task of cleanly reproducing these curved surfaces it will completely convince me that I can do soft/round forms. This will be critical to go forward with some of my future ‘mutated’ and/or ‘warp-touched’ kits, and also kits for other races that use many more curved surfaces.

Also, I wanted to create a lower profile version of the Havoc launcher for mounting on tall vehicles. I think the larger square-faced launcher looks great on the back of a Rhino, but it becomes very bulky if you move it to the front, and it’s just too tall on the top of something like a Predator. By changing the missile layout and placing it in the sunken mounting disk, the profile is reduced nicely.

Finally, a look at the Chaos Rapier platforms in their 100% completed forms…

After finishing the weapon systems I went back to the chassis and give it one last refinement; I’ve got curves at my disposal after all, I may as well use them.

Unfortunately, it was the weapon platform that had a somewhat major flaw in the first print order that needed to be cancelled, so this kit was going to see a delay no matter what. This became a mixed blessing, providing an opportunity to do some final refinement and add several kits, but it’s still a little over a week before they ship. That’s ok, as it will give me time to do much-needed casting and more building of some other planned ideas. *Eyes his Storm Raven kit*

I have also invested in a third casting pressure chamber, and this will be the second chamber suitable for mould making (shop info tangent: my high pressure chamber is flat bottomed, and that’s not the best for making moulds – a round bottomed chamber lets you more easily level the rack holding the moulds); this new chamber will double my mould making abilities and give me a boost to casting production as well. It should arrive next week and will take a day-or-two to assemble and get into working order, just in time to help me make new moulds for these kits as quickly as possible. This, combined with the increased ability to produce fresh kits (if everything goes as planned with the 3D printed components) and other improvements in my process that have helped reduce reject parts should also mean that I can look at a price reduction on my more expensive kits. With three casting chambers, and enough variety of moulds to run, I should be able to get a proper non-stop cycle going and improve on my labour costs. I firmly believe the quality and attention to detail in my kits justifies the cost, but I also recognize that I have room to improve for the benefit of me (more sales) and my customers (better prices).

But that, so they say, is another story for another day. Keep an eye open for an update on these kits in the next 10-14 days. All of the 3D models shown here were ordered, and they have all passed physical inspection so far; they should be rapid prototyped over this coming week and I have an estimated ship date of Aug 18th. I’ll be sure to post up some fresh-from-the-box super macro photos and give my first brutally honest impressions. All of the components have been made with sprew sections attached for production, so they won’t fit together for assembly until I have my first casts done. Expect the Rapier to be one of the first up.

Before that, as promised, I’ll be showing what I’ve been up to at my real-world workbench including some more painted models (I final have some stuff actually… finished! *boggle*), build progress on my Sicaran and Fire Raptor, more fun with plastics and Servator Zing, and perhaps some other general ramblings for the fun of it. As always, comments, questions, input, feedback, and general musings are always welcome.

/wall-o-text: off

**SilenzZzz**

Looks awesome! ... i am ever so slowly assembling my Rhino so that i can apply the bits i acquired from you a little while back ...

and glad to see a potential Havoc launcher pintle mount (surprising how hard that bit is to track down hah!)

once i have this one finished will likely be placing an order for a second rhino setup as well in the future.

**deadmeat85**

Man you never fail to impress with your designs. I can't wait to see the prototypes for the bolter upgrades.

**Spartan089**

I'm always constantly blown away by your stuff, I still have some kits I ordered from you waiting to be put together including your chaos defense wall which is absolutely stunning. I think I've put off on finishing my CSM just so I can keep adding your conversion pieces.

**Boss Salvage**

Quite enjoyed the write up, cheers for sharing. And I do love your designs as well, quite interested to see how they turn out in the plastic

- Salvage

**Anvildude**

Hnnnngg!!!

Beautiful modelling! I frikkin' LOVE that one- what is it, a Conversion Beamer? For your Rapier platform.

**Rickfactor**

More !!

**Desubot**

Oh man i need those dozer blades in my life right now.

**Nuwisha**

I want all of these things. Please. I'll be yer best friend!

**Subtle Discord**

'Bah Bah black sheep have you any wool? Yes sir, yes sir, three bags full!'

I'm upto my eyeballs in plastic, plasticine, lego blocks, and rubber. I've started the moulds but need to keep working to get them done as quickly as I can manage. I'll do some larger updates when I have more time to spare. But, I wanted to do a quick teaser to show that I do in fact have the parts in my hands. In short, the results are mostly very positive, but there are some surface quality issues that are not totally unexpected. As I've worked with the parts I have a better understanding of the process, the material, and how to get improved results in the future. For now there's always going to be some cleanup work required to make parts production ready, but there are ways to minimize it and deal with what can't be avoided. I'll be sure to give some examples and explain much deeper in future articles; I'm guessing I'm not the only one who is very curious about rapid prototyping and the results that can be achieved.

Other parts required much more cleanup and preparation, so while that was being done, the Land Raider Siege Ram went under the rubber first.

To save printing costs larger objects were made hollow; those parts need to be filled (with carefully injected resin) and the vents need to be filled and cleaned before mould making. So, while I'm doing that I got the Siege Ram started first since it didn't require any of that preparation. While it cures (and it will be ready to start casting in just a few hours *giddy*) I've been working on other parts; the chambers are currently curing 7 moulds with many more to go. I've quickly discovered that the translucent quality of the resin makes it very difficult to photograph well. It tends to wash out details that are actually quite pronounced, and getting pictures of actual surface quality can be quite tricky. What I've seen of surface quality, most should look fine with the normal few coats of paint they can expect to receive (Read: yes there is some surface 'grain', but it is so minor that paint will make it vanish) but there are some places where it becomes more noticeable. Without manual cleanup these few places will show through paint.

Again, I'll elaborate further, once I've got some actual casts in my hands to see the final results. I should be able to post some pictures of the Siege Ram tomorrow. Stay tuned...

**catharsix**

Awesome new stuff! I made my first order from you the other day, and when this stuff becomes available I will be getting more!

**Master Azalle**

Can't wait to see more of your work!

**Desubot**

Oh those dozers are land raider sized. cool. though i wonder how hard it would be to convert into a rhino sized one

**Subtle Discord**

I do have plans for a Rhino scale 'Dozer Blade with a similar feel, but since there are man options already for that chassis, I figured the Land Raider was more deserving of the first kit. I'll admit that I wanted to add a proper 'Dozer Blade to my Land Raider since day-1, so there was a bit of extra motivation there.

So, the surface issues turned out to be a two headed beast, causing the obvious surface flaws, but also complicating the mould making process. The root of the surfacing issues are caused mostly by a 'frosting' of the material when a support wax is used during printing. Where the wax meets the plastic a frosting of the surface occurs. In many cases it's not that big of a problem; it is so subtle that paint should hide it. (Testing is planned) But also, if it's not properly prepared and lubricated liberally the mould rubber bonds very tightly to the texture. On large flat areas it's not as much of a problem, it sill peals away with a bit of extra force. However, small details, especially those that are undercut, inset, or very tight can bond so well that they tear the mould when being removed. Unfortunately, this is exactly what happened to be with several moulds, ruining them before they could even make a single copy. All but one of my first moulds had to be scrapped for this reason or another.

This was a mixed blessing. Loss of time and materials sucks, but I was able to improve my surface preparation process before pouring new rubber and it has both solved the sticking/tearing problem as well as remove the majority of the cosmetic surface issues. It takes much more work to prep the parts then expected, but the quality of the rapid prototyped pieces is worth the effort. Also, seeing now how the parts are printed, future parts will be arranged to avoid the supporting wax whenever possible to minimize prep work.

So, lets have a closer look. Here's the latest sneak-peak at some workbench progress.

The Siege Ram blade mould turned out fine, but the mould for the chassis link components needed a re-pour.

While I had some struggles with the weapon platform chasses, it's finally turned the corner and is almost finished.

There are further lessons to be given and other stories of misery a woe related to this kit, but I'll save them for when I have more a little more time. With the production complication worked out, I'm busting my butt to do some catch-up. It's been one of those summers, with unexpected factors (inside and outside the studio) really messing with the plan to get more done. But, that's life, and I'm starting to just accept that it happens some times, and it's better to put energy into finding a solution than getting angry or upset; anger in the moment is to be expected, but it does little in the long run.

**Malika2**

Thanks for the info! Did you print the models in Frosted Extreme Detail?

Also, how would you prepare the material for casting?

**Subtle Discord**

Happy to help. Yes, everything was prototyped in Frosted Extreme Detail at Shapeways. Most high-end 3D printing companies I found were boasting a 25nm-per-layer process, but Shapeways new Frosted Extreme uses a 16nm-per-layer process. At the scale I'm going for, every little bit helps, and even at 16nm there are still surface issues that require addressing. But even with those issues, the level of detail in the prints is astounding. If you follow their design guidelines for the material it will faithfully replicate even the tiniest details that are 0.1mm tall/wide/deep; however, 0.1mm is the absolute limit and I found that keeping details to at least 0.25mm to 0.3mm to be perfect. For example, the thinnest layering I would do would be 0.25mm tall (in some rare situations, maybe 0.2mm or 0.15mm) so that the edge is reasonably pronounced, but still subtle. The best size I've found for small rivets is 0.3mm in diameter; large enough to be properly pronounced, but small enough to fit even tiny locations.

I am still researching alternative printing companies (Suggestions from readers are most welcome) that can achieve the high quality results that my standards demand, and isn't obscenely expensive. But most I've found use a process that require the addition of support sprues in plastic which need to be considered and then removed once the print is finished. While Shapeways process has some drawbacks with the wax-support method they use, the advantages of being able to print multi-part items and not have to deal or worry about supporting sprues is quite nice.

Prepping for mould making was an interesting learning curve. As I've mentioned, in many cases the frosted surface is not really a problem for surface quality, (paint should hide any slight 'grain') but it is a rough texture that has more surface area to bond with the rubber during curing. In tight locations with fine details that can easily tear the rubber during de-moulding. So, I simply use all of the studio tools I've collected over the years to sand and refine the surface. The key tools are sanding sticks, fine sanding points, my Grobet jewellers files, some metal sculpting tools, and a selection of pins for really tight cracks. All of these are used to sand and burnish the surfaces to remove the topmost layer of 'grain' and smooth/refine the surface; it will remain frosted and matt, but have a smoother finish. The material is extremely hard (and reasonably brittle) and it works well for this process; once the offending surface material is remove, and you hit solid plastic, it is very obvious. With a light touch it's almost impossible to go too far and do unwanted surface damage. Depending on the amount of frosted surface you're dealing with, and just how detailed the object is, it can take quite a bit of labour, but for a casting prototype it's worth it.

The final step is to be sure to oil tear-prone areas with deliberate care. When I did my first moulds I was generous with the mould release and even took the time to really get it in the nooks-and-crannies, but it wasn't enough. Those details need to be surface prepped (to smooth the surface as much as possible) and a thicker layer of mould release added by brush. I've taken to spraying a small amount of Mann Ease Release 300 onto a pallet, picking that up with a brush, and applying it were needed. This oils the area much more and produces a notably shinier surface that will release the rubber much more readily. NOTE: Once the master prototype is out of the mould and you are casting in polyurethane plastic (aka: resin) the part with free itself from the mould much easier, and special care is not required anymore.

**Rickfactor**

I would try laying down a coat or two of gloss varnish to smooth out the surface to possibly reduce the chances of sticking and tearing the silicone.

**FoxPhoenix135**

Very impressive stuff here.

**Subtle Discord**

Oh yes, in the future I will be trying other surface treatments as well to see if there are better/faster alternatives.