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In a recent Ebay auction, I received an old Armorcast baneblade/shadowsword. Looks pretty clunky by today's standards, so I decided to spruce it up a bit.



I first started by attempting to strip the paint job, which wasn't too bad. I soaked the pieces in Simple Green for three days, and it did very little loosen the paint. I scrubbed with a wire brush and removed most of the paint. I couldn't find my wire wheel tool for my Dremel so final stripping will have to wait until tomorrow.



What I could do was sand down the rivets with a flap wheel.



I spent most of Conan this evening cutting heads off HO scale rail spikes to use as rivets. The next step (besides finishing stripping) is to add plasticard squares to add depth to the tread guards before putting the rivets in the corners.

Next, I'll cut off the sponsons, and replace them with Baneblade Sponsons from Games Workshop.


More on this as it progresses.

now that is old school! Pretty big project. Good idea to replace the sponsons i think. It's really cool to see one being restored, will be keeping an eye on this project good luck

Of all the old models that is one of best I have seen, it doesn't look to disproportionate to the current models

Looks good man, keep up the good work. Looks like the OOP Predator that I am restoring, its full pewter....

The thing I like about this baneblade is that it came with a turret for the Shadowsword as well. The paint job is just a bit dated which is what prompted me on this journey to begin with.



More stripping, and I cut those fugly sponsons off. Looking better already!



I've also started drilling holes to put on the rivets. More to come this weekend!

This process is agonizing and tedious. It goes something liek this:



1.) Redrill divot.
2.) Put in superglue
3.) Pick up nail head with tweezers.
4.) Drop nail head on the floor.
5.) Swear and put a quarter in the swear jar. I am out of quarters and have started writing IOUs.
6.) Pick up another nail head.
7.) Drop nail hail on to divot.
8.) Reposition nail head.
9.) Realize super glue has dried and try again.

I bought one of those same Baneblades way back in 1998 and it's been sitting in storage ever since; though, I had always intended on doing the same thing you're doing to yours. I'll look forward to seeing this thing as it gets completed.

Sturmtruppe wrote:I bought one of those same Baneblades way back in 1998 and it's been sitting in storage ever since; though, I had always intended on doing the same thing you're doing to yours. I'll look forward to seeing this thing as it gets completed.

It's actually fairly easy. If I could find my magnets, or the a magnetized screw driver, I'd be done with the rivets by now. I fully encourage you to restore your Baneblade. These old models just need a bit of love, and if you don't want it, I'll happily buy it off you and restore that one too. Nothing like having two Baneblades rolling down the Apocalypse table saying "hey, Feth you."

I never knew armourcast used to make a baneblade! I wil watch with interest to see how it turns out!

Maybe some FW brass etch eagles would help to add to the overall model?

Commander Cain wrote:I never knew armourcast used to make a baneblade! I wil watch with interest to see how it turns out!

Maybe some FW brass etch eagles would help to add to the overall model?

I think I'm going to Green stuff in the lines and start with flat sides then use the extra armor options that come with the sponson pack to add to the sides of the model. Also, I'm going to redo the treads with Aquillas like the modern Baneblades.

I'll look into the Brass Etch Eagles you suggested and take any further suggestions people are willing to offer.

Edit: You just saved me so much work.

Done riveting the body.



I find it sort of odd that the sponsons are the same size as the main turret.



I decided to green stuff the plating to make a solid wall off which to build.



Here's what I've got to put on the side of this beast:



I think this is how I'm going to arrange them, but I may try something else entirely.



What really needs work is the actual Baneblade section of the tank.



I took missile pod sides off a Valkyire and glued it onto the rear of the Baneblade cannon. I don't like the rivets on it, so I think I'm going to take them off. I still need to cut the flash hider on the cannon, plus I think it needs an Aquila on the side. The demolisher cannon may just get rivets, or I may replace it with that metal one I found in my bits. I also need to get an autocannon to mount coaxial to the cannon. Really, I just need to take a trip o the Bitz barn to get this thing done.

First, whoa, that is one Hell of an old timer. Still, it looks better, in my opinion, than all those Eldar tanks armorcats used to make, but then again, the original designs for those used in Epic weren't too inspiring either. Second, have you thought about using plasticard sheets to cover the sides entirely? You'd be able to trace panel lines and keep the design consistent with the way you have riveted the body.

Marcin Ciszewicz wrote:First, whoa, that is one Hell of an old timer. Still, it looks better, in my opinion, than all those Eldar tanks armorcats used to make, but then again, the original designs for those used in Epic weren't too inspiring either. Second, have you thought about using plasticard sheets to cover the sides entirely? You'd be able to trace panel lines and keep the design consistent with the way you have riveted the body.

Actually I hadn't considered that. You're probably right that it would look better.

Looking great now that it is all riveted up!

Plasticard is an awesome idea, score a few lines along it and voila! Instant armour plates!

Lonecoon wrote:

Marcin Ciszewicz wrote:First, whoa, that is one Hell of an old timer. Still, it looks better, in my opinion, than all those Eldar tanks armorcats used to make, but then again, the original designs for those used in Epic weren't too inspiring either. Second, have you thought about using plasticard sheets to cover the sides entirely? You'd be able to trace panel lines and keep the design consistent with the way you have riveted the body.

Actually I hadn't considered that. You're probably right that it would look better.

One advice if you try it, you'll need a very sharp scribing tool and a steel ruler, or Dymo tape. There are also scribing templates used for panel lines and inspection hatches used by scale modelers, if you're interested. Voyager Models makes quite a few.

A surprise sinus infection sidelined my wife from going anywhere, so I'm stuck here. Might as well work on the 'ol Baneblade.

I wanted to get started scribing, but both the hardware store and the local model train shop are closed. Given that it's Easter, it's not the surprising. However, because it IS Easter that means Lent is over, and I can buy models again. Also drink soda. Delicious, delicious carbonated soda.

That siad, the business end of this baneblade is looking pretty fierce.



I repositioned the twin linked heavy bolters, and added a hatch. The demolisher cannon is staying, but I cut some nails and wrapped Might Putty around it to make it look more like a demolisher cannnon. The headlights came off the sponson sprues. I have to recenter them, no big deal.



This guy is going up top. I love him. He's saying "I will drive this tank over your fetthing mother, and not even give a crap."



The cannon... it needs work. I think I'm going to scrap the whole piece and replace it with the newer Baneblade cannon. If anyone has a spare or know of someone who has one, please let me know, I'll be happy to buy it off you.

I tried scribing with no success last night. What I'm going to do is use some clay and make an impression of the side of the tank. Then, I will carve the armor plates and rivets into the clay, and resin cast a side plate from the assembly.

I found a chimera Sprue and thought "Where the hell did this come from?" The I had a brain wave.



I cut it up and used it for the sides on my Baneblade. Need to green stuff up the edges, but it's lookin' good. The picture sucks though.



The chasis is pretty much done now. Just a few more rivets in the side panels, and it's finished.



I keep losing auctions for a Baneblade cannon at the last minute. Closest I've been able to cobble together is a deathstrike missile with a Valkyrie missile pod back. Once I fill in the sides, it should look pretty decent.

Lonecoon wrote:This process is agonizing and tedious. It goes something liek this:



1.) Redrill divot.
2.) Put in superglue
3.) Pick up nail head with tweezers.
4.) Drop nail head on the floor.
5.) Swear and put a quarter in the swear jar. I am out of quarters and have started writing IOUs.
6.) Pick up another nail head.
7.) Drop nail hail on to divot.
8.) Reposition nail head.
9.) Realize super glue has dried and try again.

OMG, I did the exact same thing while I was ummm, working, on my Titan. I cut the heads off of dollar store pins ( got around 300 pins for a dollar) and then layed out and drilled the holes for them. I dabbed superglue on the hole then picked up the head with tweezers ( *&&%$ Tweezers ) dropped them on the floor of my work room, looked for them because im cheep, then picked up another one and discovered the glue had dried.

Great work on the Baneblade so far tho. IT's nice to see old models getting a second lease on life. I am rather partial to the 'old' style of citadel models.

I totally feel your pain, there must be a better way ??!! Well, there is, I went to home depo and got a water filter and broke it open. Take out the charcol and you are left with various size ball bearings. Just dill a little indent, and vola, you got a nice round rivet. The only problem is if you want the 'flat head ' rivets. But honestly they stopped using those as soon as they made the pnumatic hammers and discovered that the rounded head works better for rivet strength. (Sorry to go OT, but I am a Ironworker and I like these kinda things. If I did something wrong please tell me and I wont do it again. =o] )

They actually sell rivet heads for model trains, which I didn't discover until yesterday on some other thread. Which is kinda lame since I could have gotten hex head bolts. those would have looked great.

I did find an easier way to put them on though:

1. Cut the point off a small nail
2. Put refrigerator magnet onto the rear.
3. Pick up nail head.
4. Pip in glue.
5. Place nail head
6. Remove magnet.

And done.

WOW, I really like the Armorcast Baneblades, they give a bit more of an archaic look to an army.

I'm all ready to prime this bad boy.



I found a piece of tubing from some project and put it inside the death strike missile casing to make the baneblade cannon. I think it looks great, though I may file out the flash hiders a bit more.



OH HAI. IMMA KILL YOU, KAY?



I decided to go with the old school Lascannons because they fit the model better. It really makes the model more choesive than if I had used the plastic ones. Hopefully, it doens't rain tomorrow. I'm going to primer can primer the model Rust colored, and toss some salt onto it. After I top coat it, and do highlights, I'll pick off the salt to reveal the rust color underneath. Simple weathering!

I'm super excited about being in the painting phase of this project, as I need it done for an Apocalypse game on Saturday.

The work continues! The rain abated long enough to get this thing primed and ready to go.



I chose red oxide because if the paint chips or flakes, it looks like rust. Tada!

I missplaced my camera for a few days and couldn't take any painting in progress shots, but here's where I am now:



I managed to get my airbrush up and working properly, so I started with the base coat of navy, then did all the accents in boltgun metal.



I'm really happy with how the sides turned out. They look better than I had hoped.



The turret turned out much better than I had hoped. The Commander riding atop really sells it.



He's a ginger, because I think it's hilarious.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
And done. All I need to do now is varnish the entire thing. I may hold off on doing that till I can find some weathering powders to add dust to the tracks though.

In the last image there you can really see how large the cannon you've made is compared to the turret. Honestly it looks a little awakward to me, but to me it seems as though the weapon you've made is scaled to the vehicle correctly, and its the titchy size of the original turret that's wrong. Not to irk you or anything, but a bit of bulking out with some plasticard may aid the preportions of this old kit a little. Other than that it really captures the spirit 40k had back then, the gothic laser cannon on top of the crude, but developed tank really make it for me. Good work with this one. ^^