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Made in nz
Strategizing Grey Knight Chapter Master





Auckland New Zealand

Truly this must be an exciting time for you, all these limits being removed as you test the boundaries of Solus.

I'm staying tuned thats for sure!

IceAngel wrote:I must say Knightley, I am very envious of your squiggle ability. I mean, if squiggles were a tactical squad, you'd be the sergeant. If squiggles were an HQ, you'd be the special character. If squiggles were a way of life, you'd be Doctor Phil...
The Cleanest Painting blog ever!
Gitsplitta wrote:I am but a pretender... you are... the father of all squiggles. .
 
   
Made in ca
Sagitarius with a Big F'in Gun





Toronto, Canada


+++ Neural Congress ∙ Initialized +++ External Vox Vocalizer ∙ Activated + "Third iteration, blessed by the Omnissiah!" + Broadcast Diabolical Laughter ∙ 03 +++ Data Downlink ∙ Ongoing... +++

"The old galaxy is dying, and the new galaxy struggles to be born; now is the time of monsters."


 
   
Made in ca
Sagitarius with a Big F'in Gun





Toronto, Canada

Here’s a bit of a mixed bag with this update. First up I wanted to show some images from the studio’s workbench to illustrate what I’m doing to improve and streamline my mould making process. I’m sure there’s a few of you who’ve been reading my recent articles outlining my progress working with Servitor Solus and wondering ‘what the heck is taking so long to get casting?!’ and I wanted to take a moment to show what I’ve been doing that’s delated me a bit. This is an effort to reduce the labour of producing casting moulds to improve their production in the future, while also aiming for a top quality outcome that will ensure the best possible casts for the customer.

I’ve mentioned it a few times over the years, but I’ll reiterate, I hate ‘split moulds’ which are very common in casting resin models; with a split mould you place the object in the mould box and pour one complete block of rubber to completely encase the object, and then cut into the rubber down to the master object to free it from the mould rubber. While this is a method that saves labour during the mold making process it comes with problems that I simply despise. Not only can you damage the casting master as you cut it free, if the object is small and/or thin it can be very difficult if not impossible to cut the item free in a clean manner; even if you can cut the item free it generally creates an uneven mould line that you have very little control over. As such, they tend to ‘slip’ rather easily producing really obvious mould lines at best and horrible detail ruining mould slips at worse. Ever see a really nice resin cast model with a big ugly mould line/slip in a rather odd/obvious location? You can thank quickly made split moulds used/run as quickly as possible for that.

My studio will Never use split moulds. By producing a two-part mould extra time and labour is needed but you can have complete control over where the mould line goes and you can produce a mould that literally resists mould slipping and therefore creates almost invisible mould lines almost every time. Done right, this can also help the mould open and close making it easier to extract the components without damaging the mould and/or badly warping the part. Given the cost of RTV rubber, putting some extra labour into making a mould that can be in use for years to produce dozens of copies of an object seems like a shrewd investment; since it also means that it noticeably improves the quality of the components produced, this is simply a no-brainer choice for the studio to standby.

A quick first point, the RTV rubber is not binding to the surface of the 3D prints made by Solus as I make the moulds. This small detail is a huge positive for the studio. Past 3D prints made with the PolyJet process (what Shapeways uses) creates components that have a porous surface that needs to be properly sealed before making moulds, or the rubber binds with the object causing all sorts of problems. Servitor Solus makes parts with such a refined and smooth surfaces this issue simply doesn’t happen; to say this is a good outcome would be a huge understatement. It’s not something most people might even concern themselves with, but know that I’m the kind of perfectionist that does it on your behalf.


Encouraged by the accuracy that Solus has been achieving I’ve been working out the tolerances to produce ‘inserts’ that fit into the negative space of parts during the mould making process.

If an object you’re casting has a nice flat back it’s a simple process of laying it on the casting clay, adding the vents/gates, and pouring RTV rubber over the item; once the first half is cured flip the mould, remove the casting clay, and pour the second half. Now, if the object has all-around details with no obvious flat side and/or has obvious overhangs and/or holes that will lock the item in the rubber, you need to find some way to back-fill them to block the rubber in the first half of the mould. Up to this point I did this by hand using the casting clay, sharp blades, and sculpting tools to fill in these kinds of locations. This is where labour in creating a two-part mould can add up, and every time the mould wears out the process needs to be repeated. I’ll do it if I have to, but I wanted to find a better way.

With Servitor Solus completely at my disposal, opposed to outsourcing my 3D printing, I was able to do the trial-and-error necessary to get the tolerances as tight as I could manage to create standardized inserts for the components that will benefit from them. The example above is quite simple, but even with more complex objects creating a seat to occupy the negative area is reasonably straightforward in Solidworks. So, in most cases where it’s needed I should be able to create an insert for a component to simplify the process; place the object on the insert to make one side flat, place them on the clay, add the vents/gates, pour the rubber, cure the first half and flip, remove the clay, pull out the inserts, and pour the second half of the mould. Also, note how doing it this way will have the mould line follow the inside corner/edge perfectly making it really easy to clean up.

The last hurdle I’m trying to figure out with this process is how to better seal the paper-thin gap between the insert and the component so it resists the RTV rubber from seeping in between the two objects. If it’s not sealed the pressure curing process I use on my moulds creates a film of rubber that needs to be cleaned up before pouring the second half of the mould. Not a huge deal but it would be nice to avoid it to further streamline the process. I’m researching if there’s a readymade product that can do the job but it might just be as simple as adding a bit of petroleum gel in the gap and cleaning the edge. So, a few more tests are still ongoing to see if I can solve this, but the overall idea of making precision fit inserts in general seems to be viable thanks to how well Solus works.

All that said, the first moulds for the Pintle Weapon Kit (Certamen Mk.1, 2, 3) will be starting to finish over the next few days and the first casts and test assemblies will follow shortly after; I can’t wait to see the parts in grey resin. With limited equipment right now mould making is a bit of a catch-22, since I need to use my casting chambers to create my moulds the process unfortunately stops me from being able to cast, and vice-versa. Naturally, more chambers are planned, but for now it’s an annoying reality.

Ok, with all of that word salad dished out, let’s have last look (for now) at the final successful iteration of the Dragoon/Ironstrider bits to see how they turned out, shall we?


Since the red color tends to mute the contrast in the parts, here’s a screenshot of the last bits I did for the Dragoon/Ironstrider in Solidworks.

The first print I did of the Phosphor Serpenta arm was good but it didn’t quite ‘feel’ right to me and seemed a bit heavy; after it was commented that it seemed a bit off balance I figured it wouldn’t hurt to tweak the 3D model a bit. In the above image the back end of the weapon has been slimmed down a little to remove a bit of bulk while still keeping the same form, opposed to the Serpenta in the photograph below. It’s a subtle change but I think it suits the arm better now. These bits were a bit of a distraction within a distraction, but I’m so pleased with how all the components turned out I’m glad I took the time to make the extra bits. The components only change, what, 5-10% of the model? But it really does give the model a distinct look while not diverging too much.


After the second iteration that missed the mark it dawned on me what to do to quickly zero in on the fit I was trying to achieve.

The first parts were done ‘blind’ by taking measurements of the existing components and model which will work to get the general shape but will struggle to get a really exact match. Once a printed component can be placed on the model there is something to provide solid reference points to work with. I simply sketched the shapes of the model details I was trying to conform to (the round cap of the hip and the oval area of the pipe connections) how they appeared out of alignment, then lock the sketch so it couldn’t move, and altered the 3D model to conform to the sketch… And I’ll be damned if it didn’t work as well as I could have hoped. Again, it’s a little technique that’s actually a large insight that will be very useful for many future projects where I’ll need to zero in on the fit of a curved and/or complex component. It was good to figure it out on something small like this so it can save me time and materials on larger projects. *Subtle glances over at his half assembled Knight and mutters, “Soon.” Under his breath*

Next up, I need to get the other two Dragoons cleaned up and assembled, so this project will go dark for a bit before returning once I’ve got the group closer to being ready for primer. Naturally, if I do anything else of note for the project along the way I’ll try to remember to document the process. I’m trying hard to force myself to photograph what I’m doing more often, as I keep finishing things and thinking I should have documented the process.

Thanks as always for reading and following along. Ok, now I’m all worded out.

*Subtle shuffles off to find something to jam into his food hole*

"The old galaxy is dying, and the new galaxy struggles to be born; now is the time of monsters."


 
   
Made in us
Omnipotent Lord of Change





Albany, NY

Another great process post, cheers for writing it up Subtle

As for the Dragoon pieces themselves, love the mods you're making, in no small part because I really like the Dragoon model as standard and am thrilled to have more parts to tinker with. Dream is to have a proper huge flight of them, despite cost in Citadel plastic, and your mods are refueling that mad project again

- Salvage

KOW BATREPS: BLOODFIRE
INSTAGRAM: @boss_salvage 
   
Made in ca
Sagitarius with a Big F'in Gun





Toronto, Canada

Yes! The Dragoon/Ironstrider is one of my favorite models in the AdMech line, which is saying something because most of the AdMech line is really good. It's just such a wonderful blend of human and machine that is such quintessential AdMech. I too want to get many more of them over time. Three will not be enough.


Oooo... the very first casts are up! Mmmm... polyurethane resin. *Subtle rubs his hands together expectantly*
 
I'm still making moulds so I can't do a proper casting run yet, but I had to get a few done to see how they're turning out. Everything is looking as good as I could have hoped for. Now let's see how all the parts come together, shall we?

"The old galaxy is dying, and the new galaxy struggles to be born; now is the time of monsters."


 
   
Made in ca
Sagitarius with a Big F'in Gun





Toronto, Canada




Here we go, I'll just leave these right here. A few images to show a before-and-after, nice and large to showcase the surface quality and detail fidelity. But now, back to work.

"The old galaxy is dying, and the new galaxy struggles to be born; now is the time of monsters."


 
   
Made in gb
Fixture of Dakka





6 foot underwater

Well they're certainly looking rather nice.

cyborks & flyboyz : http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/300067.page
heretical ramblings : http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/302773.page
imperial preachings : http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/0/303365.page
Da Waaagh-ky Races : http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/325045.page
Briancj: You have the Mek Taint, MT, and the only thing we can do is watch in horror/amazement.

 
   
Made in us
Jinking Ravenwing Land Speeder Pilot





Pittsburgh PA, USA

Nicely done brother. They came out clean and crisp to say the least

Angels of Vengeance P&M Blog

A Tale of 5 Gamers!

Blood Knights Kill Team P&M

Crusade of Vengeance - A Tale of Sacrifce and Brotherhood
www..com/dakkaforum/posts/list/545145.page 
   
Made in ca
Sagitarius with a Big F'in Gun





Toronto, Canada

Thanks! Yep, I'm happy with the results, to say the least. I keep inspecting the parts under magnification and noticing the odd little thing and I get a bit frustrated that it's not utterly perfect. Then I look at it from any other realistic range and it becomes seamless and all but perfect. Yeah, I'm a perfectionist and I'll admit that it's not literally perfect, but by any reasonable standard, it is. Definitely a case of the artist being their worst critic, but I suspect my customers won't mind.

"The old galaxy is dying, and the new galaxy struggles to be born; now is the time of monsters."


 
   
Made in us
Is 'Eavy Metal Calling?





Affton, MO. USA

Beautiful work as always. GW needs to take notice and start hiring people like you, or make you authorized parts dealers since this thing is going to become a thing in the future and weather they fight it or embrace it will decide public opinion on the company.

LOL, Theo your mind is an amazing place, never change.-camkierhi 9/19/13
I cant believe theo is right.. damn. -comradepanda 9/26/13
None of the strange ideas we had about you involved your sexual orientation..........-Monkeytroll 12/10/13

I'd put you on ignore for that comment, if I could...Alpharius 2/11/14 
   
Made in ca
Sagitarius with a Big F'in Gun





Toronto, Canada

I've mentioned it a few times in various corners of the internet, but that's actually something I want to try and make happen. At the very least I'm letting FW set the bar and I'm going to make kits so good that I want to start being known as the unofficial other Forge World. My crazy ambition is to make kits so good that fit so well with the GW line that I can maaaybe attempt to approach GW and plead the case for something like an affiliated studio credit or something; not a full-blown licence, but some kind of agreement that they won't sue me out of existence as long as I don't devalue and/or confuse their brand in any way and respect their IP. On some levels, it might really be a crazy idea, but if you look at what they've been doing in the digital sphere of their business lately, licensing out their IP to many small studios to find solid producers, and then letting the bad products slip away while further supporting the good studios. The old GW would never go for it, but maaaybe the new GW will, if the studio that approaches them can show that they understand GW's design style and are producing top-notch quality kits and models, like me. I know I'm tiny right now, but that is finally about to change. Time will tell what's in store in the future.

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2018/05/23 21:14:30


"The old galaxy is dying, and the new galaxy struggles to be born; now is the time of monsters."


 
   
Made in us
Jinking Ravenwing Land Speeder Pilot





Pittsburgh PA, USA

Speaking of your work brother, do you plan on doing another production run of your current range? Or is all of that on hold for the time being?

Angels of Vengeance P&M Blog

A Tale of 5 Gamers!

Blood Knights Kill Team P&M

Crusade of Vengeance - A Tale of Sacrifce and Brotherhood
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Made in ca
Sagitarius with a Big F'in Gun





Toronto, Canada

Basically, everything that is out-of-stock right now is a placeholder for the new kits that I'm developing. Most of the moulds for the current kits are very worn out and investing in making new moulds for these older kits is hard to justify when I can produce superior kits with 3D modeling. The new kits will be based directly off of the older kits they replace while also taking advantage of what 3D modeling can achieve. I'm sorry if anyone is really keen on getting something from the older range, it's a hard call to make, but it really is the best way forward for the studio. That, and I promise that the new kits will be superior in many ways, from the level of detail, more complexity (in a good way), to how they build, also different assembly options for the builder to choose from, and improvements that will help the production process for the studio.

While I've been very serious and produced the best quality kits I could manage, up to this point it really has been a part-time venture as I complete college so I could work out all of the kinks in the manufacturing process and be positive that I could make things of various sizes and shapes without worries. Now I'm shifting to a full-time operation, taking all of the preparation work and experimentation so I can combine it with everything I learned studying Industrial Design. The reboot has been a bit slower than I would have liked, but things are beginning to roll now and the best is yet to come. I'm starting small to make sure everything is worked out, and then I'll be moving to more ambitious projects soon.

"The old galaxy is dying, and the new galaxy struggles to be born; now is the time of monsters."


 
   
Made in us
Ultramarine Chaplain with Hate to Spare






I am super impressed with what you've begun to turn out, man. And also jealous of the printer and the time you've had to devote to it . I like your ambition!

And They Shall Not Fit Through Doors!!!

Tyranid Army Progress -- With Classic Warriors!:
https://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/0/743240.page#9671598 
   
Made in ca
Sagitarius with a Big F'in Gun





Toronto, Canada


Caught by a fit of distracting inspiration, to accompany the Vehicle Pintle Weapons, I'm taking a quick diversion to crank out a redesign of the Vehicle Accessories I created.
 
This is the Searchlight that I'll be using as a base (the Searchlight part is removable), and from here I'm going to create a Loud Speaker (Aka: Dirge Caster), and a Radar/Comms dish for this base and a separate Smoke Launcher bit to complete the set; the kit will include a few Smoke Launchers and several bases with a selection of the modular bits for the builder to choose during assembly. I decided to get briefly distracted by this redesign because I think it will pair well with the Vehicle Pintle Weapons kits (moulds are finished, casts are great, more on that kit soon...) and I'll be bundling the two together when they hit the shop.
 
As mentioned, the Pintle Weapons are done (after being delayed a few days after running out of rubber) and now I just need to get some proper photos taken of them. I'll share some images very soon. The casting masters for the Interitus Missile Launcher (Aka: Havoc Launcher) kits have finished 3D printing and mould making is ongoing. Expect to see much more poly resin over the next few updates followed by more new designs becoming reality.

"The old galaxy is dying, and the new galaxy struggles to be born; now is the time of monsters."


 
   
Made in ch
Longtime Dakkanaut





UK

Please make it happen faster ! We need our resin crack goodness !

   
Made in ca
Sagitarius with a Big F'in Gun





Toronto, Canada


The Loud Speaker. As those skilled in the art of making loud noises once said, the volume nob goes to eleven because that's louder than ten. It's simple really.

"The old galaxy is dying, and the new galaxy struggles to be born; now is the time of monsters."


 
   
Made in ca
Sagitarius with a Big F'in Gun





Toronto, Canada

++++
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Comm-Link ∙ Active
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+++
Motivation Subroutines ∙ Recalibrating…
+++++++
++++
Information Exchange ∙ Update
++++++

+++ Output Quota ∙ Inadequate +++ Incentive Reprimand ∙ Administered +++ +++ Praxis Protocols ∙ Decrypting… +++ +++ +++ Output Quota ∙ Adjusting Parameters… +++
++++
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+++++++
Praxis Protocols ∙ Initialized
++++++
+++
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Motivation Subroutines ∙ Updated
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Comm-Link ∙ Active
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+++++
+++++++++
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Ok, so maybe four versions of the Interitus Missile Launcher redesign with four missile options was a bit ambitious to start, but I really wanted to make versions suited to Loyalist and Chaos aaand an alternate version with a lower profile, so four was what had to be. With the number of moulds required and the additional cure time the new rubber is adding, it’s taking longer than expected; driving home that I simply need more and/or larger pressure chambers sooner rather than later; all in due time. However, things are progressing and while there still a few moulds to go, the end of these are in sight… sorta’.


I’m happy to find that the components don’t need any special treatment before the mould making process. Past 3D prints I’ve worked with had a porous surface that would bind with the mould rubber if the parts weren’t treated.

So, thankfully this isn’t a problem with the components Solus is producing. I still need to remove and clean up the supports used during the printing process, but that’s not too bad, usually. While the printing resin is very strong and hard it’s also somewhat brittle and it’s prone to chipping if you don’t take care as you file and sand them away. If it happens it’s usually a toss-up between repairing the chip mark or just printing a replacement part. Beyond that, this is how parts turn out straight from the printer right into the RTV rubber. Fewer steps in the production process, It’s a good thing.


Moulds for the Launchers are still in the works, but the yolk is ready and looking great. Naturally, it’s magnetized for posing/swapping and they’ll be included in the kit.

The only catch with the yolk components is hidden within the current moulds. While they’re producing great parts I’m finding that it takes quite a bit of force to remove the parts from the moulds. The new rubber I’m using is very tough but I’m just not sure how many pulls I’ll be able to reliably get from them like this. The mixed outcome is somewhat good since I had done them as simple and straightforward as possible, so I can see now that I’m going to have to do them in a way that’ll take a bit more work, but that’s just what some components need if you’re going to make moulds in what I feel is the right way. The two-part moulds take more time and effort, but I just can’t ignore the superior results.

Besides that minor hiccup, these are looking as good as I could have hoped. The rest of the moulds will be finishing up over the next few days and fully assembled photographs of the kits will be sure to follow. After that, I’m going to be pulled by my ear, figuratively… mostly, but a bit literally, by my family to spend a week out of the city at the cottage. While a large part of me doesn’t want to leave the manufactorum as I’m finally gaining momentum again, I’m quite sure it’s in my best interest to relent and expose myself to some unpolluted atmosphere, some dirt, and a dose of solar radiation in order to maintain some semblance of an immune system. Naturally, I’ll be taking some hobby supplies and such along with me for the evenings, so I’ll keep some progress going of some sort, but I’m still not sure just what quite yet.

"The old galaxy is dying, and the new galaxy struggles to be born; now is the time of monsters."


 
   
Made in ca
Sagitarius with a Big F'in Gun





Toronto, Canada

Well, I’m not going to get all the moulds done before I flee the city for the week (heading out early tomorrow), but I’m in the home stretch. I just need to get the second pair of missile components moulded for this set but that’s no problem now that I’ve done the first two and they’ve worked out perfectly.
 

Split like this to solve a production problem with rocket/missile ordinance loaded in tubes, it’s worked out nicely. However, the sprew is causing the part to be a tiny bit out of alignment in this image.
 
When created something like this as a single part the mould will wear out rather quickly as the delicate rubber creating the missile detail tears away; a mould for a part like this would need to be replaced 4-5 times beside the moulds for the rest of the kit and that just didn’t make sense. This solution was to avoid that problem, and it solves the problem perfectly as the moulds for both of these parts will now wear about the same and in line with the rest of the moulds for the kit. But once I solved the problem it quickly became apparent that it also adds to the design in other ways. First. I made a few different missile types to add options for the builder. It’s also very easy to remove a few missiles and drill out the back plate to make the rack look like it’s launched a volley or two. People who prefer to do subassembly paint jobs might also want to paint the missiles first before inserting them in the front plate. A reasonably small change equals win, win, win, for the kit? Works for me!
 

From my mind, to the computer, to Servitor Solus, to reality. Since the old counts-as Havoc Launcher was one of the first kits that my studio started producing, it’s fitting that it should be one of the first to get a proper reboot.
 
A few moulds in the set will need a bit of tweaking the next time I make them, to let the parts pulling free easier, but that’s no problem and all part of the ever ongoing process. Everything assembles perfectly with just a tiny bit of wiggle room to permit glue between seams and gaps and avoid any possible shrinkage causing fit issues. As with the Pintle Weapons, this is one part creating a new’ish kit, but also one part testing the waters to make sure more ambitious future designs should be possible. Not that I expected any problems but these first few kits were small enough to fail without wasting too many resources. Prototyping resin is expensive so naturally, I want to save mistakes and testing for the small stuff. Again, just look at those clean lines, sharp details, accurate fit, smooth surfaces, and know that I am completely giddy with anticipation to see just what I can do with this at my disposal. Oh little Havoc launcher, you signify so much more. *Subtle grins wickedly*
 
The Mk.4A Loyalist version is also finished and looking great, but I just don’t have time to assemble one right now. I still need to complete the moulds for the lower profile ‘B’ versions and the corresponding missile insert components so the ‘A’ kits will be in production a few days after I return to the studio and the ‘B’ kits a few days after that. Thanks as always to everyone past, present, and future, who are making it possible for me to do this seriously. I hope that I continue to show that I’m very serious about producing some of the best models and miniatures available, and while the start-up is going a bit slow there are great things in The Works as the momentum continues to build over the coming weeks, months, and years.

"The old galaxy is dying, and the new galaxy struggles to be born; now is the time of monsters."


 
   
Made in us
Jinking Ravenwing Land Speeder Pilot





Pittsburgh PA, USA

Subtle, What program are you using when designing?

Angels of Vengeance P&M Blog

A Tale of 5 Gamers!

Blood Knights Kill Team P&M

Crusade of Vengeance - A Tale of Sacrifce and Brotherhood
www..com/dakkaforum/posts/list/545145.page 
   
Made in ca
Sagitarius with a Big F'in Gun





Toronto, Canada

Hey Azalle, Currently I'm using Solidworks 2016 because it's what I learned while attending college and I've become very comfortable and proficient using it. For modeling hard mechanical objects it's really hard to beat since it's an industry standard for accurately 3D modeling practically any manufactured good one can think of. I've considered other software once I start to move to create soft and/or organic forms because of how effortless some of them can create or manipulate those types of forms, but I've been learning that Solidworks might also be up to the task of doing soft/organic forms as I research surface and freeform manipulation methods in Solidworks. I still have lots of mechanical projects to tackle before I start really exploring organic forms, however, so I still have plenty of time to consider my options.

"The old galaxy is dying, and the new galaxy struggles to be born; now is the time of monsters."


 
   
Made in us
Liche Priest Hierophant






May I suggest Blender, for experimenting with sculpting? It's free, but it's 'industrial strength' if not better, and it's got just about everything you'd want to experiment in it- even has 3D printing plugins.

It's Vertex-based design, however. I'm not sure if Solidworks is Vertex-based or equation-based.

GENERATION 8: The first time you see this, copy and paste it into your sig and add 1 to the number after generation. Consider it a social experiment.

If yer an Ork, why dont ya WAAAGH!!

M.A.V.- if you liked ChromeHounds, drop by the site and give it a go. Or check out my M.A.V. Oneshots videos on YouTube! 
   
Made in ca
Sagitarius with a Big F'in Gun





Toronto, Canada

+++
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Comm-Link ∙ Active
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+++ Neural Congress ∙ Initialized +++ Transmit ∙ 'Dragoon Zero-Six tack Zero-One... Telemetry confirmed. Hold for Engagement Protocol down-link.' +++ Receiving ∙ 'Zero-Six tack Zero-One... Transmit confirmed. Slowing locomotion to 3%. Awaiting Engagement Protocol down-link.' +++
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Comm-Link ∙ Active
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"The old galaxy is dying, and the new galaxy struggles to be born; now is the time of monsters."


 
   
Made in ca
Sagitarius with a Big F'in Gun





Toronto, Canada


"The old galaxy is dying, and the new galaxy struggles to be born; now is the time of monsters."


 
   
Made in gb
Tunneling Trygon






Carrickfergus, Northern Ireland

Looking good! Any other modifications, like to the arms/weapons?

Sieg Zeon!

Selling TGG2! 
   
Made in nz
Strategizing Grey Knight Chapter Master





Auckland New Zealand

Oh my, this is exciting!

IceAngel wrote:I must say Knightley, I am very envious of your squiggle ability. I mean, if squiggles were a tactical squad, you'd be the sergeant. If squiggles were an HQ, you'd be the special character. If squiggles were a way of life, you'd be Doctor Phil...
The Cleanest Painting blog ever!
Gitsplitta wrote:I am but a pretender... you are... the father of all squiggles. .
 
   
Made in ca
Sagitarius with a Big F'in Gun





Toronto, Canada

++++
+++++++++
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Comm-Link ∙ Active
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Information Exchange ∙ Update
++++++

+++ Compiling Data +++ Data Review ∙ Complete +++ Kastelan STC Evaluation ∙ Complete +++ Assessing Data… +++
++++++
+++
Preliminary Assessment ∙ Displaying…
+++++++
++
Optical Input Array ∙ Inferior ∙ Poor field-of-view hinders situational awareness during combat engagements.
+++
Onboard Ammunition Supply ∙ Inadequate ∙ Limited ammunition solution shortens effective ranged combat durations.
++++
Rate of Fire ∙ Average ∙ Improved projectile delivery solutions would significantly improve target saturation.
+
Close Combat Weapons ∙ Uninspired ∙ The Omnissiah demands improved combat weapons worth of this honoured chassis.
++++
+
+++
Iteration Subroutines ∙ Active
++++++
Altering STC ∙ Ongoing…
+++
+++
Improvement recommendations to follow. Standby…
++++++
++
Comm-Link ∙ Active
+++
++++
++++++
++


"The old galaxy is dying, and the new galaxy struggles to be born; now is the time of monsters."


 
   
Made in us
Omnipotent Lord of Change





Albany, NY

Yesssssss, so much potential in the Kastelan that got frittered away in that pulp sci-fi reference GW went with. Also makes it jar pretty badly with the rest of the line.

So color me excited to see your upgrades!

- Salvage

KOW BATREPS: BLOODFIRE
INSTAGRAM: @boss_salvage 
   
Made in gb
Tunneling Trygon






Carrickfergus, Northern Ireland

I do love me some "projectile delivery solutions".

Sieg Zeon!

Selling TGG2! 
   
Made in ca
Sagitarius with a Big F'in Gun





Toronto, Canada

Arg! (Really? You’re going to start this with ‘Arg!’) – (Yes, yes I am.) Heh… ok, so I’m having a bit of a hard time formulating how to write this because I suspect that this update is going to be a bit scattered. So I guess I’ll just start at the beginning and go from there. While on a certain level I should be painting (the Dragoons will be getting a coat of primer soon enough) when I can find the time for personal projects, I just haven’t been feeling the groove for that and I’ve only had the itch to build. So I figured as long as it’s in my list I may as well not fight the flow and I turned my attention to the Kastelan robots I’ve been alluding to.

Up front I want to say just how impressed I am with how the Kastelan kits assemble, using small hidden locking pins and tabs to make it easy for those who want to build them as-is; but if you remove the pins and tabs the model becomes adjustable at the ankles, knees, and hips, providing a more ambitious builder the option to change the pose however they’d like. Even the toe caps on the feet have a simple rocking mechanism to provide a little bit of added flexibility to the pose of the feet. Whoever designed this kit had the right idea, that’s for sure.


When in doubt, mock it up. Sometimes there’s no alternative to just making a few quick tests using some paper and minimal materials.

I never liked the curved magazines on the Phosphor Blasters and always felt that they should be at least larger ammo drums. The way the Kastelan kit assembles, it’s all but begging to have the lower arms totally replaced and I think I’ll be doing that when I get to making alternative Close Combat Weapons. So I considered creating large ammo drums attached to the arms, but then I saw a conversion with a back-mounted ammo pack with a feed leading to the arm and it really seemed appropriate. In order to get the right length and an idea of what kind of curve would be the best starting point, I did some quick-n-dirty mockups with some arcs of paper. I’ve also always been underwhelmed with the barrels, so some bits of styrene tube quickly visualized some obvious barrel swaps that will help complete the updated look.

Not only did the test with paper strips help me with the shape and curve of the ammo feeds, it also illustrated that the ammo feed will really want to swing back-and-forth depending on the position of the arm. Where I would have likely made the ammo belt feed straight out of the ammo box if I didn’t do these tests, this gave me the idea to make the attachment round so it could rotate. Not only will it be functional, I think it adds a good detail that will tie the components into the rest of the model.

Happy with the shapes and forms I was getting after a few tries I figured it would be a good idea to test just how easily I could expect the materials I’ll be working with to bend and twist. No matter how I design these components the ammo feeds are going to need to be bent and shaped to fit the model.


I’m pleased to discover that the resin used by Servitor Solus is thermodynamic (Oooo… a $4 word) so there’s no problem heating it to deform it.

While I’m not sure I’ll be taking advantage of this property all that often in the future, it’s nice to know I have the option to 3D print something flat and heat-form it if that is useful. I also took the time to quickly do a test with the polyurethane resin that I use to cast. Resin has the same properties, letting you heat it, deform it, and when it cools it will hold the new shape, but I’d never actually done this deliberately with this resin so I just wanted to make sure it’ll play nice. I’ll be 3D printing these parts for my own use but when I do them as a kit for the shop in the future I just wanted to make sure there’d be no surprises. To anyone wondering, yes, I will be producing all of the kits I create for my Mechanicus army project to be offered in the shop, but they’ll be happening sometime in the future when I’ve got a few other projects done first.


I wasn’t sure which I preferred, so I did versions for both of the barrel ideas; an over-under ‘two fingers’ pew-pew style, and a tri-barrel rotary spray-n-pray version.

Since neither is too elaborate it wasn’t too hard to do a 3D model for each idea so I can see how each one looks in the end. I’m very tempted to do another version of this idea that completely replaces the lower arms with more elaborate ‘death rays’ with large swags of cables to attach to the power plant, but for now, I think this is a solid upgrade that wasn’t too much work and should blend nicely with the model. I think it’ll go a long way to elevate the badass factor of the Kastelan a notch or two.

I do have plans to do Close Combat Weapons, but they’re going to be more elaborate and I don’t have any melee Kastelan Robots in my list right now, so I’ll return to do those in the future. I think what I want to try to create is three ‘buzz saw’ blades that have a snipping scissor action so they can emulate the original fists a little. A suggestion to incorporate Combustors into the weapons is also something I think I’ll add as well. But, as I said, unfortunately there just isn’t enough time to tackle them right now but expect to see them appear sometime in the future.

Well, that is after I do something about that damn head… “Oh, this won’t do. You’re such an interesting monster. An interesting monster requires an interesting hair doo!” ~ Bugs Bunny


I respect how faithful they’ve tried to be in creating the Kastelan model; I’ve seen the original concept sketches so I understand why it looks how it does and why it stands out in the Mechanicus line.

When the Mechanicus line was first released, to me, the Kastelan Robots seemed a bit out-of-place and they didn’t mesh that well with the rest of the models. While their look has grown on me over time I still think they have several design elements that make them unique within the line. If someone thinks this is a good or bad thing is obviously subjective, but my point is that I didn’t think I could do anything that would dramatically change the look of the models, but I could address a few choices that were made to be faithful to the original concept sketch, but which I think detract from the design. In this case, it’s gotta’ be the egg head with the derpy ‘viewport’ that provides no peripheral vision.

The concept on the right was my original plan when I started this, but the version on the left, that’s truer to the original, happened along the way; once I got the armoured shell done it was just too easy to add the smooth screen/glass to create an alternate version. I think both do a good job to provide the model with a unique look while getting rid of that niggling problem of no peripheral vision. Taking a few design cues from the Omnispex I’m quite pleased with how they both turned out and I can’t wait to see how they look on the Kastelan model. As with the components I made for the Dragoon/Strider kit, I won’t know how well they will fit the model until I have a chance to 3D print them; odds are good that they’ll need a bit of adjustment to perfect the fit.

Unfortunately, I haven’t had the time *Subtle’s eye twitches* to get Servitor Solus working on these yet… *Teeth clenched, Subtle’s face contorts horribly and then relaxes* … so these digital previews will have to do for now. Once I find the time *Eye twitch!*, I should have some prints to show in the near… *Looking as if he’s about sneeze, Subtle’s head suddenly explodes! After a moment, his hands begin to blindly collect the pieces raining down and awkwardly attempting to reassemble them on his neck.*



"The old galaxy is dying, and the new galaxy struggles to be born; now is the time of monsters."


 
   
 
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