Beyond The Sprues

Modelling => Completed GBs => Group and Themed Builds => 2018 Clear your workbench GB => Topic started by: Dr. YoKai on February 21, 2018, 06:50:23 AM

Title: Gotta start someplace: The Steam Man of the Prairie
Post by: Dr. YoKai on February 21, 2018, 06:50:23 AM
 I started this between two and three years ago. It's mostly scratch, starting with a clear plastic Christmas ornament for the main body, and a
fishing bobber ( or float ) for the head. Everything else is a combination of evergreen sheet and shapes ( mainly half round and angle ) The
shoulder shields are aves formed over another fishing bobber. I need to add the rivets to it, and do the 'mouth grill, then add the last bits and paint it. Sorry I don't have more in-progress shots.
(https://scontent-dfw5-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/27868143_10214974290820283_534159526269781818_n.jpg?oh=620c165efb0546bbc195818087fb58e2&oe=5B02B562)
(https://scontent-dfw5-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/28166292_10214974290860284_3281922745209882959_n.jpg?oh=fbbc22983d6414f914ced34f3d776935&oe=5B217CA1)
(https://scontent-dfw5-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/28166547_10214974289620253_240834363772518339_n.jpg?oh=ebab425107658c67a1d4852e590830d0&oe=5B092DF4)
Title: Re: Gotta start someplace: The Steam Man of the Prairie
Post by: Acree on February 21, 2018, 07:18:57 AM
That looks amazing, Dr.!  Is this an imaginative springing forth from your fertile mind or is there some inspiration from somewhere?
Title: Re: Gotta start someplace: The Steam Man of the Prairie
Post by: Dr. YoKai on February 21, 2018, 07:23:45 AM
A Timely question!  :smiley:The source-
(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8d/The_steam_man_of_the_prairies_%281868%29_big.jpg)

 One of the earliest 'mechanical men' in fiction, it was purely an engine, not an automaton. This is, I believe, the earliest use of the
titular character, who was re-created two or three more times by different dime novel or early pulp writers.

A Brief summary (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Steam_Man_of_the_Prairies)

Title: Re: Gotta start someplace: The Steam Man of the Prairie
Post by: Acree on February 21, 2018, 09:44:26 AM
Double-wow!  You have captured him well!  Congrats!  Looking forward to seeing the final version!
Title: Re: Gotta start someplace: The Steam Man of the Prairie
Post by: Kerick on February 21, 2018, 10:18:08 AM
Looks like something right out of Wild, Wild West!
Nice work Dr.
Title: Re: Gotta start someplace: The Steam Man of the Prairie
Post by: Tophe on February 21, 2018, 10:44:56 AM
Wow! It looks like Science-Fiction of the 1800s! Making it live again now is amazing! :-*
Title: Re: Gotta start someplace: The Steam Man of the Prairie
Post by: Old Wombat on February 21, 2018, 09:25:22 PM
Nice goin', Doc! :smiley:
Title: Re: Gotta start someplace: The Steam Man of the Prairie
Post by: Robomog on February 22, 2018, 06:56:31 AM
I  think Kerick hit the nail on the head, very wild wild west, I'm impressed, nice one Dr. Looking forward to seeing this one finished !

Mog
>^-.-^<
Title: Re: Gotta start someplace: The Steam Man of the Prairie
Post by: Frank3k on February 22, 2018, 07:22:56 AM
This looks awesome! Are you going to make any Frank Reade inspired contraptions?
Title: Re: Gotta start someplace: The Steam Man of the Prairie
Post by: elmayerle on February 22, 2018, 07:56:06 AM
Looks like something right out of Wild, Wild West!
Nice work Dr.
Agreed on both counts; I keep expecting a young Robert Conrad to show up.
Title: Re: Gotta start someplace: The Steam Man of the Prairie
Post by: finsrin on February 22, 2018, 10:21:20 AM
Super creative. :smiley:
As said on TV:  Now for something completely different.
Title: Re: Gotta start someplace: The Steam Man of the Prairie
Post by: Dr. YoKai on February 22, 2018, 10:07:40 PM
This looks awesome! Are you going to make any Frank Reade inspired contraptions?

Possibly, probably - "The Electric Man" has always been kind of intriguing. I've incorporated this particular Steam Man into my Science Pirate Syndicate mythos - young Johnny Brainerd has his brain transferred to the Steam man chassis by his long lost twin brother, Miguelito... But I
aim to try finishing some languishing WW ! projects, and the Sekrit Yo Navy ship Sivanna (Ex-NS Savannah) - construction on that is well along, I just need to overcome my long aversion to wiring and electronics to light the ship.

Colleagues, Comrades, friends - thanks you all for the compliments.
Title: Re: Gotta start someplace: The Steam Man of the Prairie
Post by: Dr. YoKai on May 15, 2018, 08:24:26 AM
Well, The Steam Man is nearly done, but that may be one of the last projects off the bench for a few months at
least. We are aiming to sell the house and move this summer, and I have been spending much of my weekend
building time getting the garage workshop packed so we can show the house...
Anyway, the Big Iron Cheese is waiting for terrain on the base, and a bit of weathering.
(https://scontent-dfw5-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/32344524_10215624240548620_5208199620848517120_n.jpg?_nc_cat=0&oh=b433ca8ead87cea68cf7df33597ef9f3&oe=5B869CE0)
(https://scontent-dfw5-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/32260678_10215624240628622_1543948993820622848_n.jpg?_nc_cat=0&oh=38311e7c6d3ecc43fb4c75ed326e3187&oe=5B9D6631)
Title: Re: Gotta start someplace: The Steam Man of the Prairie
Post by: jcf on May 20, 2018, 02:18:59 PM
 :smiley: :smiley: :smiley: :icon_fsm:
Title: Re: Gotta start someplace: The Steam Man of the Prairie
Post by: Robomog on May 20, 2018, 04:23:29 PM
Awesome, simply awesome. Totally inspired off the wall build  :icon_alabanza: :icon_alabanza: :icon_alabanza:

Mog
>^-.-^<
Title: Re: Gotta start someplace: The Steam Man of the Prairie
Post by: Frank3k on May 21, 2018, 02:59:44 AM
He really looks like the original in the Smithsonian!
Title: Re: Gotta start someplace: The Steam Man of the Prairie
Post by: Brian da Basher on May 22, 2018, 02:35:36 AM
Wow Doc that's fantastic!

Great subject and your wild skills have really brought it together!

Watching with interest,

Brian da Basher
Title: Re: Gotta start someplace: The Steam Man of the Prairie
Post by: Dr. YoKai on May 22, 2018, 03:31:11 AM
Thanks again, fellas - and this:
Quote
He really looks like the original in the Smithsonian!
best. comment. EVER.
( Thanks, Frank )

Here he is, finished base and all -
(https://scontent.fftw1-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/33173048_10215687167521755_1348498947873701888_n.jpg?_nc_cat=0&oh=a531903c8ef5f150e47d79f24a5a5c05&oe=5B92C303)
(https://scontent.fftw1-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/33146682_10215687169001792_272073142975856640_o.jpg?_nc_cat=0&oh=a89fbbf72dd78b87649216cf5c798ebd&oe=5B8FEF14)
Title: Re: Gotta start someplace: The Steam Man of the Prairie
Post by: Brian da Basher on May 24, 2018, 04:37:05 AM
That's a great update and some nice progress, Doc!

You've captured that cast-iron look nicely and the base really looks the business.

Brian da Basher
Title: Re: Gotta start someplace: The Steam Man of the Prairie
Post by: elmayerle on May 24, 2018, 10:06:00 AM
Beautiful!!  You capture the original very well and the base suits it well.
Title: Re: Gotta start someplace: The Steam Man of the Prairie
Post by: Dr. YoKai on May 24, 2018, 10:32:32 PM
 Thanks, colleagues - it occurs to me I really haven't said anything about the build...It started with a transparent plastic ball, a DIY Christmas ornament, for the body, and a smaller plastic fishing bobber ( Think they're more commonly called floats in the UK and the rest of the Commonwealth ) for the head. The rivets were from a model railroad outfitter - I'll have to look up the name again at home ( think it was something like R&S ) while the trim was a combination of Evergreen half-round, and Aves epoxy putty, molded into the trough of a length
of Evergreen angle iron, which was then molded to the body. The legs were built up from lengths of Evergreen tube, with a piece of sheet wrapped
around the front to give a fuller appearance. Similar for the arms, but those were left as tubes, just embellished with half-round at the elbows
simulate the flexible joints. The Base was a simple wooden plaque, doctored with a layer of Durham's water putty, and stuck with bristles from
a beat-up paint brush, and some flock and pebbles from a 40K terrain set.
Title: Re: Gotta start someplace: The Steam Man of the Prairie
Post by: andonio64 on July 05, 2018, 04:09:20 PM
Hi, Dr. YoKai, I get in touch just now... The Steam Man of the Prairie is absolutely fantastic!
Title: Re: Gotta start someplace: The Steam Man of the Prairie
Post by: BigH827 on July 09, 2018, 11:08:47 AM
Great work Dr. Yo, the League is impressed.
Title: Re: Gotta start someplace: The Steam Man of the Prairie
Post by: GTX_Admin on January 02, 2019, 05:39:42 AM
Images not showing?
Title: Re: Gotta start someplace: The Steam Man of the Prairie
Post by: Robomog on January 13, 2019, 05:10:02 PM
Hi Dr Yokai

Please republish photos of this fantastic model, it deserves to be in competition.
   

Mog
>^-.-^<
Title: Re: Gotta start someplace: The Steam Man of the Prairie
Post by: Dr. YoKai on January 16, 2019, 08:15:35 AM
YEEP! Sorry, did not realize the images had vanished. Let me see if I can correct that -
(https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10215687167401752&set=a.4820293194761&type=3&theater)

(https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10215687167441753&set=a.4820293194761&type=3&theater)

(https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10215687167561756&set=a.4820293194761&type=3&theater)

Preview says "Nope, sorry" I'm not sure what's wrong here - I have never changed my Facebook album settings...
I'll look into it - at work at the moment, but thanks for the alert.