Author Topic: Taiidan entry (Read 27011 times)

taiidantomcat · « **on:** January 25, 2014, 08:05:59 AM »

inspiration (I never get tired of that picture

)

I made a jig for marking cuts on my legos with legos!

One cut made! I only had four of these pieces and messed up the second. luckily the 3rd one was a passing grade (though not as good as the first) Beginners luck?

All the subassemblies. The white pieces are actually knock off brand legos I am happy to be rid of.

Put together.

now if this looks familiar you aren't going crazy I made another version previously but wanted to make sure I started a new one from scratch in the spirit if the GB. here is the original build it is based on:

Fins, Fins, always making fins:

pencil marked for size estimates and first cut made, these should work nicely!

Yarr! unjolly roger. fine fin though!

These are from a previous build, I removed them because they looked underscaled and the decals fell apart! and built new fins. These ones were thrown back into the spares box, and I am trying to keep utilizing the spare box this build to save materials.

Lastly Canopy, made from balsa to be covered in Styrene! (already done just didn't take pics-- later

)

taiidantomcat · « **Reply #1 on:** February 10, 2014, 03:17:59 AM »

The cut up fin

The new fins (pretty happy with making the most of this, creating 2 new fins from an old one)

Styrene covered balsa canopy... Makes me want to experiment with a futuristic Mi-24 Hind

Most of the small greeblies and cover panels that will be painted gray.

Some of the pieces with notes on them. You will notice those dagger shapped pieces there, those are the little winglets that go on the side of the canopy. (bigger than normal but I want to see how it works out)

I cut a panel line in order to better mate them to the fuselage had a hard time taking a pic but you can see it slicing through the lit facet there.

Lastly, some support structure for the winglets. You can see the marks I used to evenly fit the pieces on each side.

Claymore · « **Reply #2 on:** February 12, 2014, 04:07:50 AM »

Looking really great. Homeworld - one of, if not the, best space opera games out there. I was blown away the first time I played it many years ago now. It is still on my laptop and will accompany me back to Mordor as it did last time. :)

Queeg · « **Reply #3 on:** February 12, 2014, 04:14:36 AM »

Damn you're good. I love seeing your build wips, they look so chaotic but driven with a very cunning plan and detailled execution .....

Brent

Buzzbomb · « **Reply #4 on:** February 12, 2014, 07:49:17 AM »

Just Marvellous.. using a lego as a basis is a terrific idea.
These Chris Foss like designs really do pop

taiidantomcat · « **Reply #5 on:** February 15, 2014, 04:56:34 AM »

Quote from: Claymore on February 12, 2014, 04:07:50 AM

Looking really great. Homeworld - one of, if not the, best space opera games out there. I was blown away the first time I played it many years ago now. It is still on my laptop and will accompany me back to Mordor as it did last time. :)

I can't believe its been 15 years already

Quote from: Queeg on February 12, 2014, 04:14:36 AM

Damn you're good. I love seeing your build wips, they look so chaotic but driven with a very cunning plan and detailled execution .....

Brent

The admiration is mutual :) I am still trying to get better about the whole process.

It takes me far too long to get things done. $:-\$ You on the other hand manage to mass produce models :)

Quote from: buzzbomb on February 12, 2014, 07:49:17 AM

Just Marvellous.. using a lego as a basis is a terrific idea.
These Chris Foss like designs really do pop

Thank you! Agree about Foss, inspiration everywhere!

I got to the priming stage and made a bone head decision. I wanted a white base since I am going to do the more challenging Red and Yellow scheme, but I really underestimated how well those various lego colors would stand out and I would need MULTIPLE coats of regular white paint.

I should have used the grey primer I had on hand (natually I reached past it to get to the white!) then hit it with flat white later or gone and bought some white primer. All in all I spent a whole rattle can and an afternoon trying to get the colors generally white!

As far as mistakes go thats a pretty minor, just a real "duh!" moment after. lesson learned until I forget.

Spey Phantom · « **Reply #6 on:** February 15, 2014, 06:05:46 AM »

with LEGO?
did you get the idea from the new movie?

*this was my first thought (and reaction) on seeing the first picture

*

taiidantomcat · « **Reply #7 on:** March 06, 2014, 12:34:31 AM »

Quote from: nils on February 15, 2014, 06:05:46 AM

with LEGO?
did you get the idea from the new movie?

LOL no but I do look forward to seeing it :)

I primed it white^ BIG MISTAKE. The Lego colors were so different and contrasted so much I should have used gray primer, or at the very least white primer! Unfortunatly it was just flat white, so I spent about an entire rattle bomb and a whole afternoon on it trying to get everything uniform. Lesson re-learned! Prime gray, then hit with flat white, or just white primer!

I can never resist getting a "sneak peak" with a mock up!

Tamiya Camel Yellow on. (more a orangish yellow as opposed to a lemon yellow)

Hours of masking later and MM Guards red rattle bombed on, along with all the pieces (don't worry it makes sense in my head-- I have a plan)

Tophe · « **Reply #8 on:** March 06, 2014, 01:42:21 AM »

What a hard work, congratulations!

jcf · « **Reply #9 on:** March 06, 2014, 10:23:22 AM »

don't worry it makes sense in my head-- I have a plan

Written on the bottom of the sanitarium intake form.

Very cool stuff bud.

GTX_Admin · « **Reply #10 on:** March 06, 2014, 10:33:31 AM »

Quote from: taiidantomcat on March 06, 2014, 12:34:31 AM

I have a plan

Is it

Antonio Sobral · « **Reply #11 on:** March 06, 2014, 04:22:43 PM »

Love it!

The idea of using Lego parts as the ship "core" is pure genius. Thanks for sharing.

Brian da Basher · « **Reply #12 on:** March 08, 2014, 11:38:15 PM »

Using Legos is a definite plus in my book!

You've got a real talent for those stripey paint schemes, Mr Tomcat!

Brian da Basher

Old Wombat · « **Reply #13 on:** March 11, 2014, 09:33:41 PM »

Quote from: GTX_Admin on March 06, 2014, 10:33:31 AM

Quote from: taiidantomcat on March 06, 2014, 12:34:31 AM
I have a plan

Is it

Of course it is!

It involves transforming several piles of assorted dross into an awesome Taiidan spacecraft!

What ain't cunning about that?

Guy

taiidantomcat · « **Reply #14 on:** March 23, 2014, 12:56:58 AM »

Update! Good news :) and some bad

I don't normally like to do "surgery" this far along in the paint phase but I realized that with no undercarriage and big fins that will be jutting out every which way that actually may exceed my ability to "stand it on its tail" I had to drill a hole, in the bottom for base. I thought about measuring to find the perfect center, but in the end just grabbed another lego taii fighter for reference and went for it. Worked out perfectly!! In keeping with the lego theme I drilled the hole to fit a lego technic peg. So I can build the base later.

The cannons complete, I covered the base of the barrels (where the dark gray meets the yellow) but I am going to leave the gap at the top, I don't think the studs are as obvious there. after experimenting with a way to mask the five "barrels" and make them evenly spaced I just eye balled it anyway. Its not perfect but I think its pretty darn good. I actually used 4MM "googly eyes" and double sided tape for the mask rather than cutting 10 tiny circles. I also now have ten little dk, gray half spheres for other porjects.

Other additions to the fuselage, including the white (latches?) and intake grating and of course the gray panels.

actually not horrible product placement! spare coke boxes hold the parts along with double sided tape Ready for a gloss coat!!

Well overall things went well... however a couple parts I over saturated with gloss and it ate into the red paint, causing it to crack all over. I am thinking of a way to cover this up now. that is disappointing, but overall it went really well.

Tophe · « **Reply #15 on:** March 23, 2014, 01:08:13 AM »

Congratulations for this complex work...

GTX_Admin · « **Reply #16 on:** March 23, 2014, 04:28:44 AM »

Coming along nicely...but, Dr Pepper Cherry?? Yuck!!

taiidantomcat · « **Reply #17 on:** March 23, 2014, 04:37:57 AM »

Quote from: GTX_Admin on March 23, 2014, 04:28:44 AM

Coming along nicely...but, Dr Pepper Cherry?? Yuck!!

SWMBO's choice, I don't drink soda save for social occasions. :)

GTX_Admin · « **Reply #18 on:** March 23, 2014, 04:42:53 AM »

Sure...blame the better half...that will get you far...NOT!!!

Buzzbomb · « **Reply #19 on:** March 24, 2014, 07:35:02 AM »

This is really, really nice

finsrin · « **Reply #20 on:** March 24, 2014, 08:15:52 AM »

Pleasantly crazy, quality build:)
Well photographed !

Brian da Basher · « **Reply #21 on:** March 26, 2014, 03:25:17 AM »

Nice update Mr Tomcat and your work drilling out the slot for the stand seems to have worked a peach!

Actually, the only thing I can criticize here is the choice of beverage. Diet Dr Pepper?

I thought all the greats swore by Mr Pibb.

Brian da Basher

taiidantomcat · « **Reply #22 on:** March 28, 2014, 11:18:19 PM »

Quote from: finsrin on March 24, 2014, 08:15:52 AM

Pleasantly crazy, quality build:)
Well photographed !

Thanks! I try to take good ones that make some sense!

Appreciette the comments everyone, here is the damage I mentioned earlier:

Not much I can do without some serious operations, this isn't really to the level where I feel that is worth undertaking so I am going to live with it. I added more gray pieces to cover the worst parts. And I think it looks pretty good. I would have simply covered them with decals but the texture made that impossible in the worst parts.

taiidantomcat · « **Reply #23 on:** April 02, 2014, 12:30:29 PM »

Decals done after a couple hours split over two days. I used an acrylic black paint mixed with water for a wash and then started glueing what I thought I could get away with (it has been quite the little puzzle trying to build, and paint, and weather things in a logical sequence that minimizes problems)

Quick shot of the assembly before flat coating. Finish line is in sight, hope to be done tomorrow!

GTX_Admin · « **Reply #24 on:** April 02, 2014, 04:32:18 PM »

Almost there.


Fabulous '50s GB

News:

Author Topic: Taiidan entry (Read 27011 times)