Shape Spotting #3: "Dead Dremel Dilemma"

My dayjob is real modelling, and in the workshop we eat Dremels for breakfast.  It is one of our staple tools; used, re-used, and abused.  It is no wonder that the poor things will eventually wear out, through motor faliure, bent shafts and other misc fates. The unsaveable end up in the bin; this is where I come in!

The primary model used is the Dremel 200.  It is durable and basic without the newer model flash contours and colours, plus the ergonomic hand grips.  Once you take the guts out, you are left with a nice sturdy housing already with vents and other access points.  The labels are easy to remove and if you look closely at the black plastic shell, there is a bonus texture pattern!  I have only used this shape twice in previous projects:

I used the first as the main gun on the Martian tank "Herbert George" (see post from March 16, 2014 for the full back story).

And more recently as the secondary hull on the "Gibraltar", although it is difficult to see through all the greeblies.  Again the vents add to the texture of the shape, plus there is a half-inch diameter hole through the tool housing which was perfect for the mounting rod.

This of course applies to all tools, not just a Dremel.  Everyone at some point has had broken tools which end up in the rubbish.  I say remove the innards and keep the shell.  At this time, I am now down to only one shell remaining in the shapes box, so guys, let's start breaking some more tools!

The Scrap(book) Yard #2 "The Saga of Space:1999"

Well, not exactly...  But "back in the day", before the internet, before this instantaneous exchange of information, we had to wait patiently for tidbits and bread crumbs concerning any new films or TV shows.  Besides  Famous Monsters and The Monster Times, there were very few sources in the early and mid seventies.  So when other magazines would feature an article, especially about a new Gerry Anderson production called "Space: 1999", these little gems would be readily purchased without a second thought.  Such was way back in February of 1976 (41 years ago?!), I spotted an issue of a Man's magazine called Saga which had a photo of an Eagle on the front cover.  ($0.75 suddenly gone; there went my allowance!).

Saga was an offshoot of a popular UFO magazine from the same publishers I believe.  Mostly newsprint pages with a few glossy pages inserted for the "special" features.  (I have no idea how long the magazine was in print, but I don't think it was printed past the 1980's.... )  Also lots of adverts on new careers like radio repairmen, draughtsmen, locksmiths, & automotive customization, as well as ways to increase your muscles and attract lots of women!  (I'll put a disclaimer in here for Gambi Publications, the publisher of this American magazine, if anyone is still out there..?).  But I was more interested in this centerfold:

The show had been on the air for five months now, but (the horror of it all...), we only had a B & W television!  So full colour photos are like gold!  Never was Moonbase Alpha so clear, and the landing pads are red!!!  But turn the page...

So much colour!  I can't remember if "The Last Enemy" had even aired yet!  But the series went on; many reruns and eventually, before the first season ended, I managed to purchase a colour television.  (You want something you go out and get a job!).  So it was back to FM and TMT for news; there were rumours of a second season, but it was not confirmed until I found the October 1976 issue of Saga with yet another colour centerfold (now remember most magazines are released a few weeks ahead of the published date, so the new season was yet to air...).  The cover price was raised to $1.00, but now I had a job!

New ships; new characters...  What's going on?  Guess I will have to turn the page...

Wait...  What...?  Only three pictures this time, and one is the same shot of Alpha just slightly cropped.  Guess this was a portent of things to come.  Unfortunately I never saw much of the second season of "Space: 1999" in its first run on television.  The time slot was such that I was at work (it was aired on Saturday afternoon) so by the time I was home it was over.  I did manage to see some other episodes on the French channel, but that was about it.  Thank the Maker for DVD box sets!  As for other information sources, I acquired my first issue of a new sci-fi magazine called Starlog a few weeks later (it was already the second issue).  I was content!

Welcome Back Commander....

For tonights post I would like to revisit a small project I did a few years ago.  Rather than the "traditional" modelling with kitbashing and assorted shapes, I decided to first, build the model on a computer, and then have it created in a Stereo Lithography machine (resin not 3D printing).  As another of my hobbies are RTS computer games (which back then took up way too much time...), I selected a vehicle from the game "Tiberian Sun".

Released in 1999 by Westwood Studios (closed in 2003 by EA), it was the sequel to the original "Command and Conquer".  Other popular titles were the "Red Alert" series and they also took the format to Arrakis in "Dune 2000".  The storyline was basically fighting the baddies with various machinery, base building, micro-management and assorted missions.  Another distinct feature of the Westwood games was the use of FMV cutscenes before and after the missions, which included well known genre actors like James Earl Jones and Michael Beihn.  (Sometimes I just liked to watch the "movies"!).  It is still played today, and you can research it yourself if you so choose.

The vehicle I chose to model was the Hover MRLS (Multiple Rocket Launcher System) from the good guys, the Global Defence Initiative (GDI).  It had clean lines so was fairly easy to model.  I started by first drawing up some basic plans in AutoCAD, using images and references I gleaned from the good old internet.  I then exported the drawings into a 3D program called "Solidworks" and modelled it from there.

From the "model" it was then off to the resin goo where the replica is created by a lazer which cooks the polymer a few fractional millimeters at a time.  Even a small model like this may take several hours to create.  Once completed, the model is removed from a steel tray, and goes through a cleaning process involving several chemicals and a final curing in a UV oven.  Unfortunately I did not take any photographs of the "birthing" when it emerged from the soup.  One drawback with this process is the support material necessary during the build process.  This fine web has to be removed carefully and then there are usually minor repairs, especially around delicate areas.  The end result:

The MRLS is 4.5" in reality; I calculated the scale to be approximately 1/72, based on the images I used).  (I also made an 1/87 model in Solidworks for use in a model railroad at some future date; still waiting....).  No real special modelling techniques this time, just the basics.

Enamel military colours with pastels for weathering, and the GDI logos are custom decals.

The scenery was made using dried Sedum flower heads.  They grow like weeds in our garden, so I get alot of free trees!  I just leave them over winter and let nature freeze-dry the plants.  I then harvest what I need in spring.  You can cut and combine to make whatever shape you want.  I then use acyrilic paint on the seed head and dip them in scenery flocking.  Various shades of green bring them out nicely, even at this scale.  The rocks are just carved foam, and the "Tiberium" crystals are made from broken glass beads.

One thing evident is the complete lack of the Kinder Egg, but it won't happen again!  I couldn't figure it into the scenario, and besides, this was not my usual way of modelling.  Now I feel it may be time to dust off that CD-ROM case and go save the war-torn world of 2030 yet again!

The Scrap(book) Yard #1

New look; new format!  I had originally intended this blog to be a platform to showcase the models and miniatures I construct.  But there are many other things to say and/or contribute, so today I am starting with a new ongoing feature.  Over the years I have collected many articles from magazines and other print sources which deal with miniature and model work, as well as practical in camera effects and props.  (I apologize in advance for the quality of some of the images.  That paste I used so many years ago was not "time friendly"!)  My first post was taken from TV Guide magazine way back in 1975.  (Is this still copyrighted by TV Guide; I have no idea,  but I shall acknowledge the source just to be sure...).

The October 11, 1975 issue featured an article on some model work for the Sid and Marty Krofft series, "Far Out Space Nuts".  Lasting only 15 episodes, this Saturday morning live action series starred Bob Denver and Chuck McCann.  (I will let you research the series further if you so wish; the episodes are available on YouTube...).   The amazing fact of this clipping is the model builder is non other than Mike Minor!  If you follow Star Trek, you should be very familiar with this man.  (Again I invite you to look further into Mr. Minor's history....).  Nice to see good old simple effects, as well as the use of dried teazel flowers for use as alien vegetation!   Until next time: "Think big, but build small!"

Shape Spotting 2: "The Origin"

I have often wondered as to where this modeling style of mine began.  Of course my father was a big modeler (and encouraged my interest in the craft), as well as watching films and TV, usually with many miniature effects.  Of course the Gerry Anderson productions take the lead, but not all the vehicles were readily available as kits, plus there was a considerable lack of reference materials available.  It was the Dark Ages; there was no internet!  Fortunately I received the 1966 Thunderbirds annual (City Magazines Ltd. & A.P. Films Merchandising Ltd., if these companies still exist!), which was full of technical illustrations and photos.  But in all these 94 pages of Supermarionation goodness, two stand out.  It is the feature "How to Make a Lunar Landscape".  Here is page 52...

I of course immediately started to scrounge for all the materials required.  Following the directions carefully, I built the diorama display base and used it for what space toys and models I had at the time (as the Moon was quite popular back then what with the space race and all...).  But the real inspiration came from page 53...

An allowance can go only so far, but now I had been given the means to "expand the fleet" basically for free!  I built them all as shown, and expanded on the concept further.  Using whatever bits and pieces I could find that were not kept in a secure place, I constructed many ships and space machines.  (And to make matters even more challenging, the Kinder Eggs are still twenty years away!)  Some met many "unfortunate situations"; after all this was an Anderson-inspired diorama and something has to blow up every episode!  So, try it yourself!  Go back 51 years and do some modeling like we had to do back in the 20th century before all the fancy materials we now take for granted didn't even exist!

Shape-Spotting: "I am the Egg Man"

This first post of 2017 is also the first in a series where I show some of the unique non-model kit related shapes I collect and hoard.  The first is the most used item which has become a sort of tradition over the years.  At least one example of this shape is in every model I have made in the past several years.  They are, of course, the Kinder Surprise eggs.

I first became aware of these eggs/plastic capsules when I began dating my wife.  The family tradition was to have an egg at Christmas Eve (usually in the stockings), and then another one at Easter.  I saw many possibilities with these eggs and also with the toy surprise inside.  So it was at this point the collecting began.  Made of soft plastic (not an acrylic or styrene), they can be glued with epoxies or similar glues, and take paint after mild sanding.  At the beginning, it was primarily the small (4.4cm x 3cm D) eggs, but later on, the larger (10.8cm x 7.5 D) eggs were available.  It wasn't until recently I discovered a third medium size capsule (7.6cm x 5.7 D) when I was given a donation of eggs from a co-worker (thnx Erika!) to help replenish my exhausted supply from a recent project (see previous posts).  The eggs can represent anything from fuel or other chemical tanks, gas or liquid, flotation devices and other similar containers.  I have used them as "ammo boxes" on a early (unpublished) Gunpla work here:

Fuel tanks on the Cargo Barge Regina:

And the epic amount of 24 assorted sizes on the Buzzard:

The one little annoyance with the capsules is the seam.  You can glue them and if you so want, spend time sanding and filling the gap with putty.  I like to use a band of very thin styrene or 1/4" border tape to hide the seam.  Unfortunately, several years ago the capsule design changed from the separate halves to a single hinged egg with a dimple for opening the egg.  I am not a fan of this configuration, preferring the "classic" look.  At least the medium and large sizes are still of the same construction.

But then, about a year ago, I noticed another eggy chocolate/toy in a clearance bin at a local grocery store.  I purchased one, and to my surprise, this egg was better!  I went back to that store the next day and bought a dozen more.  I had found the Zaini Egg:

Still made of a soft plastic, these little gems are 4.4cm long with a diameter of 3cm.  The ends are chamfered with a blunt end, and there is actually a base (1.2cm wide) where the hinge for the capsule is.  The same glues can be used as on the Kinders and again the seam can be puttied or covered by a thin strip.  My most recent project, the "Gibraltar" is the first time I have incorporated them into a model (the "fuselage" has been omitted for clarity):

Six Zaini's and only two Kinder Eggs this time...  The Zaini's are clear plastic, while Kinders are mostly coloured and opaque.  The Zaini's mount easier, because of the flat base, but the Kinders have to be secured some way with a bracket or brace.  Then its a good coat of paint, maybe some decals and then a bit of shading.  Both capsules have their merrits and work well!  Now if Zaini only had a jumbo version....

Flattop Ship

Just in time to get in one more post before 2016 ends....  Let me introduce the HMCSS Gibraltar:

Had to build another spaceship.  This time it was influence from several sources, mostly from the original "Battlestar Galactica".  In the rag tag fleet was a background ship known as the "flattop" used in many group shots and repurposed from time to time.  It was later when I started to read "Heavy Metal" that I noticed the similarity with a ship in the Moebius short "It's a Small Universe", and I knew then I would have to build something like this in the future.  35 years later....

There are some references to the building of the filming miniature out there on the web; I will let you research if you so desire...   This is by far not a replica.  I do not have the time, patience, or funds to build a duplicate.  (Besides I build other people's concepts everyday;  why do that at home...?)

The only "original" part was the upper deck.  To keep some degree of authenticity I traced out the deck and some details from an underlay of the Moebius art in AutoCAD.  Then lazer cut some quarter inch perspex, along with some engraved panel lines.  The deck is now 17" long and 8" wide, with a primary 1/4" plate and a secondary (slightly offset) 1/8" plate.

So using the basic concept I started scrounging for all the shapes, greeblies and nurnies I had in stock.  I don't have the luxury like the big shops do with having access to mulitple parts and kits; have to make the best of it with what I have.  I did not want to buy any extra parts or kits for this project, just paint.  Many an evening was spent arranging then deconstructing the underside of the plate.  Lots of leftover lazer cut parts, the omnipresent Kinder Eggs, the new Zaini Eggs (more on those another time...), many dollar store shapes, and parts from assorted armour, aircraft, and other various kits.  The "fuselage" is actually yet another old Dremel housing.  (An interesting fact is the rotary tool case already had a convenient 1/2" hole, perfect for the support rod!).

I wanted the upper deck to be almost smooth and opposite from the underside  with only minimal relief.  I went totally "Foss" with graphics!  Along with painting the panels several colours; I used alot of railroad transfers, assorted decals and tapes.

A painting accident set me back several evenings during this phase.  A spray paint I planned to use on the deck actually acted more like a paint remover than paint!  It bubbled and puckered and totally ruined the finish.  I had to scrape all of the paint off (along with smaller panels and other shapes) as well as try to remove the paint which had clogged the panel lines.  Luckily it was salvaged with only minor (repairable) damage.  I will never mix brands again!

So you have a flat top, now what?  Rather than it just sitting on a stand looking pretty I had to come up with a back story and purpose.  I thought about making it another BG background ship (Leonid of course!), or integrating it into the Alien universe with Weyland-Yutani logos on it.  I decided to make it part of my fake sci-fi "Space: 2019" series, and make it the guest model in one of the "episodes".

HMCSS Gibraltar (Her Majesty's Commercial Space Ship) is a Foss Class Survey Ship, the only one of it's kind.  425' long (130m), this vessel cruises around the solar system cataloguing asteroids and other potential resources for mining.  (I based the dimensions on a scale of 1/300).  The ship has pop-up sensor arrays (located from the original drawing) which are only deployed when needed, otherwise they are kept safely under the deck.

I had been hoarding old contact lens cases for years; now it was time to use them!  The lens holders work nicely with already hinged connections and make convincing arrays, and the plastic cases were also used on the underside and fuselage.  Other bits and pieces were then used to finalize the sensor clusters.  (Normally I would have a photo or two of the unpainted model; I will do a separate posting on further construction another time...)

So back to the fake series.  Season One, Episode 13, "Collision Course".  The Gibraltar is out surveying; pet rock hunting as it where.  It stumbles upon a rogue asteroid heading for Earth.  The rest of the story is of course how to stop it.  I chose to use BP as the company who owned the vessel.  I figured they would venture out at some point looking for more resources, and growing up I had many Matchbox vehicles all nicely painted green and yellow!  (I realize the logo has changed; I like this one better!).  One more fake reference to the episode:

The last model of 2016.  Check back soon for further details about construction in a segment I call "Shape-Spotting".  All the best for 2017!