A few questions

[KhorneHunter57x]

Hello. I am starting scratch-building a Warlord Titan (based on reference pix and my great imagination only) and I wanted to see if you had any tips for me before I get too deep into the project.

 

I was thinking of using the tried-and-true plasticard-clad foamcore method for the torso, but I was thinkng of using a laminate of plasticard and what I believe is called posterboard (really seriously thick paper, about as thick as .040" plasticard) for the legs. I was also thinking of making the lower leg and foot (including the front and rear toes) out of one piece for strength. Has anyone had experience with this?

 

Also, I was thinking of using more Warhound-esque four-toed feet (instead of the 8-toed "chaos feet"). Do you thik this would cause balance issues?

 

Do any of you have any more tips, tricks, or hints for me?

 

Just so you know, I have expierence with converting, plasticard, and foamcore.

 

Any help would be loved. Thanks!

[RexTalon]

As Meatloaf once said, "Stop right there! I gotta know right now! Before you go any further," Do you know how skyscrapers are made? They build a really strong skeleton of steel and then hang things off of them, like cement floors and windows. That's how you successfully build a titan. If you go building the skeleton out of something soft and flexible, like plasticard or foamcore, you'll lose. If you build it out of something strong, like PVC, and mount it to a base, like MDF, you'll win.

 

Seriously, the skeleton should be really sturdy. Then shaping and fitting foamcore or plasticard or posterboard plates onto the outside of it shouldn't be a problem. With the skeleton permanently mounted to a base, you won't have to worry about the toes. Make them look like match sticks if you want.

[KhorneHunter57x]

Yes, I do know how skyscrapers are made.

 

I think I failed to sufficently explain the ideas I had:

 

I am not saying it will be completely without internal structure, just most of the strength will be in the "shell". The reason I was thinking of doing plasticard over foamcore was a ) I want to keep the weight in the torso down, for balance and a low center-of-gravity, and b ) the weaknesses of the materials offset each other. Foamcore is not flexible, but it compresses easily because the covering is paper, and therefore lends no structure to the foamcore. Plasticard provides the necessary structure to prevent the foamcore from collapsing, and the foamcore offsets the flexibility issue of plasticard. The plasticard I will be using for the whole structure is .040" plasticard, which I believe is thick enough for what I require. The torso will also have internal support from more plasticard and foamcore. Think of an insect. The exoskeleton is strong enough to support the structure. For me, the internal structure is just insurance.

 

As for the legs, unlike the torso, they will be completly solid and in 5 major pieces: 2 lower legs/feet, 2 upper legs, and hips. The structure of the legs will be made up of layered plasticard and the "cardboard," for lack of a better term.

Here is an example (P=plasticard, C=cardboard):

outside ->

PCCPCCCPCCP

Each of the letters represents a sheet that goes from the foot all the way to the knee, and again from the knee to the hip.

However, the legs will be constructed after the torso, so I can make certain that they will be able to support the weight of the Warlord.

 

However, I will strongly consider the points you made. Part of why I am resistant to making an internal skeleton is because I want to be able to detach the torso at the waist for transport, and because I feel that if I construct the external surfaces to a high enough strength that they will not be damaged by transport and use, they will be strong enough to support the weight.

[RexTalon]

It sounds like you're already decided how to build it. Well, just in case you're still a bit apprehensive, I'll make some counter points.

 

On all of my major projects, I draw the whole thing out and plot where to put the different pieces before I put them together. In this case, I can't really see how you're going to make it so it can be broken down and fit back together easily. If you were to use a PVC structure in the middle you could not glue certain joints and they would allow you to rotate and rejoin in a predictable manner. Additionally, I would like to point out that, while insects bodies work well on that scale and shape, a titan is much larger and shaped like a person. People have internal skeletons, so maybe you should use that as your basis.

[KhorneHunter57x]

Okay, I will take that into consideration.

 

What I wanted was to kinda use the veterans who had done this before as a sounding board, and see what you thought of my ideas.

 

I will probably do a bit of small-scale stress-testing on what I was thinking of for the torso and legs, and I might just end up using a skeleton in addition.

 

Thanks for the input.

[jeffersonian000]

Here is a section from an email I sent to another person in this forum regarding titan construction:

 

The basics for building a titan are as follows: use cardboard from cereal boxes or sheet plastic from cheap signs, wood glue is best, and it helps if you put more weight in the feet than in the body or arms (which will keep the model from falling over and breaking apart on you). You should "rough out" your first model by building it with no real intention to actually using it; that way, you can figure out how the next one needs to be in order to build it without too many problems (the first attempt tends to look bad, yet it is the best way to learn how to make one). For your second and following titans (or any paper model, for that matter), just focus on simple changes that make building it easier for you. You will find the first one is extremely difficult to finish, yet the second is pretty easy and the third is so easy you have no idea why the first one was such a pain.

 

That said, I'd recommend attempting a Warhound first with the sole intention of just working out how to build one. If it looks great, awesome. If it looks horrible, cool, because you can now see what needs to be changed to make it workout better. Following me so far?

 

The Reaver is actually easier to build overall than a Warhound, yet it is more material intensive and starting off with it would be more discouraging than starting off with a Warhound that goes badly. Now, once you're comfortable with putting together a Warhound or Reaver, you can move on to a Warlord. A Warlord is nothing more than a slightly larger Reaver with two carapace weapons rather than one. An Emperor is a Warlord with 6 carapace weapons instead of just 2. In each case, the arm weapons get progressively bigger from the Warhound to the Reaver to the Warlord to the Emperor.

 

On Knight Titans: they are smaller than Warhounds yet built the same as a Reaver (for the most part). While there are no tournament legal rules for a Knight Titan, many people (including myself) use the rules for a Leman Russ Battle Tank in place of a Knight's stat-line, which allows you to field them in large numbers at a very low point cost making Knights easier to play in a game than any of the other Titans. I mention this because it is easier and cheaper to build a Knight (which is playable in any regular game as a 'counts as' Lemon Russ) than it is to build any other Titan. I even have a PDF for a 5.5" tall Reaver that can be used as a Knight and is one of the best starting plans to use before trying to tackle one of the larger designs.

 

SJ

[MattCrawford]

Great material for the bulk of the torso? The plastic cardboard they use for election posters works beautifully!

 

You can pick up large sheets of the stuff for less than 10$, or you can wait for local elections and snatch a few after the vote (but before they get taken down). It cuts easy with a sharp exacto knife, is very durable and allows you to give your titan a fairly good shape.

 

Mind you, this is good for the bulk, where you'll want to keep to straight edges. Once you get to more rounded pieces, I suggest layers of insulation foam glued together, and then shaped with a hot knife or hot wire cutter. Its then a snap to papier machee the whole thing, layer out some plaster of paris to give it a smooth, paintable surface, and then add on plastic bitz and plasticard for detailing work.

 

EDIT: Oh yeah, as per above, PVC skeleton is KEY.

[Precentor James]

jefersonian000: are you able to share the pdf of the reaver plans you used to build the knight? That sounds like just what I have been looking for.

[jeffersonian000]

I can share them. Just email me at jeffersonian000@gmail.com, and I will send the plans to you. The model it makes is a FW styled Reaver about 5.25" tall.

 

SJ