Legion Rising

[Studio Silvernale]

Where do you get them? I've been searching all day XD

 

**NVM I searched for "styrene rod" instead of "plastic rod" and found them...

Edited August 1, 2016 by Togusa-san

[Subtle Discord]

Yep, plastic is an entire family of materials, and styrene is a specific type. That will make a big difference.

 

To further focus your search look for someone who sells Evergreen and/or Plastruct brands; bother are quality brands made specifically for scratch building. Both used to be good across the board, but in recent years I've noticed Evergreen has slipped some on their really thin product, especially the thin rod; for whatever reason their production method has changed and the really thin rod is no longer round, it's very obviously oval in shape. I have purchased different packages from different places with the same result, all oval in shape and useless for rivets, my primary job I use rod for. Anything over 1mm seems well formed in the Evergreen line, and I still prefer their larger 'Dealer Packs' when it comes to buying sheet. Plastruct sells less per package (shorter lengths, smaller sheets), and sometimes at a higher price, but their product is extremely good quality at all scales. You just get less.

 

I have a local Art Store that stocks Plastruct so I try to buy from them to support the local economy when I can, but if I want bulk plastic I shop at MegaHobby; for me, they've got the selection I need and they're reasonably close. I've ordered a few very large purchases over the years and have received good service.

[Subtle Discord]

Taken from another corner of the interweb, someone comment that the Shield Generator kit might benefit from not including any GW parts to make it easier for the purchaser to build. While I completely understand this idea (and can't say it won't ever happen) I felt the reply was a worthy update to Legion Rising.

 

Seriously, thank you very much for having this kind of conversation. I'm always interested in hearing opinions and feedback that fosters a dialogue beyond the look/quality of the work I'm doing; talk that will help steer my studio's deeper design philosophy will always get serious consideration.

 

It's absolutely true that I'm playing a balancing act, in many ways, with how I'm currently running my studio. For the most part, I need to follow the path of least resistance with what I'm doing for now, and 'conversion kits' that work with an existing model are prime examples. Not only do they provide some heavy lifting in creating the finished product, they also give the final model at least some legitimate claim that they can be used as official pieces. I'm the first to admit that in this case I've taken it very far and have added a ton of resin to accommodate all of the elements I wanted in the design, but at its core there is an official GW kit to add some legitimacy. For now I am designing specifically for the Warhammer 40/30k universe very intentionally for a few reasons (more on that in a moment) but with that said, I will say that in future I have every plan to produce more stand-alone models that are made completely in-house.

 

From a production standpoint I'll 'pull back the curtain' a bit to give you an idea where this kit stands, because it really is a different animal compared to everything I've produced so far. Truth be told, I could likely create my own version of the center piece and do it for a little cheaper then what it'll cost to get the pieces you'll need from GW; that said, the parts would be rather tricky to make (due to the slope combined with round and flat elements) and would add much more time to the build that I simply do not have right now. Add to that the fact that this kit is currently sitting at 12-14 moulds to produce (double the count of the largest kits I make now) adding another 4-6 moulds (at least two of them quite large) for the center column plus extra detail bits would be almost prohibitive for this kit. This is an ambitious kit for my modest studio, it doesn't need more.

 

As for cost, producing the whole thing in-house might trim about $10 CAD off the final price I would charge, at most. Given the amount of resin and labour this kit will demand (resin is actually a very reasonably cost material, but this kit is going to use lots of it) I will likely need to charge $75-to-$80 CAD for my kit, with the $18 CAD Plasma Globe included. In Canada the Vengeance Weapon Battery kit costs $60 CAD at full price from GW, adding $30 CAD to the cost of building one of these towers, but I'm sure they can be found for cheaper from other sources, new or used. I do apologize to those who have to suffer with extra-absurd GW pricing, nothing I can do there. Adding another 4-6 moulds would easily add $20+ CAD to the price. Yes, this will be a $110 CAD kit to complete, maybe even a bit more; but trust me when I say I feel confident it's a fair price for the size, quality, novelty, and exclusivity, of this kit. I'm what I consider a renaissance manufacturer who is not interested in mass producing at the lowest possible cost to keep profit margins as large a possible. I want to produce absolute top quality, unique designs, at a smaller production scale, permitting the time and care necessary to give the attention to detail that is lost when manufacturing is too much about mass production.

 

Finally, one of the other main reasons why I make kits that incorporate GW/FW models ties into a longer agenda that I have planned; I'm trying to build a portfolio of work that shows just how good I am at creating kits that blend seamlessly and compliment the parent GW/FW model. At worst, I wan't to make kits so amazing that I get a reputation for being the 'unofficial official' other Forge World; that independent producer who's making stuff so good, it may as well be FW. Best case scenario, I make a portfolio of work so strong that when I present it to GW I can convince them to consider some kind of 'affiliate studio' program so I can become official and gain a little more freedom in my designs; it might sound a bit crazy (trust me, I'm intimidated even considering it) but nothing ventured, nothing gained, so they say. I'm very cautiously optimistic, but also being careful not to be surprised by a letdown.

 

All that said, I will be producing kits that are completely my own design and manufacture (the Mor'ses Weapon Platform, is a first test in that direction) along side more conversion kits, when it makes sense. They'll start arriving when I can get working in the studio full-time once I've complete college. But, enough rambling for now, I've got another article almost finished that I'll be posting up shortly, and It'll talk some about future plans and what I'm doing today to get the groundwork for future projects. Thanks for reading, and thanks for the input, it's always appreciated.

 

[Bat33.1]

Well SD from my own experience of your kits and Forge Worlds own castings and conversion kits there is a clear winner on quality of casting and fit of parts. Dark Works Studio is already producing the superior product :)

 

Now how far that goes with GW and getting some recognition I don't know and I guess the big test would be keeping up with demand and holding up your current high standards of production if GW allow you the recognition your work deserves. Anyway good luck with your projects and I will keep my eyes on this thread for more tempting treats in the future.

[Subtle Discord]

Being a bit of hodgepodge of subjects, it seems appropriate for another episode to chronicle my… Tales of Interest!

 

First up, I forgot that I never showed the final renders of the Chaos Marine helmet I did last year in college due to my hectic schedule. It turned out quite well, so it seems only fit to show it in its complete state. Better late than never.

 

For added visual interest under the front grill I designed my take on a Vox speaker and a vent for breathing when atmosphere is available, and in the ear you can see my take on audio pickup device.

 

Under the back panel you can see communications device with two antennas, and the module with the hazard stripes is mean to be the replaceable re-breather filter for less hospitable environments.

 

Time was a real consideration with this build, so for as much detail as there is, I wasn’t able to go too overboard getting down to smaller detailing. Given more time I would have hollowed/shelled the helmet properly and made the face plate removable, opening the door to the chance to detail the inside. I also wanted to add a collar component and would have liked to make the horns a little more organic, but the project just didn’t permit the time investment.

 

I changed the surface from my first rendering, from a gloss to a satin and I think it suits the helmet better. It was mentioned that the gloss finish seemed give it a Star Wars meets Warhammer 40K feel, and I had to agree. While I wasn’t able to do anything elaborate, I was able to add a bit of texture to the horns to make them feel a bit more organic. Solidworks really isn’t meant to create authentic renderings; in that I mean, rendering objects that have a bit of wear-and-tear and looked used, as one would likely expect of a Chaos Marine helmet. It’s very good at factory fresh objects that are right out of the box or sitting on a showroom floor, but I wanted to at least try to rough it up a bit. I was able to add some very convincing paint chipping with use of decals (normally used for branding and the like) that I was quite pleased with. With the limited time, I couldn’t find a technique to also add some scratches and weathering marks to the other metal components, however.

 

Next up in our planned public service announcements… The Bad. *Insert ominous Slaanesh-approved music here* Unfortunately, there’s no fictional blurb to accompany this one yet, but I will have one in future.

 

There’s good news and bad news with the Spartan kit. The bad news, in a word… the tracks! Err… wait a second, that’s two words…

 

It’s my understanding that the track components have now been integrated onto the side-hull section on an updated version of this kit that is now shipping from FW. While that does solve the only real problem with this kit, I was not lucky enough to get one of the new kits and I can see exactly why these parts were such a hassle. Not only are they delicate, with the link edges and other small bits very prone to breaking during shipping and/or during assembly.

 

Beyond being fragile, the tracks simply do not fit the model correctly. Even Forge World was unable to get the tracks to fit on their studio model pictured here.

 

Put simply, there is roughly half a link too much in the track set, and no matter how you try to adjust the fit you can’t get a convincing clean fit for the tracks all the way around. I consider this ‘The Bad’ because this is a design flaw pure-and-simple, and I think it could/should have been corrected before they put this model into production. Given the obvious nature of the problem, the reasonably small size of the parts involved, and the capabilities of the FW studio, I can’t see how it could have been too hard to rectify. Add in the cost they ask for the kit and the fact that I’m sure they’ve sold many of them, correcting something like this before going to production seems fair to me.

 

I’m still not sure how I’ll handle the problem, and I’m not really sweating it too much (it’s a small detail after all) but I’m likely going to follow FW’s example and simply shave it down. I think I can do it in such a way that it can look like a narrow ‘master link’ that should be reasonably seamless, but I’m not too worried either way; I’m trying to tame my modeling OCD just a wee bit, and aim for ‘really good’ instead of ‘near flawless’ and it’s working. I’ve done more actual productive assembly in the last year then I have in several before it. I won’t be able to really dig in and finish anything significant until college is done (two… final… semesters…) but when the time comes I should be able to bring several projects to completion in short order. I can’t wait! *Wipes away the froth forming at his mouth* Must… finish… more… projects!

 

Beyond the tracks, the Spartan assembles very nicely with no real surprises; the main hull fits together with the kind of work you’d expect.

 

The top front door is a bit thin, especially after I shaved off the eagle on the outside, so I reinforced it with some styrene. I prefer to button-up my vehicles, so it’s no bother to me. I’ve got enough to worry about with the outside of vehicles.

 

It did require a bit of clamping to get a really nice tight fit on the final assembly, but after that the main hull was as solid as rock. With a bit of sanding to even up the edges everything was ready. I’ve attached some 80 grit sandpaper from a belt sander (virtually indestructible) to a thin strip of oak to create a sanding tool that can really remove material very fast. Great for quick leveling job just like this.

 

This is how a model should come together. After some straight forward subassembly the build is stress free.

 

Thanks to the properly fitting keys that lock the side hulls to the main hull assembly, from here it’s simple to finish the largest part of the build. Unlike the Sicaran kit, the fit for these parts on the Spartan is near prefect all the way around the vehicle, top and bottom with no modification or forcing.

 

So there you have it, the Spartan is well on its way to being assembled and now ready to be fit for future studio kits.

 

Beyond the issues with the tracks this is a really nice model. Where some FW kits will exhibit some slight bowing of surfaces and other minor idiosyncrasies the Spartan’s lines and surfaces are nice and true. To me, it shows that FW is really starting to hone in on how they’re producing their kits and I’ll be interested to see if this trend continues with any future kits I purchase that have been produced after the Spartan.

 

The Spartan is also a perfect illustration of something I’ve meant to bring up from time-to-time. With the popularity of my ‘trim kits’ I’ve been asked on more than one occasion if I’ll be doing a trim kit for ‘insert model name here’. Put simply, some hulls lend themselves very well to something like my trim; lots of clean straight lines that I can follow, with enough surface area that can reasonably accommodate the width that the trim will be. The Rhino hull is excellent for these reasons and the Spartan is a good example of a hull that would be a real pain to make a good trim kit for. With all the surfaces and detailing, there would be so many small bits that it would be a real pain to design a custom fitting kit. The Spartan will get The Dark Works treatment, but not a proper trim kit, more than likely.

 

I’m also mentioning trim kits for a specific reason because they have been something I’ve been keen on improving for quite some time. For those who take some interest in how I make my kits and the process involved, I’ll give you a look at my love-hate relationship with these kits. The skinny on the trims, as it were…

 

These rather unglamorous looking four moulds are what it takes to create just one reasonably simple trim kit for a Rhino hull.

 

When you cast with resin you generally need to work very quickly. If you want it to fully harden in a reasonable amount of time, the plastic you use will begin curing (AKA: kicking) very quickly, getting thicker-and-thicker by the second. The delicate nature of my trim kits makes this a problem; if you inject the resin into the moulds quickly (and you have no choice, as the seconds slip by when the resin starts to kick in) it will cause the mould to bulge and expand, overflowing from the voids that create the parts. This will cause some tissue-paper-like flash at best, and that’s acceptable; or the flash is far too thick and it completely ruins the part, costing both labour and materials. Up to this point I have made due with simple but effective mould clamps/boxes locked in place with wingnuts that apply even pressure over the mould to fix this issue. While this solution works very well, with four moulds per kit that adds up to sixteen wingnuts that need to be unfastened and refastened each time the parts are removed from the mould. Along with carefully de-moulding these delicate parts, it’s simply too much labour for a product that needs a reasonable price point because of what it is.

 

Now I learned a lot about my materials and process since I first started producing these trim kits, and I’ve got some ideas on how I think I can improve the process to reduce the mould count and make them easier to de-mould to improve on labour. For these kits to remain viable going forward, these improvements must be made. I really do like the trim kits as a product, and they are popular in my shop, but I really do hate the labour involved to produce them, and I somewhat dread having to do any significant casting run of them.

 

So, with these plans to improve the manufacturing process I wanted to also do new sets of trim prototypes for the endeavour. Having used my Zing successfully in the past for both studio and college, I set to work on my new designs.

 

While Zing is a capable little cutter that can really do amazing things, it’s just not up to the task of cutting arrows and points that are 2mm wide in styrene.

 

The cutting blade on the Zing needs to pivot to turn corners, and while it’s an extremely tiny pivot, it just isn’t responsive enough in the dense styrene plastic. In lighter vinyl, for example, the Zing would actually be able to achieve these shapes with some adjustment of the settings and the blade height, but in styrene it’s just not possible. I tried to ‘dial in’ the settings, and this did improve the results, but not enough to make it acceptable; the extra density of the styrene simply forces the blade to take longer to pivot around to the new cutting direction. Note how the simple shapes cut well enough, (adding small ‘swing around loops’ at corners will create very sharp corners) and it can almost get acceptable results of the simpler endpoints, but when it comes down to actual arrows it just can’t handle it.

 

A test with a pen shows that the Zing has the accuracy required, but with the pivoting cutting blade, it just can’t get the same results at this scale. And the scale in this case is worth noting; these bands are just 2mm wide and the arrows are roughly 4mm tall, so these are very small details to be asking Zing to cut. If the pattern was simper (like the Mk.II Land Raider kit I made with Zing) and/or a little larger in scale (like the Shield Generator I just finished building) Zing would have a much better time cutting the parts out. So, while Zing isn’t up to the task of cutting parts for my trim kits, it has still been invaluable for building models for college, and it still has plenty of potential for larger-scale cutting jobs.

 

The silver lining to this outcome is that the designs are all digital and now created in Solidworks, so changing these into models that can be rapid prototyped (RP) is all but done. The plan was to do these at the beginning of the summer but the complications forced me to put them off. And then I got a little… distracted… *looks sheepish* by the Shield Generator project; it’s turned out as good as I had hoped, but took a little longer then I wanted it to. But that’s a subject for another wall-o’-text.

 

Shown large so you can get a good feel for the lines of each design, I’m not making massive changes to these first kits, just refining the concept.

 

A direct evolution of the Mk.I (a personal favorite) The Mk.III is obviously intended to be a straight-up Chaos/Renegade version. The Mk.IV tones down the overt arrows to more decorative points letting it work well with either Chaos or Loyalist, and 40k or 30k. Finally, the Mk.V can be used for Chaos, but is really intended more as a Loyalist design, again for both 40k and 30k.

 

With a change to RP to make the prototypes, the two main hurdles for these kits and any other trim kits that I design (be it a kit for a specific hull or a bulk trim kit for a builder to use how they see fit) are surface quality and the very thin nature of these parts. The first, surface quality, (which effects every RP I plan to make, really) will simply come down to the RP method used to create the parts; there are methods that can produce extremely good surface quality but they are not cheap and there might be a problem trying to find it locally due to how specialized (read: Expensive!) the prototypers are that can produce the results I’ll be looking for. While cost is a major consideration I can appreciate the value of a good prototype and have no problem carefully investing in them when it makes sense. Being such low-volume objects should also make the trims in particular a good early RP candidate; they should be reasonably cheap to have RP’ed.

 

My main worry is the delicate nature of the parts, and if they might be a little too thin to safely RP. Or more accurately, to remove from the build tray after the part has been created. Not including the rivets the parts are less than 1mm tall, and 0.5mm at the thinnest points. I’ve made the sprue a thickness I’m sure will be safe, but I’m still worried the parts may be too thin and brittle, breaking apart before they can be moulded. Conversely, they might be so thin that they are prone to curling and/or warping, and staying 100% flat and true is key to these kits being successful kits. All said, I will find a way to make my trim designs work. I like how these kits produce a subtle-yet-striking result to the parent model and I can see them evolving considerably once I smooth out any production kinks; expect to see some with delicate filigree and more much unique/ornate lines, bands adorned with spikes, hooks, and chains suitable for attaching trophies (Read: Spikes done right!), trims with runes and symbols of power etched along their length, and those are just what comes off the top pf my head. 3D modeling opens a door to a level of detail that will be very interesting to my design process, to say the least. Stay tuned!

 

These, along with a few other 3D models that I have lurking in the shadows will be the first components I’ll be having RP’ed locally and they’ll be used to test a few different methods to find the one/s that will work for my future studio projects. The wonderful advantage of working locally is that the turn-around time for prints will go from 2-3 weeks down to as little as 2-3 days if I choose. Faster turn-around costs more, but when it’s a difference of weeks, and it’s with a supplier that I can directly communicate with to get the best results in the timeframe I want, that’s worth the extra investment.

 

So here ends this, my most recent Tale of Interest *the words echo slightly*, and the accompanying chapter dedicated to ‘The Bad’ Spartan build. Coming soon, ‘The Ugly’ Fire Raptor build, complete with emoticons to illustrate the swings in mood that kit has forced me to endure. Don’t get me wrong, the final model is absolutely gorgeous, but the build is ‘advanced’ at best and maddening at worst, especially if you’re a bit particular about fit-and-finish, like myself. I’ve successfully learned to tone down my perfectionist ideals in the name actually getting some projects done, but the Raptor holds a special honour for very nearly giving me a mild brain aneurysm. But all is behind me now… *stares blissfully into space*

 

But before that, expect a small’ish update on the Shield Generator project; as mentioned, while it did take a little more work than planned, I’m more then pleased with the final outcome and can’t wait to see one completely assembled. It really has pushed my production methods to their limits, and it’s been very valuable in teaching me some lessons in casting large components; something I absolutely plan to do more of in the future.

 

Ok… I’ll stop rambling now… *Subtle wanders off to do something else productive*

Edited February 5 by Subtle Discord
+++ Image Data-link ∙ Repair +++

[Dosjetka]

It is difficult to give any sort of feedback because there's just so much information to process/think about/understand in your posts. That said, the fact that you take the time to write everything down and share it all with the community here... simply terrific. I personally really appreciate it as it's all stuff I'm not at all familiar with and you explain it all so well, and I'm pretty sure I'm not the only one. :)

 

I think what I wanted to say with that is: thank you and good luck with what's coming! :tu:

 

Re: toning down the perfectionist side, I can relate to that from a painting perspective. I used to be all for vitually flawless basecoats that have even coverage all over the model, only washing in the crevices and cleaning up the overspill, multiple crisp edge highlights, etc and not only did it drive me mad but I just wasn't getting anywhere. Now I've started a new project where I'm slapping on the basecoat, washing the whole model, and then drybrushing! Add a glaze to reduce that distinctive "drybrush" look and a few edge highlights that are neat enough to look good and it's done! Takes less time, doesn't drive me nuts and I can actually get an army painted now! ;)

Anyway, I'm glad to see that you have conquered that perfectionist trait enough to be able to crack on with things at a greater speed but without compromising on overall quality. :)

[Studio Silvernale]

Can you apply proweld with a natural hair paintbrush?

[Subtle Discord]

One philosophy I've held from the very beginning of showing the projects I'm working on is to provide more detail about the process as much as I can manage. Early in my building, painting, and playing days, I was starved for more detail and step-by-step instructions with some quality photos to explain just how the results were being achieved. For how good the vintage White Dwarf used to be back in the 1990's, providing all sorts of great hobby articles and do-it-yourself ideas, they would also be guilty of showing something at the beginning, some limited 'in the middle' photo/s, and a picture of some amazing completed model. The instructions would be useful, but not step-by-step enough to really show exactly how the results were achieved, and it would drive me crazy! Despite my turning this into a more professional endeavor, I feel like it's the least I can do to support and foster the community; many/most may not be interested in all of the detail (and they'll just skip to the parts with the photos that catch their eye) but I know there are few of you out there like me, who really want to know a bit (lot) more. Most of what I do really is hobby-craft that anyone can do on a small personal scale. I've kicked it up several notches in scope and scale, but the basic processes are the same for someone who might want to give it a go for themselves. It's for them, mostly, that I'm compelled to write.

 

As far as I know, all solvent glues should play nicely with any natural bristle paintbrush. They can't melt the bristles, after all. But, I'm not sure how long it would last. I don't think they would wear out too fast, but I could be wrong and they may dry out quickly and become brittle. You might want to consider some low-cost Taklon bristle brushes from any art store; they are a white synthetic bush that should resist the solvents while giving you a nice point to work with. I personally don't use ProWeld and really prefer Tamiya Extra Thin Cement which comes with a fine point brush attached inside the lid. If I remember correctly, ProWeld is a different solvent that is 'hotter' (read: melts plastic easier, especially GW kits) than I personally like, but I can understand if finding a certain glue is hard, if not impossible, and you have to make due. I'm finding it harder-and-harder to find Tamiya Extra Thin in my local city, for example. ProWeld will work just fine, you'll just want to be careful and sparing with it and keep a small fan nearby so you can place fresh joins in the airflow to speed the evaporation of the excess solvent.

 

“We have attained the plans. Now build it! Build it… to the sky!”

 

*tap tap tap*

 

“Actually my Lord, it’s uhh… only about 35 units vertical; but it does generate a protective shield!”

 

*glowering*

 

“Oh… well, I see then. I suppose that will do.”

 

Held together with fit, friction, poster tack, hope, and some prayers to the Dark Gods, I present the first, mostly complete, test fit for the Shield Generator.

 

This test fitting revealed that the main ‘pillar’ component could actually benefit from a little tweaking and adjustment, so that was done. As of taking these pictures the rest of the parts have been moulded and the final moulds (for the main base and the revised pillar component) will be finished tonight. First finalized casts and fitting will start tomorrow and I should have a 100% complete model ready for photos in the next few days. For efficient sustainable production, I will need to create some more moulds of the repeating parts, but I’ll have just enough to start limited production. For now, I only have 4 Plasma Globes to make a complete kit (with more on the way) so limited production for a little longer is not really a problem. These will be offered without the Plasma Globe, minus the cost of the globe, for those who may have one or want to source their own, but I can’t make any promises about the final fit of the internal hardware.

 

As an added hidden bonus for the Door component, I’ve provided room for the power switch and added seats so it can be magnetized.

 

Naturally the builder can simply glue the door component in place and leave the switch exposed. It’s not really that distracting to the model and it leaves easy access to turn the Plasma Globe off during the game to represent when the shield has been knocked down. But, if you want to hide the switch behind the door, simply drill a few holes to each side of the switch and mount a few magnets to secure the door in place. I’ve made the seats for very broad flat magnets (that will be included) so they won’t need to align perfectly with the magnets in the base, but the part should still attach to the model cleanly due to the fit.

 

 The finish is just what I would expect, and the fit… the fit is… good!

 

Have I mentioned yet that I’m in love with these round rivets and hex bolts that I picked up from Tichy Train Group? Well, I am! Just look at how well they’ve turned out in the final casts. Soooo nice… *drools just a tiny bit* Since they’re made from HIPS (High Impact Polystyrene) they glue perfectly with the extra thin solvent glues that I prefer; but HIPS (as the name suggests) really is a harder version of the styrene family of plastics, so they’ll be tougher and resist melting too much during gluing despite their tiny size.

 

I was a little worried that the ‘deck plate’ for the battlements on the top of the model might not come together as tightly as I’d hoped, but they’ve turned out very well. The added benefit of the overall shape being a hexagon will make the battlement components ‘snap fit’ together, actually locking the assembly tight; you shouldn’t need very much glue to get a very strong final build. Finally, you can see how the top will look from the bottom up, to give an idea how the larger dish is intended to attach.

 

Also, if I hadn’t been clear earlier, the glowing Chaos Objective Markers are a studio project that will be available very soon in my shop.

 

The kit will come complete with six bases, six unique stones (each double-sided), and six colour-changing LED tea lights that will provide the hardware and batteries. Simply attach the stones to the provided bases, apply whatever basing treatment suits your army, and paint as you see fit. Insert the hardware and battery provided, and it’ll be good-to-go. Ominous glowing stones of pow’ah!

 

Ok, now I need to make something. Time to scratch that itch! *Runs off with a manic look in his eyes*

Edited February 5 by Subtle Discord
+++ Image Data-link ∙ Repair +++

[Studio Silvernale]

I will give that Tamiya extra thin a try. I'm trying to get as good as you are at this.

[Olis]

Astounding work, brother. Very saleable. ;)

[millest]

that is possibly the best shield generator ever! where do i get one :D

[GhostMalone]

Dude I want to be the first to order the shield generators

[Subtle Discord]

Ok, I'll tell you what. B&C exclusive time!

 

I'm very serious that I've only got 4 Plasma Globes in stock right now, so I can only do 4 complete kits. More Globes are on the way, but they'll take a few more weeks. It's also going to take time to get a studio kit ready for photos so I can offer it publicly. So, if someone here at B&C is interested based on what you've seen so far, send me a PM and we can work out a purchase directly before it's available to the public. Disclaimer: With such a limited number available, please understand that this is first-come-first-serve.

 

Now, there is one thing I'll be perfectly open about, and that's the cost. Put simply, this is going to be an expensive kit beside my current kits. My original aim was to offer this at $80 CAD + Flat Shipping ($9), but this kit has forced me to really crunch the numbers, seriously cost the materials plus labour, and I have no choice but to charge more. This kit uses so much plastic (for my small studio, this kit drinks plastic), takes some serious labour, uses 16 large moulds at full production (3x more then any other kit I make), has extra parts provided by the studio, and it will easily cost extra to ship.

 

So, for now I'm settling on $100 CAD + $9 CAD for shipping, and even this number might change in future; this will include the model components, a tested Plasma Globe, and all the neodymium magnets required. I can also offer the kit without the Plasma Globe for -$15 CAD off if that is of interest to anyone.

 

After careful consideration, I simply can't undersell myself on this kit, and put frankly, the studio will really benefit from the capitol; more expensive equipment is key to my expansion at this point. People keep saying my stuff is as good or better than FW and I honestly feel FW could/would charge more for a kit of this scale and execution, so I guess I better step up and have the confidence to properly compensate my efforts for the quality I know I'm offering.

 

Note: I'm still casting the last parts for the first run of kits, so it'll be a few more days until they're fully cured and ready to ship.

[millest]

very tempting, will see if these sell (personal issues) but the store has some amazing bits in, cant wait to see more

[Subtle Discord]

No pressure at all, naturally. This is just an advanced offer to the B&C community because of my fondness for it. This kit will be added to my shop in due time and I'll be producing it for the foreseeable future. But I must say, I finally have one coming together on my desk as I write this, and well, all I can think to say is... daaaamn it's turning out nice.

[Quixus]

On a totally unrelated note, do plan on making a land raider upgrade similar to the MKIIB form Forgeworld or the Iconoclast from Chapter House Studio, or are you content with having two LR kits?

Edited August 10, 2016 by Quixus

[Subtle Discord]

It's not the first time the MKIIB from FW has been mentioned, and it has since occurred to me how easily I could produce a sponson housing of a similar nature to fit the location for the modular plate of my own Loricatus Mk.II kit. This is a very realistic evolution for that kit and my future Land Raider kits. (Read: Heck no I'm not content with only two LR kits!)

 

Since I'm in limited production until the studio can go into full-time (So close! Just... two... more... semesters...) pretty much all of my projects are not just product to sell but also subjects to test different processes and equipment to work out the kinks in my production methods on a small scale before doing it on a larger scale. Can I cast a part this large? Can I cast a part this small/thin? Can I cast a part of this strange shape? Can I make a mould that can achieve a certain result consistently? Is the equipment capable of giving me the results I want? All of my kits to this point are the first of many, each working out different processes and methods so there's less surprises when I try to increase the scale.

 

Not only do I plan to do several different versions of many of the kits I plan to produce, so they can appeal to a broader range of modeler, I've also got plans to add more 'modularity' to several of the kits for even more variety. For example, not only do I want to make several different Land Raider kits, I also want to add sub-components that can be swapped during the build to give the modeler even more choice; choose to put in the 'clean' plate for an undamaged vehicle or instead use the provided 'battle damaged' plate to add some visual interest to the model. The enclose sponson is a good example of a modular swap that fits well with this theme of ideas.

 

I know I keep saying it, for quite some time now, but I really do mean it when I say this is just the beginning. There is much more to come! I would have started earlier, had I not started college, but I really have taken a lot from my current education that will continue to be valuable as I go forward. With only one last year before I get a Bachelor's degree I'm going to see this through... and then, I'm going to take the foundation I've created and do so much more!

 

As always, ongoing input, ideas, feedback, critic, comments, concerns, and general musing are always welcome and well received. I really do try to file it all away so I can put it into practice once the studio is going full-time. So soon...

[Studio Silvernale]

Sounds like kickstarter time?

[Augustus b'Raass]

Sounds like kickstarter time?

That has also been said before, and I remain serious when I say: I would support the crap out of it.

[TheOneTrueZon]

You are my personal Yoda of scratch building. 

[Subtle Discord]

"Yes, I can guide your training. Observe... The solvent glue gracefully bonds your build but may also burn it... Solvent on. Solvent off. ... Solvent on. Solvent off. ... Solvent on. Solvent off. Do you understand? ... Now you."

 

*The student dutifully performs the demonstrated actions, but has a puzzled look on their face*

 

"Observe... The ruler guides, but you must feel the blade within the material... Blade down. Blade cuts. ... Blade down. Blade cuts. ... Blade down. Blade cuts. Do you comprehend? ... Now you."

 

*The student dutifully mimics the actions of the master once again, with an expression of deep introspection... they stop suddenly, and speak*

 

"But master Subtle'gi, when are you going to actually teach me how to scratch build something?!"

 

*The master gives a sly grin*

 

"Oh, my student, but I already have. Observe... What do you see in your mind's eye?"

 

*The student closes their eyes*

 

"I see... a vehicle mounted weapon system."

 

*The master gives a soft reassuring laugh*

 

"Well then?"

 

*The student's eyes snap open, a strange new clarity in their gaze*

 

I can see... how it assembles... how many simple small steps can create something extremely complex! Greater then the sum of the smaller steps!"

 

*They begin building feverishly...*

[Augustus b'Raass]

Oooh Subtle.... did you eat flies again? With chop sticks?

[Subtle Discord]

Edit: "Hey look I caught it!" *Scowls* "Beginners luck!" Heh... nope. Too much solvent fumes, I think.

 

 

Yes, crowd funding of some sort will likely happen when it makes sense to happen; and by that I mean, not any time soon. Unlike many who try their hand at a crowd funding a project, I have a very real idea what to expect, and I want to be extremely realistic and prepared for what will follow. It's one thing to have an studio working how I have it now, even if I am borrowing capitol to get it started. Crowed sourced funds impose very real changes on the capitol provided; you have a potentially very large group of customers who can be very vocal, very real deadlines that you will likely underestimate, and you can easily get too much of a good thing if funding is considerably more then you expected. "I did this expecting to get backing to make 500 units, but now people want 10,000? Oh crap! Now what!?" Luckily, college has brought a large portion of this into focus, and I feel more prepared to find the right people to do things on a larger scale if it came to that, but I still would rather know that's what I'm getting into more then have it suddenly thrust on me. 

Edited August 10, 2016 by Subtle Discord

[Olis]

Sounds like you have your head in the right place, SD. No illusions. That's good. :tu:

[Subtle Discord]

Doesn't hurt when you have a guest speaker who attended your college who had a successful Kickstarter, to the tune of, they wanted $14,000 and ended up getting $817,000. Needless to say it changed his life... and instantly changed the scope and scale of the project to where he's much more limited in the time he can 'design' and is suddenly running a company that has very real supply, logistics, warehousing, HR needs, etc., etc., etc.. Again, I'm very realistic that I know I'll need to grow to do this right, but not like that.

 

Edit: Plus, I know my work is good enough to get attention and gain traction, and I'm hoping what I'll have on offer when the time comes will also be very attention grabbing. Trust me, I can't wait to get started, but I'm forcing myself to be patient and get things sorted in due time.

Edited August 10, 2016 by Subtle Discord