Legion Rising

[The Traitor]

That void shield generator looks bonkers!!! Need to see how your models fit on it though :P.

[Eldrick Shadowblade]

I'm going to build mine soon... working on a death guard kick right now. I'm enjoying the greens and purples over black and gray of the Oath-Broken atm. I really enjoyed seeing it all painted up. Might make a newbs guide to building awesome subtle discord kits lol.

[JeffTibbetts]

This is why I like Canon, or at least the models that I have used over the years. Even with many of their consumer-focused point-and-shoot models, Canon offers a Manual mode that lets you control the ISO, F-stop, and shutter speed. It's not nearly as intuitive as shooting with a 35mm DSLR but it offers all of the control over the depth of filed and light levels that you need to get the best of both worlds if you have a tripod. Sometimes I get lazy and switch to Auto so I can shoot handheld or if I want to use the short focus range, but the Manual mode like what's on a Canon is a minimum requirement for me personally.

 

Believe it or not I just use Camera+ on my iPhone for manual controls...

Edited February 26, 2018 by WarriorFish
Quote wall removed

[Subtle Discord]

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Comm-Link ‧ Active

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Downlink… Complete

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Displaying Data File ‧ Onscreen

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+++ Preliminary Production Quota ‧ Complete +++ Ongoing Production Quota ‧ Accepted +++ Recruit Selections 3440-3460 Proceeding to Implantation +++

+++ Data Transmission ‧ incomplete +++ Further Data Transmission ‧ Compiling +++ Update Incoming ‧ Standby… +++

 

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Append Information Exchange ‧ Additional Input +++ Large open spaces in the preliminary image offends the glory of the Omnissiah

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Production Quota Priority ‧ Upgraded +++ Current projects to be expedited; large scale construct assembly to commence

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Comm-Link ‧ Active

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Update Incoming ‧ Standby…

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[Bjorn Firewalker]

Good job on the Skitarii and void field generator models.

[Subtle Discord]

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Comm-Link ‧ Active

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Data Downlink… Complete

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Displaying Data File ‧ Onscreen

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Well, this is a bit of an eclectic (Oooo, a $2 word) selection of units to (almost*) finish as a modest start to the collection. I didn’t really plan on getting slightly distracted finishing the Void Shield Generator, but that’s what happened. Being already half finished for many months and beginning to collect dust, it was simply too much to ignore it. Naturally, wanting to see it with the plasma globe in place didn’t hurt my shift in motivation.

 

*Almost finished because they are done… sorta’. The primary paint job is finished. I’ve hit the edges and high points with gloss varnish and given everything the first coat of matt varnish, that’s a little closer to a satin which is my actual preference for general applications. Now they’re going to wait for decals before a bit of dirtying up and the final coats of varnish. For now, I’m procrastinating on the decals because I want to complete more units for the army and get a better idea where I want to put icons, thus having a better idea just what size the decals will need to be; so there’s that, aaand I’m kinda’ not looking forward to the work involved in finishing the icons and compiling the final decal sheets, so that can wait until I’m feeling more inspired to do such things and I have more models that are at the point of actually needing them.

 

Ok, ok, this isn’t exactly a unit that hasn’t been shown before but I figured a few more images for the sake of completeness wouldn’t go amiss.

 

Given that the Ad Mech line is new and I’m so pleased with the models I don’t plan on doing any elaborate conversions like I might be tempted to do when working with Chaos. However, I dislike excessive repetition caused by repeating models in an army, so I prefer when I can use a posable multipart kit/s to assemble the Troops of a collection; even subtle changes in pose and composition can dramatically improve the level of variety that can be found in an army that may otherwise be very similarly equipped. The Skitraii kit walks an interesting line in this regard. They don’t offer as much in the way of pose-ability as I would normally prefer, but the kit does have ten distinctly posed miniatures and there is a good range of selection in the components. Switch a few arms, swap a few backpacks and turn the odd head and there’s enough variety to obscure any blatant repetition in the rank-and-file, but not so much with the Alphas and the Omnispex/Data-tether operators. So I’ve decided to focus a bit of converting and kit-bashing on those models in each of the squads to provide some variety to the models that are the center of each unit.

 

To that end, this first unit of Rangers is taking the easy route and staying completely stock with no changes, since the Alpha simply requires nothing more than a Galvanic Rifle which are plentiful and that leaves the shouldered rifle component for the Omnispex operator. I’ll want the next unit of Rangers to change things up a bit, but I’ll worry about that another day.

 

Besides, showing the Rangers again gives me a chance to show a nice large image of them in context, perched in the battlements of the Void Shield Generator.

 

Damn the bases for the Transuranic Arquebus models are freakin’ huge. The squad in my list is 8 strong but the battlement doesn’t really accommodate more than 6 miniatures with the 2 Transuranic Arquebus’ taking up so much floor space. Since this is their intended perch it looks like I might need to tweak my list a bit. The extra bodies are really just ablative wounds for the models with the wargear that matters, so I guess losing a few isn’t an issue, but I’m not sure if there are many options to make use of the points that will be freed up. Humm…

 

Delayed by finishing the Void Shield, the first squad of Plasma Caliver toting Vanguard is now caught up with the Rangers.

 

Here’s a large close-up to showcase the paint job and to have a look at the switch-and-swap conversions I did on the Alpha and the Omnispex operator.

 

I want to give the Alphas in the Vanguard squads Taser Goads in part because they are signature Mechanicus weapons that are unique looking but I also plan/hope to use the Vanguard to support some close combat actions where their Rad-saturation rule can offer some extra utility. So, with luck, the Alpha might add an exploding six with the Goad from time-to-time. Not knowing which unit will be called on to perform this (likely suicidal) maneuver I’m going to give them to all the Vanguard Alphas and that’s where the vile specter of repetition crops up. I also want at least some of the Alphas holding their Rad Carbines in both hands so that begs the question of what to do with the Taser Goad when I’m not using the stock bit.

 

The same problem arises with the Omnispex, since I don’t want every single model equipped with one to be in the exact same arm extended pose. So, in this case, I took the opportunity to do a simple switch-and-swap of the Omnispex arm and the Taser Goad arm; removing the Taser Goad from its arm let me easily add the Omnispex to it so it can be in a lowered position, and from there I needed to add the Taser Goad bit to the Alpha in a convincing way If I wanted him holding his Rad Carbine at the ready. So, with a bit of scratch build, I created a simple buckled strap to wrap around the weapon letting it be stowed on the Alpha’s backpack. Since the backpack already features a covering with straps and buckles it didn’t seem like a stretch.

 

+++ Recruit Selections 3440-3460; Implantation Process ‧ Ongoing +++ Production Expedited +++ Progress Reports ‧ Ongoing +++

 

Next up, two squads of Vanguard toting Arc Rifles, which is the minimum number of Skitarii I’ll need to complete my initial list. For future list flexibility I was going to force myself to complete 60 Skitarii before moving to bigger things, but the itch to work on projects that will benefit the list right now is very strong so I suspect things might change. Any progress is good progress, however, so I’m not going to sweat my order of execution too much as long as whatever I work on is in the list. That damn Void Shield Generator is just too dominating, I need some bigger toys to bring it down some.

 

Thanks for reading, following along, the kind words, and feedback. As always, comments, questions, and general musing are always welcome.

 

Now go paint something!

 

[Paradogmatic]

I really like your painting racks -- do you just stick them to the posts with funtak/bluetak or something a bit more robust?

Edited February 26, 2018 by WarriorFish
Unnecessary long quote removed

[Subtle Discord]

Thanks. The painting racks are a perfect example of necessity forcing me to take stock of what odds-and-ends I had available to create a straightforward solution, and now that I've made them I'm completely happy with how functional they are. You are correct, I simply use a small bit of blutack/poster-tack to attach the part to the dowel, but there are a few simple tricks to it and it's not completely perfect.

 

First, I find that using fresh poster-tack is the key to getting bits like the arms to stay firmly attached. If the poster-tack gets kneaded and/or folded over too many times it gets soft and from time-to-time the parts will slowly fall off under their own weight; when the poster-tack is fresh it's stiff and if you push the part firmly onto the dowel without fiddling it will stick reasonably well until you choose to remove it. I quickly roll the poster tack out into a thin tube (again, careful not to overwork it) and cut the bits off in somewhat measured lengths using a sharp razor.

 

Second, the porous ends of the dowels won't be ideal for the poster-tack to stick to, so you'll want to come up with some method to seal them, and preferably with a hard glossy surface that will be better suited for the poster-tack to stick on. I simply applied a few layers of Super Glue to the ends to do the trick. The first drop will soak into the dowel and once it's dry one or two more applications of glue should produce a nice smooth and hard surface; also, just sand them flat if they end up with a bit of a bulge. Just be sure to give the glue the time it needs to dry completely between applications.

 

Finally, handle the parts by the sticks with care; the parts will usually bond surprisingly well, but it is still just a bit of poster-tack holding it in place and constantly bumping the part will loosen it eventually. Additionally, simple mechanical lever action will be a problem from time-to-time; painting the end of a gun barrel that is far away from the point where the part attaches to the dowel will put more force/strain on the join. Just be aware of this and brace the part a little when working on spots like this. Expect the odd part with a small connection point to fall off from now-and-then (especially if it sticks out from the dowel quite far) but it's easy to reattach it with a fresh bit of poster-tack and I've found the majority of parts will stay firmly attached.

 

The added bonus is that this also masks the connection points on the parts that will need plastic-on-plastic contact to get a bond when they are glued. Be sure to take the time and mask all of the connection points using poster-tack. I find it much easier and cleaner to place and then remove the poster-tack as a mask rather than try to scrape away paint when it comes time to assemble. The Skitarii models really do benefit from painting them in a sub-assembly like this. I find the effort required to set them up this way really is made back with how much easier they are to paint like this, but it does take some care to glue some of the tiny wrists on some of the models.

[Subtle Discord]

Quick Studio Update.

 

After a series of delays caused by some unexpected tweaking of final details on the 3D models, dealing with grandfather Nurgle's blessing upon my household (Yay, flu season!), and the back-and-forth required to get things arranged with the company that's printing my prototypes, things are finally moving forward. The first batch of components is printed, packed, on the way, and should be arriving tomorrow or the next day.

 

Further updates coming soon.

 

Please Stand By...

[Eldrick Shadowblade]

::puts up tent in front of the dark works for first in line::

[Lord Commander Eidolon]

Impressive progress! Really good to see you hitting the modelling side with the Mechanicum, a totally apt force for a forge master like you  ; although I must admit I do miss seeing your Black Legion.

 

Those are some pretty serious painting racks - I should really take time to make some, as the amount of times stuff falls off my paper clips or cocktail stick is frequent and it annoys the hell out of me! Dowel might just give me the stability I need.

 

Really excited to see the studio updates!!

[Subtle Discord]

::puts up tent in front of the dark works for first in line::

Careful now, you might get labeled a fanboy. *Eldrick starts packing up his tent* Oh, I didn't say stop. Naturally, I'm completely kidding. I appreciate the vote of confidence as always. Trust that I'm eager to get going and chomping at the bit to get the redesigns of the older kits done so I can really sink my teeth into completely new ideas. Speaking of ideas, I've got something I want to ask people, but more on that in a moment...

 

Impressive progress! Really good to see you hitting the modelling side with the Mechanicum, a totally apt force for a forge master like you  ; although I must admit I do miss seeing your Black Legion.

 

Those are some pretty serious painting racks - I should really take time to make some, as the amount of times stuff falls off my paper clips or cocktail stick is frequent and it annoys the hell out of me! Dowel might just give me the stability I need.

 

Really excited to see the studio updates!!

Thanks! It feels really good to finally be able to get back to building, bashing, scratching, and painting. Especially painting. Deadlines from school really did change my attitude, it's so much easier to just focus and get to work without being so daunted. As I said, the painting racks aren't perfect, parts do fall off from time-to-time, but since they're attached with poster-tack it's quick and easy to put the part back. Being made from hand drilled scrap wood (which I can say is some nice bits of maple, but still scrap) and a few dollars worth of dowel, I can't fault a few flaws for just how useful and functional they are otherwise.

 

I stepped away from my Black Legion after much contemplation and for several reasons, but don't worry, they will always be my first and favorite muse and will return; I continued posting in Legion Rising for a reason, after all; however, every healthy relationship requires some time apart and I've been doing exclusively chaos for many years and got a little burnt out. Then GW started revamping the Chaos line and that gave me the incentive to give them some time to see what they come up with.... before I buy too much of it all. In the meantime, the plan was always to create a Dark Mechanicus army as an ally to my Black Legion army, well before GW started creating anything significant for Ad Mech. I've never been interested in collecting loyalist Space Marines, and most of the other factions don't interest me much, but Ad Mech is different, striking me as something that really appealed to me and I could spread it across the Loyalist and Chaos line. The organization that is Atrum Laboris is quite autonomous with envoys, diplomats, merchants, and armies, appropriate for dealings with a wide range of clientele who in turn have a wide range of Wargear needs. Once this force gets closer to being finished trust that things are going to get considerably... darker; within the carbon black depths of Atrum Laboris, there be monsters.

 

So, about that studio idea I was talking about before...

 

Creating resin models is the foundation I want to build my studio on, but a conversion I had today got me thinking again about a few larger longterm design ideas that I want to consider exploring. I've got two distinct ideas/directions that I think have promise but right now I know at best I can only pursue one. it will likely be quite sometime before I can look at it seriously, but having a future goal to work towards isn't a bad thing.

 

Put simply I want to consider creating some really well-designed gaming products and consider how to really try to improve them beyond what's available today. The two quintessential objects I keep coming back to are the army carry case, which I already have some ideas for a distinct design direction, and the gaming table, which don't have specific ideas for yet, but I think would make an excellent subject for a project that tries to create a table designed expressly for gaming.

 

If I could only do one, which would any of you choose for me to design, the army carry case or the gaming table?

[Paradogmatic]

 

::puts up tent in front of the dark works for first in line::

Careful now, you might get labeled a fanboy. *Eldrick starts packing up his tent* Oh, I didn't say stop. Naturally, I'm completely kidding. I appreciate the vote of confidence as always. Trust that I'm eager to get going and chomping at the bit to get the redesigns of the older kits done so I can really sink my teeth into completely new ideas. Speaking of ideas, I've got something I want to ask people, but more on that in a moment...

 

Impressive progress! Really good to see you hitting the modelling side with the Mechanicum, a totally apt force for a forge master like you  ; although I must admit I do miss seeing your Black Legion.

 

Those are some pretty serious painting racks - I should really take time to make some, as the amount of times stuff falls off my paper clips or cocktail stick is frequent and it annoys the hell out of me! Dowel might just give me the stability I need.

 

Really excited to see the studio updates!!

Thanks! It feels really good to finally be able to get back to building, bashing, scratching, and painting. Especially painting. Deadlines from school really did change my attitude, it's so much easier to just focus and get to work without being so daunted. As I said, the painting racks aren't perfect, parts do fall off from time-to-time, but since they're attached with poster-tack it's quick and easy to put the part back. Being made from hand drilled scrap wood (which I can say is some nice bits of maple, but still scrap) and a few dollars worth of dowel, I can't fault a few flaws for just how useful and functional they are otherwise.

 

I stepped away from my Black Legion after much contemplation and for several reasons, but don't worry, they will always be my first and favorite muse and will return; I continued posting in Legion Rising for a reason, after all; however, every healthy relationship requires some time apart and I've been doing exclusively chaos for many years and got a little burnt out. Then GW started revamping the Chaos line and that gave me the incentive to give them some time to see what they come up with.... before I buy too much of it all. In the meantime, the plan was always to create a Dark Mechanicus army as an ally to my Black Legion army, well before GW started creating anything significant for Ad Mech. I've never been interested in collecting loyalist Space Marines, and most of the other factions don't interest me much, but Ad Mech is different, striking me as something that really appealed to me and I could spread it across the Loyalist and Chaos line. The organization that is Atrum Laboris is quite autonomous with envoys, diplomats, merchants, and armies, appropriate for dealings with a wide range of clientele who in turn have a wide range of Wargear needs. Once this force gets closer to being finished trust that things are going to get considerably... darker; within the carbon black depths of Atrum Laboris, there be monsters.

 

So, about that studio idea I was talking about before...

 

Creating resin models is the foundation I want to build my studio on, but a conversion I had today got me thinking again about a few larger longterm design ideas that I want to consider exploring. I've got two distinct ideas/directions that I think have promise but right now I know at best I can only pursue one. it will likely be quite sometime before I can look at it seriously, but having a future goal to work towards isn't a bad thing.

 

Put simply I want to consider creating some really well-designed gaming products and consider how to really try to improve them beyond what's available today. The two quintessential objects I keep coming back to are the army carry case, which I already have some ideas for a distinct design direction, and the gaming table, which don't have specific ideas for yet, but I think would make an excellent subject for a project that tries to create a table designed expressly for gaming.

 

If I could only do one, which would any of you choose for me to design, the army carry case or the gaming table?

 

So plus and minus of each :

 

Carry Case -

 

- Lots of Options out there

+ Most of the Options out there are the same so innovation could be good

+ Likely a lower cost of entry and more movable product than a Table

 

 

Gaming Table -

 

- Some options but again not much innovation

- High cost of entry for development

- Likely a 1 time purchase by any particular person so not much in repeat sales category

 

 

If I'm being honest, both seem cool ( though the table sounds more vague in your mind right now ), but I'd aim at the carry case first -- more opportunity for multiple sales to a person when compared to a piece of furniture. If the carry case does really well, that'd allow you to indulge in the table design down the road when you have more crystal clear ideas.

[Subtle Discord]

@Paradogmatic: You bring up some excellent perspective. When you consider the pros and cons in that way I can see your point. Definitely, something for me to consider, but I think I may have been a little too eager, being in a good mood because I thought things were moving forward. However, I’ve hit a small snag and it’s reminded me that I should probably keep my focus on the tasks at hand and get all the kinks worked out of my current process, before I get to lost in the future.
 
So now for another tale of the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly. So, my first batch of 3D printed parts was finished and shipped. They arrived yesterday and it’s a bit of a mixed bag that will, unfortunately, be delayed a bit while I find a solution.
 

First up, the Good. The larger components and objects that are best suited to the ProJet 3D printing process I had done turned out quite well.
 
There’s absolutely nothing wrong with the precision of my designs or the ability of the printing process to make very accurate and true parts. Flat parts with details that didn’t involve undercuts were produced very clean and sharp. There is a minor bit of banding on the surfaces that can be made out in the picture just a bit; it’s not perfect but it’s very subtle and not a problem on larger pieces like this. A little filing, sanding, and some leveling primer should remove it. It’s a bit of work, but when undercuts and shapes that require support material come into play it becomes another issue altogether.
 

Now on to, the Bad. As you can see, the wax support material has a distinct effect on the surface quality of the printed components.
 
I’ve worked with PolyJet/ProJet parts several times in the past. It’s the process that Shapeways uses for their extreme detail printing and it’s an industry standard that is very good for many applications. If the parts I was creating were just a bit larger, had more pronounced details, and could be covered in several layers of paint, I might be able to make it work. Even with these parts, because they’re larger, it won’t be too bad to sand them, file them, and use some leveling primer to make them ready for casting. Again, more work when I prefer, but not too unreasonable. Unfortunately, this surface issue becomes a problem when the scale of the components shrinks one more level.
 

And this is, the Ugly. Despite the details on these smaller components being pretty simple the contact of the wax support material has turned the surface far too rough.
 
These parts were printed with a recent generation of ProJet printer (3510 HD), so I was hoping it would be better than some results I had in the past. While there were improvements to the quality of the prints and most of the parts are serviceable with a bit of prep work, the smaller bits of each of the kits will require a better printing solution. It looks like I’m back to shopping around for a company that can provide parts made with EnvisionTEC (Perfactory) printers if my research is correct.
 

In an effort to salvage some use from the parts I assembled one of the pintle weapons to test the fit and function of the kit.
 
There’s nothing wrong with how precise these parts are, that’s for sure; everything fits perfectly and functions exactly as I had hoped so the weapons can be swapped very easy. But despite the Bolters pictured here being some of the better ones that printed, and all the parts getting an alcohol scrub to remove some of the rough material, the surface quality is just too grainy and rough to leave as-is and it would be too much work to attempted to clean and refine them smooth. Nope, these components need to be printed with a better process from the get-go.
 
Due to costs, I was only able to print the first new Mk.3 Trim design and it will be prepped and be in mould rubber in the next few days. Most of the parts for the Havoc Launchers turned out well and I will be getting them prepped as well. But most of the parts for the Pintle Weapons, and one part for the Havoc Launcher, simply need to be reprinted to a better quality and I’ll be looking into that right away. I know it can be done, I just need to find the right people to do it. It’s frustrating to be delayed, but I was a little suspect that this might happen, so I’m trying to not let it be too disappointing and just get down to figuring out the solution to the problem.
 
I’ve got the ideas, the ability to 3D model and scratch build them, the skills to make good moulds, and the ability to produce great casts, I just need to get this damn prototyping nut cracked before I can be 100% confident that I have my entire manufacturing process down firm. To anyone who’s been patiently waiting for me to get properly up-and-running, sorry for the delays, but now I’m so close, with just one last (for now) puzzle to figure out.
 
*Sigh* I'm enjoying getting my studio up-and-running, but I can't wait until I get everything figured out for this. I'd rather just be painting right now.

[Bjorn Firewalker]

My condolences.

[Khornestar]

Hey man, it’s certainly understandable to be frustrated. At the same time, it’s great to see your commitment to persevere and iron out all the wrinkles. I’ve been following your work for a while now, and it’s always a pleasure to see not just the stuff you come up with but how you make it happen. One of my regrets in the hobby has been not buying your kits when I had the chance! Knowing that eventually I’ll be able to get even cooler stuff from you is something I legitimately look forward to. Keep up the good work and good attitude.

[Subtle Discord]

I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a bit disappointed, but this is also something I was worried might be an issue. This is exactly the kind of testing I was expecting I would need to do in order to completely sort out my production process. Despite it being a rapidly evolving and improving technology Rapid Prototyping (RP) is very much still developing and if you work with it you'll quickly discover its strengths and weaknesses. One large takeaway here is that RP solutions are not one size fits all. In this case, I can instantly see what components will be suited to production with the PolyJet RP process and now I can understand what parts I'll need to have RP'ed with the Perfactory DLP process. While I haven't done pricing yet, I'm all but certain that the DLP will be more expensive and have smaller size limits compared to PolyJet so there's a real incentive to have the right parts created with the technology best suited to the particular component.
 

After an afternoon of sanding (I foresee lots of sanding in my future) I've got the Mk.3 Rhino Trim Kit prepped and almost ready for mould making. There's still a few edges that need a bit of quick file work.
 
I am absolutely committed to the pursuit of quality in the production process I'm developing for The Dark Works. The resounding majority of positive feedback I've received from customers has been about the quality and execution of my kits. Surface quality, in particular, is something that I will not slouch on and I will work hard to provide the cleanest components I can manage.
 
This is exactly why I take large revealing photographs of my kits for my shop, to showcase the precision and execution of the casts made from high-quality masters; what you see in the photos is exactly what I aim to provide to my customers. Look closely at many of the kits currently being provided online and notice how many times they keep to a certain distance when showcasing the models in photographs. Many/most 3D printed kits being offered now suffer from the problems that I'm determined to solve before I'm willing to offer my kits for sale.
 
Put simply, I aim to compete as a premier producer of resin model kits and miniatures, as there are plenty of midrange and lower producers already out there. Yes, it will take some extra time, effort, and cost on my part to get all the kinks worked out; but it's what I'm compelled to do, both because it's what I want to produce and because customers genuinely appreciate it once they get my kits in-hand.

[Pearson73]

Your dedication to quality is commendable, I'm certain that when you find the solution, all that hard work and stress will pay off; both in personal satisfaction at a job well done and in customer response.

 

I'm looking forward to seeing your range expandand come to the market as it'll be a great chance to support both a fellow board-member and small company.

[Brother Heinrich]

Keep up the good work man, I believe in you!

[BrotherJim]

Absolutely! I have been following your work from day one mate, and I must say it's been a very inspiring and interesting journey that you have been on! I'm quite humbled by your dedication to your craft. I have been planning a Black Legion force which will require all of your Chaos Trim and accessories kits. It's very interesting to watch you puzzle out all these problems and I'm looking forward to the day we all get to pull the trigger on this one!

[Subtle Discord]

+++ Submitting Progress Report ++ Recruit Selections 3440-3460; Implantation Process ‧ Ongoing +++ Production Expedited +++

Sleep now. More rambling later. Using new rubber for moulds, blessed by Nurgle (you'll see), and I like it. First new moulds finished tomorrow. Update to follow once they're done and the first casts are in hand. For now, bed ways is right ways. Viddy well my droogs. Viddy well.

Edited March 7, 2018 by Subtle Discord

[Subtle Discord]

What's old is new again. A refinement of the original Mk.1 design, the Mk.3 Proditor Rhino Trim kit preliminary casts are successful.
 
This is a new way I'm trying to cast these thin components, so I'm very relieved that they've cast properly. There's a bit of extra flash with this early cast, but it's tissue paper thin and cleans away quite easily. Some adjustments to how the moulds are clamped reduced the flash almost completely.
 
Further update to follow soon.

[Dragonlover]

Sweet. Don't suppose you've got a ballpark price in mind for the trim kits have you so i know how much to squirrel away?

 

Dragonlover

[JeffTibbetts]

That sprue is so slick. Looking more professional all the time, my dude. Maybe it's a little thing to some, but it exudes quality and craftsmanship. TDW is a byword for both. 

[Subtle Discord]

Your dedication to quality is commendable, I'm certain that when you find the solution, all that hard work and stress will pay off; both in personal satisfaction at a job well done and in customer response.

 

I'm looking forward to seeing your range expandand come to the market as it'll be a great chance to support both a fellow board-member and small company.

Keep up the good work man, I believe in you!

Absolutely! I have been following your work from day one mate, and I must say it's been a very inspiring and interesting journey that you have been on! I'm quite humbled by your dedication to your craft. I have been planning a Black Legion force which will require all of your Chaos Trim and accessories kits. It's very interesting to watch you puzzle out all these problems and I'm looking forward to the day we all get to pull the trigger on this one!

Thanks for the words of support and encouragement. I'm really glad that my attention to detail shows because I'm very serious about doing this right. These days, practically anyone can get parts Rapid Prototyped by Shapeways and pour RTV rubber around them, and for many people, that's all they want. There's absolutely nothing wrong with that, but I've got a different perspective on the kinds of models that I want to be produced in my studio, and the feedback I've been getting so far tells me I'm on the right track. I look forward to supplying future customers with only the best quality Wargear that I can figure out how to produce.

 

Sweet. Don't suppose you've got a ballpark price in mind for the trim kits have you so i know how much to squirrel away?

 

Dragonlover

That sprue is so slick. Looking more professional all the time, my dude. Maybe it's a little thing to some, but it exudes quality and craftsmanship. TDW is a byword for both. 

You better like those sprews! The damn sprews take surprisingly more work then I expected to get right. However, in this case, they ensure that there are enough points for all the bubbles to escape during casting, secure the parts so they resist warping, and they wrap completely around the parts to protect them from damage during shipping. I honestly don't think the parts would cast properly without the sprews being this elaborate, so I decided that if I'm going to be forced to do them I was going to do them right. I'm glad the effort shows.

 

The downside is the reality that they also make the parts surprisingly more expensive to 3D print than I was expecting. I was hoping to reduce the cost of these kits from their current $18 CAD point, but I'll need to consider a lot of things now that I have a better idea of the upfront printing costs. While the labour on these kits has been reduced, I don't want to be forced to sell over 50 of them before I can even cover the 3D printing costs, let alone labour and materials. I've been forced to recognize that all of my material costs and other expenses have gone up in the five years since I started my studio part-time, so I need to actually reconsider all of my pricing based on this reality. For now, I need to get some new smaller kits done and casting so I can do cost considerations of both labour and materials combined.