++ AUGUSTUS b'RAASS ++ pre-heresy BRASS SCORPION p.247

[BrotherJim]

If there is anyone that can do it mate - it's you Sir!

 

Going back to your earlier point - I always find it easier to do things for other people rather than for myself ie- i love makingh gifts for other people and very raley make anything for myself!!

 

Relieving my Space Wolves army was similar reilef, I'm glad you have found your groove again!

 

I hope you enjoy this Challenge!

[Hungry Nostraman Lizard]

This just makes me not want to buy large kits from forgeworld... the  biggest kit i've built is the dreadclaw drop pod, and that made me cuss once or twice...

[Lord Commander Eidolon]

I had been warned. Did I listen? Nope. Did I approach the issue with caution? Nooooooo. And was I humble in doing so? Hellz no. Instead, I was cocky as crap. I even dared someone to commission me to do it. And then he took the challenge. So now, I'm stuck.

 

 

Thanks for looking and for commenting.

Muwahahahaha

 

I'm kind of glad and somewhat vindicated that you've come to grief!

[hushrong]

Welcome to Hell! I see you got your complimentary Storm Eagle! I shuddered at the first picture and cried a bit at the second image. Good luck!

[Augustus b'Raass]

Haha 'thanks', guys, for the 'support' :p ;) lol

 

Really, I realized today that Forge World has it all wrong in the instructions. The real place to start is not at teh bottom fron plate, but at the rear top plate - that's the area with the most structural mass and the most room for pinning - and so the place that allows for the best allignment!

 

Tight here is where I put some pins:

 

Now that those are pinned (but not glued) I can start dunking the hull segments in hot water to allign them and then glue them, and so move on to next sessions.
Dunk,
Aallign,

Dry,

Glue.

That's what it's all about!
 

Perhpas my initial reaction was coloured by your warnings - and so I may have over reacted a bit. I agree that the kit offers more of a modelling challenge than the Fire Raptor - but it won't be the hell the I've come to imagine it to be, from what I've read here and on other places on the interwebs. Or is there more to it than the hull?  
 

Replies!

 

@ Dantay VI: Thanks for the welcome! It feels so warm!

 

@ BubblesMcGub: Do you own one as well? I never knew!

 

@ BrotherJim: I am the same way for sure. Wait... did you sell your Space Wolves?

 

@ HNL: This is by far the most challenging for sure - I've built the Warhound, Spartan, Typhon, Fire Raptor and Greater Brass Scorpion from FW and they're all doable for sure. Not for the novice, but all techniques used on them were first timers for me too and I found them all on guides on YouTube or forums like this one. I think when it comes to building the real restriction comes from not having the right tools and glues available. That's a matter of preparation, not of skill. :tu:

 

@ L.C. Eidolon: Well, being a Night lords player in my core, I guess vindication comes naturally to me??? :P But seriously, it is a good looking kit, and I'm looking forward to finishing it. :)
 

@ hushrong: hahaha I will plough through i like a knife through butter! A blunt knife. Through frozen butter. But still. :tu:

[The Traitor]

Well, it seems you got things pretty much sorted out, can't wait to see how your building plan turns out, will make a mental note to start with the rear top plate in case I ever go mad and buy one :P.

[BrotherJim]

Yes I cleared out the Space Wolves, and my Black Legion, and the Plague Marines also.

 

The last few years have been a slow agonizing death for my hobby. I'm not really happy with the new direction GW is taking space marines and power armor. Its quite heart breaking actually. I was actually depressed about it for awhile. I might have to finally start collecting resin: I seem to be having trouble moving on to a new hobby that is equally entertaining, engaging and fulfilling.

[Augustus b'Raass]

Quiet around these parts! t least I got the body of the Storm Eagle finished.

 

It was actually quite easy once I realized you have to start with the rear top plate. Then pin and glue the plastic front top plate onto that - and you have a solid base from which to work - and a nice guide to angle the rear plates on (which, coupled with their pins to the rear top plate, also provide a nice guide). It's a slow process, and I definitely do not advice super glue but to use 2-component epoxy resin instead (which dries in about 20 minutes). Just glue one area at a time and it's just a slow process - but it isn't hard!

 

 

Done!

I'm still working on the Spartan - I sprayed it dark blue but for some reason every time I start painting a Spartan (or Typhon) I get a little discouraged after I lay down the base coat! It'll fade for sure.

 

At least now I have the Storm Eagle project to have something to do when I feel a bit meh about painting.

 

Replies!

 

@ The Traitor: Don't be afraid of the stories - it may look daunting (I was a bit rattled when I saw the bent sides!) but it's not by any means as bad as people make it out to be. You can do it!

@ BrotherJim: Dude, I had the same thing. I was so miffed when I first saw those stupid truescale marines. Ridiculous move on GWs part, for sure. Why would they start a second scale of marines - it's just ridiculous. And the fluff about them is soo bad and setting-shattering. Of well, at least they still sell original scale marines.  Sad to hear about your sellout - but at least now you can start a new army with a new slate - and with the B&C allowing Xenos now, there's no reason not to! :tu: :D

[BubblesMcBub]

Glad you figured out how to build it!

[Mechanist]

Nice job for solving the puzzle and I have every confidence we'll see the Spartan move on at the blistering rate you manage so well. I'm sure your customer is going to be super pleased with everything so far.

[Exellon167]

First of all, stellar army. Your NL's and IF's were one of the bigger inspirations that made me take my space marine army and think of every little plastic man as a character. Sad to see the NL's go but it's nice to see you still get to do some NL stuff here and there as well (and making me increasingly lean towards the temptation of chaos....shame on you  ).

The land raiders and the fire raptor are very nice indeed. I may have to shamelessly steal the flayed skin over the headlamp idea if I ever get around to getting some vehicles or gaming properly  .

Keep up the top notch work!

[DuskRaider]

Props to you, man... I have a feeling I'd either mangle that thing or just give up. Can't wait to see some paint on it!

[Augustus b'Raass]

Cheers, team!
 

@ BubblesMcGub: Thanks! It took a while, but now the hard part is over I am realy inspired!

 

@ Mechanist: HAHA cheers! My hobby jive is tickling for sure!

 

@ Excellon67: Aw, thanks, buddy! That's nice of you to say. It was hard to part with the Nls and IFs, but it was well worth it to me. I'm super glad they inspired you in the way that you wrote. Thanks for sharing that with me :)

 

@ DuskRaider: It just takes patience, a hairdryer, and the right glue. Anyone can build it! 

[hushrong]

The storm eagle is looking like a solid ten! How many hours roughly have you put into it?

[Augustus b'Raass]

How many hours? Hmmm. Excluding thinking about how to best go about building it while driving to and from work, I think about six or seven hours? Casting material removal and casting residue cleanup took about one hour of that time. The rest is actual building, but I just work on it each time I get home for about thirty minutes. First I align the part I want to glue in (using a hairdryer when some bending of the resin is required), then I mix up the glue, apply the glue, stick the two parts together, and make sure they don't move - using either clamps, gravity, tape, or rubber bands. I then leave it to dry for about two hours while I go do something else, then return for another session!

Edited January 17, 2018 by Augustus b'Raass

[ranman8]

what Size Metal pins do you use for your helmet/skull spikes? They look perfect!

[Subtle Discord]

Looking at my Raptor, you totally hit the nail on the head, I think for both kits - attach the sides to the top, ensuring the alignment, and then build it out from there. I'm happy with my build but the poor alignment where the sides meet the top is my one gripe. Excellent work getting it together without losing your mind and doing something you'd regret. ;)

[Augustus b'Raass]

Cheers, gang! The Strom Eagle is almost finished

 

I completely build the structure, and with some dunking in boiling water finally got all the crooked edges out:

 

Here's a closeup of the start of the nose iconography. It's made up of the largest skull in the citadel skull kit, obvisouly, which I sawed and sanded down to fit the canopy. I'll be sculpting wings on it soon enough.

 

The side doors also are made to fit snugly. This is actually the only time I went ''Jesus christ, ForgeWorld, why do you create door openings designed for rhino doors which don't fit rhino doors???'' 

 

Because look how much I needed to trim those doors (Made-to-fit door on the left, standard door size on the right:

 

And finally the by-now mandatory adjustments to the landing 'feet' - replacing the Imperial Eagle with the Night Lords symbol. :)

 

Thanks for looking! Onwards to scupting wings, flesh trophies, and to skull-and-helmet trophy rack insertions!

 

Also, thanks for commenting - I like likes, but comments keep me going!

 

Cheers!

 

@ Ranman8: Funny you should ask! I recently dedicated an entire tutorial to how I do my skulls/helmet trophies. - you must've missed it :) I hope this is of use to you!

 

@ Subtle Discord:Cheers, buddy! Yeah it's funny how FW messes up their own build order - the structural strong points in a vehicle kit is where you start, but they, in their instructions, start at the flimsiest point! I bet you with your insight have an even keener eye on this. :tu:

[hushrong]

Dude, you are machine! I think I spent seven hours researching how to build the thing and crying.

 

@ranman8, he used 1mm thick nails. In the US I think that's like a #20 nail. I bought some #18 nails at the home depot and they are close but a hair thicker than 1mm. On post #3913 he posted that with a tutorial on how he makes his trophies.

[Augustus b'Raass]

Dude, you are machine! I think I spent seven hours researching how to build the thing and crying.

 

@ranman8, he used 1mm thick nails. In the US I think that's like a #20 nail. I bought some #18 nails at the home depot and they are close but a hair thicker than 1mm. On post #3913 he posted that with a tutorial on how he makes his trophies.

lol thanks buddy! I told that to ranman8 in my replies, but better too much than too little

 

No need to cry! I seriously think that if you could pick one thing that makes a world of difference in building the Storm Eagle (or any complex resin kit), it would be to not/never  use super glue, but a slow drying, thick two epoxy glue like UHU Schnellfest instead.

 

Superglue:

• is difficult to apply as it's runny (even the thicker variants);
• dries super fast, so there's less handling time; and
• dries rock solid - allowing no more movement of the join.

On the other hand, two-component epoxy glues

• have a goopy consistency, so you can apply it very precisely with a tooth pick or the like;
• dry very slowly, allowing for a long handling time; and 
• dry into a semi-flexible state, allowing for post-glue warmth adjustments.

Seriously, I almost never use superglue. I can dunk the entire thing in boiling water right now, and still make adjustments. If I'd have used super glue, those joins would have cracked for sure).  It's either two-component epoxy or plastic glue for me!

 

Now, with the benefit of hindsight, I find the Storm Eagle to definitively be a challenging kit. But it's absolutely not the nightmare people make it out to be. To be a bit facetious:

Hidden Content

 

@ Honda: Bless you! Wait, what's wrong with the storm eagle?

 

 

Who has the last laugh now, huh?

http://imagesvh1-a.akamaihd.net/uri/mgid:file:http:shared:vh1.com/news/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/giphy-1-1499362155.gif

  Edited January 19, 2018 by Augustus b'Raass

[gaurdian31]

That Storm Eagle is looking great. Can't wait to see it painted up!

[Subtle Discord]

@ Subtle Discord:Cheers, buddy! Yeah it's funny how FW messes up their own build order - the structural strong points in a vehicle kit is where you start, but they, in their instructions, start at the flimsiest point! I bet you with your insight have an even keener eye on this.

 

Oh please, I'll never say I'm not (usually) confident in how I execute things, but I'm not some highly enlightened guru, I just have a few more mistakes learning experiences under my belt than many builders. I gave you feedback because I didn't think of it until you mentioned it.

 

Your opinion about two-part epoxy is also spot on for all the reasons you're putting forward. I came to the same conclusions a while back but it's the insight that others have also reached the same conclusion that really reinforces that it does make as much sense as I think it does. For me, I was considering the kits I want to produce and how many times they mate to styrene models in a very precise way; work time, where adjustments can be made, is essential to attaching the parts to the model accurately and quick setting epoxy provides that while still curing in a reasonable amount of time. I'll be advising my customers to use epoxy with several of my kits and this has transitioned to my personal projects as a result. Super glue still has its place, but the properties of epoxy are very useful and practical when used where it makes sense.

[Hungry Nostraman Lizard]

This eagle here now, this is for your own personal, or is it another commission? It's looking fine!

[BrotherJim]

Thanks Augustus you're absolutely right. I may have a few ideas left about how to work the chaos kit, I still favour it as the best plastic infantry kit in the history of plastic kits. I also have a full on 95' era vanilla army which i'll probably start posting soon. 

 

Congrats on the storm eagle it looks fantastic.

 

My own personal revelation with epoxy glue came when I had to convert tiny little minis like dark eldar arms etc. If a joint is too small to pin I will always use epoxy glue, because it allows you to twist and turn and rework the joint unlike super glue whichs sticks fast. For all the reasons you mentioned i basically use it for everything except space marines, which I always pin anyway.

 

Thanks again, great reading!

[Augustus b'Raass]

Cheers, guys :)

 

@ guardian31: Thanks, buddy! First, I still gotta finish painting the Spartan, though!

 

@ Subtle Discord: Fair nough, but I still think you have an edge when it comes to having what I can only imagine is an innate sense of structural strength, stemming from your design work. :tu: About the glue: I'm glad you'll start giving your customers that advice! FW should do the same, actually.

 

@ Hungry Nostraman Lizard: It's part of the same commission as the Fire Raptor and Land Raiders. :)

 

@ BrotherJim: You're kidding right? The CSM kit the best kit out there? It was lower quality than the second Space Marine Tactical Squad when it came out, and that was what? - 12 years ago? It hasn't been updated since! Glad you liked the glue post though :)