Advice & Tips on building FW Knights?

[derLumpi]

Hi folks,

 

I'm in the middle of building my first FW knight (it's an Acheron). Are there any advice you would feel to share?

 

I looked at the instructions and they seem to be pretty straightforward. But may be you guys have some tips for me.

 

It's not my first delivery from FW but the biggest yet and I want to make the best out of it.

[helterskelter]

Pinning. Something that big, glue alone isn't enough

[m_r_parker]

Pinning is a great thing, and definitely something you should consider.

Also, try to dry-fit a lot of stuff before you glue into place (pinning does actually help doing that, otherwise you'll quickly run out of hands), as they'll be some pieces later on that may not fit if you don't think ahead.

 

First thing that I found to help a lot was to put a pin through the centre of the knee joint. It keeps the upper and lower legs together, and allows you to bend the knee without having to hold it together. Simple to do - join the upper and lower legs together in the approximate position you want it to be, and drill through the centre of knee like so.

 

http://i162.photobucket.com/albums/t272/m_r_parker/Plogs/Word%20Bearers/6495E387-45A4-4642-84D3-4996545B76A5_zpsbwfqajvg.jpg

 

I would also consider putting some pins between the groin and upper legs (but not all the way through to the exterior), and that will allow you to position the legs and find where you want the feet. I would also consider putting a pin from the ankle, through the foot, and into the base for extra stability. Again, should be easy to do once you know where you want the feet and have the legs posable.

 

One word on leg posing, as this scuppered me when I was building my Atrapos. There are cables and pistons that join from the butt (crass, but how else would you describe it) to the inside of the upper leg, and if like me you try and do a dynamic pose you end up not being able to fit them.

 

http://i162.photobucket.com/albums/t272/m_r_parker/Plogs/Word%20Bearers/B275F690-3B73-4C92-8C24-59508755D11C_zps0x7bcafp.jpg

 

I would keep the arms and shoulder plates separate from the torso for painting purposes. Same for the head. Some people say to keep all the armour plates off of Knights for painting, but the Cerastus chassis doesn't let you do that.

[derLumpi]

Alright, thanks for the advice. I considered pinning but wasn't sure If it's really necessary.

Will paper clips be ok?

[MoGuy]

Another tip: Wash the parts before assembling! I don't know why, but Forgeworld stuff always still has the chemicals on them that are used to separate them from the molds. This is also why glueing FW stuff is a nightmare when done with unwashed parts. Just rinse them with some soap under some warm water (not too hot) and let them dry. 

[derLumpi]

That I did. It's really anoying when the paint just runs down the model. :-D

[Ovidius Incertus]

I would use brass rod instead of paperclips.  Paperclips are sufficient for infantry, but you probably want something heavier for this application.

 

I would recommend JB Weld (or a similar 2-part epoxy), although I wouldn't know if it's available in Germany.  With that and pins, you'll have a very stable build.  It takes a long time to cure, though, so you'll want to make sure to have clamps.  To make an even sturdier bond, rough up the surfaces you'll be gluing with a knife.

 

A simple trick that's made my life easier is to use a pen or marker to make marks on mating parts, once I have them temporarily posed with bluetack.  That way, I can line the marks up when I go to glue it for good and keep my desired pose.

 

Fit once, then fit again, then fit again, then glue.  Check poses from all angles, because there's nothing worse than seeing something that looks great from one side, but looks gimpy from another, at least to me.

[derLumpi]

Alright looks like I need to go to the local hobby shop. Thanks for the advice on posing that's really helpful. :)

[Blackcadian]

I haven't a FW knight myself, but still have something to add: please please do a google picture search for FW knights or your particular model - there are some really amazing poses people have achieved that don't look too hard, but there's also so many that look really dull and boring. Imo such a knight should be a centerpiece and modeled as such :)

[Magos Takatus]

I'd add that one the other hand I've seen pictures where people have attempted to go for dynamic poses and they look really awkward. I'd suggest trying to make a pose that doesn't look to forced either. Try to make it look natural (as natural a a giant dog-legged mechanical walker can be :p ).

[derLumpi]

I haven't a FW knight myself, but still have something to add: please please do a google picture search for FW knights or your particular model - there are some really amazing poses people have achieved that don't look too hard, but there's also so many that look really dull and boring. Imo such a knight should be a centerpiece and modeled as such :)

I know what you mean. I did an Image search for the knight to get Some inspirations. When I'm back home I will Start with the knight. :-D

[derLumpi]

So I played around a bit with the knight kit and I think a found a pose that looks good. What diameter would you guys suggest for those pins?

[Terminus]

I would suggest keeping all of the armor plates off for painting. You can assemble the skeleton and hit it with leadbelcher and a quick wash, and you'll have a wonderful base for your deathbot. Then just paint the plates separately and glue them on.

 

Regarding getting the hoses to work, the wonderful thing about resin is how maleable it is when heated. Take a hairdrier to it (hot water is inadequate in my experience), and you should be able to get it to fit unless your robot is doing a full Chinese split or something, and even then you could probably sculpt some additional length.

[derLumpi]

I got the leadbelcher spray for my first GW knight and washed it afterwards leaving the plates off. It was pretty quick and the result is really good. seeing that this worked out I will do the same with the FW knight.

[Vel'Cona]

I got the leadbelcher spray for my first GW knight and washed it afterwards leaving the plates off. It was pretty quick and the result is really good. seeing that this worked out I will do the same with the FW knight.

Get some WIP pics up here, brother! We can all bear witness to your triumph as the IK comes together

[derLumpi]

Well, I took a picture ... sort of. My wife removed the memory card from our camera for christmas pictures for the grandparents ;)

 

I took a picture with my cell phone. It is not the best but I think you can get the idea.

 

The foot on the right will be plain on the base. The foot on the left will only be on the base with its front toe. I'm going for a walking pose.

 

I tried taking a picture of the GW knight but that picture was worse. I will post one tonight when I got the memory card back from my wife ;)

 

[derLumpi]

Better pictures :)

 

[Echelon]

Looking great! You have any updates? Also another method to paint the underparts of our knights is how they paint the Deathwatch arms.

 

https://youtu.be/xjSu0HwM9xU?t=4m43s

[derLumpi]

Actually there is an update. I settled on a pose, nothing fancy. Just a striding knight over the battlefield with one leg a moment before it is raised for the next step.

The right leg is finished. I hope to finish the left one tonight. Pinning the legs to the hip will be next.

The knight is a really beautiful model. The complexity of posing, blue tacking and pinning is not that easy as it sounds though. So thanks everybody for your advice and insight.

I'm tempted to order the Castigator at the end of the week.

Thanks for sharing that video, Echelon. I will have a look at this tonight.

[Echelon]

Sure thing! It should be linked to the part where they paint the arm. Thanks for the update! ^_^

 

Hoping to pick up my first Warden in February after I recover from Christmas. Great work so far! Really like the pose.

[derLumpi]

I'm not sure if it's the angle of the picture or the pose itself. It looks like it's tilting to the left. But it's too late to do anything about it. Glued everything with greenstuff and glue.

[Echelon]

Event if it is tilting it will look okay. You can move the torso around and make it look like it was dodging an attack or something.

[derLumpi]

The longer I look at it the more I'm ok with the 'tilting' :)

Made some progress with the torso. Not glued in place yet. Just wanted to see how it looks so far.

Next thing will be the pistons and cables.

[Echelon]

Looking Good!

[armarnis]

thanks for letting us look over your shoulder, some great advice here also from everyone else! im getting a knight soonish too so i will take a quick bookmark to come back :)