Jump to content

Shapeways for Shoulder Pads - Comparisons/reviews


Recommended Posts

Brothers, I have reached the point where I need more BT flavoured shoulder pads, but can't justify the cost of the Upgrade Kit. (The problem is I run through the shoulder pads much more quickly than the other parts and don't want to buy the whole kit just for the pads.)

 

My latest squad of Intercessors I have done with just plain pads and transfers, but I kind of miss proper raised pads being mixed in.

 

So I bring it to the crux of the question: Alternative bits and pads. I want to see what people have used, how they found them to ise, whether they were good value and whether they would recommend them, (or not.)

But I would like a bit of structure to the replies if possible, so if people who wish to contribute could post a picture of what they have used, with a short review and with a link to the seller that would really help me, and everyone else.

 

Thanks in advance!

I guess if you don't mind a follower of the true Warmaster here, I can weigh in a bit. I've used Pop goes the Monkey for a few projects now and their bits are interesting. Most of my complains are very much centered around the constraints and restrictions of the resin material itself which can leave striations and residual surface issues. However, these seem mostly related to more complicated shapes and forms. That said, it is random depending on the individual who sets the machine and I've seen the same part come out glorious and atrocious so it's definitely YMMV as far as shapeways is concerned (once over with a bit of gloss varnish before the primer, or a very fine file can get rid of a lot of surface imperfections).

Just as a caveat, large thin objects like breacher shields/flat power shields rarely ever break, they shatter and are nearly impossible to piece together.

I'll put up two easy examples, both from Pop Goes the Monkey (probably the most well known shapeway source):

The one that's going to be more common and easy to deal with are the shoulder pauldrons for intercessors/astartes. Honestly, I didn't want to go for the chance that the pauldron rims were going to look different, so I decided to go with the Sigil badge emboss as they were plentiful and cheap. They're slightly curved symbols that you glue on and honestly, they worked a whole lot better than I ever imagined they would. No problems, no curvature issues, it worked well.

gallery_107230_14721_5315.jpg

But as a secondary one, more complicated full pauldrons are larger and likely more prone to surface defects and imperfections. The Cataphractii pauldrons look like they're supposed too, but spots that look more grungy are a natural byproduct of a rough surface retaining more weathering powder and giving an inadequate surface even after gloss varnishing. I should have filed it down but I didn't spot it until it was too late.

As a purely personal suggestion, I'd go with the 'bent' emblems rather than full pauldrons as you risk less issues and you tend to get more for your money. The embossing is big, but not any more so than many of the FW embossed pauldrons. And yes, the Maltese Cross is there.

gallery_107230_14721_57055.jpg

I thought I'd start us off: (But got Ninja'd by Vykes!)

 

Below is an Intercessor Sword Brother I built using a Pauldron Shield/ Heavy Gardbrac Armor Pad from Red Dog Minis: http://www.reddogminis.com/catalog/item/9023820/10357824.htm

 

2019 03 20 21.13.12

2019 03 20 21.13.19

 

I bought these for my veteran models and I think they work really well. They're reminiscent of the pads on the Metal/Resin Sword Brethren models released in 2004, and akin to the one on the Marshal featured on the cover of the BT codex. They look the part I think.

They arrive flat and attached to a bit of flash that needs snipping off. All one needs to do to bend them into shape is to warm the resin up and form it. I have two methods I find work rather well, the recommended method is to place the pads in a mug of boiling water, I then fish them out with a spoon or chopsticks and whilst hot, form it around something round. The best thing I found was my aluminium modelling knife. The other method I have found works is to use a hairdryer, to warm up the pad, (the resident cannoness doesn't seem to mind this.)

 

The only criticism I have of them, is that occasionally, when snipping the flash off the back, it ruptures the edge a little. But it's not a huge problem as that just makes them look old and battle damaged, which is fine.

All told, at $5 for 8, it's not bad value. The shame is the postage to the UK.

Thanks for starting this thread, and to Vykes for the take on Pop Goes the Monkey's shoulder emblems.  I was thinking about ordering some of those myself, but had similar concerns about getting full shoulder pads.  I think there may be 60 of the Templar Brethren icons in my future...

I also have ordered a few things from Shapeways designed by Pop goes the Monkey.  

I have ordered:

  •  Templar Brethren curved emblems for blank shoulder pads (they work well in normal SM shoulder pads, and are a tad big for MKIII, and work well on Primaris Shoulders) 
  • Curved Battlefield emblems (close support, fire support, etc) for my son's Crimson Fists
  • MkIII Shoulders with the Templar Cross (the metal ridge is a bit smaller than the GW MKIII plastic kit, FYI)
  • Templar Cross Storm Shield (think he calls them Lancer Shields)

Over all I was impressed with the quality of the 'Smooth Fine Detailed Plastic,' which is a UV hardened material.  it IS somewhat brittle, so care must be taken when removing them from their 'sprues', but a decent pair of clippers a a fine file (I just use a nail file) seems to do the job just fine. Also, give them a wash in some denatured alcohol or isopropyl alcohol just to make sure they are clean, then they take rattle can primer just fine.  

I have used two kinds of Shapeways pads up until now.

 

On the one hand I used the 60 Chapter Emblems to glue onto existing pauldrons. (https://www.shapeways.com/product/9FGK8ZB68/60x-maltese-cross-shoulder-insignia-pack?optionId=62886495&li=marketplace)

 

A big plus here is price, they are quite cheap and you can use the pauldrons supplied with the sets that you get anyways and can use pauldrons with marksmans honours on them and stuff like that. On the other hand if you really want to do that you can throw in a decal or freehand if you want to do that.

I found two problems with these: a) when removing them from their sprue sometimes when you are not careful they can break which is frustrating. b) sometimes it feels like they lift up a bit from certain pauldrons which feels weird when painting, but tbh cant be really seen when on tabletop distance.

They can be seen in use here on my intercessors:

JuL8PUE.jpg

 

On the other hand I used these more detailled but more expensive (and less amount for more money) shoulder pads. (https://www.shapeways.com/product/NXN59NFS3/midnight-templars-shoulder-x3?optionId=66311278&li=marketplace)

 

All in all I like them more but I feel like sometimes you can see the filament from the printer on them, even when they are primed and painted. See two examples of them in use below. I vastly prefer these though. The added chains and little crosses and heraldic shields just makes them fit better into how I want my templars to look. Also they are really fun to highlight, as a ridge runs along each bar of the cross, which you can use to really make the crosses pop.

mhdcYhi.jpglDVNctO.jpg

 

There is also a variety of the last example with pieces of cloth attached to them on shapewys. These are propably the next ones I will try out.

Just upkoad them to imgur and link in here

 

Easier said than done! I am now the proud owner of an Imgur account, and  have educated myself on how to use said account! I am not a big poster on any platform, I mostly just lurk 8-P

 

Here is the album I uploaded (sorry for the pic quality, don't have the greatest lighting for photography) 

https://m.imgur.com/a/lxFTc74

 

The first image is the Templar Brethren FW Shoulder pad (same size as the MKIII plastic) on the right, and the Pop Goes the Monkey Templar Cross MKIII Shoulder pad

 

The second image is the Templar Brethren shoulder Icon on my son's WIP CF intercessor; the Fifth is on a finished model (order got mixed up...).  The 5th image you can see the two bottom corners on the side parts of the cross are 'clipped' that is due to them snapping as I tried to remove it from the 'sprue'.  I have since clipped them closer to the sprue and just filed the excess nub off. (Just in case you are wondering, I used the Templar Brethren Icon on his CF since I tend to steal his CF army and use it in my crusade, or we do Doubles vs others using a similar idea to the Declates Crusade).

 

The third image is Pop Goes the Monkey's Templar Cross Lancer Shield on the left, and the Templar Brethren Shield from FW on the right (for size comparison).  I do believe that the PGtM's shield is intended for Terminators, as it did not fit a standard marine quite right (I used some grey/green stuff to mount it better, as I was not sure super glue would be enough on the right connection point to hold it in place)

 

Fourth image is the curved squad marking.

 

Hopefully that helps; if you have any questions feel free to ask away!

 

-- Marshal Hadda

Adelard can I ask how your going through our pads so quickly? Our pads is one thing in the sprew I rarely run out of. It’s normally chest or helmets.

 

Espacially considering every sprew save vehicle sprew comes with like 20 “regular” Pads. Not trying to say you lie or anything, just surprised.

I'm not running out of pads generally, just Templar specific ones. I don't want to buy a whole new Upgrade Kit, just for the pads, as I'll get loads of stuff I just don't need.

No I meant the Templar kit comes with 20 pads for regular pads (2 sets of 10) and then 16 (2 sets of 8) pads for terminator/Gravis pads.

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use.