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Post by Deleted on Jan 31, 2014 20:33:53 GMT
After feedback from the Wreckers thread, here's how the Mayhem Attack Squad are shaping up...  I originally got Banzaitron as I preferred the colour scheme and thought the 'Blood' head upgrade would still work. Having both in hand, I'm now sure it won't, making him a place-holder until Bludgeon arrives.  I love this shot. I'm seriously considering taking him to my friends fish tank for a shoot...  Every time I look at this figure I want to make him into a better Rotorstorm. A head swap would be easy but it's the legs that need the work.   A bit of a water-tester this one. I'm not overly impressed. He's vibrant, colourful, pose-able but his build quality isn't what I'd hoped. His design also seems quite lazy. I won't be going any further along UT's route and instead with switch fire to TFC's much more promising effort. |
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Post by Shockprowl on Jan 31, 2014 21:08:45 GMT
Great looking team, Sifu! And great pics as always. You'll LOVE Bludgeon, with the head upgrade. He's one of the very few none '84/'85ers I've kept in my 'Classics' or C.H.U.G. (heh I love that phrase!) collection. Spinister is also I great looking figure in particular. When the Mayhem's ranks build up more, I'd love to see some battle pictures!
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Post by Bogatan on Jan 31, 2014 21:13:22 GMT
Nice pics.
As for Rotorstorm, I'm hoping Springer gets remoulded as Rotorstorm, but Im not totally sure if the chest will work.
But if you do go the Tomahawk route the best customs I've seen replace the legs with Universe Cyclonus legs. I can't remember how it works but they work quite well in helicopter mode too.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 7, 2014 16:54:24 GMT
Inspired by the work I've done with Guzzle, I've had this guy waiting to go for a couple of days. Needlenose is about 80% complete but until I can figure out (pun?) how to remove the bars in the seekers, I can't get the exact colours I want him in (I'm sure there's a proper tool for popping them out). I need to give him grey thighs and a grey back piece amongst other things such as having the wings swept back in the opposite direction. I was hoping to keep him paint-free and just use the parts from the three FoC Seekers but I might end up having to splash some grey on his wings and purple on his arms... we'll see. I did have fun making the head though.  The rather patchwork alt mode:  But the much better robot mode:    And a final shot with his boss...  (I do have one other shot but that would spoil the surprise of the Guzzle video that's currently uploading to YouTube) My next stop is Stranglehold and I've finally found the base figure I'm going to use. It's a Marvel character that's in their Select range... and I think it's going to be awesome.  |
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Post by Philip Ayres on Mar 7, 2014 16:55:57 GMT
Needlenose is about 80% complete but until I can figure out (pun?) how to remove the bars in the seekers, I can't get the exact colours I want him in (I'm sure there's a proper tool for popping them out). It's called a braddle |
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Post by Deleted on Mar 7, 2014 16:59:29 GMT
You Sir, are a gent.
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Post by Philip Ayres on Mar 7, 2014 17:58:01 GMT
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Post by Philip Ayres on Mar 7, 2014 18:00:19 GMT
Ah! It appears the correct spelling is bradle !
Put that into ebay for a few more
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Post by blueshift on Mar 7, 2014 18:42:39 GMT
Ah! It appears the correct spelling is bradle ! Put that into ebay for a few more No, it's bradawl! |
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Post by Philip Ayres on Mar 7, 2014 19:08:05 GMT
I bow to Mr Marshall'a superior grasp of the English language
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Post by blueshift on Mar 7, 2014 20:15:08 GMT
I bow to Mr Marshall'a superior grasp of the English language It was always one of my favourite tools during Design and Technology classes at school! |
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kayevcee
Fusilateral Quintro Combiner
The Weather Wizard
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Post by kayevcee on Mar 7, 2014 20:51:28 GMT
Don't know how I missed this thread before. Really impressive work on Needlenose there, Sifu!
I don't know if you've ordered any of the TFC version of the Predacons yet, but I do recommend the Mastermind Creations iteration if you're still swithering. The build quality on the two figures I've got so far is superb and they come with a nice range of fun accessories. They are a bit more expensive but I think they're worth it. I picked up TFC's Aerialbots and they're fine for what they are, but MMC's Predacons are spectacular.
-Nick
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Post by Deleted on Mar 7, 2014 23:46:19 GMT
Cheers bud. I haven't picked up TFC's Rampage but was expecting it imminently. MMC, on the other hand, blew me away with their Sixshot, Hexatron. I have every confidence their Rampage will be the best of the bunch but it might be a little longer before it arrives.
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Post by Andy Turnbull on Mar 7, 2014 23:55:25 GMT
Some splendid work there. I doff my cap to you.
I agree the Spinister toy would make for a very nice Rotorstorm.
Andy
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Post by Deleted on Mar 8, 2014 10:59:56 GMT
Cheers guys for the bradawl tips too. I've scoured the 'bay and have my eye on a cheap set. I know I only need to remove the bar a few millimetres to allow me to then plier it, but most of these tools seem to be a couple of mil thick. The bars I'm removing are tiny - I tried using a nail clamped in some pliers but even the tip on this 1 inch nail was too broad... I have faith but I was expecting something finer.
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Post by Philip Ayres on Mar 8, 2014 11:06:27 GMT
It's just the pointed tip that needs to do the pushing
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Post by Deleted on Mar 8, 2014 11:22:58 GMT
It's just the pointed tip that needs to do the pushing No shit. I'd got that much, ha! I was just expecting something finer. These all look like they would drive it about half a mil before the metal touches plastic. Nonetheless, I've ordered one and I'm sure it'll have a finer tip than I envisage. I guess I was expecting to see variety in tip size and was surprised to find variety in length instead... Every day's a school day. |
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Post by The Doctor on Mar 8, 2014 14:16:22 GMT
Needlenose is coming along nicely!
-Ralph
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Post by Bogatan on Mar 8, 2014 15:15:35 GMT
It's just the pointed tip that needs to do the pushing No shit. I'd got that much, ha! I was just expecting something finer. These all look like they would drive it about half a mil before the metal touches plastic. Nonetheless, I've ordered one and I'm sure it'll have a finer tip than I envisage. I guess I was expecting to see variety in tip size and was surprised to find variety in length instead... Every day's a school day. I tended to use the brute force option effectively. I've had success using the little manual craft drills (from hobby shops/games workshop) with the blunt end of drill bit sticking out*. Secure the toy on a softish piece of weed by what ever means works for best for the part and then hammered the drill bit down on to the pin. As long as the wood is soft enough the pin just pushed in to it as it comes out of the toy. Needlenose looks great, also way customs that dont require painting. Where's the head from? It's not from the original Needlenose is it? *Alternatively the little screwdriver sets work well, but get bent and broken very quickly. |
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Post by Deleted on Mar 8, 2014 15:25:48 GMT
Needlenose looks great, also way customs that dont require painting. Where's the head from? It's not from the original Needlenose is it? It is indeed. The guns are too. For the head I had to remove the visor then chop out the face from the toy. I originally planned to add the face, complete, to the seeker head. But when I realised I could save the light tunnelling, I chopped the faceplate off and kept the eyes of the seeker. The visor needed some trimming to make it narrower otherwise it wouldn't have fit between the shoulders for the transformation. If possible, I try to add something from the original figure to any new iteration: I have Octopunch's gun for his Botcon mold and Spinisters Targetmaster guns for his Botcon version for example. My Guzzle actually uses the Kreo helmet... |
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Post by Pinwig on Mar 8, 2014 15:52:08 GMT
Awesome stuff. Mayhem's the right word for the swathe of devastation you're wreaking on the poor figures being cut up to make these masterpieces. Needlenose is fantastic. Where did that Bludgeon head come from? That's not the one originally from that body is it? Man, this is ballsy stuff. Original Targetmaster Needlenose? give me thy head...
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Post by Deleted on Mar 8, 2014 16:11:23 GMT
I can totally understand how what I do can be seen as sacrilege but the way I see it, I'm actually saving the sparks of toys that are already defiled or beyond reprieve. I got two yellow, smokey, broken Needlenoses on eBay for £5 posted. From their charred remains one of those Needlenoses now lives on, the other has donated his weapons to the cause so can rest easy.
Re: Bludgeon. No, that's the 3P Head Robots 'Blood' upgrade kit. Comes with a shiny sword and tanto too. He certainly looks the part but if I'm honest, I have as much love for the mold as I expected to. His arms are too skinny, he has a leg the pops off if you look at it too long and the dangly bits on his armour are detrimental to good varied posing (he can't raise his arms, lest the dangly bits project at awkward angles). The writing was on the wall when I got Banzaitron but I held out, hoping that Bludgeon's audacious colour scheme and head upgrade would win me over. As yet, I'm not too sure.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 8, 2014 16:41:44 GMT
Now Youtube's accepted my Guzzle vid (see Project Wreckers thread), I can put the final Needlenose pic up.  |
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Post by Deleted on Mar 14, 2014 20:28:56 GMT
Needlenose is complete! That bradawl thing pushed mt patience to the limit - well, actually it was just a tough lesson to learn: It doesn't matter how hard and for how long you twat the bradawl with a hammer... If you're twatting the wrong end of the bar, you will not achieve satisfactory results. Not a single millimetre of movement.  It did eventually allow me to make the final adjustments I was after. I managed to swap the purple back out for one with more grey and blue. I clipped the two shoulder points it in an effort to make him look less regal. Reversing the wings also supported this effect. I was trying to make him look more sneaky and slick. Where I had a lack of purple or grey, I used black and I'm happy with the overall effect (hey, Neeldenose himself would tell you the black goes with everything). I originally tried to use the dark blue from Starscream on the feet and forearms but found it clashed with the blue from the Thundercracker parts. I've used the original Zig-Zag and Sunbeam for his guns. I removed the tail fin from his alt mode and set Zig-Zag up there. I drilled an new 5mm hole under the cockpit for Sunbeam to attach to and with the wings in regular configuration, I like the slickness his alt mode now. The head I've already gone over in a previous post but fear not - I was intended to do a similar job for Ruckus and have instead found a modern ball joint head that's almost bang on. The reprolabel glyph on his chest was an afterthought but really finished the figure. The only paint I applied was on the top of his shoulders to even out the clipped tips and a smattering of black on a wing to cover up a glaring white serial number. Here he is in all his glory:     Of everything in the figure, I'm most pleased with the head. It really is him! (Time for a bit of glowing eye magic)  His alt mode. I wasn't especially bothered about this originally but as I saw opportunites to improve it, it became a priority to do the original justice where possible. I have some G1 reprolabels coming that i will apply to the wings to really finish it off.   Next stop: Ruckus. Stranglehold is going to be a beast so I'm leaving him for last once I've got my confidence up. |
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Post by Deleted on Mar 14, 2014 20:40:29 GMT
A quick family photo to round off. :-)  |
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Post by Shockprowl on Mar 14, 2014 20:47:29 GMT
Dear Lord, Needlenose looks AMAZING! Great inspired use of the G1 face. I'm actually stunned by how Needlenose it is.
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Post by blueshift on Mar 14, 2014 21:02:24 GMT
I'm sure you already mentioned it, but what on earth is the Needlenose made from?
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Post by Deleted on Mar 14, 2014 21:55:35 GMT
Cheers Shock. He came out a even better than I hoped. I've totally got the kit bash bug now. I'm sure you already mentioned it, but what on earth is the Needlenose made from? Sorry, I mentioned it on another thread - I bought all three FoC Seekers (Hasbro) but actually ended up only using Thundercracker and Skywarp as I decided against using the blue from Starsceam. As I mentioned earlier in this thread, the head is made of the frame of one of the Seekers, using the light tunneling for the eyes. The visor and faceplate were 'excavated' from a dirty old G1 Needlenose. |
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Post by Pinwig on Mar 14, 2014 23:01:54 GMT
Flippin' marvelous. That is just brilliant.
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Post by The Doctor on Mar 15, 2014 19:47:46 GMT
Brilliant work!
-Ralph
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