Post by Zoidmagnite on Jan 5, 2010 16:42:34 GMT -5
So, I think it's time for another quickie custom project!
I was looking over a Guysack, as I have one coming that will need restored, and I forgot all about those little tanks that mount on Guysack's sides. So, I got to thinking and started looking through my junk Salamander parts and--Aha! I think I have an idea!
Custom Project Number 2: Dual Energy Tank Unit!
Salamander has the best parts for customizing. He has so many details and pieces that one can just literally pick up a part and go, Aha!
Those two little missile-like units look more like energy tanks to me!
So out comes my trimmers and away we go.
Carefully trimming, I soon had the parts free from the wing section and pretty much in the basic shape that I want the final result in. Oh sure, I could detail this and detail that. But getting the bulk of the work done is what plagues most projects. Besides, I'm making custom parts for Zoids and not a Custom Zoid. It's a different approach and a different end result.
With the tanks free from the wing, it's time to do some filing to shape the edges smooth and flat. No matter how hard I try, the ttrim blade always 'walks' out of the desired path when cutting a thick part.
Now to finish sand the edges smooth.
There is a recess on the back side of the part I cut from Sallie's Wing. I need something smooth and flat that I can affix a peg socket to. And luckily, Sallie has a wing the exact same color as my new energy tanks. That will save me some painting for now!
I'm going to cut a section out that is very close to the size I need for the tank unit. I use a pull-saw, by the way, and they are quite handy.
Cutting out the other side of the soon-to-be back-plate.
Okay, now comes time for more filing. I think we all have a good idea how that goes.
First, I'm going to find the center of my filed back-plate. I like to use the simple intersecting diagonal line method. It's simple, fast, and works every time.
Having sawed the cap post free of the Salamander Leg Armor, I've brought together all of the pieces I will use to create the mounting assembly for the Dual Tank Unit. This assembly is going to look fairly similar to what I did in Custom Project #1, however, we are going to mount the 'peg end' of the socket assembly into the base plate. I'm doing it this way, because I want to make a strong connection between the base-plate and the peg socket. By using a peg-type connection, the glue will bond the socket and the plate together with the sprue. The sprue will work like a 'splint' to strengthen the connection.
First up, I'm going to drill the base-plate and fit the sprue to the hole.
Then, I'll cut the sprue and file it down to the final length and final fit the peg socket to the sprue.
And everything is ready for assembly.
I'll mount the sprue in the base-plate and get it perpendicular to the base-plate.Then I'll let the glue harden for a couple of minutes.
Now, I'll mount the peg socket and glue the base-plate to the back side of my Dual Tank Unit.
Now with the socket glued to the sprue stub and the base, I'll let everything dry for a few minutes and then I'll do a final fit test to a Zoid peg.
And success! I now have a Dual Tank Unit for my Zoid army! For comparison, Here's a profile of the Dual Tank unit on Command Wolf.
And here is a profile shot of the Dual Tank Unit. I rather like the looks of it.
I set the Guysack's Tank part next to Custom Dual Tank Unit. It was this similarity between the two parts that sparked my idea.
It took me about 38-minutes to actually make the Dual Tank Unit custom part. It took me over an hour to get this post up.......... Oh well.
Hope you enjoyed Custom Project #2!
I was looking over a Guysack, as I have one coming that will need restored, and I forgot all about those little tanks that mount on Guysack's sides. So, I got to thinking and started looking through my junk Salamander parts and--Aha! I think I have an idea!
Custom Project Number 2: Dual Energy Tank Unit!
Salamander has the best parts for customizing. He has so many details and pieces that one can just literally pick up a part and go, Aha!
Those two little missile-like units look more like energy tanks to me!
So out comes my trimmers and away we go.
Carefully trimming, I soon had the parts free from the wing section and pretty much in the basic shape that I want the final result in. Oh sure, I could detail this and detail that. But getting the bulk of the work done is what plagues most projects. Besides, I'm making custom parts for Zoids and not a Custom Zoid. It's a different approach and a different end result.
With the tanks free from the wing, it's time to do some filing to shape the edges smooth and flat. No matter how hard I try, the ttrim blade always 'walks' out of the desired path when cutting a thick part.
Now to finish sand the edges smooth.
There is a recess on the back side of the part I cut from Sallie's Wing. I need something smooth and flat that I can affix a peg socket to. And luckily, Sallie has a wing the exact same color as my new energy tanks. That will save me some painting for now!
I'm going to cut a section out that is very close to the size I need for the tank unit. I use a pull-saw, by the way, and they are quite handy.
Cutting out the other side of the soon-to-be back-plate.
Okay, now comes time for more filing. I think we all have a good idea how that goes.
And the back plate is now fitted inside the rear of the energy tanks. So the next step is creating a peg socket. to attach to the back-plate.
First, I'm going to find the center of my filed back-plate. I like to use the simple intersecting diagonal line method. It's simple, fast, and works every time.
Okay, now that I have found the center of my back-plate, I'm going to move on to fashioning the peg socket.
This image shows the part with the hole already bored into the cap post. I'm going to use another piece from that Junk Salamander Leg Armor that I used in my 45-Minute Custom Project 1.
Having sawed the cap post free of the Salamander Leg Armor, I've brought together all of the pieces I will use to create the mounting assembly for the Dual Tank Unit. This assembly is going to look fairly similar to what I did in Custom Project #1, however, we are going to mount the 'peg end' of the socket assembly into the base plate. I'm doing it this way, because I want to make a strong connection between the base-plate and the peg socket. By using a peg-type connection, the glue will bond the socket and the plate together with the sprue. The sprue will work like a 'splint' to strengthen the connection.
First up, I'm going to drill the base-plate and fit the sprue to the hole.
Then, I'll cut the sprue and file it down to the final length and final fit the peg socket to the sprue.
And everything is ready for assembly.
I'll mount the sprue in the base-plate and get it perpendicular to the base-plate.Then I'll let the glue harden for a couple of minutes.
Now, I'll mount the peg socket and glue the base-plate to the back side of my Dual Tank Unit.
Now with the socket glued to the sprue stub and the base, I'll let everything dry for a few minutes and then I'll do a final fit test to a Zoid peg.
And success! I now have a Dual Tank Unit for my Zoid army! For comparison, Here's a profile of the Dual Tank unit on Command Wolf.
And here is a profile shot of the Dual Tank Unit. I rather like the looks of it.
I set the Guysack's Tank part next to Custom Dual Tank Unit. It was this similarity between the two parts that sparked my idea.
It took me about 38-minutes to actually make the Dual Tank Unit custom part. It took me over an hour to get this post up.......... Oh well.
Hope you enjoyed Custom Project #2!