On the Workbench

Dropshipbob

Turtlenap, Hanger Alpha
Mar 29, 2011
6,922
92
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Thanks Ed. It's not as clean looking as I would like, but it's better than having a straight armed figure.
 

K-Tiger

All solutions are final.
Founder
Mar 14, 2011
31,266
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Just gonna leave this here. Much cheaper if you can find a Japanese retailer, even with international shipping.

 

Contraband

Controlled Substance
Mar 26, 2014
2,159
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Thanks Ed. It's not as clean looking as I would like, but it's better than having a straight armed figure.

There’s an alternative you could’ve used via casting. It’s possible to cast joints into an arm....should’ve made a mold of them. if I had a more materials,and more time I’d have showed ya. I have spare Maisies now. They popped up on Amazon a month ago for $10 each,and I grabbed 2. Soon,...I gotta grab clothes,and other stuff from Florida tomorrow. Once I’m moved in,cleaned up,and important stuff done around the house...still gotta rent a trailer..get a new bed(GF’s demand) I’ll convert my Maisie into a TWD Carl as a kid. Some day,like 10years from now,lol.

Made my second mold(s) in YEARS today!!



Can’t locate the 2 crucial molds to make more of those Gashapon female figures I made before taking a 3 year break,and want to make enough to distribute some before I post them,cause I already know people are going to want one...they’re pretty snazzy imo. A lot changed from what I last posted,and the final figures.. Also want to make the new ones with my new feet,so I need sacrificial bossfight feet to steal the tooling from...those feet are so damn ugly! Unfortunately the big ass shrink mold I made a few weeks ago warped on me,and is ruined..went too thin on the sides it seems..after I buy a new bed I’ll get more materials.

Also,I ended up buying the 2014 1:18 scale diecast wrangler online. Quickly got it apart,and started mocking up parts to fix my Walmart Wrangler Unlimiteds. The wheels are correct for an Unlimited!! tires are too small,BUT the older BBI humvee tires with a slight 5%ish shrink would be magnificent! close that tiny gap around the bead.





even the high mount brake light fits nicely!



Need to widen the diecast Jeep’s suspension by a cunt hair,and I’m positive I can make copies get it under the Walmart Jeeps! Right now I’m focused on making copies of my Gashapon chicks,once I’m done with that I’ll move on. That was another one of my problems before. I got too many things going at once. Not again,..finish this,then pick one thing,and stay with it,....no more bouncing.
 

Dropshipbob

Turtlenap, Hanger Alpha
Mar 29, 2011
6,922
92
48
"
[BGCOLOR=transparent]There’s an alternative you could’ve used via casting. It’s possible to cast joints into an arm....should’ve made a mold of them."[/BGCOLOR]

[BGCOLOR=transparent]I'm certainly all ears, but this is probably above my skill level...and I haven't had the $$ to put towards molding material anyway.[/BGCOLOR]
 

Dropshipbob

Turtlenap, Hanger Alpha
Mar 29, 2011
6,922
92
48
Just gonna leave this here. Much cheaper if you can find a Japanese retailer, even with international shipping.


Cheaper than $16? Those look like they would be great to use, and better than trying to salvage parts from other figures. Would the smallest ones work for 1:18th?


Somebody, a castOr was selling those. Was it Obi? 🤔
I think Daremo was making copies of something like that....once.
 

K-Tiger

All solutions are final.
Founder
Mar 14, 2011
31,266
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HLJ has dark gray ones. for $6.01, and if you don't mind waiting you can get them shipped for under $11. Otherwise just grab them from Amazon.
 

Contraband

Controlled Substance
Mar 26, 2014
2,159
22
38
"
[BGCOLOR=transparent]There’s an alternative you could’ve used via casting. It’s possible to cast joints into an arm....should’ve made a mold of them."[/BGCOLOR]

[BGCOLOR=transparent]I'm certainly all ears, but this is probably above my skill level...and I haven't had the $$ to put towards molding material anyway.[/BGCOLOR]

Skill can be taught,it’s not rocket science,and that can be taught too! Yeah,I feel the brokeness...well,the more pressing responsibilities,..
 

Dropshipbob

Turtlenap, Hanger Alpha
Mar 29, 2011
6,922
92
48
HLJ has dark gray ones. for $6.01, and if you don't mind waiting you can get them shipped for under $11. Otherwise just grab them from Amazon.

I like that price much better! Ideally I'd like to get enough to add articulation to my Hot Toys alien warriors too. The picture on Amazon looked like there were two different sizes in a set, is one of them small enough to use on 1:18th figures?

Skill can be taught,it’s not rocket science,and that can be taught too! Yeah,I feel the brokeness...well,the more pressing responsibilities,..

Hey man, anytime you feel like teaching this technique, I'm more than happy to follow along!
 

K-Tiger

All solutions are final.
Founder
Mar 14, 2011
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The smaller ones definitely should, the mediums probably will for a larger joint. The largest in the set might work as a torso joint.

I've been wanting to pop for a bootleg figma, and replace the joints with those. Figmas tend to be 5" scale, and can have fairly lithe limbs, so these joints should have 1:18 applications, too.
 

Dropshipbob

Turtlenap, Hanger Alpha
Mar 29, 2011
6,922
92
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Finished my ALIENS colony tractor! All that weathering I did on the suspension, wheels and connected stuff only to cover it all up with mud and dirt!
 

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Dropshipbob

Turtlenap, Hanger Alpha
Mar 29, 2011
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last few photos. I swear the weathering on the top isn't as vibrant as the photos make it look. And you will see a few patches of a very light blue, that was done on purpose...like whoever was maintaining it was covering up damage using a mis-matched paint.
 

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G.I.*EDDIE

gobbles a LOT of cock
Founder
Mar 14, 2011
43,432
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S.E. Mich :(
Looks good, Drop. I especially like all of the detail work on the front end with the chain, winch and hazard striped bumper.
 

Dropshipbob

Turtlenap, Hanger Alpha
Mar 29, 2011
6,922
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This is going to be Machiko Noguchi from the first Alien VS. Predator comic (towards the end when she suits up for battle)....IF....I can make it look decent enough. Asian female head sculpts are pretty difficult to come by and I'm trying to do this with stuff I have on-hand, so I'm trying the head from a Star Wars Rose figure. The hairdo actually looks pretty close to the comic. I'm not sure that the height of the body and the head work together, but I do plan on switching out the high-heels with the somewhat flatter Black Widow feet from the figure on the right. The Quinn is just to give an idea as to her height. The body armor is what I plan to use with few mods as again, it's close to the comic art. I'd post a picture but all I get when I do an image search is of her in her Predator armor from the second series, and although she's not nude, it's still a bit to revealing and I don't want my works IT department to catch me lingering.

Thoughts, opinions, alternatives?
 

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K-Tiger

All solutions are final.
Founder
Mar 14, 2011
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Hmm, Cho Chang's head doesn't look too bad on there. The rub is that the PopCo Harry Potter line wasn't released here in the States.

As for Machiko, that Rose head isn't gonna do. Might want to wait on the Planet Green Valley figures, and see how they'll scale with the Baroness buck.
 

Dropshipbob

Turtlenap, Hanger Alpha
Mar 29, 2011
6,922
92
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Ahh, but I found a Chang on Ebay through a China seller, cheap as chips as they say!

And I was hoping I was the only one who thought the Rose head was not scaling along with the body. And I don't know about getting a Planet Green figure solely for the head, those things are going to be expensive!
 

Dropshipbob

Turtlenap, Hanger Alpha
Mar 29, 2011
6,922
92
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Seems like I've asked this before, here it goes again...Anyone who has built dioramas out of Foam-core, have they held up over time? It seems that just having sheets of the stuff lie around makes it warp....even if it's lying flat. Do built structures using this keep their shape?
 

Videoviper

illuminati
Officer Club
Aug 15, 2012
6,349
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Behind a camera watching you!
I stopped using poster boards for the same reason. Ultimately you will need to do the proper reenforcments & that might mean different materials for different sections

For example thin wood for floors& forecore for the walls
Maybe carpenter cuts in the fome to strengthen it
 

G.I.*EDDIE

gobbles a LOT of cock
Founder
Mar 14, 2011
43,432
428
83
S.E. Mich :(
Are you talking about that foam stuff you'd get from Home Depot or Lowe's? I made some dio pieces out of it years ago and it's still in perfect shape.
 

Dropshipbob

Turtlenap, Hanger Alpha
Mar 29, 2011
6,922
92
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Ed, the stuff I'm talking about is the stuff you get from Hobby Lobby, etc. It has foam in the middle while the outsides are covered with paper. It comes in various colors and several thicknesses. I *think* the stuff you are talking about is foam insulation sheeting that comes in blue and pink, right? That stuff doesn't seem to have a tendency to warp...but....it's pretty expensive. Foam core is fairly cheap, but warps if you so much as look at it wrong.

I would prefer the latter, but the dio I have in mind will be pretty big so buying foam insulation sheet might be cost prohibitive. The walls would in this case be nice and thick, but that might be overkill on my project.
 

Dropshipbob

Turtlenap, Hanger Alpha
Mar 29, 2011
6,922
92
48
Both have their benefits and hazards. Although I'm leaning more towards the thick insulation foam since I'll have to store the finished product in our garage, and it would probably hold up better.
 

Videoviper

illuminati
Officer Club
Aug 15, 2012
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Behind a camera watching you!
Poster board will not hold up over time especially if weather tempatures / humidity changes. The thicker insulation foam board will last much longer. Just remember to build it structurly sound so it can hold more weight over time.
 

Dropshipbob

Turtlenap, Hanger Alpha
Mar 29, 2011
6,922
92
48
Would anyone have a trenchcoat or similar in 1:18th? I need something that's a bit longer than a normal suit jacket. I don't even need matching arms, just something that can be altered into a long vest looking garment.
 

Dropshipbob

Turtlenap, Hanger Alpha
Mar 29, 2011
6,922
92
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Hey, thanks for mentioning that Snake Eyes figure, I just remembered I have that! The problem lies in the bandolier/belt thing that goes over the chest and all the strapping across the back. I'd have to try and sand all of that down and not ruin it in the process. I suppose I could also use the cloak off a Star Wars Jedi figure of some sort. Of course I find a need for that NOW after I just got rid of all the Jedi figures I had. :/
 

Dropshipbob

Turtlenap, Hanger Alpha
Mar 29, 2011
6,922
92
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I really like the Cobra Commander you posted K, that would probably be just about perfect. The Nick Fury might work, but it's a bit too open and the collar is popped, both of which would be hard to alter given the nature of the rubber/vinyl they use. I think the Commisioner Gordon would have the same problem. A few other possibilities...

-Endor Han Solo
-Star Wars General Hux
-Star Wars Last Jedi DJ (Canto Bight)
-SW Rebel Trooper

And of COURSE I have this idea AFTER all the SW Last Jedi figures are gone and Hux with them. I did find my Storm Shadow that PCS mentioned, but as I thought, all the belts and what-not would have to be grinded off, there's probably no way it would look good after all that. The Red Skull cost is meant more to be draped across the shoulders....if I cut arm holes in it, I'm not sure if it would sit right.
 
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