redfinger61 Posted October 31, 2007 Share Posted October 31, 2007 Gonna use this thread to keep pics and progress updated on this build. Pretty straight forward here...I basically drew to scale the arm that I am gonna build. I use the attached image/studio art to base my arm off of. I took 1/4in steel rod and cut the lengths I needed, rigged up a jig, set the rod in it and welded away. After that I smoothed out the welds, then encased the steele rod in the proper size plastic square tubing. The idea is the use this square tubing as a base from which to build the arm, while the steel rod on the inside gives the arm the needed stregnth so that the arm doesnt bend with time. The steel might be a bit overkill, but it is what I have access to in my garage right now. The next step is to fill in the gaps at the joints with some putty and smooth it out. After that I will probably work on the claw or fast pack grasp, and then onto the rest of the arm, followed by the base(still not sure what to do about that yet.) Ashton Pics; Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MechTech Posted October 31, 2007 Share Posted October 31, 2007 So far, so good. Overkill would be 1/2" pipe . That's me, trying to work with what I have. It's just cheaper that way! - MT Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kicker773 Posted October 31, 2007 Share Posted October 31, 2007 what size of valk will you be using? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redfinger61 Posted November 1, 2007 Author Share Posted November 1, 2007 what size of valk will you be using? this will be for the 1/72 hasegawa kit. Small update. I have spent most of the evening working on the claw that will grab the fast packs...and I think the the 1/4in rod is too big, when compared to the moch-up of the claw, the shaft looks to big and out of scale, I dont want to make the claw bigger, then the Valk will look out of scale. So I feel the solution is to go with a smaller rod, 3/16's maybe...I think I am also going to revamp the jig I built to correct the angles a little more. Ashton Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redfinger61 Posted November 2, 2007 Author Share Posted November 2, 2007 Got a fun little package in the mail today...Gundamhead sent me some bits from the launch arm he mastered, he has jumped started my project forward about 3months probably, thanks gundam!!!!! I stopped by the hobby shop after work today and picked up some small square brass tubing, I think I have what it takes now to make the base of the arm, I am going to work on it tonight and see if I cant post some pics. Ashton Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
orguss01 Posted November 3, 2007 Share Posted November 3, 2007 (edited) Got a fun little package in the mail today...Gundamhead sent me some bits from the launch arm he mastered, he has jumped started my project forward about 3months probably, thanks gundam!!!!! I stopped by the hobby shop after work today and picked up some small square brass tubing, I think I have what it takes now to make the base of the arm, I am going to work on it tonight and see if I cant post some pics. Ashton Good looking out Gundamhead.. Are you gonna build it to hold valk vert or like in the pic ? might need counterweight.?? Edited November 3, 2007 by orguss01 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wm cheng Posted November 6, 2007 Share Posted November 6, 2007 Hey redfinger61 - 1/2" wouldn't be overkill... get the thickest, or at least vertically tallest metal stock you can find inside that arm! it can be quite laterally thin, just tall. I'd go with 1/2" bar stock at least 1/2" the way up the arm, then dress it out with gak to hide it. I mounted my arm horizontal and after a bit of time, it has unfortunately begun to sag considerably (you'd think a 1/72 Hasegawa kit wasn't that heavy?!) I suppose if you mounted the arm vertically it wouldn't sag as much. But if I were to do it again, I'd definitely beef up the metal stock inside the arm. Just something to look out for - you can tell the sag especially because the secondary arm holding the light "GO" unit is still straight and provides a contrast to the arm holding the Valkyrie. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redfinger61 Posted November 7, 2007 Author Share Posted November 7, 2007 Hey redfinger61 - 1/2" wouldn't be overkill... get the thickest, or at least vertically tallest metal stock you can find inside that arm! it can be quite laterally thin, just tall. I'd go with 1/2" bar stock at least 1/2" the way up the arm, then dress it out with gak to hide it. I mounted my arm horizontal and after a bit of time, it has unfortunately begun to sag considerably (you'd think a 1/72 Hasegawa kit wasn't that heavy?!) I suppose if you mounted the arm vertically it wouldn't sag as much. But if I were to do it again, I'd definitely beef up the metal stock inside the arm. Just something to look out for - you can tell the sag especially because the secondary arm holding the light "GO" unit is still straight and provides a contrast to the arm holding the Valkyrie. WC, thanks for the sound advice... Small update in regards to what WC talked about. So I scratched the idea about the 1/4 in steel rod because I felt it was out of scale. So I went to the hobby shop picked up some more brass square tubing. Well I cut it up, used some heavy duty epoxy resin and let it dry for a few days, I even reinforced it with styrene....then I did a little test. I weighed one of my finished valks and attached the correct amount of weight to the end of my "arm" and let it sit over night, when I cam back the next morning the arm had snaped at one of the resin joints...so scratch idea number two... I my have a line on some 3/16 and 1/4in square tubing, hollow is always stronger than stock, So I am going to see what I can find today and try welding it up. Ashton Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redfinger61 Posted November 8, 2007 Author Share Posted November 8, 2007 Ok... So i found some 3/16 and 1/4 solid steel stock, I decided to go solid so I dont warp the hollow, thinner metal while welding, metal of that thickness needs alot of heat to melt it. So I went to work on the 3/1g, I may weld it too the 1/4in so that arm has a "telescopic" look to it, not sure yet though. As far as te weight went, I attached a 2lbs weight to the end of the rod (a little less then a kg for you metric folk...) and the bar hasnt even flexed!!! So I think I have found the right set up!! Below are the images of just the stock I welded and the stock w/ a few of the detail bits that I recieved from gundam and that I cut! Ashton Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redfinger61 Posted November 10, 2007 Author Share Posted November 10, 2007 Update. I will pst some pics later this weekend, but now that I have the arm roughed in I am starting to work on the hull piece and the launch bay...I think I may have found a solution to my problem of replicating a deep shaft. I was thinking of using mirriors and such, but I decided to build the first 4 inches or so of the launch shaft, including the personel view port in the bottom of the shaft, then behind that there will be a secondary set of blast door that will be shut...I think it will work. Like I say I am still in the roughing stage and the pics, when I post them will be pretty simple. Ashton Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MechTech Posted November 11, 2007 Share Posted November 11, 2007 1/4", yeah, I think you're safe! You could hang your grocery shopping bags off that too ! So far so good. - MT Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redfinger61 Posted November 19, 2007 Author Share Posted November 19, 2007 ok, finally getting to posting these pics.... THis is just a really rough mock-up, the valk in the pic is a 1/72 Hasegawa, I think it looks a little small, but when compared to the movie I think the scale is about right, also, this model doesnt have fastpacks, mine will. Enjoy! Ashton Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deadghost Posted November 19, 2007 Share Posted November 19, 2007 (edited) wrong post, nvm. Edited November 19, 2007 by deadghost Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redfinger61 Posted November 25, 2007 Author Share Posted November 25, 2007 It has been a productive thanksgiving weekend, I have been able to get quite a bit of work done on the arm and some on the hanger. I built the arm in 2 pieces, the "boom" and the main piece that attaches to the upper ceiling of the hanger shaft, they are held together by machine screws, as I have added layers of sttyrene and filler the arm has gotten really heavy, the screws will ensure the strongest bond I can give it, I am also designing it in such a way that I can take the arm off if I ever need too. I still have quite a bit to do on it, but I feel this is a good start and that I am making decent progress. Ashton Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MechTech Posted November 25, 2007 Share Posted November 25, 2007 Looks good so far! I'm glad someone else had a productive weekend. - MT Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
warpaint22 Posted November 26, 2007 Share Posted November 26, 2007 Looking great redfinger61. I'm amazed at how far you've come in such a short time. Keep it up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redfinger61 Posted November 27, 2007 Author Share Posted November 27, 2007 I am actually going to rebuild the arm, I just dont like how it looks, I have been stewing over it for the past day or so, and it just doesnt seem right, seems a little to wide and to thick, I have drawn up a new set of plans that will make the arm one complete piece and it will be quite a bit thinner all around. I should have pics up of the redo in the next day or two. Ashton Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redfinger61 Posted November 28, 2007 Author Share Posted November 28, 2007 Ran into an interesting and unforseen problem today. I was doing a mock up of my newly designed arm and the valk that I am going to be attatching to it, I am using a strike valk, the one with the cannon instead of the missle launcher attached to the fast pack.....well, the missle launcher and the cannon are at two different heights and different angles, making it almost impossible to attatch the "claw" the way that gundamhead intended. So I need to either redesign the claw, or not go w/ a "strike" version of the fast pack. I suppose I can make one of my other valks a strike valk, maybe one of the Max and Millia ones that I will do will be as a strike valk. Other wise things are coming along well. I have the hole cut out in the hanger tunnel for the control room, the arm has be redsigned, welded and the first layer of styrene and filler is on it. I started building some of the valk as well, it will be a VF-1J, Hikaru's valk. Anyone remember the # on his? Before he took over Skull-1? Ashton Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redfinger61 Posted December 3, 2007 Author Share Posted December 3, 2007 ok small update. Now that the new arm shape is done I have started to build the "claw" section. Although I had bits gven to me from Gundamhead, because of my new design I have ahd to rebuild them so they can attach to my new arm. I am really happy with this new shape and design. In the concept art the boom is fairly simple, and in the movie it is quite detailed, I will probably go with something in between. The hanger is coming along nicely, slowly but nice. I might try to post some pics of it later, but for now I just want to keep rolling with the claws. Ashton Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redfinger61 Posted December 13, 2007 Author Share Posted December 13, 2007 I got a bit more of the detail done near the "claw" section of the arm, also I finished roughing in the control room as well, I will putty the seams and start building that next. I dl'd some pics of how the arm stands now, enjoy them. Ashton Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MechTech Posted December 13, 2007 Share Posted December 13, 2007 That's coming together great. And it will be bullet proof in real life too . - MT Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
warpaint22 Posted December 13, 2007 Share Posted December 13, 2007 Great job, it's really looking the part and the deatail stands out really well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valkyrie addict Posted December 13, 2007 Share Posted December 13, 2007 I really most say kudos to you man, I'm new to scratchbuilding since I got a model that crappy and had to make some parts to make it more accurate and was a complete pain respect! hope to see more pictures soon, your work is amazing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redfinger61 Posted December 16, 2007 Author Share Posted December 16, 2007 Thanks for the encouragement guys. I am putting this project on hold for a week or so, two reasons, I dont want to get burned out on it, and a friend needs some help w/ some modeling tips, so we are going to build a few models together. I learned a long time agon when I was first learning to lead-fill and paint cars that it is very vaulable sometimes to just step back, and walk away from a project for a few days, often times I have returned w/ fresh ideas and renewed enregy to finish the project right. Ashton Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redfinger61 Posted January 16, 2008 Author Share Posted January 16, 2008 So I am back working on this project again, just about done too...I will post some pics tomarrow when I have some time to take a few photos. I have pretty much finished the control room that will sit in the floor of the hanger. The arm is done and I am almomst finished w/ my putty work on the face of the hanger, then I can start the detail work there. Ashton Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redfinger61 Posted January 20, 2008 Author Share Posted January 20, 2008 Ok here some pics of the control room, I still have a bit of work to do on them and I also need to build the frame work for the clear panels as well. enjoy!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ignacio Ocamica Posted January 20, 2008 Share Posted January 20, 2008 Looking very good!!!! It's coming together really great Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TSP Posted January 20, 2008 Share Posted January 20, 2008 Very cool launch arm diorama. Adding a control room is a real nice idea. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MechTech Posted January 20, 2008 Share Posted January 20, 2008 Hey, he is still alive! Looking great! The control room looks realistic. - MT Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
codam23 Posted January 21, 2008 Share Posted January 21, 2008 Man That looks just great. How much more detail are you going to do? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redfinger61 Posted February 14, 2008 Author Share Posted February 14, 2008 Man That looks just great. How much more detail are you going to do? As far as "detail" goes quite a bit I guess, the whole interior of the hanger will be detailed out, the control room will even have operatoers in it, I plan on adding various hoses and such to the arm....so i feel it should look well enough. Ashton Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
warpaint22 Posted February 14, 2008 Share Posted February 14, 2008 Looking awesome can't wait on some update pic's. The addition of the control room looks great. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miriya Posted February 15, 2008 Share Posted February 15, 2008 Hey, redfinger61, That looks really great! I am totally covetous! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
misterryno Posted February 26, 2008 Share Posted February 26, 2008 redfinger61, This project is lookin REALLY good mate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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