captain america Posted May 29, 2009 Share Posted May 29, 2009 Hi everyone. This will be the official "how I take a bunch of blocks and build a Graug in less than 45 days" thread. I figured that a whole new thread was appropriate, since this is pure scratchbuilding. The first photo-update will probably be uploaded tonight, or early tomorrow morning. There isn't much done yet at this stage, simply by virtue of the fact that there are sooo many components to make and some of them are quite large and time-consuming... Plus I have to run out for supplies. Stay tuned! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Viceland Posted May 29, 2009 Share Posted May 29, 2009 45 days? Pfpfffffff.... Who are you? and what have you done with the real Capt'n? Cause it would take HIM less than 3 weeks, with week-ends off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kylwell Posted May 29, 2009 Share Posted May 29, 2009 Can ya hum a few bars? I think I might be able to fake it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gabe Q Posted May 29, 2009 Share Posted May 29, 2009 Take your time... You shouldn't rush perfection. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cool8or Posted May 29, 2009 Share Posted May 29, 2009 (edited) Take your time... for let us to get the rest of the money! Edited May 29, 2009 by cool8or Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jadefalconguard Posted May 29, 2009 Share Posted May 29, 2009 let the magic begin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
captain america Posted May 30, 2009 Author Share Posted May 30, 2009 Hi folks. As promised, here is the first update of the building process for the Graug. The first couple of photos should be relatively common, showing just the raw building blocks that will be transformed into a model, and the original artwork from which all my plots are based on. The soda can is to give you an idea of just how big this thing is going to be... And even at that, my Quamzin figure will fit very tightly indeed. The third photo is of some of the plots that will serve as templates for parts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
captain america Posted May 30, 2009 Author Share Posted May 30, 2009 Pic 4 shows the beginnings of the process, with a plotted part cut out and used as a template directly onto the modelling board Pic 5: the part is carefully cut from the slab on a bandsaw. Due to the thickness of the material and the tightness of certain radii, it will take many passes to get the part relatively chiseled. Pic 6: the same part is then put through the mill to get rid of the excess that the band saw couldn't. This step allows for greater precision, but due to the curvatures, I will still resort to a bench grinder to get the shape just right. Pic 7: you may not be able to tell, but this will become the main cockpit tub. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
captain america Posted May 30, 2009 Author Share Posted May 30, 2009 Pic 8: using the same process described in 3-6, several parts have begun to take shape. The circular component at lower right wil become the "ball" of the Graug's foot. More on this later... Pic 9: same as above, but with more leg showing. Those drumsticks are just massive! Pic 10: the "ball" of the foot is carefully turned on the lathe to transform it from a jagged shape to something quite circular. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
captain america Posted May 30, 2009 Author Share Posted May 30, 2009 Pic 11: the same piece is then taken back to the bandsaw to make the cut-outs for the foot pads... Pic 12: ...And then over to the milling machine to surgically machine the flats... Pic 13: ...And back to the lathe again to obtain the necessary curvature. This multi-step process is fairly common-place, even for what will likely seem like benign looking pieces when they are completed. In next week's update, you'll get to see that infamous foot "ball" in all its glory... Along with other things. Stay tuned Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cool8or Posted May 30, 2009 Share Posted May 30, 2009 Gigantic!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kylwell Posted May 30, 2009 Share Posted May 30, 2009 I always get a little giddy when John starts up a new project. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gabe Q Posted May 30, 2009 Share Posted May 30, 2009 That thing is gonna be gargantuan! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Type R #126 Posted May 30, 2009 Share Posted May 30, 2009 Wow, yeah seeing it next to the soda can for scale, it's huge! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sdf-1 Posted May 30, 2009 Share Posted May 30, 2009 I have a feeling this will be the ultimate drop-your-jaw-on-the-floor thread. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jadefalconguard Posted May 30, 2009 Share Posted May 30, 2009 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valkyrie addict Posted May 30, 2009 Share Posted May 30, 2009 WOW Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neptunesurvey Posted May 30, 2009 Share Posted May 30, 2009 Looking good. Thank god you have all of the extra renshape on hand. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
big F Posted May 30, 2009 Share Posted May 30, 2009 Well the Renshape and resin suppliers are not gonna be feeling the pinch in the recession anymore. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
electric indigo Posted May 30, 2009 Share Posted May 30, 2009 This is already better than this summer's blockbuster. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Temjin Posted May 30, 2009 Share Posted May 30, 2009 Pure madness in a good way! I can't wait to see the "ball" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
captain america Posted June 5, 2009 Author Share Posted June 5, 2009 Hi folks. As you can likely tell, I haven't been on the forums much lately, since I've had my nose to the grindstone all week. It seems to have paid off though, as I have made a tremendous amount of progress since last week, to wit I bring you this week's "how-to" episode, entitled The Graug That Would Be A Prince. The first pic will take us back to the last part of last week's tutorial, whereby I was machining the ball for the foot. Here is that same part sporting a bit of corrective putty, its shape now almost perfectly set. The second and third photo are of the crude beginnings of the cockpit module. Slabs of modelling board were heated, curved and combined with some CA glue and some putty, and will have required a tremendous amount of grinding, shaping and sanding to acheive the necessary compound curvature (which we will see later. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
captain america Posted June 5, 2009 Author Share Posted June 5, 2009 Pics 4 and 5 deal with the main engines atop the cockpit pod: the overall shape is acheived on a lathe, and then milled flat where I want it to mate with the pod. I've elected to hollow all these parts out in order to save precious weight, which is critical if the finished model is to stand upright under its own might. Pictures 6 and 7 cover the arms, which also are being turned on the lathe; a rather cobbled-looking set of stove-pipe-like appendages. I'm still debating whether to cast the arms as one segment or separately; strength being my operative concern. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
captain america Posted June 5, 2009 Author Share Posted June 5, 2009 Pics 8 and 9 cover the creation of the main cannon, which, to be honest, had me rather worried initially. Modelling board is quite brittle and long, spindly shapes are just devilish to machine. I was able to get around that by machining the barrel to one constant diameter initially, and then feeding it incrementally as the knife carved angled "steps" centimetre by centimetre, and then I manually sanded and polished it as the lathe was turning. The resulting barrel surpassed even my expectations! Pics 10 and 11 show most of the parts temporarily fitted in their current state. You really have to see it with your own eyes to appreciate how truly huge the Graug will be when complete. In fact, I will take a pic later of my sculpt next to the Matchbox toy, which itself is rather large, but still dwarfed by my sculpt. That just about covers this week's update. Stay tuned for next week's episode: Graug With The Wind! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cool8or Posted June 5, 2009 Share Posted June 5, 2009 I'm impressed. Your domain of proportions is unbelievable. You turns 2D into 3D so easily!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
captain america Posted June 5, 2009 Author Share Posted June 5, 2009 I'm impressed. Your domain of proportions is unbelievable. You turns 2D into 3D so easily!! I have to credit the original line-art for that. The side/front/back views are surprisingly consistent for the Graug; much more so than for the other mecha I've tackled thus far. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
captain america Posted June 5, 2009 Author Share Posted June 5, 2009 Pics with the Matchbox toy for comparison. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
505thAirborne Posted June 6, 2009 Share Posted June 6, 2009 Just amazing how the whole process works!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gabe Q Posted June 6, 2009 Share Posted June 6, 2009 Very, very impressive so far. You nailed the proportions, as always. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
polidread Posted June 6, 2009 Share Posted June 6, 2009 it's like Santa Claus making wooden toys for good children! i love it ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neptunesurvey Posted June 6, 2009 Share Posted June 6, 2009 Impressive as always. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghadrack Posted June 6, 2009 Share Posted June 6, 2009 It's looking Glaugtacular so far And dear sweet jebus it's gonna be hruuuuge! Thanks for the neat updates! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miriya Posted June 6, 2009 Share Posted June 6, 2009 Thank you very much Captain for posting your WIP on the forum. It is inspiring to watch your process. Great work as always. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
derex3592 Posted June 6, 2009 Share Posted June 6, 2009 Man, you are a very talented individual! Can't wait to see this finished!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RogueTrooper Posted June 6, 2009 Share Posted June 6, 2009 Great stuff, never realised that you started off with wood which now makes sense as a good place to start with the size of the beast. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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