I've decided to do something I've considered many times, but never thought I'd go through with!

Many times I've looked at the special ratcheting hinges of the Lego Star Wars sets, & wondered what kind of TF I could make out of them...

Then, back in February, I decided to start making a Funnies Comic. At one point, to get MP Op to better fit w/ the cast, I had Wheeljack shrink him (via an incomplete, UNPLUGGED device) to roughly iGear's PP01 Faith Leader's size, since most of the rest of the cast was Deluxe toys. But, to give him a trailer, I've had to 'shop in G2 Op's trailer & upscale it AS I downscale MP-01. The next bit of my comic is a trip to Wheeljack's Lab on Cybvertron, & it's the perfect oppertunity to eliminate one of my problems & get rid of the G2 Trailer, by Building a Lego MP Trailer! At least until I can get the money to get iGear's new copy of MP-04's trailer (assuming I get the money before the trailers sale out AND iGear releases this trailer).
[aname]Omakepanel1[/aname]


Because it relates to my comic, I think in addition to the comentary, I'll post the update pics as an Omake to my comic, as a "thank you" to my readers who waited for me to get it all done (as this puts my comic pretty much on hold until I finish the trailer & contraptions).

The components used for this Scratch Build will be 2 - 4 of my specialized Lego Star Wars Sets (the first 2 listed have the numbers of parts I require & are definite uses, the other 2 will be canablized if I need additonal panels)

• Clone Turbo Tank (set 7261) for the wheels, panels, Technic parts, & special Star Wars ratcheting hinge pieces, (& possibly details)
• Original Millenium Falcon (set 7190), for the panels for the walls, Technic parts, special Star Wars ratcheting hinge pieces, & additional parts
• the Clone Wars Twilight (set 7680), if I need more Panels, additional Technic parts, or special ratcheting hinges
• the wings of Vader's Tie Fighter from Tie Fighter & Y-wing set (set 7150), if I don't have enough panels, to make the floor of the trailer.
• I may also use parts from a Lego Bucket I have, but they'll most likely only be needed for the stripes on the trailer when everything is done

I have not decided if I'll keep track of the piece count yet or not. I have a head injury, & even this project could be too big for me to handle, so keeping track of how many pieces I use isn't a priority at this time.

The project will include:

• a fully transforming, MP sized grey Trailer
  • that can open to the Combat Deck
  • w/ a rotating turret
    • w/ an independently rotating grabber claw
    • as well as be able to raise & lower like the G2 Trailer's
  • Suspension scrapped, due to not being able to rescale specific parts -- the Clone Wars Tank is wider than the trailer...
  • rear doors that can both open as doors & lower as a ramp
• Roller
  • possibly w/ turning front & rear wheels (also modified from the Clone Turbo Tank's)
  • depending on how long it takes, I may also include weapons for Roller
• as well as a few contraptions for Wheeljack's Lab
  • since what I used for the scene in his earth bound lab would clash w/ the Cybertronian walls (see bottom of post above)
  • & I feel he needs some stuff w/ moving parts

 

Project Links:
Comic Omake panels: [aanchor=Omakepanel1]Omake panel 1[/aanchor] | [aanchor=Omakepanel2]Omake panel 2[/aanchor] | [aanchor=Omakepanel3-4]Omake panels 3 & 4[/aanchor] | [aanchor=Omakepanel5-6]Omake panels 5 & 6[/aanchor] | [aanchor=Omakepanel7]Omake panel 7[/aanchor] | [aanchor=Omakepanel8]Omake panel 8[/aanchor] | Omake panels 9 & 10 | Omake panel 11 | Omake panels 12 - 32 (end)

[aanchor=Reference]Reference shots[/aanchor] | [aanchor=Progress1]WiP update 1[/aanchor] | [aanchor=WiPupdate2]WiP update 2[/aanchor] | [aanchor=WiPupdate3]WiP update 3[/aanchor] | [aanchor=WiPupdate4]WiP Update 4[/aanchor] | [aanchor=post6057243]WiP Update 5[/aanchor] | WiP Update 6 | Update 7: Completion.

[aanchor=RollerChassis]Roller Chassis: Final[/aanchor] | [aanchor=WiPupdate4]Opening mechanism test[/aanchor] | [aanchor=Trailercomplete]Trailer Shell/ exterior Complete[/aanchor] | Roller Complete? | Sample Gallery pics

First WiP Update post | Second WiP Update post | Third WiP Update post | Fourth WiP Update post | Fifth WiP Update Post | Sixth WiP Update Post | Final Project Post

*edit* NOTE: I've edited the above links using either the [NOPARSE][POST] or [ANCHOR][/NOPARSE] tags, so they should now work no matter your Posts per Page settings.

 

I've got an iGear Faith Leader I can sell you for a decent price.

 

I have absolutely no cash (& no clue when I will have any), so that won't help, unless you're decent price is free.

Also, MP Prime being shrunk is/ will be a plot point... You think I'd go through the process of shopping him AND his trailer, changing both their sizes, just so he'd be in scale? It's a pain in the butt... I'm surprised I've been doing it so well so far...

Thanks for the offer though... Had iGear not "indefinitely postponed" their "Big" MP Trailer, I probably wouldn't've shrunk him though...

Besides, I'm 90% of the way through dismantling the Clone Turbo Tank, so I might as well finish what I started... I've been wanting a large trailer for a while, & had considered doing this shortly after getting 20th Anniversary/ MP Prime, but didn't want to caniblize my Star Wars Lego sets... They're just too cool... But since I've been broke for so long, I've been itching for a new large TF (managed to get some Deluxes), AND a big Lego project...

Again, thanks, but I don't have the money...

 

I've gotten far enough to start assembling the axels, & there's no way I'll be able to shrink the suspension to work for the trailer. It is scaled for the wider tank, & the spring parts are too big to find a smaller way to do it...

Might incorperate the springs in some other way, but don't know at this time.

Also, the trailer's wheels are going to be massive compared to MP Op's, but there's no helping that.

However, it does look like once I disassemble the Millenium Falcon, I will indeed have plenty of paneling to complete the trailer, likely w/o touching the Twilight... Still don't know about the flooring, reserved for the Tie Fighter... & it is possible I'll need panels for the roof, but I can't tell at this time.

I'll post pics for the disassembly process soon...

 

Before I begin, I thought I'd take some reference shots. I'll be using the G2 Trailer as my model for the design, but when I'm done it'll be the G1 Trailer, scaled up to MP size, w/ extra features!
[aname]Reference[/aname]
Goal:









Size comparison of G2 vs. MP



Width reference

[aname]Progress1[/aname]
Unfortunately, I only have my cell to take pics, as it's battery is rechargeable & I don't have any money to get batteries for a proper camera. I use the same cell for my comic, & the quality has been pretty good lately. Sorry for the quality of some of this batch. I think I need to reduce the exposure, since the light source is so close.

Becasue I know the Clone Turbo Tank has the wheels & suspension I will to use it, & the Millenium Falcon is the only ship that has the number of 4x6xflat or larger, grey panels that I'll need (I'll likely still need more, however), I start by breaking down the 2 sets. I got out the CTTank box to use to store pieces I likely won't use (these will be revisited for the contraptions for Wheeljack's Lab), since a whole side opens, so I can search through it. This will also serve for storage over nights.

Both sets came w/ a bunch of figures, as well as weapons & tools for everyone. So, I gave everyone as much as they could hold, so when/ if I reassemble the sets, I don't have to hunt down the weapons... This will also keep me from having to weed them out as I search for parts later. There are also a few constructs (2 vehicles & a weapons platform) that I'm fairly sure I won't need parts, so they'll remain intact unless I find a need for their parts.



For those unfamiliar w/ Lego Technic parts, I've taken a few pics of a Technic skeletal frame. I'm likely going to attempt to use the Technic concept for the walls, as it cuts down on interior components, & will allow them to fold down. The bulk of Technic connections consist of special cylidrical pegs that slot into holes in support beams. There are different shapes of holes (some merely round, others have a + shape), & though can be used for similar purposes, have special uses as well. Because I can build frames into the walls, I can have the hollow interior required for the Combat Deck, Roller & Storage.







This is the first time I've tried a custom (no instrucitons/ no image to go from), scratch build, using Technic concepts/ parts. This is not my first Lego TF, but it will be the most complicated. The earlier ones were over a decade ago, & just used simple concepts & blocks... & were parts formers... This will also be my first attempt at a properly transforming, custom construct, even if it's just the opening trailer.

Also, since I've been building w/ Legos for Decades (I think I got my first set when I was 7), I've found an easy way to keep track of pieces: connect the similar parts in a staggering mannor, so they hold, but aren't impossible to seperate (ESPEICALLY important for, small flat parts).

3 hours of disassembling the Clone Turbo Tank (had I not been injured, it probably would've taken a fraction of the time) & notes, & I have finally gotten down to why I'm using Star Wars Lego sets: the connections. Lego developed the special, ratcheting joints, idea for doors & the folding mechanisms, for the Star Wars line! I also can finally get a nice pic of how Technic will aid in constructing the Combat Deck/ Repair Drone. I'll be leaving this moving construct for future reference. I also sought out the Clone Turbo Tank's instruction booklet last night, during my research phase.





The Technic framework will be the guide I use for the Trailer. However, my frame will not be the whole box, but 2 halves.







As posted earlier, I've got the trailer's axels & wheels done. The suspension is impossible, 'cause the design for the tank's, & parts used, require a wider wheel base than the trailer will have. Now I just need something to attach them to!





After some consideration & experimentation & a bit of math, I've worked out a secure way to transition from the Technic framework to traditonal connections to hold the wheels to the bottom of the cargo container. The light gray, which will be towards the front, is held in place by 4 pegs. I figure the more connections of both types, the stronger it will be when assembled. I made sure to test to see that the spacing works for traditional connections first.










Went on & built in the connecitons for the lights paneling. Now, do I want to bother w/ a license plate"


The wheels are a bit big, but chalk that up to Wheeljack!

I've gotten as far as I can w/o dismantling the Millenium Falcon, so I figured I could take this time to post my progress.
[aname]Omakepanel2[/aname]

 

WiP Update 2

[aname]WiPUpdate2[/aname]
I've made quite a bit of progress the last day or 2. ^_^
[aname]Omakepanel3-4[/aname]






Dismantling the Millenium Falcon took a while as well... I miss the calluses I had from gaming... Dismantling Lego sets didn't used to hurt my fingers like this has been...



I've verified I do indeed have enough panels to make the walls of the trailer, but by this point I wasn't sure about the roof or floor.



I did end up having to dismantle the wings of the Tie Fighter after all... I needed more parts to hold the wall together.





Here's a size comparison: the trailer will be able to haul 2 Alternators, if Roller & the Combat Deck are removed (I plan to make the weapons platform easily removable, if I can... Once Op. did have 3 Mammoths loaded into him... I think in Dinobot Island part 1 &/ or 2.



The 2 sides of the walls (subject to change). I may make the inside more stable; & I definitely need to add the stripe/s on the outside.

More pics w/ Alternators...




Here's the rough design of the rear doors. Here it's merely rigged to be able to open out, like real trucks.



Here's a shot w/ the walls standing, & some Alternators.



I intend to use these to decorate the exterior, but will probably need more... Defnintely have to get white parts out of the bucket... Also I don't know if I have enough flat blues... I found some more after taking this shot, but the light I was using to brighten the area had blown, so...



Some mock ups, where I propped up the wall... I think I'm doing pretty good so far...




Here's a shot w/ a door open, which also shows the current height. I'm not sure if I'll be able to get it taller or not...



I also finished the tail lights/ bumper. I tried to copy Optimus's lights, & added some of my own... even have a stand in for a license plate. ^_^
The 2 pieces standing up are the ratcheting joints I'm using the Star Wars sets for. They're stronger than I expected them to be... After this shot, it was moved back under the trailer a bit, to allow for...



It took some experimenting w/ the ratchet joints to find the best place for them, but they do make for a nice ramp hinge!









I kept experimenting to get the hinges to be secure to the trailer, but also out of the way of the ramp area. Here I have them below the deck, which...



Makes the ramp quite strong (able to support any of my Alternators), & moves the hinges so the cars won't run over them. Though, MP-01's Die Cast makes him too heavy... He almost fits at this height for the trailer, though... All but his truncated Smoke Stacks...



Having moved the hinges further out, & also below the floor of the trailer, I've eliminated the unsightly gap between the bottom of the doors & the floor of the trailer.



Here's a shot of the finalized back of the Trailer. I think it looks great, & it's strong enough to not collapse when being used as a ramp. The only down side to it being that strong is I'll probably have to take the doors off to open them AS doors. But they do open both ways. ^_^


[aname]Omakepanel5-6[/aname]

*note, the above Omake panel was made ealier in the process, but I felt this was the best place to put it...


Here's Roller's Prototype chassis. It's an engineering Marvel, & took a while to build... I actually built this much earlier in this batch of pics, but it took a while to get right... & I wanted the Omake for it here. He'll be about as big as an Alternator. ^_^



I managed to incorporate the Clone Turbo Tank's Suspension/ Tilt Steering mechanism into Roller... Micronizing it has been a pain in the butt, & it's still not finished... This feature, & the size of the wheels, are why Roller has to be so big... I had wanted to use this suspension on the trailer, w/o the tilt-steering, but the trailer has to be flat to allow cargo/ passengers/ Roller, & there just wasn't enough room to incorporate it... But now I'm glad I couldn't. ^_^



This is merely a working Prototype. I'm going to have to cannibalize the Twilight for the Technic parts I need to stablize Roller's wheels...

The way this works, is the front & rear wheels are mounted just on pegs (it was a pain rigging some long enough to work, but basically I have 2 tubes (one each axel) that attaches to pegs on both ends, which extends it JUST enough to work... It's too small for a clear pic in the lighting I have after the bulb blew...), & the central wheels have a working suspension. The springs in the suspension, w/ the right rigging for stability, allow the body to tilt, which in turn forced the wheels to turn opposite the tilt. This may force Roller to be a bit taller than I want, but it is a cool feature... I might find a work around w/ The Twilight's parts, but I don't know yet.



The problem is, the wheels need somthing to keep them attached to the suspension & straight during the tilts. I've worked out a couple ways to do it, but need more Technic parts... I also need more Technic parts to have the trailer open, as well as roofing & lining the floor of the trailer.

I've gotten this much done a LOT faster than I thought I would...

Now to do something I had hoped to avoid: Dismantle my newest, as well as most complicated Lego Set: The Twilight, Anikin's ship in The Clone Wars.  

 

WiP update 3

[aname]WiPUpdate3[/aname]Before I get started on my current progress, let me go back & explain a bit of the Rollor Prototype chassis. Sorry for the poor quality pics, most of this was done w/o the light that blew. Towards the end I got a new light, but it isn't as easy to reposition nor angle.





This is how I connected the front & rear axel's to the core body frame. The wheels were too big to be kept close & still be able to turn, so I had to extend them some...



Because they're connected using only pegs in a single spot for each axel, they can turn.

Now, on to my progress of the last day...
[aname]Omakepanel7[/aname]


Before I disassembled The Twilight, this was all the Technic parts I had left after building the Roller Prototype.



Unfortunately, dismantling The Twilight was a CHORE! Anyone who thinks taking these sets apart, especially The Twilight, is easy, needs to think again. Many Star Wars Lego sets are 1/2 or more Technic, & have to be assembled in a specific order... & disassembled partly in a specific order...

Let me show you...







This is the lower wing assembly (under the wing you could see). Well, some of it... It's a Technic frame covered by panels.. Tricky to disassemble...



This is a blurry pic of the Technic frame that supports the landing gear.










Which is composed of A lot of pieces...

& now I have all the Technic bits I should need to finish the Trailer & Roller.


And the other reason I took apart the Twilight, which IS NOT MEANT TO BE done once put together (everything was reenforced to support the weight, & there were technic bits burried in places that getting them out of was a feat of engineering in itself!), was for more panels! The front 1/3 of both trailer walls have more panels than I'm comfortable with. Panels that would probably be better used for the roof.





I'll probably redo the walls for the trailer tomorrow, now that I have more panels to work with.



I've also redesigned the support legs for when not attached to Optimus.
[aname]RollerChassis[/aname]
And the rest of today was spent redesigning Roller's chassis, from the ground up.



This is the final version of the chassis. Pure Technic.A pain in the butt to build, but well worth it.



It retains the tilt steering suspension of the Prototype, but redesigned. The front axels retain the same design, but I used a longer piece so the wheels align.



Here's a shot w/ G2 Roller... HUGE size difference... Later, once Roller's done, I'll do a comparison between both Ops. & both Rollers...



The redesign of Roller required making the trailer, & the rear doors/ ramp, a wee bit wider. No major changes, just moving stuff over or adding bits that aren't easy to see... I'm going to have to widen the base/ floor a bit more, but won't know by how much until I get the mechanism for the walls to drop worked up.

I'll leave this update w/ more shots of details of Roller's chassis.

 

WiP4 - Brainstorm!

[aname]WiPUpdate4[/aname]I had a brain storm! I went back to working on the trailer, thinking I'd just do the new walls, & wound up working on the opening mechanics!

It took a while to work out how I'm going to transition from the standard base to the Technic arms, but eventually remembered that the Technic holes are the size of standard connector pieces! That means I could put a technic bit on it's side & connect it directly to the trailer base, w/o an intermediate connector!

After a bit of experimentation & searching for parts I've used up, I found some that I hadn't used yet, & worked up a test arm.





Once I got that working, I constructed another & tested connecting them.







That was successful on the first go, & means I DON'T have to expand the base. Though Roller's central wheels are slightly wider than the front wheels (very slightly... It's hard to see even knowing they are, but they have to be for the tilt-suspension steering), & bump into the arm mechanism, it isn't an issue; he just rolls over them, w/o even loosening them. ^_^

Once I knew that, I construced the final arms to secure the rear. Though, depending on parts, I may have to reduce the height some, but that can be done by shifting the 90 angled arms over & attaching them to the uprights directly w/ pegs, rather than how the are now.



Once I got the rear arms, I went on & experimented w/ attaching the sides... At first, I just split a side in half for testing purposes, but eventually it became evident that the original configuration wasnn't going to work for conneciton reasons, not stablility, so I had to break down the side & work up a test side.

The black thing extending from the test side of the trailer is to represent the stablizer Optimus has near the middle. It's there just to hold up the side for testing & pics.





And even w/ that little bit of help, the wall can already support Alternators!



As you've seen, I've perfected the doors/ ramp mechanisms. I may still have to remove the doors to release the ramp mechanism to have them swing open, but something has to hold them together for ramp mode...



The next time I post, I'll likely have the trailer extended to it's full length & the walls fully attached. I don't know if I'll go on & add Optimus's iconic stripe before I upload again or not, just yet...

 

Trailer Shell/ Exterior Completion

The last day or 2 were focused solely on the trailer.



The other day I got the wall mechanisms to work. Now I had to build the trailer shell/ walls around them.





He's a close up on the trailer hitch.



It works quite well... It also shows the support legs for when not combined w/ Op. I found they're stronger than I expected, which will be shown later.



Here you can see the trailer can hold Roller + 1 Alternator, I chose Wheeljack to show, since he's the biggest I have.



As I assembled the walls, I had difficutly keeping the arms locked, partly due to their weight, partly due to the pressure I was applying to construct the walls...

Securing some of the wall supports/ transformation arms took some thiniking, & are mostly successful.



I only had enough of the blue pins, w/ a peg on one end & a standard connecer for the other for 3, but decided to focus on the 2 central arms, as they popped loose the most (well, one side's did). Op's trailer is mostly sysmetrical, after all...







I also experimented w/ the swing out supports some, & it took a whle to get right. The pic is near the end, but it took a bit to get the supports stable. I had to add extentions to the top, so the walls wouldn't slip off (part of the reason for the breakages), but I also had to add a piece at the bottom so the swing out supports wouldn't tilt while bearing the walls... Once I made these additions, the walls became more stable & quite reliable, though one would still occasionally pop off as I worked, but not as often.





Also, this next pic shows the completed flooring (less one piece changed later, explained further down). I didn't have enough light grey panels for it, so I didn't even bother trying... I also had to put in some anchors to hold the flooring down, as at times, when the walls popped, so did the floor plating in some spots. Granted, some are barely attached, just attaching to a series of single connectors... Since adding the flat topped 8x1s, I've had no issues w/ the floor disconnecting when the walls did.



Here, the side walls are mostly complete. You can also see that the swing out supports are almost invisible. I decided to add the stripe at this point, partly as it could potentially help support the wall panels.

I did indeed have to go a section at a time. It was also a big pain balancing constructing the walls, & setting aside the panels for the roof...



And as you can see, even closed, Roller & an Alternator fit, w/ room to spare. That room to spare may vanish depending on how Roller's shell comes out.



Have to show a pic of Op connected to the 1/2 complete trailer here... I also decided to add the lights/ reflectors tractor trailers have along the bottom of the walls. ^_^ I think it's a nice touch.



Remember how I said the independent supports were stronger than expected? Well, even if the trailer ramp can't support MP Op's Diecast, his trailer can, ANYWHERE on the trailer! I chose to just include a pic w/ him in the least supported location, over the support struts.



He can also fit inside his trailer, like the original (though, for G2, I had to rotate his smoke stacks, not so w/ MP) could! This was an unexpected bonus.



At this point, it took a bit to work out what was wrong, but the roof was a bit too wide. I learned this because the ramp/ rear doors couldn't secure to both sides of the trailer. Took a bit to work out what the the problem was. Since I'm using Technic parts for the walls, it off sets things by 1/2 a brick connection, which is IMPOSSIBLE to correct for w/o using additional Technic components, all of which I need for Roller, the Combat Deck drone, & Wheeljack's contraptions.



I wound up manipulating the 2x3 bits I used to fill in the central gap of the roof, securing one side as planned, from the bottom, so both of the 2 connectors were available, but the other side I had to remove the support from beneath them, & attach them directly in place of the supports, which solves the problem enough to work.

This pic also shows one of the pegs I use to align the trailer. there are about 5, I think, along the length of the trailer, & they mostly serve to prop up the roof, as it tended to sag a bit, since the panels for the roof attach to long, chained together 2xlong (8 or 10 mostly) panels that fill in the top of the side walls. Those chained together wall extentions were a pain to make, & secure (there's 3 different securing arrangments), but are solid enough.

More pegs were added later, after this shot. This I think was taken when there was only the 1 peg system.



Here's a pic I took after a break late in the process, which prompted me to make better side stablizers. The walls don't always completely come off, some of the connectors seem to be tighter than others.

It shows some of the detailing inside the roof area. In addition to the pegs to hold the top more flat, I also built a few support arms. They just extend towards the center of each side, to hold it up a bit more. Between them & the extra pegs I added, it looks right to the naked eye. Close inspection may find minor flaws, though.



& here's a shot of the final stablizer:


[aname]Trailercomplete[/aname]
The outside of the trailer is complete. I 'shopped in a couple ghost images of Op, to show this is in scale to the G2 Trailer (comparison pic not in this update, but will be shown later), by being roughly 2 Optimus's long. ^_^ That wasn't planned, measured nor ANYTHING! It just happend, 'cause how long I chose to make it LOOKED RIGHT!  

This pic also shows the final side stablizers.



I accidently left the side stablizers out for this shot, but it does make for a nice front pic of them.

This pic also shows the front of the trailer. It took a bit to figure out how I was going to build a grey front w/ only 2 remaining, large grey panels: in addition to the 2 panels, there're a bunch of angled bricks I didn't expecd to use. Along the top, there's a 2x6xflat grey piece, but it was the last I had. The other that looks 2x6 is actually a 1/2 square 6x6 (think of a square, then cut it in 1/2 from corner to corner); such pieces are usually wings, & I never expected to use it in the project (maybe for a contraption), & definitely not how I did!



Also, again by chance, Op can go 90 degrees to the trailer.

I also decided to add some signal (?) lights to the front of the trailer. Two of the blue 2x1xflat parts I used for the stripes have a 4x1xflat connection attachhed to them at 90 degree angles, allowing me to do the lights. I figured the stripes could be longer, & the lights would be a nice addition.



A proper shot of the hitch, which is a special peg to ball joint piece, attached to a 2x2xthick, connected to the center of one of the forward most plates. (The plate it's attached to was swapped out from how the pic above shows. I needed the wide grey piece for the front here.



This pic shows I made allowance for the Combat Deck's drone to come through the ceiling, though I don't know if I'll be able to pull that bit off just yet...

I also had to fill in the very top of the front w/ something, so I made a Techinc filler bit... which...



Actually acts, AGAIN totally by accident, as a locking mechanism to hold the trailer together. Before making this filler bit, I had a latch built for the top, to hold it together, which failed much of the time. Between this new locking mechanism, the pegs along the trailer & the rear ramp, the trailer is held together very solidly! Solid enough for an Alternator to sit on the top! As an added layer of caution to hold it together, in case one or more of the mechanisms fails, I have a 2x8xflat piece on the back, just in case.



He're a shot w/ the rear doors open, & how Roller currently fits in his incomplete state..





With JUST the support struts & side stablizers, this is possible:
[aname]Omakepanel8[/aname]

Yes, Optimus is standing, in Robot Mode, where the Combat Deck Drone will go! It's awesome the trailer is that strong!


Next time, Roller should be complete, if not the Combat Deck as well. Hopefully, I'll be able to get back to working on my comic Friday or Saturday. ^_^

 

Roller complete?

[aname]Roller[/aname]I'm not entirely happy w/ how Roller came out... There weren't enough blue parts from the 4 sets to do him right, the Technic frame caused me not to be able to enclose him like I had hoped (not that I had the parts), & the tilt-steering suspension required him to be taller than I had wanted... But in light of those, he isn't too bad...

I decided to arm Roller:

With rotating Quad-laser cannons.



I also mounted a stationary cannon on the front.



He also has a rotatable radar dish.



Unfortunately, mostly due to the chassis & clearance issues, Roller is nearly as big as MP Op!





However, he still fits in the trailer... Though, JUST barely! (The radar dish has to be folded down, & the Quadlaser cannons needs to be facing forwards, as far down as it can go.)









At least his size doesn't inhibit his ability to Roll out!



To fill in the front (I think of the back kinda like a truck's), I had to be a bit creative, & wound up mounting the turret on a panel I wasn't likely to use for the Combat Deck, then put pieces for rods to go through, to secure in 3mm clips (yes, you CAN arm TFs w/ Lego weapons if you wish! I choose not to, but I did test a clip on one of mine, & they do fit).



I'll probably swap out the transparent discs w/ solid colored ones. But the transparent ones are picked up by the camera phone better...


[aname]Omakepanels9-10[/aname]




Now to work on the Combat Deck. I may revisit Roller depending on what kinds of parts remain after the Combat Deck... But I still need to make a few contraptions for Wheeljack's Lab for my comic... However, I'm nearly done, so hopefully, I'll be able to make & post the next part of my comic either late Friday or sometime Saturday. ^_^

Feel free to let me know what you think so far... The trailer's come out great, but Roller's a bit meh... Still, he might grow on me...

 

[aname]Omakepanel11[/aname]

The trailer is complete! Pics won't be posted until after I post the next update for my comic (the trailer won't be in it), likely Saturday, since I still have to build some contraptions for it & will be busy Friday.

I'll work on Gallery quality pics after I post the following update. I've worked out some of the problems I've been having w/ the new lamp: one of which is that it's been too close.

 

hahaha...

 

If you're interested in a super-cheap technique to minimize blur on phonecam photos, the simplest method is literally to add mass to it. Grab a housebrick and a strong rubber band, strap the phone to the brick, and the act of pressing the camera button won't be able to jiggle the combined mass anywhere near as much as it can affect a light plastic phone.

 

First, I don't have a brick. Second, my pushing the button doesn't cuase the blur, my body shifting w/o instructions due to my head injury is what's doing that, & a brick isn't going to fix erronious signals from my brain.

 

It'd minimise the effect of random muscle movement, though.

Any heavy weight would work. Brick, encyclopedia, Fortress Maximus...

 

There's also the problem of it blocking the camera bit. It's a flip phone, & the camera bit is just above the middle on the top portion; the button to use it is at the top of the lower bit, near the hinge. Even if I could hold something, either it'd block the lens, prevent me from being able to reach the button, prevent me from aiming the phone right or block the screen so I can't tell how clear the image is.

I just finished the shots for the Omake, & will be starting the pics for the gallery (which I'll be using a different lamp for). The amount of light I have access too also affects pic quality. I took the cover off the hall light for the rest of the Omake, & left the lamp I have permanent access to further away than I had been, & the pics came out better.

See:


Granted, not every pic I'll be using came out this clear, but enough did.

What quality issues are in the pic above are due to the lighting, not the camera moving. I retake pics if they're not usable in my opinion... If I remember...

I'm going to go on & take the Gallery pics before 'shopping the Omake... Not sure if they'll get posted all at the same time, since my head injury can limit how many URLs I can mine.

 

Part of the delay in posting this was coordinating it w/ my comic. That update is up now.

A few of the images I'll be submitting to the Gallery will follow ([Aanchor=Gallery]jump there[/aanchor]) the Omake.

Enjoy the rest of the Omake, ^_^:











































[aname]Gallery[/aname] I used a different lamp for the pics below, but have been getting better w/ my new one...









The Trailer is quite sturdy/ strong.




Added a spare tire to the bottom when I was adding finishing touches.

Repair/ Combat Drone extended out the top

Repair Drone is modular, & can be removed & replaced w/ no effort.




G2/ Lego MP Comparisons

G2 Fits INSIDE, whole!

MP Optimus can even stand in the least supported part of the trialer (between the wheels & forward supports)



Reenacting the impossible:


Roller (a bit large, but growing no me...):




A side project after I finished the Trailer... I did say I was going to make some contraptions for Wheeljack's Lab on Cybertron for my comic...

He built a T.A.R.D.I.S. Control Console! Got him in trouble, this did...   (it's large enough Deluxes can use it)
'Shopped:

Sunstreaker's mistake:

(note, Op's not represented dead here; the Trailer couldn't repair him if he was dead... But Sideswipe is donating parts).

 

Cool man

 

The trailer that you made ​​is quite fascinating, awesome work!