WFC Megatron's Annihilating Appendages (Shapeways)

fakebusker83 · 10-10-2012, 07:38 AM

Fakebusker's Shapeways Store

WFC Megatron's Annihilating Appendages
Updated March 1, 2013

This post is updated with photos of the AMAZING custom FrenzyRumble made that I commissioned.
This project includes other models I have built like the Megablade, Megamace and Atomic Obliterator
whose details you can find on the other threads. I am not privy to what happened between this site and
FrenzyRumble but I just want to say that the photos here shows a collaborative effort between both
of us and I would think it is reasonable enough posting them here.

Here is his artist's statement:
"Once in a while, I get inspired by an artist, well...often. One of my favorites is fakebusker aka Ariel Lemon
(that's his real name, he was named after the little mermaid, just kidding...)

It was an honor to get this commission from the one and only. It's maxed out with accessories and modification
parts that HE designed, were printed via Shapeways, then (painstakingly) sanded for hours to get a smooth finish.

The awesome canon has a working purple LED light in it. It's "push to activate" button is discretely disguised
onto the canon, and it's batteries and wiring are all within.

The new forearms are a great addition. Not only do they add pose-ability, but include ball jointed wrists and
articulated (individual) fingers that easily hold 5mm weaponry. The forearms split (similar to original) but the
hand pivots around and into the hollow of the tread. There's also an appendage for his left arm, looking like a
nice shield with spikes. there's also a swing out blade for his left forearm. Lastly included is the Megamace
melee weapon. phew, is that it?

I painted him up with some nice details, glow effects, battle damage, wear and tear and some little rust accents
here and there to help bring this custom to life."

"This is what happens, Prime, when you chose to DEFY ME!"

Hi guys,

This is it. This is the moment you all have been waiting for. War for Cybertron Megatron finally
is able to have a pair of respectable arms that can hold all the artillery he wants, and do a jazzy
hand dance that only an evil robotic overlord can do.

Atomic Obliterator ordered separately.

This project started because I was pretty affected that one of my favourite interpretations of
Megatron has a figure that has a pair of dainty hands that can't hold anything more than a toothpick.
Back then I had already completed the Megamace, I was working on the Atomic Obliterator, and I (unsurprisingly)
received questions on how Megatron was supposed to hold these new accessories.
Yeah, I too have been thinking about this problem a long time.

The process wasn't easy. I had to make these arms easy to install without majorly modifying
the existing figure, add compatible hands, be game accurate and have them work in alt mode
as well with minimal partsforming. The stock arms being hard to disassemble aggravated the
situation, as well as the weird elbow joints. Thankfully I found out the pins in the elbow can be
easily tapped out, which made designing a replacement limb so much easier.

This set contains 2 forearms and 1 spiked vambrace. Each forearm has a 5mm peg compatible
hand on a balljointed wrist, and every finger and thumb is posable. The 2 peg holes on each
forearm is matched exactly to the Atomic Obliterator and the vambrace, and both accessories
can be mounted on either side. And oh, the vambrace has a vicious hidden blade that extends
out for Megatron to stab his foes.

All pieces have a place to go in alt mode too. The forearms split open and the hands fold in to
form his hoverjets, and the vambrace attaches to the back of the Obliterator for storage.

At this point I would like to clarify a few points:

NO, THE ORIGINAL FUSION CANNON WILL NOT WORK ON THESE ARMS
I may do a cannon peg to 5mm peg adaptor to allow compatibility in the future. We'd see.

NO, THE VAMBRACE CANNOT BE USED IN ALT MODE WITHOUT THE ATOMIC OBLITERATOR
Again, I might work out an adaptor to solve that. In the future.

YES, I LIKE THE GREEN M&Ms

Assembly

Assemble hands.

For pin removal, I use a nail and hammer to knock them out. Put the point of the nail on the
smaller end of the pin and gently tap with the hammer. Do not lose the pins, as you need
them to attach the new forearms the same way the old ones were attached.

Assemble forearms. As both forearms are different you have to pay attention to the detailing
on the pieces. The model is designed such that if you misassemble, the pieces won't sit right.
But when you do it right you will feel a satisfying 'click'.
Attach them to the figure with the pins you have salvaged in the previous step.

Assemble the vambrace and fit it onto the 2 peg holes on either forearm.
Go eat an M&M.

Problems/Issues

The usual problems with White Strong Flexible are applicable here. Expect some joints
(especially in the hands) to be loose, but it's nothing a few coats of super glue won't fix.

I was pleasantly surprised to find almost no issues with the test model (besides loose joints as
stated above) which is rare considering the scale of this project. Nevertheless, should you have
any problems with the model do feedback to me on this thread!

Conclusion

Have I already mentioned that WFC Megatron is one of my favourite figures? And how glad I am
that I'm able to fix its flaws to make it even better? This was a really big project and I'm glad it
turned out pretty nice; I was able to set several milestones at its completion.

I was also happy to find out that these hands are the smallest size possible to be made in
Shapeways and include posability. This may not sound like much, but it is going to affect a lot on
how future hand projects will be done.

Feel free to leave comments, critique and gifts of candy at the door. Thanks all!

You can order the appendages here at
WFC Megatron's Annihilating Appendages on Shapeways.

His trusty Atomic Obliterator is available here at
Atomic Obliterator on Shapeways.

Also available is just the pair of hands at
14mm Posable Fists on Shapeways.

- Ariel

Flickr is here.

FrenzyRumble's Flickr gallery is here.

Fakebusker's Shapeways Store

Alloy Alchemist · 10-10-2012, 07:44 AM

Looks great ,as dose all your work. Dose this new knowlege about printable hand size mean you will be making posable hands for deluxe size TFs ?

fakebusker83 · 10-10-2012, 07:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alloy Alchemist

Looks great ,as dose all your work. Dose this new knowlege about printable hand size mean you will be making posable hands for deluxe size TFs ?

This is a good question, and the answer is 'it depends' on which figure it is for.
WFC Megatron fortuitously has large hands in game so I had a lot of leeway in terms of size, but I would think a majority of deluxes won't look right with those large hands unless their body frame allows them to.

Looking at the figures on my desk now I would say these hands would be more suitable for voyager figures. My hands and TFP voyager Megatron's hands are almost the same size.

primecustomizer · 10-10-2012, 07:58 AM

Great way to give Megatron more playability and some new articulation where it wasn't before.

Megatron31 · 10-10-2012, 08:05 AM

printible in FUD?

frenzyrumble · 10-10-2012, 08:24 AM

I like red M&Ms.
can't wait for this...

PrimusVsUnicron · 10-10-2012, 08:24 AM

interesting

PrimusVsUnicron · 10-10-2012, 08:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by frenzyrumble

I like red M&Ms.
can't wait for this...

lol at the M&Ms part

cheetor71 · 10-10-2012, 01:19 PM

This is a great set. As far as the hand size, PRID Megatron is really an oversized deluxe and the hands just might work for older deluxe figures.

Rodimeister0088 · 10-10-2012, 01:32 PM

sweet! looks a bit big but you are right. the hands are big in the game.

10-10-2012, 07:38 AM	#1
fakebusker83 Radicon Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 1,672 Location: USA Collection Count: Many in pieces News Credits: 3	WFC Megatron's Annihilating Appendages (Shapeways) Fakebusker's Shapeways Store WFC Megatron's Annihilating Appendages Updated March 1, 2013 This post is updated with photos of the AMAZING custom FrenzyRumble made that I commissioned. This project includes other models I have built like the Megablade, Megamace and Atomic Obliterator whose details you can find on the other threads. I am not privy to what happened between this site and FrenzyRumble but I just want to say that the photos here shows a collaborative effort between both of us and I would think it is reasonable enough posting them here. Here is his artist's statement: "Once in a while, I get inspired by an artist, well...often. One of my favorites is fakebusker aka Ariel Lemon (that's his real name, he was named after the little mermaid, just kidding...) It was an honor to get this commission from the one and only. It's maxed out with accessories and modification parts that HE designed, were printed via Shapeways, then (painstakingly) sanded for hours to get a smooth finish. The awesome canon has a working purple LED light in it. It's "push to activate" button is discretely disguised onto the canon, and it's batteries and wiring are all within. The new forearms are a great addition. Not only do they add pose-ability, but include ball jointed wrists and articulated (individual) fingers that easily hold 5mm weaponry. The forearms split (similar to original) but the hand pivots around and into the hollow of the tread. There's also an appendage for his left arm, looking like a nice shield with spikes. there's also a swing out blade for his left forearm. Lastly included is the Megamace melee weapon. phew, is that it? I painted him up with some nice details, glow effects, battle damage, wear and tear and some little rust accents here and there to help bring this custom to life." "This is what happens, Prime, when you chose to DEFY ME!" Hi guys, This is it. This is the moment you all have been waiting for. War for Cybertron Megatron finally is able to have a pair of respectable arms that can hold all the artillery he wants, and do a jazzy hand dance that only an evil robotic overlord can do. Atomic Obliterator ordered separately. This project started because I was pretty affected that one of my favourite interpretations of Megatron has a figure that has a pair of dainty hands that can't hold anything more than a toothpick. Back then I had already completed the Megamace, I was working on the Atomic Obliterator, and I (unsurprisingly) received questions on how Megatron was supposed to hold these new accessories. Yeah, I too have been thinking about this problem a long time. The process wasn't easy. I had to make these arms easy to install without majorly modifying the existing figure, add compatible hands, be game accurate and have them work in alt mode as well with minimal partsforming. The stock arms being hard to disassemble aggravated the situation, as well as the weird elbow joints. Thankfully I found out the pins in the elbow can be easily tapped out, which made designing a replacement limb so much easier. This set contains 2 forearms and 1 spiked vambrace. Each forearm has a 5mm peg compatible hand on a balljointed wrist, and every finger and thumb is posable. The 2 peg holes on each forearm is matched exactly to the Atomic Obliterator and the vambrace, and both accessories can be mounted on either side. And oh, the vambrace has a vicious hidden blade that extends out for Megatron to stab his foes. All pieces have a place to go in alt mode too. The forearms split open and the hands fold in to form his hoverjets, and the vambrace attaches to the back of the Obliterator for storage. At this point I would like to clarify a few points: NO, THE ORIGINAL FUSION CANNON WILL NOT WORK ON THESE ARMS I may do a cannon peg to 5mm peg adaptor to allow compatibility in the future. We'd see. NO, THE VAMBRACE CANNOT BE USED IN ALT MODE WITHOUT THE ATOMIC OBLITERATOR Again, I might work out an adaptor to solve that. In the future. YES, I LIKE THE GREEN M&Ms Assembly Assemble hands. For pin removal, I use a nail and hammer to knock them out. Put the point of the nail on the smaller end of the pin and gently tap with the hammer. Do not lose the pins, as you need them to attach the new forearms the same way the old ones were attached. Assemble forearms. As both forearms are different you have to pay attention to the detailing on the pieces. The model is designed such that if you misassemble, the pieces won't sit right. But when you do it right you will feel a satisfying 'click'. Attach them to the figure with the pins you have salvaged in the previous step. Assemble the vambrace and fit it onto the 2 peg holes on either forearm. Go eat an M&M. Problems/Issues The usual problems with White Strong Flexible are applicable here. Expect some joints (especially in the hands) to be loose, but it's nothing a few coats of super glue won't fix. I was pleasantly surprised to find almost no issues with the test model (besides loose joints as stated above) which is rare considering the scale of this project. Nevertheless, should you have any problems with the model do feedback to me on this thread! Conclusion Have I already mentioned that WFC Megatron is one of my favourite figures? And how glad I am that I'm able to fix its flaws to make it even better? This was a really big project and I'm glad it turned out pretty nice; I was able to set several milestones at its completion. I was also happy to find out that these hands are the smallest size possible to be made in Shapeways and include posability. This may not sound like much, but it is going to affect a lot on how future hand projects will be done. Feel free to leave comments, critique and gifts of candy at the door. Thanks all! You can order the appendages here at WFC Megatron's Annihilating Appendages on Shapeways. His trusty Atomic Obliterator is available here at Atomic Obliterator on Shapeways. Also available is just the pair of hands at 14mm Posable Fists on Shapeways. - Ariel Flickr is here. FrenzyRumble's Flickr gallery is here. Fakebusker's Shapeways Store Attached Thumbnails Shapeways. Facebook.

10-10-2012, 08:05 AM	#5
Megatron31 Their Defences are Broken Join Date: Apr 2010 Posts: 5,865 Location: Tennessee Collection Count: Enough	printible in FUD? M31 Designs Custom Cast Weapons and Accessories I Still Function!!!!!!!!

10-10-2012, 01:19 PM	#9
cheetor71 Autobot Join Date: Apr 2009 Posts: 3,734 Location: New Jersey Collection Count: 149+	This is a great set. As far as the hand size, PRID Megatron is really an oversized deluxe and the hands just might work for older deluxe figures. Steve's Custom Figures I Want That!

10-10-2012, 07:44 AM	#2
Alloy Alchemist Decepticon sympathizer Join Date: Apr 2010 Posts: 2,235 Location: south florida , the sea of rust Collection Count: KEEPERS? 10 MPs,10 alternators,15 classics/universe,7 3rd party ...20 in progress customs	Looks great ,as dose all your work. Dose this new knowlege about printable hand size mean you will be making posable hands for deluxe size TFs ?

10-10-2012, 07:58 AM	#4
primecustomizer Autobot Leader Join Date: Dec 2011 Posts: 73	Great way to give Megatron more playability and some new articulation where it wasn't before.

10-10-2012, 08:24 AM	#6
frenzyrumble Banned Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 8,672 Location: www.frenzyrumble.com Collection Count: 300 News Credits: 52	I like red M&Ms. can't wait for this...

10-10-2012, 08:24 AM	#7
PrimusVsUnicron Herald of Unicron Join Date: Aug 2011 Posts: 2,726 Location: In your closet and under your bed Collection Count: forgot how many	interesting

10-10-2012, 01:32 PM	#10
Rodimeister0088 Prime Join Date: Jul 2011 Posts: 1,053 Collection Count: 50	sweet! looks a bit big but you are right. the hands are big in the game.