Heavy/Scratch: different take on DEVASTATOR... preliminary!

Discussion in 'Radicons Customs' started by SMOG, Dec 17, 2009.

  1. SMOG

    SMOG Vocabchampion ArgueTitan

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    I haven't been doing much in the way of kitbashing for quite a while... my dremel's still in storage, and I still have a heap of old projects to get to.

    Still, this is something I've been working on recently. I know everybody and their dog has done Devastator now, but from the beginning I wanted to do something different. I wanted minimal parts-forming... to have a Devastator that was as integrated as possible. I even have a plan for integrating the chest shield... hope it works! :) 

    Also, the more I tried to put together a Devastator from the usual Deluxe Class figures, the more I was dissatisfied. The Constructicons are all pretty large vehicles, and moreover, they're all very strong characters. For a "Classics" scale, it seemed to make more and more sense to go with Voyager-sized Constructicons.

    This is still very much in the early stages. I considered a lot of different figures for the various positions, and now I'm pretty much resigned to the necessity of building Scrapper, Bonecrusher and Scavenger, rather than simply finding figures that fits them already.

    Comments, suggestions and critiques welcome! :D 

    With the chest shield:
    [​IMG]

    Without the chest shield:
    [​IMG]

    Colour preview done in photoshop:
    [​IMG]

    zmog
     

    Attached Files:

  2. Cyber-Kun

    Cyber-Kun UNLEASHED!

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    I'm all for combiners with minimal parts forming. Can't wait to see more!
     
  3. Autobot Burnout

    Autobot Burnout ...and I'll whisper "No."

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    Lookin' good! BTW, which figures are you using? I can identify Movie 1 Mudflap and a gutted Dropshot, but I can't figure out who is in place of Long Haul or Mixmaster.
     
  4. Triceradon

    Triceradon Sunbow Delenda Est

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    I really like where this is going.....

    I feel like I see a bit of Cybertron Prime for Long Haul.
     
  5. SMOG

    SMOG Vocabchampion ArgueTitan

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    Yeah... the line up so far is:

    Cybertron Mudflap = Hook (almost stock)
    Cybertron Optimus = Long Haul (lots of modding to do)
    KO GaoGaiGar FuuRyu = Mixmaster (the original is too rare! ;)  )

    As for the others, I'm not sure yet. I've got a bunch of Universe Dropshots that I picked up on clearance, and I think they'll make a really good base for the arms in terms of articulation... though I was strongly considering using some parts from TFA Blitzwing for Bonecrusher.

    Scrapper... it's amazing that such a simple figure would be so hard to find a match for.... but I always liked Scrapper's look, so he'll be an important one.

    I also want each Constructicon to match their G1 look as much as possible.

    zmog
     
  6. yourreflection

    yourreflection Well-Known Member

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    Dude, it's great so see some new work from you! This is looking quite impressive already. Really like the new formula. I wonder how your going to incorporate the chest shield?

    Two things:

    1. You gotta go with a more original head. Everything else about this guy is so original.

    2. What is a KO GaoGaiGar FuuRyu? Can we see pics of just this guy in both modes?
     
  7. QmTablit

    QmTablit BotBot in the what, I said BotBot in the what

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    That alone is win right there. Maybe I just haven't done enough searching, but I'm surprised to have not seen an EnRyu repainted as Hot Spot.
     
  8. Sioce

    Sioce Radicon in training

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    sweet man!
    looking forward to this guy!
     
  9. MoeSizzlac

    MoeSizzlac Newb Customizer

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    ZMOG - Leading the way in innovation.

    Is that this guy? Cement Truck Pic 1 , Cement Truck Pic 2

    Found him here:Happywell

    You know I was thinking about using him for mine but thought he was too big.
     
  10. SMOG

    SMOG Vocabchampion ArgueTitan

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    Heh, heh... not sure when exactly, but you will... you will... ;) 

    The chest shield in the pictures is only a temporary approximation (2 Cybertron Jetfire wings + Energon Shockblast arm-shield). The final version will hopefully be actually built out of a form that is already integral to one of the Constructicons.

    I know, I know... I had planned to use another head, but then Ptitvite GAVE me a really nice Supreme Starscream head copy... and I have to say, it looks pretty good. I had an issue about using the head as is, because a seeker head doesn't really look much like Devastator... but, this head is molded in a front and back half. If you actually flip the back half upside down, it creates a helmet shape just like the G1 Devastator toy (and I've always had a soft spot for the toy-style Dev head, rather than the goggle-eyed cartoon version). I may add a bit more of an overhanging brow though. We'll see. This head is destined for either Devastator or Defensor...

    You can see the original toy in this Collection DX review:
    GekiRyuJin (RaiRyu & FuuRyu) | CollectionDX

    It's a great figure... one of the nicest "Transformer" style toys to come out of the Brave Series line. Of course, Takara palette-swapped it into 4 different characters, so they got a lot of mileage out of it. :) 

    I have the original set featured in that review, but I also have some fairly well-made Happywell KO versions which I can use for kitbashing purposes. As MoeSizzlac says, they are big too... about the same height as Universe Silverbolt!

    I'm planning to make some changes to the figure and the alt mode, but he's already a cement truck of sorts. The body is a great match for Mixmaster in terms of the overall transformation. He even has the flat chest area with the asymmetrical trapezoidal pattern on it.

    zmog
     
  11. TGping

    TGping Well-Known Member

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    I say just scratchbuild the whole thing :D 

    Just kidding!

    I've actually been waiting for someone to try a kibbleless gestalt. I eagerly anticipate your progress :) 
     
  12. SMOG

    SMOG Vocabchampion ArgueTitan

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    I'm excited too... I've been wanting to make this work for a while, and this feels like the one. Of course, the problem is that I still need to build the other Constructicons more or less from the ground up, so there's still a lot of work ahead of me before I can even start working on the connective joints and balance tests and stuff.

    But I'll update my progress whenever I get somewhere! :) 

    zmog
     
  13. yourreflection

    yourreflection Well-Known Member

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    1. AHHH. I see what you did with the head. Your right Zmog - it does create the Dev helmet look - very interesting. Your one creative dude man because I don't think myself or anyone of the other thousand people who used this head would have figured that out. I like it.

    2. That is a nice toy! I have to buy one now for my personal collection! Thanks for sharing man.
     
  14. Solrac333

    Solrac333 G1 got it right!

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    Nice! I've always thought that Dropshot's feet look like hands too.
     
  15. SMOG

    SMOG Vocabchampion ArgueTitan

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    Not to disparage those who have gone before me, because there is some serious skill involved in the building and painting of these projects, well beyond my meager abilities... but I'm always surprised how often bashers don't bother to find/build heads that resemble the original characters.

    I'm always looking for the easiest/laziest way to achieve a good G1 likeness. For that reason, you probably won't see me scratch-building parts out of styrene, but flipping the back of a head upside down? That's just about my speed. :lol 

    No prob. The Japanese editions go for pretty stiff prices these days, but you can still buy the official Korean versions (Sonokong) new from some online sellers. Naturally, if possible get a matched pair so you can actually do the symmetrical docking combined mode, but be aware that each one is right/left specific. You can't mix 2 right siders or 2 left siders to make a Red/Yellow or a Green/Blue combo unfortunately.

    Another small thing I like about them is that despite being nearly identical, each of the 4 has a slightly different head sculpt, with their head crests bearing the emblem pertaining to the source of each character's power (Fire, Ice, Wind or Lightning).

    Over a few years hunting Ebay for good deals, I managed to get all 4 "Ryu brothers" in official versions, and the quality is very nice. The KO versions are much cheaper, and not nearly as rugged or nice as the real deal, but are pretty good for what they are. Also, for some reason KO FuuRyu comes in silver rather than green, while the others have their proper colours.

    Heh... they do make pretty good clamp-hands, I have to say. I'm not sure if I'll leave them that way, or find a way to add normal fists. I guess we'll see...

    zmog
     
  16. Rijie78

    Rijie78 Vinyl junkie.

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    Very interesting, looking forward to seeing this develop - especially the scratchbuilt robots. Updated combiners without Unicron parts are always good to see.
     
  17. jcartwork

    jcartwork Well-Known Member

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    great stuff u making really inspiring
     
  18. bruceleerules1

    bruceleerules1 Decepticon

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    what figures have u used so far?
     
  19. destrongerlupus

    destrongerlupus Well-Known Member

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    LOVING this so far.

    And good to see a little GGG love getting spread. I bought the entire GGG line direct from Japan in the old days when you had to have a contact, and all trading was done via email and international-money-orders...ahh those were the days.

    GGG was quite a breath of fresh air, especially as we were in the midst of the Beast-Era, and it was like G1 born again.

    Eventually I got a chance to see the series, fell in love, and have been a Yuusha nut ever since (Tracking down the older shows was a PAIN!)

    Anyway, can't wait to see how this develops, keep the moral high-ground, my friend! ;) 

    D/L
     
  20. thyvipera

    thyvipera ThyVipera

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    this is going to be awesome