Yuuuuuuup! It's perfect for the job really isn't it? Just needs a repaint, new head, traditional Soundwave weapons, a radar dish, new chest - and front of cab, probably use identical pieces for those - and some actual hands.
Painting his head. Will be shaving off parts of his legs and arms over the next few days, ready to add plasticard panels to cover the overly elaborate detailing on the original mold.
I got a custom chest plate for Ratchet not too long ago but it's a little too big. I'll need to shave it down some. Removing the pins from his knees to replace his kneepads seems to be all but impossible. They will not budge at all and it's driving me nuts.
Every so often I look at the figure I've chosen to mod for Crankcase and think I was wrong, but then I just know it will look right once finished.
Its a perfect choice, besides this mold is the only one that can give Crankcase the ability to have his iconic shoulder mounted cannons!
Keep on, man. Keep on. I'm just as excited to see him with his head on. By the way, do you mind if I ask what kind of paints you used on those 3d-printed heads earlier? And what type of plastic is it, ABS or PLA? "Love the choom-choom."
Looking great so far, I was going to just use Offroad and then use Hound for Ruckus due to alt modes but I think this will look better (from a better mould anyway)
I'm using Tamiya acrylics, but the blue on Cranky is Vallejo, the Ratchet and Red Alert heads are FUD and the Crankcase on is hi-def acrylic, all from @SteamShield 's Shapeways store
I've a clearer idea of what I need to do now, so I've trimmed and evened out the tops of his leg panels so front and side are of an even height and I've snipped the pointed bits and pipes connected to his hands off the forearms. I'll sand the sides of the forearms down and add panelling that will fold around the bottom and both sides, also covering the unnecessary hollow under his forearms. Then I'll sand the front and sides of the legs down to make a flatter surface to add new panelling there too. I'll transform him to alt mode beforehand so I can make things line up as much as possible. Last things I'll need to do are make a canopy for his back that works in both modes and install his gun backpack. I'll most likely have to remove the roof mechanism that's already there and replace it with a swivel, which should work better I think. Irritatingly I didn't buy enough Green Stuff and I've run out of Superglue, so I'll have to put this on hold again til I can get some. Grrr.
Here's his main body as it is right now. As well as the previously mentioned alterations, I'll be trimming back his shoulders and adding fake wheels to them. Pretty sure I'll repaint too as the colours don't sit right with me - his chest needs to be more grey, for a start. Not the final positioning but here's what I've got for his weapon backpack - I have various guns - TR Scourge, Gen Springer - that I will use to make the barrels look more 'right', the whole thing will be positioned lower and most likely on a slide and swivel mechanism. Oh, and here's the pic I'm using for the overall physical appearance - not the colours, though, just the general proportions and appearance -
I think he'll get there but he's definitely giving me more trouble than the others - which is weird because when I went into this I though he'd be more straightforward. Same goes for Ratchet, who is also giving me trouble.
Wow! Coming together nicely! Is that reference art a Nick Roche piece? I don't feel like I'm familiar with it.
Arms are coming along nicely, just waiting on some Green Stuff to set on his forearms. Tomorrow I'll sand his legs down, level them out with Green Stuff and start cutting plasticard panels.
Repainted the chest a grey blue, plasticard and fake wheels done on his arms, mixed up a new blue that looks a little more 'correct' and repainted his head and arms. Tomorrow is leg day...(RIP Ambulon)
So, here's the state of play with Grumpybox. Arms and body are done - just waiting on the Green Stuff on his chest to cure so I can paint it. His legs have been shaved down and Green Stuff added. I've cut the plasticard out for his leg panels already and will glue them on and paint them tomorrow - thinking I'll add some feet too. Once that's done I'll work on his backpack and housing/alt-mode canopy/roof. Here's roughly how he'll look with his backpack attached and the backpack itself before I start working on it - I know I had misgivings for a while after I started this fella, but he's definitely come together now and when I look at him, he's 100% Crankcase to me - which was my goal all along
