I've been working for a little while on designing a range of transforming minibots for sale as 3D-printed kits; most of the work has been on the Gunslingers. Some of them are homages to the classic Targetmaster figures (Dustup and Mayhem should be coming very soon), others are completely original designs. And here's my first one ready to go: Salvo! He stands at 56mm tall, so he fits in nicely with other Minicons (he's the same height as PCC Caliburst, for example), and he's even more poseable than Universe Nightstick, with 10 points of articulation (most of them balljoints). He transforms into a machine gun-style weapon, with a 5mm peg handle for maximum compatibility! If you want one like him, he's available to buy from my Shapeways store. He comes as an unpainted 14-part kit (though you can order him in several pre-dyed colours), but is really easy to paint and assemble (there's a link to assembly instructions on the ordering page). Enjoy!
That is an AWESOME looking Targetmaster. Love the name! I may be interested in buying one of him, but in your pics it looks like his head is exposed at the back of the gun. Is there any way to hide the head in gun mode, like just turning it 180 degrees to it faces into the arm?
Thanks! Yeah, normally I'd turn the head 180 degrees so it's facing downwards in gun form; it's on a balljoint, so it can be turned 360 degrees as well as tilting it back, forward or sideways. My figure is the initial test print, and the neck ball didn't have enough clearance in the socket; it's not fused, but is tight enough that it's difficult to turn with my fingers. The model on the site has had that issue fixed.
Excellent. In that case, I will have to order at least one at a future date, as Salvo would make a great "Spare gun" for some secondhand figures i pick up who are missing their guns. Out of curiousity, will you be doing Targetmasters that aren't quite "conventional" so to speak? I'd love for a Targetmaster chaingun.
I was wondering who made those minibots for the cybertron soundwave. When do you think they will be avaliable? I really like your stuff, and I have a suggestion for one of your projects. On the tiny scamper could you put a micron port or 5mm peg hole on the bottom of the car mode so that he may be used with PCC menasor set? Also what type of material do you suggest for someone that loves to pose and tinker their figures? Like which is more similar to a official figures plastic in terms of durability and look, "White Strong and Flexable" or "white detail"? Also are you the one making adaptors so that you can use energon primes limbs on energon style combiners?
dude i keep seeing your designs on shapeways and damn it all they do look awesome. as soon as i get a few things together that i really want im gonna order some of them along with a few more things. you and Cashanova really knock it out of the park with each item
A chaingun, eh? Hmm, that's an interesting one; I'll have to have a play with that idea. I'm definitely doing some more unconventional ones; I have a sniper rifle very nearly finished and ready for a second testprint, as well as a Tommy gun-style design with a drum feed. Thankye kindly; I aim to please. Well, Doubletime should be on my next testprint run, and I'm pretty confident that I've got all his bugs fixed. Despoiler still needs more work; it's been a bear of a job designing joints for legs as thin as his. I like the way you think, sir. Yes, yes I can. Most of the underside is hollow to save on price, so all I need to do is add a small block in the right place and subtract a 5mm hole from it. Judging by his measurements, he should be good fit as a chestplate. I'll do that tomorrow. Detail (which is an acrylic photopolymer, if you were interested) is probably closer to the look, but I'm going to recommend WSF (PA 2200 Nylon); the clue's in the name. I've released the figures so far in the Detail materials on request, but I haven't personally had the opportunity to test them, and I've heard one or two reports that it can be quite fragile. Redshift over at the Allspark tried one of his own, smaller, Targetmasters in Transparent Detail, and one of the shoulder balljoints snapped when he tried to pop it on. I'm not sure if he's managed to find a way round this yet. WSF meanwhile, is - as the name suggests - quite strong, and can take more punishment than Detail - which is what you want if you're actually going to play with your figures (and why wouldn't you? ). It does arrive with a slightly rough (but not unpleasantly so) texture, and is mildly porous (here's what it looks like at about four times actual size ); this means that it absorbs paint and dye well, and once it's been sealed with a varnish (I use the ubiquitous Klear/Future floor polish) and set to cure, the texture's much lighter (as on my painted figure above; you could get it smoother than that, but I think the texture looks and feels really nice as it is). That's not me, I'm afraid. If this is what you're referring to, it's one of Cashanova's. I do, however, have PCC combiner sockets available (designed so you can make your own PCC limbs), along with a bonus replacement flap so that Skyburst can use Minicon chest armour... Thanks, mate. Good to be back. Thanks a lot. Thanks. Believe me, I can relate...
Very cool! I always admire you guys who can do these types of things and have them printed. Keep it up, man.
Thanks, all. Much more cool stuff to come; I think you will approve... Also, just updated the Scamper car model as Reluttr suggested, putting a 5mm peg hole in the bottom. Now he can be mounted on Minicon ports! For the record, here's a shot showing how Scamper can look painted up (though the wheels have been changed to protect the innocent)!
Amazing work. The winter red will be a good Verity a lá LSOTW. Interested in the sniper too... If cliffjumpers BFG was to be a targetmaster I would be tres impressed!
These are so great i was on shapeways and saw these for the first time just the other week. p.s. the gunbarrel in the leg on salvo is awesome he would probably make a good haywire if it wasnt for the mouthplate I was wondering which ones where meant to be homages to the original targetmasters i would be well up for buying a targetmaster for kup scourge and blurr Also i absoloutley love the sniper rifle
Thanks, all. Targetmaster Verity, eh? Interesting idea; I just looked up her armour (get your minds out of the gutter ), and it looks like she can turn into a motorbike or something, but it also looks like she has flip-out guns on her forearms, which could work for a Targetmaster weapon mode... I must admit, I always thought if anyone was missing a BFG, it was Bluestreak, what with him only having that little rifle when he's supposed to be a gunner... Thanks. If you've seen the preview of Dustup in my shop, he's my first homage one (for Scourge, in case you hadn't figured it out ). I'm currently retooling him after my first test print, and I'm trying out a standard peg handle design that doubles (hopefully) as a 3mm clip, so he mounted on Gen. Scourge's head in vehicle mode. Blurr's is also in the works, in the form of Mayhem (check the pic below). I'm not quite sure what I'm doing for Recoil yet, but I'm pretty certain he'll be forthcoming, and I'm also doing sketches for a Firebolt homage, who'll be (quite heavily) remodelled from Dustup.
A triple changer targetmaster would be class, gun to bike to robot! Go on... Push yourself! What's the turn around on these? Brilliant work too mate.
