And another update today, this time working on building up the feet. First thing I need to do is build a frame that will cradle the leg in car mode. To start, I use a little cutting and sanding until I get the right curve I need for the inside of the rear fender. Now, I need to copy this piece. So I lightly glue it (two little drops) to some more styrene. Then I cut out a second piece using the first as a guide, then split them back apart with my knife. Simple and effective way of getting two identical parts. Next, glue that piece inside the fender. Then glue another sheet to that piece. Then cut to shape. Another piece is glue on the front to form a wall from the fender and the styrene frame. Continuing to build the frame, a piece is glue to the bottom, and then side, completing the open top box. I've also decided I didn't like the first version of the rear window hinge I made. It was just a bit too big and chunky for where it was, and the plastic joint pieces were actually too tight. So, I rebuilt them using poly joints and rod. These new hinges are smoother and smaller. I also made them a bit longer for better robot mode positioning. Now to attach the rear wheels. I've drilled a hole into some styrene strip, and will use the styrene tube as the wheel mounting peg. Then just glue that piece to the leg frame.
And some shots of today's progress in car mode..... ....and robot mode. The new feet really add alot to robot mode, I like the angle the feet sit at now with the tires on. Thats all for today!
Jarrod, Prowl is looking absolutely fantastic! What do you think about the wheels folding under the feet in robot mode? Is that something you looked into? - Alty
Man, it really looks factory made. This is a serious example of the ultimate in complex simplicity. What I mean is that all the techniques are simple concepts, and ones we've seen time and again in the toys we play with, but all executed so perfectly and tied together so well - and all from scratch. Just amazing.
Feet turned out Flawless! Can't wait to see you build out the abdomen and waist! Keep up the perfection! Lethal
Yep, definitely thought about it. Even did a quick mockup, but I just really didn't like the way it looked. But more importantly, I wouldn't have been able to build the frame the foot because the wheel would be in the way in robot mode.
Archiving I understand, but for a forum like this, I would permanently sticky this it at the top so it has maximum visibility.
Holy smokes!! never seen a scratch build be so boldy taken to the extreme! Love what you are doing. You planned it very well so i am SURE it's gonna be awesome when its done. The work you did so far looks freakin sweet.
Thanks! Honestly,not even interested. 1:18 is just too big, IMO, for an Autobot car....not to mention not near as accessible. Well, I'll just try to update often enough to keep it on the first page or so You should check out some of my past works...not the first time I've done something like this Also, look up Anemis, Wikkid, and Sculpt-bot, just to name a few, there's a good deal of serious scratchbuilders here.
Alright, it's time to start "solidifying" Prowl. First thing, building the skirt armor...or at least the base of it on which future details will be added. I start by just snapping on the Gundam skirt to see how it looks...which is actually pretty good! its nearly the right size and dimensions, but the surface detail is, obviously, all wrong, and I think its too long. I've marked where I want to cut the panels, then just slice them with my knife. The techy "blocks" are also cut off and sanded smooth. The armor is put back on, and I mark where I want to cut the center piece That piece is cut, and a flat piece of styrene is glued to the front. I want to bevel the edges of this piece, so I start by slowly slicing the corner at an angle. Then I use my file to smooth it out. And the beginnings of the new waist. The panels will be detailed up later. Now, jumping to car mode, its time to add some locking pegs to the roof/rear windows. A piece of styrene strip is glued to the window frame, and then a hole is drilled into this. The peg will be attached to the roof, but it needs an extension piece too. Very similar to the rear wheel mounting peg, I drill a hole through some styrene strips, and make the peg from some rod. I peg this part into the hole, and mark where to cut the stryene. Then it's just a matter of lining up the roof properly and gluing the part to the roof. After the part is secure, repeat on the other side. The rear windows will also need some support, and its pretty easy. On the underside of the roof, I glue a strip of styrene, this now makes the inside edge of the roof and rear windows line up. That piece is trimmed up to match the roof contours. Then another, wider, strip is glued on. It extends past the end of the roof, and will be the support for the rear windows. While the car lined up pretty good before, now it quite solid!
Back to robot mode! Something I've been wanting to work on for a while is filling in the chest area, but I need to wait until most of the car was done first. So, lets take a look under the hood in car mode. Yep, there's lots of room in there for some folding panels! I cut three 3.5mm x 1.5mm panels, these will be the front and sides of the upper chest. I make some measurements and mark where I'll be cutting the side panels, and where they'll need to be glued onto the front panel. Then I glue them into the shape I think Ill work... A test fit shows I'm on the right track. The sides will need to fold onto the front panel in order to fold into the hood compartment for car mode. So I cut the side panels off and build in the same type of hinges I always make for myself (also used for the folding hood panel a few updates ago). And a quick check in robot and car modes to make sure everything still fits I attach it to the existing styrene frame using the same kind of rotating joint I build for the roof, using styrene strip and poly rod. ...But it didn't quite fold completely away as I expected...so I just added a second rotation joint using the same method. It now fold up higher. I'll go back and add some surface details later, but just having those panels in helps the bot mode appearance greatly. There's another unsightly giant hole to get rid of too, the lower back! This is where the head sits in car mode, so a simple solid panel is out of the question...time for more folding panels! Using my standard folding panel hinge, I attach one panel to the back wall. Then a second....cutting out some small sections near the bottom for inside clearance. Some more styrene is layered on the upper parts to follow design of the abdomen parts and for a bit more strength. The parts don't line up perfectly, but I can fix that later. These two panel fold inwards and lie flat up against the inner walls. And just some shots of the new parts fully attached. That's probably all for today.
