Ladies and Gentlemen, I have made another important breakthrough in the development of my custom ROTF/DOTM Deluxe class Hightower. First, I gave him legs. Now he has… FUNCTIONAL ARMS AND A FUNCTIONAL HEAD!!! The arms are made of LEGO Bionicle parts and the head is from an ROTF KO Yellow Demolishor I bought from KOTOYS.com in late December. As you can see in first 11 pics below, I have modified the rear area (where his ROTF Supreme Devastator connector port is located) in order to install his robot mode “shoulder” joints for his robot mode arms. The twin ball joints on his “shoulders” and “elbows” allow the arms to fold together and fit onto the right and left rear sides of his alternate mode. Now for the pièce de résistance: His robot mode! The poses of him in Pics 12 – 20 are based on the production artwork as seen here: The arms unfold thanks to the twin ball joints on his “shoulders” and “elbows”. The poses of him in Pics 21 – 28 are based on his Legends class figure as seen here: As stated before, the head is from an ROTF KO Yellow Demolishor I bought from KOTOYS.com in late December. I shaved and sanded of most of the plastic around his head to make him look less like ROTF Demolishor and more like the head in the production artwork above and removed the paint apps using 90% Isopropyl Alcohol. Using and modifying the connector peg from a junk Rampage component from the ROTF Supreme class Devastator set, I was able to install his head onto my Hightower’s ROTF Supreme Devastator connector port. Thanks to a little sanding and cutting, I was also able to modify my Hightower’s ROTF Supreme Devastator connector port so that it can still move up (when in robot mode) or down (when in alternate mode) as before despite the modifications I made to the area surrounding it in order to install his new arms. The level of articulation afforded by the new arms twin ball joints, his legs, and the modifications to his “neck” allows my Hightower to transform into an “upright robot mode”. In the last 2 pics, my Hightower’s “upright robot mode” is compared and contrasted in size to another Deluxe class figure, ROTF Interrogator Barricade. Keep in mind that some of the LEGO Bionicle parts that I used here are temporary. They will be replaced by brand new parts that will be modified and/or recolored and there are still more modifications/recoloring/repainting I need to do. When I have fully completed this custom, I WILL make and post a step-by-step tutorial on the making of this custom. But for now, I can take pride in what I have accomplished so far and share it with my fellow TFW2005 members.
I think if the pictures weren't black and white and so grainy, we could appreciate the hard work you've done more. As it stands, its hard to really see any of the detail.
Looking good man. Are u going to extend the boom arm and add sum type of string or wires to lift the wrecking ball like other pic?
Turning the pics black and white for my WiP treads has become a rule of mine. As for the pics appearing grainy, it is the result of using the "Adjust Sharpness" tool on Photoshop. For the boom arm, I plan to modify a Thornax Launcher from a LEGO Bionicle Mata Niu (circled in red in the pic below) with some kind of string reel/winch part so that that the wrecking ball can be pulled out and reeled back in. As I said before, turning the pics black and white for my WiP threads has become a rule of mine and the reason I decided to give him LEGO Bionicle fists instead of claws is because they allow him to wield any removable LEGO Bionicle weapons and they reduce (if not eliminate) any kibble by appearing to be a mechanical part of his vehicle mode.
Loose the B&W pics, and yeah, im thinking you should have him Mimic a Velociraptor, with his arm like that would work great, maybe have them Drag on the ground as far as weapons, i say roll with the wrecking ball and throw some Missile pods on him
Can anybody give me any suggestions about what figure would have missile pods/launchers that could fit on my custom Hightower?
that hightower is pretty intense, but those bionicle arms are pretty recognizable, you could angle some corners and fill in holes (especially the cross holes) but if I were you id use that yellow KO demolishors arms. you should chop up the bioncle joints if you want them, but I dont think naked lego will do you justice, the legs are great tho
VERY awesome custom you have there. However, as a BIONICLE MOC'er, I must express concern about those breaks in some of your ball joint sockets. If you have a lot of experience with BIONICLE parts, then you probably allready know this. Those fractures will weaken the arms if you put too much weight on them. Don't even THINK about popping them off, or they'll probably break in another spot as well. That aside, I can;'t wait to see this completed! Of all the ROTF Constructicons, I think Hightower has the least amou nt of customs.
