Aside from stop motion, I enjoy making handmade custom Transformers figures. Guoshen (Black Apple's real name) is actually my biggest influence, but since I am only an amateur beginner teaching myself with CAD 3d modeling, plus have no access to a 3d printer, I am forced to make handmade parts, then glue them to my figures. I often slice them up, too, then replace parts or add new transformation techniques. If you wonder what Black Apple treatment is, it is customizing a figure and adding new transformation techniques until it is not only a retool, but an original mold/completely different figure, present in Weijiang and Dream Factory's KOs (and Black Apple used to work for both of them). Too bad I live in America, so I can't easily find a 3rd party company in China to buy and mass produce my designs, even if one day, I master CAD.
My most recent custom is a redesigned MPM 06 Ironhide. Inspired by BA Ironhide's prototype (though with major changes and cut corners, since I am limited with resources), it is one of my longest projects, taking 2 years. In fact, this may have resulted in me failing 3 classes in my 2nd and 3rd semester in college. Might need new changes if an update with the prototype is released, and I see the arm shoulder joints. It partially partsforms, with the side skirt tanks coming off to attach to the Heavy Iron rifles, which can't store in the vehicle, unlike the original prototype. The hood/shoulder pads need to be removed for transformation, then reattached, too. Link to detailed thread- Heavy/Scratch: - Custom Redesigned MPM-06 Ironhide If I were to send this to a 3rd party, I'd call it Steel Weaponizer .
Another is my AOE Evasion Mode Optimus Prime, modified to match 99% of the Weijiang M01. With shoulder pads becoming the truck's exaust pipes/back. A new joint similar to SS Optimus Prime's middle tires, new backpack details, and some paint schemes, it is pretty much a direct replica, only not oversized. It doesn't even partsform (unusual for my customs). Link to detailed thread- Heavy/Scratch: - AOE Evasion Mode Optimus Prime Custom If I were to send this to a 3rd party, I'd call it Private Commander
You can get cad designs produced almost gloabally now quite easily. Could we see some of your designs? They sound really interesting!
Sorry, but I'm not very good for now. I'll need more experience before I can replicate detailed parts with 3d software. Hopefully, I can one day post links to them here.
While 2007 Barricade was not a very interesting project, it did make it more accurate, and was inspired by Human Alliance Barricade. It doesn't partsform (which isn't usual for my customs), but was something I ended up being proud of despite its "uninteresting" redesign. I also made a Protoform gun and a spinning tire saw. Update- Just turned him into a non-transforming figure with an "alt shell" Link to detailed thread- Heavy/Scratch: - Custom Redesigned 2007 Barricade If I were to give it to a 3rd party, I would name it Interceptor Impersonator.
MPM 04 also went through some makeover. While the figure tabs together horribly now and has an ugly-looking backpack, its front looks much better, almost like the real BA Optimus Prime. It even has the two antennas on the grill. The gas tanks also detach, but are attached to the guns, not transformed into. Link to detailed thread- Heavy/Scratch: - Custom Redesigned MPM-04 Optimus Prime. If I were to give it to a 3rd party, I would name it Commanding Savior
And more customs with BA treatment. I haven't had time to make threads thanks to an upcoming Calculus Exam, and I have been busy studying, so I only got to make these videos and no threads.
Sorry that I've been gone, but I apparently had a pretty big exam and had to put my projects aside. Human Alliance Soundwave was a figure I had problems with for a long time. I was never a fan of the fact that he was basically a guy with gorilla arms and tiny legs (think of Ralph from Wreck it Ralph). He wouldn't even stand straight unless his joints were tight and in a certain posture. So I decided to put a ton of attention into his legs. Now the doors and canopy wrap around his thighs and a window becomes his toes, and he stands up better, plus looks more accurate. \ Link to detailed thread- Heavy/Scratch: - Custom Redesigned Human Alliance Soundwave If I were to give it to a 3rd party, I would name it Infiltration Falconer.
DOTM Megatron was based on a long canceled and forgotten figure that Black Apple had made on his earlier days. So I basically turned the fusion cannon into his backpack by disassembling it and doing some cuts. Using a KO Megatron, I removed its tires to make the ankles. The middle tires on the cab now are attached to the arm to do the double tire shoulder pads. The shotgun was actually my first every homemade accessory, made in 8th grade, and more detailed, since I had much more time back then. It also got smeared with dark grey, black, and gold paint, making a rust-like appearance. Overall, it only used the concepts of the prototype; everything else was made with my preference (the canopy originally should be part of the backpack, but now covers his hips. One of the side tank tires was removed to make it more accurate to the truck used on camera (which was only shown for a few seconds, but I watched the behind the scenes shots). The parts that match the prototype were the tank fusion cannon now being a backpack, and the grill becoming part of the chest). Still, this was my first ever Megatron figure and I have a pretty significant bond with it. Link to detailed thread- Heavy/Scratch: - Custom Redesigned DOTM Megatron If I were to give it to a 3rd party, I would name it Homeless Veteran.
AOE Hound was mostly based on the Weijiang M02 Detective, which was one of the first Weijiang figures I had heard of (and TBH since it was changed a lot, I was shocked when I realized it was a KO, despite sharing many details with the original, so I thought it was an original mold (though it is kind of debatable) until hearing about it.), but especially after 2020, their products are hard to come by, meaning that most figures, especially BA Optmus Prime, are extremely overpriced. So I decided to do some mods for myself. Using changes particularly exclusive to M02 Detective, I gave Hound a backpack made from the truck's rear bumper, put a new waist and leg transformation, plus found new ways to rearrange the panels. However, since I was limited on resources, I gave trying to turn Hound's tires into toes, thus giving up the idea. Some new accessories, such as two grenades, two assault rifles, an huge shotgun, and a yellow shield that looks a lot like a pickup truck (based on the Toyota Tacoma he used in Hong Kong, though I chose to replicate a Chevy Colorado because I hate Toyotas) were added. Plus he had a new fat belly piece that can fold and tuck under his undercarriage. Edit- I just turned him into a non-transforming figure. Apparently, the parts were very flimsy and the figure became hard to play around with or film with. Link to detailed thread- Heavy/Scratch: - Custom Redesigned AOE Hound If I were to give it to a 3rd party, I would call it Heavy Weaponized Warrior.
This time, I will be presenting two figures in one thread. One is Battle Blade Bumblebee, and the other is DOTM Mechtech Sideswipe. Sideswipe, which started as a partsformer, was just done out of pure observation (since no 3rd party has made an upscaled KO of it, so I had to come up with it myself). Battle Blade Bumblebee has been changed into a DOTM version. After playing with the partsforming attempt many times, I got tired and just had it customized. Nanoblocks ball joints (can be bought in those nanoblocks robot construction sets in Daiso) play a big role in making parts and hinges. Link to detailed thread- Heavy/Scratch: - Custom Redesigned DOTM Battle Blade Bumblebee and Sideswipe If I were to give it to a 3rd party, I would call Bumblebee "Tuner Axe Warrior" and Sideswipe "Bladed Ninja"