I remember the designer of Haslab Unicron saying that the initial design was for a 1 meter tall robot, but he had to scale it down to the current size to make it feasible. I'm not 100% sure if it was entirely due to engineering limitations or there were other constraints (like price or safety regulations) that Fanstoys might be able to ignore, but seeing if and how this thing will be made is going to be interesting. One thing I know for sure is that I already have figures whose joints are so stiff I have to manipulate them with two hands. I don't want to think how much strenght will be required to move the hips of this thing.

 

FANSTOYS FORT MAX MUST BE BOUGHT NO MATTER THE COST!!!

 

People are making a lot of assumptions about engineering and construction based on other transformers and action figures.

There's nothing to suggest that this will be made using those same techniques. These factories make all sorts of household goods, and surely can engineer this to work. It's not like 4' tall things don't exist.

All these 8x the mass calculations make an assumption that it will use the same materials and construction as those other figures. I expect this will be mostly hollow boxes, which would reduce the weight significantly. There's absolutely no way the limbs will be solid. Not only would it be an engineering nightmare, it would be pointless to use all that extra material for no reason.

 

ToyDojo still has preorders up for The Head. I kinda like this 25 deposit idea. (I caved)

 

If it ain't solid, it ain't gettin the wallet.

It puts the diecast on its shins or it gets forgotten again.

 

If this truly exists and I end up buying it, I’ll clear off most of that table and he’ll stay in city mode in the middle of my room

 

..and he can command your entire collection:”All of you! Get in ma belly!”

 

4' multi-jointed, articulated (and inanimate) things don't exist. Not with any degree of regularity. Think of the things that you interact with daily that are 4' tall. Mostly furniture, with wide bases for stability. Taller things with narrow bases you actually want to start anchoring to the wall because they become safety hazards if they fall over.

Reducing weight also results in reducing solidity. A 2" square of sheet ABS might seem pretty solid and sturdy. Scale it up to 10" square, and you start noticing it go all floppy-floppy like a sheet of cardboard.

Unicron was as hollow as he could be, but all his plates still needed at least 1/4" of waffle reinforcement to prevent them from snapping. And we got a 16lb toy as a result.

Toys that have been this height historically ("My Size" dolls, most frequently) are usually thin rotocast plastic. You absolutely cannot work with that manufacturing method and obtain the level of detail that FT would like to achieve. We're talking giant shampoo bottle here. And you can't install joints in it worth a crap either.

It's just pure physics.

No, the toy won't/shouldn't end up as 126lbs, per my earlier napkin math. But I wouldn't expect any less than ~50-60 lbs, and that's still a tall order for the stresses and strains expected on a mostly plastic toy. And it'll be an absolute bear to handle all the same. Unicron's weight and ratchet resistance already makes transforming him a tiring experience, because again, you have to account for torque as well. His weight and ratchet resistance is being applied to your at least partially outstretched arms, which is a force multiplier.



For perhaps another comparison, how about the 1.5m Gundam that Bandai made (usually seen more as a store display piece than household consumer good): For $3,400: Bandai to sell 1.5m tall Gundam figure – TechCrunch

25% taller than Fort Max is being aimed for, but if you've ever seen the process of putting these things together, they're as hollow as can be. Still 35kg (56lbs), and has extremely basic articulation, and of course none of the internal structure that would be necessary for transformation.

Also, ~$3400 when they were released to the public ~10 years ago... (of course, very low production)

 

Carbon fiber is obviously the solution. It might also justify the predicted price.

 

i don't think this will transform without having to take it apart to go between modes , it would be way too much stress on the whole thing but anything at the moment is just pure speculation

all i know there is no way i would be able to transform this with my fucked back! lewin resources optimus killed getting it from truck mode to robot and this is going to be mahoosive

 

G1 Fort Max is also basically hollow boxes. Yet scale that up to 48" and it weighs 100 lbs!

But yes, like myself and @mx-01 archon have been saying - we don't think this figure will actually weigh 100 lbs because that's insane! I don't think any more than 50 or so would be accepted because it's unmanageable. But that highlights the challenges here - you need to take that 100 lb OS G1 Fort Max, significantly uprate the joints, add loads more joints for the articulation, and somehow make it half the weight.

The closest things to this I can think of that actually exist are full size poseable mannequins. But they are the hollowest lightest fiberglass pieces with super simple metal bolt pin joints where you simply loosen the bolt to pose a joint, then tighten it up when you're done. They can't stand unassisted, have basic articulation, don't transform, are mass produced, and still cost 100's dollars.

That giant Gundam is also a good example. Super light blow moulded pieces and just bolted together. OK this can stand, but the cost of that is no leg articulation, only upper body articulation! And 3500 dollars!

Looking at these things it's hard to imagine a 4', self supporting, detailed, transforming figure even being possible!

Please prove me wrong though FT!

 

You need a better imagination. I can see these things doin a rockettes style kickline, playing little league baseball, and chores around the house...

 

One concern. Price point will be through the roof, probably over usd$1000. I will be dead.

 

Any pre orders from china left?

 

That's true. But 4ft transforming robots coming from a company famous in its niche for diecast don't. Everyone thought they'd use different materials for their combiner limbs but they didn't.

We're literally heading into the unknown here but ppl will speculate.

 

15 remaining…

【Pre-order】FansToys FT-40A Hannibal Cerebros Fortress Maximus’s Head

 

I am cautiously optimistic this project will get finished someday, but if it doesn’t, and all we get is Cerebros…I will be ok with that too. I just love the majority of the design choices this company makes and will support them with my wallet to the extent possible. Honestly, I could see a future state where I am primarily an FT collector. Right now there is just enough coming from the other 3P companies to keep me interested in them, but FT is my bread and butter.

I like that FT takes big swings, even if it means they don’t always hit home runs. I want them to push the envelope and take a run at a massive Metroplex. I can’t even imagine my 6 year old self’s reaction if I was told that someday…decades from now…someone would come along and try to make a true masterpiece representation of a city bot.

Of course, all pockets have a bottom somewhere…so watch this thing come in at $3k…and I eat all of my words above  

 

After spending $3k for this, words might be the only thing we will be able to afford to eat.

 

Bombusbee still has Cerebros available.

 

Sorry about all the weight mass stuff..let me just say however big this dude is i am 100% in..i hope ft comes through and sees this project to the end..my favorite quote when plans for this first came out..and i am paraphrasing but bsf said something like i when i get this thing 12 spartans run out and i have to fight them all to get it..im going to give it a go