RAVEN - Too the printers

Well chaps issuses sorted with my printers have ment I can pull the trigger on my next mech;

Introducing the RAVEN;

In a few weeks I should have the model its self (along with the reprinted CMDO arms).

I took alot of care to get this one fit for casting you'll note I split the hip joint into 2 parts, I had to remove some of the rails the rear and front of the torso but fear not there are pilot holes for those some .5mm wire and you'll be set.

Compared to my previous model as these light mechs are tiny and carry allot of detail its been a challenging to cast these to a high standard. So many details where bubbles can get stuck not to mention trying to get a suitable sized pour spout attached.

I'm going to trial vacuum casting the resin which should pull out all the bubbles (in theory). However its been cold here (for London) and resin + cold don't mix. Once it warms up some I'll be testing out this new method.

Watch this space Mechwarriors.

Commando cast

Heres the commando in resin

No forearms for now I'm still waiting on reprints. But here you can see the articulation and details. I'm getting super excited to paint this up.

I just hope the printers pull their fingers out asap!

Commando prototype hands on

So the boring bit first I have an incredibly busy February currently I'm running 2 businesses +  this hobby + a new business venture to plan. So unless I can divide myself into 4 updates will be sporadic.

Back to mecha news.

Today the UPS guy brought me the prototype MWO commando

The good news the details all there the bad news is there were a few minor errors (not bad for completely new process).

• First one of the fore arms i some how had at the wrong scale no idea on how that happened but it need to get it redone.   -- Update -- Seems the inner fore arm wasn't wrong but rather both outer forearms and the left inner for arm were missprinted (squished vertically by 6mm) email fired off to the printers hopefully they correct there mistake asap. A calliper check on everything else show they are correct.
• The knee snapped off one thigh. No biggy I wont bother to claim this because that area will need reinforcing to survive casts anyway
• Same goes for a a rails on the hip I'll remake that in styrene other wise it'll just be too fragile. I knew I was taking a gamble at the time but figure might as well try.

Now less rambling an more picutres. I cranked contrast up to 11 on this because the parts come in translucent plastic and the details are super hard to see (they are there I promise look at my previous post)

It should stand 14.5cm/5.75inches tall once asembled

Next I have to wash parts since they have a waxy coat. Then I have to fill the parts with putty (all the parts you see are hollow) and reinforce any structures I think are too fragile. Then I'll cast copies in resin and modify those if need be I don't want to work directly on the printed version because they are fragile and incredibly expensive!

Work to date to get to this stage 4 months! and probably 2months working on the CMDO directly. There is a lag time between stages (due to the printing process) however due to those gaps I've actually have another model ready for printing I'm just going to tweak it based results of the CMDO.  So keep your eyes pealed for more MECHA news!