Ma.K. Project

[DarthDuck]

There's two "Group Builds" going on at FSM magazine forums and I want the damn badges! One is Ma.K. and the other is for something built this weekend. So I'm combining them- or at least I'll try?

Inspired for a "Recovery Vehicle" by an illustration in Kow's sketch book:

So picture in your mind something like the six wheeled vehicle in the foreground but with a 'recovery crane' for damaged Armored Fighting Suits-


I went through my existing stash to find donor vehicles/kits-

[dbhs]

BADGES !?!?!

We don't need no stinking BADGES !!



...we do need you to build this, however. Going to be sweet.

[DarthDuck]

(11-13-2010, 06:19 AM)dbhs Wrote: BADGES !?!?!

We don't need no stinking BADGES !!



...we do need you to build this, however. Going to be sweet.

LOL

I don't need them. I WANT them!

---

Had to make a supply run that I hadn't planned on and it ate up a lot of time?

I liked the shape of a mouse so I gutted it and we'll see where it goes? I also sectioned up the helicopter cockpit and then reoriented the side windows. Then I sectioned a tire with a refashioned rim/hub and put it in silcon so I can have six of them later. Not much, but something at least.

[LastBattlestar]

looking forward to seeing this build up Don. I can imagine you creating full six wheel drive independent suspension with drive shafts and steering linkages.

One thing, when I moulded up my wheel master for the APC, I left a lot less room around it when making the box. You will use a lot less silicon rubber with thinner mould walls. If you keep the mould in the box, distortion of the shape won't happen. Saves a few $$$ you see, but I'll do anything to do that with all the big projects I have on the go!

Mike

[DarthDuck]

You're right Mike- I worry too much about a mold warping later.

Now I've only got a day and a half left before deadline- I think the suspension will be "hidden and classified"!

[dbhs]

Looking good so far Don. Don't miss your deadline but post pics if you can. I like the mouse shape too and think it will be a good addition.

[DarthDuck]

Mike- I should have mentioned that my boxes are very hastily "constructed" and almost every time I destroy them getting the molds out since I'll often have escape stubs run through the walls or what not. But I like your idea- I just never slow down or work with enough care/precision to do that?

DBHS- Thank you. Yeah, when you're looking at the clock- or just aware of it, it's funny how you're not so loose with the pics?

[DarthDuck]

Waited most of the day for the two part mold of the tire half to be ready and I just finally pulled my first casting out of it. Of course the all black assembly is the new resin copy (resin dyed as poured).



Also filled in some blanks to the "cab" caused by the rotation of the side windows.

[427 Cobra]

I was going to say that you could've made the Magnum P.I. chopper with this kit, but I just had to scroll down......

What it this going to again - an M.A.K. kit? I can't wait to see what this will look like when finished. I'm not really into sci-fi, or I should say I'm not really into Japanese sci-fi stuff, but some of this is kind of cool, but most I've seen are pretty gawdy. I know you'll do us proud. I know you have a pretty good imagination, and I you'll use to its' fullest potential. I just hope that you can use some of the stuff I sent you for this build.

~ Cobra Chris

[DarthDuck]

Chris-

[DarthDuck]

DANG?

I HAVE been working at this all day since very early and I gotta say I don't have too much to look at yet?

Still working though!

[dbhs]

You've inspired me to get started on my Falke. I'm soaking the parts to clean the mold release off now and will start cleaning them up soon.

[DarthDuck]

(11-14-2010, 09:35 AM)dbhs Wrote: You've inspired me to get started on my Falke. I'm soaking the parts to clean the mold release off now and will start cleaning them up soon.

Oooooh! Go for it and post lotsa pics!

[DarthDuck]

Well,
Knowing I only had 48 hrs probably (okay, definately) led to some fuckups! Between trying to work with materials on hand in the middle of the night and going with "quick and dirty" techniques I had skinned the entire base with Millput putty. Then I waited for it to dry and waited, and waited? Twelve hours later I gave up on it ever drying, scraped everything off and skinned the base with resin. But meanwhile I had lost 1/4 of my total time allowed? I'm still participating but already passed my time limit.

Here it was in Miliput-

[DarthDuck]

I'm still plugging away!

Working on the body work and decided since I'm late anyways I would add the 'recovery bed' rather than just represent it with lid on as first planned. One shot has tires dummied in place just give an idea of where it's headed..








For those not familiar with Ma.K.-

The creator of the genre, "Kow" (not cow) was a heckuva kitbasher. But when done his equipment/vehicles were often not symetrical and had what I call 'organic' lines- lotsa blending, humps and curves. That's why most of this vehicle appears off-center!

[427 Cobra]

(11-15-2010, 08:08 AM)DarthDuck Wrote: For those not familiar with Ma.K.-

The creator of the genre, "Kow" (not cow) was a heckuva kitbasher. But when done his equipment/vehicles were often not symetrical and had what I call 'organic' lines- lotsa blending, humps and curves. That's why most of this vehicle appears off-center!

It's all about having fun with your projects the only way you can without setting fire to them! Looking good afterall! I can't wait for this to take shape, and get some paint on it.

~ Cobra Chris

[LastBattlestar]

(11-13-2010, 04:31 PM)DarthDuck Wrote: Mike- I should have mentioned that my boxes are very hastily "constructed" and almost every time I destroy them getting the molds out since I'll often have escape stubs run through the walls or what not. But I like your idea- I just never slow down or work with enough care/precision to do that?

Heh, you should see mine: LEGO! No precision here either, I have a box full of moulds large and small. As long as I can produce enough parts without buying another damn kit....most of them are rough as guts.

Those tyres really worked out beautifully. I've never tried colouring my resin before. It would definitely improve paint coverage.

Mike

[DarthDuck]

Mike- that's funny. I have two sons and years ago I might have "borrowed" their Legos. Now they are older and borrow my PC whenever they're over and they play Puzzle Pirates and that can require a 'Game Card' (like a credit card in size/shape/material) and now I use their old ones for walls! Just a progression of time and what their interests are but still usable for me!

Fleshing out the cargo bed-

[DarthDuck]

[427 Cobra]

I don't know how you do it, but I think I need to cut a lot of my T.V. time down now. It's been distracting to say the very least! I need to catch up a lot now that I have the materials to get back at it again.

I guess it's too late to ask if this will be a kit? Very cool, Duckster - I'm looking at this everytime I come on hoping for more progress!

~ Cobra Chris

[DarthDuck]

Knowing that a trademark of Ma.K. is mechanical representation even when it doesn't make engineering sense I'm setting about to have some on the suspension/drivetrain since the body is unusually devoid of such.

[DarthDuck]

The cargo bed needs some tie-downs. Could have just been like 'grab handles' but I wanted them recessed into the floor. Set about to make such. Needed an upper lip too so they could sit more flush.

[DarthDuck]

And here are the four tie downs sunk into the bed and still operable.

[427 Cobra]

I think you got the wrong pictures Duck - these are the same as the one on top. Also, I can't believe you're crazy enough to make all this small detail.

~ Cobra Chris

[DarthDuck]

(11-17-2010, 11:50 PM)427 Cobra Wrote: I think you got the wrong pictures Duck - these are the same as the one on top. Also, I can't believe you're crazy enough to make all this small detail.

~ Cobra Chris

SHITE!

Thanks- I'll try to correct that?

[dbhs]

Hey Don - no albums available on your photobucket site? Just curious what other goodies were in there for my viewing pleasure.

[DarthDuck]

(11-18-2010, 07:19 AM)dbhs Wrote: Hey Don - no albums available on your photobucket site? Just curious what other goodies were in there for my viewing pleasure.

SHITE!

PhotoPhuckit did an "upgrade" overnight. First it caused me some false links as Chris noticed and now you're telling me you can't view my albums? I've only got a couple out of maybe near a dozen or more that are 'locked' from view???

PHUCK PhotoPhuckit!

[427 Cobra]

INDEED! I just noticed the half-assed change myself. This is the second time I have this happen this year - I guess they think they're impressing people to buy their shitty photofucket "pro"? I'm not in the least impressed, and I don't plan on paying for it - ever!

~ Cobra Chris

[DarthDuck]

(11-18-2010, 08:18 AM)427 Cobra Wrote: INDEED! I just noticed the half-assed change myself. This is the second time I have this happen this year - I guess they think they're impressing people to buy their shitty photofucket "pro"? I'm not in the least impressed, and I don't plan on paying for it - ever!

~ Cobra Chris

It seems that they've packed more ads for themselves and their sponsors in too!

---

Needing attachment points for the lower control arms came up with a platform that fits the backbone already in place. Added some weld beads since this is where the detailing will start coming out. No pre-planning here, just winging it!

[JAWS]

Wow this is neat Don. have been moving so not much action from me for a while. Glad to see the creative juice flowing mate.

[DarthDuck]

Thanks Jase!

Um, but right now I'm sittin on my bum?

[427 Cobra]

(11-18-2010, 09:09 AM)DarthDuck Wrote:

(11-18-2010, 08:18 AM)427 Cobra Wrote: INDEED! I just noticed the half-assed change myself. This is the second time I have this happen this year - I guess they think they're impressing people to buy their shitty photofucket "pro"? I'm not in the least impressed, and I don't plan on paying for it - ever!

~ Cobra Chris

It seems that they've packed more ads for themselves and their sponsors in too!
Needing attachment points for the lower control arms came up with a platform that fits the backbone already in place. Added some weld beads since this is where the detailing will start coming out. No pre-planning here, just winging it!

Don't you just love the pop-up ads that keep showing up all over the screen in one big square while you're trying to upload something? They've gone from being easy to post pictures to making the site a nightmare, especially when they lockup all the time because of the faulty banners that don't load, or don't load correctly. It used to be easy to upload pictures before all the pop-up movie ads, and banners that are now animated, and extremely annoying (to say the very least)!! They've changed their format once before last year, which was great, but then they changed it again this year, and now they do again before a full six months has even yet to pass! Ever hear of "done to death"? They let any asshole post/advertise whatever shitty garbage they want on there site, and it doesn't matter to them who it hurts! Now it's become all about money, not about customer satisfaction!


Anyway, rant over - this is going to be great with all the detail you're doing. I love the weld lines! I used to do these will Testors model glue. It would stay soft long enough to push dents into it with my fingernail along seams. I need to stock up on supplies before the holidays hit, and the snow flies - this is when I'm most creative, as there's not much to do outside, or anywhere else for that matter!

~ Cobra Chris

[DarthDuck]

^^^
Yeah, I think PhotoSuckit cleared up a couple of things o'nite. The link menus are working on the thumbnails within an album now. But, the fucking main popup (that X-Mas movie) now follows you from a main album page to a picture blow up??? Phuckers.

Anyways-

Starting on the A-arms.

[dbhs]

I should have sent my shuttle landing gear to you, Don. ;-)

[DarthDuck]

^^^
Do you think it would have fit on this?

[427 Cobra]

(11-19-2010, 12:50 PM)DarthDuck Wrote: ^^^
Yeah, I think PhotoSuckit cleared up a couple of things o'nite. The link menus are working on the thumbnails within an album now. But, the fucking main popup (that X-Mas movie) now follows you from a main album page to a picture blow up??? Phuckers.

Yeah, that movie, Zwinky, bing ads, and all the other stupid bullshit that shows up on there all the fucking time, and has been for almost a year! This is what I'm talking about - they have shit on there that's obnoxious to say the least! It used to be only a non-moving banner at the top of the screen -(easy to ignore by scrolling down). They went from decent, clean pages with sensable, features at first to hard to navigate, and use. WTF?!?! Then they add insult to injury with more pop-ups that follow you around the screen while uploading, and searching your album. Like this inspires a feeling of professionalism, as if I would want to buy the "pro" version of this for the exact same things, but with more bandwidth? Rude motherfuckers! Just get another account! That's what I did to host model pics so I didn't have to worry about it. As far as ads - were Phucketed!

(11-19-2010, 03:46 PM)dbhs Wrote: I should have sent my shuttle landing gear to you, Don. ;-)

The first rule of landing gear club is - DON'T TALK ABOUT LANDING GEAR CLUB!!! (or landing gear for that matter)

I'm getting ready to make a landing gear option for the four foot beast. Why? I don't know, but I figure this would be a nice accessory for anyone who has a big enough table to sit one on. This way, you can have it with landing gear down, or up. I'll be making this today. It's just going to be hard to figure out how to make these retract, so you can still have flight mode without having to change out the gears themselves. The third leg in the fuselage will be the hardest, as it'll only have one bar coming down from its' bay, unless I can engineer this similarly to the MPC model, and get away with it.

~ Cobra Chris

[DarthDuck]

Further suspension progress.

[dbhs]

My guess is that the shock absorbers actually move. Right?

[DarthDuck]

(11-21-2010, 02:50 PM)dbhs Wrote: My guess is that the shock absorbers actually move. Right?

No shocks yet. I'm leaning toward a modified torsion bar or possibly opposed lateral shocks yet to be fabbed.

[DarthDuck]

Working on fleshing out the suspension-

More details,

After the "A-Arm platforms" are squared up I then bevel the outer edges to receive the tubing running the length which later accept the arms.



Once the tubing is in place I re-contour the pedastals.



Here's the front one done. The middle one roughed in and the rear one in rawest form.

[427 Cobra]

Keep at it, Don. This is going to be exciting. You've already surpassed anything I've shown lately. I just need to put some speed on it. I've been dragging my feet, accuracy, and all that.

~ Cobra Chris

[DarthDuck]

And the old school way of showing weld beads.

I made sure to leave a gap for the bead to nestle in. Real world heavy welds are sunk into troughs created by beveling or the angle at which objects rest together for better penetration anyways.

First I lay a bead of liquid cement.


Then lay in some styrene stock.




Recoat the stock with more liquid cement.





Wait five or ten minutes (it varies) until it has softened and then work my way down the bead with a pointed object to leave the 'pattern'. That's it, let it dry or look at it again in awhile and touch it up- the styrene will be softened for a good amount of time.

[427 Cobra]

(11-22-2010, 10:16 AM)DarthDuck Wrote: And the old school way of showing weld beads.

I made sure to leave a gap for the bead to nestle in. Real world heavy welds are sunk into troughs created by beveling or the angle at which objects rest together for better penetration anyways.

Actually, Don - the reason for that is for clearance. Meaning that the best angle to get into the gap between to parts for the the welding equipment to lay an even bead. The penetration is only from the heat applied by the welding aparatus used. Without being confrontational, or off topic: The different types of welds needed are because of metal strengths/densities. Stainless steel needs to be spot welded because it's two 1/16" thick pieces welded into a 1/8" thick piece for bathroom, and kitchen uses where sanitation, and rust are concerned. It's too thin for a weld bead.

Thinner metals like alumimum need to be "Tig" welded so they don't melt into a pool of liquid. Iron isn't usually welded, except for lawn furniture, or industrial fencing as it's so brittle - this makes it very hard to work with. Steel can be welded with Arc, stick, Mig welded, and if it's thin enough - spot welded. The weld on most items is just because it can't be spot welded where the two come together at an angle, and a regular weld bead has to be laid down. This causes the two pieces to melt together at the joint, the weld bead reinforces this joint. Each of these welders is intended for a different application as not all of them can weld every type of metal successfully. Some won't get hot enough to penetrate, and others will make a metal mess of what you're working on (too hot)! Mig, and Tig are gas welders - Arc, stick, and spot welders are electrical. Gas welders are generally oxygen, and acetylene. Penetration only lasts for a tenth of a second. The metal starts cooling immediately once the weld bead is placed. Even though it's hot, it isn't hot enough to be movable after being welded. This keeps it aligned for the rest of the weld to follow. A clamp is used to keep smaller parts aligned before welding to make it even. The weld happens so fast, there's no time for gravity to have an effect on it. A welder generates a lot of heat right away for instant penetration which is why they need such fuel, or electrical tolerances that are much higher that a propane torch, or soldering iron, which are similar, but not the same, and don't have the same penetration, or strength.

Everyone, and his brother went to learn how to weld when I went to high school. I taught myself, as my older brother went to vocational school for this. I didn't have anyone to teach me, so my buddy bought a Mig welder, and we learned to lay beads ourselves. This is a lot of fun, and you can make a lot of things with welding. All you need to know is where to have it chromed, or plated with whatever finish you want on it. An added plus to having a welder is, you can fix a lot of things, not just for your self, but for others too!

Watching this all come together is just as fun! I'm glad you know all these techniques, and that you're implementing them on all your builds! Regarless of real world vehicles' designs, it's great to see some otherworldly shapes come out of you with practical applications. The torsion bars are brilliant! You should add some shock absorbers to the rest of the suspension, and a sway bar that actually works! (maybe a steering gear?) I know you can do it.

~ Cobra Chris

[DarthDuck]

Well, have most of the suspension components accounted for now. Went with a Torsion Bar suspension which comes off of the upper suspension arm and of course runs along the body. That gets rid of visible springs and arguably keeps exposed springs from getting damaged in rough terrain or combat situations. One side down, one to go.

[DarthDuck]

Getting closer to setting her on her feet!

To maintain suspension geometry on the asymmetrical platform this mount looks quite different, But all the suspension mount points were lined up by a rod passed through from front to rear and this is where this one came out.

[Apophis]

That is really awesome Don! Now this really does look like it belongs in the Mak universe, well done man!

[DarthDuck]

(11-27-2010, 01:45 AM)Apophis Wrote: That is really awesome Don! Now this really does look like it belongs in the Mak universe, well done man!

Thanks Apophis,
Will get to some more character additions as well that should help.

[JAWS]

Agreed. This is some serious scratchin your doing Don. Really appreciateing your time on posting this.

[DarthDuck]

(11-27-2010, 05:48 AM)jasonwright.1972 Wrote: Agreed. This is some serious scratchin your doing Don. Really appreciateing your time on posting this.

Thanks Jase,
My very small way to hope to contribute around here.

[DarthDuck]

With some of the suspension sorted, turned it back upside so that the wheels/tires wouldn't be in the way for some more building. The boom from the donor kit (LARV) along with a cooling vent were added to the rear.