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I think so.
Now, cutting through cylindrical rod is a *****. What I do is to extend the blade like you see, press down onto the mark I made from above and then use both hands. One presses the blade GENTLY down and forward, rolling the tube as it cuts. Ideally the front of the cut should meet the back, Ourobourous-style. Your other hand gently steadies the rod as it rolls.
You’re not trying to cut through the rod, just score it...
http://fc05.deviantart.net/fs71/i/20...er-d7hmn6i.jpg
...like so:
http://fc08.deviantart.net/fs70/f/20...er-d7hmn6c.jpg
You can use your fingers to crack it, or if you’re like me and have sausage fingers, a pair of modelling tweezers will do the job nicely:
http://fc02.deviantart.net/fs71/i/20...er-d7hmn69.jpg
http://fc09.deviantart.net/fs71/f/20...er-d7hmn64.jpg
Repeat this for the targetter.
http://fc09.deviantart.net/fs70/i/20...er-d7hmn60.jpg
Next, sand down all the remaining surfaces on your gun’s body and get ready to assemble your bits.
http://fc01.deviantart.net/fs70/i/20...er-d7hmn5q.jpg
Glue the barrel and targetter in place:
http://fc06.deviantart.net/fs70/i/20...er-d7hmn5k.jpg
And now the gun is looking more like it should.
http://th01.deviantart.net/fs71/PRE/...er-d7hmn5c.jpg
Next comes the greebling process. I’m just going to include the shots of what I did. You can copy what I did, or do what you like to develop the detail on your gun.
http://th05.deviantart.net/fs70/PRE/...er-d7hmn59.jpg
Note that if I’m doing precise, tiny cuts, I’ll use the very tip of my knife, press down directly on the back of the blade. Remember, if your blade doesn’t have a tip, break/replace that blade. It’s not safe any more.
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Doh, photobucket got you!
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It did indeed, but I think I've fixed it...
http://th06.deviantart.net/fs71/PRE/...er-d7hmn53.jpg
http://fc02.deviantart.net/fs70/f/20...er-d7hmn4w.jpg
I don’t use scalpels for cutting. I use them to apply pieces that are too small for my hands to pick up. I put a little dot of poly cement somewhere, and dip the tip of the blade into that, so that it adheres to the piece without needing me to stab the point in (which will both dull the blade and leave unsightly stab marks).
[img]http://fc08.deviantart.net/fs70/i/2014/128/0/a/2014_05_08_17_26_20_by_yorknecromancer-d7hmn4q.jpg [/img
http://fc07.deviantart.net/fs70/i/20...er-d7hmn4n.jpg
http://fc00.deviantart.net/fs70/f/20...er-d7hmn4h.jpg
http://fc02.deviantart.net/fs71/i/20...er-d7hmn4b.jpg
http://fc05.deviantart.net/fs70/i/20...er-d7hmn45.jpg
http://th04.deviantart.net/fs70/PRE/...er-d7hmn40.jpg
http://th07.deviantart.net/fs70/PRE/...er-d7hmn3q.jpg
http://fc00.deviantart.net/fs71/i/20...er-d7hmn3d.jpg
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Coming together nicely...
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Last one, buddy! :)
http://th03.deviantart.net/fs71/PRE/...er-d7hmn39.jpg
http://th07.deviantart.net/fs70/PRE/...er-d7hmn31.jpg
http://fc07.deviantart.net/fs71/f/20...er-d7hmn2s.jpg
http://fc01.deviantart.net/fs71/i/20...er-d7hmn2m.jpg
For rivets, slice your thinnest styrene rod into thin slices like a cucumber. Again, use the very tip of your blade.
http://fc03.deviantart.net/fs70/i/20...er-d7hmn1v.jpg
Apply those rivets with your scalpel and a dot of glue where you want them to go.
http://fc05.deviantart.net/fs71/i/20...er-d7hmn1q.jpg
http://fc04.deviantart.net/fs70/i/20...er-d7hmn18.jpg
http://fc05.deviantart.net/fs71/i/20...er-d7hmn11.jpg
And you’re done!
http://fc00.deviantart.net/fs70/i/20...er-d7hmn0v.jpg
Thank you all for reading, and thank you Thaldin in particular for your help with the replies! You’re a hero.
I hope this encourages everyone here to try experimenting with plasticard. It really is quite incredibly easy. You don’t need anything but patience and care. You certainly will never need templates.
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Glad I could do something productive while I was at work... you know...instead of like..working? =D
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Believe me, your help is appreciated. :) It's ridiculous, but making that Heavy Bolter only took twenty minutes, but the photographing meant that time ballooned to an hour. Writing it up took another hour, and then as for monkeying around with Photobucket and creating a new account? I've spent the rest of the night posting this! :) It turns out that success can cause you difficulties - not something I've had to worry about before! Evidently, since my Taurox conversion went on the BoLS Facebook page, it's had over 14,000 views, which has completely crashed my Photobucket account. I normally only get about fifty! It's nice that people are enjoying it, though.
Still, hopefully people will like this too.
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nice work your skill is artisan like, when do you start the scratch built Leviathan Command vehicle?
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You're scratch building is awesome! I could follow this guide step by step and still end up with a spice rack however :(
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Great guide on how to scratchbuild a Heavy Bolter! :D