Blackadder's Lucius Pattern Reaver

[Blackadder]

Refreshed:

I cannot believe the amount of enthusiasm I have for this project again. It was getting tedious and I just needed a break. Suitably refreshed I managed more today than I was doing in a week a month ago.

So we've reached a point where the cheek conduits need to be installed and because this Titan will be both a Mars and a Lucius the conduits most be removable.

[url]http://i.imgur.com/yLmHNrj.jpg[/url]


Enter the rare earth magnets. I have a goodly supply of 3,0 MM / 1/8 inch so both ends of the conduits and receptacles got drilled and press fitted magnets into the undersized holes. All the poles are correct so the conduits are interchangeable.

[url]http://i.imgur.com/XIpYb5c.jpg[/url]


The magnet-magnet connection is fairly strong for their tiny size, strong enough to lift the head.

[url]http://i.imgur.com/cQfaak7.jpg[/url]


This is one mean looking mo-fo!

[url]http://i.imgur.com/WIiqDfo.jpg[/url]


So the moment of true arrives when switching to the Lucius cowl.

[url]http://i.imgur.com/X4lUFcT.jpg[/url]


Everything lines up rather well.

[url]http://i.imgur.com/2vlJgxW.jpg[/url]


Look like the cowl is being attacked by Shelob

[url]http://i.imgur.com/gNx37A3.jpg[/url]

[TheGreatFireDrake]

Always inspiring, always a pleasure to see progress.

[Blackadder]

Thanks for the reply,

Conduit Collars:

You always have to be on the look out for interesting bits of scrap such as the subject of this post; conduit collars.

It would be pretty tedious to make collars to ring the penetration points where the large electrical conduits enter the housings; in this case the Reaver head jowls. Leaving these plain give an unfinished look to the area besides the more detail the better.

[url]http://i.imgur.com/HyMYDR5.jpg[/url]


Fortunately I have had this idea for quite a few years and have mentioned it before but it doesn't hurt to re-introduce it.

[url]http://i.imgur.com/EYrG2lv.jpg[/url]


When you cut large holes in styrene using wood hole augers you get these nicely shaped rings that are roundly beveled inside and out but usually get swept away with the refuse. These make dandy collars with a minimum of cleaning and sanding.

[url]http://i.imgur.com/VayG0C3.jpg[/url]


The image above shows the collars glued in place before the final cleaning and I believe they add a nice touch to an ordinarily bland area.

I have used these extensively on most of my models even as just tchotchke decorations.

[Fizzybubela]

Looks good. Your most recent post has turned up on some of your other threads as well for some reason.

[SotonShades]

I've been away far too long, but really glad to see how this is coming along. Top notch, as always mate.

[Blackadder]

Looking More Like Road Kill Than Reavers:

So today I started the superstructure on the Carapace on both Reavers. I think I have finally come up with a course of action.

[url]http://i.imgur.com/Vlr1Ynp.jpg[/url]


First order of business is to increase the depth of the rocket pod well so the pods nestle nicely in the carapace armour.

[url]http://i.imgur.com/EJ059u8.jpg[/url]


Really not much to see considering the two hours work I put into these.

[Blackadder]

It's Friday Again!:

Seems like it was Friday just a week ago.

I guess I'll be waiting a couple of day for a critique on this work judging by past performances.

This has been quite a busy couple of days where I finally got the inspiration to go ahead with the Reaver Carapace. My first impulse was to fair the outrigger rocket pods into the center pod structure as seen on the right of the image below. I got one accomplished; the fairing looked rather good to me; a very business like no nonsense clean installation. Just what you might expect on a Lucius Reaver.

[url]http://i.imgur.com/PCzNpzt.jpg[/url]


But somehow it lacked panache and I still had the problem of the 'head' sticking way out in front on that ridiculously long neck that is not changeable, it's part of the basic Mars model.

So after a month of agonizing and a days work I decided to scrap the look on the right and go for a sleeker look with a longer center fairing; the Reaver on the left. This design will extend the carapace a good half inch forward, well over the hood.

[url]http://i.imgur.com/sssZPyz.jpg[/url]


So to stimulate some weekend activity on this thread I'm going to let my gentle-readers weigh in with their opinions on how I proceed.

[url]http://i.imgur.com/XQDe73o.jpg[/url]

[iplaythisgame]

What tools are you using to make the collars? I picked up one of [URL="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00E6APWAS/ref=oh_details_o02_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1"]these[/URL] sets to make circles, and it works pretty well.

I used it to punch out the circles for the bushings in [URL="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-WQodECg-o9o/U0DWYEqkyyI/AAAAAAAAB-s/Cn1myjIcLMQ/s1600/CameraZOOM-20140403235020041.jpg"]this[/URL]

[Blackadder]

Thanks for the link. Actually I have no trouble cutting circles; the reference was just a hint of what to do with these great little 3D doughnuts. chances are you wouldn't be able to make those with any sort of punch.

I dislike most punches because they leave ragged edges which have to be cleaned anyway so I don't see what the savings is. BTW the cargo loading clamp looks great. Thanks for the image.

[Blackadder]

By George He's Got It:

In a rare display of self-congratulation (Really BA?) I am here to say this has come out 'way better than I could have imagined. Everything fell into place this weekend and the Reaver has a hulking Lucius visage.

Not only will the center rocket pod be able to fire whilst undeployed but now there is even a reason for the hood; to protect the cockpit from the rocket exhaust of course.

[url]http://i.imgur.com/YaocG4M.jpg[/url]


I'm sorry to be so ebullient but I've agonized over how to proceed with this model for SSSSSooooo LLLLLLoooonnnnngggggg! and now to have everything work so well is, is, well a relief.

Thrusting the carapace forward a few millimeters did wonders with the neck length. The outer skin on the hood and carapace just seems to flow purpose.

[url]http://i.imgur.com/PqxOP4k.jpg[/url]


I'm going to just dump the lot of pictures without explanation:

[url]http://i.imgur.com/TW3TWnr.jpg[/url]


Just look at this bad boy, even without sculpting and detail he just reeks mean.

Looks a bit like Darth Vader don't he?

[url]http://i.imgur.com/hUxzz1e.jpg[/url]


The top view shows the fearful symmetry that the curve center cowl suddenly brought to the table. All the time I wasted trying to come up with a decent fairing between the pods and a simple curved structure pulled it all together.

[url]http://i.imgur.com/FhOoqtt.jpg[/url]


In this last shot one can almost see the rear housing skin and rear carapace is going to work as well.

[url]http://i.imgur.com/SNhS7SW.jpg[/url]


My apologies for my uncharacteristic ebullience.