The Energon Pub

Sun Mar 08, 2015 6:21 pm

Since it's basically a nylon-type plastic, I had thought it should be okay, IIRC it's already slightly thicker than the original piece. I've since made it thicker, with the original design also available in steel.

Tue Mar 10, 2015 6:34 am

Finally finished the Nightbeat/Generations BB neck mount.

http://shpws.me/Dacr

Sun Mar 15, 2015 11:14 am

Glaug, did you ever do a test print of the Cloud Shockwave upgrade? I'm curious as to how it looks when attached to the figure.

Sun Mar 15, 2015 12:02 pm

Moosey wrote:Glaug, did you ever do a test print of the Cloud Shockwave upgrade? I'm curious as to how it looks when attached to the figure.

I haven't yet, my apologies. I'll stick any updates in this thread, as usual.

Mon Mar 30, 2015 6:07 pm

Since I had mixed feedback on the Shapeways prints, I decided to look into other options for the Prime/Motormaster hip replacements, and Nonnef has delivered! Now cast in glorious ABS plastic like the original toy, there should be no more durability worries.

http://www.nonnef.com/products/12609075-prime-motormaster-hip-ratchet-upgrade

This won't be the last design of mine to be produced by the 'Nef either. Keep your eyes peeled for now...

News Credits: 12 · Mon Mar 30, 2015 6:18 pm

Ooh, excellent! When i get Motormaster I should totally order some of these...if Motormaster ever gets in stock...

News Credits: 9 · Mon Mar 30, 2015 6:56 pm

Preordered these hip replacements and a couple other upgrades from Nonnef last night.
Looking forward to getting these in and getting them installed.

Mon Mar 30, 2015 8:07 pm

Nice! If these do well, I will definitely get them.

Sat Apr 25, 2015 6:17 am

Been a bit busy IRL lately, but here's a review from Brickonator/Girl Pants on TFW, complete with pics of a fully-upgraded Nightbeat, and Chromia's shield parts:

I ordered some of Glaug's kits over the last few weeks. I'm very satisfied with his work.

The Nightbeat stuff works flawlessly (easy to disassemble and does not interfere with transformation at all) and the chest even looks decent without painting (I will paint it later though, or at least give it a clear coat to make it less matte). Honestly, I think the head looks okay with just the new chest, but the neck extension does make it look better.

The Chromia kit is a bit involved. There's no way around that. I did crack the part around the last pin you have to remove while I removed that pin. But honestly, it's very minor and hard to see. As for the parts themselves, they work great. They're perhaps a little too tight, but I'd rather too much friction over too little, I guess. That might just be luck of the draw with the various tolerances of your Chromia and the impreciseness of 3D printing. It might be a bit challenging, but this was my first time removing pins and so if I can do it, anyone can.

News Credits: 19 · Sun Apr 26, 2015 6:32 am

Your Nightbeat parts really elevate that hugely disappointing figure. He looks much more G1 (or IDW) accurate and distinctive. Far better than that Bumblebee mold deserves to look.

Really liking the improved feet articulation of Classics Prime. That's one of the few Classics figures I still own (as it was a present) and yours poses so much better.

Fri May 01, 2015 8:40 pm

Carnivius_Prime wrote:Your Nightbeat parts really elevate that hugely disappointing figure. He looks much more G1 (or IDW) accurate and distinctive. Far better than that Bumblebee mold deserves to look.

Really liking the improved feet articulation of Classics Prime. That's one of the few Classics figures I still own (as it was a present) and yours poses so much better.

Thanks on both counts!

Quick Nautica-themed update:

Sat May 02, 2015 7:35 am

Okay, most annoying part of the Nautica design over and done with, hopefully. Yes, the visor rotates!

News Credits: 12 · Sat May 02, 2015 12:21 pm

If you don't mind me being perfectly honest, that face is kinda scary...maybe it'll look better in person though. It's still better than my pitiful attempt at making a Megatron head anyway.

Sun May 03, 2015 10:40 am

GlauG wrote:

Okay, most annoying part of the Nautica design over and done with, hopefully. Yes, the visor rotates!

Do we really need the somewhat scary smile?

Anyway, I like it. What figure is it supposed to work with?

Sun May 03, 2015 12:47 pm

synapse wrote:
Do we really need the somewhat scary smile?

Anyway, I like it. What figure is it supposed to work with?

I'd be lying if I said I didn't find it amusing that so many people are creeped out by the smile. I guess it's more Uncanny Valley than I'd intended, but I am okay with this. The head (and indeed the other parts) are meant to work with the Beast Hunters deluxe Starscream mould.

Ended up deciding I want to test three different designs for how the head assembles, due to wanting the visor to rotate, as well as having light-piping. Will be my first test of this new Frosted Detail type from Shapeways, too.

http://www.shapeways.com/product/DY2W7Y5A3/nautical-femmebot-face-test

Mon May 04, 2015 10:47 am

Just the lower legs & feet to go... Happy with how she's looking.

News Credits: 1 · Tue May 05, 2015 11:00 am

Nautica looks awesome so far. Definitely shaping up to be a must-have. Bravo, sir. Bravo. :APPLAUSE:

Tue May 05, 2015 2:19 pm

Indeed, I may have to get the BH Starscream just for this.

Tue May 05, 2015 5:09 pm

Thanks guys!

Okay, I'm done! Kinda.

Well, mostly, anyway. She needs a little work here and there, and then to be sprued up for Shapeways printing, but this is 99% what the finish product should look like.

A quick preview compared to BH Screamer.

News Credits: 12 · Tue May 05, 2015 5:10 pm

Looking pretty good!

Fri May 08, 2015 5:43 pm

Coincidentally, I heard a disappointing review of the Perfect Effect CW addon parts at the same time as I received these images of my own CW Ankle joints (http://shpws.me/Gtxq) from At0micCav3man on Shapeways. So now's the time to promote them, I guess!

http://shpws.me/Gtxq

Very happy with how they look, although apparently his set were slightly tight before a little light sanding.

They come in Black, White, and Purple, FYI

Sun May 10, 2015 5:27 am

All your stuff looks really great.

I've never really worked much with Shapeways or customization in general, but seeing kits like this really makes me want to. But for curiosity's sake, I'd still like to know, from you or anyone who's had to work with the stuff, how the quality of the material is, how it works when applied to a figure or how it is with paint?

Sun May 10, 2015 5:50 am

Almost there...

Sprueing things is a horrible, boring process.

Inaction wrote:All your stuff looks really great.

I've never really worked much with Shapeways or customization in general, but seeing kits like this really makes me want to. But for curiosity's sake, I'd still like to know, from you or anyone who's had to work with the stuff, how the quality of the material is, how it works when applied to a figure or how it is with paint?

Thanks!

I've used a number of different Shapeways materials at this point, the main two that I sell my sets in are Solid Flexible and Frosted Detail types. Solid Flexible's printed at a lower resolution than the Detail plastics, but the Polished version is smoother than unpolished, obviously.

Solid Flexible is porous, which is really good for painting. I generally recommend buying my sets in White Solid Flexible Polished, spraying them the desired colour, then putting down a gloss topcoat then doing another coat of each. Leave it to cure for about 2 weeks and you should have a fairly hardwearing piece.

If you go back through this thread, you can see plenty of examples of parts that have been painted, my Nightbeat and G2 Dreadwing parts in particular.

News Credits: 1 · Sun May 10, 2015 8:30 am

Can't wait for Nautica...she will be bought as soon as possible! This kit really got me thinking about a custom project that I started (but was unable to properly finish) a long while back. I have no experience with 3D modelling, printing, etc. Would it be possible/cost effective to make a similar kit (new chest piece, arms, legs, head, etc.)for the old Classics Seekers mold to create Slipstream?

Sun May 10, 2015 9:20 am

Fuhzimota wrote:Can't wait for Nautica...she will be bought as soon as possible! This kit really got me thinking about a custom project that I started (but was unable to properly finish) a long while back. I have no experience with 3D modelling, printing, etc. Would it be possible/cost effective to make a similar kit (new chest piece, arms, legs, head, etc.)for the old Classics Seekers mold to create Slipstream?

Possible? Yes. Cost-effective, not so much. I suspect it would work out even more material (and thus expense) than Nautica here. Although the main difficulty I can see offhand is making more feminine legs collapse correctly for the plane mode.