The Energon Pub

yes you're reading this correctly ... i've re-imagined the trailer i've made for mp ultra magnus ...since i'm building trailers right now for clients i've decided to re-do one ! so here the first edition that everyone remembers....







for a long time ideas have been brewing in my head on how to make him into a perfect figure that i would want.... a bit more complex .... also there is a video of the new rifle available... (lights and electronics..) not complete but gives you an idea of where it's going...

HERE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CvxuKoIsugg


also the eyes will light-up the legs are going to be totally re-done, more details and also shoulders will be highly poseable as you can see in the pictures.... all will change not much will remain untouched and this will incorporate all of the new techniques that i've learned theses past 2 years ....
so here are the pics !!! note work in progress

I like those thicker white support beams that form his battle suit arms. It really improves that sense of proportion I think, and I like the relative proportions you've built so far.

This looks brilliant so far; the proportions are top notch. I'm really interested, though, to see where you take the legs...

Tramp wrote:This is definately looking good,thougn I wonder how you intend to fit LEDs in the optics with the inner robot's head in the helmet.

I would love to see what you could come up with for a Classics Ultra Magnus.

already in the works !!

well this is and allot as changed since last time !!!

here are the pics ....





and suprise !!!!

wow, it looks awesome so far. One question, are the hinges glued or did you fill in the screw with apoxie?

i like the addition of the matrix chamber... possibility of led for glowing matrix? ala prime...

led's are in the plan but will need to do some testing first....
here are the first pics of the first stage of the upper leg parts.....

Oh, I think I see what you're doing with the legs. Looks like you've come up with a kind of sleeve that bulks out the thigh and presumably folds into the lower leg for the transformation. Correct?
The only thing that bothers me about this so far is the face. Don't get me wrong, it looks awesome and well-crafted and all, but I can't help thinking he looks worried. That'll somewhat dampen the effect of those heroic poses he'll probably get put in...

"i can't deal with this now."

matrix chamber. fantastic!

I'd LOVE to buy a transformable trailer for people who have repainted the 2-pack edition optimus prime into UM...but 750 bucks?!?!?! are you forgetting that transformers is a TOY line?as in "for kids"?
I'm 15,and have been TF collector since my birth, (and kitbasher since when i was about 12) and i just don't think i'll be able to cough up money for a trailer with my allowance. ( €5,00 a week)

you started at the time of g2 range about then if your 15 as g1 was released in 1984 which was 3 years after i was born

rhinox555 wrote:I'd LOVE to buy a transformable trailer for people who have repainted the 2-pack edition optimus prime into UM...but 750 bucks?!?!?! are you forgetting that transformers is a TOY line?as in "for kids"?
I'm 15,and have been TF collector since my birth, (and kitbasher since when i was about 12) and i just don't think i'll be able to cough up money for a trailer with my allowance. ( €5,00 a week)

you also have to remember these are hand made, not mass produced. They are closer to artwork than a toy you would buy in a store. First think about cost of materials used and subtract that from the price, then Just think about the sheer man hours into one of these things and divide by that number and it will give you what he'd be making an hour. I'm betting it wouldn't be much over minimum wage and he deserves more than that considering he is far above the skill level of almost everyone on this board.

rhinox555 wrote:I'd LOVE to buy a transformable trailer for people who have repainted the 2-pack edition optimus prime into UM...but 750 bucks?!?!?! are you forgetting that transformers is a TOY line?as in "for kids"?
I'm 15,and have been TF collector since my birth, (and kitbasher since when i was about 12) and i just don't think i'll be able to cough up money for a trailer with my allowance. ( €5,00 a week)

are you forgetting the cost of material,time to build, uniquess of items and all of the trouble it causes ? i have 2 children, a wife , a job and if i want to make money i could always do overtime .... at 25.00/hr i would have no trouble making money BUT i want to do something that i love more... transformers....

at your age you might consider transformers "TOYS" and might have little experience with kitbashing but my generation considers them more like "COLLECTIBLES" so there is a huge difference.... something that you might realize with time.....

you could always build yours and tell me how long an how much it costs.... you'll be suprised....

I'm not saying it's easy or cheap to make the trailer,but 750 bucks? also, to jimsloth,i realize that the MP's aren't really toys,believe me,if i treated my TF's as "toys" then i'd sell one every now and then,but every TF is holy to me.
and to Ratbat,i believe my first TF was a G2 firecracker,made by Takara in 1994,i still have it this day,in perfect condition,not a scratch on the paint and not a change in movement.
Anyway back to the trailer point,except for the pricepoint,i REALLY think it's awesome. but do you have hasbro/takara's permission to sell those,cause if you don't,they might get you for it. (i hope that doesn't happen because i'd sure as hell like to see more in the future)

On average a Good Kitbasher on ebay well get paid $200 for a alternator for a piece such as marks you have lights and electronics if when you take into account i know that cost on materials can be a strong cost. Same things such as Repaints on some of the older things are not the most to worry about in cost anyone can paint a prime black and call it dark convoy.

With the work mark does its working out the transformation and everything and getting as much detail as poss. the cost fair enough is costly but your paying for the quality of the item.

If mark had the same amount of people making them as hasbro and takara do then i am sure the cost would be less.

And for example TFMaster (R.I.P) did a powermaster prime if he said that your looking at the same cost to take into account materials time and effort.

I would be gratedul in future rather then you trying to take into account minor details and respect peoples work. instead of in my words.

Materials cost money at the end of the day then you have labor to take into account. Painting time. Electrics. Rather then you commenting on other peoples work lets see what you have done. We are all fair in out comments in general.

Also Hasbro knows that people such as marks projects and rebid squirrel are about. if hasbro wanted to do something they would of and all works are homage to Works by them and others

I said i didn't disrespect his work,i'm just implying that there might be cheaper alternatives,like selling unpainted and/or unassembled versions.
Or something like that,the UM Trailer is still the best scratchbuilt i ever saw.

Hahaha. Well no one's trying to belittle your experience, rhinox. It's just that the answer to your question would require a whole of economics. It's difficult enough to explain even to the average adult why the price of anything is the way it is and what goes into it.

Commercial toys are that affordable to sell and to produce primarily because of mass volume production and sale. Yet all the issues the guys have mentioned must be handled, and the associated costs must be paid there too. The cost of those prototypes and test shots for a single figure can be in the thousands, I think. Didn't we have some articles on that posted somewhere?

With hobbyist modelers, some of whom may be doing commissioned work, all the same issues and costs exist in some form, and for each piece of work done each time. So if you think about it, a few hundred is actually pretty affordable -- many costs have already been cut. And others can't be. Because either they're going to do it, or you might as well be doing it yourself. If the artist is going to agree to do it all, they're going to do it the way they feel they need to work. And that's why one commissions an artist in the first place: because they trust in the artist's standards and ability.

I know it's not be the most intuitive or satisfying answer, but it's the real one. The first unit of anything costs the most. And for a single unit, there isn't much volume to split the cost over. If you think this is scary or incomprehensible, you should go check the prices for regular non-transforming models like those commissioned scifi spaceships. ^_^

you took the words right out of my mouths guys lol.... the thing that really bugs me about this is that i have to justify this over and over and over.... we really should have a major thread on this.... anyhow .... i have a small update !!!

ok guys change of plan..... major modifications to accomodate the matrix chamber....(will make some people happy lol ) here is the result and note the highly detailed matrix !!! enjoy ! (in the early phase right now....
enjoy !!!

I thought the first version of this armor wasn't too bad, but the new modification are making it look pretty darn amazing.

So what material do you make these with anyway?
And if i'd buy one,would my MP magnus still be able to transform into regular bot mode?

most kitbashers use stryene which is very useful and in some places easy to access from model shops and other places depending on your location in general. Otherwise its via the internet for people such as myself in the united kingdom.

rhinox555 wrote:So what material do you make these with anyway?
And if i'd buy one,would my MP magnus still be able to transform into regular bot mode?

its only armor.. your magnus doesnt get touched...

Okay,in other words: The perfect masterpiece.

wow. I was going to say something up above about the way the matrix chamber opened, but I didn't want to be too nit picky, but you went ahead, read my mind, and fixed it anyways! That looks so freakin' sweet. One minor question, why aren't you using the matrix from the Masterpiece Magnus figure that goes in the armor. (although I can see yours may wind up looking even better)