The Energon Pub

Alty on YouTube · by **Altitron** » Sat Jul 14, 2007 4:02 pm

CUSTOM/KITBASH STATISTICS

Base figure: Robots in Disguise Obsidian

Paints used: Krylon Fusion maroon/blood red, Krylon Fusion light/lime green, Games Workshop Chaos Black, Games Workshop Boltgun Metal

Tools used: Cold Heat soldering iron, small phillips-head screw driver, masking tape, exacto knife, Games Workshop super glue, Games Workshop small drybrush, 220 grit sand paper, isopropyl alcohol, latex gloves

I was inspired to create this figure after seeing the Dawn of Future's Past BotCon 2006 set and add-on figures, as well as the custom figures on the TCC boards (most notably Psychography's Deptcharge from Sharkticon, Rampage from tank Unicron, and Tarantulas from Dirt Boss... awesome stuff). There were already a few Terrorsaurs out there, but they were all converted from jet-mode Transformers, and that didn't sit right with me.

Stand by for way too much deep thinking! Although Waspinator and Terrorsaur both share the ability to fly, their means of this locomotion differ entirely. Waspinator makes sense as a jet, being a nimble and quick insect. However, pterodactyls used heated air columns for lift, much like a hovering helicopter! And there we have it...

This took about a week to do. Everything is pretty much complete, although I am still lacking a robot head for Terrorsaur (eyeing some Ebay auctions... should have picked up a junker one at BotCon

) Due to that, I'm really only going to post up pictures in chopper mode, as a headless robot really isn't appealing to me... I will be updating the project page for this figure on my website soon, which will detail the figure and the process to create it a bit more. You can check that out by following THIS LINK. Anyway, hope you guys dig it; on with the pictures!

by **Ramrider** » Sat Jul 14, 2007 4:31 pm

That's looking really nice - can't wait to see how the robot mode turns out. I can't work out offhand how you're going to fit a head...

I've gotta say, though, having a look at your website, I think I liked the assault version you were veering towards better - I know you've got the whole wind currents reasoning for this one, but aesthetically (and possibly character-wise) I think the missile launchers would fit better.

How did you get the rotors on and off, anyway? I've never tried it myself, but it doesn't look like they'd just pop off easily.

Alty on YouTube · by **Altitron** » Sat Jul 14, 2007 4:59 pm

Yeah, I was actually leaning towards that myself, but I just couldn't pass up how it looked witht he green. I know it's not show-accurate, but it brings in the color used on the spotted hide of the toy, kind of bridging the two.

With the rotors, I used the non-blade edge of my exacto knife, and wedged it between the bottom of the rotor cap and the rotor itself. I wiggled the knife to created a gap, and worked it all the way around until the cap popped off. There is a metal, threaded rod that runs from the launcher portion, through the center of the rotor, and connects to the cap, so it was just a process of threading it back out, and viola.

by **Ramrider** » Sat Jul 14, 2007 5:10 pm

Hey, I never give a stuff for show accurate anyway. If you were going for that you'd need stuff like the Incredible Shrinking Wings, and magically appearing rocket launchers. The green's good - excellent choice.

Alty on YouTube · by **Altitron** » Sat Jul 14, 2007 5:14 pm

Thanks.

That means a lot coming from you, because although I haven't posted much on these boards, I do lurk about a lot, and you are a very knowledgeable kitbasher/customizer/repainter. I think my buddy, Asepticon, is your biggest fan.

Oh, and about the head... yeah... I don't have any basic Beast Wars toys to compare the size of the head against the Obsidian mold, so I'm not sure. The best I can do is just figure it out when I get one. If anything, I'll probably just file down either side of the head a little bit, I think, because the original toy's head is pretty darn obese, and it could use some weight-loss.

by **Ramrider** » Sat Jul 14, 2007 5:24 pm

He he. He's a mate of yours, is he?
I've just experimented a fair bit. I'm also a bit of an expert at half-finishing stuff..!

I dunno about the heads. Actually, size-wise you might be okay. I think the trick will be getting the attachment sorted. Unfortunately I haven't mucked about with either of those two for a while, and can't remember how each of their necks work.