The Energon Pub

As suggested by Jimsloth in my Megs thread, I bought the "Primus Unleashed" Optimus in order to make a matching TM Optimus Primal. I thought his transformation was similar, but it turns out his transformation is completely different. (It's closer to Optimus Minor.) So, instead of contemplating what generation of Optimus I'd imitate, my question is what aspect of TM Optimus is most important to match? Bot, Alt or some totally made up version using the colors?

It can still be done. just make his monkey chest blue, and robo chest tan. it'll look perfect.

The blue of his beast-mode tends to come out the best. But I tend to think you can still do something where beast modes and bot modes still match.

Note of caution:
DO NOT USE ANY COMIBINATION OF M.E.K. IN YOUR PAINT REMOVAL SOLUTION!
So someone suggested to me to use a tiny bit of Methyl Ethyl Ketone in with my denatured alcohol to clean and prep my figure for priming. The M.E.K. was supposed to slightly etch the surface to improve adhesion. Well, below is the result. While the M.E.K. did not ruin the rest of the figure, it did weaken the plastic enough around the neck pin to completely crumble. It just disintegrated in my hands. So my Optimus project is delayed a bit while I try to figure out how to fix this. Maybe Milliput will work. <SIGH>

Arse. I dunno about MEK, but I've accidentally used too much acetone (nail polish remover) before, and that has fun with the plastic. It's fine with a couple of drops in a saucepanful of water, but neat it plays merry hell with your parts.

Anyway, you should be able to fabricate a new hinge piece from thick styrene. If you then attach it with a good superglue or epoxy, it ought to hold fine.

Cross your fingers!
I've rinsed all the parts in water so I wouldn't have any other surprises. I've glued what bits I could find back together with C.A., and so far it's holding even with some bits gone. If all goes well, I should be able to start painting tonight. Maybe not so much of a delay afterall.

Blimey, sounds like a goooood CA. I've actually finally found one that works really well, but most that I've used fall apart when you touch 'em...

Yeah, it's some sort of thick industrial stuff used in our fabrication department. Guess I should have realized that if their CA is powerful, their solvents would be too.

The bits are holding just fine. I've already begun the painting. So far it looks like I'm just going to have to use his color scheme without relying too much on accuracy. Oh well. I think it will work though. Now I just need to find my metallic blue...

testors makes a nice metalic blue spraypaint.
*edit* but their bottled brush on metalic blue is crap.

Finally got around to taking pictures. Hope you guys like him.

Gasping in extreme awe

The best Transmetal Optimus has ever looked.

You pulled it off, all right. EXCELLENTLY done!

Bad ass. I like it alot.

I don't like the new spelling of Optimus' name, but I do like the paint job! Nice work!

Niiiice.

i like it I miss the Surf board That went with him.

Be interesting if you scratch built a surf board to go with him

don't need to.he comes with a surfboard slash cannon

Grimlockprime108, you silly. When you write it, it should be "surfboard/cannon."

Also, what did happen to that surfboard Pyro? I'm sure Hasbro gave it to Primal to emulate his TM form, it would be perfect for this project!

i didn't feel like.....honestly i have no idea why i wrote it out like that.........i think i should go lie down

I didn't really like the surfboard so it was put to the side. It's one of those "I'll get around to it sometime" sort of things.

pretty swank. could do with larger pictures.
I think the typical gradient on his chest would look nice too. *checks* oh, it looks different than I remember it.
So what was the problem between robot and beast mode coloring? I guess the limbs? Looks like you went with the toy molding as a guide for color placement. interesting.

Wow that turned out perfectly!. Yea I always considered that mold to be closer to BM primal transformationwise. Works perfectly for TM Primal and I would have never known! great job.

Ooooh. Thread necromancy! Thanks for the comments.
Maybe after the first of the year I can get back to my customizing. It's been hectic.