cylonchaney's vehicle customs

[minifigvig]

1 hour ago, cylonchaney said:

I was considering peg holes and modular seating so bench seating might be a possibility but probably not. I'm going to move to a single pilot seat so I can fit it closer to the front.

awesome! yeah, was just curious what options there were. since i don’t 3D print i hadn’t even thought about the time to print! but it makes sense to keep it as small as possible.

a single pilot seat sounds like a good move, keep up the good work it’s been so cool to see the stages of the designs for all the stuff you’ve made so far

[cylonchaney]

Work on the Blackbird progresses. While it's an improvement over the first one, I'm just not feeling this one. I've been playing around but I just can't seem to get to where I feel it's a good representation. The latest:

 

 

 

 

[cylonchaney]

Still trying to find my way with the Blackbird. I feel like it's an improvement but still feel I can do better.

 

 

[blogzilly]

On 9/3/2023 at 12:58 PM, cylonchaney said:

Still trying to find my way with the Blackbird. I feel like it's an improvement but still feel I can do better.

 

 

Have you shown what Blackbird you’re trying to model this after? I understand that you’re endgame is to make a Chibi kind of thing, but what’s the basic reference you are using?

[cylonchaney]

10 hours ago, blogzilly said:

Have you shown what Blackbird you’re trying to model this after? I understand that you’re endgame is to make a Chibi kind of thing, but what’s the basic reference you are using?

I'm not married to a specific design. Played with a couple of different wing styles and some other things. I do kind of like the backwards swept wing style.

I've had this challenge with the Viper and Thunderfighter as well where they are long thin ships and at first I make them too fat and stubby. The Blackbird, in any incarnation, is especially long and thin. On top of all that, I'm trying to make it hold two rows of mates, so it's really wide. If I dropped that feature, I could make it way narrower which would help a lot. But the fun of a Minimates Blackbird to me is the idea of transporting a team.

https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/1997-men-blackbird-jet-original-box-504233662 - This toy is what inspired me to take a stab though mine will be much larger relative to the figures. I can always head back towards a more direct copy of that design if none of my ideas work out.

I've been looking at this style which I think might be attractively deformed. https://www.ultimatepapermache.com/x-men-blackbird But it hasn't influenced the current iteration.

Just poking around, I usually end up with something I like. I was absolutely dismayed at my first Thunderfighter. A couple of iterations later, it's my favourite of my designs.

I might put the Blackbird aside for a while and move on to the Marauder that was supposed to be next.

If you have some thoughts, I'm open to criticism and suggestions. Bear in mind that I'm also working with a somewhat primitive tool set.

[blogzilly]

It reminded me of the animated toy, which mainly prompted the question. I understand the squat look you want to get. The team transport idea I think is great (I liked the idea of 3 Cylons in the Raider, for example). I don’t have criticisms, it’s your project, your design, and it could be done a lot of different ways. I appreciate hearing a bit of your thought process, it makes the watching of the evolution of it that much more interesting. 

[cylonchaney]

I updated my Cylon Raiders on Thingiverse, adding a new part. The file is called front-insert.stl and can be printed in black and glued into the front where it looks like jet engine intake or something. Gives the Raider a bit more detail and contrast.

3 pilot Raider

https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:5766423

Single Pilot Version

https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:5767185

 

[cylonchaney]

The beginnings of the Draconian Marauder. The main enemy ship of Buck Rogers.

 

[Padrino]

the minimate stealth jet with the wings flipped forward actually makes a pretty good blackbird. very similar to the animated version. 

 

https://minimatescentral.com/m-a-x-tech-stealth-jet-translucent-black-tru-exclusive/

[cylonchaney]

 

[elhonez]

Looking good, says this guy

 

[cylonchaney]

On 11/20/2023 at 9:35 PM, elhonez said:

Looking good, says this guy

 

LOL If I thought I could make a good Hawk custom, I'd consider making his ship as well.

The Marauder canopy is going to be a real pain in the butt.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited November 25, 2023 by cylonchaney

[cylonchaney]

Starting to come together.

 

 

 

[cylonchaney]

 

[cylonchaney]

In each photo we have, a reference model Marauder at reasonably correct scale, my version of the Marauder, my Buck Rogers Starfighter. I might add a couple more details here and there but this one is just about ready for some test printing. Again, I've taken some of my inspiration from the Mego toy.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited November 28, 2023 by cylonchaney

[cylonchaney]

 

First prototype. I don't have any brown PLA. One of my printers can print in two colours or mix them. This is a blend of black and red but they don't blend together as much as you'd like.

I need to redo the underside detail and make the ship a bit shorter. Looks like a good match in the photo but in person the Marauder is looks just a little to big to go with the Starfighter.

In any case, I'm pretty happy with how it's going and don't think it will take too many more iterations before I'm done. Still not happy with the canopy but I think I've captured the general look of the ship fairly well.

I need to get some brown plastic.

[luke314pi]

Prototypes are looking really cool!

 

[elhonez]

The marauder looks great! I appreciate how you've adapted some of the design elements to work at this scale/aesthetic.

[cylonchaney]

As usual my photography skills are not helping.

Now published to thingiverse if anyone wants to make one.

I put up the Draconian helmet as well.

Edited December 10, 2023 by cylonchaney

[cylonchaney]

I was thinking. All of those Enterprises and no one for Kirk to battle ...

I'm trying to scale it to a similar size to the Enterprise and hold at least one mate. Then I'll make a Klingon emblem stand and it can oppose the enterprise.

Perhpaps a Reliant one day for the ultimate battle that we already have mates for. No Bottany Bay unless I become deathy bored.

[cylonchaney]

Coming along quickly. My version is the middle one.

 

 

 

 

Edited December 11, 2023 by cylonchaney

[cylonchaney]

Just some notes on design techniques I'm picking up along the way. We've seen before, I tend to want to design my vehicles to be too small for their pilots. So, now I put a pilot model in before I even carve out the cockpit. Have to make sure they will fit.

It feels to me like companion vehicles of similar size should fit within a similar box. As I want to make stand for the D7 and pose it with the Enterprise, I popped a couple of cubes into my workspace and scaled my reference models to fit within. The distance between is what I measured the Enterprise to be.

It occurs to me me now that it would be easier to put it all inside a single cube and see what sticks out.

My model is the darker one.

I'm starting to think about how to carve this one up for 3d printing. Sometimes one can affect the other. For example, the front of the main body where the neck attaches on the realistic model and on mine is curved. If I flatten mine like the model on the right, it could be oriented for 3d printing ideally to capture the most detail possible and in one piece. Any other option involves cutting the model or having support material which does not leave a nice surface. In that case I'd probably cut it and try to make my cut where a panel line makes sense or the seam might somehow look like part of the model.

It should be easy enough to flatten the backside and print back to front. But then the print is getting wider as you go up. This may turn out OK, but the type of printer I have generally creates a nicer finish if your object slopes towards center as you go up and creates a worse finish the greater the outward slope. After a certain angle of outward slope, support material will be required. It will almost certainly have a nicer finish if we can go front to back.

I've carved in the cockpit and separated what will be the "canopy" piece.

 

 

[cylonchaney]

If a Klingon Minimate could smile ...

well he probably still wouldn't. But my Kor Minimate has never been so happy to be the test fit model for a ship!

 

Progress continues:

 

 

By the way, does anyone have any brilliant ideas for play elements or features aside from holding a Minimate? The Enterprise fuselage opens up to have Scotty in a Jefferies tube. I can't really think of much else to do here but you never know what someone might think of. If anyone's got a brilliant idea, I'd love to hear it. I don't think there will be room to fit another Mate in anywhere. But maybe something else.

I do plan to make a stand so it can face off against the Enterprise.

 

 

Edited December 28, 2023 by cylonchaney

[cylonchaney]

I think I'm done with the main shape of the ship and functional parts. It's down to adding a bit more detail and some panel lines.  The darker ship is mine. The other two are for reference as I build.

I'm thinking about doing an Enterprise D, Voyager, and maybe some shuttles. Would the Defiant be a good ship for Sisko? All of the captains deserve something to captain.

 

 

[cylonchaney]