Centurion Mecha

[Commissar-Krad]

It looks like this thing is coming along very nicely. Details are really filling it out quite nicely now.

[mangozac]

Thanks guys! Glad to hear it's inspirational too!

[mangozac]

Just a quick interim update today. Detailing work is progressing slowly (and was hindered by me having to help my girlfriend with her web design assignments the last couple of weekends). You can see I've been working on the front of the torso. As my mate pointed out when I showed him the other week, it's a shame that much of it will be hidden behind the chest armour. I probably should have just left it bare, but those who know me know I'm too anal for that!

Detailing the rear reactor and exhaust system is also progressing nicely. The reactor itself still needs a lot of detailing though.





I've been hoping to use some brass etch for a lot of my detailing, but my latest experiments (trying to do it photo-resist style using Electrolube PRP) have been failures. The photo-resist is just way too temperamental! I should go back to using the laser transfer film (but I need to find someone with a non-Brother laser printer because Brother toner doesn't work with the transfer film sheets).

[Xeones]

Looking good Zac. And I happen to like your OCD attention to detail! Keep it up!

[mangozac]

Plumage complete!



Not much to add - the head is now pretty much complete. Just needs to be fitted to the neck (I was going to do the head and neck separate but it really isn't that necessary and the parts count is already high enough). I do want to do a head variant with some additional sensor on the side, but I'll do that to a cast copy rather than this one.

I know a few people aren't keen on the plume, but It would seriously take about 5 seconds to slice it off with a knife.

[Malika]

So what kind of arms will this machine get?

[mangozac]

First up no arms - just a pair of cannons bolted onto the shoulder rings

[Blindhorizon]

I like the frill on top of the head looks pretty good. How long does a project like this typically take you to complete anyway?

[mangozac]

Well I just clicked back to the first post in this thread and that was nearly 3 years ago

There was a couple of quite long gaps between periods of progress though. Still if I was able to maintain a constant pace (in my space time) I would expect it to take around a year.

[Malika]

[mangozac]

There will be a very short arm of sorts that connects the cannon to the inside of the rings (which will allow for some aiming of the cannons). The plan is to do some close combat arms later on.

I'm working with Xeones on a cannon design at the moment - we'll probably post something when the concept design is finalised. It's going to be an energy weapon, but still quite large and long like a battle cannon.

[mangozac]

More slow and steady progress, primarily on the rear of the shoulders. As you can see, I've added some cylindrical "capacitor" pieces and filled out the areas around the vents with some putty. I just need to add some piping between the left vent and capacitor and then I'll try to work on finishing the reactor detailing.



If you look closely you will see that the crest on the helmet has been detailed a little further, with a ridge along the edges. I'll have to hit it with some primer soon to see how it all looks in an even colour.



I'll hopefully make a start on the cannon design pretty soon, then we'll be on the home stretch!

[Arkangel]

Looking really good buddy!!

I still want 3

[mangozac]

For sure buddy! I'll show you the parts in more detail when we Skype on the weekend

[mangozac]

I've got a quick update this morning showing off the reactor detailing progress. Not the best picture, but I think it conveys the gist of it. I ended up going for a pair or fans with cylindrical cowlings and am pretty pleased with how they've turned out. The fans themselves a Kotobukiya Modelling Support Goods option parts (ordered from Japan - I don't know any local retailers that stock them). I also added some lifting attachment points on brackets on the rear corners of the reactor. I've added similar points on the front of the shoulder discs on the torso (that I didn't realise I hadn't taken a picture of yet).

The lifting points have a hole in them that goes all the way through, but I have a thin disc of styrene edged in the middle so that they cast easily (this then has to be drilled out during assembly of the kit, although it's thin enough that it could just be broken out using a sharp point).



So with the reactor detailing almost done the torso is extremely close to finished. I just need to do the hinge for the hatch and finish off the neck. The interior still requires a lot of work, but that won't stop me from hitting the exterior with some primer and even putting some of the exterior parts into silicone. Hopefully I'll make a start on the cannons next week...