jkno Posted April 23, 2013 Report Posted April 23, 2013 Not sure how better these can be made since already they are awesome! Quote
TK222 Posted April 23, 2013 Report Posted April 23, 2013 Hi Andy, they are looking fantastic. As previously mentioned 'the best out there' and bearing in mind you only had vague images to go from!! Great work mate. Cheers Mark. TK222 Quote
PlayfulWolfCub Posted April 23, 2013 Author Report Posted April 23, 2013 Thanks guys How much better can they get? I want them looking so photo-real that if I told you I'd found one of the original radar racks at a militaria fair & cut them up into Power Cylinders you'd believe me! (Of course, if I actually did that, the MSE builders would hunt me down and force me to dress as an Ewok! lol) This set is getting closer. I'm quite pleased with the look of the chips & I don't think I've over-weathered it (yet). I've realised the satin black I'm using is slightly too shiny though. I'm using the MSE as reference. Obviously the E11 Cylinders were used horizontally so the dusting would be on the baseplate, not the backplate but if I can match the MSE photos I've got a reference model copy the other way up. I'm sure that some people on the interest list would prefer me to make them a brand-new looking set (& I'll be happy to do that to order) but I want to get the weathering right first so that that option is there too. Cheers, Andy Quote
jkno Posted April 23, 2013 Report Posted April 23, 2013 I really like your way of thinking and full dedication Andy!! Quote
PlayfulWolfCub Posted May 11, 2013 Author Report Posted May 11, 2013 (edited) Hi guys, time for a long overdue update.... I found a less shiny paint which I think looks really close to what the proppies used on the MSE. I've checked under different lighting conditions, unweathered, slightly weathered & very dusty. I'm pretty happy with it & I think it's likely that they used the same on the E11s. In the pursuit of total accuracy I've been looking at the ceramic tube that can be seen through the rear vent slits & in some of the landspeeder photos. The one I've made in these pics is from FIMO, weathered with paint & modelling dust. By the time it's sealed in the cylinders it's just as effective (& far more heat resistant) to use metal tube with a covering of ceramic paint I'm not sure I've mentioned the slits before. They're only at the back and only appear on a few photos. When I solder the end caps onto the outer cylinders the solder flows into the joint & creates an airtight seal. When soldering the cap onto the other end, the air inside expands and pushes the end cap off a bit. Maybe that's why they put vent slits in? I had another spectacular capacitor explosion when I got one too hot. I swear I haven't pulled the foil strip out - this is exactly what it looked like after it exploded - it fired the rubber bung clear across the room. I'm guessing it's because the capacitors are airtight and contain acid-covered foil which gives off a gas when heated. It got me thinking though... I'd like to make the capacitors more authentically with rubber bungs crimped in an aluminium tube if I can. I'm waiting for the right colour rubber to arrive & trying to find some effective circular crimpers. This is pretty much the very last detail to finalise before I post loads of pics of all the Cylinders shapes, finish the website resource/pdfs & make a proper sales page Cheers, Andy Edited May 11, 2013 by PlayfulWolfCub Quote
jkno Posted May 11, 2013 Report Posted May 11, 2013 That's attention to detail! Totally agree! Very cool Andy!! Quote
sskunky Posted May 11, 2013 Report Posted May 11, 2013 Love it! Can't wait to stick some of these on my Sterling E11! Quote
TK bondservnt[501st] Posted May 13, 2013 Report Posted May 13, 2013 (edited) my head exploded... now I need a replacement! WTB... new head. amazing detail. words are not enough to give this detail the proper send up! glue might be considered in some locations? maybe easier than solder? Edited May 13, 2013 by TK Bondservnt 2392 Quote
welshchris77[TK] Posted May 13, 2013 Report Posted May 13, 2013 Been sick for a while after having an operation but back now, wow didnt think the cylinders could get 'more detailed', well done Andy! above and beyond the call of duty trooper Quote
Turrican Posted May 20, 2013 Report Posted May 20, 2013 Well Andy , any idea if you'll sell them? The details this cylinders get more and more are fabulous but i'm sure they'll get also more expensive... So any idea on the final price range and in what timeline they will be final available ? Quote
PlayfulWolfCub Posted May 25, 2013 Author Report Posted May 25, 2013 Thanks guys, I'm glad my experiments are still entertaining you. WTB... new head. lol Vern, you get the prize for "most creative feedback"! The details this cylinders get more and more are fabulous but i'm sure they'll get also more expensive... So any idea on the final price range and in what timeline they will be final available ? You make a very good point Stefan. It's in my nature to try to make things the absolute best they can be and sometimes I don't recognise when it's time to say "that's good enough." However much detail I put in I don't want to charge more than I'd pay for a good Hengstler or M38 scope. So perhaps £85 / Euro100 / US$129 plus shipping (+ fees if people want to pay with PayPal). That's a very good price for the amount of work they take but some people won't have that sort of money for Cylinders so i'm intending to offer unassembled kits as well for maybe half the price. This is a new idea that I'm thinking about but the kit would include: 1 x fully shaped steel baseplate, 2 x steel outer cylinders with vent slits, 4 x copper end caps (pre-drilled for bolts), 4 x steel end nuts & bolts 2 x aluminium internal cylinders 1 x 4mm steel nut, 4 real resistors, short length of woven sleeving 3 x aluminium replica capacitors 0.7mm wire for capacitors What wouldn't be included: solder or glue (I'll test to see whether the kit can be glued together) zinc-plating process (because it has to be done after soldering) paint weathering powders fancy presentation box I think people could have fun with these kits and all the hard work will have been done. Anyone like the idea? In terms of time scale, I'll try to get a sales page up this weekend with some really nice photos and start taking real orders for fully finished sets. Been sick for a while after having an operation but back now, wow didnt think the cylinders could get 'more detailed', well done Andy! above and beyond the call of duty trooper Thanks Chris, hope you're doing ok now mate glue might be considered in some locations? maybe easier than solder? I won't be using glue on the fully finished sets because there are no parts that were glued on the originals. I'll test glue a kit together though, if people like the idea of the kits. It won't look as accurate but it might be an option for folk who can't solder. Quote
Locitus[Admin] Posted May 25, 2013 Report Posted May 25, 2013 I already have three real metalmite caps, could I send them to you when I buy a set? Also, I'm not sure you've seen this, but it's nice to see that so much of the research you've done here has also been done on this mouse droid replica, which just means that it's been "peer reviewed" and we're all not just crazy. http://www.therpf.com/f9/1-1-mse-6-mouse-droid-139296/ Quote
SmilesLikeJoker Posted May 25, 2013 Report Posted May 25, 2013 (edited) It's the last piece I need for my Sterling. Absolutely stunning details, creativity, and hard work. Edited May 25, 2013 by SmilesLikeJoker Quote
matt black Posted May 25, 2013 Report Posted May 25, 2013 Amazing work on these Andy. I've never seen attention to detail like this on any replica EVER! For a project that you have obviously spent so much time researching and then to make these lovely cylinders by hand I'd be more than happy to pay £85. To be honest I wouldn't have been surprised if you had said that they was going to be more than that. I can't believe how many details you have incorporated that were previously unknown Can't wait for these to be on sale so I can finish my Sterling with the perfect cylinders! Well done Andy on a fantastic project Quote
PlayfulWolfCub Posted June 8, 2013 Author Report Posted June 8, 2013 (edited) Hi guys... so I’ve finally finished my Power Cylinders and Replica E11 Blasters project! To those of you who’ve been following this thread from the very start, thanks for your support and well done for hanging in there – it’s been a long, convoluted journey! Instead of uploading lots of high-res photos I've made a pdf gallery which you can download: https://www.dropbox.com/s/a9dfofb9kpi6zp1/E11%20Replicas.pdf (It displays better if you download rather than viewing online, and you get the bookmarked contents list) I’ve also put a summary of everything I’ve learned about the Cylinders project into a pdf: https://www.dropbox.com/s/s53lnuh9rq5xe7a/E11%20Power%20Cylinders%20Analysis.pdf (This displays better as a download too. It isn’t quite finished yet but the link will update automatically if I make any changes.) As a taster, here are the front covers and one "E11 Replica Blasters" page based on one of my favourite scenes from the film... Now that I’m happy with the accuracy of the Power Cylinders I’ll make a sales page. I’ll put everyone who is on the “No obligation interest list†at the top of the orders list. If you’re still interested please let me know in the sales thread, saying which shape(s) you want. They’ll come with the same amount weathering as the ones in the “E11 Replicas†pdf unless you ask for something different. (Please note that some shapes are unweathered and each one is hand-made so obviously each set will look slightly different. I’m happy to do custom requests though it might cost extra and if you ask for pink ones I’ll need payment in advance... lol) Feel free to offer constructive feedback on the pdfs. Maybe I missed something out or made a mistake or whatever... Hope you enjoy them. Cheers, Andy Edited June 8, 2013 by PlayfulWolfCub Quote
PlayfulWolfCub Posted June 8, 2013 Author Report Posted June 8, 2013 (edited) I already have three real metalmite caps, could I send them to you when I buy a set? No problem Matthias. Bear in mind that if they're the ones from Matt Black they're 5.5mm diameter rather than the 5mm I believe they were so they'll look slightly different ...we're all not just crazy. You haven't seen my pdfs yet! lol Thanks, Patrick & Rob, for your encouraging words... I'll shut up & take money now! (...well, in a little while... I've got all the materials ordered but I'd rather not take anyone's money till I've got finished sets of Cylinders to send out.) Cheers, Andy Edited June 8, 2013 by PlayfulWolfCub Quote
Locitus[Admin] Posted June 8, 2013 Report Posted June 8, 2013 Indeed they are from Matt Black. I'm fine with a slightly different look on the final product. Rob (Matt Black) kindly gifted them to me, so I want to honour him by actually putting them into use. As cool as they are by themselves as a close to "found object", I believe they do more good on a prop than on a shelf. And I did have a look at your PDF's and they are insane! Well done! Quote
jkno Posted June 8, 2013 Report Posted June 8, 2013 Fantastic work (as usual) on these pdf files Andy. I'm going to print the pdf files and put them next to my important printed documents about SW collectibles. As for the cylinders, as I said before I'M IN!!! Money is saved for them, just to see your FS thread Quote
PlayfulWolfCub Posted June 8, 2013 Author Report Posted June 8, 2013 Hi guys. At long last I've made my very first Star Wars prop sales thread! It feels very cool http://www.whitearmor.net/forum/topic/24179-screen-accurate-e11-power-cylinders/ Could everyone on the "No obligation Interest List" who is still interested please post on the sales thread with your name and the letters & names of the shape(s) you'd like. This will secure your position on the waiting list. Cheers, Andy Quote
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