200mm Panzergrenadier

I don't have nearly as many awards as you might think. I really don't go to that many shows. The big ones I go to, I usually get a bronze or honorable mention. The small ones, I get 1st or 2nd, as I said, often by default. Big fish in a little pond thing. And figures just aren't that big a deal in my neck of the woods. Armor and Aircraft is where it's at. I get no respect from those guys. The car modelers though, are always really nice. That's my guilty pleasure, as a modeler. Cars.

Renshape was like $600 for a 4'x6' (or 8', can't remember) brick, last time I checked. More than I have to spend on my own, that's for sure. It's a dream for modelers though. I'm surprise no one has marketed it in smaller quantities to scale model builders.

 So you've been in the industry for quite a while then? I started in 1996, and only worked until 2001, with three companies. I've been a contractor off and on since. Had one company go bankrupt, then the small outfit I was with sold to another big company, who then dumped the facility out here and took the industry with them. Two lay-offs and a buyout. Story of my life.

The second Power Pumper model was grown with SLS (Selective Laser Sintering). The body parts were too big for the build pistons, so we had them built in sections that would fit, and then had to fab them together with 5 minute epoxy. I had to repair and repaint that one a few times for the customer. It got beat up at trade shows.

 Before my company shut down our facility up here, I had just gotten into SLA and SLS (was hoping to move into CNC work eventually). I was planning on moving out of the shop for good and doing RP (Rapid Prototype, the guys who run SLA/SLS) full time, but I didn't have a skilled enough replacement for me in the shop, and then we got laid off, before I could get someone up to speed. I was the only person in the company at the time who was trained on the DTM Sinterstation 2500+ SLS machine though, because I was the only one who took the time to take the training. I got one SLA guy up to speed on the 2500, and then slinked back into the shop to breath more sanding dust and paint fumes.

 I got to mess with a lot of interesting technology there. 3D Systems had a machine that worked like Fuse Deposition, but extruded the layers in paraffin wax. We experimented, in conjuction with Nike, who had one of these machines, with the idea of tool making for soft polyurethane prototype casting (for wtch bands and such), as well as solid model experimentation.

 Results were not great. The solid models came out better than the tool, but both were too soft and brittle to handle, and were thus worthless as prototypes. The tooling idea was neat though. The tools only took hours to make, and the wax had certain release capabilities, but the fine details broke off almost immediately, and the more solid details soon followed. Often, the tools broke in half while demolding. Two or three servicable castings was all we could ever get.

Of course 3D Systems bought DTM out in 2001, and now also makes the SLS machines. It's funny. When I was running those machines, the SLS machine only had a galvo that opperated in one axis, while the SLA machines opperated in two. 3D Systems had the patent on the dual axis galvo concept, so DTM couldn't use it. The result was that SLS parts had an "ugly" side, that SLA part didn't, because the laser could only be reflected in the one axis. Not sure if you've finished out SLS, but it is quite a bit harder to finish out than SLA, so that was always a drawback, but the machined part strength and quality, coupled with SLA turnaround time, made SLS a good choice. Since the merger, I guess both machines now have the dual axis galvos. I've been out of the industry since that happened, so I've not seen recent SLS parts.

On the subject of models for court, I had a friend who made models for movies, and he once made a model of what he thought looked an awful lot like something from Star Wars. Turned out, it was to be used in court by a guy who said Lucas stole it from him. I think he won, but I don't remember.

Aerospace sounds like a neat industry for a model maker to work in.

Your work is excellent. I am nowhere near your skills and work! You must have one heck of a collecton of trophies. 

Ive been a model maker for the last 23 years and work in the aerospace industry. The RenFoam we use is to make NC tooling, as well as proofs for tooling and parts. That gives me alot of scraps, because this stuff is expensive. The last RenFoam task I had was cleaning up and painting 1/24 scale Comanche helicopters, a few year ago.

The PowerPumper job must have been  a blast. I had one job of constructing a 1/12th scale cross-section of the cancelled A-12 Avenger inlet-exhaust system. It was used in court by the Gov't to show how the engine exhaust system failed to work properly. I made 3 different versions and half the parts I turned on a lathe and used RenFoam. Other more difficult parts were made grown from an SLA (Stereo Lithography Apparatus) machine. It was one of the best jobs I have done.  

I don't have a complete tutorial on sculpting, but I do have progress shots of the figure which stands on that base here http://promodelmaker.com.istemp.com/photo.html

The only tutorial I have up is on weapon making. Someday I'm going to make it a little more user friendly, but it works. To see the progress pics, you have to click the linked words that associate with the pics. Once you get that, it should be fairly easy to understand. http://promodelmaker.com.istemp.com/Weapon_tute.html

I'd go to that show and throw your hat in the ring. I bet you'll do just fine. I've found that it gives me the inspiration I need to improve. Unfortunately, figures aren't a big thing at the IPMS regionals out here. I usually win by default, which isn't really winning. I have to shell out the bucks to get to SCAHMS or the Chicago show (and get my keester soundly handed to me in competition), but it does sure help fuel my need and desire to improve.

 What do you use Renshape for at work? I was a prototype model maker for many years (still do contract work), which is where I aquired my scrap Renshape/Modulan collection. I still have friends who run their own CNC outfits, and I can get as many scraps as I need.

 I love that stuff. We once made a prototype of a toy called the Power Pumper, which was like a Big Wheel entirely out of Renshape and acrylic. Looked awesome. It was machined on a Fadal CNC mill, and then rigorously finished out and painted. It also had polyurethane resin wheels and tires. It was one of the only group efforts we did, where we had the model making team, resin casting/moldmaking, the machine shop, and the rank and file finishing dept. all working on one project. Something we all could be proud of.

I worked on the current version of the Power Pumper too, but that was made with a different process. Still the same level of finish work and painting though.

Excellent base, Plymonkey. I also use Renshape/foam for scratching details and aircraft. (I get scraps at work) I can see how important a base should be. Its always been an afterthought for me. Something that's gonna change.  I consider myself more of a beginner at figure painting and have been doing these figures over the past 2 years.  I havent entered anything in contests yet....maybe get up the gumption to see how these rate at a Regional coming up in October locally.  The other thing you mentioned is what I want to do, and that is sculpting my own figures. I really have no idea where to start, and will ask many questions in the future! Do you have a written tutorial complete with photos?

Well, I certainly don't want to knock your bases. Like I said, I used those same craft bases for years, but I also lost at all of the  international figure shows, to other figures which were mounted on nice, well thought out and matched bases made of beautiful hardwoods. Pine just doesn't compete with finely finished hardwoods. I think I used some of those basswood blocks that come with balsa grab bags too.

 Bill Horan and Shep Paine both say, in their respective books, that one should spend at least as much time and energy in their bases as they do their figures. The thing is, when one is learning, one can only tackle so much at a time. I didn't start trying to improve on my display techniques until I was ready to tackle it. Painting, and later, sculpting figures was still the main priority, and the bases were just an after thought. To be honest, I still need a lot of work on my own bases. But, it's a lesson I became aware that I needed to learn some years ago, and began working on, so I'm just passing the torch, as it were.

 Your painting is certainly looking good, and the groundwork you've put on that base looks great as well. There's always something that can be done better. With that in mind, I usually just call a figure done at some point, and whatever is wrong with it becomes the lesson I try to improve on the next one. Unless it's really bugging me, that is. There are some things I just can't leave alone.

I usually go out and get some scrap blocks of fine woods, but take a look at the base I posted here. When I first did that figure, I made a simple base from a square block of wood, and glued it to a resin casting of a turned piece, and then sprayed it with that textured paint that's supposed to replicate stone. It didn't look very good, and it detracted from the figure. The pic I've posted shows my second attempt, about a year later. What looks like finely figured hardwood, is actually a decent faux finish on a cheap, home made base. I took two castings of the same turned piece used on the first base, and then made a cylinder out of Renshape (a modeling material that's rather expensive, but a litteral dream to work with.), and glued the two turned piece castings to each side of the cylinder, so that the tops faced each other. One became the bottom, and the other became the top, which I put my groundwork on.

 I then painted the whole thing tan, with an MM rattle can, and when that was dry, I took a wide brush and pasted Burnt Umber oils over the whole thing, and then swilred it and mottled it to that the undercoat shown through to replicate grain. When that dried, I gave it a good clear coat and was ready to lay the groundwork and mount the figure. The plaque was simply printed out on my printer, on nice, textured paper that had a pattern printied on it as well. I think it worked out pretty well, considering I spent almost nothing on it.

Thank you Avus and Plymonkey!

I appreciate the candid and honest critiques....the only way I am going to improve. This is only the second base I've put a figure on, and I see what you mean...this one could have been bigger! I've been getting these resin figures for cheap prices and agree that this one is a bit out of proportion.  I prefer the resin busts, because they are well sculpted.

Ditto on everything Avus said. Fine work on your part Buddho, as always. I like the spinter camo, nice work. The groundwork is also great, a really nice scene, though I'm going to give you the same critique I've mentioned before, and suggest you look into bigger bases, only because they make the whole thing look more solid, and give judges something to hold onto (assuming you compete at shows). I used those craft bases for years, and they work fine, but a nice chunk of fine wood works for figures like a fine frame does for a painting, it complements it, and sets it apart. Plus, it gives you a place to mount a plaque. Otherwise, another fine addition to your collection.

I agree with Avus though, that Verlinden fell short on the figure. Nice detail, but detail has never been a problem for them.

 Frankly, I've been dissappointed, more often than not, with Verlinden figures. A lot of them are stiff, and I've not cared for a lot of their faces either.

They've certainly had some great ones too though, many sculpted by a former club mate of mine, and they put large scale military figure modeling on the map, but there's a lot better out there for my money.

The paint job is outstanding, nothing to say about that (except that it's great) and also the foilage and base give it a reallistic look. 

BUT the figure looks a little out of proportion: hands look huge and legs short; probably one of Verlinden's first items that frequently had such problems.