Sci-Fi Scratchbuilding/Kitbashing Tutorial, part 1

Anonymous

Member since
November 2005

Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, March 13, 2005 4:06 PM

Wait til you get their catalog-
You'll be all "I want this and this and this and..."

John

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gnsnow

Member since
January 2003
From: Denton, TX

Posted by gnsnow on Sunday, March 13, 2005 12:25 PM

Thanks John, looks like some Micro-Mark tools will be in my near future - they have a lot of cool stuff. I've always seen their adds and thought their tools looked really neat, but browsing their site I saw much more stuff that I wanted.

"Artists who seek perfection in everything are those who can attain it in nothing."
- Eugène Delacroix

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Anonymous

Member since
November 2005

Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, March 12, 2005 10:03 PM

QUOTE: Originally posted by gnsnow

Please enlighten me John - the Chopper?

The Chopper is like a paper cutter for plastic. I use it to chop up little rectangles of styrene strip to create repetition (important in scratchbuilding) and to create surface detail, well at least I do. Haven't seen anyone else use lots of little rectangles to create detail, but that's just me. :)

Here's a link to a description and picture:
http://www.ares-server.com/Ares/Ares.asp?MerchantID=RET01229&Action=Catalog&Type=Product&ID=82439

John

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gnsnow

Member since
January 2003
From: Denton, TX

Posted by gnsnow on Saturday, March 12, 2005 1:21 AM

Please enlighten me John - the Chopper?

"Artists who seek perfection in everything are those who can attain it in nothing."
- Eugène Delacroix

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Anonymous

Member since
November 2005

Posted by Anonymous on Friday, March 11, 2005 11:21 PM

Yeah, I'm the Chopper guy. I can't believe more people haven't heard of this very valuable scratchbuilding tool!

John

QUOTE: Originally posted by gunner19k

Very nice, actually hard to believe those are household items; I saw those over at the BBC forum, most impressive...

You the lucky guy that has the Chopper, eh?

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gunner19k

Member since
November 2003
From: Nortfield, Vermont

Posted by gunner19k on Friday, March 11, 2005 1:36 AM

Very nice, actually hard to believe those are household items; I saw those over at the BBC forum, most impressive...

You the lucky guy that has the Chopper, eh?

"I won't be wronged. I won't be insulted. I won't be laid a hand on. I don't do these things to other people, and I require the same of them" - John Wayne as "The Shootist" WIP's- Revell 1/32 P-47D Thunderbolt Tamiya 1/48 A6M5 Zero Academy 1/48 P-47D Thunderbolt Airfix 1/24 Ju-87 Stuka

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Anonymous

Member since
November 2005

Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, March 10, 2005 2:04 PM

QUOTE: Originally posted by SteelSnail

Thanks for the article John. Straight to my bookmarks!

You're welcome. Throw in a toast to Clyde and Verne as well while you're at it!
John

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SteelSnail

Member since
June 2003
From: México

Posted by SteelSnail on Thursday, March 10, 2005 12:20 PM

Thanks for the article John. Straight to my bookmarks!

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thunderbearr

Member since
November 2004
From: USA, North America, Earth Milky Way

Posted by thunderbearr on Thursday, March 10, 2005 11:13 AM

Fantastic!

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gwaihir

Member since
October 2003
From: Everett, WA

Posted by gwaihir on Wednesday, March 9, 2005 2:18 PM

Great article. Thanks. I have never tried anything like this, but am, of course, now inspired...
Leon

Click the banner to see my builds.

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Anonymous

Member since
November 2005

Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, March 9, 2005 1:24 PM

QUOTE: Originally posted by modelnut

Great article!

What do you do about the "oily"-type of plastic that some of these items are msde of? The ones that don't take painting very well.

Hey-
I simply wash them in dishwashing detergent after removing the labels, then I epoxy a .010 or .020 styrene sheet around the main body of the bottle like this:

and that's what I glue everything else to with regular modeling glue, then use black primer over that. Works great!

QUOTE: And, surely some of those empty bottles you used needed some filler to keep them rigid. If so, what did you use?

No, no filler. The epoxied wrap around mentioned above strengthens the bottles a great deal, and then all the stuff glued to them, and the primer, then paint does the job.

All of this is covered in part 2 of my tutorial, which I'm working on now! :)

John

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modelnut

Member since
September 2010

Posted by modelnut on Wednesday, March 9, 2005 10:07 AM

Great article! Big Smile [:D]

What do you do about the "oily"-type of plastic that some of these items are msde of? The ones that don't take painting very well.

There was a scratchbuild/kitbask over on the StarshipModeler BBS where highlighters were used as warp nacelles. But the primer peeled off with the masking tape as the builder was applying thediffering paints per panel detailing.
This builder overcame by using Mr.Surfacer, a Japanese hobby primer.

And, surely some of those empty bottles you used needed some filler to keep them rigid. If so, what did you use?

-Leelan

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Anonymous

Member since
November 2005

Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, March 9, 2005 7:22 AM

QUOTE: Originally posted by WoodyYou have to love the dollar store!

Oh, man, I just made a trip this weekend to "Deal$" (a dollar type store) and they had ALL KINDS of bottles, containers, kids things, etc., that just got the ol' imagination crankin'!

Does anyone know if it's cool to take a camera into those stores and take pictures of products on shelves? Has anyone done this? Does it make the store managers paranoid?

To enhance my tutorial, I want to go take pictures of the kinds of products you can buy to use for scratchbuilding/kitbashing.

John

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Anonymous

Member since
November 2005

Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, March 3, 2005 2:15 PM

Hey there, great article! I also eagerly await part 2 and 3. Please post them soon.

The Syko Ward

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Woody

Member since
December 2002
From: Third rock from the sun.

Posted by Woody on Thursday, March 3, 2005 12:33 PM

QUOTE: Originally posted by MartianGundamModeler

Hey Woody I beleive it was that i was discussing raiding the dollar stores for electronics and such to light models on this site a few months back. Love the "Dollar Tree" and resale stores. Lots of stuff to Assimilate!
I'm at work now i can't wait to get home so I can finnish reading the article!

You have to love the dollar store! Tongue [:P]

" I wish to have no connection with any ship that does not sail fast; for I intend to go in harm's way." --John Paul Jones

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Scorn

Member since
March 2004
From: Sarepta, LA

Posted by Scorn on Thursday, March 3, 2005 12:15 PM

Make sure you post Part 2!

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gnsnow

Member since
January 2003
From: Denton, TX

Posted by gnsnow on Sunday, February 27, 2005 4:26 PM

Very nice! Thanks for that!

"Artists who seek perfection in everything are those who can attain it in nothing."
- Eugène Delacroix

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MartianGundamModeler

Member since
November 2003
From: Tennessee

Posted by MartianGundamModeler on Monday, February 21, 2005 5:19 PM

QUOTE: Originally posted by Woody

Cool piece. My wife just rolls her eyes when I use my model eye at the store(any store).

That's funny my wife does too. I always feel funny when I in the crafts dept of some store, ya know the spot where only old ladies looking for knitting needles hang out , just look for shapes to canabalize or "assimilate". That is what i call this type of scratchbuilding/kitbashing. Because you are literly taking parts from other junk and fitting it to your needs. Not tomention being a trek term it fits perfectly.lol
Hey Woody I beleive it was that i was discussing raiding the dollar stores for electronics and such to light models on this site a few months back. Love the "Dollar Tree" and resale stores. Lots of stuff to Assimilate!
I'm at work now i can't wait to get home so I can finnish reading the article!

"Some men look at things the way they are and ask ' Why?'. I dream of things that never were and ask "Why not?".--Robert Kennedy taken from George Bernard Shaw's "Back To Methuselah" (Thanks to TomZ2) http://martiangundammodels.50megs.com/index.html

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Anonymous

Member since
November 2005

Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, February 20, 2005 10:03 AM

Nice article. Even ILN did a form of kitbashing, so what's wrong with that? My wife has learned to accept my sickn, I mean gift. Tongue [:P]

She even helps me "configure" the way certain ships look and has even named a few.
As for for ship designs, I still see them in weird things, like Happy Meal toys, patterns in wood grain or even odd shaped clouds. Maybe I am sick............................... Big Smile [:D]

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Anonymous

Member since
November 2005

Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, February 20, 2005 9:18 AM

Very nice Johnny, please keep us informed as to when you update the tutorial, I need info like this!

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Woody

Member since
December 2002
From: Third rock from the sun.

Posted by Woody on Saturday, February 19, 2005 11:57 PM

Cool piece. Cool [8D]

My wife just rolls her eyes when I use my model eye at the store(any store). Wink [;)]

" I wish to have no connection with any ship that does not sail fast; for I intend to go in harm's way." --John Paul Jones

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stipp

Member since
March 2004
From: Chulak/Jaffa Cree!

Posted by stipp on Saturday, February 19, 2005 10:57 PM

Nice! I like the way you are presenting and writing this! Great job!
I have been scratchbuild/kitbashing since I was six(now 40) and have learned to "see" how things can be something else.

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Anonymous

Member since
November 2005

Sci-Fi Scratchbuilding/Kitbashing Tutorial, part 1

Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, February 19, 2005 10:39 PM

I just posted part 1 of a sci-fi scratchbuilding/kitbashing tutorial on my site if anyone is interested.

Part 1 is an overview. Part 2 will deal with construction. Part 3 with detailing, etc.

Here's the link:
http://lyzrdstomp.com/lyzrdforum/index.php?topic=62.0

John
Admin
The Lyzrd's Stomp
Photoshop tutorials and More
http://www.lyzrdstomp.com

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