The Imperial Shipyards
Imperial Community => Imperial Blog => Topic started by: DocOutlands on May 06, 2009, 09:53:22 PM
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Well, there's that done. Now we've got a branch of the ImperialShipYards open on the station. I suppose I'll have to see about getting Maintenance to update the Visitors' Index one of these days. Of course, the last update I requested hasn't been processed yet. Nor has the one before that, nor... Well, I digress. I suppose we're fortunate that Engineering keeps the life-support systems in better shape than Maintenance keeps the Index boards.
I did some concept doodling over the last couple of days. New projects popping up to tantalize the Muse. I suppose I chummed the waters a bit. I toured some of my "favorite sellers" and looked thru Clonehead's current listings. Oops. He's suckered me into a deal or three, I think. Maybe I should hire him(? I assume - but for all I know, "he" is a third-sex Chovallian MudWorm!) to market retail spaces on the 'Station for me. He talked me into this Shipyards deal. Looks a bit shady - slap an official-sounding name across it and bureaucrats leave you alone. I suspect we'll fit right in. They've got some good field-agents, judging from the reports and pics I went thru.
So, the projects. Bounty hunters have always been favorites, and we've got to have the local crew immortalized, as well. Naturally, I want to do some Mando's. But I've got to wonder - do they ALL wear the same type armor? NO variations? I think that's just marketing, myself. The Fetts made a name for the armor and Jodo was happy as a B'shvalk snow-clam to copy and continue it. I haven't managed to find anyone who had enough personal knowledge of any Mandos to give me an answer I was comfortable relying on. So conjecture takes over. And whimsy.
Bren and I were looking over the deals and noticed the AOTC Clone Pilot and Republic Commando helmets were rather close in style to Fett's helmet. The old Airborne Trooper was maybe another step...devolved? away and the finhead AOTC helmet is obviously related, but more distantly. I think the first two could easily look at home atop a Fett-type body with little in the way of modifications. Being the way we are, however, Bren and I came up with an array of mods to make. The list we worked up looked like:
Pilot or Commando Helmet + Rangefinder - archetypal Mando look!
Pilot or Commando Helmet + flip-down visor a la the Commander X figs
Pilot or Commando Helmet + Baccara antenna detail
Pilot or Commando Helmet + Cody visor
We figured these mods would likely be the easiest ones to accomplish. I think they'd likely look great on the Airborne Trooper, as well! Speaking of... I'm interested in seeing what an Airborne helmet would look like if the lower part of the face were reshaped into something closer to a Fett helmet. That might make another interesting variation on the Mando theme. And let's NOT forget the McQuarrie Fett! TWO helmets! Both obviously Mando but NOT the standard style.
Then I wondered about taking a traditional Fett helmet and grafting on the "breath mask" apparatus of an AT-RT driver. I realized I had out-dreamed my current meager set of skills. I should get busy and improve!
So...I have a custom helmet. What do I stick it on? A body, of course, but not just any ol' body. A bounty hunter needs armor! Right, then. Well, we don't want a straight Clone or Stormie, do we? I really like the Veers/Snowtrooper breastplate arrangement. Right, then. Note to self - unearth the Snowtroopers and Veers. Wait - don't the Royal Guards have unusual armor under their cloth robes? Yes! Excellent - cough up those arms and legs, you! Well, I guess we could just repaint the entire Guard body and just add extras, like bits from ARC Troopers' armor or Airborne Trooper armor. A sniper-plate from Baccara and a rifle from IG-88 would make for a great look, I think - especially if that guy has a flip-down visor, to boot. That might make a good Clone, actually...
Note to self - AOTC Sergeant (green striping) needed! Yeah, BFII color-coding. Bren loves keeping the schemes going like that. Get a flip-down visor and pin it on like the gent did on his Hawkbat Battalion Commander custom, then hang a sniper plate on him and give him an IG88 rifle. Poof - near-instant bad@$$. Give him some sort of backpack, because snipers don't usually work close to supply-lines. Great - he'll need a buddy...have to brainstorm on that one another day. Hm... the AOTC Cody-style visor? Might be onto something. Would a rangefinder work with a Cody visor? Test time! Should the sniper/spotter team wear kamas? No...everyone uses kamas to imply "specialness" - mine need to stand out as special some other way. Gotta wow folks without looking like a retread. Backpack could be a Snowtrooper one as the base, and modify from there. Maybe add a comm-array on it. Ok! That's something new to chase.
Now, if we were doing a straight Mando custom, I think using a Concept Fett or Animated Debut Fett as the body would be an excellent idea for a base body, suitably repainted. The Proto-Fett is definitely different enough to not look like "Another Recycled Fett" custom. I don't remember if the Ani-Fett is different enough or not.
Well, that pretty much sums up - and expands, actually - yesterday's skull-session with Bren. Maybe next time we can work out a list of Fixer's-
Dang! Somebody forgot to rewire the long-range sensor array to match the new flux-capacitor bank Engineering installed. I just hope they didn't burn out anything too expensive...
I'll have to stay in touch with the gentlebeings at the 'Yards. I think they'll be able to not only aid and abet my projects, but more importantly cheer me on and teach me (more than) a few things. Maybe they can tell me where to find some better minions...
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I love it, buddy! The whole idea troubleshooting rant with Bren was spot on with just the right serious bit of attitude thrown in. More please.......
I like your custom ideas already.
Yes, I can help with your custom ideas and execution questions.
Oh, and say hi to Bren for me.
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Sweet ideas, I love the chain of thought!
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The character of Bren in this saga is Brendan, my 15yo son. He's a fair sounding-board. If I can describe something that makes him go, "Oh, kool!" then I reckon I've got a winner. If it makes him ask questions and makes me think, then I reckon I got a winner. If it sends him off on a tangent of his own and he in turn describes an elaborate idea of his own, then I KNOW I gots me a winner!
That was a pretty fun approach to a post - I'll prolly keep doing that. Yeah, I have a badly-warped brain...
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By the Maker! I just discovered the Visitors' Index has improper contact info in the Gallery! It's a shame torture is frowned upon unless you are a crime-lord or an Imperial agency. Those buffoons in Maintenance are ripe for a flogging.
I woke up this morning, vaguely disturbed about a project. T'Nadar, the Chadra-Fan in the Galaxy Shop. I'm looking forward to the upcoming Ugnaughts set to use as a base body. I'm wondering if they'll have a ball-n-socket head, or what. The Kabe fig will be donating head and hands, those are easy. The feet, tho. I'm still at a loss of how to make whole feet for the character. I guess I need to locate a sacrificial Kabe figure and just cut away the body to see of the feet were made separate and then glued in place or what. I'll find something and make it work! As for the head, I'll have to learn how to cast them. I have to say, I'm looking forward to those Ugnaughts. Granted, I've got some of the older ones and they may still end up being the basis for the fig, but I'm expecting some nice functionality.
Hmmm... If the feet thing gets too difficult, I may end up cutting off the lower end of the Kabe figure and the lower piece of an Ugnaught and blend the two together. Hello sculpting challenge! Not my preferred approach, but hey. If I try it and don't like it, I'll have learned and grown. Then I can always revisit the figure concept with new skills until I'm satisfied.
Bren just came thru looking for binder-fluid. He's got some blaster parts he's wanting to reassemble - just a cut-down DC-15 rifle and a scrap scope, but the lad is customizing!! He's also piecing up a custom fig based mainly on a parts-swap of accessories. I can hear him in there griping about molded-on holsters and bandoleers from here!
I've still got to get over to Workshop-2 today and try to sort that mess out. It's gone well so far, but it has been a *major* project. Some of the previous occupant's supplies and junk are still cluttering it up, including a large, heavy heating-unit. That's staying put for now - I don't have a load-lifter capable of moving it yet. Ah, well, if I keep talking about it, I'll never get it done. At least I'll have plenty of projects to think on while I work!
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Your killing me, Doc. I am loving this! Tell bren to keep his chin up. Things only get less frustrating and more rewarding as his skills progress.
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I don't wanna give up too much just yet, but he's onto something. Took a little different tack on things, but I think he's gonna score in short order. I took some test-fit pic's of what he's proto'd that I'll get up soonish. I'll just say we now wonder how a GalMarine helmet would look with, frex, a Jango rangefinder on it.....
fett
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I know that this sounds like Tamer, but now you have got me curious.
Keep us posted, Doc.
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Just something to idly ponder while you
GO FISHING!!!
;D
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I managed to look at Workshop-2 yesterday. That's about all I managed, tho. Too many minions in need of managerial guidance. I was honestly afraid today was going to be a total waste, as well. I had to ferry Bren to his pick-up point in Morna City so he could meet up with his unarmed combat coach. They are heading for a tournament in L'fiyet so I'll make another run to Morna City tomorrow to pick him up. A straight run is a three-plus hour ordeal, especially when circumstances require KeKe and Lonnie to accompany me - as they did today.
I've been running on too little sleep of late, so I was off to a VERY slow start this morning, despite my daily regimen of two large mugs of steaming caf. "Thick as an ASP-7" had new meaning around the offices. I handled some routine chores in the zoological productivity shops and then met with a client who wants to update his presence in the venue and expand his exposure a degree. We discussed what he'd need to provide - scans and text of the equipment and parts to be offered - and how I preferred it, in his case, on a mem-disc since his terminal connection isn't as extensive as mine.
That out of the way, the four of us headed out. KeKe and Lonnie love the chance to get off-station. Being females, they see this as a prime reason to go shopping. Being cute, they expect others to indulge them and pick up the tab. Well, we met Bren's coach right next to a variety store so we made the rounds. Lonnie picked up some jewelry, KeKe nabbed some art supplies, and I scored a matched pair of blasters for me and Bren.
Manufacturing had sent a request for some raw materials, should I have the opportunity, so we dropped in on another supplier. This resulted in more expenses on the behalf of minions, but nothing for Manu. One more chance as we headed out from Morna West. We dropped in on my preferred supplier and discovered 6 cases of molding compound. Only one case was the style Manu needed, tho. So, since I'd picked up Station supplies, the minions needed more. Of course.
Remind me again why I have minions?
So we made the run from Morna City back to the Station, limping along in a shuttle with a half-blasted cooling system, but happy with our unexpected largess. Once Workshop-2 is refurbed, Manufacturing plans to set up a facility for small-parts copying. Clonehead does this through the 'Yards connection, maybe the Station can get involved, too. More complementing than competing of course. These guys are shady enough that there's no telling exactly what shadows they have their fingers tapped into. Are my minions really still mine?
On a much lighter note! As a lad, I'd owned an airspeeder often referred to as a "Side Gunner" for its rather unique exposed gunner's station on a stanchion off to the side of an enclosed one-man cockpit. Well, being a tinkering lad, I'd had a go at the vertical stabilizer. Mucked it up royally, of course. Disposed of the whole bloody thing without a second thought. Well, I've often lamented that hasty lapse in judgement. This past week, I've begun looking into the possibility of acquiring one, antique tho it is. Nostalgia for a lost youth? Some may say so. As it is, I managed to locate several collectors who were interested in parting with their vehicles! Of course, they wanted the Imperial Mint for their pristine hangar-queens! However, luck was with me and I've encountered several for more reasonable sums that do, as you'd expect, show the wear and tear of real use - no hangar queens here.
Two are missing the cannons from the vertical stab. That's unfortunate, because one of them has a really sweet red-rust-orange custom paintjob. However, there is one that, even tho it is a bit battered, is complete and functional. The price is not too bad, either. Should I treat myself? I mean, I do have a Lifeday celebration coming up, after all.
Oh, let me go on record with this here and now, speaking of adding Lifedays. I was on my way to Housekeeping last night and stopped into the medbay to chat with some folks there. One of the medtech's caught me and publicly reminded me I'd promised to come by for some bloodwork weeks ago. And, since Housekeeping wasn't ready for me yet, said medtech would be glad to rearrange her schedule to take my blood sample right then, Well, caught out as I was, I had no way to weasel out of it, even though I tried. I suppose it was worth it in the end, the test showed a blood-sugar of 105 even tho I'd eaten less than a hour previous. The medtechs were quite pleased and told me that was a good score.
Normally, I'm happy when people are happy... but there was far too much maniacal giggling involved as the medtech had been prepping the sample unit. Still, I suppose that is one thing I can stop not worrying about, knowing now that there's nothing to worry about. Is that a big enough cause to buy a Side Gunner for?
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I'd say "go for it", Doc. I believe that you should continue your quest to successfully customize that side gunner that you had given up on, earlier in life. Even though it isn't the same copy, your regret for your previous action could indeed dissapear.
Good deal on the blood sugar thing.
Man, I'm still loving the style in which you write this blog. Please keep it going.
How did your son's meet go?
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They started about 30 minutes ago. He'll prolly "2-and-out" as usual. He only makes one practice a week, because its a 2-hr trip each way for us. However, he started a self-designed strength-training program earlier this year and bulked up FAST - which put him in a weight bracket with a lot more guys in it. He sure makes them fight for their wins, tho! His opponents come out of a match looking like they been rode hard and put up wet. He (usually) looks good for another round...and another... Its an issue of not getting enough practice on a live opponent with his own ideas and moves.
And yeah - I'm liking how the blog bit is working out! I've managed to tie it into my fanfic pieces while still making sense (I think) of what's actually going on.
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Now I'm in a quandry - go low-budget and get the cheap one without its guns or pay 3x that for a complete one?? I could always mod the vert-stabilizer and do away with the need for gun mounts on the cheap. But I kinda like the idea of having a complete one to work from (we luvs our firepower, we does). I'll have a better blog-entry later tonight. Some of my ebay auctions ended today - as did some of Clint's. 8)
Nice job on the Mando helmets auction, btw - it ended before I got home, but went higher than I could go right now, what with my other shopping list.
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I know if it was Tamer, He would go for the complete one but I would probably go for the cheap one and make it pretty. Regardless, It will be worth more to you when you are done with your alterations.
Are you a seller, as well, Doc? I guess I should have researched that.
No prob on the mando set. I figured it would go for more than it did. There is still a mando fan-base out there.
A mando custom might do alright, even in this time of economical woe.
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Yeah, I sell from time to time, but haven't ever run any customs. I managed to nab some brand-new figs a couple of times and ran them quick enough to make a small profit. Too small to have been worth the effort, but oh well.
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LOL. Love the writing style here. It does keep one involved. I will only say one thing, getting something complete is a lot quicker than having to find the pieces over time. I can be done, as I have with a few walkers, but I still wouldn't say a few dollars saved was worth the attention I gave to finishing up the complete vehicle. course I have been called a little eccentric by some.
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LOL. Love the writing style here. It does keep one involved. I will only say one thing, getting something complete is a lot quicker than having to find the pieces over time. I can be done, as I have with a few walkers, but I still wouldn't say a few dollars saved was worth the attention I gave to finishing up the complete vehicle. course I have been called a little eccentric by some.
I certainly didn't say that, Shawn. ;D
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I went back and looked - figuring in shipping, the incomplete one is just over $15 and the complete one is $26. But the guy w/ the incomplete one has a couple of other things I'm interested in...
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I went back and looked - figuring in shipping, the incomplete one is just over $15 and the complete one is $26. But the guy w/ the incomplete one has a couple of other things I'm interested in...
That fact could certainly sway my decision, were I in your shoes.
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First thing out of the bay this morning, Maintenance had an issue. Someone in Transportation had landed a cargo skiff on a hydro-line, fracturing it and shutting down the hydro-supply to a swath of Residential units, including mine. We managed to get that taken care of fairly simply, but it involved a shuttle run by one of the techs for parts - nothing on the Station fit that line! Several of us discussed the issue and feel the line may need to be rerouted and/or replaced with a heavier grade to prevent a recurrence.
I spent most of the day sequestered in Workshop-2 trying to get things rearranged for Manufacturing to open up a facility. Maintenance has been using the 'shop for storage of a variety of power-tools, but that may have to change. It appears there is more stuff than room! We got the storage and display facilities satisfactorily relocated. I'd been worried about the power routing, but that turned out to be a non-issue, thankfully. All that remains is to move in the actual assembly platform. That of course will likely require the resources of two moons and a mining colony!
After we dealt with that not-so-minor issue, I managed to finish up a client's project. He's got an antique cargo-hauler he's trying to sell, so he wanted me to put my talents to use on his behalf. Well, I guess we'll see. He gave me all the info he wanted to have listed, but for some reason, my terminal had connection problems for a couple of days. Finally, I tried setting it up in a different part of the station and voila...everything worked...eventually.
I did pick up another protocol droid via the Holonet. It was another of those "too good to pass up" deals. It should fit right in with the bundle of hardware I ordered from Clonehead. In fact, I heard from him today. Said the goods were heading this way by courier and that he'd tossed in "something special." I think I'll keep my blaster handy when the shipment arrives, just in case.
Oh, and I also stumbled across a "massive pile of parts from many sources" that keep places like this up and running. The broker was up front about not knowing what she was offering, but that there was "plenty for everyone!" I did see what looked like a pair of load-lifter clamp assemblies - complete with arm servos and housings! - that looked promising. If they are the *only* things that I can make use of on the station, I'll feel I have accomplished something! Besides, the spacers we get always seem to be scrounging for parts. I'm sure anything I can't put to good use here can be fairly easily sold in the market.
Now, I have to say, I've so far foregone the Side Gunner present to myself. That was partly done to acquire the pile of parts. I figure realistically, I won;t be able to use the entire load. I'm hopeful that I can recoup a significant part of my expenditure by reselling whatever I can't use. In my dreams, I make enough to cover the cost of the parts *and* buy a Side Gunner.
Tried out a can of Krylon "Fusion" paint on an older GI Joe fig today, just to see how it would work out. Not a bad deal! I used the Olive Drab from their Ultra-Flat Camouflage line. They say the Fusion line is supposed to work better on plastics. Well, I think I can agree there! I'll have to look and see if they have anything other than the ultra-flats as Fusion paints. I'm betting it would do well as a base-coat on vehicles primarily, but on figures too.
Found pics of the updated GI Joe Skyhawk over the weekend. Joe Goes Mini-Rigs! That's something I can applaud, being a mini-rig junkie. I have an old Skyhawk - another auction win - that is not in "flyable" shape that should fit right into a dio set at Tanner Dane's Downtime Station. Well, once I hit it up with some Light Ghost Grey or whatever it was that I used. I think it would make an excellent Imperial airspeeder. Well, they updated it and appear to have given it an actual solid "glass" canopy! Very impressive. Of course, I still need to figure out what sort of landing gear it would use instead of skids...
The Yakfinities challenge running thru June 30 is "Teams." Boy have I got ideas for THAT one!! Obviously, two are Fixer's crews - one a bunch of ragtag tramp-spacers, and the other the ex-Imperial Bartan and Fixer's droid minions. My next thought was to do an Imperial Sharpshooters squad from WEG's Imperial Sourcebook gamebook. Then there's a bunch from an as-yet-unwritten Fixer piece - a 222 pit-droid who is working in a docking-bay, handling starship maintenance & overseeing a fleet of smaller droids, like the "caution-yellow ActionPacker" cleanup droids from the Naboo accessory pack. It would be kinda neat to have all the droids painted up in company livery. That idea is almost more of a dio than a straight "Teams" idea, tho.
Bren has a nice approach going with a bounty-hunter team. He's got two armored guys, qualifying for the "Team" concept, but I'm going to suggest an Intel geek - some sort of Slicer character. Should be interesting to see what he can pull off on that one.
Well, that should do for now. Maybe we can get the assembly platform relocated tomorrow...
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Your and Brendon's team projects sound more and more interesting. I like the sounds of that Skyhawk project, as well. I take it that other load of parts were Star Wars parts?
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It looks like a mixture of a lot of different lines. The seller admits to having no idea. Talk about yer grab-bag specials! Here's the link to the auction - pic isn't big enough for *me* to identify much of anything... http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&item=370197135974 (http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&item=370197135974)
Yeah, another of my 99-cent wins. ;D I see a bunch of vehicle bits and pieces...should make an excellent scrapyard dio.
But really - the main reson I grabbed this one - those grasper-claws! I've got a binary load-lifter design that I *desperately* need arms for, and those guys look like they'll fill the bill. woot!
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I see the arms. Man, there is a little bit of everything, there. You and your 0.99 cent wins. I'll bet that you type 0.99 into the ebay search engine, don't you? :D
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it's that Scottish skinflint in me showing!
Well, emboldened by yesterday's apparently successful test of Krylon's ultra-flat black Fusion, I checked out a local WalMart for what other Fusion colors might exist. Wow - "brown metallic hammered"!! Where's that box of POTF2 guys? I gotta experiment...
Also found 8 YARDS of bead tubing on a clearance rack - it is action fig-scale HOSES!!! Black and brown vinyl tubing, SUPER flexible!! 99 cents!! (joking - it was actually an even dollar) But WOW - I mean can you imagine TWENTY FOUR FEET of hoses??!?? I'm excited by the possibilities!! (obviously) Also picked up a Matchbox forklift to experiment with. Hey - load-lifters gotta use *some*thing to shift freight! They only had one - I need at least one more, maybe three.
Ok, now that I am back from town, I need to see if I *have* a Sebulba fig...
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The assembly platform hasn't yet been moved. However, Workshop-2 is absolutely ready for it, once Housekeeping and Manufacturing get together on clearing out Workshop-1 so that the Platform *can* be moved.
I tell you, the past two days have been crazy ones. Or was it three? Probably three. I started out with a migraine on the first day and got only a little bit accomplished. I did manage to secure some prototyping and manufacturing supplies. Bren and I looked at the parts we'd need to build his Fig-3, a Dug Slicer. Looks like there were 3 different Dugs released, all of which have potential in various areas (primarily in arm position or outfit). We're trying to figure out how we can hang accessories off him - there's not much to work with! I'm thinking an Airborne Trooper's sachel.
I picked up some masking tape, "metallic brown hammered" fusion spraypaint, some 8 yards of craft tubing that will replicate conduit, and a fork-truck. Hey - a load-lifter has to have something to shift loads. Oh, and I got another Cmdr Faie. I'm thinking that is the Imperial Commando. My version, anyway.
I took his rigid hood off today and shot it down with fusion OD Green. It's drying in Workshop-2 as I type. It looks promising. I'm going to start with a large-scale splinter-pattern, I think. Something like Brit/Dutch/NZ DPM or Rhodesia's brushstroke. Those are nice-looking - and effective - patterns. After that, I'm trying to figure if I want to go poncho/cape or just kama. If kamas, I'll try one from a GalMarine first. A poncho or cape would have to be built up from scratch, but might look better. I'm sure there's some number of older rigid capes and such that I could appropriate and redecorate. I want to try and leave the armor untouched, unless maybe to recolor the brown accents on the original figure. One thought on a partial cape would be to use the "cape" from a Boba Fett fig and repaint it appropriately. If I go with capes, I'm sure I'll use one or two of the Fett wraps.
Imperial Sharpshooter squad or Imperial Commando squad. Prolly Commandos. The WEG gamebook has a description of Sharpshooters already. I think they only have helmets and breastplates. So, GalMarine or Snowtrooper body with more "uniform-y" arms and legs for them! Lots of At-St helmets, then... I want to use a sniper-plate from an Airborne Trooper or a Cmdr Baccara on one of the figs and give him the "swept-back" rifle from an AT-ST Driver or McSnowie as a sniper rifle. That would make a nice change from the IG-88 or - Maker forbid - Barrett. I have one Faie holding the South African sniper they used as the pattern for the Halo sniper. No magazine. We'll give it a try and see how it goes in the build-up phase. I'll prolly post a pic of it tomorrow for quick feedback from the 'Yarders, at least. I think it might be different enough to pass.
Yesterday got hosed first by Zoological needing critter maintenance. The feeding facilities for the dairy herd had been judged...inadequate, so I had to overhaul that segment of the Station. Then one of the tenants needed help with a cargo-lighter. Finally, I spent a lot of time repairing the main landing pad surface. Recent solar storms had eaten away the surface, leaving it barely useable and most definitely dangerous. That kept Bren and I going late, but it made a distinct improvement.
Most of today was spent with Housekeeping in Workshop-2, getting it ready for the Assembly Platform. Everything went very well, even if it did take far longer than I would have liked. As I said previously, once Manufacturing and Housekeeping get together on clearing off the platform, we can move it.
I also did some work with Bren on our commo-array. We'd upgraded some units recently and needed to test them out over the local system. Generally, everything went quite well and we are pleased overall with the progress in that area. I talked with one of my consultants and he made some suggestions for improvements I could make for the shuttle systems. Fortunately, they are relatively low-cost and should give a fairly high return on investment. Some of his suggestions, however, had to be relegated to "later on" after the Station sees a bit more profit.
Well, tomorrow I figure I'll get Marketing in to shoot some sample holos of the Faie fig I've got going - I'll put the painted hood on the one holding the rifle and then swap out rifles. That way, I can see how things will go. Will likely throw in the other Faie as a spotter. Wish I could find one of those Macau "GET FIVE FOR 99 CENTS!!" auctions, featuring Cmdr Faie. Oh...I'll grab Bren's Faie as well, since he's pulled the soft-goods off his. Have three squadmates working up a good sniper hide. Prolly break out some Protech stands and get out in the dirt for one while I'm at it.
I looked at some vintage Hoth playsets - Turret/Probot and Imperial Attack - as potential diorama/display shelves. Would it be sacrilegious to repaint them into, say, Geonosis red-orange? Or something else like that? I need to retreive my T/P set from the old 'Station next time we are thru there and see how well it holds the new figures. They do make a nice rocky-looking set, tho. Repaint them in a granite look, maybe...
My block of Sculpey seems to have ruined. It had no give at all and tended to crumble when I squeezed the edges. Blast. Another thing on the list to get/replace.
Well, that's enough of my ramblings committed to photons for now. I've already got a lot to do tomorrow, so I best get rested up for it.
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You certainly like that spray-on color, don't you. Your sniper squad ideas sound promising.
sorry about the migraines. Sinus trouble??
Sounds like you have been busy. I was wondering where you had gotten off to, yesterday.
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Nice reading Doc, you have a great style of wit in your postings........
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The 'Station seems to be the host of an Omiglian Spewkworm infestation. Something like 40% of the station population is infested right now, including two of my minions. If they don't get better soon, I may have to shoot them.
Rebe is supposed to have gone and checked out gravcycles during her mid-shift today. She's wanting to add something for cross-training outside her running regimen. I'm hoping she finds one she likes. Bren has expressed an interest in one, as well. Rebe said he could use hers when she wasn't on it. I suppose they will need to schedule opposing workouts, with one running while the other cycles.
I managed some more work on my two Teams entries today. I put paint to one side of the foundling cloak for the sniper team and primered an entire ASP-7. The droid will most likely get a burgandy body with a metallic blue face as its "swoosh" to fit in the lineup.
The cloak actually fits under the Faie headwrap better than the Labria cloak did, which was a pleasant surprise. I'm not sure if I should trim the headwrap or the cloak, at this point. A four-man team would give me a bit more room to play with slight individualizations among troopers, as I'd like to add a rangefinder to one and a flip-up macro-visor to another. Backpacks will most likely be EVO Trooper packs, where visible/equipped. At least one will be carrying a light repeating blaster, courtesy of the 4LOM fig which I'm reverting to a protocol unit.
Reminds me! His paint is FABULOUS!! Masking was great, with only a light spot of misting on top of its cranial dome. I looked over my colors to see what I might use for his head. I discovered an "Olive Pearl" acryl I plan to use on his eyes. Should give them a nice metallic faceted look. Still not sure on the overall cranial, tho. I left it primered, figuring to find a nice color to use, but I'm coming up blank. The purple acryl I found doesn't sit quite right. I don't think earth tones are the way to go, either, and a black face would make him look like a copy of an RA-7 "death star droid." So, I'm stymied for the moment. A pearl-white might make an interesting choice, but I don't know how that might look as an accent color on the fig. I need to figure out some sort of reception desk for it to stand behind. A micro-dio of sorts.
I'm trying to pick out 3 or 4 smaller items I want to use as my first mold-masters. I have so many I want to do, that I'm confused as to where I should start! Well, I *KNOW* I want to make a "senate droid-cam" as one of the first items. I will likely also use the Endor Rebel w/ goatee as one of the items. The flip-down visor has to be one of the earlier items, as several of my designs need one. I might toss in a helmet from someone, just to round things out.
I need to mold an R2 head. Or two. I need them - or something suspiciously similar - for James' ball-shaped astromech project. I want to use one of the pivoting R2 center foot pieces so the lil fig will have some sort of articulation. I'm thinking about drilling attachment holes in the surface to allow the insertion of tool arms from the FX6 and Sith Attack droids. Having a pop-up scanner and extending scomp-link arm would be added plusses. That bloody figure is getting complex! But I mean really - why make a fig that is little more than two R2 domes stuck together with a monopod base? There's no play value in that. Start adding arms and scanners and NOW you're cooking! So, dangit, I gotta sacrifice a full-blown R2 unit for the scanner part and mold up something that looks like a scomp-link.
I got another Dodonna fig on thEbay today. There's another doctor for my RMSU-7 team/dio. Now, if I could just work out the surgical beds... I also picked up a pair of protocol droid arms and a head for virtually nothing.
I have a lead on an old Trade Fed scout-tank. Someone knows I like the smaller armor and slipped me a note. Gent has a number of other things I like, inc. a barely-used protocol droid. Might see about dropping some creds his way, if no one beats me to them.
Spent part of the day making a shuttle run to pick up consumables for Zoological. Ended up catching a deal for Botanical while we were there. Spent some time in that zone after we returned, checking the coming crops. Hung out with the minions a good bit, too. Overall, I guess I can lay down tonight with a clear conscience. Maybe I can get a little done in Workshop-2 now, since the day shift is over and most everyone is settling in...
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Once again, great style. Interesting read. Hope to see more pics of those great customs.
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Lovin it, Doc. Sorry to hear that the family is sick or part of it, anyway.
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Yahoo!! My new tredwell came in by courier today! Turns out, I also have a container sitting at the freight station that was too big for the courier to deliver. I'll make a trip in-system tomorrow with one of the system freighters to pick it up. I'm trying to NOT wonder what it could be, but the only thing I am expecting which would be *that* large is a salvage-lot of antique mini-rigs!! I'm absolutely shaking in anticipation. I have restoration projects in mind for several of them already and I can't wait to get started!
The Tredwell checked out fine and I've already put him to work around the 'Station.
I put the final touch-up of primer - I think - on the ASP and set the body aside to dry for ~72 hours. The face got its first shot of paint - I used the metallic blue. The sniper cloak has been first-shotted, inside and out, with ultra-flat OD. Wow! It is seriously impressive. I saw a Leia fig on the 'Net, and it confirmed my suspicions that the cloak is indeed from one of the first Leia releases. I need to get another one so I can try Clint's cloak-making approach on it.
One of yesterday's wins was a Zutton fig. He's so small-looking! So now I have to fish out a young Annikin and see if a repaint will change his looks enough to let me create a generic preteen/young teen fig in something *other* than Jedi or Tatooine clothing. Sheesh.
I had a refinement/extension of my contest idea for the 'Yards. I hate to commit it to photons, because I'm afraid the 'Station's system may be compromised. I'll just say it involves an existing figure of mine, one - preferably two - cantina bar sections, a dio wall and floor, a standard door (as opposed to a blast- or pressure-door), and a custom-cut stencil. And paint. Lots of paint.
I had an idea for a mini-rig conversion/custom. I'm just going to throw this out as a place-holder type entry. Start with an MLC-3, preferably one with damaged/missing cannons and canopy. Separate the hull sections to access the guns-mount and in their place install a pair of arms from a Probot. There are two arms that are fairly matched for length/proportion, but are in different poses. Ideal for the project. I'd love to work out a way to allow the arms a ball-socket mount, like they have on the Probot, so as to grant a degree of articulation/poseability. And repaint it, of course. Something like Tractor Green, maybe. John Deere in space! I'd love to use some ultra-fine-grit sandpaper to make little anti-skid pads on parts of it, like on a trackhoe.
Maintenance should have the Assembly Platform ready to be moved very soon. I went down and helped today. Amazing how much junk a flat surface will attract. In fact, I managed to find some important paperwork - that has been missing for several weeks - buried on it. We're making noticeable progress with it. Once it gets moved, I'll be able to work on the more delicate parts of my own projects.
Met has informed me we are heading into a fairly severe solar storm sometime in the next 12-24 hours and it should last some 72+ hours. This may prevent the relocation of the Assembly Platform. Doesn't that just figure?
Put together a door mockup to check visual dimensions against a human fig. Looks like a doorway 4.5"x2" is the point to start from. If only I had a straight section of bar-top! Two curved sections might work, but 2 curved plus a straight would be excellent.
Threw a party for the minions after shift this evening. Grilled nerf patties and veggies and bread - good stuff! They loved the attention and "special time." I think we're going to kick that spewkworm infestation. One minion seems to have kicked it on her own already and the other one is slowly pulling thru. I think she was allergic to the meds we used, so I ordered her meds changed. So after the feast, we all piled up in the rec-center for an impromptu concert and then some Battlefront action.
Gotta go shut down what minor production we've got going in Workshop-2 and then I'm off-shift myself.
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Mmmmmmmmm nerf patties.
Good to hear that the family is getting better.
I am curious to see your contest photo, Doc. I had a feeling that you had something special in mind.
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Boy that does sound like an interesting photo idear.
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whats a nerf patty. . .ahhhh, nerf herder.
Man . .. what just happened, did I just cross the line into geekdom?
crap.
dig the write ups, off shift, I've had trouble getting off shift all week and have read pretty much this entire board, :)
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Man . .. what just happened, did I just cross the line into geekdom?
Yes. Yes, you did. ;D
crap.
Indeed. ;D
Y'all, it was like opening the Ark of the Covenant!! (well, without all the faces melting and brains exploding Wrath-of-GOD type stuff...) THREE of the MLC-3 mini-tanks!! ALL had intact guns! An MTV-7. A non-exploding Hoth radar-dish gun. An INT-4 with (loose) nose gun!! An Endor Forest Ranger with one wing-gun missing! Aaaaaaaand - a COMPLETE Sail-Skiff! I've never owned one! And never had a Ranger to play with!!
I have a teen-aged female figure (Golden Compass, iirc) who will most likely be getting a Ranger airspeeder as a Lifeday gift. Suitably repainted a bright Hyacinth or Tangerine color, of course. The light lasers on the nose can stay, but I think the remaining turbo-laser on the wing will have to be removed. For permitting purposes, after all. We have to protect the children, you know. Maybe something else yummy will come in *today's* mail!
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Good deal, buddy, you got your goodies.
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*sigh* Nope, nothing in today's mail. But that's ok - I got a Tredwell in my mailbox yesterday and picked up the monster box of minirigs today, plus a couple of cans of clearance Krylon "Cloud City" colors - Tangerine and Hyacinth.
Sat down with 4LOM and put a coat of Folkart's "metallic sequin black" on his head over the primer. After this dries, I'm going to come back with a "heavy drybrush" of silver. Then we'll add in the "olive pearl" for his eyes. I think that should suit him nicely.
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Glad to hear your goodies arrived. Tangerine? You serious?
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Tangerine, seriously. Heck, it was marked down to $2 a can!
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Tangerine, seriously. Heck, it was marked down to $2 a can!
LOL. I can't argue with the color choices I have seen you use so far.
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I'm game, lets see it.
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Well, I figure I'll find an airspeeder and paint it up in Tangerine for some teenage girl-fig...
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I had an even better idea for using the Tangerine... just hang onto your hats, everyone.
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Some days, life just sucks. Most of them are days that I wake up with a headache that progresses downward into a migraine. Days like today. So, I do the best I can to find fun stuff to at least partially offset the nastiness.
Today marked the application of primer to Operation: Tangerine Dream. No point buying a paint you never use, right? So there's the "how the #&!! are you gonna fit THAT color into a SW fig?" taken care of.
Bren and KeKe are fighting over Assembly Platform 1. She has an MLC-3 she's brush-painting (burgandy, I think) and he is starting in on his first bounty hunter. They now understand why I want AP-1 relocated to Workshop-2, as I have to keep making trips down there for supplies.
We managed to secure a couple of older 'ships for the station, one small shuttle and one larger cargo shuttle. We got them from a salvage-yard on the other side of the sector, so we're arranging for them to be delivered by courier. We expect to see them sometime in the next week or so.
One of my buds involved in prop/costume-armor creation turned me onto smooth-on.com as a source for flexible casting supplies. This should let me make all the belts for my sniper squad. If it works out well, I might start making standardized custom belts of my own design.
Rebe came home with two of the new ESB Wave Legacy figs and a U-3PO repack of a Kashyyyk Trooper.
I really don;t know if I'm going to accomplish much else today, as this headache has me just flat useless. Which sucks, given the # of irons I have in the fire right now.
Well, we'll see.
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I used to get those, Doc. BC powder or alcha seltzer used to be my only relief.
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this time of year when the pollen is in full swing allergy pills are all that work for me.
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All I can say is hooray for Excedrine. Brendan painted like a fool on his bounty hunters today. I drilled a hole in one for a jetpack for him and painted a little on a baby Tredwell. I did get some fit-testing done, too, on my sniper team. Proof of Concept stuff. I'll have pics up later - gotta take pics of the new figs first. Curto doesn't even have pics of them up on RebelScum yet! :o
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Lets see em, buddy!
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Got some up over in the New Legacy Figs thread. Gotta go put up some sniper pics in the Gallery now...
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The latest, greatest craze to hit the 'Station is gravcycling. I bought Rebe a new gravcycle the other day and she and Bren have taken turns trying to wear the poor machine out! Well, I decided to give it a try myself today. There's no danger of me wearing it out any time soon. None whatsoever. Since Rebe runs for her normal exercise, the 'cycle will provide a good cross-training platform. Bren needs it to build up his endurance for grappling. Me? I need it to keep from keeling over from a coronary. KeKe has her own gravcycle, so she and Bren have become regular riding partners.
Bren is off on a Zoological mission on the other side of the 'Station this morning. He's also been tasked with a bit of espionage on my behalf. We'll see if he's able to bypass the security on an occupant's warehouse.
I've got to help Maintenance out with some cooling duct repairs. We think damaged ducting it prolonging the Spewkworm infestation. I've also got a doorway to finish building for the 'Yards. The frame is already cut, now I just have to fab up the actual door and details. I need to write up a fig review - two, actually - for the 'Yards, as well.
Guess I better shove off and get busy or nothing will get done.
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Sounds like a busy day. Hope you don't have a coronary. LOL. Easy with the new gravcycle!
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Not a bad couple of days on the 'Station! Despite Assembly Platform-1 still not being moved, we've put it into production. Yesterday saw the creation of the machinery needed to turn out fusion lamps and holocam droids. Then, last night, I finished up the prelim door design and fabbed up the doorway itself. Today, I made test-runs of the door and performed minor adjustments to it. I made a final print, trimmed it up, and have it glued into the frame, drying as I type.
I failed to mention that Station Security was activated during the night-shift two nights ago. Security failed to find anything beyond a loose 'Cauna Hen in Zoological. I think now it was an AFFA guerilla on the prowl. Why? Well, three packages arrived by courier today, 15 cinema-scene bases, a BBI Modern Elite fig, and three droids. The droids - a TC14 and two DUM4 pit droids - had been advertised as MOC. They arrived loose in shipping baggies.
I queried the vendor, who claimed someone from Station Purchasing had commed him and requested they be shipped loose - "to save on shipping." I went back thru the station comm-logs and someone had indeed sent just such a message, signing off as "Affa Betteo" all official-like.
AFFA - Because toys were meant to be played with!
Then, to make matters worse, someone plastered propaganda over on RebelScum, trying to draw traffic to the 'Station!! The "Society for the Preservation of AstroMechs" - yes, SPAM - ran their propaganda supporting the non-customizing of astromech figs & advocating the use of BAD parts. By the Maker - have they *seen* how much a single astromech part sells for on the 'net? I went out and bought a Wioslea fig for the R2 dome and paid less for the entire carded fig than what most of these scalpers are charging!! And now I have a decent figure to work with, as well.
SPAM, sheesh. Oh, and respondents are supposed to comm someone named "Justa Jokkin" at the 'Station. You've got to be kidding me.
So - the BIG thing!! We turned out our first holocam droid and first fusion lamp! They weren't perfect, but still. Look out folks, we are on our way!
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Y'know...this is getting ridiculous. The "Outlands Station" has always been a part of my Fixer SW setting. I had the idea to post the blog in the voice of the station's administrator and from that developed a bit of his character and some of the other folks on the station he'd interact with, partly based on my family members. Then I figured I'd have him acquainted with Fixer. Then I developed a couple of silly joke-level action figure "resistance movements" tied to the station. Started working out customs of some of the characters, since they're tied to Fixer. Then started looking at what vehicles might be around the station. THEN had an idea for a station denizen for Fixer to tangle with somewhere in a future story and started wondering about a custom-fig for him. Worked out a station-side diorama as part of the contest - which will be revisited later, once I have the proper materials to realize my vision. And now I've gone and developed ANOTHER denizen complete with place of business, fictional "voice," a secret, *and* found a pic to serve as him - just for listing items I have available for sale or trade on the 'boards!!! Oh, and he'll no doubt be a custom project one of these days. Prolly with a store dio of his own, too.
Sheesh!
As I-5YQ said - "Organics are endlessly amusing. Even if only to themselves." Hope y'all enjoy my trip into madness as much as I am!
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I think that it's all pretty cool, myself. You do have imagination and talent at creativity both with text and tangible visual creation. It's a killer combo.
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Thanks! I know it is definitely entertaining on THIS side...
I took an intro to filmmaking class in college wherein we had to make two 3-5 minute long movies, using 8mm film cameras. I made a C on both of them. Given the fact that I was working solo as opposed to everyone else partnering up *and* that this class was my *first* class in that part of the college and thus I didn't know where ANYTHING was (sound studio, editing studio, etc etc), *and* that I was clueless with more than general point-n-shoot photography, the fact I got an "average" grade on my VERY FIRST FILMS EVER was pretty exciting.
I'm a writer - go figure, eh? I took loads of creative writing classes at the colleges I've been to. One of my teachers - a published fiction writer type - made a comment about my piece that was under review by the class. Attempting to be disparaging, he said, "I read this and it's like I'm watching it on a movie screen!" To which one of the other students replied, "Yeah I know - innit GREAT??" The face he made was priceless. I then asked him if a writer had to pick between writing a novel he knew would be a technical masterpiece of literature but would be read and reviewed only by the literary elites or writing a novel that would be not technically brilliant but would be read, enjoyed, and talked about by commonplace people around the world ... which novel should he write?
As I recall, the subject was changed in short order amid much hemming and hawing.
I don't need drugs - I have imagination. Maybe one day I'll figure out how to get it hooked to a paycheck.
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Couple of ships came in yesterday and left the most awful mess of scum and villany I've seen in ages. One K-3PO protocol droid came in, along with three bounty hunters (Djas Puhr, Bossk, 4LOM), three rebels (beardless Endor Rebel, blue-coat Hoth Han, Bespin Luke w/ bloody stump), and one member of Joker Squad (Hondo Karr).
Someone on RebelScum posted pics of the Q7 droid he made. The Q7 is the droid that rides in the Clone V-wing and is, according to the Incredible Cross-sections holocron he referenced, a spherical droid with repulsorlift flight. He made it using the recipie Bren suggested to me for the ball-droid James posted from the "Droids" cartoon - an R2 BAD dome with the bottom half of Vader's IT-0 droid. It works and works WELL! I'll have to see if I can pull it off for the DD-droid with a leg. I have a couple of the IT-0's around, so fodder for casting isn't an issue, like the R2 dome was. I'm hoping to work out a way to hollow-cast the BAD domes so that installing the foot doesn't involve cutting thru an inch of resin, but experiments will have to wait until Manufacturing gets more HS3.
Which reminds me - I found a supplier that sells HS3 and resin for a fairly reasonable price. The 'Station could even end up making a few credits off it thru their affiliates program. It wouldn't be enough to sustain Manufacturing's parts-making process, but it would reduce operating costs at least a little. I'll have to look into it more. Maybe if I put my affiliate-link in my sig on all the customizing messageboards I'm on, I'd get a few (2-3??) casters to order. Narceron keeps making noises about trying it out...
And in the realm of casting, I spoke by comm with a manufacturer's rep about materials that can be used to make flexible belts for figs. He recommended three products they carry. The company was recommended by members of a costuming community who use their products in almost industrial quantities. So that bodes well for expanding out of just rigid pieces and into the more flexible stuff.
Farzel Kenn finally got his store opened on the 'Station's holonet. So far, his only offerings listed are a bunch of low-tech dirtside military replicas. It's nice to see that ugly Ugnaught finally participating! Now if he'd just learn that holo's of his items are valuable selling tools! I think once Manufacturing starts turning out usable pieces in decent quantity, we'll look at listing production thru him.
The Spewkworm infestation has been brought mostly under control - the 'Station still has one lingering case. Now, however, someone brought in a case of Formellan Lung-rot. This has, of course, compounded the Spewkworm case as well as laid into some 80% of the 'Station's occupants - including me! I need to talk to someone in Medical about improving our decontamination procedures, it seems. Maintenance repaired the airducts and we installed new filters in the primary atmospheric processing plant, so maybe we'll start seeing an improvement from those efforts. In the meantime, the pharmaceutical suppliers on the 'Station are doing a brisk business.
I'm up entirely too early today. Rebe had the early shift, so I got up and had caf with her. Figured I'd just stay up and enjoy the quiet while it lasted. I'm sure I'll end up taking a nap later today. Maybe no major crisis will develop.
I need to work on painting the camo on the Sniper cloaks. If Maunfacturing has enough HS3, I need to pour up some more molds. Can't make any creds if the raw materials sit around in storage vats! I think I'll suggest going after some generic heads. Might see if we can get an Endor Rebel cap out of it, too. Reminds me, I need to post some links on the 'Yards boards for the folks to check out the resin suppliers and more info on Fixer. Farzel comm'ed me to see if I could take some holo's for an interested client! Well, well - so I need to have Marketing do that. Lonnie put together a dio she wanted me to holo and post. Lotta fiddly stuff to do today. Reckon I best get after it!
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I'm anxious to see Lonni's dio and those model kit pics, as well.
Lung rot, yuk. I have a variation of that illness called butt rot.
You are up early, this morning.
I have to go to the dodge dealership to get the Magnum's clogged oil cooler checked and I have a trip to make to the PO but other than that, I will be home, all day.
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Yeah, Bec had to be at work at 5:30 today, so I got up about 4am with her and just stayed up. Somebody brought home a cold and it is making life miserable!! Plus we are pretty sure she's developed allergies to the cats. And what little girl can resist snuggling three adorable kittens??
Wow is it quiet! ;D
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Enjoy it, my friend. Dude, I just checked out that Old Republic trailer. MAN!!! that's the coolest thing that I have seen in a while.
Gotta go. I should be back in 2-3 hrs.
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The second pot of caf just finished brewing. ;D I should have another hour or so before the minions start getting up.....
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Hope your crew gets to feeling better Doc.
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hear, hear..... ;D
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I should have another hour or so before the minions start getting up.....
First minion appeared at 0845 - 1.5 hrs after the above comment. ;D
Am I good or what? 8)
Wait...don't answer that!!
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More predictable than my cat, that's for sure.
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One of the minions dropped by entirely too early this morning to visit. She ended up crashing from exhaustion, curled up against Rebe. Why, whatever makes you think it was the one with the Spewkworm case?? I mean, you'd be right, but still! Well, I decided it wasn't worth it and hauled myself out of bed. I mean, I had projects waiting on AP-1, after all.
I wanted to remove the markings from the four troopers I had lined up, so in the pre-shift solitude I found, I started to work with 91% rubbing alcohol and a Q-tip. Holy Crow, but that took forever! I ended up working the spot with the flat of my xacto blade. Finally, real progress! It still took far too long and ended up looking like, well, poodoo. Eopie poodoo, at that. I pulled out a bottle of Brilliant White acryl and applied it. It didn't show much promise. I resolved to simply paint over those spots on the other three figures to hide the existing brown and roughed in an approximation of the original markings on the first fig with one of the colors from the camo pattern. All in all, I've gotten three figs repainted and three cloaks finished. The fourth cloak is 75% complete and I'll likely knock it out tonight. I'll be taking WIP holo's of them soon, too.
Spent a lot of time reading the "Yards' boards, swapping ideas and plans with some of the other denizens there. I think we're about to see some awesome projects get started in the very near future. I laid out a number of thoughts, both partial and nearly complete, that Manufacturing here on the 'Station is going to get involved in and got some positive feedback. We're starting to see more discussion over manufacturing processes amongst the 'Yards members and I'm beginning to think maybe some major concerns are hiding behind inoccuous-sounding 'net-names. I do know I managed to entice Jules from HangerBay 94 over to the 'Yards and I think ReverendStrone will be there before much longer with his astromechs.
Me and Rebe made a resupply run in the smaller shuttle. I think she's getting excited about the projects that are starting to pop. It's good to have a cheerleader.
Manufacturing hasn't used up the last of the molding supplies, but they are mighty close. They've kicked a requisition for resupply through Accounting. None of the bean-counters balked or squawked, so I'm waiting to see it on my desk for official sanction. I'll need to see what sort of credit the 'Station has available and see what sort of quantities Manufacturing is after.
A courier ship delivered another 17 new residents to the station, but they were nowhere near as unsavory as the last lot. In fact, a couple of new security personnel were in the mix. They are all awaiting inprocessing.
I didn't really accomplish a whole lot physically today, but a lot of mental work got moved, for sure. Now, I just have to translate that into the physical. It'll come. I have faith.
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Lets see those snipers, doc. I assume that is what you were working on.
whats up for tomorrow, buddy?
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Finish cloak #4, work on repainting the details on the sniper, cast a flawless visor, mount it on the spotter's helmet, repaint the droid backpack.
Breakfast.
Order another load of HS3, pour up a mold of two heads and a helmet, build an atat-shaped holoprojector with wind-up walking action...
;D
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I like that last one. heck, I like em all.
I got my parts list up.
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my favorite is the one with the vizor. Well maybe. I am about hooked on another. Love reading and figuring out the meaning in this thread. I can acutally figure out most of it!
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I may have found a pic of Outlands Station!! With stats!! Now, if only I had deckplans...
http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=starwars/article/Mesop1 (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=starwars/article/Mesop1)
It can dock three Corellian Corvettes in its hangers and dock two more capital ships at its "poles." Crew is 1500 and passenger cap is 10,000. Writeup says there's not much in the way of permanent occupants on the station, tho, as they are intended to be nodes, not locales. I'll see what I can come up with. I'm good at that.
I'm finally starting to feel like I'm on the "getting well" side of this sinus infection. I may have a line on "flat" terrain for us, we'll see in the next few weeks. One of our hens hatched out a bunch of baby chicks yesterday - we think 8 or 9. Gotta get back to work on my sniper team so I can finish them for the Yakfinities competition. Family is starting to want to play D&D again in the near future, so I'll be working on stuff for that once I finish off the Team. Found a nice adventure-arc for SWRPG, so we may end up playing that at some point, too.
Ah, well - that's recent events in capsule form.
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Glad to hear that you are feeling better, Doc. I've been wondering about you the last couple of days.
Your family plays D&D? Man, I havent played that in years. I used to DM a Marvel super heroes version with my friends in high school. It was cool and the figurines were fun to paint.
I went back to work, today.
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I was sorry to read that you and yours were down with the sinuses, as my gal calls it.
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Oh, and sometime in there about a week ago, we were moving the temporary/portable goat pen (only got 2 young goats, so we use 8 cattle panels for brush clearing) and managed to hit myself in the head with the T-post driver. I *still* have a lump. It *still* hurts.
I *still* haven't finished the snipers. I have 2 days. Brendan's bounty-hunter team is done save for a single datapad. I just dug thru three boxes of greeblies and turned up NO datapad. Back out to the shop in the morning!! We've got to find that lil datapad for his slicer character...
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I've got one you could use but you would never get it in time.
Pics buddy, need pics.
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Pics tomorrow once I find that dang datapad! LOL This is killin me - it *should* be easy to find, as one of my customs (a not-quite-finished Captain Peet Bartan) was holding it back before the move... I also have a nice Imperial Customs officer, again almost finished, that matches up with the Bartan figure. Once I finish the paints on them and make a Fixer to go with them, well... I'll have something. ;D
ETA: all else fails, the local WalMart has a couple of Dofine fig's on the pegs still - at full price - so I could go pick one up tomorrow. As a last-ditch effort.
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Well, the baby girl got her first "big" "action figger" today. She picked out a "Medical Frigate Leia" as the one she had to have. She plans to customize it, or so she says.
I picked up the SL#14 Darth Maul with fabric cloak, THINKING it had a ball-joint head. Wow, was I disappointed. The articulation on this dude SUX!! Only one elbow is articulated. Only one wrist is articulated. The blades do not come off the lightsaber. The head is NOT a ball-post head. No ankle articulation. Holy crow, guys - you can do better than this! I guess the legs and torso would work for a pirate-type fig...if I can find a proper head... "Comes with Battle Gear!" Some consolation...
Brendan picked up a couple of figs - the Ugnaught and Trinto Duaba.
I've been writing Fixer fiction hard and heavy this week, as you've noticed over in the Imperial Library. I've been trying to write 250 words a day as part of a "Write A Novel With Me" project by Holly Lisle, an awesome fantasy writer. I've also done a bunch of picture-taking, both as story illustrations and in general.
I'm waiting on some 20+ pieces of customizing fodder to arrive from various sources, mainly figures, but including an EU/concept speeder-bike. I think I have enough projects - and prolly supplies - to last me until I die of OLD age!! Reckon that means I shouldn't be bored. ;D
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I know the feeling of having enough project material to last through retirment, Doc. Just the model kits alone would fill that task not to mention Star Wars stuff.
Oh, and you got a 99 cent Vader from me you dog! LOL
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I was appalled! That should have gone plenty higher, imo. Besides, I am *usually* death on 99-cent auctions - if I bid on a cool one, it goes up fast... Oh, well - I got a kool one!!
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You may recall I've been pondering the exact style of construction for the 'Station. Well, I had thought I might use the Regula 1 from Star Trek because I have a set of deckplans for it. Then I thought I might use the XQ-2 from the X-Wing/TIE Fighter games, because they are, well, in-universe. Well, the Regula is round and the XQ-series is hexagonal.
TA-DAAA!!! I found a website today that has floorplans for a generic base that is hexagonal!! Now I need to research back and double-check just how big the base is and how big the XQ-1 is, but I may have found my winner!! Definite ideas at any rate...
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can't wait to see those construction pics!
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can't wait to see those construction pics!
hope he has permits for the buildings...lol
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Glorious idea blown to hell. The XQ-series of stations appeared 5 years BBY. Outland Station is a lot older than that. Back to the Regula-series, it seems! Well, that or I start building a whole new style... which I was trying to avoid, so as to use existing pics.
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Doc, I wouldn't abandon that idear too soon. We see all kinds of wierd time reference issues with ships, vehicles, etc. in the SW universe. Maybe Outland Station first started out as a top secret research or observation facility in the time frame you have in mind!
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A prototype. *snicker* That would explain some things... 8)
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A prototype. *snicker* That would explain some things... 8)
Think about all the neat little surprises the station could be harboring!
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Local holiday had the courier runs overloaded today. Rebe and I made a shuttle run to pick up some goodies for a party this evening - it is Keke's birthday today. Along the way, I picked up a Rebound speeder-bike that needs some bodywork and a paint-job before it is ready to ride. I also got a small model of a GAR Attack Shuttle to use in picture-taking for a dio-story idea I had. So we got back to the station and I started disassembling the 'bike and the courier struck!
In came two more packages!
One was a power-loader for the cargo-docks I found through my contacts on the 'Yards. Lieutenant Dane from the Macy Jade is already checking it out. The other was an older model speeder-bike I got from a collector/dealer over in Numexia Sector. I've already got it disassembled, as well.
I keep hearing rumors that the station is going to be picking up a couple dozen new residents, but so far the only one to arrive has been a deactivated B2 Super Battle Droid. I'm not concerned yet, I've heard the holiday has impacted most routine courier shipping schedules, so I'll just take what comes.
Looks like I'll be primering a couple of speeder-bikes in the next couple of days.
In other station news, the botanical section is growing along nicely, occasionally producing consumables for the station. Looking forward to having Botanicals up and running like it should, so that we can stop importing so much of our consumables. The Cona-Hens continue to produce enough eggs that we can trade the surplus away on a regular basis.
I've also been working on my writing quite a bit lately. I've been making fantastic - to me - progress! I've opted to write a story about Fixer and the rise of the Empire. I hope to involve Outland Station in the story in the near future. Nothing like free advertising by getting your locale in a widely-read piece of popular fiction!
Manufacturing is setting up to create some new molds. I had the chance to look over the masters they are setting up and I'm hopeful that these will turn out well. Everyone needs shipping containers and tool-kits, right?
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Well Happy Birthday Keke! Glad to hear the station is getting some parts too. Its good to hear the plants are doing good. My maters are a growing too.
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Give some birthday wishes to the little one. Yes, shipping containers and tool kits would be nice additions.
Good to hear that the loader showed up.
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(http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u239/LosLejanos/backstage/015.jpg)
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That loader looks good with that pilot in it!
Looks like one of my workbenches.
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Well, today was the first of day of my new health program. I'd blame Rebe if I could get away with it, but no such luck. No, I just got tired of feeling like I was expanding like a balloon day by day. So, I went out on the grav-cycle. The plan was to spend 30 minutes on it. Well, I only managed 25. I developed a roaring headache before I'd gone two-tenths of a kilometer and it is still with me 4+ hours later. It feels like it is trying to turn into a migraine. Bugger all.
Manufacturing set up several masters last night and plans are to pour molds later today. I took a peek last night and they've got three heads, four demo-charges, two shipping containers, and a tool-kit on the line. There was also talk of making a pouring run, if they could locate a pressure syringe.
//input-interrupt:time lapse//
Wow, well I just got up from a major nap! I have to say, though, my headache is almost totally gone. Hooray for that.
Got a call just after I woke up. One of my clients was inquiring about using a shuttle to haul in a bio-containment unit. The comm was interrupted before anything was settled, though, so I don't know if she needs me to arrange for a shuttle or if she'd found someone else to haul it.
The station had a problem with a water plant, resulting in an outage the other day. Now, I've got a report that the primary ice-maker is non-functional. Lovely. I'll have to get Maintenance moving on that one. Hopefully, it'll be a minor fix, but still...accessing the water-line is a major undertaking. Not to mention, the part of the station that line runs through is showing its age and decaying.
I'm also looking into having Maintenance do some rewiring on the electrical side of things. Several work-areas are rather...underserviced when it comes to power access. I think it would be fairly straightforward, but we need to check out the contuit routings. If it is do-able, I would be able to relocate the 'Station's secondary computer core, streamline the Comm-center, improve at least one Workshop, and provide enhanced capabilities for Marketing. Unfortunately, this will necessitate an expedition into the 'Station's underbelly.
Well, I better log off this and get moving, since I took that nap.
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Check the electric switch that opens the valve where the water line connects to the frige.
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No switch visible. That would have been too easy. ;D
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It's more like a Detroit switch really. It may be inside the back panel or even up by the ice maker. That would be the simple fix that you are looking for if it had failed.
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So i should be looking for it where the wires run from the ice-maker down to the panel, then?
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Or where the water line runs into the back of the fridge. That water line is pressurized and the switch opens the valve that let's the water run into your ice maker. It usually makes a clicking noise when it works.
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Manufacturing let me know they were ready to pour up their molds today, so Bren and I went down to watch. We're really hoping these four molds come out well! Manu had just the right amound of material ready to fill their boxes. Bren is hoping they go well, because he's itching to turn out a scad of demo charges and tool-kits. I guess we'll see in a couple of days.
Surprise of surprises, guess who showed up on-Station today? Figrin D'an and the Modal Nodes! They showed up along with some R5 replacement parts and 10 other passengers, including a young man named Fett.
The station's Constable asked about possibly standardizing sidearms for his deputies, so I spent a significant sliver of the day looking at weapons for him. I found some interesting models to choose from, now I suppose we need to sit down and look at his budget. He mentioned some Seburo models, but I only found two rifles and a carbine. I don't think that's exactly the message we should be trying to send to our visitors.
Speaking of the Constable and new arrivals, I've asked him to keep an eye on one. She's a young Twi'ilek, her papers id her as Hannan Gesh and Dal Matar, our local perfumer, claims she is his niece. That may be perfectly accurate, but something doesn't quite sit right. What initially concerned me was that she arrived with a bodyguard - a small-time bounty hunter named Donicio Braze. She was also all but totally concealed under a travelling cloak. Might be nothing, but I'd rather be sure.
Well, there's the alarm - gotta make end-of-shift rounds.
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Eh - I don't see one on a quick check - just the cord and the water-hose coming out thru sealed ports. I think I saw the manual for it around here last year when we moved in. I'll have to see if I can find it again.
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sounds like the station is developing nicely. I guess jail cells will go next? This kinda sounds like a Star Wars Deep Space Nine.
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Well, I think I may have seen two whole episodes of DS9, so I'm certainly not in the running for plagarizing stories from the show. However, yeah, something like that!! I did find a couple of sets of deckplans that I like - the Regula station plans and a set I found online that is hexagonal, like the XQ-series, but is about 30% the size of the XQ-series. So it could be a forerunner design that got scaled up.
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Been a busy few weeks! Production finally got some decent heads to start turning out. The first two are on their way to their new home. I understand we've got another order waiting in the queue, as well. Very nice! Two more figures to finish out the first order and then the heads for a second. It's small, but it's a start!
The 'Yards admin have set up a contest - rather respectable winnings to be had, as well. The theme? A custom speeder. Build any non-spacegoing repulsorcraft and driver. I've already heard of at least two swoop-gangs planning to enter, with rumours of a third. Bren says he knows there's a racing speeder planning to show up, as well. Keke just smirks whenever the competition is mentioned. That worries me...
Speaking of Keke, I made a serious error today. I took her with me on a shuttle run to put some droid parts onto a freighter heading out. We did a little shopping on the way back. Well, it started out as a little... I picked up some minor supplies for the Station, but then I lost my sanity. I think she spiked that Narbian Cherry Cola she ordered us...
I ended up with 4 styro coolers, spackling compound & spreaders, air-drying clay (on clearance!), plastic bowls, and - an ROC Pit Commando! Yes, the locals had finally gotten in some of the new figs! Only Paris Pursuit fig out was the unhooded Storm Shadow. OOOOOooooooh, I wanted to shovel several figs into the cart! Cover Girl, Scarlett, the Baroness... I left them behind. Some of the others had good-looking parts, as well, and will no doubt be added into the rotation in the future. However, for a first-time buy of ROC fig's, I decided the Pit Commando had the highest value - FOUR pieces of headgear! FOUR weapons! Removeable armored vest! Backpack! Combat vest! Riot shield!
But I think I'll be counting my creds in the meantime so's I can score another one.
They also had the small Armadillo tank, the 4-wheeler, and the snowmobile. I have an idea for the Armadillo, and already have the ATAV snowmobile for a specific project. Love the look of those accelerator suits and the Desert Duke vest may have some potential, too.
But I think the girls will come first...
I best leave Keke at home...she managed to talk me into a new datajournal while I was ... distracted.
So, anyway, I have two R4 domes on the way in, and an R4 torso, too. Got a deal on another pile of speeder parts. Have too many ideas for air-speeder & swoop designs! Need to pick one and GET BUSY!
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Sounds like a good day minus the Keke distraction. Lol.
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don't forget to take the TRU sale mag in, WM matches the 2 for 10 promotion this week, woot!
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Only if you are within 30 miles of the TRU. So says my wife, the once and future WalMart CSM. I'm screwed. Again. As usual.
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Doesn't matter at the wife's Walmart.
Where is that add, Simon?
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I got it out of Sunday's paper, but I'm sure you can find it online.
I just googled and came up with nothing, though, :(
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Isnt there a link on TRU site for a weekly shopper ad?
I havent looked online there in such a long time, but every other store site has one.
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Dana, I believe that if you follow this link and fill out the two pieces of info, you will be directed to a page where you can sign up to get the weekly adds.
https://secure.ed4.net/toysrus/preferencecenter/prefs.cfm (https://secure.ed4.net/toysrus/preferencecenter/prefs.cfm)
You will have to register with their site for this to work.
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I think I am already registered, since I have made a few online purchases from them, but I opted out of the ad emails. probably just need to turn on that account option again.
Thanks for the info. maybe there will be one close by and we can get deals at both TRU and Walmart if they will price match.
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Thankee for that link! Rebe says the price-matching deal is most likely a region-by-region thing and that our other local WM - in a different region from the one she works in - may well match it.
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our walmart matches, I've bought way too many figs this week, :)
heck, I have 14 on my trade list, :)
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I'm sure I'd have to have a print ad to get this other store to match it - wonder if I could take my laptop in and show them the info on the website..... ;D
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I just found out I was already signed up on this list, but had to reset preferences to start getting the emails. Good link Clint. Might want to fp this one sometime when things get calm, if that ever happens! I am not complaining about that by the way!
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I re-earned my nick last night. 7pm, I get a call from home - I was an hour's drive away and would normally not be getting home for another 3-4 hours - but for an emergency, could be home in about an hour. Seems Keke's newly-pierced ear had swollen up and swallowed her earring. It was bleeding a little, but Bren got that stopped in short order while we were talking. so, after about 20 minutes of talking Bren thru an attempt at removing the jewelry, we decided to call a break. I had my cousin walk around and check on things after that. Long story short, Bren kept his head and calmed an almost-hysterical Keke down to the point she was ready to fix supper. +1 to him! After talking to my cousin, called home and told them to leave it alone so it wouldn't be irritated and tender when I got in to look at it.
Got in ~11pm. You couldn't see the earring from the front. Holy... that wasn't exactly what I was expecting! We went into field surgery mode, trying to push it back out - much screaming - pull it all the way thru - much MORE screaming at the mere thought - and just generally get it at least exposed, if not removed. Orajel makes a great topical anesthetic, btw. Well, Lonnie was hanging in there with us, worried about her sister and not wanting her sis to be without a comforter during a difficult time. Finally, sleep was getting to Lonnie and I asked Rebe to take her to her bed and snuggle her up real good.
At that point, I was able to get some real progress made. I could *almost* get the earring pushed forward thru the front of her ear like it should be - but the backing was in the way. Now, the working area was squirming and covered in orajel and wound seepage. Not an easy place to be! In the end, I used a pair of side-cutters to hold the post of the stud and a pair of flat-nose pliers to work the back off in two stages. That was the least painful part. I basically SAT on Keke and worked the post to line the setting up with the hole in the front and started pushing. JUST as the first tiny piece cleared the surface - covered in ... stuff, she starts wailing "I can't take any more, stopstopstop!" Now, earlier, we'd talked about it and I'd told her that once I got it lined up and started out, it was GONNA HURT. But that thing HAD to come out before she went to bed. She understood and agreed that once I had it started out, I couldn't afford to stop for anything short of severe trauma to her body. So when she started to squirm and scream she couldn't take any more, I just held her down with my body-weight and SHOVED on it until it slid free. I could tell the intense pain was gone, because she stopped screaming immediately, just lay there sobbing as I cleaned up her ear.
Rebe put a pair of small hoops in to replace the studs and as of today, the ear is slightly bruised around the piercing hole but has good color and no swelling. Bren says she has been very subdued and polite today. Wonder why. ;)
Only thing I didn't have that the ER would have used was injectable lidocaine. And I had a functional workaround.
I finally got to bed at 2am+ and got up at 830am so I could take Rebe to work then go retreive her cellphone - which had gotten left behind the night before, so that was an hour trip each way. Now I gotta go pick her up in about 2 hrs. wheeeee.....
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Wow Doc, that was some story. Glad everything worked out. I ain't getting my little girls ears pierced ever after that story!
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Sounds like a real nightmare, doc. I still have troubles in the area where I pierced my ear in the steak house parking lot on the way to an iron maiden concert 23 years ago.
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Sounds like a real nightmare, doc. I still have troubles in the area where I pierced my ear in the steak house parking lot on the way to an iron maiden concert 23 years ago.
wuss.
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Happy to report her ear is doing quite well - had some minor bruising around the hole, but the swelling and pain both went away. She's wearing small hoops now, rather than studs.
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sounds like quite the little trooper.
my daughter would have had to be taken to the hospital... she dont do well with stuff like that, and i would have really not dealt well with all the hoopla...
but she got her ears pierced at 14 days old, thanks to her mom on a road trip in Germany.
they have doctors and nurses there who do that stuff at special piercing studios in some places. I know the lady was a nurse, because we saw her a few weeks later on a tv show there... all about body piercing and tatoos and stuff like that.
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Insanity abounds. I happened to notice earlier today that my little "board rank" tag now reads "Sgt. Major" out there. Holy Smokes! I got to poking around on the members list and found out as far as posts go, I've got more posts than fully HALF of the mod/admin team! My wife says, "And this is surprising how? You don't have anything *else* to do..." I hope there's not any higher ranks, I'd kinda like to be a Sgt-Maj. for the rest of my stay in this wonderful place. (ok, I'd love to be THE Sgt-Maj! I got here first! It's MINE! Y'all just go be an Admiral or Commander or something! Leave thsi one to me!)
Worked on the Garage a bit this evening. I need to try out that hot-wire cutter idea and get moving with this beast. I did run spackling compound into most of the cut-seams this evening, leaving a gap in the area where I'll be cutting thru to remove the rear wall. I'll take pics of tonight's work and post them tomorrow - too tired to screw with it tonight. I'm sure I'd do something wrong.
Barring the sudden discovery of the exact right parts I'd need to build a Rebel AAC-1 speeder from Battlefront II, I've pretty well firmed up my contest entry. Bout time, eh? Seeing as we're less than...3 weeks out from the deadline? And I need to make molds for several heads, to boot, at least two of which will be used on the contest entry...
Ok, I think I'm beyond babbling and getting into the drifting off in the middle of a thought, so I'll shut this down and go to bed.
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Sgt. Major for life! I did notice that nice work on the garage. It really is looking quite nice Doc. I hope we get to see some pics of the cutter in action too. LOL. Sounds like it ought to work good though.
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Oh dear, I've had an idea. I discovered Windows Movie Maker on my computer. I am now strongly tempted to not do a photonovel, exactly, but more of a slideshow. So then I find this gent on youtube, http://www.youtube.com/user/heroicpose (http://www.youtube.com/user/heroicpose), making radio-dramas. So...an idea exploded. I should - someday - make a "still-movie" with complete audio cast!!
Yes, my brain is still hurting. I suspect it would require a HUGE effort.
Rebe suggests I don't set out to tackle this project as my first photo-novel.
I also have a story to go along with it, setting it on Outland Station.
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i use windows movie maker an awful lot on my vids its bloody handy i can tell u visit http://www.typenow.net/themed.htm to download lots of cool fonts to use on it
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Awesome!! Thanks for the heads-up!
And, as a juicy tidbit, here's today's fooling around WMM output, "The Babbling Bounty Hunter"!!
(http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u239/LosLejanos/videos/th_babblingbountyhunter.jpg) (http://s169.photobucket.com/albums/u239/LosLejanos/videos/?action=view¤t=babblingbountyhunter.flv)
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Some days you win, some days the Flux wins. I think today the Flux outscored me by a significant margin. I had wanted to sit down at one of the Assembly Platforms and turn out some work, but chores around the 'Station kept me busy. Rebe got shafted today on work-scheduling and ended up with a 12-hour shift. Got another one coming up next week, too. Thankfully, that particular manager has been moved to another department since performing so poorly on scheduling assignments.
I was in the galley most of the day, primarily on clean-up duty. I did manage to get in a workout with increased weights first, then I started in. Sheesh. Of course, I also did schooling with all three of the kids, so there went a chunk of time. Then I cooked lunch for the crew. Thankfully, I had a holoproj and some 'discs handy, so I was able to stay entertained.
Spent over two hours on the holocomm with various people who had nothing better to do than just talk. Had to unload and sort the latest shuttle-load Rebe and I hauled from the deep-storage facility. Got the kids off with family for a while tonight and sat down to sort and stack credi-chips. Yes, the 'Station-owner, counting credi-chips! Sad, isn't it?
Laneena Sh'Fallon, the Twi'lek swoop-racer, visited the 'Station last week. She was in-system for a race. She placed a close second, with us cheering her the whole way.
I've got some ideas for furniture pieces that I think would go over well. I'd intended to sit down and work on translating some of them from ideas to actual designs today. So much for that. Maybe in the morning, while Rebe is out for her run and everyone else is still asleep. Hey, a geebee can hope!
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Bad storm here - just lost power. Gonna shut down and go to bed...
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Well, I made a sad sad discovery today. When you make your 1350th post, you get demoted from SgtMaj to Lieutenant!! Arrrrgggghhhh!! ::) 8)
I've been on the bloody phone all dang day - was getting low-batt chirps from a phone that was hooked up on the charger when I started. Sheesh.
It is raining. Still. Hard to take parts outside to paint them with water falling out of the sky. On a related note, WalMart has a digital hygrometer for measuring indoor humidity for $7.50. That would be *most* handy for my mold and cast operations.
ALMOST have all the stuff moved out of the trailer-house. Made another run in the car last night while Rebe was at work. Discovered someone had kicked in the door at the trailer-house sometime between Tuesday afternoon and last night. Apparently they think my trailer-house is THEIR private property and got offended that I would have the temerity to actually - God forbid - LOCK THE DOOR. They stole two packs of (REALLY old) cigarettes (planned to make bug spray from them) and my cordless drill/driver - this time. They *may* have stolen Rebe's class ring, as I don;t remember seeing it in the pile when I picked up that jewelry box. I'll double-check that when she gets home, as the jewelry box is in the trunk of her car.
They've toted off a metric ton of stuff from around and in the trailer on numerous trips already. But they have always left the tv (too big and heavy? old?), change-jars, and computers. Instead, they take stuff like cooking utensils, decorative knick-knacks, a climbing stand, a walk-behind plow, a heat-gun (but left the rest of the shrink-wrapping machine?!?), and pawed thru my model-parts organizer. I *think* they took my small sword collection, but I may have loaded them into a rough-tote and forgot which one it is in. Makes me just so angry that they act like the stuff is *theirs* when it is obvious I'm coming and going, moving my stuff out. Oh, and they "borrowed" my dad's car-hauling trailer a while back. I left notes in the mailboxes of everyone on the road that the "borrower" had one week to bring it back or the owner I had borrowed the trailer from would be filing a stolen vehicle report. Funny how it turned up on the side of the road 36 hrs later, less than a quarter-mile away. That narrows my suspect-list down a lot.
Rebe says she thinks we almost had a run-in with them a couple of weeks ago. We ended up overnighting at the trailer unexpectedly and she thinks a 4-wheeler pulled up into the driveway then left when they saw the active vehicle pulled up in the yard by the front door. Too bad they didn't come on in - I'd'a put a STOP to that foolishness in a supersonic hurry. Almost enough to inspire me to lay in an ambush and nail the b'turds to the wall this week. I might yet do it - have Rebe leave me and some overnight gear and head home with a car-load of stuff so there's no vehicle to give away the trap and then come back the next morning for another load. Hmmm... Think I'll start assembling a load-out list... flak-vest, spotlight, zip-tie cuffs... Nice to know I can assemble all this without having to leave the house. Ah, well, we'll see what we see. I'm just glad we're almost done getting our stuff out of there and GLAD WE MOVED.
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Wow, sounds like those thieves are really bad. I believe a phone call to the local authorities is in order Doc. Be careful.
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yeah just be very careful Doc, could get messy...
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I'll be calling the Sheriff's office tomorrow and reporting it. As for messy, yeah, it could - but I'm good at making messes. It's the cleaning up that I suck at. But I don't want to run the risk of adding any new ventilation holes to the trailer for the new owner to have to fix. ;) Besides, judging from the number of emptied beer cans and occasional spilled beer I've encountered, they'd be incapable of doing anything other than raving incoherently when faced with an organized threat.
But I'm ALMOST DONE moving my stuff out and then I won't have to worry about them stealing the stuff out of my house. And Rebe made sure I knew booby-traps were illegal. Darnit.
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I have a few things at my work that would help .. ;D...but i'm a tad far away Doc sorry... :(
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Well, I deeply appreciate the moral(?) support, ner vod!
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You're a big one, aren't ya?
Yeah, I'd wait overnight just for shits and giggles, once your stuff is out, of course.
I'm sure you could have a load of fun with them.
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Big enough to do the job... ;D
I think I was right at 200# when that pic was shot - 5'10" & former Marine. Today, I was 194# but have been working out recently, so the belly is a bit flatter. Just your average guy...
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Big enough to do the job... ;D
I think I was right at 200# when that pic was shot - 5'10" & former Marine. Today, I was 194# but have been working out recently, so the belly is a bit flatter. Just your average guy...
I was a marine mascot when I worked private security, meaning I was the fat guy that all the marines hung out with, nice breaking up stuff, but horrible for the self esteem.
If I wasn't fat, I'd be tiny, so there is some positive, :)
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Ok Doc.
Add a TrenchGun to your .45 and the thieves will think twice about coming back...
Still, take care buddy.
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Well, we finished moving stuff from the trailer-house today, so now I can sit down and ... have a long talk with my pickup about this throwing drivelines business. Yes, tomorrow's task is to patch up the strained relationship between the truck's driveline and u-joint. Then maybe I can get on with the serious business of conducting trades & customs research!!
But for now... I'm crashing. :grin:
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warning...general griping ahead... :P
I'll prolly break *my* back AND ruin the roof Monday. Assuming it doesn't rain before Monday afternoon, I need to either slather tar, add shingles, hang a tarp, or some combination of the three. We've had RAIN here lately - Flash Flood Warnings, Flood Warnings, Wind Advisories, Severe Thunderstorm Warnings, Tornado Warnings... I have a leak of some sort over the living-room and overnight Thur night and until mid-afternoon Friday, I caught TEN GALLONS of water!!! That doesn't count the three NEW drip-spots that started up sometime during the night that I didn't get buckets under...
But considering I had a really GOOD run to HL today - Quick-set, HSIII, mold-release/conditioner (for the epoxy resin castings), and something new from the train aisle - "Weathering Markers" by Testors - and a fair run at only one local WalMart where I found five new Skinnies (see the Louisiana Local Finds thread for a pic) and brought home the Clone Gunner, well shoot! I'm in a fine mood now!
Reckon I need to go check those existing molds and start a new one or 12...
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I've been scarce the last week or so, folks. Backed away from my figs for a while to focus on some other stuff, kinda let the customizing cells recharge.
The clear R2 dome effort has continued to make me pull my hair out. BUT! I am still working on it. I've got another idea to try, so that should happen in the next day or so. The BAD thing is, it takes SOOOOO LOOOOONG for the clear resin to set up!! I'm seeing some set times of up to a week for a good set. That's part of the frustration - I have to wait DAYS to find out if the idea even worked!
My sculpey disappeared after the 2-part night I posted about. That means... I have nothing to use to hold my parts for more 2-part molding. *sigh* I know it is here SOMEWHERE, I just have to find it. I'm really getting close to screaming and ranting and just unloading the shop and desk so I can get the desk into the shop where little fingers don't borrow my supplies on a whim.
Most of the fodder I've picked up recently has been of the Joe variety - hey, $5 beats $7.50 every time. Slowly seeing new items hitting the shelves. I saw the "new" carded Boba but - like I said, $5 wins. I need the Boba arms for a project, tho, sooooo.....
Wonder how many beer cans I'd have to collect off the side of the road to score $7.50? ;D
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Depending on current prices in your area, but based on prices in mine ( $0.48/lb) and going by the new "average" of 34 cans per pound you would need to pick up close to 544 cans, depending on local sales tax :)
Good to see you back online.
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Depending on current prices in your area, but based on prices in mine ( $0.48/lb) and going by the new "average" of 34 cans per pound you would need to pick up close to 544 cans, depending on local sales tax :)
Good to see you back online.
LOL i have about 90 if you want them ;D.......... joking
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Depending on current prices in your area, but based on prices in mine ( $0.48/lb) and going by the new "average" of 34 cans per pound you would need to pick up close to 544 cans, depending on local sales tax :)
Good to see you back online.
Lessee... 544 cans... divided by the number of beer-drinkin' rednecks that use my road on a weekly basis to do whatever it is rednecks do out here... times the number of beers a single specimen can drink... then multiplying by an arbitrary value representing how long it takes me to pick up a can and reach the next... equals I should be able to pick up enough cans in any given mile of road out here on any given Monday to buy a figure. Per mile. Every week.
SWEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEET!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
;D
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LOL i have about 90 if you want them ;D.......... joking
Hey, that's a buck-fifty right there already! I'll be right over..... 8)
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LOL. Maybe we can all start turning em in to get some SW spending money! Good to see you around Doc.
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Doc! Where the heck have you been? I
Think that it's that slow cure time that's kept me from trying the clear stuff yet. There has got to be a quicker version out there.
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LOL. Maybe we can all start turning em in to get some SW spending money! Good to see you around Doc.
You know...we have our own graphic artist, why not have our own community project?
Think of the fun getting t shirts made and spending a few idle hours collecting cans...all the while squirelling away funds for toys.
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I'm back. Long, dark winter.
Am back out on a pipeline job, which helped my mood considerably. Anyway, I've got a lot of PMs and threads to work on catching up on and new people to get to know. I also have some new projects to share with the crew here, once I figure out WHY photobucket and my new network don't get along well enough to let me upload. Anyway, I'm back even if it will be at a much-reduced level of activity.
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good to hear from ya doc was getting worried my friend ..thought the seppies had got ya! ..lol
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hey Doc Jay and i where only talking about where you were the other day, great to have you back buddy!!!
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Doc, great to hear from you. I had missed you and seriously been thinking for the last 2 weeks what happened to the DOC? great timing and welcome back!
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Doc, my second apperentice, I have been missing your creative mind, my friend. I am in a simalar improved mood as I am back to work also. No new custom stuf from me but I have been casting and molding quite a bit here lately and seem to somehow be getting even better at it.
Now where's my ss gift? LOL
oh, give flikr a try as phitobucket is slow for me too.
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Good to see you. REALLY! Lol.
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Good to hear from you Doc. Your presence has been missed.
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Good ta be back, I promise. Yer ss bundle is sitting in the top of my projects-drawer, Clint! ;D I'm supposed to be home during business hours today, so I should get them heading your way soon.
I like this Inspector gig - I carry some of my projects to work with me and can doodle about on them! Life is getting better...
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Welcome back Doc..glad all is back on deck....
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welcome back...maybe give picassa a chance...google does everything well..everything, :)
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Sneak-peek on a current project: (unmodded Mando - the project is the wall/floor paneling!)
(http://images.yuku.com/image/jpeg/5c71625e34643ebf73b3d5030b246669e8a4b0c9.jpg)
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The wall panels were cast from a commercial mold I bought. I'll be working on either a slide- or vid-tutorial of the process. The guy I bought the mold from is also working on two more that are round and square access hatches. Primarily, they are sized for 25mm gaming mini's, but the "cargo pod" mold I used for the wall can be easily sized up to make rather large cargo pods or - in my case - walls. He also has a number of other molds available, including floor tiles - http://www.keeblerstudios.com/moulds.htm - John is a great guy to work with. Just another teaser for you guys - I'll be working on a whole large post/thread on just scenic molds in the near future!
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Ok, here's some more test-shots of possible wall combo's:
(http://images.yuku.com/image/jpeg/25036a945bb23d736b403ca2b2537ee79247d0bf.jpg)
(http://images.yuku.com/image/jpeg/d6c3664a588d31f06c573bdab4ee766449b4fc8f.jpg)
(http://images.yuku.com/image/jpeg/68516f56386039b27438c773befc8bcd77261752.jpg)
(http://images.yuku.com/image/jpeg/b7e36c7559fb3bf66e703bc9b65271ff336f656f.jpg)
(http://images.yuku.com/image/jpeg/b18362ac57ba306363ad3f96bb6079ce8a79b0e8.jpg)
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i really like the Last Photo Doc i would with that one myself.... great looking cast too....
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And now, a public service announcement
I bought the sci-fi Cargo Pod Mold from Keebler Studios (not listed yet on his website - ask him about it) and have cast pieces from it in both Smooth-On 322 resin and Rockite (concrete patching). I'm an amateur caster, but this mold is very easy to use. I bought this mold because I needed a way to make walls to use as backdrops for my action figure photography. The mold is professionally laid out and a pleasure to work with, having the panels spaced far enough apart to make removal of pieces easy. The design of the masters make air bubbles almost non-existent and castings are very smooth with crisp details. This model was designed to allow a builder to easily vary the size of the finished piece. I've already got plans for using pieces from Hirst Art's Industrial Edging, Machinery Builder, and Med-Lab Floor molds (for starters - now that I've figured out what I can achieve with which molds!) to make wall-details, hatches, and support girders for scenery that will blow some minds in the action-figure customizing community.
Based on the ease of use and the look of the finished casts, I have no doubt I will be a regular customer of Keebler's!
http://www.keeblerstudios.com/
http://hirstarts.com/
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Those are looking sharp, Doc! Nice info there.
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I'll be reviewing several more in the near future - I just ordered 6 molds today - 2 are fantasy towers, 3 are sci-fi decoration, and the last is for making I-Beams.
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Got 5 of the molds in, as they all came from one vendor - haven't gotten the chance to do much with them yet, but this weekend should be calm enough to do some playing.
Now... I have extolled the virtues of paper-modeling in recent installments. I've even reviewed a particular model. Well, today is NOT a complete review. No, it is a teaser. I bought Glenn's newest product, the "OctoPad." It is an elevated landing platform. Droll? Boring? Far from!! For starters, Glenn has included leg extensions that let you build your octopad as high off the ground as you like. Second, the landing pad has 7 choices of graphics for the center. Third, the 'Pad can be printed out ... in two sizes. Yes, you can have an 8" landing pad or a 12" monster! If you are challenged in coming up with a mental image of how big that is, I can help.
It holds a Cobra Gunship.
Yes, a Gunship.
The 12" platform swallows the Freeco Speeder. I mean, really - hello, twin-pod cloud car! If you look at the pics and like what you see - keep in mind all I've done is just cut out the landing pad quarters - hit the link and drop a whopping $4 on the OctoPad set. Then drop him an email and let him know you are an action-fig customizer. He's doing some prelim work on testing his models out in a larger scale specifically for us. If you like his work and want to see more and see it in our scale, let him know we appreciate him.
And now - pics.....
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Very cool Doc. Can we get some pics from the side showing the legs it is standing on? Would love to see some different angles.
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Sure, once I build it. Right now, all I did was cut out the deck pieces and lay them on a Coke crate for stability. (that's the gray grid you see in the pics)
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Doc, Doc, I just posted pics of my first clear resin cast parts! yippee!
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Oh wow, it looks like it is a bit above the crate. Pics can trick ya! Sounds good man it looks cool so far.
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that's awesome! We need more pics of it!
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HA!! I've got a couple of ideas for it, if things work out right...
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Engineering picked up some new pieces yesterday, so I thought I should share them. Being duly impressed with the gee-bee's over at Nal's Workshop (http://"http://nalsworkshop.com/") thanks to their generator unit, the lads went and ordered up a couple of pillars, the Power Node and the Med Lab Interior Main Pillar. They also ordered in a set of floor hatches, but Engineering hasn't gotten those ready after unloading them.
(http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u239/LosLejanos/Station%20Engineering/induspillar01.jpg)
So far, Maintenance has only basecoated the two pillars, however they anticipate completing primary painting sometime over the weekend. Engineering is pleased and is strongly considering ordering more pillars. Some of the gear-heads from Production have been looking over the pillars and are considering making a local variant of the power node, as well.
(http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u239/LosLejanos/Station%20Engineering/induspillar02.jpg)
On a related note, Production received five new molds for installation on the assembly lines. Three are directly applicable to station operations, while two are geared more toward dirtside structures. Additionally, things are on track for Production to begin fabrication of cargo pods. They report one last hurdle in that the material being used to fab the walls has a tendency to foam up out of the open-topped mold. Process engineers are researching the problem and believe they will have the issue resolved soon. Pending the success of that venture, Manufacturing has acquired another cargo pod they are evaluating for possible introduction. 'Station Legal staffers have suggested that production of that unit will violate galactic copyright standards if the containers are sold, so Production is looking at small-scale efforts to supply our domestic consumption. Legal has confirmed the smaller KOPods can in fact be easily licensed and sold, however.
Station Security is investigating a possible breach of security concerning the station's detailed deckplans. It appears someone may have made unauthorized copies of the complete station plans and uploaded them to the holonet, labeled as a "gaming supplement." I've been promised an answer sometime in the next week or two.
Finally, FTM Engineering sold the 'Station a set of modular landing-grid components. The 'grid can be assembled in two sizes to handle a wide variety of air-speeders. Keke is quite taken with FTM's offerings, having completed one of the company's construction engineering tutorials. We've opened negociations with FTM concerning the production of more local-specific designs and at the moment have received cordially friendly consideration of our suggestions. I hope to have some of the gear-heads from Engineering and Manufacturing visit with FTM's design engineers in the near future. We'll also be evaluating the rather extensive range of offerings they provide.
(http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u239/LosLejanos/Station%20Engineering/octopadfreeco.jpg)
Time to run - Processing is installing some piping runs that need to be inspected.
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Production is eagerly anticipating the arrival of a girder mold. Here's what should be arriving any day via courier...
http://s296.photobucket.com/albums/mm182/Klingbeil/Girder%20Mold/?albumview=slideshow
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Doc, this stuff is looking really cool.
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And the mold arrived by scheduled courier this afternoon!
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Oh man, this looks cool. I want to see these with figures beside them after casting.
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Yeah, that's pretty much the same thing I was told by the guy I got it from. ;D I'm hoping my work schedule lets me get some castings done this week so I can start throwing some girders up for pics.
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First girder attempt w/ a little forced perspective tossed in... not a custom, but showing off these molds I've bought!
(http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u239/LosLejanos/customs/girders.jpg)
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Looks good to me, Doc. Let the building begin.
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Looking good Doc. It will really be cool when you have more to work with. I can see some these added to several structures/dioramas. Nice forced perspective. ;)
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Klingbeil from HirstArts boards gave me a photo tip for creating the illusion of more distance. Hoere's how it turned out:
(http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u239/LosLejanos/customs/girders3.jpg)
Klingbeil's girder posed with an as-yet-unmodified Mandalorian in the foreground. The background has a panel from Keebler's cargo pod masquerating as an oversized door beside a WotC miniature. Several Hirst parts from the Machinery Builder mold add a look of activity and life.
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Still playing w/ the camera...
The last pic shows how little space I was working in!
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Really cool, Doc!
I dig that setup.
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Doc has tricks up his sleeve! I like 'em!
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Don't I usually, Spry?? ;D
Kinda like shark-teeth... I keep 3-4 tricks hidden, so when you see one, you know there's more under develpment!
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I love the look of all the parts you are putting together. You are gonna be able to build any interior you want!
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That's the plan! I've even been eyeing some molds that look like they could replicate Theed architecture...
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Some of the cast piping parts I recently bought, posed with a Java Monster storage tank and a couple of grungy scum...
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Lookin' good Doc. I like all of them but really like the 2 in the middle.
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So today I picked up a couple of concrete edging blocks to use as photo backgrounds and surfaces. Then I get home and find the boxes Psyclone had send my way for me to make molds from had arrived! Glory!!
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And Spry, that's just a tiny fraction of the parts! I think I'll end up buying both these molds so I can make lots of pipe runs on my own. Altho - buying the one-cat sets from Naloomi is a very economically feasible approach...
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ooooooowwwwww, I really like what I am seeing Doc, and I don't just mean the hot girl action going on in the last 2 pics, those containers are ready to hold my goods, I think you know what i mean.
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Well and so - I was messing with some of the castings I got from Naloomi's Workshop and wanted to see how they looked with fig's beside them. Here's prolly the best pic of the lot.
(http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u239/LosLejanos/dioramas/vignettes/girltalk.jpg)
Mind you, I tossed everything together inside of 5 minutes and spent something like the next 15 minutes taking pics and tweaking lighting and angles and positions.
By now, you guys recognize the Java Monster storage tank and the back wall! The pipe section and 90* elbow, the two gray "trash-cans," the barely-seen small barrels, and the black pillar are all from Nal's Workshop.
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While making a run in-system for fuel and consumables, I ran into a courier headed our way. He had a load of sample materials for Production, so rather than trusting his navi-comp, we cross-loaded the container into the 'Station's heavy shuttle.
Production has been rather busy today, having already turned out two runs of cargo pods and a partial run of girders. When I left, they had just finished up capping off a run of wall panels and machinery pieces. By the time I returned, those runs were ready to turn out for final drying. Everyone is eager to have a go at the newest sample materials, so there may be overtime in the offing tonight.
While I was at it, I picked up some neon paint-markers in 5 colors and an array of metal beads that can and will be used for making all manner of details on castings and accessories. At the moment, tho, dinner is being served...
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Nice, nice, glad to hear production is up and running. I suggest you get them working overtime.
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That bunch of unionized cutthroats??!?? I'd do better to hand production over to a gaggle of Chadra-Fan tinkers with a Jawa supervisor!!
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Unfortunately, the minituae of keeping the 'Station running has caused me to forget my need to update this.
Production was pleased to receive six new molds last week. Their subjects cover stone wall-slabs (as was seen with the jumptrooper), desert-world building blocks, smooth bunker blocks, medical lab flooring and accessories, and industrial accessory pieces. Three molds have already been subjected to a test-run and performed quite well.
They've also informed me the tests of the new resin went at least as well as they expected. They are now asking for the material in bulk. Kids with new toys, I swear...
Marketing brought something to me for use in making quick-fast photography wall-type and floor-type backdrops. They are promising a sneak peek soon. Also, they have said there will be some new tank-farm pics coming soon. They are taking their own sweet time with that deal. Well, I suppose I can't complain - everyone is working hard to keep things afloat and functioning as it is, so new projects tend to get shoved to the bottom of the list - that 'urgent' versus 'important' conundrum.
I suppose that is all for this update, as I have some of those 'urgent' tasks that need to be completed, piling up on me again.
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The Final Day has arrived!
Yes, tomorrow, we turn the pipeline over to Operations for them to put into service and I GO HOME!!! We don't have another project lined up *yet,* but my boss is pursuing things as I type. If nothing shakes loose, we have several projects starting up in Feb-Mar across LA and TX, so I'm not worried. In fact, at least one project - maybe two - in that time-frame is right back here where I'm at now. Next time, I swear, I'll actually bring supplies with me. This was MADNESS!!!
So I'll be breaking free from nowhere, TX, as soon as I can and racing for home. I won't say non-stop, as I'll need fuel and such, but they will be only pauses in my progress. This Sunday would make TEN WEEKS since I left home. I'm ready for the madness to end for a while.
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Doc, I can't imagine being away for 10 weeks. I think I'd go nuts! Hell, I was batty by the time I got home from CV, and that was less than a week! Drive home safely my friend.
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Doc it is great to hear you finaly get to go home! Be safe my friend and I know once you have had some time for the family we will be instore for a custom frenzy from you!
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Oh, I have several projects in line, for sure!! Mostly terrain/backdrops, but I *have* bought a rough-tote full of fodder.....
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looking forward to seeing the "fodder" become something different Doc. Be safe...
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Well, I made it home over the weekend. Already been plotting out projects with one of my assistants...
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Good to hear that you are getting to hit the house some, doc.
I'm doing alright and working 40min from home 40-50 hrs a week.
I been casting some and have a mold or two planned and am just looking for some free time to make em.
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Doc it is great to hear that you made it home safe! Spend some time with the family then we can't wait to see what you and your assistant are creating.
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Had to take oldest to school this morning and needed to kill half an hour before another store opened, so I went to WalMart. Picked up a few things from the toys aisle, including the POC Cobra Ice Cutter. As I was walking away from the Joes display, I noticed the lady heading the other way was wearing a black polo shirt with the Joes' "screaming eagle" logo. Hmm, thinks I, a pretty serious fan. Well, until I realized the satchel she was carrying had "HASBRO" embroidered on it!!
Yes, my friends, I had come face to face with an honest-to-the-Maker Hasbro market rep!! She knew her toys *and* her Star Wars, so we had a very good conversation.
We talked toys for weeeeeell over an hour - more like an hour and a half. I learned quite a bit - or, more accurately, had quite a few suspicions confirmed - and was able to share with her a few things. She was totally unaware of the existence of customizers! I made sure to mention ISY, of course. I also expressed the community-wide disappointment over the reduction and disappearance of "pack-ins," particularly the BAD line. I suggested some figures *I* would love to see. We discussed the whole casting process and customizing. I mentioned some of the results - photo-novels/illustrated stories and minor characters - that drive customizing. I shared with her the sentiment that "GI Joe is the best thing to happen to SW toy customizing." I also - repeatedly - stressed my/the community's appreciation of Hasbro's efforts to create and deliver products that are in general the best on the market *and* Hasbro's willingness to listen to the fans thru the "fan-choice" competitions and the Q&A sessions. We may disagree over the choices they make of which mold of a figure to re-issue or which figure to make or how to package it - but other than the GI Joe figures, SW figs beat out every other figure line I've looked at for consistent quality.
Some interesting points:
- Hasbro's leading seller? Their boys' action figures lines. Their girl lines and boy non-action-figure lines pale in comparison.
- The driving SW fig demographic? Us "old farts."
- TCW figure sales are strong. Sadly.
- Hasbro has nothing to do with the price we pay at the retail level. (I didn't bother arguing the point there, but I do have a LOT of college hrs in ECON.)
- She doesn't understand the logic involved in picking the "legends" re-issues any more than we do.
- She has a talking Yoda doll that she loves. ;D
So all in all, it was a very good discussion and hopefully I was able to give her some good insights she can take back to her boss in Marketing as to what the end-users are interested in seeing. She said she didn't normally encounter consumers as knowledgeable - I suggested "articulate" and she grinned without further comment - about the products as I was.
So it was a very interesting visit. I doubt one customer in one backwater area talking to a single Hasbro marketing rep will make anything more than tiny ripples, but you never know.
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You've got her business card, right?
We're able to deliver input from collectors and customizers worldwide including pictures of some of the greatest cuastoms ever made for Hasbro...
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Sadly, no business card. But there are always other ways...
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Very interesting Doc. It would be cool to see this person join the Yards. I hope she atleast checks in since you mentioned the site.
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Sounds like a fun time! I'm glad to hear that reps like that are at least willing to talk with collectors and fans for that long. I've run into a couple in my time, but never met any willing to chat like that. Good times!
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Can't remember if I complained about this before or not.
Bought a TCW "stealth" ARC-170 a few days before I left Texas. Turns out, the ONLY things in it were the fuselage and the two main wings. I contacted Hasbro CS by email for replacement parts. They said parts weren' available separately and sent me a RMA/mailing label to send the ARC back for exchange. If an ARC wasn't available, they'd send something of equal value in its place.
Yeah, so, two days ago, my TCW Y-WING ARRIVED!!!!!!!!
W00T!!!!!!!!!
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sweet!! ive just posted the red y-wing have 2 now they are awesome
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Good to hear they helped you out. I would prefer the Y-Wing ove the stealth ARC any day.
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Well, I really had plans for turning the ARC into pirate-busting bounty-hunter's ship, but getting a Y-wing instead ... I'm not exactly crying in disappointment! ;D
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http://www.nanowrimo.org/eng/whatisnano (http://www.nanowrimo.org/eng/whatisnano)
Spend the month of November, writing a 50K-word novel? That'll prolly be crap? I'm up for it! Why am I bothering to tell anyone? Well, that gem is hidden in the welcome letter:
3)Tell everyone you know that you're writing a novel in November. This will pay big dividends in Week Two, when the only thing keeping you from quitting is the fear of looking pathetic in front of all the people who've had to hear about your novel for the past month. Seriously. Email them now about your awesome new book. The looming specter of personal humiliation is a very reliable muse.
So, rather than admit to failing at an endeavor in which I have a modest reputation, I am now bound to WRITE! And, we hope, finish. All to avoid that nasty personal humiliation. Well, and maybe if I actually FINISH one, someone will make me a cake.
It'll prolly be a Fixer story.
Go figure.
A whole NEW Fixer story, started from scratch, and novelized within 30 days? Can Tamer handle that level of good-ness?? We'll see.....
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Right now, my world is NaNoWriMo - go to the FanFic forum and check out my thread by that name for more, including a REAL shot at a Fixer novel. It's on track and developing nicely - I can see a real story in it.
I've also been exploring the world of paper models as stress-relief - cut, fold, glue, poof! Am getting some nice stuff pulled together and am looking at some of the models as inspiration for larger-scale construction. I can see some of them turning into molds with 3D detail, later. On that front, I caught a scrapbooking hole-punch on clearance the other day. It makes 1/16" holes. Friggin TINY! We'll see how all that works later, as I clear ground on this book I'm writing. Great time to be alive!
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Ha, a novel? Ambitious, my friend, I hope it doesn't suck....errr....I mean, I'm sure it will be great!
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Hey, its a FIXER novel - I know of at least three people who will read it and love it!
It may suck, I'm not a novel-writer. My thing is short-stories usually. Buuuuuut - November is all about pound out the words! Suckage be damned, get them written! You can make it unsuck later after you recover from the horrors of JUST WRITING IT!!!
MWAHAHAH- er, yeah.
I hope it doesn't suck, too.
;D
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In my quest to locate game-aids for Fixer's corner of the SW universe, I ran across Ryan Wolfe's "Future Armada" (http://"http://rpg.drivethrustuff.com/product_info.php?products_id=59550{1}3&affiliate_id=29387") line of products on DriveThruRPG. I bought his Argos III station and I was extremely pleased with the product. You get a well-thought-out ring-style space station that can house about 500 people in its current configuration and is made up of modular, interconnecting "battle-tiles." Now, these are sized for your typical 25-30mm minis, so there's no point in thinking you could stand action fig's on them. ;) However, if you play mini's battles or RPGs, I encourage you to give the items a look. Ryan includes D20 Modern stats for easy gameplay - and I think that should translate into D20 SWRPG pretty easily.
You'll recognize some of Ryan's influences pretty quickly - SW (the Falcon, a Sith Infiltrator, and an upcoming bounty-hunter ship), ST (a Klingon Bird of Prey and the two stations), classic BSG, Firefly, and others.
So I sent Ryan fan-email this week, telling him how much I enjoyed his works and some of what I had in mind to do with them. He was kind enough to respond with a couple of detail pics that helped me better visualize the relative size of a particular ship to the station. I lamented the lack of hangar bays large enough to totally enclose one of the larger tramp-freighters and how I planned to add a second habitation ring to make Outland Station able to handle a thousand or so inhabitants.
In my in-box this morning were four of the MOST GORGEOUS pics I've ever encountered!! Apparently, I tweaked Ryan's creative buttons, because he "whipped up" a whole new take on his Argos III based on our exchange (at the expense of a project he is *supposed* to be working on!) to show an enlarged model, dubbed the Argos IX and kindly labeled "DSTP-412," OS's official designation! Two habitation rings, extra cargo ring and consumables tanks, and a docking ring with six large enclosed bays!! (one pic even has the aforementioned freighter emerging from one bay)
My jaw literally dropped open when I scrolled and saw the first pic! He totally captured the feel I was going for and made it look GREAT!!! So, for those who have ever wondered, here's a small look at the exterior, as designed by the very awesome Ryan Wolfe!!
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WOW! This looks vry cool. Would love to see a bigger picture.
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Well now. That is pretty cool.
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we got 3 more ships coming in
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we got 3 more ships coming in
?? what ?
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To quote the penguin Skipper from Madagascar: "Smile and wave, boys. Smile and wave."
Yeah, so! Since my blog got kicked up onto the "recent posts" list...
The lads over in Production Platform Three got a communique inquiring as to the possibility of setting up a particular set of molds. Naturally they were all a-gaga over being approached! They just almost didn't know what to do with themselves. I thought a couple of times I was going to have to take them by the hand and walk them through the steps myself!
In the end, they are finally set up to produce tables and drink dispensers for cantinas. They are still working on pricing, but they assure me they'll know that by the end of business today. While setting up for making tables, they slid some smaller pet projects into the line-up. They attached a holo to show me what they'd accomplished.
(http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u239/LosLejanos/Outland%20Station/molding%20and%20casting/sundries.jpg)
They tell me there are a good number of other items in the works, now that they are making inroads on their workspace. Oh, and they are quite excited by the table, as it represents the conquering of a technical challenge that has been vexing them for some time. I'm so proud of them!
(the first several tables are already spoken for, but once I take care of that commitment, I'll be ready to make them for other interested parties!)
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Very nice looking casts. I see joe backpacks, tooth paste lids, marker lids, IG-88 heads, the tables, but what is that laid down in the back/ upper right?
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Ahahaha!! I *knew* that one would drive you crazy!! I made that one myself from ... secret supplies!! My business manager won't allow me to fess up as to what went into it!
I'll use really small print and maybe she won't catch on. Its the blister from a pair of CR123 batteries and a plastic spacer from a boxed-set of figures. I glued the spacer on the side opposite the post side of the batteries, then molded it and cast it. I have an idea and some more pieces to add to it to get ... interesting!
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I can understand the crew not giving up their technology, but I do see one of the old packaging pieces on the end from the old Cinema Scenes. Yea, I have a few of them still, haha ;)
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Yup! Came out of the Mos Espa Showdown set, actually. I stuck it onto the end of the battery blister, then molded it.
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Yep, I like that blister part. Nice mod on that one, Doc. I was wondering if you could favor us with a tutorial on how you make your two-piece molds, one of these days?
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I sure will! In fact, I just came in from the shop and will have a good pic of what to NOT do as an illustration, as well! ::) ;D
I have some more 2-piece molds I plan to make, especially seeing how well this one is doing, so I will be careful to take plenty of step-by-step photos for it.
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I just found out I have a new paper-model set named after me!
I know I have extolled the virtues of certain designers here before. I also have mentioned/cajoled/begged some of them to create action-figure-scaled sets. One has responded. He is putting the finishing touches on a very nice battlefield set and I will be debuting and reviewing the set here as soon as it is released. It is simple, multi-level, and modular. IMO, Glenn's material is on par with Jules' awesome work, just to give you a metric by which to gauge.
I was flored, I tell you. This guy is a great guy to talk to about paper-models and sci-fi stuff and turns out some awesome work. The fact that he was willing to go out on a limb for me and make a set scaled where *I* need it rather than his normal wargame-scale is phenomenal. Naturally, I'm going to beg all the action-figure guys and gals to buy his set to show our lurv!
Also, I have had my resume requested by one company and found out a second company - with which I have worked before, inspecting their crews for the gas company - is looking for resumes to hire in the near-future for a job back down in south TX doing work for the same gas company I was inspecting for. So hopefully that means I'll end up going back to work in the very near future!!
Also, you recall Psyclone mentioning he was getting tables cast and molded for his cantina. Well, that task is accomplished and his tables and IG-88 heads shipped out earlier this week. I'm going to do a photo-shoot on the tables and will start taking orders for them. Watch for that thread in the Parts Bin section in the near future!
Work continues apace on my fan-fic competition entry. Fortunately, that is almost complete - just in time for participating in the Clone Wars Competition!
After that, I will be working on several new molds of items diorama-nuts like me will absolutely love. In the process, I will be shooting a tutorial on how I make two-part molds - either video or stills, I haven't decided.
So, I have my projects lined up, for sure.
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oohh nice can we have a sneak peek at that entry ?
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We'll see - I shot some pics earlier today to see how it looks. I might post it, if it all looks ok. I will say it is *close* to being finished, so at this point a WIP might be a moot point. ;D
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Sounds iteresting Doc! I can't wait to see what your friend has come up with. Good to hear from you buddy!
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these are good news, so glad to hear from you !
and a big tease... hope to see the battlefield set soon.
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Even better - the set includes a chemical drum and a shipping container! Scenery!!
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Can't wait to see that battlefiedl set Doc as well as your casted items. Tell that guy who created the set to show up here so he can read the comments we make about the Set. If its even close to Jules' quality we are all sure to love it and perhaps buy it if he has the capability to make more. We could even plug his store a time or two.
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Stupidity should be painful... if that is true, I was royally stupid last night. I captured a young cat who did NOT want to be taken. I did this with no gloves, because I knew he was skittish, NOT that he was SAVAGE!! My right hand is now covered in puncture marks from his teeth, inc. one in my index-finger knuckle that now makes bending problematic. I've lost my trigger finger! AIGH!! He also dented my thumb-nail in one place and scratched the snott outta both hands. So, with projects literally lined up and covering my workbench, I'm looking at being forced into a hopefully short hiatus.
Grrrrr.....
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damn cats !
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Uhh, cat saliva has a toxic amount of bacteria that our skin can't handle, doc. If the bites are real bad, you need to get them looked at.
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Yeah, I'm keeping an eye - closely - on it. Localized swelling only at this point, so I'm thinking I'm ok for now.
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Oh no Doc! Cat scratch fever dunuh duuu. Sorry I could not resist. Seriously hope you get better quick buddy! You just got a few projectcs cracking and paper models coming in. Get ot the nepsporine and bandaids man!
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Does HALO 3: ODST count as physical therapy? That's what I've been claiming, as I work my way through this injured-hand episode. ;D My trigger finger is still not fully functional, but given the fact that I have three pair of puncture wounds - one in the lower joint, one in the middle knuckle, and one in the middle joint - and a single puncture in the fingertip, it isn't really surprising. Overall, the hand is greatly improved - I've been taking very good care of it and keeping a CLOSE eye on everything.
You'll notice I've done some posting and such - I figure pushing a little to use the hand normally is a good way to speed the healing process, if it isn't overdone. So to that end, I have been painting and photo-shooting as much as I could stand. Resulted in more of my own projects being shown-off than I've managed in ... :o ...a long time. Haven't done any casting since the cat-fight, but I'm about to.
Me and this casting stuff are about to get serious. Psyclone contacted me about making some cantina tables for his dio. Naturally, I jumped at the chance. It was my second two-piece mold (the first being the R2 domes that I need to get back to! I haven't forgotten you, Jay!) attempt and the first one, well, I screwed it up. Ouch. The tables it turns out are functional, but through my own ham-handedness, I caused the mold to cast an ugly spot. I'll use those myself, but there's no way I'd send those out to someone! So I made a second mold and it turned out GREAT! The two table molds taught me a bit and have encouraged me to attempt more subjects I've previously stayed away from. I think Psyclone liked them, too. ;D Looking forward to see this week's progress on the cantina!! :D
So in short order, I'll be opening me up a parts thread in the Parts Bin forum like Clint has. I want to get out there in the shop and cast up a table to take pics of, to show what a buyer will be getting. After that, well, I'll be making a tutorial showing how I go about making a 2-piece mold and I'll be molding up quite a few pieces out of the "Gee, I wish I could make extra ___s..." piles.
Plus, there's at least one secret project on the drawing-board! Times are exciting, for sure!
Oh, and on the action-figure-scale paper-model set. Glenn named it after me! It is "Action: Outlands" - matching the naming style of his other sets. It should be available later this week, based on Glenn's figuring. Naturally, I'll be reviewing it here.
Also, as I'm going through my storage trailers and sorting stuff out, I'm uncovering relics I'd forgotten I had. That means they need new homes. So watch Farzel's shop threads for some goodies you might be interested in... *cough*Action Fleet*cough*
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Watch those wounds Doc, they could get pretty bad real quick as Clint is quite correct in the toxic stuff in their mouths.
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cool doc i'll look out for it mate heal up buddy!
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Bring on that two-piece tutorial, doc. and I am curious about what ole Farzel is up to.........................
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Well, I shot a video last night for the mold-making. Ok, I shot two, actually. 18m and 9m - and the camera batt's died on me half way thru the second part. It's atrocious. I need to get serious about being prepared for the shoot instead of treating it like the camera is a Yarder sitting in the corner of my shop. Also, the audio on my camera does something odd, so I need to work with that to figure out why it is doing that and see what I can do toclear it up.
Actually, I may shoot a series of stills and assemble them into a video that I record a voice-over on later.
But I do have three molds curing in the shop that are going to be one side of a two-sided mold!
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Hey, folks - just wanted to check in, since I've not been real active on the forums over the last week or so. No, I've not disappeared again this year! It *has* been a rather hectic week, though. Sure, there was Christmas, so I was busy making jewelry for four females (yes, I'll post pics) and I'm not finished with it all yet. ::) Then there's the paper-model set I'm still building for a good shot at a review, dad's website that I have pounding away on, and the tutorial for multi-piece molds! Plus I have a few details to do/redo on my Fan-Fic entry. Plus I've helped dad with firewood a couple of times and a head-injury he sustained Monday night. (not serious, but bled a lot - head-wounds do that)
So I have been busy. Once I start getting projects wrapped up, I'll post pics and/or links as appropriate.
Oh, and the cat-wounded hand has healed up quite nicely. Not up to 100%, but getting close to it.
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Good to hear from you Doc. Happy Holidays!
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They have been so far! For some reason, my youngest has decided she needs to be a big help today. So I had her clean off one of my white-boards so I can better track my projects. Now she's washing breakfast dishes. Wow - the 5yo is doing more than the 24yo...
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Dear God!! This NYCC competition is killing me!! It is absorbing me, consuming Meg after Meg of memory as we snap pics of the WIP. I am going to websites I never expected to visit in conjunction with a Star Wars customs project. I am obtaining items I never dreamed would show up in an action figure dio! I am building things I never thought I'd build in this scale...
Oh, and I've not even started in on the 5 custom figs I have to make!!!
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How about a sneak peek, doc?
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eh-heh... Maybe I can do that... Esp. since I'm planning to drastically downscale the size of the diorama *and* point the camera in a different direction.
My past week+ has been eaten up by dad's website and making sure he had plenty of firewood. Good thing, given the ice-storm we had and a lack of power for 12+ hours. Then there's the fact I'm getting involved in a freelance editing effort - helping clean up a space-opera role-playing game supplement. I got it so I can set up Fixer's not-quite-Star-Wars universe as a gameable setting! Well, based on my commentary and politely-submitted "WTF is up with the product??" emails, I've moved from the status of "hey, we have a fan, neat!" to "Dear Mr. McNeill - based on what we have seen of your work in finding editorial flaws and your suggested fixes and general insights, we would love for you to submit your book proposal to us." w000000t!!!!
preview pics follow! You won't see any of this in the final dio - but the two go together...eventually... (the fig is borrowed from Bren as a placeholder only)
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My bad, doc. I was having a dense moment and didnt realize you were referring to our competition. At least you didnt let the cat out of the bag. Cool looking stuff, though.
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No worries - since I'm not going to be using that part of the project in the dio entry (assuming I manage to finish it in time!), I figured I could share.
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Well that book deal sounds sweet. Keep us informed.
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Hey looking good Doc! I like the furnature you are making and good luck with the book!
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Holy crow, and then I get told right after lunch today (just before I left for a funeral) that I have about 36 hrs to deadline for some magazine articles I'm working on for a new sci-fi RPG oriented e-zine. (same company that is interested in the book) So, dang - I gotta put my hobby on hold to make another hobby work! Then I gotta come back after getting the articles submitted and clean up my molding and casting operation, so I can get a list of parts out there for interested people to peruse (and purchase from)!!
The good thing - income tax refund showed up in the "pending" section of my bank account. This means a pressure-pot and a lot more resin supplies are about to be ordered! Of course, with a pressure pot, I think I'll have to rework several current molds to take advantage of the new tool...
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Sounds great Doc!
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The coveted pressure pot. Can't wait to see your results, Doc. sounds cool about your other hobby taking off. It's terrible when you have to put one aside to pay attention to the other. I have had to do that for years now............
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...kinda like two women fighting for your attention...
;D
...back to the slave-pen...
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AWRIGHT!! I am about to head out and pick up my pressure-pot to use for resin curing!
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Awesome news Doc!
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Cool deal Doc, take lots of pics so we can see this bad boy. I take it a pressure pot eliminates the hated bubbles that arise in molds and casts?
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It should do so, yes. Also, it will help push resin into the smaller crevices and crannies, like antenna tips and such.
I called the closest Harbor Freight and asked if they had one in stock. They did - ONE! - and she pulled it for me. Major help, since they are on backorder on the website and the store is 60 miles away.
http://www.harborfreight.com/2-1-2-half-gallon-pressure-paint-tank-66839.html (http://www.harborfreight.com/2-1-2-half-gallon-pressure-paint-tank-66839.html)
Since HF *is* just around the corner from Hobby Lobby and this week *was* the 40% off 1 item coupon, I picked up some more HSIII for making molds and more resin for making parts. The cashier got kinda huffy about me suggesting he look the other way as I came thru someone else's line with more supplies after making a large purchase of other items. (Bec bought the resin on one account, I bought the mold material on another account - that was the best I could squeeze out of the kid.) I can get the same HSIII online for the same price as HL's sale (if I buy it in the equivalent of 10 boxes at once) and the 2-gallon resin kit is, iirc, significantly cheaper. Given that I have to make a 120+ miles round trip to support their store, I've effectively paid out any shipping charges in gas and sales-taxes. So, I suspect I'll have to be ordering the majority of my supplies online to beat costs. Keke is wanting to go to Books-A-Million (across the street from HL) to spend some of her accumulated wealth, so I suspect I'll end up getting my supplies from HL this week. But if I catch any flack, I'll have a print-out of where I can order the material online coupled with a break-down of how much I'd spend to get each item and I'll have me a chat with the store manager about doing business semi-locally with his store or else doing business with the same company they get their material from.
Okay, I'll be honest - the "one coupon per day" fine print *IS* there. I disagree with it, because I have to drive 120 miles to give them my money. That means I've just coughed up something like $24 in gas to specifically shop at one store. There's very little other reason for me to go to that particular town. I have no problem with using one coupon per purchase and then taking that purchase out to my truck before making another. I also usually end up buying more than just the "one item with coupon" - partly just to be sure my trip was worth making. I might have one other competent purchaser with me, so I could get two items per trip through the register and out to the truck. So, if they want to be difficult about my trying to maximize the utility of my shopping trip, I'll have to take my business elsewhere.
Sorry for the rant, that kid at the register just really aggravated me today.
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I hear you Doc and agree. I drive an hour to get to Hobby Town USA so I am with you.
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Forgot a MAJOR SW purchase - snagged the limited-edition widescreen DVDs of the OT movies at WalMart. They have the "special edition" versions *AND* the original theatrical releases!! This was a major disappointment to me when my old VHS movies started wearing out and I had to retire them. Naturally, the theatrical releases were unavailable on DVD. I might go ahead and pick up the prequels as well - just to have a matched set.
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dear Lord, the carnage... just from today's session!
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Looks like a good time to me.
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Well, Bec and Keke were gone to a voice-coaching all day, so Brendan, Lonnie and I kinda went wild and got nothing done!!
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Random photography.
This is the "tramp freighter" Soleil Mandrake on approach to DSTP-412, Outland Station. Nothing fancy about the models, just the cd-rom Falcon game-controller paired with a Reactive Armor Ripcord who was handy. The backdrop is a custom piece by Mr. Ryan Wolfe of Ki-Ryn Studios, being a modification of his Argos III space-station from the Future Armada line.
(http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u239/LosLejanos/Outland%20Station/Random%20photography/finalapproach-1.jpg)
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Random photography.
Here's another one of the Mandrake approaching Outland Station. You can get a better look at the station in this shot.
(http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u239/LosLejanos/Outland%20Station/Random%20photography/DSCF2282.jpg)
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Nice shots Doc! Have you velcroed that bad boy to a keyboard and played that CD Rom yet? ;D
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I bought just the controller - the auctions w/ the cd-rom were more than I was interested in paying.
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Nice shots, Doc. Now this is something that i could pull off.
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sweet pics Doc.
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I was talking to a photographer buddy of mine today and he had some suggestions for me to try with my Falcon cockpit and learning to shoot "bluescreen" shots so I can composite in whatever scene I want outside the viewports. Something to play with later.
So I've been working on getting stuff cleaned up in my casting workshop. Today Keke and I brought in some shelves and I started moving stuff onto them. I have a solar-powered "nightlight" system in it and the light ended up pointing almost straight down onto the top shelf, where I was stashing some of my industrial container materials. Well, one thing let to another and Delta Squad showed up...
(http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u239/LosLejanos/Outland%20Station/Random%20photography/deltafordemo.jpg)
The figs are NOT customs - those are the Delta Squad from the boxed set. The industrial pieces are the custom parts, made from some parts from Armorcast.com and various aluminum drink cans and a Pringles can. I'll do a better presentation of the goods later.
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Well, Production Platform 3 went back into production last night. I managed to find the top of my workbench *and* the side counter! I was able to pour up several new molds last night - a cargo container on loan from Master Sprywalker (here's hoping my approach to *that* rascal works!), two molds of small control panels, a mold of two old POTF/POTJ Hoth Trooper heads (gotta find a good cap-fit for the Snowbunnie Padme head!), the "survival lamp" from the Hoth Evacuation R2 (did *you* know that sucker was a two-piece model??!?), and a mold containing the RA7 BAD head and a 25th GI Joe BAT head. I also poured the second side of a two-piece mold and topped off a mold that was only partially filled last time. So tomorrow we'll demold and start casting! One thing I experimented with on this run was the use of sprue in some cases to create a reservoir for the resin, as I plan to start pressure-casting prolly by the end of the week.
On a related side-note - I need a bunch of Battleship marker pegs... Wonder what the local thrift store might have? (it's tiny - since the town only has like 2,000 residents)
I *still* have several masters sitting in the "ready to mold RFN" box, waiting mainly on appropriate boxes for molding. (some are too big for cig boxes, Clint) I also need to pour up and photo some of the two-piece molds I made during my last run. With the pressure-casting approach, I may have to revisit them and redesign them for easier resin pouring. Actually, I think that is the case for several of my molds.
I've got to go to HL and restock on my mold-making material. Another new thing I'm planning to try is a foam filler - thankfully, HL does carry a small sized kit. This way, I'll be able to "slush cast" large pieces like solid cargo boxes (slush-casting gives you a hollow "shell" by rotating the mold as the resin cures), then fill it with an expanding foam mixture for solidity and rigidity. It cuts WAY DOWN on how much resin you need for a large piece, as the foams expand 10-20x their mixed volume.
I also have ideas in mind for some entirely self-produced masters for some things, inspired by some wargame scenery I've run across.
Stay tuned both here and in my sale thread, as I hope to be casting quite a bit this week. Heck, you guys might even get a look at - and in - the Production Platform!
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Sweet, I can't wait to see some pics from how all these turn out.
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Sounds awesome Doc! I can't wait to see some pics from the production platform. I was wondering how you cast the containers hollow and it sounds like you have it all figured out.
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Weeeeeell... that yellow cargo-box FLOATED up out of the HSIII! Crap. Since it *is* a loaner, I didn't want to do anything ... marring to the box. I didn't think about pouring in stages to prevent flotation. Expensive lesson learned. Ah, well, I do have alternate approaches to try. LOL @ Spry - not sure I have it ALL figured out, but I do learn as I go!
I wonder if there is a way to salvage this mold... Hm. I have an idea...
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Rotating the mold while the resin cures..............interesting. I find that tooth paste boxes work pretty well for a mold box that is somewhat wider than a cig pack box, Doc. I just tape off the outside to waterproof it.
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high-speed tour of Production Platform Three.
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Couple more...
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Cool, thanks for a look into the production area!
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Sweet pics, I like to see where all the great ideas take place!
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I have to keep my molds covered as they cure, else I end up with dead bugs stuck in the HSIII the next morning. ::) Thus the presence of that inverted storage box. I need to move all my gun-cleaning gear and the heavy equipment (55# anvil, bench vise) over into one of my trailers so I have more walking room - but it is SO much better than it was last week! And I see I failed to get a shot of the shelves by the door...
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Spent a good 8 hours away from home yesterday, squeezing in a desperation-run to another Hobby Lobby. I picked up THREE BOXES of HSIII. That was all they had. ;D Now, don't spaz that I made an 8-hr round trip just to get mold-making supplies. My lovely (& long-suffering) wife (as well as two of the daughters) participates in a ladies' barbershop chorus. Thursday night is their regular practice night, just about an hour away. The HL is 30 minutes east from the practice site. So. She also had some chorus business to attend to, being the treasurer, so we had to be there during banking hours. We also had some personal shopping and supper to tend to - so you can see the time investment mounting. ;) As it was, the kids and I made the 30-minute dash over to Hobby Lobby and Office Depot during chorus rehearsal to get the goods - which they had been kind enough to pull for me and hold at the registers.
So it was 11pm by the time we got in last night. Means the video I had been shooting yesterday got put on hold.
But it also means I have plenty of HSIII to make molds of that box once I finish it! (and the cargo-cube that floated, and the two R2 domes that need side 2 poured, and the hollow ammo can that needs to be molded up, and ... you get the idea. I'll be out of HSIII in no time!)
Ok, back to Production Platform 3 for more video and box-making!
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Dear lord...
In the span of the next few days, I have to:
- reshoot my son for the cover of an upcoming Pathfinder RPG product
- shoot Keke and Lonnie's customs for KRR
- finish my mini-rig contest entry
- work on several molds, both making new ones and casting from existing ones
- pursue a "feasibility study" on a new sci-fi RPG product or possibly entire line, covering SEVERAL products
Good thing I'm laid off and not looking at a call-back date any time soon!
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Whoa Doc, you have your hands full!
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Now that's a busy schedule .
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I guess it is better than being bored stupid... ;D
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I guess it is better than being bored stupid... ;D
I would love to have just a day like that to be honest.
I get your point though, a day is good, a lifetime is not. Sounds like you have all kind of irons in the fire. It makes life interesting. How do you like your resin pressure cooker?
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I'll get back to you on the pressure-pot deal... there's a story there!
We're in the middle of Brendan's photo-shoot right now, hoping to set up the girls' customs next and get that knocked out tonight, too!
Oh, and FedEx delivered a HUGE box from Alumilite today! A 2 GALLON kit of resin plus a flexible resin I plan to try for making belts, headwraps, etc. More on that later.
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Now I am curious about that flexible stuff. Do keep us updated, doc.
Wanting to hear the pressure pot story also.
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Man, when will they sell this stuff at Sam's Club or Cosco? You could get a 50 gal drum for $50! Keep us posted Doc and I can't wait to see you try something with the flexable resin.
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*yawn*
Mornin, folks. Got the potential cover-pics shot and emailed off to the publisher last night. We had to reshoot with as plain a background as possible so they could composite in an appropriate background if they used it. Got some good pics uploaded:
http://s169.photobucket.com/albums/u239/LosLejanos/chrono%20cover-shoot/ (http://s169.photobucket.com/albums/u239/LosLejanos/chrono%20cover-shoot/)
The outside pics in the first album were our first "this is what we can do" shots. Check out the pics in the sub-album for our second run at it after we got feedback from the publisher.
So this pressure-pot story.
As you (should) know, Ive made a couple of molds of the "iconic box" that seems to be everywhere in the SW movies. If you've watched Clint's vid's you know how I do it - affix the master to the bottom of the mold box, mix up the HSIII, pour it in, let it cure. Sometimes this results in air-bubbles of varying sizes. Well, the molds from the "iconic box" had them. LOTS of them. But they were tiny. I mean so tiny they didn't even show up during my normal non-pressurized casting. Well, I wanted to test out the pressure-pot and had the box molds handy. I mixed up my resin, poured it into the waiting molds, and discovered...
Well, first I discovered the bottom of the pot was concave. grrr. Bec has since provided me with the floor from a hot-bath canner that is small enough to fit into the pot and will give me a flat, even surface to hold molds.
Then I discovered the pot has to have air flowing to it constantly. I *thought* it would take the air and then HOLD PRESSURE once I cut off the air-supply. Perhaps I just don't have the lid fastened down quite right - experiments will follow. So as it was, I kept the compressor running and it held the pot steady at 30psi. Considering the compressor will supply 100psi and I had the valve on the compressor WIDE OPEN, this is a bad thing. It should have held the resin steady at 80psi cutting the air supply off! Or that's my understanding, anyway.
So I let the molds sit and cure for 15 minutes or so. Bled off air pressure on the pot and the air-tank both. Opened the pot up and removed the molds. Demolded.
The R2 head mold had either been put together crooked or the tilt had caused the two halves of the mold to slide apart. Either way, it came out imperfect - lopsided. BUT the resin *had* been pushed into the detail recesses as intended. So - learned I need a flat surface in the pot and verified my vent modifications to the master worked. Overall success there.
(continued)
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On to the "iconic boxes." At the time, they were being solid-cast - just fill in the open cavity with resin and let cure. (I'm working on a way to make them hollow. Stay tuned.) Remember the heretofore unknown air-bubbles in the molds? I discovered them as I demolded the two boxes. Yeah... the pressure pushed the resin into HUNDREDS of friggin TINY cavities I didn't realize existed! The boxes are...hairy. Covered in (ok, not hundreds) dozens of very small - but highly visible - hair-like extrusions of resin! It was - for a brief moment - disheartening, then it became hysterical!
Honestly, the boxes don't need to be pressure-molded. They turn out great with the "dump-n-cure" method. I pulled boxes from both molds again *after* the "hair-box" fiasco and they both perform fine - which is encouraging.
Ideally, I would use a vacuum chamber and pump to de-gas the HSIII as it cures to remove the air bubbles completely. You can also put the HSIII into the pressure pot to compress the bubbles as it cures. So, another round of experiments are in order with some new molds. Prolly next week. ;) Y'know - *after* the mini-rig entry is posted.
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Oh, Lordie! My children have shanghaied my camera tripod and mom's camera in order to create their own movies today...
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Well, if you watched last week's Kessel Run Review, you saw the outcome of the girls' photo-shoot. What you haven't seen is Brendan's. Have a look:
http://rpg.drivethrustuff.com/product_info.php?products_id=90178 (http://rpg.drivethrustuff.com/product_info.php?products_id=90178)
Not only did they use him on the cover, but also several pics scattered throughout the interior of the product! Talk about *stoked*!! He and I are working on building up a list of "professional credits" in the gaming industry, and this product is "line 2" for both of us. (for our first submissions, check out "Infinite Horizons, issue 1" (a free e-zine) at http://rpg.drivethrustuff.com/product_info.php?products_id=88852 (http://rpg.drivethrustuff.com/product_info.php?products_id=88852))
The girls were very excited to see Laneena on this week's KRR.
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That is so awesome Doc! That son of yours is ripped! Great cover shot, congrats!
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Thanks! Body of a Greek god, face of a true dork - thus the shemagh! He made me hold off sending in sample pics for 3 weeks so he could get back into his PowerFlex routine. Yeah, um...it worked. ;D
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Some of you may remember my mentioning I had three articles published in a new gaming e-zine back at the beginning of March (which has a 4-star rating on RPGNow.com, btw!). Well, the publication is intended to be a quarterly publication, so they are working on getting issue #2 together. So I come in at lunchtime from church and open my email and discover... an email direct to me personally asking if I was interested/intending to contribute to issue #2!!! I know of at least one other contributor who did *not* receive such an email.
I assume it is proper to feel flattered!
So time to get busy on articles again. Fortunately, I have three in mind already. Making them happen is the big hurdle. ;)
Several molds are curing right now, full of clear parts including a datapad that cast quite well in opaque resin. My flexible resin experiment didn't turn out too well last night - I think I didn't give the parts enough in-mold curing time, so I'll try again soon. Of course, I may have simply selected the wrong resin for the particular job. Time - and further experimenting - will tell.
I *almost* cast my first hand weapon last night. I think it is ideal for a trip into the pressure pot - possibly with a mold redesign first, to make it more effective.
The pressure molding experiment failed. The molds that were cured under pressure produce casts that look more at home in a Salvador Dali painting! So I have a few molds that need to be redone. (I need vacuum degassing gear...)
So that's about where I'm at today - oh, and the migraine Friday and the seized-up back yesterday and this morning. So, overall, it's been a GREAT week!
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Wow, you have all the reason in the world to be flattered! Great job!
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any updates on, oh, say a hoth BP box and Hoth tach screen? :)
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I'm back! The past few weeks have been CRAZY! I've got to dig up the list I made the other day, but it started with a game-publisher contacting me to see if I were interested in getting articles in the upcoming issue of Infinite Horizons. Why yes! So I got busy - 2 new articles and half of a third (which will end up in the NEXT issue) for starters. Lots of writing going on for those and some other things - not much in the way of action figures. Well, I'm working on catching up, which should overjoy Spook! I've got a couple of new molds that I will be debuting very very soon.
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Great to hear from you Doc. I figured you had shipped out for a while. I am ready to send the stuff we talked about as I am eager for that Cloud Car.
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I'll get the box out mid-week - I'd held off on it because I wanted to get one of these tactical consoles tucked in with it when it shipped. Naturally, that turned into its own adventure. *snort*
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Awesome! I'll be ordering 2 of those Hoth boxes as well.
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Now it's MY turn to go back to work. Found out today that I'm taking over the last few days of a project starting in the morning - maybe 4 weeks. 12+hr days, 7 days a week - gotta love construction. Fortunately, it is local enough I stay at home rather than have to relocate 500 miles, so I can finish off these outstanding projects. (Spry, I've got a figure missing that I need to find before I can send your box - have to find what safe place I tucked him into) (Spook, I just need to pkg up your originals and some casts and get them heading your way)
I'll be keeping an eye on the boards occasionally, but if you need to get ahold of me, just send a PM - I get an email alert for every PM. My online time will be rather limited to a small window in the evenings, because the jobsite doesn't have net access this time.
So, now y'all know why I'm about to be even scarcer!
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Well, glad you are going back to work!
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There is that... now I can afford some toys that I won;t get to play with for a while...
Rumor has it that I'll be going back to south TX fairly soon, too. Sounds like a rather lengthy project this time.
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Man, its like we trade back and forth with work. Good to hear that you are going back. I have been home for a week.
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Rumor has it that I'll be going back to south TX fairly soon
oh?
where abouts?
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I've got a week left on this project and then we'll see about TX. The project manager headed for Odessa to look at a site that is about to kick off. Quite a bit of work is starting up again down between Laredo and San Antonio. Where I'll end up - who knows.
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aww, well, too bad you wont be in my neck of the woods
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Don't ask how, but Outland Station managed to get ahold (http://www.imperialshipyards.net/SMF/index.php?topic=6401.msg114722#msg114722) of a Captain America Liberty Jet. Now, mounting a pair of ducted fans, it's painfully obvious that she's no space fighter. And, interestingly, she sports only a single weapon-station, mounting two spring-fired missiles. But the laddies in the Chop Shop are salivating! Rumor has it she'll be worked into the Fixer-verse as one of the already-mentioned 'speeders with which the droid has had previous contact.
A repaint is a necessity, of course. And the fold-down front landing gear will likely be replaced with a ski-style rig instead of the wheel-system currently in place. Her rear landing points are the tips of her winglets. I'm not real keen on that idea, so I may kit out some struts back there, as well. But I might just leave it all as-is.
Heck, she's a beauty just as she sits, needing nothing but a repaint in a more 'verse-friendly scheme to fit right in - and stand out all over again.
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This past weekend was GenCon - if you are a gamer, you know what I mean. If you recall, I mentioned back in the spring I had helped playtest some modern RPG rules for the Pathfinder RPG. Well, since then, they wanted to redo/revamp the rules-set and have it ready in time for GenCon. I think over the course of 48 hours of the weekend before GenCon, we generated something like 5 manuscripts with revisions ranging from simple errata/typo corrections to incorporating a newly-released set of vehicle rules. It was a wild time!
Well, in the end, the good folks at GameRoom Creations gave me not *just* the playtester credit from Ver1.0, but *added* "Rules Editor" credit! Quite exciting...
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Congratulations Doc, do you have a link we can go look at all this neat stuff?
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Doc, that's awesome! Congrats, and can't wait to see more of this.
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Very cool Doc!
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The group's website is Game Room Creations (http://www.http://gameroomcreations.com/), but there's not really a whole lot there. They are four guys (I know one's a full-time firefighter) who have regular jobs and do this in their spare time. It is available for sale at DriveThruRPG (http://rpg.drivethrustuff.com/product_info.php?products_id=91058). (currently on sale for $3.99, regular price $4.99) It's a Pathfinder-compatible rules-set, which is derived from D&D 3.5. Interestingly, Pathfinder has started outselling D&D, based on industry reports. Hasbro made a LOT of folks mad over moving from 3.5 to 4 and then a lot *more* folks who tried 4th Edition switched to Pathfinder because 4th Ed. just didn't play well.
On a related note, Fantasy Flight Games has the license for Star Wars games now. Should be interesting to see what they come out with!
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Folks, I very rarely make a request like the one I am about to make. I just got a call alerting me to a job-fair in two days for a fairly local plywood plant to be held here in town. They will only be seeing two groups of 20 people and will be conducting interviews on the spot in order to fill a variety of positions. You betcha I'll be there. So for those of you so inclined, I would deeply appreciate prayers, good thoughts, candles, whatever support you can put out there that this will be 1) good for me and my family, that 2) I'll be selected for an interview, and 3) I'll get a job offer from it. Thanks!
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Consider it a done deal on my part Doc. Good luck!
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Folks, I very rarely make a request like the one I am about to make. I just got a call alerting me to a job-fair in two days for a fairly local plywood plant to be held here in town. They will only be seeing two groups of 20 people and will be conducting interviews on the spot in order to fill a variety of positions. You betcha I'll be there. So for those of you so inclined, I would deeply appreciate prayers, good thoughts, candles, whatever support you can put out there that this will be 1) good for me and my family, that 2) I'll be selected for an interview, and 3) I'll get a job offer from it. Thanks!
I'm job hunting too, so I will light a candle tonight for you!
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best of luck, Doc.
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Good luck Doc!
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Yah, so - I barely squeeked into the first session. I ended up being the last interview of the day. I was one of the two best-dressed folks who showed. I took notes. I actually had questions for the interviewer. One of those questions stumped my original interviewer and she had to hand it off to the other guy, who'd popped in halfway thru, since he'd finished his stack. I'll be hearing back from them within a couple of weeks for the next step.
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Sounds good Doc! Good luck buddy!
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You've been doing good!
We'll still keep our fingers crossed for you.
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ah, I'm glad the candle worked, I'll light another one for you tonight
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Awrighty - I've got my onsite ("real") interview tomorrow! It took awhile, because they had trouble getting ahold of me to tell me they couldn't get ahold of my boss. THEN the girl handling things was out of the office for several days. So, finally, everything fell together and I go in tomorrow morning and we'll see what shakes out from there.
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I've got a good feeling about this.
Being with the company for 15 years now, it's hard to imagine what kind of trouble people have to go through in order to secure a new job...
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I wish you luck Doc.
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Thanks guys - interview scheduled in just over 2 hrs. Final prep-time and then on the road. Will check in with an update later.
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Good luck, Doc.
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I spent 3 hours round-trip driving for one hour of waiting and an interview that ended with a "Thanks for your interest - we'll be in touch!" Well, as one of my buddies said, at least they didn't say "sorry, we aren't interested"!
I really seriously hope they don't tell me I'm over-qualified...
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I really seriously hope they don't tell me I'm over-qualified...
Wouldn't that be a good thing, though? You could argue you're the perfect one for the job, if that's the case.
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I really seriously hope they don't tell me I'm over-qualified...
Wouldn't that be a good thing, though? You could argue you're the perfect one for the job, if that's the case.
being told your "over qualified means "we will never pay you what you think you're worth and you will end up quitting on us after we spend all the time and money to train you, it isnt worth it to us"....it's a bad thing
Good luck Doc, I lit a candle for both of us and today I got hired, mine isnt any real career or anything but I have high hopes for you as well!!
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Well, I got a letter yesterday from the plywood mill wherein they thanked me for my interest and stated they had decided to not offer me any employment. Boiled down - "We don't want a trained safety guy running around on the production floor, making us live up to our safety creedos." I figured that for the outcome when I saw their safety board the day of the interview - "21 days since our last reportable accident." I have a friend working as a QC Inspector for Baker-Hughes (MAJOR name in oilfield tools) and their last TWO QUARTERS were accident-free. That's a bit of a difference...
So the search continues. My writing projects continue to be well-received, so perhaps I really should stop screwing around and start treating my writing like a job and put in some serious hours on it. Lord knows I have enough projects to keep things moving...
Sorry I haven't been around too much of late.
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Sorry to hear that didn't pan out Michael. Yes, your writing is very good, take it seriously and put some more time into it. Good luck my friend.
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Well that just stinks Doc.
Glad to hear your going to be writing more though. I hope I get to read some more Fixer stories!
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sounds like a job that would irritate and frustrate you daily..........I hope you find something you like, and if you have to move here to Texas, then thats okay too ;)
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Fixer is most assuredly one of the highest priorities in my writing projects. In fact, with November - and NaNoWriMo - just around the corner, I'm starting to think about another run at a Fixer project.
Spook, if I got a good job offer in TX, we'd move to TX, no questions. :D
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Well, I just saw an exchange between my two oldest children wherein I thought the second-oldest was going to slap the oldest across the face. My dilemma? Should I try to get to the oldest *first* to slap her myself. Kinda funny - that's the first time I've seen him hold his ground and bow up at his big sister and flat out say "SHUT UP and let me finish what I'm trying to say and THEN tell me I'm wrong!" You let a boy turn 18 and he thinks he can tell people how to interact with him. ;)
Just wanted to also give my friends here a bit of a run-down on what is happening here. I'm still unemployed. I keep sending in resumes to places that are "hiring immediately" in my field or who "need people desperately who are willing to work" - and I even get interviews, TWO interviews in one case - but I keep getting "we've already filled that position," "we've decided to hire one of the other applicants," or even "the project manager said we aren't hiring anyone until after the first of the year." I've worked 5 weeks in the last 13 months. Thanks to our govt's mixed messages being sent to the oil/gas industry, the places I could most easily go to work are in a holding pattern and the area where I live (Louisiana) is suffering, as offshore oil is one of our primary industries. So I keep sending out resumes and hoping.
Some of you *might* remember that last year my dad had a stroke on Labor Day. He did fine afterward, barring some issues with his right side and it feeling like it was more or less swaddled in cotton. Well, a couple of months ago, he had another episode that was fairly severe and left him with more problems that were gradually getting worse. After losing his temper with the folks at the VA hospital, a local hospital figured out the problem.
Brain tumor.
So, diddled around and made an appt with Mayo Clinic to do surgery in Dec. Then, over the span of about a week, his motor skills began dropping and the right side of his face became almost totally nonresponsive. He is on his way to Cedar-Sinai in Los Angeles right now for a consult/clinic appt with the dr. there next week. Prayers, positive vibes, etc for him would be appreciated.
Economic situation around us is getting so thin, I'm starting to wonder if I should start shopping out my boxed SW vehicles on ebay. But I'm not sure anyone else has the disposable funds to buy the few goodies I have. :P
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Damn Doc, you have had a rough time of it. It seems that things are slowly getting better around here. Some jobs are springing up and people seem a bit more apt to spend money. True, it looked as if I would make 15-20k less than last year but we just had a huge job spring up that could change that to 10k less than last year. we shall see.
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Man, so sorry to hear all of this Doc. Times are pretty tough in the USA right now. So sorry to hear about your dad, good vibes coming your way. The work front seems to be tough everywhere. I know how you feel as I lost a pretty big contract and as Clint is experiencing I too make A LOT less than I used to. Best of luck to you on finding some work and everything else you are going through.
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Wow Doc. My prayers are with you and your family.
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*shrug* Life happens and I guess goes on, one way or another. Oh, and I don't know that I ever mentioned it, but my oldest daughter did finally end up with a divorce, a degree from a beauty school, and no job - that's why I have a 25yo living here for over a year and a half.
Clint, remind me again that you used your casting biz to pay bills... :D
Thanks for the support, guys. I keep telling dad he gets asked about from the most unexpected places. ;)
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wow sorry to hear about your dad , i do hope they are able to do something for him ,unfortunately we are coming up to Xmas sorry its starting to get very expensive at this time of year but i am crossing my fingers for you mate .
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High-speed update - took oldest out job-hunting Monday. Scored a fortuitous hit at the first place we stopped (I drove her - I knew the area and had family biz to tend to as well), and she's already on day 2 of her new job. Pay is apparently fairly decent and she's hoping to have a car in short order, with a CCW handgun shortly after. *I* am hoping an apartment of her own closer to her job happens quickly!
Son got his ACT scores in - composite of 28 on his first shot at it, coming from a homeschool environ where we don't DO standardized tests. He's already had some trig lessons that he says would have helped him out on the test, so he might take another shot at it in the spring to see about a better score for scholarship competition.
Dad is in LA this week, having gone out last weekend to see a specialist at Cedar-Sinai. Wednesday, the doc looked at his mri taken just after the "stroke" on Labor Day, 2010, and said, "There's the tumor right there - I could have done this surgery a year ago." So they set him up with pre-op appointments today and are going to schedule surgery sometime early next week - this was as of my latest update yesterday.
Personal accomplishment - I got on the scales yesterday and saw a reading under 200# for the first time in over 6 YEARS!!! And it happened again today!! I've been lifting weights pretty consistently since July and only just recently was able to setup a home gym I'd bought used back when I was on my last project. I was right at 212# at the time, so it has been a long, slow process - but I'm getting there! Then there's the fact I'm losing inches, adding muscle definition, sleeping better, and in general feeling a lot better overall. (okay, except for yesterday and today - I caught someone's cold or something. ugh.)
So anyway - that's the end of the week update.
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Good luck with everything you are going thru Doc! Glad to see your daughter found a decent job!
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Hey, folks - bit of an update. My sister called me Sunday just after lunch to let me know our grandmother had a massive heart-attack and passed away. I'll be on the road between Louisiana and Oklahoma City this weekend for the funeral.
Also, due to the crappy job situation, I am currently without phone and internet. I can use (really slow) dialup at dad's or go to the library (about 4 miles away) and use their wifi. In the meantime, maybe being without the distractions of the internet, I can get some molding and casting projects taken care of. ;)
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Dang, sorry to hear that Doc. My condolences to you and your family.
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Sorry my friend. I miss my grandmother. She was amazing.
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When a love one dies it is always heartbreaking, we never forget, they always stay in our hearts and minds. It also reminds us that we are all only here for a just fleeting moment...
My condolences and I wish you and your family a long and happy life.
Jules
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Hey Doc, sorry to hear about your grandmother, I'm very sorry...
I am also acquainted with the whole no internet thing and I have had to go to the library on occasion, it sucks, I feel for ya!
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Just a quick check-in from Oklahoma City - survived the trip up with my sister and her two kids. There were 5 more monsters waiting when we arrived... Glad I left all mine at home!!
Tomorrow has two different memorial services planned, so it'll be a fairly full day. Thanks for the thoughts, guys. We appreciate them.
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Home safely from the grand adventure. Had hoped to go to a toy store in Oklahoma City, but my sister had other ideas. Did manage to grab 4 figs for Christmas presents - 2x Rebel Fleet Troopers, a bare-chested Savage Opress, and a Pre Viszla.
Have a job interview this afternoon - turns out it is for a guy I used to work for, who is now working for a different company. So who knows - I might catch a break and FINALLY get a job offer.
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We keep our fingers crossed for you, Doc! Good luck.
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Interview got postponed, as their guy ended having to be in Alabama for court starting tomorrow and won't be back in Louisiana until the 21st.
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Doc, sorry to hear about your loss. I would have chimed in sooner, but I never know what to say. I know when I lost mine it just stunk.
On a positive note, glad to hear about the interview and hope the guy gets back from court quick like.
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Thanks, everyone. Tamer, I know exactly what you mean.
Then, Monday night, my oldest wrapped her momma's car around an electric pole on her way to a friend's house. That leaves us with ONE VEHICLE - a standard-cab pickup - for getting 6 people (5, since the oldest rarely goes anywhere with the rest of the family) where they need to go. Oldest has a job that requires an hour-ish drive each way. I'm waiting to hear back on an interview schedule. Can you see the fun about to ensue?
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Oooooh shit.
At least your daughter isn't hurt, right?
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Battered and bruised, a few scratches around her right temple, but otherwise fine - she's back at work today. Which means, since she destroyed mom's car, *I* had to drive her to work, an hour away from home, and sit and wait on her for a 5-hour shift.
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Dang Doc. your luck is worse than mine! Hang in there brother!
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Decorating the crash space...
Here's pics of the room where I crash during the work-week. Anyone got any ideas on decorating? Shelving colors to use or avoid? etc?
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Put up lots and lots of shelves for customs and action figures and vehicles!
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a work area so you can cast stuff, like say, oh, 1/6 scale sandtrooper binocs :)
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a work area so you can cast stuff, like say, oh, 1/6 scale sandtrooper binocs :)
Oh yeah, Doc has to have a casting area.
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I agree with Spooky!
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Yeah, working on THAT part... got a tool-tote loaded with casting stuff to go back and forth from home to hut! It's the fitting in molding/casting between working and all the support activities between work & sleep that's been tricky so far... :-/
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Grabbed 3 different WWII airborne soldiers at a Fred's we passed coming home from a concert this morning. Should yield up three new heads and some various pouches. Plus, if I work out casting hands, they came with interchangeable bare and gloved hands. Passed on at least one more soldier for now... will see how these guys work out and if they do me well, I'll return for others.
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Painting several advertising models today. Periwinkle-blue ammo cans? Stay tuned...
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Staff holographer is on-station for a holo-shoot of the painted items. She brought some assistants with her, can't wait to see what they present.
Casting is underway for three trade-orders and one cantina outfitting. Hurricane has raised our local humidity to the point casting gets tricky and is slowing me down. But I press on!
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As part of the cantina deal, I'm pouring up a batch of bar glasses. I picked up some blue tint last week at Hobby Lobby specifically for this task, to see how it worked with the Alumilite clear resin. We'll know in about 24 hours. However, I also tried it on a small batch of the regular white resin I use, putting just a single drop into about 5ml of resin. It turned the resin an interesting industrial blue-grey color and seems to have worked significantly better than the opaque blue I tried last time. Maybe my technique was better this time.
I'll have pics of numerous boxes up in short order for general viewing.
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OHHHHH bar glasses cannot wait to see!
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Here it is, in case you missed it on the FB pages (thanks, Tamer!) and in the Dioramas thread:
(http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u239/LosLejanos/Outland%20Station/molding%20and%20casting/production%20platform%203/glasses.jpg)
One thing disappointed me with my casts, once I got them painted. I can see where the molds have lots of little imperfections caused by air trapped in the HSIII as it cures. The only cures for it are to treat the holes in the final product - I guess with some extremely minute amounts of super-glue - or get a vacuum-chamber and degauss my HSIII before pouring it up. The smaller pieces don't have issues, just the larger pieces with flat sides. Plus, some of it is due to air in the resin. The solution there is to use a longer-setting resin and the pressure pot for curing.
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Look's classy man! ;D
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My pleasure the casts turned out great. When I put my Hoth Bar in when I finally do getting around to making it I want some of these.
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Just let me know when you are ready, Tamer!
Peeled the first part of the updated table mold out of its mold-box (a short pringles can). The center area is still rather tacky, so more air-cure time is needed. I'm hoping it will be dry enough by tomorrow morning that I can put it into another Pringles can and pour up the second half of the mold. All things going well, it will be ready for casting next weekend. Ok, it'll likely be ready before then, but I will be away at work, so it'll be Friday before I get to work with it any more.
The Iconic Box has at least two more iterations coming - a smooth-surfaced style and a double-length style, like the Scanning Crew box from ANH's Death Star hangar scenes.
I'm designing another rather small box based on a paper-model from Finger & Toe. If it all goes together in reality the way it goes together in my head, the lid will be removable and the box will be hollow. It will be sized about like a briefcase or small suitcase. (You can see the inspiration for the box being carried by my entry in the "Hide In Plain Sight" contest.) Should that come together as planned, it will be available for sale.
Chris West (whose kickstarters I have promoted in recent days & whose website is mapsofmastery.com) draws some very nice little cargo boxes on his RPG maps. I intend to have a go at some of them eventually, as well.
I'm going to pick up some additional opaque and transparent resin tints this week & continue pursuing really cool-looking cantina glassware next weekend.
Oh, and just for Wraith9! There's a clear R3 dome curing right now, mate! Hopefully the clear resin I've gotten ahold of will turn out a better product than the last stuff I tried to use for the dome...
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While double-checking something in my shop, I discovered I have a bottle of flesh-tone resin coloring. The first test-casts have come out AWESOME! I can now cast properly-colored heads!!
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Those are probably awesome! ;D
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Doc, Flesh tone heads? Awesome! I am also wanting some clear R-3 domes when they are available.
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MA, that sounds like a subtle hint for a comparison pic... Sadly, the heads tested were super-top-secret project heads which cannot be revealed at this time. I'll have to follow up with less super-secret castings to show off.
Spry, *IF* this resin works out, you'll hear my cries of joy from there!! This clear resin has a MUCH better optical property than the muddy crap Hasbro got stuck with. I'm just hoping it retains some rigidity when used to cast such a thin piece as this R3 dome...
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Cannot wait to see the clear ones too........... sound's interesting! ;D
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Here's a comparison shot...
(http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u239/LosLejanos/Outland%20Station/molding%20and%20casting/fleshheads.jpg)
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looking good Doc.
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Look's awesome!! ;D
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I'm thinking casting in flesh tone is definitely the way to go...
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Yes, that looks smashing!
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Well, here's the latest shot at an R3 dome.
(http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u239/LosLejanos/Outland%20Station/molding%20and%20casting/clear%20casts/newdome001.jpg)
It's not nearly as "frosty" as the last product I used, but it is still rather ... underwhelming on thinner casts.
(http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u239/LosLejanos/Outland%20Station/molding%20and%20casting/clear%20casts/newdome002.jpg)
(http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u239/LosLejanos/Outland%20Station/molding%20and%20casting/clear%20casts/newdome003.jpg)
(http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u239/LosLejanos/Outland%20Station/molding%20and%20casting/clear%20casts/newdome004.jpg)
Plus, the cast still turns out fairly soft. I think that's why the dome isn't seating down completely - the central pin on the inside of the dome is too soft to drive down into the socket of the BAD body. Cutting it a bit shorter should fix that.
(http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u239/LosLejanos/Outland%20Station/molding%20and%20casting/clear%20casts/newdome005.jpg)
Overall, rather decent. It took to the details with very little fiddling to prevent trapped air. I would have liked more optical clarity, but you can't have everything, I guess.
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Next up on the R2 dome work-list... I want to try casting it in metallics. Dunno if that's even possible.
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For a comparison, here's the last attempt I made at an R3 dome...
(http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u239/LosLejanos/Outland%20Station/molding%20and%20casting/clear%20casts/r3dome001.jpg)
(http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u239/LosLejanos/Outland%20Station/molding%20and%20casting/clear%20casts/r3dome002.jpg)
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That look's great! ;D
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Sure looks like progress was made to me.
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Glad you think so, Tamer!
I have a very ... interesting resin-casting experiment on my workbench right now. I picked up some "Aztec Gold" powdered pigments. The label indicated they were suitable for including in "any viscous ... medium such as paint, varnish, glue or paste" to get a metallic or pearlescent finish. I mixed some into the Part A of my Alumilite Amazing Casting Resin, just like I would any other colorant, and then added the Part B, stirred, and poured into my IG-88 head-mold. They are curing right now, but it seems to be turning out quite well...
Jacquard "Pearl Ex" Powdered Pigments - "Aztec Gold" is what I picked up and am trying. They have several metallic colors and if this run works well, I'll be adding them to my repertoire as well.
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doc, be sure to post pics of that training remote, I'm dying to see how it looks when done
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Will-do. He's in a mold box, awaiting a pour of HSIII this evening. Second pour on a new cantina table mold will go at the same time. Gonna be a mold-making evening! I mean, since I've been test-casting colored glasses all morning...
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I don't often bribe Imperial officers with dinner...
(http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u239/LosLejanos/Outland%20Station/molding%20and%20casting/clear%20casts/interesting.jpg)
...but when I do, I use only Production Platform 3 glassware.
(astute observers might catch the clear datapad in the maitre'-d'roid's hand...)
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(http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u239/LosLejanos/Outland%20Station/molding%20and%20casting/clear%20casts/green.jpg)
Green cantina glasses and control panels...
(http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u239/LosLejanos/Outland%20Station/molding%20and%20casting/clear%20casts/coloredcargo.jpg)
Colored iconic boxes (test run, looks successful)
You might notice the brown belt-pouch on the deck in front of the boxes.
(http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u239/LosLejanos/Outland%20Station/molding%20and%20casting/clear%20casts/goldigheads.jpg)
Here's the powdered pigments experiment. The lighter pair represent the first run, the darker pair make up the second effort. Not quite the metallic look I was hoping for yet.
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They look great!!!!!!!!!! ;D
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Those r2 domes turned out nice, doc. I was curious about that pigment but it was an experiment that needed to be tried.
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Wow that dome is amazing!, imagine a completely clear astro that would be AWESOME!
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I don't think we'll ever get a perfectly-clear dome. I'm going to try pressure-casting this clear resin one of these days, just to see what that does. But that's further down the list.
On a more positive note, I can cast pre-colored R2 domes!
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Those glasses are sweet Doc.
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I made a new glasses mold last night, just demolded it and have the proofing cast setting up in it now. Nothing new, I just have one of everything in a single mold to make casting it easier. 4 new molds in all - a production mold for glasses, the survival lamp from Hoth R2 (I think that's what it was packed in with), the training-remote from TVC Anakin, and the cantina table-top.
This is the third mold for the table-top and the third or fourth for the survival lamp. I'm determined to get molds made that I don't have to fiddle with in order to get a quality cast. I keep learning as I go and am determined. I'll try to get pics taken and posted this afternoon, but it may end up taking a few days.
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HAHA! Love that entry add Michael! I saw the clear part the droid is holding and wondered if it was a data pad or some Dengar Death Sticks, my prefered brand. Looking good and these colored parts are looking !ntergalactic Planitary!
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;D Glad you liked that! Yeah, I need to redo the datapad mold into a production mold that I can work with.
I pulled a cast from the training remote last night. Exquisite! Spooky, yer gonna love this one! If you guys want to outfit a Jedi Temple padawan training room, let me know and you can have a horde of remotes in short order.
Okay, just pulled casts from the survival lamp - a little fiddly, but I can work with it - the production glasses - again, a little fiddly just like the other glasses molds (no big deal) - and the table-top. Oh my frikkin SWEETNESS!! Folks, we have a WINNER!!! I think I finally got the right mold design in place. Time to ramp up those cantina dios!!!
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I cannot wait to see them!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :D
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Whoot!
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Those of you who follow me on FB know that my grandmother, Mammaw, passed away in her sleep yesterday just about a month shy of her 90th birthday and her 70th anniversary. I'd looked forward to Rebecca and I celebrating our 20th with Mammaw (we got married on their 50th anniversary), but I can understand her wanting to celebrate it with her husband instead. She may not have understood why I made parts for toys, but she understood just fine the fact that I love what I do and what I make with my hands. She had hoped to see me turn my casting hobby into a real business if that was what I wanted to do with it, and she loved to see the little bitty parts I could turn out. I like to think she would have enjoyed seeing my first Mos Eisley building take shape, too.
So, I finally got started on my first Mos Eisley-style building. You can follow its progress over in my Dioramas thread (http://Anyway, who wants to see more pictures?). I'm coating the styrofoam with Elmer's Wood Glue, per Luke Sprywalker's suggestion. That should give me a good base for coming back and painting it later. My next building is going to be covered with drywall plaster, just to create a different texture and visual. I've had several WIP shots taken as I put it together up to this point. Again, those will be posted on my Dioramas thread. So now, I need to go to town and get a lot more glue... :o
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My condolences Doc. Glad to see she supported your creativity. Looking forward to seeing more from you in the way of custom work too. You have come a long way in the number of years I have known you.
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Very sorry to hear about this Doc. My condolences to you and your family.
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Thanks, guys.
So I got asked at the last minute to help kinda chaperone a birthday party for a friend's son (I know - WHAT was she thinking???), so rather than give up an entire Saturday's casting, I took my stuffs with me so I could show her in person how this whole resin-casting thing works. (she's a jewelry-maker and we've discussed some joint-project feasibilities) I got to show off resin-casting to a number of lads and parents, as well. Since it was something of a demo-day, I figured I'd take my colorants and play with them as well. Here's a quick pic of the goodies I made!
On the gray table, you can see the new Cmdr Wolffe buyce, sans rangefinder. As Hasbro opted to make it non-movable, I had to trim it off in order to mold and cast the helmet, the very first pull of which can be seen to the left. The "translucent green" colorant gives an interesting "creme de menthe" sort of color. (the Andes mint-style ammo can is the result of having a little green mix left, then a little uncolored white left! very "civvie travelling case" looking!) In the right foreground, you can see two mismatched blue boxes. One was a straight blue, one was blue with a touch of black added. Rather nice variation in tone, I think.
All in all, quite a fun day - even if my friend did call me a nerd pretty much every time she looked at what I was doing! ;D
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Well I think it was an afternoon well spent. Tell you friend that nerds are where its at Doc!
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HAHAHAHA!! She did say, "I mean that in the nicest way possible!" lol
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something breaks, I bet they call you first.
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Well, there *was* the "Can you take a look at his laptop?" question, but we never got around to it... lmao
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surveillance holo of tech carrying a new strongbox under development at PP3. agents working to secure more information.
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Man Doc, ypu have some great stuff. Did you ever get around to casting and painting a set of those binocs? Also, i dont remember if i told you but the binoc host said "thank you very much"
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Spook, I'm glad they lived up to his expectations! I have a couple or three molded up, but I haven't painted or photoed them yet. I really should...
I'm learning a LOT as I go and little by little am getting better at it, I think. And *now* I'm making my own masters for molding...
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Lest you think Production Platform 3 has been shamefully idle...
R&d has been cooking up some new goodies. While they aren't *quite* ready for full-scale production, the lads have agreed to releasesome teaser pics and such. So, with no further ado, here's what's cooking!
So I decided I wanted to try out a project using Smooth On products start to finish. I have been using Alumilite products, but am not completely thrilled by their recent reformulation of their High Strength III rtv silicone. I decided I'd try the Mold Max 10 from Smooth On as it seemed an almost identical match, stats-wise. Since I was trying that out, I figured I'd try out Smooth Cast 327 resin for its 30-minute pot life and the sampler set of So Strong tints. Here's a pic of the results... the white boxes are Alumilite's Amazing Casting Resin that I normally use. The brown boxes are the 327 with 4 drops of So Strong Brown tint in 2oz of resin. The boxes are scratchbuilt by me and were molded in Mold Max 10. The rough texture of the box faces is the result of the material I used - the Mold Max caught it wonderfully. The glossy patches are patches of superglue and plastic solvent/cement. Talk about able to catch EVERY detail!! I'll be experimenting with tint mixtures in the coming days, as well as a vacuum-casting approach to try and eliminate trapped air bubbles in certain troublesome molds, so stay tuned. So far, I am extremely pleased with the Smooth On line.
(http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u239/LosLejanos/Outland%20Station/molding%20and%20casting/production%20platform%203/containers/DSCF3307.jpg)
(these are the casts from the master-part the Imperial Tech was carrying...)
Here's some more containers made from Smooth On's Smooth Cast 327, tinted with So Strong Brown. You've seen the Iconic Box and Joe ammo can before, but the other two are new. They are part of the upcoming "Cargo Cylinders" set, intended for use with both wargaming minis and action figures.
(http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u239/LosLejanos/Outland%20Station/molding%20and%20casting/production%20platform%203/containers/DSCF3308.jpg)
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Totally flabbergasted! Smooth-On shared the second pic, all the brown boxes, on their Facebook page the day I posted it!
Well, thanks to a rather long work-week (over 60 hours and 5 days instead of the regular 4) and a rotten case of what appears to be bronchitis, casting this week fizzled. I think I got 3 parts cast and a few tests of the vacuum system run. (still totally inconclusive as to its effectiveness) I'm hoping I can sit down and concentrate on the task long enough today to finish up one project so it can head for England and maybe start back making headway on the other two orders.
It looks as if Production Platform 3 is going to have to start its own website! The past few weeks have seen a number of orders and inquiries about parts, so having a place to send people to is becoming a growing need. This little hobby of mine is starting to catch on...
(I really think there was something else I wanted to share, but this whole being sick gig has my thought processes jumbled up...)
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It looks as if Production Platform 3 is going to have to start its own website! The past few weeks have seen a number of orders and inquiries about parts, so having a place to send people to is becoming a growing need. This little hobby of mine is starting to catch on...
I am glad this is taking off for you! I shared pics of the stuff you sent me on several other boards and even mentioned you and praised your work on my podcasta few weeks back :)
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Thankee, sir! I'm glad you found them to be worthy of sharing!
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I had a ponderment this last week, as I considered my small-but-growing resin-casting business. It was a confluence of thought-streams, stemming from being rather aggravated with my work-schedule keeping me from my casting, new items I need to mold and market, an idea for a series of a/f-scale weapons based on Nerf guns, and then the research on them that led into cosplay. I already have begun making parts that can be used in smaller gaming scales. Quite a few people have used items I make in a variety of photographic projects. Why not enlarge my line to include parts intended for cosplayers - things that could be used to plug gaps in or provide surface detail to cheap toy guns? Things like new barrel systems that fit onto N-Strike/N-Elite Nerf weapons? Maybe even complete weapon-kits for something like the Colonial Marine officer sidearm? So it seems now the best way to sum up my product line may be "trans-scale photographic props and miniatures."
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Bought myself a USS Enterprise Bridge Playset on clearance at TRU this week. Here it is, set up for taking pics of my cast pieces.
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Here's one of the pics...
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I need a comparison pic of a Lego Greedo head next to an action figure Greedo/Pax Bonkik head... can anyone help?
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I just got the Lego Rodian head in this past week, so a comparison will be forthcoming.
In other news, I'm writing this on a real-world datapad. My wife & I just upgraded to smartphones & I got a Galaxy Note II. It will take me some time tobget used to this!
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Nice. Looks like it works pretty good to me.
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Hello, fellow 'Yarders! I've been quiet for far FAR too long, I know! Quiet is NOT inactive, tho! I'm having internet connection challenges at home, new-phone struggles as I adapt to my new piece of kit (it's a joy, btw!), and the ever-popular daily routine of WORK. Blech! Some of you already know about Production Platform 3's new Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/pages/Production-Platform-3/500033033394127). If you don't, let me encourage you to check it out! My new phone has made keeping up on Facebook ridiculously easy and the phone actually has a fairly decent camera on it, too.
So I've been busy - Darth Optimus has been an *excellent* gent about loaning out a number of sweet originals for me to make molds of: heads, cargo boxes (yes, the old Kenner Dagobah crates are available as repros!), and now melee weapons are underway. I'm still looking for a storefront (leaning towards ecrater.com - looking for input) to tie the Facebook page to, but I'm not letting the dust gather on the mold-making supplies!
If you are on Facebook, be sure to to drop by Production Platform 3's new page (https://www.facebook.com/pages/Production-Platform-3/500033033394127) and give it a Like so you can stay up-to-date on new goodies as they appear!
Coming soon: engine pods!
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Just a quick update this morning. I'm working on a way to get the computer consoles to cast hollow. First test *should* be this evening, so everybody keep your fingers crossed! I've got some casting & photography to do for the store, so keep an eye out there, too. That may happen this evening, as well. Yes, this *will* include 3 (or 4!) sizes of turbines as well as door control panels.
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Hello, family and friends! In just two short months, the Production Platform 3 page (https://www.facebook.com/ProductionPlatform3) picked up its 100th like, thanks to Wookieballs Customs (now we're at 104!). I'm thrilled to see so many talented and known names of the collecting and customizing world show up in the list of folks who have taken the time to check out and like our page. In case you aren't aware of it, Production Platform 3 has a storefront (http://productionplatform3.ecrater.com/) where we offer a growing array of resin castings for action figure customizers and wargamers. If you haven't checked it out yet, take a few minutes and go look around. We'll wait.
Back so soon? I'm pretty sure you liked what you saw – even people who aren't into action figures have confessed to being at least a little impressed by our offerings. What I'm hopeful of is that as you look around our Facebook page and the storefront, you've thought of at least one person who would love to get ahold of the stuff we make. Eventually, we're sure you'll let that someone know about us.
But we are terribly impatient! We'd like you to tell them about us NOW! And to encourage you to do that sooner rather than later, we've decided to hold a contest. More exposure means more browsers and more browsers means more buyers. To help get more people looking, we need help. To get help, we need to offer some incentive. How about a shot at winning a “Cargo Bay Starter Set?”
If you help us spread the word about our Facebook page and get us to 150 likes, we'll hold a drawing to award a Cargo Bay Starter Set to one of our lucky fans! And not just a boring old white set, either – the parts will be molded in a variety of colors! There's only one catch.
We have to hit 150 likes by midnight of May 31st, CDT. That's a little more than 3 weeks away. We picked up 100 likes in right at 8 weeks. If you help spread the word, I am confident we can double that pace to pick up 50 more in just under half that time.
In fact, I think we can do better than that. For every additional 50 likes (200, 250, etc), I'll give away another Cargo Bay Starter Set. Sound good? Then spread the word...
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Perhaps you don't mind me spreading the word about your contest? If you want to do a front page write up for me I can take it to the front page. Do you guys have a page picture or header I could use too?
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This is a great idea Doc! It should get more people reposting, but you know I have always shared your page because it is a great resource for customizers and diorama builders.
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Tamer, graphics is an area I'm short on - but I have something in mind that should do the trick. And I would *love* you to front-page this! I'll pull together a quick post and slip it in here for you. Thanks!
Spry - your efforts have been seen and are *deeply* appreciated! Word of mouth is pretty much all we have going for us when it comes to making a presence. I am thankful for the dedicated people like yourself who cheerlead and share and all that good stuff. It helps me keep on keeping on!
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(http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u239/LosLejanos/Outland%20Station/molding%20and%20casting/production%20platform%203/containers/cargostarter_zps390eea84.jpg) (http://s169.photobucket.com/user/LosLejanos/media/Outland%20Station/molding%20and%20casting/production%20platform%203/containers/cargostarter_zps390eea84.jpg.html)
Greetings, fellow 'Yarders! I'd like to take a minute to remind you about the contest running over at Production Platform 3 (http://www.facebook.com/productionplatform3). Quite a few of you have already visited the page and Liked it. Some of you may not yet know it exists. In a nutshell, I want the company's page to hit 150 Likes by May 31st and am offering up a prize package to help make it happen. Now I know the power of word-of-mouth advertising, so I'm sure we can pick up 33 Likes to get from 117 today to 150 in 2 weeks. If it happens, a random winner gets – totally free *anywhere* in the world – a Cargo Bay Starter Set, pictured above. So help me spread the word – *you* could be the winner! (more details on the page (http://www.facebook.com/productionplatform3))
(Tamer, I don't have an official page/company banner/header/graphic yet, but this pic shows the prize set...)
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Looks good doc, I will try to get to this tomorrow.
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Thanks, Tamer! Folks, there's only a few hours left! We're 23 likes shy of the goal to hold the drawing.
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Didn't know you had a FB page, Doc! Liked, commented on and promoted, my friend!
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Thanks for your efforts! We got to 133 by the end of the month, so no drawing this time. I got to looking at other similar pages, though, and my number is not too far off from other similar pages.
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Well, I am now "unemployed-aiming-for-self-employed." Expect a significant expansion of offerings in the Production Platform 3 shop. I think I am moving away from primarily recasting (other than certain scenic pieces) and into proprietary designs. The easiest way to keep up is by following my facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/ProductionPlatform3).
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Good luck, doc. Kind of makes being unemployed a bit more exciting, doesn't it
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That's for sure! ;D
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Best of luck with your future endeavors my friend.
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Give me a yell when you do something new and we will feature it Doc. We like your work!
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So I was terminated on the 16th. I decided, hey, this is a great time to get serious about my writing and my casting, push them both and really make a go of it. Started that - got a new door prototyped (need to revisit it, as the casts are warped and I think it is an issue with the master-part, not the mold), got two gaming products written. As part of my unemployment qualification, I had to do three job-searches last week. So I did, one was an "I hope I get permission to add an HSE guy," one was an "I'm waiting to hear that I got the contract and *then* I'll need you," and the other was dad saying, "Here's the info for the folks I'm working for." Sent them out by email Friday evening late. Yesterday afternoon, the company dad works for called me. "Are you interested in being in Ohio on Monday morning?" Well, no, not really, but the bills say YES. "Absolutely."
So, now, I have to be in Ohio for a 4 or 5 month project starting Monday morning. I know nothing at all about that area - the OH/KY border - I'm not completely moved back from the last job, and well ... I had a lot of other stuff I really wanted to be doing. But I'm going to take all my casting supplies I possibly can fit in, and should be able to piddle along. ;)
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WOW! What a whirlwind of events! Glad to hear you were able to find a job quickly and I hope you can make some time to cast all these great parts you provide!
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Wow, talk about all kinds of changes. Man, I had hoped it would be the part of OH that connects with WV! Let us know how things are going.
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Spry, my packing list includes the line "ALL molds and resin"!!!
Tamer, You never know what could happen. It'd be a shame to spend half the year *that close* and not find a way to swing by!
I was looking forward to a long, quiet (frugal) period of casting like a mad fool. Alas, the Cosmos played a big joke on me and gave me a job quickly. Well, gee, I guess we'll just get busy and pay off the car, two loans, a credit card, student loans, and then start on replacing appliances that are almost worn out. *shrug* The things ya gotta do... ;D
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Sounds good to me. Perhaps I could meet you halfway or something.
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The Ohio job was a wash - the Gas company was actually soliciting bids from TWENTY-FIVE COMPANIES. The company I was talking to ... didn't get it. But that's ok - they called me today to be sure I was available to send my resume out on another bid. No details on this one yet. Heck, might be the same one, that sort of stuff happens in the pipeline world.
But, on to really cool stuff.
I just placed my first order through Shapeways. "Made in the future" indeed - the stuff doesn't even exist until I order it and their system makes sure the designs can be printed. I'll keep you posted...
I ordered items from 2 designers, both are scaled for use in 28mm wargames. I've queried both about scaling their items up. One is flat not interested - increasing the size increases the price and requires time and attention, something s/he is lacking while working 2 jobs and planning a wedding, despite having been asked this very question many times. Personally, I'd say if people are asking you to take an existing product and put it in a format they want badly enough to ASK FOR, then they are gonna throw money at you ... and in my experience, that is a REALLY GOOD PLACE TO BE! Especially if you only have to do the work ONCE and let someone else actually MAKE the stuff!!!
The *other* designer is extremely interested in my idea of upscaling from 1/87 scale to 1/18 scale. He has some fabulous sci-fi crate designs ... and y'all know I'm a sucker for crates!! So we are in the opening round of discussions there. I'll definitely share everything I learn and post pics of the goods upon arrival.
Heck, I may have just opened a new chapter in Production Platform 3's life!! Can you just see it ... having a designer on staff who can make gorgeous OPENING crates in action-fig scale that I can mold and cast ...?
Makes me giddy!!
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Wow Doc I love the idea of putting that stuff in our three and three quarter verse. And more of your iconic crates? Pure logic if you ask me.
So, if I may ask a question, is Safeway a company that will take your existing product and then kind of cad/cam it so it can then be printed using a 3D Printer? It sure does make perfect sense to me.
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You have to upload the CAD files to Shapeways. Honestly, as I watch pricing, resin is still significantly cheaper. Most likely, I will be using something like Shapeways to create master-parts that I will then mold and cast. But it beats me buying a 3d printer.
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I've been working on a sci-fi/horror gaming sub-setting for Crossing The Black, getting zombies into space. One of the things I came up with off the cuff is an aerial recon drone, patterned off the quad-copter crossed with a W40k Tau Drone. I have decided it must exist as an action figure. So today I started accumulating the parts I need to create Production Platform 3's very first action figure offering. Should it reach production in time, it will be one of the prizes PP3 offers in support of the ISY Birthday Contest.
Size will be *roughly* on par with the new Seeker Droid figure.
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Wow, like the sound of this Doc!
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Sweet doc! Give us some pics soon.
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Aw, you know ISY is gonna get the scoop! Found the part I knew I had floating about to make the center of the drone body today and it was a more perfect fit than I had dared hope! I do have a bit of a challenge now, getting the "stabilizers" arranged to my liking, but I'm only playing around with it right now, not going after serious progress. As it is a flying unit, I mean to design it so that it has a flight stand. Will definitely post pics when I have something cool to show. 8)
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Sounds cool Michael can't wait to see some pics!
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FLASHTRAFFIC
New Product Survey (http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/C9GLYWK)
The holiday gift-shopping season is closing in and I need your help!! Production Platform 3 is looking at bringing some seriously NEW products to market, but we need to know what you, our awesome customers, want to throw money at! PLEASE take our survey and help us understand what you are looking for most!
I've spent most of the last three weeks looking at CAD designs, 3D printing, and talking to designers. I'm onto something, but there are so many directions to turn, we could easily miss the right shuttle and be left drifting in space. I want your money, and the only way I'm going to get it is to provide the stuff you and your dios can't live without. So take my survey and help me figure out what those things are!
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http://forum.rebelscum.com/t1102165/#post19231809 (http://forum.rebelscum.com/t1102165/#post19231809)
Stephen Hayford posted his Labor Day holiday dio over on RS and was kind enough to post some making-of's and some close-ups of different parts of the dio. Scroll down and check out the Snowie running away from the wampas. Check out the BOX he's running past! And coolness of coolness, a shout-out! He did an amazing job converting my simple box to the one that was used on Hoth with the tanks on top and the hoses - I looked twice to be sure it really was mine! It's been a rough few days and getting that kind of shout-out did my mood a world of good.
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Thats one cool dio and artist.
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That's cool, buddy!
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So I get a call this morning from a former employer. He'd called back in the spring, but I was contentedly working at the paper-mill. Then he called a couple of weeks ago, but I wasn't qualified or certified to take the opening he had. Today, we have a winner. Tentatively, I start Monday. Same old type job - safety inspecting on a pipeline project. It'll be 60-70 miles from the house and I'll likely commute 5 or 6 days a week, unless someone comes through with a *really* cheap crash-space in the area (and I know ppl close to there). Pay will be good, but first payday is about 3 weeks out from now, meaning I gotta beg/borrow/barter for fuel and/or crash-space until then. Small project, limited scope, likely short duration (I figure we'll be done long before Christmas) - but it is WORK!! PAYDAYS!
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Wow, it's been a while. Almost 5 months, in fact. Job ran a lot longer than anticipated and the next phase of it could start up any second. But, for right now, Outland Station and Production Platform 3 are in business! I have a number of orders sitting about, waiting to be filled - including one from Down Under, haven't forgotten it! Exciting times...
If you aren't following me on Facebook, you should be.
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Good to hear from you, buddy! Hope you havent been working too hard.
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12+ hrs a day, 7 days a week with over an hour drive on each side of the day. The weekend before Christmas, we were pushing to have the plant at least sorta operational ... I showed up Saturday evening 5pm and didn't leave site until Monday night @1130pm. It's taken me a month to start feeling rested up.
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Good to hear from you Doc. I have been following you a bit on Facebook.
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I caught Spooky on Facebook and he asked if I'd seen Wardog's "Dio Fillers" thread - and I realized it had been MONTHS since I'd been over here! Bad Doc...
Keep following on FB!! That's where stuff pops up first!
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Some new molds I've made. Comic-Pack Thrawn, Cantina Band-member, and two different pair of goggles.