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Post by magengar on Nov 23, 2013 9:22:58 GMT -5
Wow! This Mazinger is to DIE for... I'd wear it around my neck As Is!   zozo-mag But it's looking really sweet!! Thanks, I still have lot of other parts to make and I have to redesign the leg joints since I've found a flaw with my current design while making the arms. I also wanna hear more clicking while moving the joints  I'm thinking of plating this whole figure in silver or gold or do a two tone plating with some parts colored gold and some parts silver. Plating adds some protection to the brass and copper suface since they like to tarnish a lot and I would hate to have to always polish it. I'm gonna do this project properly since the joints for this figure will be the basis for the other robots I'm planning to make. If it takes a while to finish then so be it as long as it comes out great. I've made some mistakes in the past that made me abandon some projects like this mazinger z that I lost interest in finishing.  |
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Post by droutmaster on Nov 23, 2013 13:36:52 GMT -5
man that is very well done, i love how you manage to capture Garada's head design.
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Post by gravewolf on Nov 24, 2013 14:00:06 GMT -5
magengarLol......I was also actually thinking of converting the head into a pendant. When I actually bought a gx01r I absolutely lost all interest in finishing it since what's the point in making a Mazinger when I already got one. This also has the same size as the SOC and would have probably had posing issues. I've finally managed to connect the head and the arms to the body. I'm very pleased with how nice and tight the joint feels. I have designed the joints to resist loosening and the arms and head can be removed without any tools whatsoever thanks to the ball bearing connectors. You can see on the left arm the exposed inner parts. 
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Post by admin1 aka Ed on Nov 24, 2013 18:13:41 GMT -5
Awesome work. I'd encourage you to look into bronze style patinas and not go for paint. Your work in brass is so artistic that I'd encourage you keeping the "organic" look of it. -Steampunk like.
Ed
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Post by TheMazingerZ on Nov 24, 2013 19:47:17 GMT -5
I've finally managed to connect the head and the arms to the body. I'm very pleased with how nice and tight the joint feels. I have designed the joints to resist loosening and the arms and head can be removed without any tools whatsoever thanks to the ball bearing connectors. You can see on the left arm the exposed inner parts. This is just amazing work! God bless your extraordinary gift!!!  }D |
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Post by magengar on Nov 24, 2013 22:17:58 GMT -5
I imagine if giant "super-steel" enemy robots were to exist in real life, they'd probably be built by rival underground boxing gangs, and the robots would look mechanically suited just like that Garada... that rough natural texture... ...the mechanical architecture... Ed nailed it right on, don't paint them- leave them as they are in their organic look and feel. I don't know how popular the metal-smith craft is these days here in the U.S. --and that's just it, I rarely get to see this craft anywhere, not even in some of my local art galleries. And quite frankly, I'm sick and tired of looking at artsy bronzey stickmen, rusty sculpted bicycles, and twisty oxidized bent-up coat hangers and granma's dentures floating inside gasoline jars at Starbucks of all places tryin to be like "Sooo- Hooo" ...lol... ...I wanna see these brass robots!!! This is unique work! zozo-mag |
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Post by gravewolf on Nov 25, 2013 10:58:50 GMT -5
I'm actually a fan of steampunk designs. I might do a steampunk themed Mazinger Z or another super robot in the future but it's probably after I finish a couple of other robots I've been dying to make. The organic look is a good idea and I'll be keeping that in mind after I've completed this figure. Big-O has also been running in my mind since I'm losing hope that Bandai is gonna release the SRC version.
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Post by magengar on Nov 25, 2013 15:48:36 GMT -5
A bronze or copper Big O would look amazing in that style! zozo-mag |
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Post by gravewolf on Nov 26, 2013 10:45:18 GMT -5
I managed to make the lower legs, it was a pain trying to hammer this into shape. I'm gonna make the feet after I make the leg joints. I'm a little worried though that the legs don't seem to have enough weight so I'm probably gonna add some lead inserts inside it so it would add more balance when the figure is done. Having the top too heavy will always result in an imbalance when the figure is in a standing position.  |
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Post by gravewolf on Nov 28, 2013 11:03:14 GMT -5
I'm actually still working on the legs and I've decided to make a mold on some of the joint parts so it'll be faster to cast them instead of making them again from scratch for my next projects. The joints hold up real well and so I'll make use of it more thoroughly.
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Post by TheMazingerZ on Nov 28, 2013 15:21:43 GMT -5
Man, you should make some to sell. I'll be one of your first customers... if my wallet holds, of course! }D |
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Post by gravewolf on Nov 28, 2013 15:59:41 GMT -5
@tmz
I was thinking about that a long time ago, but molding and casting bigger pieces like the chest into metal has been troublesome for me. If I ever decide and find a good way that I can make lots of different figures I'll let you know. Also I wont be using copper as materials since it's so hard to cast copper, it's either brass or silver since they are more suitable for casting with the equipment I have access to. For now I still consider myself a newbie at this kind of crafting since I never had my mentors teach me this kind of stuff and I had to learn how to make different kinds of parts by myself with the set of skills I was thought.
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Post by TheMazingerZ on Nov 28, 2013 17:39:51 GMT -5
I tried casting PEWTER once, but the silicone molds I had were not the right kind for the high temperature of molten metal.  }D |
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Post by magengar on Nov 29, 2013 2:09:13 GMT -5
Every time I look at that Garada, I imagine a huge robot construction bay on Rhodes Island and Dr. Hell is in a control bay supervising a team of Ironmask workers building the Garada's mainframe and attaching the armor to the core parts, rivetting and welding the armor parts together. The super-steel robot Garada-K7 under construction. \,,/ \,,/ zozo-mag |
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Post by gravewolf on Nov 29, 2013 2:17:46 GMT -5
@tmz Pewter is nice for casting figures, I just can't find it here. It has a low melting point and has better flow characteristics than the metals I used for casting since it's easy to hand cast pewter. You could try making a plaster of paris mold instead of using silicone if you can't find the one with a higher heat resistance. I'm stuck with brass and silver for casting my miniatures but they do the job well enough and hold good detail. These are my 1 inch figures I made from wax and then used brass to cast it.  |
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Post by gravewolf on Nov 29, 2013 2:18:20 GMT -5
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Post by magengar on Nov 29, 2013 2:51:45 GMT -5
So, Plaster of Paris can be used to cast pewter. Perhaps this rock-hard water putty can also be used for casting pewter? www.waterputty.com/ I love playing with this putty, I buy it in large cans so that I can practice sculpting it after it cures. I let it cure for 72 hours or longer... then when I'm in the mood I grab some tools and just start chewing right into it. lol Here's a FAQ about the putty... waterputty.com/faq/zozo-mag |
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Post by gravewolf on Nov 29, 2013 10:16:04 GMT -5
magengarThat will definitely burn and release toxic fumes since it's polymer based. The pewter might even react and gush out causing burns. Silicone has a much higher heat resistance so it's sometimes used to cast lead or pewter.
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Post by TheMazingerZ on Nov 29, 2013 12:04:44 GMT -5
@tmz Pewter is nice for casting figures, I just can't find it here. It has a low melting point and has better flow characteristics than the metals I used for casting since it's easy to hand cast pewter. You could try making a plaster of paris mold instead of using silicone if you can't find the one with a higher heat resistance. I'm stuck with brass and silver for casting my miniatures but they do the job well enough and hold good detail. These are my 1 inch figures I made from wax and then used brass to cast it. Those are nice! So, Plaster of Paris will be able to handle the heat of the molten Pewter? Wow! I didn't think it would!!! }D |
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Post by gravewolf on Nov 29, 2013 12:38:31 GMT -5
@tmz
Yep, plaster can handle the heat from molten pewter. The problem with plaster is that it has to be completely devoid of any moisture when you are casting pewter or else it will spew out some of the pewter and you might end up with some burns. You'd also need protective gloves and glasses for added safety. To ensure that the plaster becomes completely dry you'll either have to leave it in the sun for a few days or bake it in an oven in very low heat after it sets. Also the plaster mold needs to have vents in order for the air inside the mold to go out when you are pouring the pewter or else it will ruin the casting process. I forgot to tell you though that I used a different material similar to plaster to cast this figure, you can actually buy this type of plaster on jewelry supply stores and I used a centrifuge machine to inject the molten brass into the mold instead of pouring it. But I was able to use plaster of paris successfully on some jewelry I made when I ran out of this particular plaster. Pewter doesn't need a centrifuge machine anyway since it is a very easy to pour metal because of it's low melting point.
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But it's looking really sweet!!Thanks, I still have lot of other parts to make and I have to redesign the leg joints since I've found a flaw with my current design while making the arms. I also wanna hear more clicking while moving the joints 
