1/60 VF-5000 3D Printing

[Sildani]

Female pilot... kickass Tage!

[Tage]

Ah thanks! She looks a little bit square for now... but I think a bit of sanding and some Warhammer green stuff i have around will smooth her out a bit. :-)

[Tage]

Hey guys, sorry it's been a while. Been pretty busy outside of this hobby recently with new job and house. However, managed to find the time to put all the parts i had together and see if there are any other things to improve on. Everything is working just about as well as i had hoped for. Sadly the printing place forgot about one crucial inner part that joins the chest and shoulder parts together, so can't test his robot mode properly (he literally just falls apart if i try) I'm relieved he stands up in Gerwalk on his own though. I think the way his leg joints are, plus the shear amount of plastic in the top of his body will make him fairly top heavy - so he'll probably have to lean up against something once he's standing up fully in robot mode. 

My cutter guides for all the rods and screws worked a treat, and i only fowled up one measurement out of about 70ish, so happy with that! Actually, must confess, with my first effort, my brain forgot that metal heats up when being cut at high speed - so my Dremel cutter heated up a few of the 2mm screws enough to melt into the 3D printed guides, never to be salvaged haha. But I've got the method down now, so it's all easy.

What was also good for this test, was that i went off my own set of instructions i had made. Made a few notes down here and there as i went on a few parts. Nothing too major change wise... just will make things easier for the guys that are still after a copy of him (again, sorry for the delay, real life has taken over a bit). Just so you guys don't have to drill/sand as much etc. Plus the new gunpod sliding mechanism works like a dream. I'm going to add in a few extra holes and plugs so it makes for an easy glue together job, rather than how it currently is. 

But yeah I'll get that crucial inner part through so i can fully test his transformation and how he stands, then make any adjustments after that. But so far, we're looking really really good!
Also i got a Yamato Garland second hand (the old one, not the fancy looking new one) for Christmas (Thanks Santa) and his shoulders sadly are subject to what i've now read is a really common breakage, so i'll 3D up some replacement parts for him at the same time - probably will stick them on Shapeways for people too. 

Anyway, Happy Holidays everyone, will update more soon :-)

[valhary]

I want it!!!

[Xigfrid]

What an update! I am happy for you, and I must say that it looks much better in real than in CAD

[Sildani]

Holy. Crap. What was once only a dream is now a reality. 19 months in the making!

The man... the legend... Tage. 

[Jasonc]

This looks great. I can't wait to see the transformation results.

[Tage]

So many quick responses! Thanks guys! Glad you like it :-)

And yeah it has almost been 2 years.... :-S

I really should be quicker at this stuff huh? haha.

[Mommar]

Hows the new job and house?

Also, for a single man designing a 1/60 fully transformable Valk as a hobby, taking two years is damn impressive.

Edited December 28, 2017 by Mommar

[505thAirborne]

On 12/27/2017 at 2:07 PM, Tage said:

Hey guys, sorry it's been a while. Been pretty busy outside of this hobby recently with new job and house. However, managed to find the time to put all the parts i had together and see if there are any other things to improve on. Everything is working just about as well as i had hoped for. Sadly the printing place forgot about one crucial inner part that joins the chest and shoulder parts together, so can't test his robot mode properly (he literally just falls apart if i try) I'm relieved he stands up in Gerwalk on his own though. I think the way his leg joints are, plus the shear amount of plastic in the top of his body will make him fairly top heavy - so he'll probably have to lean up against something once he's standing up fully in robot mode. 

My cutter guides for all the rods and screws worked a treat, and i only fowled up one measurement out of about 70ish, so happy with that! Actually, must confess, with my first effort, my brain forgot that metal heats up when being cut at high speed - so my Dremel cutter heated up a few of the 2mm screws enough to melt into the 3D printed guides, never to be salvaged haha. But I've got the method down now, so it's all easy.

What was also good for this test, was that i went off my own set of instructions i had made. Made a few notes down here and there as i went on a few parts. Nothing too major change wise... just will make things easier for the guys that are still after a copy of him (again, sorry for the delay, real life has taken over a bit). Just so you guys don't have to drill/sand as much etc. Plus the new gunpod sliding mechanism works like a dream. I'm going to add in a few extra holes and plugs so it makes for an easy glue together job, rather than how it currently is. 

But yeah I'll get that crucial inner part through so i can fully test his transformation and how he stands, then make any adjustments after that. But so far, we're looking really really good!
Also i got a Yamato Garland second hand (the old one, not the fancy looking new one) for Christmas (Thanks Santa) and his shoulders sadly are subject to what i've now read is a really common breakage, so i'll 3D up some replacement parts for him at the same time - probably will stick them on Shapeways for people too. 

Anyway, Happy Holidays everyone, will update more soon :-)

Really looking forward to seeing this all completed & painted! 

[arbit]

Awesome. I want a transformation video.

[Tage]

Hah - yeah both job and house pretty good thanks! 

And yeah once done, i'm defo going to do a transformation video - hopefully nothing breaks off as i'm doing it haha. 

[Sildani]

Send it to Jenius!

[Tage]

Hey guys - good, bad, good news.

Good - new part came through quickly and he's all together now. Yaaaaay.

Bad - a few fragile joints where some of the smaller nuts and bolts connect fall out pretty easily sadly, even after a couple of transformations. Boooooo.

Good - it's an easy fix! Yaaaaaay.

Basically where i thought gluing in the nuts would work holding things together, the smallest over tighten and the screw actually helps dislodge the glued nut. Luckily though after a small test the 3D printed material can take even the smallest screw and hold it well enough. So basically I just need to bulk out the parts where i'd originally made space for some of the nuts and leave a tiny guide hole for the screw. Easy, just gotta find the time! I did this originally as the resin used on the original kit was so fragile, the small screws used would tear away at the resin, so it wouldn't hold any of the thread. So i was a little worried this would happen here too - But it looks like it'll be alright. 

Starting to realise why these things take so long that's for sure. 

[valhary]

The most of the Macross fans have been waiting for this bird so many years that some months will not bothering at all;)

[frankell05]

You ever consider making separate versions for battroid and fighter? I know that there is mastery in engineering  when you can make a bit that transforms to all three, but like always one or another mode suffers in looks because of the transformation. I would love for someone to make an articulated 1/60 version of this on batteoid and fighter non transforming versions. Just so they look as awesome in each mode as can be. Just an opinion . Your model looks great  so far, as for opinions on the head, I think it may visually benefit from being a bit smaller. I think there are some detailed not yet there on the “jaw”  section as well right? Anyways , amazing stuff, you planning on making a few or just one for yourself?

[Tage]

3 hours ago, frankell05 said:

You ever consider making separate versions for battroid and fighter?

Yeah that's actually how I started out thinking how I wanted to go about this. As really that's how I display my robots – either just left as a jet or left in robot mode, sometimes I change their stance. But I thought 'why not go all out and do a transforming one' otherwise then I feel like if it's just an articulated model then it really would be what my girlfriend calls a lot of my collection - 'Fancy space dollies' haha

I really should have started on something smaller, as i've bitten off more than i can almost chew. But i'm chewing on through it like a very fatty steak haha. But yeah for a later project i did have an idea to do just an articulated Az-130 or VA-3C, as well as their jet modes of course... will see how I go. 

But yeah i'm planning to make a few of these. I've been keeping track who's interested to get back to them once it's good to go, want me to add you to the list? 

[NZEOD]

1/72 fighter version?

Go on... you know you love a challenge

Edited January 9, 2018 by NZEOD

[frankell05]

On 1/9/2018 at 1:48 AM, Tage said:

Yeah that's actually how I started out thinking how I wanted to go about this. As really that's how I display my robots – either just left as a jet or left in robot mode, sometimes I change their stance. But I thought 'why not go all out and do a transforming one' otherwise then I feel like if it's just an articulated model then it really would be what my girlfriend calls a lot of my collection - 'Fancy space dollies' haha

I really should have started on something smaller, as i've bitten off more than i can almost chew. But i'm chewing on through it like a very fatty steak haha. But yeah for a later project i did have an idea to do just an articulated Az-130 or VA-3C, as well as their jet modes of course... will see how I go. 

But yeah i'm planning to make a few of these. I've been keeping track who's interested to get back to them once it's good to go, want me to add you to the list? 

Absolutely, I’ll be following your thread anyways , but I am interested in one of this bad boys. The work you’ve done so far is amazing , and it would be lovely to have a piece of art like this in the collection.  

Question: while building the studio half eye kits , I always had the issue of missaligntment because of having to drill the screw holes myself. When your making this sucker, do you put in pre made holes for the screws or would it be a similar situation as s.h.e where the builder would make the hole? 

Great job on making your own space Dollies , I’d buy one. 

[frankell05]

And just because I’d murder for  one of them, if after your done with the transforming one , you find yourself in the mood to re tool the batteoid into a non transforming one , pleeeeeeeeeeeease do it.  

If you need assistance visualizing some aspect not in 3D , I do concept art and have done a few robot turn arounds for an old transformers game.  Hit me up if you’d like.

cheers

[Tage]

20 hours ago, frankell05 said:

it would be lovely to have a piece of art like this in the collection.

Hah, I don't know about 'art' but sure! Added you to my little list.

Oh and yeah where I can i've tried either already having the holes in some parts, or certainly having small guide holes for where you'll need to screw stuff in easily. As yeah, lining up stuff on those SHE kits (at least the vf-5000 i'm copying from) suuuuuucks. With the way i'm now designing getting the screws in, you'll just have to create a tiny sink just to help the screw take to the material, then screw it in, but that's all - no extra hole drilling. The only real drilling you'll need to do is for the rods. I think there's only 1-2 long (3cm deep) parts that may be a bit tougher than the rest (they're like 1cm deep tops) but i'll do some extra guides so your drill (i'd recommend a Pin-vice) follows the right direction a bit easier. Believe me, when i was putting this test one together, I knew where I was getting frustrated on which parts, so i'll try and not pass that frustration down to you guys haha. 

As far as other versions - yeah sure maybe in the future. I think i'll need a break from him for a while though hah. But yeah, one thing if i'm already to crit my own work, is the arms, particularly the elbow – it's pretty spindly, i'd love to do it all with those Revoltech proportions. Oddly I'm actually starting to have a few specific valks in my collection where i have the 1/60 toy version in battroid mode, and then a 1/72 model valk mode next to it. It does look nice actually.

Right, enough typing, more designing. Chat soon. 

Edited January 15, 2018 by Tage

[daisuki]

What an amazing work !

 

[neko_fr]

Hi!

You're a god of creation!

What a amazing work!

I'd like to be on the list to have one, if possible, please.

What will be the estimated cost, please? Will it be possible to have just the file to print it at home? If yes, will the cost be different?

[DarkArchon3000]

OH WOW!  Please add me to the list of interested.

[Tage]

PMed you both :-)

[Randomn]

Looking sharp there!  Sign me up, and put me on the list as well!

[Tage]

Hey team. Sorry for lack of updates in this final stage. Work has been crazy busy recently. But I thought I'd update you with a few pics with the tail fins on and finally him in his robot mode! Went to IKEA for a couple house things and came across these 2 things that I thought would be great to display him in. The LED box actually comes with a clear top/roof/lid, sadly the top of his head (or as my girlfriend called it 'his pointy hat)  is makes him juuuust too tall for it. I'm sure I'll find a smaller bot or 2 to fit in it tho. Under-lighting him in white looks great I thought though. But yeah, the other glass thing works great! 

Plan is to paint him in the next week or so,  meanwhile look for a place to print the clear parts at a good price then I should be able to give you all an accurate cost of this guy for those that are still keen. Chat soon! 

[Mommar]

Did I ever ask to be put on the keen list?

[Tage]

Nope but you are now :-) i'll PM you soon(ish)

[Hikaru1234567890]

Yeah count me in to, can't wait to finally have a 1/60 version of this!

[frankell05]

I asked before to be put in the list, but I'm not sure if i was. So just in case, please add me to the interested party list.

 

Thaaaaaaaanks

[Tage]

PMed you both :-)

[arbit]

Nice work! I look forward to seeing it painted. I'm sure you learned a lot on this project. I cant even fathom how you guys do it.

[Tage]

Hey Team, just a quick update. Started painting it all. Used a nice off-white for all the underparts, but the top parts came out a little more blue than i expected.... i've ordered some more paint that's a little more green and more like the actual plane, but it'll probably arrive Tuesday :-( I'll get painting as soon as it arrives though. 

In better news the clear parts i ordered scrub up really nice. The top canopy is one that's been sanded from 400, all the way to 3000 grit paper, and the bottom one is how clear it gets once you've used a clear coat on a similarly sanded canopy. Super clear huh? 
So yeah, super quick update! hopefully next time i'll be posting up shots of him all done, and maybe even a video! :-)

Edited April 15, 2018 by Tage
Be good if i remembered to attach the photos.

[Sildani]

That’s sexy.