Quick Update

Hi Everyone!  Still here...but busy beyond belief.

First, there was the aforementioned funeral.  The following week, my boy got sick.  He started with a nasty cold...then ear infection, then pink eye.  Poor guy was down for over a week.

Then the wife got sick.

Then I got sick...I even ended up in the hospital.  Dehydration sucks.

Then, finals started...and I started an internship...and Christmas...and MOVING! 

It never seems to stop....although the first of the year should see some return to regularity.

After that, my next main project is to start making some generic decals for 1/60 scale mechs.  I purchased a Xerox Phaser laser printer and it does beautiful work.  Feel free to post suggestions.  I was thinking generic warning strips, numbers, and the like.  As this is a laser, I am still stuck doing work that does not require white.

On another mech note, Chris...a builder and our caster....has started a new line of mechs.  He was asked to cease with the 1/60 scale battletech stuff so he started designing his own.  His first is posted on his site and can be seen here.  It is a kick-butt design.  I plan on getting one as soon as I can.

Signing off for now.  Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!

A Death in the Family

Hiroko Jean Lawhon

1932 - 2010

Hiroko "Jean" Lawhon, 78, of Proctorville, Ohio passed away Tuesday, November 9, 2010 at Cabell Huntington Hospital. She was born April 20, 1932 in Japan to the late Hikotaro and Fujiyo Komukai Ota. She is survived by her husband Robert Lawhon; two daughters Delores Spears of Nolensville, TN and Betty Ann Keeney of Huntington, WV; two sons Joseph L. Lawhon of Proctorville, Ohio and Phillip G. Lawhon of Bon Aqua, TN; two brothers and three sisters of Japan; five grandchildren; two great grandchildren and many "adopted" children and grandchildren. Funeral service will be conducted 2 p.m. Thursday, November 11, 2010 at Hall Funeral Home by Pastor Earnest Earl.

1/60 Warhammer from Yamato

So, Nate has been building the 1/60 scale Warhammer from Yamato and sent us some pics.  There is an Armorcast Vulture in there for scale.

THANKS NATE!!!

More from Nate

Here is another build from Nate.  He is also working on a Warhammer as piloted by Natasha Kerensky.  Join me in prodding him for pics!

Uncertain Future

Well, I got an e-mail from Chris at Ravenstar.  He has done most of the casting and created quite a few kits.  From his blogsite...

 i have been asked very nicely to stop selling battletech design models and as of this moment i have.

That is all the info I have.  I don't know if it came from Catalyst Game Labs or from Armorcast or someone else.  What this means is that there probably won't be any more mechs coming from us in the near future.

In the mean time, I intent to continue publishing builds that those in our little community send me as well as any scratchbuilds that we come up with.

Signing off for now...

Still no update

Still no update or review on the Savannah Master and Wolverine.  I know its been a month, but what can ya do?

So, in its place I have a new set of mech pics from Nate.  Here is his description of the mech:

AS7-D Atlas

This is an old 1/60th scale Armorcast Atlas I picked in 2007 before they stopped producing them due to WizKids going under. The kit wasn’t modified in any way. I used German colors for the main paint scheme. For the masking, I used "Silly Putty". It worked great, going over the model and didn’t leave any residue or peal any paint. The only problems that I found with using "silly putty" was that I caused damming, paint would pool up in low spots and would making a ledge when you peel the putty away. Even with the damming, it still makes painting uneven surfaces easy to paint. Its markings were comprised of custom, Fighting Pirannha Graphics and modern aircraft. The shading was with graphite and airbrushing.

The kit is a command Battlemech of the 1st Kearny of the Northwind Highlanders.

Still not happy...

So, I was still not too happy with the Hunchback torso, so after lots of sanding and Aves, here is where it stand now....

Hunchback Continued

So, I mentioned not being fond of the Hunchback IIc and was going to convert one into an IS version.  Here are the updates:

Reworked the torso....

Fixed the knees so they will be more posable...

And on a whim, spent a few hours reworking the fingers...

Also, I have redone the cockpit to be flat and more squat like the IS version.  The feet are being reworked also to give it a more compact look.  Finally, there will be more done to the chest to make it like the IS version and I have made medium lasers for the forearms.  Stay tuned....

Still Nothing

Well, Tuesday and still no package.  I had put everything else on hold to do instructions for the new kits as this was my week off before fall classes. But...

I guess I will figure out something else to work on.  Thing is, will it be a mech or Trek or the Corsair my 5 y/o wants built?

Hunchback Conversion

Okay, we have all seen Chris' Hunchback IIc...but myself, I am partial to the original Hunchback. So, I pulled some pics off the web...

And now, while I wait on those other mechs Chris is sending, I shall begin the conversion to the IS Hunchback.

Stay Tuned!

On the way...

Oh, goody!  Chris suprised all of us (even me) with his Thor.  I knew he was playing with one, but again had no idea how close it was to being done.

Anyway, he is sending me one with the Wolverine.  As soon as I get it, you will get pics.  Promise!

Long Absence

Sorry about my absence folks. I have been taking a Graduate course over the summer...Experimental Immunology.  It is a five week course and the work load has been overwhelming.  In addition to being in class 5 hours a day and 2 hours of traveling, I try to study 2 or so hours a day...plus all the little projects that have gone along with the course.  However, this is the last week (3 tests) and then I have a week or so off.

In that week off, I am planning on doing reviews of the new Thor and Wolverine kits from Ravenstar.  He has said he is sending them out this week.  I am waiting with great anticipation.

Another project I plan on tackling is revamping the Loki to more closely match the Thor...once I get a Thor as a reference.

Stay tuned!

Just some thoughts

Hi everyone.  Just wanted to share some thoughts about large scale mech building.  Is there still a lot of interest? It seems like interest is dropping off...as are orders....

I am hoping to get my hands on an extra torso of Ravenstar's Hunchback IIc so I can convert it to an original Hunchback.  That would be quite cool. I am also going to start working on an Avatar mech using the legs from an Armorcast Vulture. 

What are your thoughts? What would you like to see?

Tim

More Member Builds

Here is a modified MadCat from Joyride Studios tweeked by Member Adrain.

Member Builds

Here is a build from one of our followers, Adrain.  He has modified his Vulture with extra weapons.  Enjoy!

Panther Comparison

Here are some pics comparing the old Panther and the new, both done by Chris Lynch over at Ravenstar Studios.  The original is the one painted in the First Ghost Regiment scheme.

Panther 2.0

Here is Chris Lynch's new Panther. Some things are changed, some have been redone and improved. Here are some pics from a build-up to follow. Enjoy the teaser!

They are here!!!

The package came this week. 2 mechs.....sweet! Here are some pics to whet your appetite.