Vindicator Pre-order Closed

The title says it all. Supplies have been ordered and molding shall get underway.

Vindicator Pre-Order

I'm thinking of doing a Pre-order for my next mech...the Vindicator. This was another collaboration with Albert Benton 

The price would be around $140 plus shipping.  I know that's a lot for a medium mech but resin and rubber prices are still through the roof...despite what we are being told about inflation/prices coming down.  

For those that pre-order there will be a pre-order bonus included. My current plan is to try to get laser etched wallet sized "Warranty Cards" made for you.  Some of you got similar cards with your Marauders. 

So, who's in?  E-mail me here...

Another Operations Update

Well, things are progressing slower than we had hoped.  

I am finally coming off the morphine but I still hurt and am tired all the damn time.  My surgeon is now shooting for "back to normal" in the May time frame.  It just boils down to the fact that the area where we had to do work is the core of the body.  There is very little I can do that doesn't involve my abs.  Add to that this is the 5th time in 10  years this part of the body has been chopped on...it's just not cooperating as we had hoped.

Our AC died.  Jess has spent the last two weeks living out of a hotel an hour away as her grandmother has been in the ICU.  Jess and her mother are the only folks who can act as her advocate.  2023 isn't starting well on the home front.

On the Battletech front things are pretty good!  I have all the parts for the Vindicator printed.  There is just some clean-up to do.  I don't want to open a pre-order until this is 100% ready to go into molds and I'll have to have assistance working with the rubber.  I am working on an Archer commission build, a Locust commission build and also working on a Highlander scratch build for a client.  

Here is some randomness for you...I completely miss-scaled a Hatomoto-chi a long time ago and have been working on it on and off for a while.  It will probably end up on eBay as I just don't make as much as I probably could in the auction I list here and on Facebook.  It's about 14" making it around 1/48 scale.  It's big!

Onward and upward!

Operations Update

 Hi All.

In September I mentioned that operations would be limited due to health issues.  There are several regulars who visit this site and not my Facebook page so here is a rather long winded update.

All year I have been dealing with increasing abdominal pain and fatigue amongst other things. The abdominal pain prevented me from working in the shop for more than a couple hours at a time. Anyone who understands anatomy knows that the "core" of the body is involved in pretty much any and all movement. Almost every activity in my ship requires bending, twisting, leaning over, etc. 

I finally visited a doctor in August and he found several problems all related to the cancer surgery in 2012. When the cancer doc did the surgery he really did not take into account the nervous system...he just chopped out the the tumor and the margins and whatever nerves were in the way just got chopped out.

So, I had a procedure to help me swallow...yeah, I was having trouble swallowing food and drink. 

In late October the surgeon who had tried to fix the shit hernia repair situation back in 2016 went in to fix yet another hernia that had popped up.  When he went in he found things in my abdomen were much, much worse than the MRI had shown.  After he got in there he found that the muscles in my abdomen looked like "swiss cheese."  The hour-long surgery turned into an almost 5 hour procedure. The surgeon had to take apart the muscle layers, fix all the rips, insert more mesh in between those layers and then rebuild my abdominal wall with even more mesh.  I spent almost 6 weeks in bed. My activity was limited to shuffling around the house, using the toilet, showering and taking my oxycodone and morphine.

I just had a follow-up with the surgeon this week and he was quite irate that I was doing simple things like sweeping the hard-wood floors.  He said that if everything goes perfectly I might be at 75-80% healed by the beginning of 2023. Once he feels I am healed enough I will have to go through physical therapy to tone/retrain my core muscles. 

My plan is to start taking on limited casting jobs with the understanding that it will probably take a couple weeks to get the kit cast. 

I am, unfortunately, without any income since September.  The only income I have is what I have coming from Patreon (9 very loyal supporters). Even with health insurance, the amount out-of-pocket has been outrageous and has pretty much drained out emergency fund. 

So, I'm trying to get back on my feet.  I have upgraded from being in bed to being in a recliner. Ugh. If there are any kits you want to order feel free to hit the marketplace. If you wan to join my Patreon you can click HERE. 

Thanks for your support and patience.

Facebook Client's Page

For those that have not moved over to the new Facebook Clients page (see link in previous post) you are missing out on a lot.  I have auctioned off several of my older, out of production mechs to help with medical costs and whatnot.  There has been a Bushwhacker, a Deimos and now a Dervish up for sale. 

I regularly get e-mails asking about re-popping some of these old designs...well, now is your chance so don't miss out. 

As I said, right now I have a Dervish up for auction (not eBay, the FB page).  The current bid is $150.  Message me if you want to throw a bid into the ring.

Limited Operation through EOY 2022

Due to recurring health issues, upcoming surgeries and the emotional stresses of these issues throughout the year, I am going to have to limit operations through the end of 2022.  The currents jobs I am working I will complete and I can do some limited casting. 

I will also be selling off some of my old stash to cover expenses during this period. If you are a customer, join the new Facebook page. 

Battlemech Models Clients | Facebook

If not, watch eBay.

Goodbye for now. 

Updates

I'm still locked out of Facebook and their "customer support" is a joke.  It's all automated and every path I take leads back to the "You've been suspended until we decide otherwise." I cannot access messenger, any of my pages...nothing.  So, for the time being you can always reach me here: Old School E-mail

All but one of the Marauder orders have shipped.  Yay!

A limited number of the Marauder kit will be made available for sale.  This kit is for advanced builders.  It sells for $160 plus shipping.  Sorry about the price but resin has gone up 30% in the past years and shipping is going through the roof as well. 

The Enforcer is also going to be available in limited numbers.  It was originally a Patreon Exclusive, however, those same Patrons have agreed to allow the mech to be sold publicly. $140 plus shipping. 

Other projects in the work include an updated Atlas and I am working with the designer of the Quickdraw and Savannah Master to remake the Vindicator.

More later!