Next update - Project A and part casting.

Updatedness..next wave.

So, the last couple of weeks, I've been absent from my workbench while taking part in a martial arts event.  Upon returning, the mold-making material had arrived and it was time to do my first cast attempt from a clay-sculpted master.  Let's say it didn't quite go as planned.  I used moldstar 16, the first time I'd used a mold material that set up that quickly.  To be fair, I think the mold came out quite nicely.  There were a few bubbles present, but when I pulled the air out of the cylinder, they mostly appeared near the top, away from the part. 

The issue presented when I found that the flat side of the part didn't quite mate cleanly with the floor of the mold cylinder, making it off-level a bit.  This meant that when I poured the plastic resin, it didn't fill quite properly.  It also manifested many more bubbles than I expected, and so I had to pour a bit differently, to avoid huge bubble gaps.  In the end, that didn't matter as much because of the other main issue:  my sculpting ability sux.  Well, to be fair, I got the general part dimensions ok, but I didn't see all the surface imperfections and out-of-true lines.  They all showed up when I poured the part.  In the end, what that meant was that I spent a great deal of time with putty and sandpaper.  I still have a little more to do with it, but they are close to being ready for what I want them for.

Project A also needs a bit of decision making.  Looking at the legs, there are two locations that serve as the knee joint.  In fact, it's entirely possible that the bottom of the thigh and the top of the shin parts BOTH articulate in the MWO model.  It's hard to tell and the fact that I can't get a good yootoob of it is frustrating.  So, I need to decide which point is the actual knee articulation.  The more I look at the stride and stance, the more I think I'll go with the upper shin point.  It's also easier to pin and work with at the moment, so that's what I'm going with.  Unless, of course, I see something that changes my mind.

Goal for tonight, finish detailing the thighs and cut the main pieces for the hip joint.  I test fit the pieces together so far, and stood them next to the Timberwolf II, and I think the dimensions are coming out just about right.  The Steiner Scout Mech should be just about the same shoulder height as the missile pods, if they all work out.  So far, so good.