Solander's "Gungan Reaper" (AAT)

[Junkie]

That's looking really cool Sol.

 

[The Nylon Gag]

Fantastic work buddy, i can't get over how good the rivets look.


keep it up dude nearly there. ;D

Gagsterlicious

 

[Solander]

Thank you, Scott and Gag

As promised, here are the newest progress pics, showing all the recent effects
+ some tiny droid's additions, like buttons on the rifle and a sensor plate on the microbinocular. The former was done with a blueish aluminum folge to simulate some far away galaxy's analouge of microchannel plates used in now-days night-vision devices.

 

[JohnSimmons]

You've done it again mate, this looks amazing!

 

[Grendels]

Looks great as always.

 

[Igard]

"Roger Roger"

Looking fantastic, Sol. ;D

 

[Glorfindel]

Make it hover.

 

[ModelMakerMike]

Make it hover.

It looks so real, it probably DOES hover!
;D

 

[NecronautDrummer]

*worship*

Soooooo awesome, Sol!!

 

[schweinhund227]

Wow ! You made that Model SHINE !!! dude ! Pure Awesomeness

 

[Solander]

Thank You, fellas

Make it hover.

Actually, I really had plans for installing a hover system in it, the one from a quite popular among sci-fi modelers levitating globuses.
However, unfortunately, I've found that there is not enough space in the kit's lower section for a constant magnet big enough to provide proper levitation to the tank's overall mass. And placing it somewhere other then in the mass center would have made it turn to the side and constantly fall.
So I've stopped on just making a base for it.

I'm almost done with it now, it's only a pair of very last touches left, and I would make final pics to show you, guys

 

[Ziz]

The next best idea for a base to make it look like it's hovering would be to use a piece of clear rod in the existing mounting hole.

 

[SLW45]

Love it
The detail work is inspiring

 

[Glorfindel]

Thank You, fellas

Make it hover.

Actually, I really had plans for installing a hover system in it, the one from a quite popular among sci-fi modelers levitating globuses.
However, unfortunately, I've found that there is not enough space in the kit's lower section for a constant magnet big enough to provide proper levitation to the tank's overall mass. And placing it somewhere other then in the mass center would have made it turn to the side and constantly fall.
So I've stopped on just making a base for it.

I'm almost done with it now, it's only a pair of very last touches left, and I would make final pics to show you, guys

Solly as God is my witness I was thinking the same thing about those floating Globuses. You can rip the magnet out of that globe, stick it in the tank, and convert the base into that Gungan field with some flock and stones and bingo! Holy floating hovering tank Batman!
Seriously some kit base maker has to come up with a magnet set that us maniacs can use to float our builds on in mid air. It would be great for Sci Fi and all aircraft. Remember I said this.....the future is near.

 

[Ziz]

The reason those floating globes work is because it's a globe - the object can spin on any axis and never be out of balance. Unless you build a Death Star, you're not going to do the same thing by sticking some magnets in a model and some in the base and crossing your fingers. I'm not saying it can't be done, just that it will take a lot more science and testing to make it work for any given ship, and every ship you want to do it with will mean starting the process over from scratch.

 

[Glorfindel]

Ziz it's more fun to wrap your mind around. This build came to mind at Wonderfest 09...I'm sure you remember it.
http://cs.finescale.com/FSMCS/forums/p/131265/1334007.aspx
The star destroyer is toward the bottom of the page.
http://johneaves.wordpress.com/category/wonderfest-2009/

My guess, and it's just a guess, is that this guy used an electromagnet to assist in the levitation and then other magnets to stabilize it from spinning. No matter how he did it his results are so cool. Sol's Reaper is kick ass and is jaw dropping fixed or floating.

 

[Solander]

The idea of the floating globuses which schematics I've managed to find (there might be other methods from other manufacturers, but I doubt that) is pretty easy: you have 1 constant magnet in the part that floats (the more heavy it is the bigger that magnet should be), about 10 small magnets in the base which provide initial levitation. That of coerce isn't enough, as the levitating part in that case would constantly slip over the "dome" of magnetic field. For that there is a scheme with several electromagnets and photosensors inside the base. When the object is beginning to slip to one side, photosensor registers it and triggers on the required electromagnet to provide the stability. As this happens extremely fast, when placed correctly (the magnet in floating part is directly in it's mass-center and over the middle of the base system) you won't notice any fluctuations in floating.

Plus to the commercial use of this technology. Actually, it already exists!
Check this: http://www.innovatoys.com/levitron
The levitron-revolution RZ has completely blown my mind, as there some other way of levitation used in it - it can hold objects even when positioned horizontally!!
I'm really looking forward to getting one of these, tear apart and see how it works

 

[Solander]

Alright, guys,
guess its time for one of my most favorite words:

FINISHED!

 

[JohnSimmons]

Sol! Man this is wicked! that base looks great, just right. What did you use for the grass/stones etc?

 

[Grendels]

Nice!