Custom Bases: War Torn Battlefield

I received a commission for a set of custom base molds, my customer is comfortable casting his own.  So I'm creating the masters and a mold set for him.  As this is a non-exclusive deal these should show up in the near future for general sale.

Here's the WIP shots for the masters, so far we have 10 25mm and 3 40mm bases.

Sharing from the Fanboy-Blog de Kouzes

I love it when I stumble on stuff that makes my nerd heart go pitter pat. Check this blog out, but only if you can handle feeling totally inadequate about your own stuff:

http://leskouzes.blogspot.com/

Holy crap this stuff is good!

Ork T34 Big Trakk Part 2

They T-34 is coming along, slowly, but forward anyway. I had to cast a boatload of track links and make sure they fit together.  Anytime I do this a dry run is is necessary.

Grot Scrap Mini Tanks Complete!

It's about time, Am I right?

Escape Hatch Markers Now Available!

Is your Stronghold being overrun?  Need a quick exit?  Use these handy Escape Hatch Markers to keep track of your exit points!

$5 scores you two, plus shipping.  Order them now from the Products Page:
http://conversionfanboy.blogspot.com/2013/04/fanboy-forge-products.html

Clan Raukaan Shoulder Pad Quick hit

Seeing how I'm building Iron Hands I figured I needed clan shoulder pads.  My freehand painting leaves much to be desired and I don't like decals, so I need to convert up some.  I have the brass etch sheet but the marine pads are a bit to small to get the icon to form to, so I built a prototype.

My Products and Online sales

Just so everybody knows, I don's sell my products on eBay right now. 
This isn't me:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Warhammer-40K-Resin-Objective-Markers-Hides-Value-Objective-/221306192222?pt=Games_US&hash=item3386e0815e
So save some cash and get them here.

New Product-Scrap Treads!

Yup, now selling Scrap Treads, 3 different types right now.  Check 'em out over on the Products page!

Anvil Industry Bits Review

I'm at my desk today processing client photos (one of my other hats is photography) so while I'm waiting I figured I'd write some articles.  First is my recent order from Anvil Industry http://www.anvilindustry.co.uk/  I have a need for some bits in my Irons Hands army so I figured I'd give'em a shot.

I placed my order and 5 (!) days later my goodies arrived.
I'm so excited!



Ooo, bits!



The sizes are equal to GW parts, no suprise there. The detail and quality are very good.  I know first hand how tough casting small parts is, but no issues here.

Here's the heavy Flamer as compaired to a Choas Heavy Bolter:



Bionic Arms compaired to Marine arms:



Bionic Legs (one piece) and Marine Legs:


I like them.  I have made my own arms and legs, and for one off's the are fine, but casting or pressing them sucks and never look as good as when the are done well.  I recommend Anvil Industry.  I'll be ordeing again.  He does have a Kickstarter in the works for his own game with minis.  I'm not sure about the game but the minis look great for whatever.


 

Ork T34 Big Trakk

The Russian Ork theme continues with construction of a T-34 (T-3fOrk or Waaagh-34 if you prefer).  I'm designing this to be cast so a solid and chunky build is required.  Why casting?  Well, I need 9 of them, and I'm lazy.  Plus if want more later it's no big deal to crank'em out.  The main thing is I want them to be proportionally wrong.  I want them to be almost parodies of the real thing, otherwise I'd go by them and convert.  To that end I'm shortening them.  That way they'll look stubby and a touch comical.  On to some pics.

I was going to build the track units for each tank, but I'm lazy.  So using what I learned from the Grot Scrap Tank builds I'm designing the track units to be modular, just as before.  I'll build them up then backfill the inside of the tread housing to keep the unit solid.  I do lose some detail but it will keep the piece strong.

Placement on the backplate before trimming

Sharing from the Fanboy-Officio Convertorum

Now that I've got my order backlog caught up, I can get back to writing articles.  Hooray!  Just as the the blog name suggests, I love conversions.  I love them more than painting, and I love other peoples  conversions even more.  For this installment of sharing time, I'd like you to check out the Officio Convertorum over at http://convertorum.blogspot.com/ by Jeff Vader.  I don't know Jeff nor have I conversed with him but I love his stuff. His style is pure and gritty and creates great models with tons of character.  I check his blog every day.
 If you've got a few minutes head on over and get inspired.

Posting Delays

I haven't forgotten about you.  I've had a lot of production work going on and we're hosting 20 (!) people for Thanksgiving, so we've been family busy.  Rest assured some posts are coming though.  Almost time to wrap up the mini scrap tanks and move on to to some commissions and another Tank build.  I'm also hoping to bring in some AdMech and Irons Hands conversion work as well.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Grot Scrap Mini Tanks Part 3

The first cast tank has rolled off the factory floor:

Newsletter poll

Hey, take the poll.  I'm trying to decide if I should set up a mailing list for product updates.  When stuff is back in stock, new offerings, etc.

What do you think?

Grot Scrap Mini Tanks-Part 2

Your right, I've been slow in posting.  I guess I got busy filling orders.  That being said I've been working on the Mini Scrap tanks.  These are a shared personal/commission project.  I'm designing them to be cast so once our production is done I'll be retooling them a bit and offering them for general sale.  They are modular for ease of casting, plus I made sure that they can be mixed and matched to maximize their build flexibility. The masters are finished so here ya go:

3 Track sections. Sealed for ease of casting:

Grot Scrap Mini Tanks-Part 1

In preparation for an upcoming Orcograd Armor project (more on this later) I wanted some Mini Tanks.  I wanted them to be Soviet inspired so I did some digging and found a few ideas I liked. For inspiration I settled on the Russian BT-5 :

The BT-7:

and the T-60:

Iron Hands Sarge

Yes, I've been away.  Vacation actually.  I did get a few things done though.  I got my first squad of Irons hands complete, and boy can I tell I haven't painted in a while.  Ignore the shoulder pads for now, I'm working on a press mold to cover up my lousy freehand.  Anyway I envision the Irons Hands Sarges to be almost like junior Tech Marines.  So I did some kitbash On this guy:

New Objective Set Available!

Objective Set 2- Hidden Objectives

Do you need to hide those pesky objective values? Keep'em hidden with these:

The kit includes one #1, two #2s, two #3s, and one #4 @ 40mm diameter. Six mystery markers @ 25mm diameter. Cast from resin.  $10 +  shipping USPS.

International shipping now available. Please note that costs may be high and it may be worth considering a group order.

Please proceed to our products page

http://conversionfanboy.blogspot.com/2013/04/fanboy-forge-products.html

Speedwagon (A looted idea)

I'm not above looting ideas from others.  Sometimes I'm croozin the intertubes when an idea strikes me as so great I copy it pretty much wholesale.  Today's built is an honest to goodness conversion, no scratch build, no plasticard structures, just an old fashioned parts bash.  First, credit where credit is due. Blogger Shadowcl4w posted this beauty:

Over on his blog: http://shadowcl4w.blogspot.com/2013/04/ork-customized-battlewagon-done.html

I was so so infatuated I just has to build one. Here's mine:

Battlewagon Commission 2 Complete

Whew, what a haul. I'm really happy with how this chunka turned out.

Battlewagon Commission 2 Part 4

Rivets are on along with some of the details, just a few left to go. 

Iron Hands Bionic Limbs

Today, Bionic limbs for marines.  I looked at several aftermarket bits and they either are not available anymore or just a bit too small.  Time to make my own!
I started by cutting down a set of marine legs and an arm.  I then placed a bit of tube in as a base:

Battlewagon Commission 2 Part 3

Just a quick update.  This week will be busy so I don't anticipate too much progress.  I did get the axels mounted though with the wheels on loose.  This will let me adjust as need as I add track links:

Battlewagon Commission 2 Part 2

My client wanted to be able switch out the main kannon, so I magnetized it:

Deathguard Part 1

Betcha thought I only built orks.  I've always wanted a Nurgle army.  I had a Warmaster force that I sold, and I've painted a few figs for sale, but I laways wanted a full Fantasy of 40K army.  Since I've got so many other things going on I knew if I was going to go through with it I'd have to keep my model count low.  Terminators!  More than I should have but small to pack and fewer models to paint.  Huzzah!

Being a fan of the old Realms of Choad books I always liked the idea that the Plaguebearers eternal curse was to count.  Diseases, Nurglings, flies, what have you. They are also know as the Tallymen of Nurgle.  I latched onto that idea for my Plague Marine warband, "The Tallymen".  I'll include scraps of cloth hanging off of them with their tally marks.  Still Plague Marines, but with a little more character.  Here's my prototype:

Gobsmasha 3 Finished

Oh man.  I picked up a drillpress, which I needed anyway, and now I can drill straight holes. Huzzah!  The wheels are now on, and construction of the squadron is complete.  Now I can bring the big boom.

Battlewagon Commission 2 Part 1

Here's the start of the second commissioned Battlewagon, to be "inspired by" a Russian KV-2:

Quick Hit Friday

Track link:

Gobsmasha 3 Part 3

Progress, progress progress. I played around with different cannons but settled on this:

Quick Hit Friday

Another quick hit.  This time a Vindicator built for funsies.  I wanted a different profile when I built this.  I have a hard time accepting the Rhino chassis for the heavier tanks like the Vindy and the Pred.  I feel they should be beefier with a bit of a brutal edge.  This guy is based on Chimera tracks and a Mk1 Rhino body.  Parts added to taste.

Gobsmasha 3 Part 2

Who likes updates? You do!  Otherwise you'd be eating a samich or picking your toes.  Not too much progress, but enough to warrant a post.

Armor plates on the sides attached.  I did these at lunch at work, so no Dremel.  Just tedious cutting and notching:

 

Quick Hit Friday

I had to build a hatch anyway, so I built this with the intent to cast it up.  This'll go on the in progress Gobsmasha and future projects too!

Gobsmasha 3 Part 1

Here comes the third Gobsmasha.  I'll have a nice squadron of three to bring the hurt on my opponents.    I started with the shell, loosely based on a Leman Russ hull, don't forget to use gussets to keep the thing square:

Battlewagon Commission - Complete

I distressed the edges of the armor plates with my Dremel.  I went a bit to aggressive I think:

Battlewagon Commission Part 4

Armor plates are on, along with the patches.  I'm working on a hatch master that I'll cast up for the top.  I need to distress the tank before I get too far along.  I also got the Access Point doors in place.  They still need a lot of work, but at least they're started.

Battlewagon Commission Part 3

Just a quick hit, the hull is built.  It's a hollow shell at this point ready for the next stage.

Battlewagon commission Part 2

Ok, so sometimes I change my mind.  At least I didn't finish the piece.  I like the SU122 idea, but I've been wrestling with the notion that it doesn't look like it will carry a bunch of boys. Then a ran across this beauty:

This is an SU-14 BR2.  I big, it's ugly, it so orky.  A few modifications to allow for doors and big assed wheels and I think we're good.

Battlewagon WaaaghU-122

I received a commission request for 3 BIG Battlewagon sized Gobsmashas for a Russian Horde themed Ork army.  After poking around online I settled on the SU122 and SU152 as inspiration:

SU122

 

SU152

Gobsmasha 2 Complete

Done.