Leader Class Torca

[Dark_Lord_Prime]

Tiny, insignificant update..

 

 

After fiddling around with the skeleton for a bit, I decided the NeoShifter's arms didn't really work as legs, so I bought another one and used its legs to replace the first one's arms.

 

I think I've worked out the basic transformation and such now, so it's just a matter of locating the orca and elephant toys/models (there's an educational/science-learning store at the mall, which I'll be checking out, since TRU, Wal Mart and K-Mart have zip) and deciding how best to sculpt different parts and out of what.

 

Epoxy putty hardens too quickly, and I doubt I can carve it with my dremel with any amount of skill, so I'm thinking air-drying modelling clay, then making rubber molds of various pieces and casting them in resin. That will be later on, though, whenever I can afford to buy the RTV rubber for the molds and probably new resin, since the stuff I have has been sitting in there for over a year, at least, and I read that it has a limited shelf-life.

 

 

Anyway, here are some new pics of the skeleton. The rear feet will have heels that fold in, like the original toy, and the front feet fold back alright; just not sure how I'll handle mounting robot hands yet. I imagine I can make them so they attach where the NS's heels fit, and make 'em fold into the beast feet, but that'll likely make them look like they're just hovering in front of where they should attach in bot mode. I could try to mount them on the back of the ankle's hinge, but that would hinder the beast's feet.

 

 

[optimus lime]

arms dont look good : :tdown

[Retread]

I think the arms are just a little long proportionately now, in bot mode. I think keep the new longer upper arm sections, but use the shorter lower arms. I was also going to suggest keeping the old hinds, but I'm starting to think it works better with 4 of the same feet for beast mode. You just need to find some hands to attach where the heel used to. They can fold under the feet in beast mode and out for bot mode. It'll be cool to see this once you get it shelled.

[Dark_Lord_Prime]

I think the arms are just a little long proportionately now, in bot mode. I think keep the new longer upper arm sections, but use the shorter lower arms. I was also going to suggest keeping the old hinds, but I'm starting to think it works better with 4 of the same feet for beast mode.

 

I think you're right. They're still a tad long, but I think it works with the whole beast nature thing, and they're not NEAR as far off as they were before (where his hands would've hung well below his knees).

 

 

 

You just need to find some hands to attach where the heel used to. They can fold under the feet in beast mode and out for bot mode. It'll be cool to see this once you get it shelled.

 

For the hands, Wingus directed me to this video of the construction of a custom Air Man (from the Mega Man series) figure, featuring a working chest fan and an AWESOME custom-built articulated hand: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OALn8VFkjyk

 

I plan to try my hand at building hands like that for this and other TFs in my collection. I figure various sizes of plastic tubing should make for interesting finger variations for different bots. I started thinking about trying to make some for my movie Jazz yesterday. :D

[Nakashima Taiki]

Has everyone forgotten this thread? And BTW great work dude.

[Dark_Lord_Prime]

Has everyone forgotten this thread? And BTW great work dude.

Thanks.

 

No, I haven't forgotten about it, I just haven't done any work on it since I put together the skeleton. decepticon1976 was nice enough to donate tusks from Universe Nemesis Prime(al), but I've been totally unable to find a suitable orca toy/model, nor anything to use as a base for the mutant elephant thing, so..

 

I bought some modelling mesh (wire mesh that you can mold into the rough shape of what you want to sculpt) and I'm eventually gonna try to teach myself how to work with clay properly, and attempt to sculpt at least the beast-parts I need from scratch, so this project is probably gonna take even longer than I was expecting. :tfmad

 

 

Owell.. at least the mutant whale tale should be easier than the rest; I've got a KO Cybertron Scourge/Flame Convoy and I'm gonna cut off his long shoulder spikes and glue them together at their base to form the shape of the tail fins, then wrap mesh and mold clay around them, and I've got a much more interesting design in mind for it than the original's triangle shape.

 

Beyond that, I'm making it up as I go, but the rest of his body is (hopefully) gonna be pretty close to the original Fuzor.

[Guest Super conductor]

I think this is a great project, and now I know it exists, I'll keep following it. I actually always assumed that "Torca" was a conjunction of the words tusk and orca, by the way. . .

[Dark_Lord_Prime]

I think this is a great project, and now I know it exists, I'll keep following it. I actually always assumed that "Torca" was a conjunction of the words tusk and orca, by the way. . .

Huh.. I don't think I even thought of that. I was too busy trying to figure out how "elephant" + "orca" equaled "torca". :tflaugh

[deceptikhan]

Tiny, insignificant update..

 

 

After fiddling around with the skeleton for a bit, I decided the NeoShifter's arms didn't really work as legs, so I bought another one and used its legs to replace the first one's arms.

 

I think I've worked out the basic transformation and such now, so it's just a matter of locating the orca and elephant toys/models (there's an educational/science-learning store at the mall, which I'll be checking out, since TRU, Wal Mart and K-Mart have zip) and deciding how best to sculpt different parts and out of what.

 

Epoxy putty hardens too quickly, and I doubt I can carve it with my dremel with any amount of skill, so I'm thinking air-drying modelling clay, then making rubber molds of various pieces and casting them in resin. That will be later on, though, whenever I can afford to buy the RTV rubber for the molds and probably new resin, since the stuff I have has been sitting in there for over a year, at least, and I read that it has a limited shelf-life.

 

 

Anyway, here are some new pics of the skeleton. The rear feet will have heels that fold in, like the original toy, and the front feet fold back alright; just not sure how I'll handle mounting robot hands yet. I imagine I can make them so they attach where the NS's heels fit, and make 'em fold into the beast feet, but that'll likely make them look like they're just hovering in front of where they should attach in bot mode. I could try to mount them on the back of the ankle's hinge, but that would hinder the beast's feet.

 

 

 

Man what a cool idea Darkprime! I always liked Torka since i read the IDW Beast Wars comic, i went out & bought a torca then. I think your on the right track & his arms look very similar to the toy i have, so not too much worry there. Keep us posted. ;)

 

 

Just need some tusks! lol

[Goktimus Prime]

Be careful with that Torca toy - unfortunately it suffers from GPS :(