Scratch Build – In Progress Project: Tachikoma - Wiimote Controller Test

Hi people!
This is my second worklog. As the first one, I am preparing my mod for the Campus party mod contest, by the end of July in Valencia, Spain
http://web7.campus-party.org/
My project is called “Tachikoma” For those who are not familiar with the Anime “Ghost in the Shell” you could read:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tachikoma
I have never made a theme mod. I was looking for something original, using fibreglass. First I thought of a Battlemech, but a walking mecha is very difficult and expensive to build. So I decided for the Tachi. I have been always a mecha fan since Robotech times.
My plan is to use fiberglass for the case, and aluminum tube for the chassis.
It would be radio controlled, with two electrical motors and car batteries to power them.
First of all, I would need a 3D model of a Tachi. I thought of drawing it using some photos, but I realized that it would take too much. After a little Internet searching, I found a 4D Cinema model for 20 $
http://planetpixelemporium.com/objectpages/tachikoma.html
I imported into my CAD software and spited into several parts



I had to rebuild the geometry with my CAD to have some functional and moldable parts. Draft angles are needed to assure that the part would pop out of the mold.


My plan is to install the batteries in the head, and the hardware in the back cockpit

To build the fiberglass parts, I have to build some plugs, which would be an exact copy of the final part.
I made some 2D drawings with crossed sections for every part.
I finished with about 200 sections.


I plotted the sections and glued to cardboard.


I build a skeleton for every part, with glue and nails.


To fill the volume, I used 2 part polyurethane foam. It expands 30 times its volume. Little mess I made.
After a lot of sanding and sanding, and filler and bondo (I think I am in the 7th layer)

Connector between the head and the cockpit


The two parts for the cockpit

To realize the dimension of the model -50 cm ruler

Elbow

Eye

Arm

Front Cannion

Upper head

Lower head
One or two layers more are need to finish.
This is for the moment. My plan is to finish the plug this weekend, and start with the fiber glassing next week.

 

Now THIS should really be fun to watch take shape...

 

Tachikoma!

I cant wait to see the final product, keep up the awsome work bro.

 

one word.....................................WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

yup...wooow!

This will be cool to watch!

 

Very nice start! Subscribed!

edit: are the pictures from 2003?

 

No, are for last week. I forgot to change the date of the camera last time I ran out of batteries.
I started with it in December last year, but It passed 3 moths with out any advance, because lot of work.
Now I am working very hard to have it finished in time.

 

Ah okay i see, but it's really good looking, keep it up

 

Can I just ask something quickly, will this be your computer case? With all your computer equipment indside? And it will be able to walk???

(Sorry about this - but its so unconventional - whicvh is GREAT!! - i am a bit lost)

 

hey your mod looks great and it loks like you have really thought out your design

so i hope it all goes well for you

 

i will be keeping an eye on this project.
looks very interesting.

 

WOW really an amazing and original project cant wait to see more of this.

 

Man you must be crazy, this will be great! Sure will follow this thread : )

 

nice idea and jea I'm glad about your crazyness too

 

very nice!!! I like Ghost in the shell mmmmmmm....

 

Very nice work buddy. Liked the materials you used to make the models.

Keep going.

Pedro Torres.

 

I brought this last year


I think it looks like the pod on the rear.
Mond ON !!

 

Wow! Keep it up! /subscribed

 

First of all, I want to apologize for so long time without updating my work log.
I could not progress in my work until a little ago. Basically I had some problems with my neighbors.
I was working on a storage room on a common basement of the building.
You know, the sanding process generates a lot of dust, and I was covering with dust everything. So because I am a good neighbor, I decided to move to another place.
I have been looking for a place to work for 3 weeks.
At the end, a friend let me a place. It was a non used industrial building. I have a lot of space, and no one to disturb;
This is a photo of the new place:



A week ago I restarted the works.
I have been working on the plugs, sanding and repairing the surfaces.





I have glued the plugs to a MDF table as a flange.



I have done my first mold. This is a trial to see if it works. I have used plaster, and apart of some minor Faults, it’s okay.
I decided to use plaster because there are some bumps in the plugs, and I would fix then in the plaster molds



This is what I use for mold reinforcement. They are cotton yarn.
I have covered the entire plug, after waxing it, with a 2 cm layer of plaster. When it started to cure, I cover with another layer of plaster with the cotton.




This is a special wax for molds I have used. It works really great, the mold popped out of the plug very easily.
More soon

 

dude it looks awesome already. yeah you have put alot of thought into this. great skills and all the shabang!
keep it up.

SUBSCRIBED!