Specialist Arms Forum
Battlefleet Gothic => [BFG] Discussion => Topic started by: mangozac on August 10, 2011, 12:42:39 AM
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Hi guys,
Well after discovering the ridiculous price GW are charging for flying stands these days I decided that I would make my own. I will use my lathe to turn up a 25mm disc for the base and use some 2mm diameter brass rod for the stem. I figured it would be handy to incorporate some bearing marks into the base but what do you think:
- Bearing marks protruding or depressed?
- Bearing marks for each fire arc, plus 12 o'clock, 9 o'clock and 3 o'clock?
Anything else that might be nice to include? I was thinking it might be cool to do a variant with tiny asteroids and such embedded into the base?
I do remember that a guy by the name of russ_c over on Port Maw was doing a project like this, but the port is gone so I can't access it...
I'll update as the project advances!
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Protruding marks at 12, 1:30, 4:30, 7:30 and 10:30
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Hi Mangozac,
I will pm you the email adress of Russ. As matter of fact I have a few of his bases. They have marks to show the arcs. Plus some have a place to add a small dice on the base.
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Ahh Horizon you are the man in the know ;)
What are your thoughts about the small dice tray? It's too small for a SO dice right? What do you use it for?
I've attached a picture of the proposed design:
(http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w108/mangozac/BFGothic/Scratchbuilding/newbasev2.jpg)
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Looks good man! I was going to dispute the fact that they charged too much at GW, but I just checked before I spoke and wow! A dollar apiece! Insane. Good thing I bought a pack of 15-20 before they did this. The firearcs are a great idea. Very useful indeed.
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A dollar per base??? Whoa...
Nice design. Russ casted them in very clear white (and very crisp I must say). He did make the stem hole like the official bases. But I see merit (improved stability) regarding your addition to the hole.
The bearing marks are the same, except you have the prow one, which is pretty neat.
The dice tray, haven't used it yet. It is too small for the special order dice. For BFG it has lesser use then for some other space games out there.
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I was going to dispute the fact that they charged too much at GW, but I just checked before I spoke and wow! A dollar apiece! Insane.
Yep even more ridiculous is that they're $1.40 a piece here in Oz now (which with current exchange rates equals pretty much exactly US$1.40). I had a rant about it last night on my blog (http://www.resinaddict.com/blog/2011/08/something-different-gw-price-rant/). It's not so much the $1.40 price as it is the fact that they used to cost 40 cents each that I have a problem with. Plus the fact that GW will be producing them for like 1 cent each. So I figure if these cost me even $2.00 for a superior product I'll go for it.
Russ casted them in very clear white (and very crisp I must say). He did make the stem hole like the official bases. But I see merit (improved stability) regarding your addition to the hole.
Yeah I'm still deciding about the "boss" supporting the stem. I might do some experiments tonight and see if I really feel if it's necessary. These can be cast in black resin, which will be much more appropriate ;)
The dice tray, haven't used it yet. It is too small for the special order dice. For BFG it has lesser use then for some other space games out there.
Yeah I thought so. I won't bother with one, but I can't help but feel that this base needs something else to make it stand out. Not sure what though...
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Yeah I thought so. I won't bother with one, but I can't help but feel that this base needs something else to make it stand out. Not sure what though...
Since you mention it, you could include an embossed name plate so that the ships name has a defined space to be painted on?
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Yeah I thought so. I won't bother with one, but I can't help but feel that this base needs something else to make it stand out. Not sure what though...
Some cool airbrush on it (see GothiComp entries for example).
Dunno what else to be honest. Race specific Symbols? Name tags (place holders?)
ah Comrade also says the name. However, some names are short, easy, some are loooooooong.
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ah Comrade also says the name. However, some names are short, easy, some are loooooooong.
Exactly, plus I don't like names on things like escorts.
Hopefully these will be made for sale through a friend of mine, so airbrushing like those cool Gothicomp entries won't be an option!
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I'm pretty sure the Russ_c design tray was for SO counters (not dice) he designed. I believe they would notch in the base. I received some from him, but haven't had a chance to look at them yet. I'll see if I can post a pic or two soon.
CF
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Mangozac, you elegant Broforce bastard.
More power to you!
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Altough stricly speaking I just dabble in BFG, I would still like to make a suggestion.........
Can you make a small ring on the stem, that would allow you to slip over a piece with 4-8 ?? (I guess) radial arms. That way the stands would also fuction to hold things like fighters on CAP, blast markers, or maybe even be usefull to use the entire thing for ordnance formations ?
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Direction of travel + fire arcs the only points that are needed.
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An extra ring for ordnance is slick idea.
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A 20mm x 20mm slot for either a SO die or a CAP marker at 6 o'clock
With the base being thicker from 430 to 730 o'clock , say the vertical thick enough to write a name
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Hey guys there's some great ideas coming out here, but I can't help but feel some of them are a little too deluxe. Let me elaborate.
It turns out that the flying base is actually 32mm diameter, not 25 like somebody told me. Although this leaves plenty of room for stuff like a dice tray and name plates, I feel like they may leave the base looking too cluttered - especially (as I said before) on things like escorts where I personally don't actually assign names.
I do like the Lex's suggestion of the radial arms, however there would be no way to slip the piece on and off on models that have been glued to the stem. It could be possible to design a radial arm piece that clips onto the stem laterally, however I really don't have time to be putting that much into the design. Perhaps it's something to look at later.
The thing is that each extra part increases the cost of the product considerably. Yes that's right I said product! I've been in discussion with one of my small casting company contacts who are willing to take these on to produce and sell. So we should have a superior product for a similar price as the GW product 8)
I do like the idea of some kind of name plate that can be bought as a separate item and glued to the bases which require them. We'll see.
Fracas, I assume the 20mmx20mm slot you are referring to is for a battleship sized base? It won't fit on a small base!
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OK based on feedback I've made some more refinements:
(http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w108/mangozac/BFGothic/Scratchbuilding/newbasev3.jpg)
Note the added name plate - I think it looks alright actually. I was thinking of adding a border around the name plate, but I think maximum surface area for writing on is more important...
I figure three options for the name plate:
- All bases come with it
- Bases can be bought with or without it
- Bases can only be bought without it and they are an optional add on part at extra expense
What do you think?
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I think that looks rather nice. I think that if it's possible you should make both and give the choice to get either.
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Choice, with or without.
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I have no clue who this "Russ" chump is, but he was probably doing this:
The final Digital Prototype:
(http://www.russandxuan.com/forums/BFG/BFG_Base_Design_26.gif)
(http://www.russandxuan.com/forums/BFG/BFG_Base_Design_27.gif)
(http://www.russandxuan.com/forums/BFG/BFG_Base_Design_21.gif)
The final Master Bases in both sizes:
(http://www.russandxuan.com/forums/BFG/proto_base/BFG_Base_Prototype_29.jpg)
A finished, but unpainted duplicate of a 32mm Master with my custom made SO Token:
(http://www.russandxuan.com/forums/BFG/proto_base/BFG_Base_Final_01.jpg)
(http://www.russandxuan.com/forums/BFG/proto_base/BFG_Base_Final_02.jpg)
(http://www.russandxuan.com/forums/BFG/proto_base/BFG_Base_Final_03.jpg)
A few footnotes for those lost to the PortMaw thread:
1) Some users said they did not like having painted and/or "obvious" arc marks on their bases, they liked the base black. Raising the heading arrow and arcs off the surface meant it was possible to paint the entire base black, but still see the marks
2) The steam hole excepts GW plastic stems. Matter of fact they snap in pretty nicely to the point that you don't need to glue them
3) The tray in the back is for custom SO Tokens (as canucks fan remembered). The SO tokens are quite easy to make: simply glue a 10mm square of chipboard or plasti-card to the bottom of a 12mm square of the same material. Then glue / paint a graphic of the SO on the top of the 12mm token. The functional element of the tray is that the edges of the token are raised off the surface of the base so it's easy to grasp and remove without to much hassle as long as the material is of adequate thickness.
3a) Another use of the Tray is to make a token that has the Ship ID or Name on it. I think Canucks suggested that. Really there are many creative uses once you've made a token that fits into it properly.
3b) The original inspiration of the tray idea was for the SO dice, but they are to large to fit into the circumference of a small
base so I favored the simple to make, miniature SO tokens.
Also, the thread I had over at PortMaw was extensive...I had many different digital designs that I posted prior to arriving at what I believe was the most elegant solution for the what I wanted to achieve. I have a lot of pics of the other stuff, but some are silly, others just not practical.
Russ
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Russ good to see you
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Well seeing Russ' work again it certainly makes me feel like I'm reinventing the wheel!
I've given it a lot of thought and I feel that the simple base with only bearing marks, plus the optional nameplate will be the way to go.
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Heh,
Actually the plastic GW stems fit better in Russ his bases then in the GW bases themselves. LOL
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So I finally got around to machining up the base - I had to first make a new accessory for my lathe to do so! This is made from 4mm thick of laminated styrene discs, turned to the appropriate size, filled with Tamiya putty, sanded and then primed. Next I need to pick up some 2mm diameter brass rod to test out the stem and add the bearing marks. The nameplate will be a separate piece.
(http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w108/mangozac/BFGothic/Scratchbuilding/base_WIP_1.jpg)
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Keep up the good work!
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Looks neat! The only suggestion i could make would be to incorporate the double threaded set-up Corsec came up with for their Omni-stand: http://www.corseceng.com/omni-stand/
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Thanks guys.
The omni-stand setup looks cool, but is kind of overkill for what I'm after. There is however no reason why you couldn't drill out the centre of my base and glue in one of the mounts so that the threaded rod can be attached.
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Keep up the awesome zac... this is something I will certainly invest in!
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And we have progress!
Here we see the three proposed variants: one blank, one with a name plate and the third with a name banner pencilled in. What are your thoughts (particularly about the proposed banner design)?
(http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w108/mangozac/BFGothic/Scratchbuilding/base_WIP_2.jpg)
I've teed up a resin caster friend of mine to produce and sell the bases and if all goes to plan they should be available in around a month or so...
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Hey,
the banner, hmm, it looks stylish. Really. But it could be small for some ship names. Secondly not everyone wants a name tag on the base.
I'd pick the blank one any day and I seriously doubt if I would buy a base with a fixed name tag/plate.
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Well that's why there will be the three options available ;)
The name plate seemed like a good idea at the time and although I probably wouldn't use it, it's made so I might as well make it available. Indeed the banner will be too small for some names, but people have indicated that they do want it. Either shorten the names of your ships or just paint really small letters :P
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Then it is all good. ;)
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The banner is nice but not stylistic fitting for all races and I like to read the name of my ships as I send them away toward the enemy (I take the heading mark to be forward but it doesn't have to be). I guess you can make an argument that the enemy should read the name of ships about to destroy him :)
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Probably best to have a name plate that could fit onto a base snugly (ie, curved to the base) but separate. Attach with magnet, glue or bluetack, etc, as each individual chooses. In which case I would avoid the scroll pattern and simply use a typical "brass nameplate" style.
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Ya no way could I fitLegacy of Prospero on that ^^
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OK I've had a few people comment that they would rather see the banner on the rear of the base (like the plate) so that might just be the way to go. I briefly toyed with having it on the side too. I could go with Sigoroth's suggestion of having it a separate piece - something I did consider earlier - but that does increase the cost. The flexibility might just make it worth the extra cost though.
I do like the "brass nameplate" suggestion for the banner also - indeed it would look more suitable for other races. It's a shame I can't add a poll into the thread...
Ya no way could I fitLegacy of Prospero on that ^^
Then I suppose you would have to go with the larger name plate style. Or a blank base and paint it directly onto the base.
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I like sig's suggestion for a separate name plate