23 replies to this topic

[Mik McMok the Mek]

Encouraged by my recent work on a Big Squiggoth conversion, I've bitten the bullet and invested in a War Mumak of Harad model to convert into a Gigantic Squiggoth. 

Based on the dimensions I have found on another thread regarding dimensions here, and a useful youtube video also, I know the approximate  dimensions for a Gigantic Squiggoth. The War Mumak of Harad is roughly the same height, but is perhaps a little less wide and less bulky, and is also a tad shorter. 

My plan to rectify this is to thicken up the body by adding an inch or so down the central point and also thicken up the legs at the joints too. I am still unsure about the problem of length, but I will wait and see when the model arrives. If anything the FW model looks a bit long, so I'll decide on that issue when I inspect the Oliphant in more detail. I'd rather have a model that looks good then one with perfect dimensions. 

I also like the look of the Chaos Mammoth, and believe it would be nice to make my Mumak more mammothy, while I'm at it.

Like my Big Squiggoth project, I am also planning to make the model more Snakebite Klan themed, so it will be less metallic armoured. 

So that's my plan, and my project for the rest of the month. Now comes the difficult part :- waiting for the parcel to arrive.

 

 

[Badfang Brassaxe]

Kustom bio-mekkin, luv it

 

If you're putting lobbaz on it, you could maybe run a couple of biggish chains from the throwing arms of two shoulder mounted lobbaz back to iron rings around it's back ankles? That way, as the beastie moves forwards it's back legs will alternately move backwards pulling the connected throwing arms back to re-cock them and allowing each one to shoot as the appropriate leg comes forwards

[Mik McMok the Mek]

Kustom bio-mekkin, luv it

 

If you're putting lobbaz on it, you could maybe run a couple of biggish chains from the throwing arms of two shoulder mounted lobbaz back to iron rings around it's back ankles? That way, as the beastie moves forwards it's back legs will alternately move backwards pulling the connected throwing arms back to re-cock them and allowing each one to shoot as the appropriate leg comes forwards

 I love this idea. I could use two wrecking ball levers for the pulley systems. I'll have to check the bits boxes and see what I have left.

[Mik McMok the Mek]

My Squiggoth Mumak didn't arrive yesterday as hoped, so I started work on the conversion of the Howdah in readiness. Allowing for the fact that it's all going to be Snakebite Klan themed, I remodelled my Super Lobba to make tit a double shot (twin linked or Two shot option) version and converted two of my Orks with Big Shootas into two twin-linked Big Stinga xbows also. The base is the back end of an old battlewagon. Once I have the mumak converted to a Gigantic squiggoth I can attach this central piece and build the rest of the howdah around it. By then I'll know what adjustments to make to have the piece fit snugly on da monstrous kreatu     

[Badfang Brassaxe]

LOL! Dat is a BIG lobba

[Mik McMok the Mek]

LOL! Dat is a BIG lobba

That's what I thought, so ideal for a supa-lobba on the squiggoth.

[Mik McMok the Mek]

Gigantic Squiggoth Kitbash WIP part 1
my Mumak finally arrived today, well actually it arrived yesterday and sat overnight in the rain, thanks to our postman, but that's another matter.
My first step to converting it to a Gigantic squiggoth was to widen the body and legs to make it more stocky looking. This was done by glueing sprue bits to the central joins before sticking the main body together (step 2)

 I filled in the legs last night and did some work on the head before joining the bits together and filling with Nomorenails. I've left the trunk off as I'm aiming for a Squiggoth, but for the mammoth you could attach it. I'll use the trunk to thicken up the tail.I've still to attach the body properly yet and fill the central joint

 I used a couple of old jaw bones I had lying around to give the head more teef

the legs were difficult to thicken up as the join wasn't straight but I'm happy with the end result. Much chunkier

[Badfang Brassaxe]

Good plan - at first I thought you meant that you were completely filling it with NMN, that'd have been heavy

What you have got looks pretty good and shouldn't be falling apart any time soon, be interesting to hear and see how well the NMN dresses up

 well actually it arrived yesterday and sat overnight in the rain, thanks to our postman, but that's another matter

Probs wouldn't have had to do any filling at all if da zogger hadn't shrunk

[Mik McMok the Mek]

Good plan - at first I thought you meant that you were completely filling it with NMN, that'd have been heavy

What you have got looks pretty good and shouldn't be falling apart any time soon, be interesting to hear and see how well the NMN dresses up

Probs wouldn't have had to do any filling at all if da zogger hadn't shrunk

Thanks Badfang. I'm getting to the tricky part now, the flocking of the mammoth hair. The no more nails can be smothed off easily with a damp sponge or brush, and can be shaped/groved too i gather. 

My plan, and I can only hope it works, is to paint a thin layer of NMN over the parts of the model I want hairy, and then sprinkle on some peices of shredded twine so that it doesn;t look too uniform, then spray the whole model with a base coat of orange and dry brush the hair  with a light brown it once it has set. I was going to use PVA but i think the NMN would be more long lasting and durable. We don;t want the mammoth to look mangy in six months time

[Mik McMok the Mek]

I checked out the battlewagon howdah with the supalobba on it earlier today, and although it would fit, it would be a bit big, due to the undercarraige on the BW frame. As the undercarraige is an integral part of the flooring, it could be a pain to use it, or remove the undercarraige. I tried the Superloba on the Mumak howdah, and it fits on that, especially if I go back to one lobba rather than the twin linked one. I think i'll go with that option.

I had a funny thought too.

What about using a female giant's Double D cup bra strapped between the mumak's tusks, and fired using the mumak's tongue for the two lobbas. It would be amusing to say the least.

[Mad Grot Docsnik]

I, like Badfang, had a whole completely different picture in my head than this. Good thing you're not using that picture. You seem to have things well in hand. I am hoping your wooly plan works out. It's a bold plan and a brave move. But judging by your results so far it should work. However I would suggest doing a test patch on a stray bit cardboard beforehand. You may find it easier once you've perfected the technique. (Sorry, don't mean to mother-hen you. Just an old git who worries about other peoples' projects.)

I agree with your choice to go with NMN over PVA. PVA remains water soluble for a long time so you have to let it cure for a few days before you go to paint and ultimately seal it. I just don't trust the stuff.

[Mik McMok the Mek]

I, like Badfang, had a whole completely different picture in my head than this. Good thing you're not using that picture. You seem to have things well in hand. I am hoping your wooly plan works out. It's a bold plan and a brave move. But judging by your results so far it should work. However I would suggest doing a test patch on a stray bit cardboard beforehand. You may find it easier once you've perfected the technique. (Sorry, don't mean to mother-hen you. Just an old git who worries about other peoples' projects.)

I agree with your choice to go with NMN over PVA. PVA remains water soluble for a long time so you have to let it cure for a few days before you go to paint and ultimately seal it. I just don't trust the stuff.

 Thanks Mad Grot , Sadly, the hairy plan failed miserably. I tried it on an inside leg first to see how it went but quickly realised that it wasn't going to fly so I washed it off before it set. Next plan, go for a non hairy option. I also had problems affixing the trunk as a tail so I ended up using it as a tongue instead, after some pruning. However, despite the minor setbacks, it's coming along nicely. More pics to follow

[Mik McMok the Mek]

[Mik McMok the Mek]

I'm a little further along now. I have most of the base painting done. I still have to do some work on the tail piece which has proved to be awkward and put roped around the spikey bits in the forelegs, but it'll soon be ready for some drybrushing and washing.

I then need to make it more Orky and Snakebitey

[Badfang Brassaxe]

Looking good  Don't know how I managed to miss your post a couple of days back but a) that NMN seems to shape up quite well and b) that must have been a scrawny heffalump before you beefed it up

Shame about the gigalobba

[Mik McMok the Mek]

Looking good  Don't know how I managed to miss your post a couple of days back but a) that NMN seems to shape up quite well and b) that must have been a scrawny heffalump before you beefed it up

Shame about the gigalobba

Thanks a million Badfang . The original model is quite gangly. Even with my beefing up, its far from a Gargantuan Squiggoth in bulk, but it's closer. I'm very happy with the NMN, but had I known the hairy plan wouldn't work I'd have paid more attention to the sprue fillers and the final finish. I had thought that it would be all hidden beneath hair, but great plans of mice and Grots eh! 

The Gigalobba is still an option. I've left if off for the time being, as I have all the other weapons, but they can all be affixed, and will be for the final showing when it gets to the trophy rack stage, (it's just not twin-linked anymore) I've two smaller Lobbas made from the ends of lighters for barrels and Grotzookas which can be an alternative, smaller option, as well as spear chukkas, zap gun and an array of big shootas. There is plenty of platforms on the howdah for multi-dakka

I've just given the whole thing a wash in coelia greenshade to make it look a big grimer and mouldy looking, and am waiting for it to dry before giving it a final drybrushing on the hide and starting work on the fine detail... tusks, pigdoc etc.

[Mik McMok the Mek]

I've some Goregruntas coming and I'm hoping to loot some bits from them for the Sguiggoth armour.

[Mad Grot Docsnik]

Right, it's probably too late to chime in with this thought, but I'll throw it out there for future reference.  You comment about NMN and finish work prompted me to think about doing hair/fur with milliput. It is very do-able. Sculptors do it all the time. Can be a bit tedious on a large model, such as this, but is really just a finishing technique. Sort of like what interior finishers do with spackle on ceilings... slap it up there and make whirly patterns in it with a trowel. Milliput can be "thinned" with water to the point where it's a paste. Slather that in your hairy areas (steady, ladz, on the model, ladz, on the model) and then use a toothpick (and other high-class sculpting tools) to make hair patterns in it. Really pretty easy stuff to do. To reduce some of the tedium you don't have to make the whole beast furry.

 

Just another stray thought from a mad grot.

[Mik McMok the Mek]

Right, it's probably too late to chime in with this thought, but I'll throw it out there for future reference.  You comment about NMN and finish work prompted me to think about doing hair/fur with milliput. It is very do-able. Sculptors do it all the time. Can be a bit tedious on a large model, such as this, but is really just a finishing technique. Sort of like what interior finishers do with spackle on ceilings... slap it up there and make whirly patterns in it with a trowel. Milliput can be "thinned" with water to the point where it's a paste. Slather that in your hairy areas (steady, ladz, on the model, ladz, on the model) and then use a toothpick (and other high-class sculpting tools) to make hair patterns in it. Really pretty easy stuff to do. To reduce some of the tedium you don't have to make the whole beast furry.

 

Just another stray thought from a mad grot.

Thanks Mad Grot. I had considered doing this in the beginning but opted for the stick on hairy method mentioned previously instead, which failed miserably. By this time, the model was stuck together and therefore the task would have been more difficult. In hindsight, had i known i would have done this while it was still in its parts and easier to work with, and i'm sure the NMN would have been up to the task as it is sculpt able too. if you leave it a little while to half set, (half an hour should do.) .  I've two more Big Squiggoth dinosaurs to play with and I might try this on one of those in January and see how I get on. 

[Mik McMok the Mek]

Part of my plan for furring the model out was to make it even more chunky looking and therefore more on par with a Gargantuan Squiggly.