Steampunk Scout IX-3 Mod

Hey, all. Another mod from yours truly. I know I'm not exactly super active, but I hope the quality makes the low quantity okay. And, hey, this one comes with a super-detailed 3-step video tutorial! (I assume everyone knows how to up the range of the Scout another 5-10 feet, so the video doesn't bore you with it).





TUTORIAL:
Part One: Minimization
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mwvT1VDSphM

Part Two: Aesthetic Modification, AKA "Foddering"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8LbQbF5zPn4

Part Three: Painting
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2lI1YVZrCaU

Good work as always. While not as clean a job as some of your other stuff, it's still very nice.

Thanks! As for the slight flaws in the paint job, I blame the materials I used for the fodder. They didn't take as well to the Enamel as I thought they would, so those areas tend to be imperfect and, thus, incongruous. I'm still quite happy with it, though... plus, it's steampunk, so I can sorta kinda get away with it if I call it "Aging". :p

Haha, indeed. Although I am more of a fan of 'clean' looks personally, but hey, it works.

That it does... plus I will say that it's actually a tad cleaner looking in person. Not quite up to par with the Autocannon, mind ye', but cleaner. At any rate, thanks for the comments and the eye for detail! I'm glad people are looking that closely... means they care. ^_^

It does help I am a scout lover. But, I may try that minimisation, was thinking about how to do it the other day actually!

Seriously, it's shockingly easy. I just glanced at the internals and grabbed my trusty plastic saw and started away at it. It was by pure luck that I found the exact post at which the plastic divides off. Extra tip; if you want to avoid that hole at the bottom, do your cutting about a centimeter down from where I did. You'll end up cutting right under the divider and, with some sanding, it'll just be a flat bottom. The down side is that you lose the ability to easily reuse that dart holder.

Wasn't planning on reusing the dart holder anyway, thanks for the tip!

I like that its not clean...gives that battered steampunk look

Mm, I agree. Thanks, Arkham!

Im a steam punker myself...

Aha. I just got into it fairly recently, myself... my mustache finally became viable so I figured it was as good a time as any. Are you on the Empire?

It's not clean? Yes it is, i couldn't do much better haha

EDIT: I couldn't do ANY better, sorry

I've just noticed the steam punk look, i rather like it.
Nice work mate, well done.
What color did you use for the handle? I love that color.

I might do a steam punk paint job on the wipeout pistol...

Steampunk isn't my thing, but I can definitely appreciate a nice job, and that's what this is. I think I like the kind of unfinished/aged look it gets from not being "as clean" as some of your other projects.

I've started doing similar with my paint jobs, to avoid that pristine finish. Only simple things like spider-cracking in the paint, but only for the final base coats. If it's done properly, and the primer doesn't show through, then it looks pretty neat.

I wish that I had the patience to dry-brush, but it's not really my thing either.

Keep up the good work mate.

Cheers,

Looks really cool, mate! Is that pipe on both sides? Would have personally preferred it on only one, but it still looks excellent. I've tried hand painting a few times, but I just can't seem to get it right. Definitely not on this level.

Would be great fun punking a blaster. Specially a pistol. I've got alot of ideas running around atm. Seeing that modding is basically over, i'm having fun painting, but the steam punk thing is on another level. I'm heading towards galactic punk.

In chronological order of response:

Bulletproof Vest: Heh, thanks... though the entire last part of the video tutorial is painting, so hopefully that'll help people out a little with getting things up to this level. I don't wanna be the only one doing things this way, I'm in this for the community. :p

Boosted: The handle is a Silver spray base coat, covered with a translucent silver-gold simultaneous spray coat, followed by a light gold overcoat, followed by a gunmetal gray-silver simultaneous 'speckle' coat (very short bursts from the spray can from high up so that the particles of paint fall down onto the item instead of being pushed right onto it), and finally sealed with a clear Matte coat. Which now that I write it out SEEMS really complicated, but... huh. Actually retrospectively that was a rather complicated process. BUT VERY DOABLE, I SWEAR.

Clunk: Many thanks. Mu brush skills are still developing, but luckily I developed patience in details from back when I made Custom Action Figures. As someone who has had fine motor skill issues from birth, that is a hobby that will drill those skills the hell into a person. O_O


Mozart: The pipe is on both sides, just since I like symmetry and the other side looked bare without it to me. But, yeah, like I said in the videos, I made this thing with the intention that people would customize one for themselves if this is the direction they intend to go.

I painted scale-model military for ages, in unbelievably small-scale, so I'm half-handy with a brush, but I think I've just lost interest in the finer details of hand-painting. The consumption of time is my biggest issue - I'm trying not to turn my paint job's in to a production line, but I feel that you have to set a limit somewhere.

Your process, while being rather intensive, certainly isn't complicated. Have you used rattle cans, or an airbrush? I've discovered quite a few good techniques for utilising rattle cans, plus using hot water and the fridge, you can get quite a fair bit of control over pressure. Not as good as an airbrush, but definitely a bonus. Add to that alot of different spray caps, plus some decent paint marker's, and you can get quite a nice finished product.

I'm starting to have a few issues myself with fine motor skills, but probably more so due to eye-sight than anything else (it sucks getting older!!). But you're definitely spot-on - practice does make perfect!!

Looking forward to your next project.

Cheers,

I've tried airbrushes before, and though they work splendidly I don't own one and thus haven't used them on any of my work. I use Rattle Cans, but I still need to find a few good heads for 'em. For detail work, I usually use a ghetto rolled up paper tube as a way of controlling the paint, with acceptable results... I'll probably look into buying an airbrush once I finish the Terzetto Trio Tormentio, though. Which, by the way, will probably be the next project! Hooray, stuff to do.

All you need now is a little dry ice and some water, to give the steam effect.

Certainly an option. It'd be pretty easy to hollow out that wheel on the right side for just such an effect, if I go that way.

You could just use the effect for the photo, as steampunk typically has steam in it... being that steam is the driving force... and well ive allready done the silliest steampunk idea. I used electricity to boil the water to generate the electricity to drive a motor... was as close to steampunk as i could get at the time.

Hey, not sure about the USA, but we get quite alot of different caps over here, from world-wide brands like Razor, Molotow etc etc.

Obviously, any store that sells grafitti equipment would be your best bet. It's pretty awesome the amount of control you can get out of a can using some of these caps.

Cheers,

If your really into your painting, i'd recommend you invest in an airbrush.
The paint lasts so much better. Although more expensive to buy, especially the transparent paints, you use alot less.

I like the video thing you've done. There's probably no other videos like this anywhere. Well done.

Just wanted to pop in and say I watched your vids; great stuff

Especially inspired to do get a move on and learn how to paint my blasters now xD especially my current Longshot project which is nearing completion...

Keep up the awesome work! Looking forward to your future works

Really nice, I like all these craft ideas you have. Well done!

NachoTaco: Heh, well, I mean... there must be another one SOMEWHERE. >.> But thanks. I started doing 'em since one of my YouTube fans requested it, and people seem receptive even though they're a lot longer.

Zandor: Future work coming soon, actually. The Titan is paint-ready... the weather, though, is not, so I'll finish it up as soon as the sky becomes more cooperative.

RedCricket: Thanks! I've always liked turning Arts and Crafts into Artistic Craftsmanship. :p