DOTM dlx Crowbar and Hatchet v2

[snaketales]

Some of you may remember my earlier attempt at these - robot modes were fine but I couldn't quite nail vehicle modes.
I've since re-thought them and came up with what I think are better solutions. Fixing Hatchet was easy - I just gave up on the idea of using commander class Hatchet's hands. For Crowbar I used an excellent tutorial on TFW2005. It basically involves cutting his bonnet in half and turning them into shoulder pads. I also took the spring out of his mechtech gun and took the claw off so it looks like a machine gun.

Oh yeah - for both I removed the pointy fingers and replaced them with 'normal' fingers from a junker Crankcase.

http://i49.tinypic.com/2vj4nwo.jpg
The one downside is there is a gap in Crowbar's front (which is the exact width of my dremel blade - weird huh? :p) I don't think the gap down the middle of the bonnet is too bad. Hatchet also uses the missiles/guns from his commander sized version.

http://i46.tinypic.com/j8pt6s.jpg
As well as glueing on the new head, I also had to modify the knee joints so Hatchet could assume a running pose. I transform his missiles to guns for bot mode.

http://i50.tinypic.com/j9u7vn.jpg

http://i46.tinypic.com/jgqtte.jpg

http://i49.tinypic.com/6f4h7n.jpg
Crowbar's head is from ROTF Sideways. I may add some more dreadlocks later. His bot mode reminds me of Barricade, with the head between the bonnet panels

http://i49.tinypic.com/2vb4w0n.jpg
Here's how it's held together - a good old plastic tie.

http://i50.tinypic.com/16kt7ck.jpg
Dread alert!

[Lord_Zed]

Nice work!

Hasbro sure missed the bus on those guys, they could have sold three versions of the mold with some retooling.

[Deonasis]

So very very sweet :cool:


Also, a neat way I found for cutting panels..
1. Use a stanley knife (art scapel is easier) to lightly score a groove into the "front/good" side of the panel

2. Repeat step 1 until you have a 1mm groove for most of the score. NOTE: I said repeat because there is a balance to how hard you can press on the knife before it jumps out of your nice neat groove.

3. Flip the panel over to the less important side and dremel with a gouging tip where the groove is until you see a white line from the knife cut.

4. Now you have a very thin join holding the panel together that you can bend, cut or dremel free. Yay! Also, the new edge of the panel can be quite thin now so you can thicken the dremeled side again with your bog of choice (WH green stuff etc..) to strengthen it from getting dinged.

[Deonasis]

Also I wished Hasbro made these guys (like you have) and packaged them in truck mode in standard DotM . Kids wouldn't know which Dread they would get until they transformed them. Only minor things like panel lines or packed in weapons would tell them apart.

[UltraMarginal]

That's a really nice mod. great changes to the same mold. the trio looks really good side by side. :cool:

I too totally agree that Hasbro missed the bus on this one, perfect troop builder, 3 identical alt modes and 3 different bots, 2 which would only needed to have been a slight re-mold. would have sold like hotcakes. just look at our reaction to the FOC Data Disks.

@Deonasis, great advice there, I'll try to remember that if I ever get this adventurous with modding myself. :D

[iamirondude]

dude these figs are execellent.are u planning on making anymore different figs like mirage?

[snaketales]

I've had two attempts at making a Mirage. The first was with a ROTF Sideways but I grew disenchanted with the figure - blasted fiddly thing - and its size (waaaay bigger than DOTM figs). All it needs is painting up.

I did complete my second attempt but don't think it worked, so I'm not yet prepared to show it :o

[Hursticon]

Oh wow! - Very well done Snakey, spectacular execution! :eek::cool: