Renderform Generations Red Alert Upgrade

[Hursticon]

Courtesy of Seibertron.com, Renderform have released prototype images of an upcoming Generations Red Alert Upgrade kit including:
- Replacement Head (Red or Black)
- Replacement Hand Gun
- Articulated Shoulder Cannon

[loophole]

i like the head and shoulder cannon looks cool

[1AZRAEL1]

I might actually get this. Just to make him look more different to SS.

[Hursticon]

I'd consider it if it weren't for a couple of reasons:
1. I'm not really bothered by his present head because in the end, the originals was the same as Sideswipe's anyway.
2. Renderform only ever seems to work with resin, subsequently, their products are as fragile as all S@#$.
3. I kind of really only like the rocket launcher and gun but due to their probable fragility, I'll have to pass.

[reillyd]

I'd consider it if it weren't for a couple of reasons:
1. I'm not really bothered by his present head because in the end, the originals was the same as Sideswipe's anyway.
2. Renderform only ever seems to work with resin, subsequently, their products are as fragile as all S@#$.
3. I kind of really only like the rocket launcher and gun but due to their probable fragility, I'll have to pass.

I just received this week Renderform's Blaster upgrade and fitted it
to my Universe Blaster. The two guns provided are a softer plastic
than Takara would use, but as flexible and bendy as some of Hasbro's stuff.
Felt quite solid to me, and not resin.

The head, of course, was resin. The face plates are interchangable for cartoon versus original toy heads, or comic heads. But once installed, its rock solid, and unless Blaster decides to do a little 'headbanging' to death metal, how often are you going to be inserting and removing a robot's head anyway?

Its the first time I've ever bought a renderform product, so I can't speak to previous ones, but it seems to me to be anything but fragile.

[Hursticon]

Ah ok, so it's reasonably sturdy then?
Well that is good to hear because my experience with resin things though is that it is either fragile as hell or solid but very, very brittle - but glad to hear it's the opposite.

For those who might be interested in purchasing this set, could you possibly describe the processes of going about ordering from Renderform Reillyd? - maybe your comments of how the transaction went and what not, the packaging, shipping costs and duration?

(I don't see why Blaster shouldn't head bang to some Death Metal. )

[Venksta]

I'd consider it if it weren't for a couple of reasons:
1. I'm not really bothered by his present head because in the end, the originals was the same as Sideswipe's anyway.
2. Renderform only ever seems to work with resin, subsequently, their products are as fragile as all S@#$.
3. I kind of really only like the rocket launcher and gun but due to their probable fragility, I'll have to pass.

There are tons of different types of resin. I also have a lot of experience kit building with resin kits from around the world. Usually, the figure model kits are the fragile ones, which you know will shatter, if they fall. I use Smooth On resins for my kits. This stuff is used by the Hollywood studios up here, as it can make strong and durable movie props and other items.

The regular type of Smooth On resin I use is pretty good for guns and general parts. For something like joints (blaster's ball joint neck), I use a even stronger, and expensive resin, to make sure it won't break. The resin is called Task 9. With out it, the new head would of been impossible to even make myself due to the joint breaking off. As well, the reason I use resin is because thats is the only thing available if I want to make these in a short run, myself. Going to a factory is not an option. Nor something I want to bother with. Doing small runs of these types of kits, only a small group of people are interested, is all I'm going to be working on. And I only release stuff people are interested in. Otherwise, its just a one off custom for myself.

[Hursticon]

There are tons of different types of resin. I also have a lot of experience kit building with resin kits from around the world. Usually, the figure model kits are the fragile ones, which you know will shatter, if they fall. I use Smooth On resins for my kits. This stuff is used by the Hollywood studios up here, as it can make strong and durable movie props and other items.

The regular type of Smooth On resin I use is pretty good for guns and general parts. For something like joints (blaster's ball joint neck), I use a even stronger, and expensive resin, to make sure it won't break. The resin is called Task 9. With out it, the new head would of been impossible to even make myself due to the joint breaking off. As well, the reason I use resin is because thats is the only thing available if I want to make these in a short run, myself. Going to a factory is not an option. Nor something I want to bother with. Doing small runs of these types of kits, only a small group of people are interested, is all I'm going to be working on. And I only release stuff people are interested in. Otherwise, its just a one off custom for myself.

Ah ok, well I'm very happy to be corrected and I appreciate your clarification on the subject because I've obviously been mis-informed on your products.

As you say, some Resins are indeed quite fragile to say the least and unfortunately, that is basically all the experience I've had - It is good to hear though that the Resin you employ is the opposite to this as I really do like the weapons in the kit, I'm just not fussed on the head.

Should others be interested, would you be able to elaborate on how one might place an order with you?

[reillyd]

For those who might be interested in purchasing this set, could you possibly describe the processes of going about ordering from Renderform Reillyd? - maybe your comments of how the transaction went and what not, the packaging, shipping costs and duration?

I'd contacted him via seibertron.com, as he was taking orders for forum members before moving on to tfw2005, and then online orders. You can find online ordering from his renderform.com website, at http://www.renderform.com/?p=580

It arrived in a padded envelope, about a fortnight after I'd made payment (he was doing them in batches, and said it might take more than a fortnight before he'd even be sending it). It was a little confusing ordering, as there were several different faceplates available, but he was able to work out that I wanted the Takara G1 toy head.

For a single head, plus all of the weapons, it was $30US, plus $10 per shipping. Given the size and that it was an envelope, the shipping might have been a little more than he'd paid, but he did me a solid making and sending it so promptly, so it arrived before I'd even anticipated it.

You're right about the ordering experience, that was a little awkward doing it by email and forum posts, but I can't fault him for service. He also threw in an extra gun (so that I'd have both blue and black) for free.

[Paulbot]

Am I remembering correctly that Red Alert's "horns" flashed in the cartoon? I wonder if a custom head would include LEDs to replicate that? You'd gotta bet some company is planning a custom Generations Wheeljack head with flashing ears.