Project log: Warhound Titan

[mangozac]

[Commissar-Krad]

Can't wait to see some pictures of this!!! I still really want to get a titan (or 3) and always like checking out project logs for them. I really like your idea with the exhaust covers and agree about the skulls not looking ideal. Could you try a silhouette of the aquila perhaps instead of a detailed version? Perhaps half on each side? Dunno, just a thought.

[mangozac]

Yeah I played around with an Aquila but couldn't get it to look right at a low level of detail. Might have to play around some more, although your idea of splitting it in two isn't bad!

[mangozac]

I did some quick playing around in Inkscape trying out different grille concepts. None of them I feel are particularly better than the skull. Here's what I came up with:

Titan legion icon, eagle wings, Admech cog. As with the skulls, the cog is a little amorphous without the interior detail. The T icon isn't too bad and the wings are pretty obvious looking (although they won't come out as sharp by the time the cutter radius is taken into account).

Thoughts?

[Munkey Joe]

As I told Zac I swear I posted here earlier..... But I guess I did not.

I dont like the skulls. Its missing the "eyes" and for it to look right IMHO it needs them. The gear is in the same boat.

I like the Wings and the T. those are good to me BUT Im also really wanting to see the Gears and Skulls since its Grimdark and those are staples for ad mech and 40K in general..... SO what to do?

THIS


Several gears together to form a large image, or invert the image to where your cutout is the background and the gears are solid.... But that might be hard to do OR it might look silly once done....

Easy simple way to do it?? Leave it blank and Take a toothed washer or a watchgear and a small skull and make it a 3D version. it would add texture to it and be pretty easy to do.

I have a Chaos version Im wanting to do the same thing with SO Im paying close attention to this thread... LOL

EDIT!!!
Heres the idea for the cogs so its not as comfusing as the first part:

[mangozac]

Thanks for the feedback MJ! I like your ideas but the problem is that multiple gears are just too fine for the cutter to do. 3D gears glued on top could work, but it detracts from the fact that this is just a grille piece and prevents the details underneath from being seen.

I thought maybe I could add eyes to the skull like so:

But now it kind of looks like a ninja turtle because of the frets that connect the eyes...

So at this stage it's a decision between the T and the wings. I'm thinking the T is probably most appropriate and will turn out nicely.

[Commissar-Krad]

I get the ninja turtle vibe from that last one. Perhaps if the eyes were bigger they could overpower the connecting parts visually?

From the other 3 I like the gear and the wings the best. Even without a center part I think the gears would work. The wings I like even better. If you can make the skull work, then go for it.

[Blindhorizon]

I say add the eyes sticking up form inside so it doesnt even look like it's touching the other pieces of grating. Then if you wanted you could paint them so they are glowing and highlight the edges around them on the rest of the scale as if casting light on them.

Blind-

[mangozac]

While Blind's idea is cool, it again starts to diverge from it being a grille design.

Personally I'm not a big fan of the wings; both the shape and the fact that I feel like they make it more of a "Warchicken" than "warhound"

The consensus I'm getting is that the cogs are the most appropriate. Which I'm starting to agree with, especially since I'm not gluing onto the armour any of the optional Admech icons that come with the Warhound kit.

So I threw this together:

The cog has been made a bit chunkier so that it will rout out nicely. What I figured I can do with the circle inside the cog is mount it using a piece of really thin wire glued behind it and to the rest of the grille. It would be visible but only as a very fine fret. I expect this would be the way that signs and things in real life are done.

One further option with the gear design would be to add a skull in the centre instead of a circle. Because the skull would be positive I can cut out the eyes as holes:

I think this might be the way to go...

[Commissar-Krad]

Well, you can always cut out the whole thing and make the center parts separate to try them both out? I think either option would be good.

[mangozac]

That is very true!

[Deadmeat30]

Why not just leave the middle area blank and use some etched brass?

[mangozac]

In an ideal world I would have done the entire thing in etched brass, but I'm yet to perfect my etched brass technique and didn't want to screw around with it just for the Warhound.

I quickly ran the CNC router this afternoon and cut out the version with the skulls. It turned out really nicely and I was impressed how fine the detail was able to be produced. I haven't measured it properly but I think the engraving cutter gives me a cutting radius of about 0.3mm.

Anyway I reckon we're onto a winner! I've got to clean up the fluff/swarf from the edges of the cog cutouts but once I've done that I'll glue the skulls in place with some super fine wire and take a photo. Nearly there!

[mangozac]

We have a winner! I'm really pleased with how the cog and skull design has turned out. Thanks for the feedback and motivation everyone!



All of the clean up of the model is done and it's just the last few bits of assembly (well as much as can be done before painting) left. I had to buy another tube of Zap-a-gap 5 minute 2-part epoxy as I've already used up the first one I bought!

I'll post some pics of the assembled kit before I start painting.

[Commissar-Krad]

Looks great, man!