Wood Elf Update

The dryad conversion work continues.

So I decided to further convert some of my dryads by using a dryad leg with the daemonette torso and leg.  First I separated the daemonette bodies with right legs from those with left legs.  Turns out there are 5 of each per box, which is nice.  Then I compared dryad leg options until I found a good match.  I used clippers to get the dryad leg close to shape, and then I carefully carved with an exacto until the leg fit just right.  I tried to retain as much detail as possible to minimize green stuff work later.

Next I studied the pieces to figure out the placement and orientation for the pin.  I spun the exacto knife on point to make a starting position for the drill.  Then I drilled holes in each piece, and cut a paperclip to length for the pin.

I superglued the pin to the leg and put greenstuff in areas that needed to be filled or shaped.  Then I applied superglue to the hole in the torso and pressed the pieces together.  I used steel modelling tools to press and shape the green stuff.  When the superglue was dry, I used a wet teflon colourshaper tool to finish the greenstuff sculpting, smooth edges, and remove fingerprints.

I am quite pleased with how they turned out!  This group achieves a nice transition stage for the dryads in their transformation from female spirits to their war aspects.  This transformation is the key design element for my tree spirits.

Wood Elf Update

So, I decided to use the new daemonette plastics for my dryad bodies instead of the 6th edition metals.  Obviously, plastic is easier to work with.  Also, they are a bit bigger, and the arms don't look too big on them.  In fact, I think they look just right.  Both the dryad arms and the daemonette body have shoulders.  So there is a bit of detail carving to get them to fit together and look appropriate.

Regular GW bases would be easy to glue the daemonette legs to.  However, I am using GF9 bases, and I am taking care to keep the feet from being covered by the basing pumice.  So after trimming the flash from the main body and leg, I carve a starter hole for drilling.  I make the placement is appropriate so the drill can go for about an 1/8 inch without breaking through the ankle.

Then I drill.  As you can see, these are skinny parts.  I am only drilling big enough to fit the smallest paper clip.

Then I glue the paperclip in place to be cut to length later.

This de-flashing, carving, drilling, and pinning must be done to each leg!  The GF9 bases take less force to remove from the magnet sheet in the movement tray than the rare earth metal magnets.  This is good because these legs are skinny, and I don't want them to fatigue due to handling.

Next I find the dryad arms I want to work with, decide on the position, do some detail carving to both the arm shoulders and the body shoulders, and use plastic glue to get a permanent bond.  There is then some filing and greenstuff action required to make the connection smooth and transparent.

I then use a larger drill (1/16 inch) to put holes in the GF9 base.  There was too much resistance for the skinny plastics when I used the smaller drill in the GF9 base.  I was likely just going to snap the model at the ankle.  So more clearance allowed an easier fit up, and better accomodated the model since the pins in each leg were at different angles.  I pummice the base leaving the holes just barely visible, add super glue, and position the dryad on top of the pumice.  Ta Da!

Wood Elf Update

Since I wanted to do something besides the standard dryad models, I read the army book entry for inspiration. It noted that dryads will often take female form to lure their victim into the forest before transforming into their war-aspect and ripping them limb from limb. I figure the daemonette body offers the beguiling beauty of these spirit-women.

The dryads must get done!  After tacking on some dryad parts to the daemonette bodies, I am pleased enough to commit the daemonette figs to some hardcore conversion.  I'll start by clipping off the claws and using the dremel tool to remove what doesn't clip easily.  I ordered a bunch of dryad bitz off ebay, and I've got them separated into arms, heads, back, and base bitz.  I'll greenstuff and glue the bodies into the gf9 bases and tack on the dryad bitz to make sure I like the feel of the units and have enough variation.  Then I'll carve the dryad bitz to fit to the daemonette bodies before drilling and pinning.  This will be followed by greenstuff work in the joints.

Warhammer Collection Update

I created a website to summarize my warhammer collection and the army lists I had in mind while collecting it.  I thoroughly enjoy making army lists, and I've put much thought into these after long discussions with friends.  My lists are not optimized army lists for winning tournaments.  Rather they are heavily based on theme while circling balance and providing a fun game.  I posted 13 out of the 40 army summaries, and have links to armybuilder, HTML, and TXT files.  I intend to delve into explaining the theme, army selection, and posting pics of the figs after I get the rest of the army lists posted.  I have a link to my warhammer collection webpage in the links section of this blog.

http://home.comcast.net/~tom.mcclure/warhammer/

Wood Elf Update Jan 10th

This weekend I greenstuffed the horses of the army into GF9 magnetic bases. I bent the legs of all the glade riders (5) and wild riders (7) to the horses. It almost took three hands to do this. I used many folds of paper towel to protect their legs from the needle-nose pliers, and I used many small bends to prevent the metal from cracking. I often had to reorient the feet as these had all been foot troops to start out with. I tried to get the bend at the knee that riders would have to hold on to the horse. I then pinned the riders to their horses so they wouldn't just crack off at some tourney during play. The wild rider standard bearer is a very old fig, and his hand fatigued off while I was drilling a hole in it for the standard. So I took the standard arm of the glade riders, cut off the arm, and pinned the hand and standard to his arm. I haven't decided what to do for a standard top, but I'm glad his hand broke now instead of after I got done painting a standard to it. There would be no chance of reattaching his hand in that case.

My wife also wanted the corner of our bedroom cleaned up. So I moved the desk to the basement, and now I have a great work area closer to all my stuff! I should have done that a long time ago.

Next is to add the capes, spears, and bows to the five glade riders. I will pin the sword that broke off of the middle one's right hand and give him a horn in his left hand. I carved the horn out of a glade rider hand to attach onto one of the wild riders as well. Gotta have musicians!