niart17 Posted January 28, 2016 Share Posted January 28, 2016 (edited) After seeing this on TV recently I remembered how cool these were. And the shape is relatively easy so perfect for a scratch build project. Here is a preliminary shape and features study in Solidworks. Still have a lot to go and collecting resources. Recognize? Any information would be greatly appreciated. Bill Edited February 2, 2016 by niart17 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
crackerjazz Posted January 29, 2016 Share Posted January 29, 2016 Oblivion drone! :) I've always wanted to build one too! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
niart17 Posted January 29, 2016 Author Share Posted January 29, 2016 Bingo. Dude, if you were to tackle one I think it would come out awesome! Your skill set is way ahead of me. I'm not sure how big it's going to be. I'm designing the features around a 6" Dia. ball in SW for now but it will mainly depend on what size sphere I can find in the craft store or somewhere and then I can scale up or down as needed. I believe Plastruct makes styrene spheres but I want to try to start with something cheaper if I can. I figure anywhere in the 6" range would be big enough for details. Hope to make some more design headway soon. I found the website for the designer and a lot of people's 3d version attempts that are slightly off here and there, but really can't find much in the way of accurate info on the real one. I guess I could e-mail the designer and see if there are plans available.. though I doubt that would do any good. Bill Quote Link to post Share on other sites
crackerjazz Posted January 29, 2016 Share Posted January 29, 2016 6 inches would be nice! I wanted to build one as big as the Big Armor model kit and I've seen some pretty good candidate spheres from christmas ornaments at Salvation Army and some big globes (atlas) at the dollar store -- if those are smooth when you tear off the map then they are a nice cheap source of spheres for a defender drone. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
niart17 Posted January 31, 2016 Author Share Posted January 31, 2016 Got a little more of the layout and design study work done in SW. The "face" is pretty intricate and very cool. I think I'm getting close to the general shapes and layouts. The only really tricky part of the drone itself I think will be the back end shape. It's a very subtle blend of some complex shape on the back of the sphere. Here's what I have for the front so far. Bill Quote Link to post Share on other sites
niart17 Posted February 2, 2016 Author Share Posted February 2, 2016 So I found some 6" spheres. These are polycarbonate light globes from home depot. I think they'll work perfectly. I picked up 2, one for the main body and one will be used for the outer panels. I think I'm going to make it in the open position with the guns extended. I've primed them with Tamiya surface primer and marked where the cuts will be for the side panels. Hope to be cutting and start working on parts soon. Bill Quote Link to post Share on other sites
crackerjazz Posted February 2, 2016 Share Posted February 2, 2016 Way cool!!! Keenly following! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
niart17 Posted February 3, 2016 Author Share Posted February 3, 2016 (edited) A small update. I was able to cut out the side panels from the main body and cut the gun pods from the second spare sphere. Now I have a handle on the size of what I'm dealing with and can start planning out and making the details. Still not sure how to do the rear end but something will come up I'm sure...at least I hope. Gun pod just propped up with clay for rough idea of layout. Thanks for looking. Bill Edited February 3, 2016 by niart17 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Don Posted February 3, 2016 Share Posted February 3, 2016 This will be fun to watch Bill. I am pulling up a chair . Regards, Don. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
skyhawk174 Posted February 3, 2016 Share Posted February 3, 2016 Great project there. Always loved that mean machine from the movie. I use Solidworks at work and started to draw up something too but only got to the sphere. I too did a search to see what was out there and there were quite a few people who have already built this droid in various scales. I like the size you have chosen. Should be a nice size for details. I read that Randy Cooper was working on one but to be honest not sure at what stage he is at with that project. I almost bought his bubble ship but with the way the conversion is at the moment between the US/CDN $ it is not in the cards. I think his droid will be in the same scale as his bubble ship. Looking forward to more of your work. It might inspire me just do it myself. I was even thinking of getting the parts 3D printed. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
niart17 Posted February 3, 2016 Author Share Posted February 3, 2016 Thanks guys. Skyhawk, you and Crackerjazz should do one too. We could start a mini-Oblivion drone group build and people would wonder why the heck these things started popping up all over the place. I didn't know Randy Cooper had worked on one. THAT would be a great model as his work is definitely light years ahead of me. But I'm having fun regardless. Bill Quote Link to post Share on other sites
skyhawk174 Posted February 4, 2016 Share Posted February 4, 2016 Thanks guys. Skyhawk, you and Crackerjazz should do one too. We could start a mini-Oblivion drone group build and people would wonder why the heck these things started popping up all over the place. :woot.gif:/> I didn't know Randy Cooper had worked on one. THAT would be a great model as his work is definitely light years ahead of me. But I'm having fun regardless. Bill Yeah I will work on it in between my many other projects that are not getting anywhere :). As I saw more people using Solidworks in this hobby I figured I could do the same. My friend creates master for some of the small cottage guys and he uses Solidworks so that triggered it. He sends his files off to Shapeways for printing. Not to take this thread off the rails too far but my first project is some items for the Horizon kit of ED 209. Will see how that goes. Getting back to your topic though, Randy does not have that droid yet but I keep checking his site. May be the way to go with modelling time so short as it is anyway. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
K5054NZ Posted February 4, 2016 Share Posted February 4, 2016 Nice work Bill! Oblivion is a favourite - loved the Bubble Ship as soon as I saw it, not to mention the leading lady - and the drones always fascinate me. Their "speech" is so unusual. Thanks for sharing your progress so far, and keep up the great work. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
niart17 Posted February 4, 2016 Author Share Posted February 4, 2016 (edited) As I saw more people using Solidworks in this hobby I figured I could do the same. My friend creates master for some of the small cottage guys and he uses Solidworks so that triggered it. He sends his files off to Shapeways for printing. Yes, it can be addictive creating parts and just having them printed. Perhaps it's cheating...oh well. Speaking of Solidworks, here is my latest progress on the "face". Pretty sure this will be totally 3d printed other than the lenses and sensors etc..and I am going to try a first for me, a printed working hatch. I've never had Shapeways print "trapped" parts with clearances so I'm hoping this will work. If it does then I think I'll make this the battery access for the LED and if it doesn't then I'll just glue it shut and no harm no foul. And for those that may not know what I'm making, here is the real one. Thanks for looking. Critiques, comments and suggestions are always welcome. Bill Edited February 4, 2016 by niart17 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
crackerjazz Posted February 4, 2016 Share Posted February 4, 2016 Hi Bill, great job you're doing here!!! I'd love to do a group build, but the rear looks scary. I'll follow along and test the waters first. The other night I was actually seriously considering plunking down the cash for a Golden Armor drone kit instead, but then I'm still saving up for more 1/32 LM parts, thus my hesitation. Scratchbuilt does seem to be the only route for me at the moment. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
skyhawk174 Posted February 5, 2016 Share Posted February 5, 2016 Hi Bill, great job you're doing here!!! I'd love to do a group build, but the rear looks scary. I'll follow along and test the waters first. The other night I was actually seriously considering plunking down the cash for a Golden Armor drone kit instead, but then I'm still saving up for more 1/32 LM parts, thus my hesitation. Scratchbuilt does seem to be the only route for me at the moment. Even with all of my searches somehow I missed that Golden Armor kit. What the heck was I searching? Maybe it was the "Oblivion movie Drone" in the search line? Anyway, today I found it. Looks really nice. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
niart17 Posted February 5, 2016 Author Share Posted February 5, 2016 Yes, I'd considered that Golden Armor kit. It does look nice, and I'm not downing it; but there are a few minor features he didn't get quite right. Nothing too major, but the back end where it transitions from the angled engine deck to the upper portion of the housing is too squared off. The actual drone is much more rounded and smooth a transition between the two upper engine nozzles. Also at the top where it flairs into the sphere isn't quite right either. It should have a bit more of an overhang and taper back a little more smoothly into the housing. Keep in mind I'm not saying that I'm going to be able to get it any more correct, but it was just some observations about that kit. It looks like he maybe started designing it before much was available as for references. Plus, the regular version he has available now is quite pricey, I can only imagine how much the deluxe version with extended gun pods is going to cost. Bill Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Tank Posted February 5, 2016 Share Posted February 5, 2016 Looks good. Will others be able to copy of the 3d parts? I thought about getting the paper model and building parts off that. http://paper-replika.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=9076 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
niart17 Posted February 5, 2016 Author Share Posted February 5, 2016 Looks good. Will others be able to copy of the 3d parts? I thought about getting the paper model and building parts off that. http://paper-replika.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=9076 I haven't really thought about it much, but I know some of the parts would be quite expensive at this scale. Just the face piece is coming in around $50 through Shapeways. I've done a little work laying out the gun pod inside face plate and mechanisms. Some of it I can make out pretty good in the documentary posted on youtube but other details are hard to make out. This is close I think anyway. Bill Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Tank Posted February 5, 2016 Share Posted February 5, 2016 Ouch, thanks for the info. Just spit balling, how much trouble to scale that down to say 1/35 or 1/12? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
niart17 Posted February 5, 2016 Author Share Posted February 5, 2016 (edited) Ouch, thanks for the info. Just spit balling, how much trouble to scale that down to say 1/35 or 1/12? Well, to be perfectly honest, I have no idea what scale this one is. I haven't really thought about it in scale terms, only in proportions to the size sphere I could get (6"). I haven't seen any official measurements of the drones but I suppose I could look closer at some of the screen shots and guesstimate a scale. I will say to scale it down much I'd have to re-do a lot of the details since they are close to minimum print capabilities as drawn. And I'd definitely have to take out the opening hatch feature to get it down to a small scale. To sum it up, It's doable but I'd have to think about what all it would take. It would make a cool 1/35 scale diorama subject though...maybe create the drone shell that they converted into a machine gun turret. THAT was cool looking! Bill Edited February 5, 2016 by niart17 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
FlyAndFight Posted February 5, 2016 Share Posted February 5, 2016 (edited) This is looking amazing. Great job so far. I'm not sure what the scale is, but a 1/6th scale version would be cool, as a company released a 1/6th scale figure of Jack Harper. Would make for an interesting display. Edited February 5, 2016 by FlyAndFight Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Tank Posted February 6, 2016 Share Posted February 6, 2016 Well, to be perfectly honest, I have no idea what scale this one is. I haven't really thought about it in scale terms, only in proportions to the size sphere I could get (6"). I haven't seen any official measurements of the drones but I suppose I could look closer at some of the screen shots and guesstimate a scale. I will say to scale it down much I'd have to re-do a lot of the details since they are close to minimum print capabilities as drawn. And I'd definitely have to take out the opening hatch feature to get it down to a small scale. To sum it up, It's doable but I'd have to think about what all it would take. It would make a cool 1/35 scale diorama subject though...maybe create the drone shell that they converted into a machine gun turret. THAT was cool looking! Bill Only looking for close enough. Don't think there is an plans for the drone to compare to anyway. Will need to rewatch the movie as I just can't picture the machine gun turret you mentioned. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
SBARC Posted February 6, 2016 Share Posted February 6, 2016 This is a very cool project Bill....I loved this movie. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
niart17 Posted February 8, 2016 Author Share Posted February 8, 2016 Thanks guys. It's been a fun project so far. Of course I haven't gotten to the real challenge yet, the back. :woot.gif:/> Not a lot of progress but I created a master for the inside face plate based on drawings from my 3D model. I simply cut the shape out on my Silhouette Cameo cutter and stacked them together on a styrene disc. I'll copy this in resin so I can make the gun pods perfectly match and can make more if I ever want to. Bill Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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