Khador Devastator WIP

Recently bought a bunch of new models but thought I would assemble my Devastator because I may be using him in my club's tournament this Saturday.  Main thing I worked on yesterday was the magnets and his arms.

I wasn't planning on doing this at first but realized that if I used magnets, it might allow the arms to rotate so he could have an open version and a closed one.  This is pretty neat because it will simulate his Rain of Death special attack.  So in the above pic, you can see how I dremel'ed out a whole and placed a magnet in there.  Magnets I used are 3/16" x 1/16".  I get them from Brookhurst Hobbies in Garden Grove.

Next pic.  I used the Dremel to file off the little nib on his elbow there and placed another magnet.  You wanna make sure the area is flat so there's more surface for the magnet to stick.  Used Krazy Glue.

His right arm had trouble closing to center so I had to file down part of his arm.

ARM 25 above and Rain of Death below. :P

Close up view of the magnets.  I was worried that the arm would be too heavy but the magnet is strong enough to hold the arm and the shoulder plate.  Magnet position is set up perfectly to allow the arm to swivel.

With the shoulder plates glued to the arms, Devastator is still able to open his arms but the magnet connection is not pefect.  The magnet does hold though.

You can see how the magnet on the arm is at an angle.  It sorta works but I want the connection to be better so this left me with a decision.  Leave it as is or try something nutty.  I decided to go all out.

So right now I'm creating a tiny hinge for the shoulder plate where it connects to the arm.  This will allow arm to naturally open.  When it does, the shoulder plate should open up revealing the Rain of Death launchers.  Working on that now and will update this post as I make progress.  Got the first hinge done.  The tricky part will be gluing it on and aligning it.  /cross fingers.

Later in the day...

So made some progress with Devastator.  Got some hinge pics to show ya.

I've been cutting some brass plating I got at a train hobby store.  Brookhurst Hobbies also carries it.  Then I use a really thin wire for the hinge to swivel around. 

So above pic shows how I make them.  I cut two pieces; one piece has two "fingers" on the outside, and then other has a "middle finger" :P on the inside.  I tape down the first one.  Put the wire on and tape that down too.  Then I use a flat sculpting tool and wrap it over nice and tight.

Once you wrap it over, jam the tool like the picture above so it's tight on the other side.  Then you slip the other side in and wrap the two fingers exactly the same way.

And walla!  Hinge!  I applied some Krazy Glue underneath those finger parts to make it more secure.  This is the first hinge I tried.  I was able to glue it to the arm but when I tried attaching it to the shoulder piece, the hinge is too small so I wasn't able to glue the parts to it.  Shoulder is too heavy so it moves the hinge around and thus it isn't able to bond.  So back to the drawing board!

Hinge like you got a pair!!!  O.K. so I decided to make the hinge bigger. That way I can secure it to the parts easier as there's more area for the glue to attach to.
 

I've glued one of the flat panels onto the inside of Devastator's shoulder pad.  I bent the other side so it'll wrap around his arm a little better.

View from the outside.

And here he is with arm attached.  It's leaving a little gap which meh... looks sorta weird.

Showing the hinge in action. 

I'm not sure if you can tell from the pic but it shows how the hinge attaches to Devastator's arm.  Definitely more secure than the first hinge.

Now when you open his arms, the shoulder pad naturally opens because of the hinge.  Sweet!  Since this pic I've gone back and reglued the shoulder pad to close the gap.  I like it a little better.  The should piece is a little wobbly so I'll think more about it but so far so good.  Now I'm off to Brookhurst for Thursday Night Warmachine.  Hopefully I'll get to try out my new Winterguard Rifle Corp with pButcher.  More hinges and Devastator later tonight!