It's GONK-o'clock

[Andy Moore]

3 hours ago, The Spadgent said:

Amazing catch up Andy. Gonk and quad Gonk  are a ready for the eyes and the mind of a would be print junkie. I love your use of printing and trad modelling it works well and it’s exactly the direction I’m going for too. Two questions if you do t mind. 
1. what did you search for to get the tubing. I had a similar idea for Hewey as I have some old water tube in the cellar from when we had an 80s caravan. This is too big but searching for thin tubing on ebay gets me. Well. Not that type of thin tubing, especially when I added.    “ribbed” into the mix. 🤪

 

2. how big is said gonk? My current pieces only just fit on the plate. To be fair I should have gone smaller but…. I didn’t wanna.  I’m curious to see if it’s as big as Hewey.

 

I’ll tag along if that’s ok. I will scavenge ideas left right and center. Hopefully one day my oil spills will look half as good as yours.

 

Cheers Johnny,

 

Can't remember exactly what I searched for, but it was probably 10mm ribbed tubing, or something along those lines. There's a link here to the actual tubing I ordered, which is listed as a cable tidy, but it's just generic flexible tubing really. I used the 10mm size in the non-split version.

 

Size-wise, the quad gonk is 44mm wide and 94mm long at the mid section, which is the largest part in terms of X,Y axis. That uses most of the build plate width, but it's not maxing it out. The support platform added a little more to the width. Obviously, there's nothing here that's troubling the Z axis.

I was quite conscious of the plate size when I designed the parts, and made sure nothing was too close to the edges. Since then though I've printed things which have covered pretty much the full width of the plate and not had any issues, so I'll probably be more inclined to push the limits in future.

 

On 06/09/2021 at 19:59, Pete in Lincs said:

The holes in the top centre are for batteries?

So one battery in there with a coiled wire plugged into it leading to a magnetic hand held torch (flashlight) stuck to the side of the gonk.

Or to take it a bit further, a basket on the side containing an electric drill etc, also plugged in?

 

Another great suggestion Pete, and I'll defo be adding a little tool that can be plugged into one of the batteries.

 

 

Work will resume on El Gonko before too long. He's been sitting on the edge of my bench, looking at me meanigfully for too long now, while I've been catching up on other projects. He'll also be joined by this chap who's recently dropped out of the printer.

 

 

      Andy

[The Spadgent]

He’s about as long as Hewey’s middle bit is wide. Brilliant thanks. Also thanks for the link to the tube. That’s  a definite thing I think for mine, I’m planning on articulated legs, maybe not fully but some kind of play so I can at least position and glue, the tube will really lend itself to this as it’s pretty much what was used on the actors arms. 🤔 . Sorry my Covid riddled brain won’t let me sleep 😵‍💫and I’m dreaming about supports. If you have a shot or maybe a pic of the .CBT is it? How did you support the deepest part of gonk? We’re the cavities full or just a few in the center of the panels and mainly on the ribs?   The new one looks splendid by the way. Also forgot to mention how much I loved the eye. The kids sticker is inspired.

 

Johnny

[Andy Moore]

13 hours ago, The Spadgent said:

If you have a shot or maybe a pic of the .CBT is it? How did you support the deepest part of gonk? We’re the cavities full or just a few in the center of the panels and mainly on the ribs?

 

I don't have any screen grabs of the original .CTB files that I printed, and for some reason if you import the file back into Chitubox it looks really pixely, probably because it's trying to render the slices. Anyway, I've re-supported the original STL and taken some grabs of that.

I used auto supports, which I know a lot of people don't care for, but I find them to be okay for relatively simple shapes like the gonk body, so long as you weed out any of the weirdly placed supports that Chitubox likes to add. The auto supports pretty much filled the cavities, and I left those as they were. The program did a pretty good job with the supports around the rim and frame, although with the original print file I did delete and replace a few to get more consistent spacing.

 

I arranged the body halves level with the build plate, which I know isn't the optimum way of printing them, but I've got the original Mars Pro without the mono screen and they were already 8½ hour prints, and angling them would have made them even longer. They turned out fine anyway.

 

 

 

The part was raised 5mm, and I used medium contact points on the supports with the spherical ends, although I've never done any back to back testing to see which contact shape works best.

 

Andy

[The Spadgent]

2 hours ago, Andy Moore said:

 

I don't have any screen grabs of the original .CTB files that I printed, and for some reason if you import the file back into Chitubox it looks really pixely, probably because it's trying to render the slices. Anyway, I've re-supported the original STL and taken some grabs of that.

I used auto supports, which I know a lot of people don't care for, but I find them to be okay for relatively simple shapes like the gonk body, so long as you weed out any of the weirdly placed supports that Chitubox likes to add. The auto supports pretty much filled the cavities, and I left those as they were. The program did a pretty good job with the supports around the rim and frame, although with the original print file I did delete and replace a few to get more consistent spacing.

 

I arranged the body halves level with the build plate, which I know isn't the optimum way of printing them, but I've got the original Mars Pro without the mono screen and they were already 8½ hour prints, and angling them would have made them even longer. They turned out fine anyway.

 

 

 

The part was raised 5mm, and I used medium contact points on the supports with the spherical ends, although I've never done any back to back testing to see which contact shape works best.

 

Andy

Thank you so much for that. You didn’t need to go and re support but it is much appreciated that you did. It’s pretty much what I thought it would be like so that’s a relief that I’m not too far off the mark. I thought you would have angled but as you said time was an issue and it worked so….. 

 

I believe if you save the Chitu box project you get the supported .STL  but if you only save the sliced .CBT you’re right in saying it’s the layered / stippled version saved out for the printer itself.

 

Thank you once again for your help. 
 

on with the Gonk! 😀

 

Johnny

[Screech]

Hi Andy,

 

Any news on your GONK???

[Andy Moore]

On 31/10/2021 at 15:27, Screech said:

Any news on your GONK???

 

Yes, there's a little more progress now Michael.

 

Apologies for the long wait since the last update. I'd been holding off from doing any more work on him until I could get some decals printed for the Mining Guild logos, but I've not been able to get anyone to print them, so I'm just going to push ahead and finish him without the logos.

 

All the remaining detail parts are now painted and attached, so he's effectively at the stage were I can start the final weathering. The orange sticker I've used for the eye is looking pretty good now it's in place. It catches the light well, and almost looks like it's lit at times.

 

 

 

Pieced together with the mid section, he's starting to look more like the original artwork I did. I've tried to stick to the colours of that painting as much as possible, although I think the yellow would have benefitted from being a little deeper in tone.

 

 

The small vertical panel with the four holes you can see on the lower back are where the power sockets will go, including @Pete in Lincs's tail. Well... obviously not Pete's own tail, but a scale representation of said appendage.

 

And in line with Pete's other suggestion of having a power tool connected to one of the blue cells on the top, I've knocked up this little power wrench type thingy. I think the main body was a landing gear strut from something or other, and the handle is the actuator form a snow speeder air brake.

 

 

The end of the cable will push into one of the cells, although I'll probably add a short length of aluminium tube to form a plug.

 

 

I'll get cracking on the weathering next, so it shouldn't take too long to get him finished now.

 

Andy

[Sgt.Squarehead]

Hi Andy.....It's been a while.....Glad to see you are still 'Gonking'. 

 

Where did you find those wonderful stickers that you used for the eye?  They look like they would be perfect for the optics of modern AFVs. 

 

[Andy Moore]

1 hour ago, Sgt.Squarehead said:

Hi Andy.....It's been a while.....Glad to see you are still 'Gonking'. 

 

Where did you find those wonderful stickers that you used for the eye?  They look like they would be perfect for the optics of modern AFVs. 

 

Cheers Sarge, great to have you along.

 

The stickers are from AliExpress. They come as a mixed sheet of colours and sizes. I've not tried them for light lenses yet, but the clear and red ones would work very well I'd imagine.

 

I've made an initial start on the weathering, mainly just airbrushed stains and dirt, and some streaking with oils. A lot of this still needs some tidying up and the black areas haven't had much attention yet.

 

          Left side

 

          Right side

          The speckled/worn weathering around the rear section is airbrushed Tamiya acrylic that was rubbed back with IPA after the paint had dried.

 

 

          Front

 

 

          Back

 

 

The power wrench has been painted now too. This was a base coat of Alclad with a heavily thinned coat of Vallejo dark grey sprayed over. When the Vallejo was touch dry, I rubbed the paint back with a dry bristle brush to get the worn and chipped effect.

 

 

Andy

 

 

[Pete in Lincs]

8 hours ago, Andy Moore said:

 including @Pete in Lincs's tail. Well... obviously not Pete's own tail, but a scale representation of said appendage.

Ere! Have you been talking to my Doctor?

 

Gonk is looking fabulous. Some great techniques with the paint that I need to remember. Like the power tool! I'm glad to have been of help.

[Sgt.Squarehead]

@Andy Moore What about doing a 'JDB' improvised 'Battle-Gonk'.....Basically treat your Gonk like a Toyota, pintle-mount the biggest blaster you can find on it? 

 

PS - 'Jawa Design Bureau' might be more appropriate in this instance! 

[Pete in Lincs]

2 minutes ago, Sgt.Squarehead said:

Basically treat your Gonk like a Toyota, pintle-mount the biggest blaster you can find on it?

Or 21Cm rocket tubes. No recoil.

[Sgt.Squarehead]

The recoil is half the fun:

 

https://www.reddit.com/r/shittytechnicals/comments/l7g58c/howitzer_on_a_toyota_hilux_technical_used_by/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3

 

[Andy Moore]

21 hours ago, Sgt.Squarehead said:

What about doing a 'JDB' improvised 'Battle-Gonk'.....Basically treat your Gonk like a Toyota, pintle-mount the biggest blaster you can find on it? 

 

PS - 'Jawa Design Bureau' might be more appropriate in this instance! 

 

You see, it's this kind of madness that I feel my builds on BM have been lacking of late. Thankfully, we can always rely on you to turn up in the nick of time with a suitable helping of lunacy.

Yes, I think a Gonk technical will have to happen.

Something like this maybe...

 

 

     Andy

[Pete in Lincs]

OH YEAH!!! EXTERMINATE!

[Sgt.Squarehead]

9 hours ago, Andy Moore said:

 

You see, it's this kind of madness that I feel my builds on BM have been lacking of late. Thankfully, we can always rely on you to turn up in the nick of time with a suitable helping of lunacy.

Yes, I think a Gonk technical will have to happen.

Something like this maybe...

 

 

     Andy

 

Where in the name of the almighty did you find that? 

 

Gun's too small though! 

[Corsairfoxfouruncle]

Ootini ! 

[Andy Moore]

On 05/11/2021 at 00:34, Sgt.Squarehead said:

Where in the name of the almighty did you find that? 

 

Gun's too small though! 

 

Just a quick sketch I knocked up. Making the guns bigger won't be a problem 

It'll probably have to wait for next year though, as my printer doesn't like the winter much (or, at least, the resin doesn't)

 

So, I think El Gonko Cuatro is pretty much done now. In the end, I didn't add much more weathering - just a little more airbrushed dirt, some speckling with oils, and some dusty effects around the lower body.

 

The power cells on the top got a little more weathering, as they were looking too clean before. The cable for the power wrench was glued into place, using a short length of aluminium tube as a plug/connector.

 

 

The face plate maybe looks a little basic, although I'm really pleased with how well the eye turned out. I'd originally planned to add some extra greebles to the plate but I couldn't find anything that worked, so left it as is, apart from painting the two little round holes. If I print another of these I'll probably add some lighting to spice it up a bit.

 

 

The dusty weathering around the bottom of the body has helped tone down some of the harshness of the previous chipping and streaking effects which I wasn't 100% happy with.

 

 

The access panel on the back of the body is taken from a Bandai 3PO kit, and is the only component on the model, apart from the legs and the various cables/wires, that isn't printed.

 

 

The wrench isn't printed either, but I'm counting that as an accessory. It's pretty much looks as it did before, apart from the green knob and a few oil washes to dirty it up.

 

 

The final addition was Pete's Tail™ which seems to have turned an alarming shade of green. I'd originaly thought I'd be able to glue the printed plug straight to the end of the cable, but in the end I had to use a short length of brass tube to connect the two, which I think actually looks better anyway.

 

 

So, this is how he looks in finished form. Nigel's even come out of his dusty corner to celebrate, bringing Elsa along too. I'll get some finished photos up in RFI later, but for now many thanks to everyone that's followed along, and for all the suggestions along the way, especially @Pete in Lincs and @Corsairfoxfouruncle for helping to make him what he is. Only wish I could have got those Mining Guild decals printed, but maybe on the next Gonk.

 

 

          Thanks all

 

          Andy

 

 

 

 

[Corsairfoxfouruncle]

Well done sir.. All your work is good and looking forward to the Jawa mobile artillery. 

[Screech]

Stellar Job Andy!

[Hunter Rose]

Superb! 😎

[Andy Moore]

Thanks chaps,

 

The finished shots are up in RFI now

 

Andy

[Sgt.Squarehead]

Double-Plus-Gonktastic! 

 

There's something wonderfully 'pantomime-horse' about the pose of the double-gonk.....It really suits it. 

 

On 11/10/2021 at 7:50 PM, Andy Moore said:

Just a quick sketch I knocked up.

 

Blimey! 

 

On 11/10/2021 at 7:50 PM, Andy Moore said:

Making the guns bigger won't be a problem 

 

I was  originally thinking of a whopping double-barreled blaster pintled off the Gonk, with a seat hanging off the back, so that the gunnery Jawa swings around with it. 

 

Of course @Pete in Lincs suggestion of an MRL Light-Artillery Gonk is also extremely cool, although I feel it would need a few more tubes or maybe a (Hell-Cannon style) barrel-bomb?

 

Perhaps you should do both! 

[Sgt.Squarehead]

Imagine.....Four gonks with pintle-mounts jointly supporting a cross shaped platform, that in turn supports a pintle-mounted blaster of starship scale (& several Jawas). 

[MDCragg]

Rather than waiting for printed decals just 3D print a paper thin stencil and airbrush the logo on.  Simpler single-color designs should lend themselves to a stencil quite well.  Plus using paint for markings is better because you can chip it and vary its coloration which is more difficult to do with decals.

[Andy Moore]

On 23/12/2021 at 22:11, MDCragg said:

Rather than waiting for printed decals just 3D print a paper thin stencil and airbrush the logo on.  Simpler single-color designs should lend themselves to a stencil quite well.  Plus using paint for markings is better because you can chip it and vary its coloration which is more difficult to do with decals.

 

Thanks for the suggestion. I'm not sure it would work though. It wouldn't be easy to print a thin stencil, and even if you could it would be hard to align the inner and outer parts of the stencil without some kind of adhesive to hold them in place. You could easily cut stencils out with a vinyl cutter, but unfortunately I don't have one.

 

Andy