Done / Completed Done!!!!!

[Gimpdiggity]

Re: 1:1 BB8 static prop FINAL WEATHERED PICS IN POST 436. 1 KIT LEFT

I FINALLY got a decent day to lay down some matte clear on the body. It's got several coats on, and I'm doing a few more.

The body looks SOOOO much better than it did before. The matte clear really finishes the overall look...it ties the whole thing together and makes it look like it's one assembled piece. Very cool!!! I'll try to get some pics up after it cures and I can move it around a bit.

 

[Gimpdiggity]

Re: 1:1 BB8 static prop FINAL WEATHERED PICS IN POST 436. 1 KIT LEFT

How are you guys displaying your BB-8s?

I was originally planning on getting a base of some kind to hold him in one spot, then having a nice plaque made with some information about the droid.

However...tonight a friend of mine said "If that were mine, I'd be building a tiny sandbox and filling it with sand to have him sit in...just like on Jakku."

That got me thinking. It would be pretty sweet to have BB-8 actually sitting in sand. I figure if I were to do it, I could build a frame pretty easily and have a plywood base under it. I'd caulk it up good on the inside to make sure that sand didn't end up leaking out from the joints, and then finish the wood appropriately. I figure I'd then fill it with just an inch or two of good quality sand, and I'd end up doing something really interesting to display the information about the droid.

The ONLY thing holding me back on this idea is the fact that I have five cats that live in my house...and I'm almost positive that they'd decide that the sand was basically a giant litter box, which of course would be WAAAAAY less than ideal. The only thing I could figure to combat this would be to actually get a whole bunch of PVA glue, water it down, and mix it into the sand creating a slurry of glue-water-sand...then when it dries, the sand would most likely be "solid" enough that the cats wouldn't really even realize it was sand.

Anyway, I thought it would be a really cool way to display this prop.

 

[reelprops]

Re: 1:1 BB8 static prop FINAL WEATHERED PICS IN POST 436. 1 KIT LEFT

How are you guys displaying your BB-8s?

I was originally planning on getting a base of some kind to hold him in one spot, then having a nice plaque made with some information about the droid.

However...tonight a friend of mine said "If that were mine, I'd be building a tiny sandbox and filling it with sand to have him sit in...just like on Jakku."

That got me thinking. It would be pretty sweet to have BB-8 actually sitting in sand. I figure if I were to do it, I could build a frame pretty easily and have a plywood base under it. I'd caulk it up good on the inside to make sure that sand didn't end up leaking out from the joints, and then finish the wood appropriately. I figure I'd then fill it with just an inch or two of good quality sand, and I'd end up doing something really interesting to display the information about the droid.

The ONLY thing holding me back on this idea is the fact that I have five cats that live in my house...and I'm almost positive that they'd decide that the sand was basically a giant litter box, which of course would be WAAAAAY less than ideal. The only thing I could figure to combat this would be to actually get a whole bunch of PVA glue, water it down, and mix it into the sand creating a slurry of glue-water-sand...then when it dries, the sand would most likely be "solid" enough that the cats wouldn't really even realize it was sand.

Anyway, I thought it would be a really cool way to display this prop.

That's a great idea. But.... 5 cats?? [emoji192][emoji90] for sure.

 

[rgriesbeck]

Re: 1:1 BB8 static prop FINAL WEATHERED PICS IN POST 436. 1 KIT LEFT

How are you guys displaying your BB-8s?

I was originally planning on getting a base of some kind to hold him in one spot, then having a nice plaque made with some information about the droid.

However...tonight a friend of mine said "If that were mine, I'd be building a tiny sandbox and filling it with sand to have him sit in...just like on Jakku."

That got me thinking. It would be pretty sweet to have BB-8 actually sitting in sand. I figure if I were to do it, I could build a frame pretty easily and have a plywood base under it. I'd caulk it up good on the inside to make sure that sand didn't end up leaking out from the joints, and then finish the wood appropriately. I figure I'd then fill it with just an inch or two of good quality sand, and I'd end up doing something really interesting to display the information about the droid.

The ONLY thing holding me back on this idea is the fact that I have five cats that live in my house...and I'm almost positive that they'd decide that the sand was basically a giant litter box, which of course would be WAAAAAY less than ideal. The only thing I could figure to combat this would be to actually get a whole bunch of PVA glue, water it down, and mix it into the sand creating a slurry of glue-water-sand...then when it dries, the sand would most likely be "solid" enough that the cats wouldn't really even realize it was sand.

Anyway, I thought it would be a really cool way to display this prop.

I was thinking of carving small "sand dunes" out of pink foam insulation, then covering it with Elmer's glue, then a light dusting of sand (maybe 1/2" thick). Of course, leaving a spot for BB to sit...

- - - Updated - - -

And ya, 5 cats is about 5 cats too many

 

[Gimpdiggity]

Re: 1:1 BB8 static prop FINAL WEATHERED PICS IN POST 436. 1 KIT LEFT

I was thinking of carving small "sand dunes" out of pink foam insulation, then covering it with Elmer's glue, then a light dusting of sand (maybe 1/2" thick). Of course, leaving a spot for BB to sit...

- - - Updated - - -

And ya, 5 cats is about 5 cats too many

I started thinking that tonight...but I was thinking of maybe going with that expanding foam insulation. Sand it down to get the shapes I want, then do the same thing basically cover it with PVA and sand.


My house has become somewhat of an animal rescue. We currently have five cats and two dogs, and have put two dogs down in the last year (including one last week) due to health failure from old age. All nine of these animals were adopted from shelters, and include various health issues from diabetes (one of the cats), deafness (one of the dogs that's still with us), a severe case of anxiety/fear (the bluetick coonhound I had to put down last year), to an auto-immune disease that caused skin problems and made his body think his toe nails were an infection and "fight" the infection by causing his nails to get brittle and painfully break off (the bluetick I put down last week).

They can be a handful af times, but they're my family and I wouldn't have it any other way.

 

[Gimpdiggity]

Re: 1:1 BB8 static prop FINAL WEATHERED PICS IN POST 436. 1 KIT LEFT

Here is mine.

The head is mounted, but I will continue looking for a BETTER way to mount it.

Right now I'm trying to decide if I should do any more matte clear on the body. It's still a BIT of a different overall look than the head, but from reading a few threads on the builder's club sites, it seems that unless you end up actually painting the acrylic ball body, it's very difficult to get them to have the exact same finish. So, I may just end up saying "Good Enough" and leave it. Either way, I'm happy with it as it sits right now. It looks great.

Any thoughts from you guys on the body?? More matte to get it even less "shiny," or just leave it?

 

[reelprops]

Re: 1:1 BB8 static prop FINAL WEATHERED PICS IN POST 436. 1 KIT LEFT

Here is mine.

The head is mounted, but I will continue looking for a BETTER way to mount it.

Right now I'm trying to decide if I should do any more matte clear on the body. It's still a BIT of a different overall look than the head, but from reading a few threads on the builder's club sites, it seems that unless you end up actually painting the acrylic ball body, it's very difficult to get them to have the exact same finish. So, I may just end up saying "Good Enough" and leave it. Either way, I'm happy with it as it sits right now. It looks great.

Any thoughts from you guys on the body?? More matte to get it even less "shiny," or just leave it?

Don't put anymore matte finish. You can ruin it easily. The weathering blends it all together but since you went with a clean version there will be slight difference to the body and dome. I think it looks fantastic.

Reel

 

[reelprops]

Re: 1:1 BB8 static prop FINAL WEATHERED PICS IN POST 436. 1 KIT LEFT

Done!!!!

 

[Gimpdiggity]

Re: 1:1 BB8 static prop FINAL WEATHERED PICS IN POST 436. 1 KIT LEFT

Okay thanks Reel, I won't do anymore matte. If I had an airbrush and some time I'd do some practicing and try my hand at some very basic weathering. As it is, though, I'll be making SOME kind of display for him and setting him up in a room that doesn't have the insane amount of light that my hobby room does, so any slight differences in finish will be minimized.

I had thought about using the sound board from that $50 BB-8 from Target. It sounds great!

 

[reelprops]

I have 5 sets of decals left if anyone wants one. Normal price is $125

I'll let them go for $75 per set

Reel