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Hi folks,
I thought that making a mecha with no arms and legs was a bit of a cheat, so I’ve tried to follow up
with a ‘proper’ one. I’m amazed at how difficult it was to get something jointed
that can stand up and hold poses properly. All the cool mecha I’ve seen so far
are now that much more impressive!
Anyway, here’s Beau Sabreur Kaji for your delectation:
Pre-moderation teaser:
Post moderation:
http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=53754
Stats
About a foot tall.
Weighs around 1.6 pounds.
15 points of articulation plus ‘fingers’ and shoulder pads.
Roughly 2 weeks construction time (evenings and weekends.)
Construction notes
I thought that I was going to make something akin to a Gasaraki Armour suit, so
I started out by making a chest comparment to carry a minifig pilot. Then a
friend of mine lent me the first few episodes of Evangelion and things changed a
bit... My Beau Sabreur is in no way meant to be an EVA, but it does have one or
two features in common - particularly the lower body and the entry plug-style
pilot compartment.
(By the way, kudos to all the folks who’ve recently made or are making EVAs -
they look amazing.)
There are other influences too - a friend of mine pointed out that the head
looks a bit like the Type-0 from Patlabor, and I had the arms and hands of
Mechadeus from Big-O in mind while building as well.
The problem with the EVA-style cockpit is that the torso needed to be pretty
big, and at an angle to the vertical. This meant that my previous attempts at
click-hinge legs failed to support the weight at the ankles and I had to try and
produce very small worm-gear boxes.
I saw the amazing Dark Gundam a while ago, and read about using worm gears, but
never thought I’d build something that big. Not that Kaji is all that big. I was
pretty pleased with my ankle and foot design, but I’ve since seen that form of
gearbox on other mecha so I guess it was a case of convergent evolution. The way
the gearboxes fit into the shins is very satisfying - it’s one of those things
where all the parts are completely loose until the shin lid is closed, and then
it all locks into place and is really strong. Creating a middle-sized mecha is
quite an interesting prospect really - there isn’t enough space to use all the
really strong joint techniques, but the smaller hinge-based joints aren’t strong
enough for the weight.
I’m pretty happy with the end result of the joints - the poses it can achieve
are quite dynamic, and it will stand posed without falling, although adjusting
the balance to get the pose is fiddly. I think it’d be a lot better if the legs
could splay, and I keep thinking of Optimus Prime when I look at the upper
torso, which isn’t really what I wanted. Never mind.
I’m hoping to build some more equipment (guns and things) at some point but I’m
a bit burnt out at the moment... At least I managed the sabre. I may have to
rework the arms a bit because the ball and socket joints, while very posable,
aren’t able to support much weight. The sabre poses rely on getting the weight
to go straight down through the wrist to prevent it flopping around, and it’d be
more fun without this restriction.
Finally, the name is obviously a nod to Evangelion, plus I liked the idea of a
Japanese mecha fighting using a western martial art. As a keen fencer, that had
to be fencing. (I’m actually a foilist but it’s not such a cool name.)
Anyway, apologies for rambling on and I hope you like it. I certainly enjoyed
the building and photographing.
Comments and criticism very welcome,
Cheers,
Will
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Message has 4 Replies:
 | | Re: New MOC: Beau Sabreur Kaji
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| From what i see it looks to be a very nice looking mecha. For some reason the leg looks like something from the anime series "Blue Gender" as the "wheels" on the feet are reminiscent of the armored trikes on the show. Can't wait to see the whole (...) (21 years ago, 16-Aug-03, to lugnet.build.mecha, FTX)
| | | Re: New MOC: Beau Sabreur Kaji
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| (...) dude, nice job! in spite of all the ideas you got from other mecha styles, this one amalgam seems to be one of the most original as a whole. you did an excellent job on the anke joints which happen to be, in my opinion, the most imporant part (...) (21 years ago, 17-Aug-03, to lugnet.build.mecha)
| | | Re: New MOC: Beau Sabreur Kaji
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| (...) Very nice! I have to argee with Jason... This moc is ugly is a pretty cool way. -Very- original too. The details are very nice on this moc. The plug cockpit is great idea, pulled off wonderfuly! This mecha is very smooth too, and the angles (...) (21 years ago, 17-Aug-03, to lugnet.build.mecha, FTX)
| | | Re: New MOC: Beau Sabreur Kaji
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| I've been building mecha for a couple months now, and I know what you mean. It's difficult to get leg joints that can support the weight of a full-torso mech. You did a great job and I'm impressed how far down you've gotten the knee is some of those (...) (21 years ago, 18-Aug-03, to lugnet.build.mecha, FTX)
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